「Impossible, that is….」
The central army, the commander in chief Forcas lost his cool.
The total collapse of the left wings is still manageable but it was followed by the defeat of the 500 flying dragon knights, which has been the best card in his sleeve. There's even the report of the death of Commander Rothbacher.
The 20000 territorial troops on the right-wing were under the long-range bombardment from the fortress City of Ox and were retreating to get out of range.
The 5000 imperial knights who attacked the City of Ox to stop the bombardment collapsed before they even managed to reach their target.
In addition to Ox not falling, the fierce General Barbarossa can already be considered as killed in battle.
The brilliant mind of Forcas calculated that the proud and fierce general, who only knew how to move forward, would never be defeated.
Fortunately, the 14000 imperial central army was able to push through the 3000 men of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th battalion of the Kingdom of Silesie in the blink of an eye. They were even able to march like a crushing wave toward the Devil's Mountain.
「With only that, we can't win.」
The formula for victory was broken.
After breaking through the center army of the Kingdom of Silesie, what should be the next move?
Should they continue to attack the enemy's right flank along the foot of the Devil's Mountain and aim to take down the royal capital of Silesie?
Or attack the fortified City of Ox since they would be at risk until they destroy those giant cannons. After that, they would be able to gather the remaining forces and…..
「No, we should retreat at once.」
「Ara, I thought you could win with the central army alone.」
The Princess Knight Eleonora, who had been silently watching the commander in chief Forcas, for quite some time opened her mouth.
Eleonora, the second in command, could not interfere with his command but she has gotten tired of watching Forcas fall into the enemy's traps because of attacking by the books.
However, the reason why she doesn't call Forcas a fool is because she is aware that she used to be like him. No, she thinks that Forcas was better than her.
Looking at her former foolishness objectively, she finally noticed. Eleonora might have finally grown up a little.
「General Forcas, we have a serious problem desu!」
「What!」
What could be considered as "serious" now? Forcas stared at the messenger who dashed into the room with a bloodthirsty look on his face.
For a moment, he thought that there were some soldiers beating drums and making noise outside the tent.
「Ah, that is, please look.」
「What should I…..」
Pointing outside the tent, the soldier's fingers trembled.
When Forcas rushed outside, he saw the Devil's Mountain sparkling before the eyes of the central army.
Sparkling is the only way to describe it.
Black cedars are growing on the mountain and it's the main reason it was called the Devil's Mountain. Countless cedar logs were sticking out of the mountain slope toward the central army and they "spark" along with a violent sound of explosion.
Black balls flew from them and destroyed the tents of the main camp.
「What in the world….」
「General Forcas, it appears that all those black logs are cannons.」
The mountain slopes are indeed not only full of naturally growing cedars but there are also slanted logs sticking out from the ground and from the looks of it, they should be more than a thousand.
「Are you saying that all the logs on that mountain slope are cannons?」
「We chased after the enemy soldiers who had fled into the mountains and found many holes dug into the slopes with logs sticking out of them. Those logs spew balls.」
Even in such a situation, the empire's immortal knights in the main camp were indifferent.
They have been brainwashed and educated from an early age and will not move from the posts unless ordered to do so, rain or shine.
They are called immortals not because they are undead.
They are called immortals because they remain motionless even facing their own death.
But ordinary soldiers, the 4000 heavy infantry, are different.
They scattered by the roar of more than 1000 cannons as soon as they opened fire on them.
With that, there were now only 4000 imperial immortals left in the main camp.
「What should we do next, Forcas!」
Eleonora, who had been looking at the situation coldly as if it were someone else's problem, exclaimed in a voice that's not hiding her impatience.
It is unprecedented that the main headquarters of the Germania Empire's expeditionary force was cornered to this extent.
Forcas turned his face away from the Devil's Mountain where countless of sparks were exploding.
He stared at the operation's map once more and spoke of a strategy in a screeching voice.
「We can still do it! Neither the mercenaries on the right-wing nor the territorial army of the left-wing has been annihilated because they were able to retreat. If we return to the City of Spike and rally the remaining forces, we can regroup and attack the royal capital of Silesie again, we will be able to….」
「Don't back down!」
From a tent at the back came the Golden Lion Freed, who had finally finished his treatment.
Dressed in a shimmering orichalcum armor and purple cloak, his figure is imposing but Forcas was taken aback by the color of the crown prince's eyes.
Both of his eyes, which should have been blue and gold heterochromia, were now red.
His white skin looked pale and only his golden lion hair remained the same.