Within the Yaden Forest, the grand army of Marquis Clark also advanced through the forest.
Unlike the right-wing army, this army of over thirty thousand was led by a large number of scouts and cavalry to explore and guard the way, followed by over three thousand serf soldiers carrying long spears or swords, cautiously watching their surroundings. Leading the march were the serf archers, who were of the lowest status.
Then, the main force consisted of a large number of serf infantry and soldiers in group formations, with ranger knights and kingdom knights at the rear, protecting Marquis Clark and other nobles, with a large number of infantry on both sides for protection.
The entire troop stretched for several kilometers.
The knights were not fully armored; they mostly wore formal attire and uniforms, equipped with swords and shields.
During military campaigns, except for when facing the enemy, knights would not wear armor as being fully equipped was not only a severe burden for the warhorses but also for the knights themselves.
Combat lasting too long would exhaust the knights.
Only the Grail Knights, such beasts, could wear plate armor from dawn till dusk without tiring, but Grail Knights were rare, and in this knightly war, only Ryan participated as a Grail Knight.
A standard Bretonnian warhorse could charge five to eight times while armored, after which the warhorse would become exhausted, and the effectiveness of the charge would significantly decrease. Hence, knights would not wear armor during marches or camps, as it would exhaust them to death.
Ordinary ranger knights could not afford full plate armor; they were equipped with chainmail, a kettle helm, and a surcoat combination, with only a few nobly born ranger knights able to afford plate armor.
Therefore, a knight on campaign typically had three horses: a warhorse for combat, an ordinary horse for regular riding, and a packhorse for carrying various equipment. They also needed at least two knights as squires to help them don their armor and mount their horses before battle.
Following the knights were the vast numbers of camp followers and logistical personnel, with many wagons carrying the knights' equipment.
"My lord, Yulsen Castle is not far from here." This was the advice of the experienced deputy general, Baron Pierre, an outstanding kingdom knight: "We have encountered no significant resistance along the way, but I think we should still be cautious."
"Indeed, I am aware of that. Beastmen are very cunning; we must be cautious." Marquis Clark, proud yet cautious, was a general of scholarly background, having received excellent military training from a young age. He knew he must not be careless.
King Richard had not easily secured this opportunity for his great-nephew; he had to seize it well.
At the same time, Marquis Clark was somewhat restless. Having entered the forest for three days, his army faced continuous harassment and minor attacks from the beastmen, with scouts and cavalry suffering heavy casualties. However, the beastmen never dared to attack the army directly with a large force.
Complaints began to arise among the ranger knights, feeling that the beastmen were not so formidable and that Marquis Clark was too cautious. These beastmen only knew how to shoot from a distance and hide from the knights, truly a bunch of cowards.
Marquis Clark warned the knights not to be careless and to beware of beastmen ambushes.
But where were the beastmen? Marquis Clark pondered. The absence of these beasts troubled the knights.
As the army approached within about twenty kilometers of Yulsen Castle, an incident suddenly occurred.
Several injured cavalry rushed out of the forest: "Enemy attack! It's the beastmen!"
"Beastmen!" The angry shout took a considerable amount of time to travel from the vanguard to the rear, spanning several kilometers. The sprawling army slowly reacted, with the front-guard serfs forming ranks and raising their weapons. The knights quickly sought their squires, donning their armor, preparing for battle.
In the dark forest, hundreds of beastmen appeared, bearing ferocious faces, mostly armed with long spears and great axes.
"Archers, prepare to fire!" commanded the sergeants at the front, and the serfs immediately obeyed, raising their wooden bows.
A volley of arrows flew towards the approaching beastmen, hitting many of the weaker ungors and chaos hounds. Even though the serf archers' accuracy was poor, the thin-skinned ungors and chaos hounds were easily killed by the simple arrows.
But the beastmen's army wasn't only composed of fragile ungors and chaos hounds.
"Minotaurs!" many sergeants shouted, "Prepare the throwing spears!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the minotaurs raised their throwing spears and began to hurl them towards the chaotic Bretonnian formations.
A dense shower of throwing spears crossed the sky, whistling towards the serf infantry, many of whom were struck and fell.
The infantry formations began to waver and chaos ensued. Many knights immediately executed deserters on the spot to stabilize morale. The serf archers, terrified by the barrage of throwing spears, retreated only to realize that the spears' accuracy was as poor as their arrows. Under the stern gaze of their lords, they returned to their positions.
"Archers! Loose formation, fire!" commanded the knightly lords, and the serf archers released another volley.
The tougher minotaurs, more formidable than ungors, had thick skin that the poorly trained serf archers' arrows could hardly damage. After a round of volleys, the minotaurs closed in.
"Form a spear wall!" The serf infantry raised their long spears, forming a circular formation to meet the powerful beastmen.
The minotaurs, wielding great axes, charged into the formations, causing many serf soldiers to be bloodily dispatched. Witnessing their comrades' deaths, the serf soldiers hardened their resolve, thrusting their long spears fiercely. The dense spear formations inflicted heavy casualties on the minotaurs, with about thirty to forty of the two hundred or so minotaurs being pierced through vital spots and falling immediately.
More minotaurs emerged from the forest.
"For the Lady and the King! For Bretonnia!" The sergeants led the charge, these high-ranking soldiers wearing breastplates and helmets, wielding halberds or two-handed swords, launched a fierce assault on the beastmen. All sergeants, promoted from serfs, represented the highest achievement for serfs, including ranger knights. Their combat skills and strength were very formidable, some even comparable to knights. Their involvement quickly turned the tide of battle. After a fierce fight, the serf's morale gradually stabilized, and the battlefield reached a stalemate.
Just then, Bretonnian knights, having donned their armor, dismounted from their warhorses and charged into the fray.
The appearance of the knights boosted the serfs' morale. Skilled, clad in heavy armor, and wielding fine weapons, the knights forced the minotaurs to retreat repeatedly.
"For the Lady and the King! For Bretonnia!!!"
Despite the narrow paths and dense forests reducing their speed, the ranger knights' enthusiasm and eagerness to prove their valor remained undiminished. Just as they were about to completely surround the beastmen, horns sounded from deep within the forest: "Woo~~ Woom~~"
Hearing the horn, the beastmen immediately retreated, leaving behind the ungors and chaos hounds, fleeing back into the forest. In the dense woods, these chaotic creatures moved with astonishing speed. Marquis Clark quickly halted any pursuit.
Marquis Clark was well aware that scattered, heavily armored knights should not chase haphazardly.
The encounter resulted in Bretonnia losing over two hundred serfs and a few knights, while the beastmen left behind over three hundred corpses.
Many ranger knights sighed deeply. For the past few days, they had been continuously harassed, with the enemy often vanishing before they could even don their armor.
Such a frustrating battle!
These beastmen truly lacked honor. If they were brave, they would face us in open battle on the plains!
"My lord, we have achieved a great victory! We only lost a few knights and about a dozen ranger knights." Soon, the clerk reported the battle losses to Marquis Clark.
The loss of serfs didn't count as a loss; these expendable troops were meant to absorb damage.
"Excellent. After marching for three days, we have finally achieved a victory. This is our goal! Accumulate small victories to achieve a grand victory, step by step, we will destroy these scattered beastmen warbands and then force these beasts into a decisive battle!" Marquis Clark proudly stated. This was clearly a well-designed ambush by the beastmen, which they had repelled.
This proves that if we were to engage in a decisive battle, even in the forest, the beastmen would not be our match.
Justice will defeat evil, and the knights of Bretonnia will not succumb to these beasts.
"How many beastmen are left? Bring it on. This summer will be the end of the beastmen!" Marquis Clark continued to issue orders: "Do not let down your guard, have the cavalry continue scouting, for no one knows if another ambush awaits us!"
"Yes!"
After regrouping, the knightly army continued its advance.
Several kilometers away, on a cliff, the beastmen Beastlord "Bloodhorn" Malagor and the Screaming Shaman "Heart-Eater" Ghorros stood together, behind them were several Doombulls and Cyclops.
Watching the beastmen retreat, Malagor opened his massive maw: "Knights... cautious, ambush... difficult."
"Humans... numerous, cannot... directly confront."
The Screaming Shaman, waving a staff adorned with numerous skulls and bones, his body covered in festering wounds, surrounded by flies buzzing around, emitting a stench of decay and rot.
"Lure the knights... deeper into the forest, decay and life, guide us to victory." Ghorros waved his staff, with massive corrupt energy gathering above, spreading vile green energy.
"The power of the Dark Moon... changing seasons... waiting for the moment." Malagor pointed at the blasphemous runes on the Chaos Altar: "Children of Chaos... destroy everything... humans... the false goddess of the lake... all will be destroyed!"
Behind the Beastlord, a terrifying altar pulled by several Razorgors.
This altar was once a shrine to the Lady of the Lake, but now it was surrounded by filthy patterns and Chaos energy, with the head of a Lake Prophet hanging from it: "Gather the minotaur herds!"
The altar erupted with blood-red corrupt energy, conveying the message the beastmen needed to know.
"Prepare... for a new battle!"
...
Afterward, the knights' advance encountered no further ambushes, and the army of over thirty thousand quickly reached Yulsen Castle.
Built of limestone atop a hill, surrounded by river valleys, the castle had tall and solid walls, though not particularly large, so the army of over thirty thousand could not all stay within the castle. Thus, the serfs camped outside.
Seeing the knightly army approach, Count Adalhard opened the castle gates, and the knights streamed into the city.
"Welcome, Lord Clark!" Count Adalhard, accompanied by several knights, came forward to greet them: "I heard our commander has achieved consecutive victories outside the city, making the beastmen tribes dare not appear anymore?"
"Not at all, let's sit and talk." The nobles headed inside the castle, squires hurried to feed the horses, and the logistical staff busied themselves preparing dinner for the knights.
The castle's inner courtyard was in the southwest tower, within a reinforced large room with a map on the table, armors on racks, swords and shields on the walls, and a pot of thick meat stew simmering in the fireplace, its aroma filling the air.
Adalhard had prepared dinner, and both Marquis Clark and Baron Pierre, feeling weary, decided to sit and eat while discussing.
"We've been cautious all along, but now it seems the beastmen had no intention of facing us in battle near Yulsen Castle." Marquis Clark began, the young man quite pleased: "Along the way, we've scared off two beastmen warbands and defeated one of their ambushes. So, these beasts should realize our strength by now; they've already retreated, waiting for another chance to ambush us."
"I think so too!" Count Adalhard nodded vigorously, the newly appointed kingdom knight also beaming with pride: "Since I arrived here, we've repelled three beastmen attacks. Each time they come with great force, but as soon as they face a setback, they immediately retreat, never posing a real threat."
"So, here's my plan, Adalhard. You lead the armies of the three duchies along the stream's path, attacking Woe Rock from the left flank, while I lead the main force from the center..." Marquis Clark and Count Adalhard went into detail about their plan.
This plan had been discussed before and will not be repeated here.
"Adalhard, remember, our central and left flank armies should display more banners to amplify our presence. We already have a numerical advantage; adding more banners will do the trick." Concluding, Adalhard and Clark exchanged a knowing glance.
"Let them be surprised, let them surprise themselves."
Count Adalhard and Marquis Clark shared a smile, understanding each other without words.
"All for the Lady and the King! For Bretonnia!"
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