Chapter 35: Unexpected
Many of the soldiers of the Nonette Kingdom had already returned to their homeland and were assigned to guard the main force of the Rocha Kingdom, which was crossing the mountains. As a result, the field camp on top of this mountain was almost empty.
To gain as much time as possible before the vanguard of the Rocha Kingdom could grasp this fact, I continued to harass them with water and gust magic, along with the other wizards.
After several days of repeated harassment, most of the enemy vanguard seemed to be in poor condition. Some even went to great lengths to maintain their body temperature, removing their iron armor that sapped their warmth.
Though we had chosen not to use destructive magic that would take their lives, their daring actions were commendable.
"If their defenses are so weak, maybe we should warm them up in return."
"You mean set fire to their clothes and tents and leave them in the cold, right?"
"As expected of Prince Milimos. Despite your cute face and young age, you can be quite ruthless."
"Don't praise me for that."
Ha-ha, we laughed together with the wizards in jest when suddenly a messenger came down from the mountaintop.
"Prince Milimos, som-something serious has happened!"
He handed me a small piece of paper with characters written on it—a letter carried by a bird.
After receiving it and reading the contents, it turned out that the main force of the Rocha Kingdom had already appeared in the forests within our country's borders. The coordinates of the discovery point were also written.
"No way! We had people who were knowledgeable about military affairs and the terrain, like Alektem, who should have spotted any possible routes the army might take through the mountains and stationed scouts. Where are their reports!?"
"They haven't come. We don't know if the Rocha Kingdom's main force overpowered them, or if our predictions were simply wrong. This report comes from a villager who was wandering in the woods, and it has been confirmed by stationed soldiers upon receiving the news."
If the messenger doesn't know, then it's highly likely that the soldiers we stationed on the mountain indeed have no information.
"We may not know the full picture, but for now, let the scouts know through bird communication. If there are enemies within our borders, we'll need as many soldiers as possible."
"Understood. I'll convey it in my reply."
Without waiting for the messenger to climb the mountain, I turned to the wizards.
"This is an emergency. There's no point in continuing the harassment. Everyone, return to the royal castle and prepare for the final battle."
"Understood. Wizards need to chant spells, making them unsuitable for ambushes in the field."
"What about you, Prince Milimos?"
"As a wielder of magic swords, I'll participate in the field battle. I'll continue the harassment against the main force just like we did here."
Exchanging smiles, I activated divine arts to strengthen my body and dashed up the mountain, surpassing the messenger. When I reached the mountain's summit and the encampment, I pulled out my personal backpack from the retreat supplies.
"Well then, it looks like things are about to get busy."
I took a handful of roasted and dried beans from my backpack, put them in my mouth, and crunched them loudly before washing them down with water from my water bottle.
Having replenished myself with some nutrition and hydration for the time being, I headed towards the coordinates mentioned in the bird script using my sacred arts, running down the mountain at full speed.
I ran while taking occasional breaks, using the sacred arts for three days.
As I advanced through the snowy forest, with fallen leaves and withered undergrowth, I faintly heard the sound of a large army marching.
The location was approximately only twenty kilometers away from the coordinates I saw in the bird script at the mountain border.
For a moment, I wondered about the slow pace of their progress, but then I remembered reading in the military manual that "large armies advance slowly."
"Perhaps it's because they're marching through the forest and dealing with snow at their feet," I thought.
The main force of the Rocha Kingdom wears heavy armor during their march, so their progress is naturally slower. Moreover, the terrain of the uncharted forest would have further hindered the speed of a large army.
"I was surprised when they suddenly appeared in our territory, but it seems they've mistaken the place they came out from," I said to myself.
Navigating through the trees, I stopped and hid my presence behind one when I found the reason why I couldn't advance further.
"That's a demon. It's watching the Rocha Kingdom's army," I observed.
Its appearance resembled a deer from my previous life. Its horns had a sinister reddish-black color, and the magical energy leaking from them distorted the scenery like steam. That visible magical discharge was a characteristic of demons.
"It seems the Rocha Kingdom's army has intruded into the demon's territory," I concluded.
Demons are creatures capable of using magic, but they also have another characteristic. No matter how numerous or formidable their opponents may be, they will act to eliminate any intruders into their territory.
And right now, a deer-like demon sprinted towards the seven thousand Rocha Kingdom soldiers with its magical power visible.
"PEEEEEE!" It let out a threatening cry, and then ice projectiles shot out from the tips of its horns simultaneously. The ice projectiles flew through the air, striking several soldiers in the column from the side, causing them to fall to the ground in shock.
I watched the moment of impact. One soldier's iron helmet was dented, likely dealing a fatal blow. Other soldiers were hit in the torso, causing dents on the chest of their armor.
The Rocha Kingdom soldiers under attack by the demon quickly formed their ranks while frantically firing off spells as the demon approached.
"The demon uses a stone magic attack, but it's only as powerful as throwing rocks. If they shield themselves with large shields, it won't be a problem!"
"Those with polearm weapons, stand behind the shield-bearers! Once that demon gets close, thrust and kill it!"
I observed the unfolding scene in the forest as the confrontation between the Rocha Kingdom's soldiers and the demon began.
The soldiers stationed on the route where the demon was charging formed their formation as commanded and awaited the demon's assault.
"Beeeeeeeeeeeh!"
The barrage of ice thrown by the demon was perfectly blocked with their shields.
Realizing that magic couldn't defeat it, the demon lowered its head slightly, thrusting its horns forward, and began its charge, kicking the ground with force as if digging up the snow and soil.
"Hold your ground! Don't release your shields!"
"Polearm wielders, attack where the shield bearer intercepts!"
The demon charged into the ranks of the soldiers.
With its large, elk-like body, it was like a motorcycle charging in, but the soldiers of the Roccha Kingdom managed to fend off the charge.
And the moment the demon's movement halted, a long-handled weapon struck it.
"Beeeeeeeeeeeh!"
The injured demon bellowed loudly, thrashing about fiercely.
It swung its horns, firing off magic in quick succession, and reared its upper body before stomping down with its forelegs.
The Roccha soldiers, relying on their iron armor for defense, launched a full-scale attack.
It was an impressive display, but this method of enclosing the demon in combat resulted in significant casualties.
In fact, the demon's swinging horns disrupted the formation, and the ice barrage sent soldiers flying, with no mercy when they were downed.
"Finish it off quickly! Shield bearer, restrain it!"
"Aaaargh! My leg, my leg is crushed!"
"My armor is dented, I can't breathe..."
"Beeeeeeeeeeeh!"
The demon went on a rampage, shaking its head and body like a rodeo bull.
It seemed to have decided that dealing with just the initial soldiers was impossible, and reinforcements arrived from the front and rear of the formation.
With such a large number gathering, even the demon was no match.
It was simultaneously held back with shields and surrounded, taking a barrage of attacks.
However, in the minute or so before being killed, the demon showed its tenacity and left several more soldiers in a state of incapacity.
"It hurts so much! Someone, give me first aid!"
"Stay strong! Breathe!"
"No, my skull is dented, and my eye is popped out..."
The cries of the injured and the words of mourning for the fallen comrades filled the Roccha Kingdom's army.
Their lament turned into anger directed at the corpse of the demon.
"This damned monster!"
"Give back our comrades, you... you!"
Watching the demon being torn to shreds, I couldn't help but think it was a waste.
Demons have high combat abilities and possess vast territories, which means they can eat good things, making them quite delicious.
"Well, I don't think we have time to be doing such things, though..."
I peeked from behind the tree and turned my face towards the direction of the sound I heard. Beyond the scattered leaves of the trees, I could see several small brown dots. As time passed, these dots gradually grew larger.
Eventually, when the dots became the size of my fingernail, I could clearly see their identity. It was a group of seven deer-like creatures, similar to the monster that had been killed by soldiers from the Rocha Kingdom earlier.
These creatures were magical beings capable of using magic, and their behavior and way of forming groups were similar to those of ordinary animals with similar appearances. Yes, if they resembled deer, then they must be creatures that lived in herds, just like deer.
"When dealing with creatures that form groups, you either wipe out the entire group at once with a simultaneous attack, or you trap the one you killed first and use it as bait," I mumbled to myself.
It seemed that the soldiers from the Rocha Kingdom lacked the know-how to deal with such creatures. And right in front of my eyes, the herd of deer-like monsters charged towards the column of Rocha Kingdom soldiers.
"Mooohhh!"
"Here they come again! Be ready!"
"Damn it. Why are there so many monsters in this forest?"
The soldiers' screams could be heard. From their remarks, it seemed that their march had been hindered multiple times due to monster attacks.
Though I didn't respond to the screams, the reason there were quite a number of monsters here was that the Nornette Kingdom didn't actively hunt monsters deep into the forest like this. As long as you didn't intrude upon their territory, even if you accidentally entered, they wouldn't be dangerous opponents and would turn back soon enough.
Of course, if they appeared in human settlements, they would be dealt with just like any other wild animal. As I pondered these thoughts, I remembered why I was here.
"Oh, right, this isn't the time to just watch."
I had pinpointed the location of the Rocha Kingdom's military forces. Nonette Kingdom's troops were spread across the mountains and villages, and they were gathering at a point nearby. I had to join them.
I carefully moved away from the cover of the tree and started running towards the side where there were more villages and towns.