Last night’s flawless victory was an extremely encouraging result.
The battle had ended so quickly, and there hadn’t even been a drawn-out struggle, so the soldiers were all brimming with energy.
It would be a waste to let this surplus of time slip by.
“Not sure if this will actually work.”
“Well, since it’s Sir Karl’s order, there must be a reason.”
Following Karl’s or more precisely, Catherine’s plan, they were constructing a small outer fort tightly against the southern side of Axeblade Village.
Even the imperial soldiers were put to work on it, and since most of the villagers were skilled lumberjacks and carpenters, the wooden palisade went up faster than expected.
On top of that, they even used their spare time to dig out the ground around the palisade.
This was because the gnolls had tried to climb over by piling up corpses the night before.
“You must pay particular attention to where the attacks concentrate.”
Catherine stayed close to Karl, teaching him many things along the way.
“With a relatively small outer fort to the south, gnolls attacking from the west will naturally be stretched out along a north-south line. Since gnolls lack the intelligence to maintain formation, they will keep forcing their way forward recklessly. As a result, the ones pushed into the gap between the two palisades can be easily killed.”
Karl had seen it himself during the first battle. A gnoll wedged helplessly between wagons, unable to move.
All they needed to do was funnel them into narrow spaces like that and stab them to death with spears.
“As the bodies pile up, they will eventually form a wall connecting the two palisades. With the gnolls stretched out north to south and their path blocked, the rear, the eastern side, will have room to breathe. Depending on the situation, we could even open the eastern gate and launch a cavalry charge.”
Karl couldn’t help but admire Catherine’s explanation.
No matter how hard he tried, he wouldn’t be able to devise such an efficient tactic and foresee its outcome so clearly in one go.
“What do you think of Sir Corbin?”
After encouraging the soldiers and stepping inside a building for a short rest, Karl lowered his voice and asked Catherine.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Rather than answering immediately, Catherine carefully probed Karl’s intent.
“Do you think he’ll be of use going forward?”
“In terms of martial skill, command, tactics, strategy, and character, he’s not even worthy of being called a knight. I don’t believe he will be of any help.”
Catherine evaluated Corbin with cold decisiveness.
A knight of common birth from a rural territory. One treated as expendable.
That was all. Corbin held no real value.
“…I see.”
Karl felt a sense of disappointment.
But deep down, he had expected as much.
It wasn’t just in comparison to Catherine. Some things were obvious at a glance.
It would be stranger if talents like Catherine or Bilford were in a place like this.
Karl thought of the talented individuals Eingir would later gather in the original story, but it would be difficult to make contact with them right now, and it was unlikely they would follow someone like Karl, who currently had nothing to offer.
“How long do you think it would take for Bilford to become a capable knight?”
At Karl’s question, Catherine answered immediately.
“Bilford has already reached a sufficient level in martial skill. However, due to his young age, his physical development is not yet complete, so his strength and stamina are lacking. As for tactics and strategy, he is still quite inexperienced. To be of real use as a knight, it will take at least two more years.”
“……”
Two years was far too long.
As Karl rubbed his forehead uneasily, Catherine, uncharacteristically, watched him carefully.
She hesitated for a moment, as if about to say something, but after a long pause, she ultimately kept her mouth shut.
Though Catherine’s family, the Mold House, had fallen, it still possessed a long history and tradition as a knightly lineage. It would be a great source of strength for Karl as he was now.
However, Catherine was not yet certain whether she could entrust her family’s fate to him.
“Sir Karl, a messenger has returned from Hilpin Castle.”
While Karl and Catherine were deep in thought, a soldier’s voice came from outside.
“I’ll hear the report at once.”
Karl immediately stepped outside.
Catherine followed behind him, clenching her fist tightly.
She already knew that Karl was a worthy lord with both ability and character.
But that alone was not enough for her to stake her family’s fate on him. He was still too weak.
“Huff, huff…!”
A soldier, covered in dust, staggered toward Karl while panting heavily.
He had set out for Hilpin Castle the previous morning, so all he knew about Karl was that he was a young, frail imperial prince.
Because of that, he couldn’t hide the flicker of doubt in his exhausted eyes as he looked at Karl’s small, thin frame.
“You’ve done well. But why are you so late?”
Karl first acknowledged his effort without excess, then moved straight to the point.
The soldier swallowed hard, still catching his breath, and spoke.
“There was a battle at Hilpin Castle, so I was delayed observing the situation.”
“…A battle?”
At the sudden report, Karl narrowed his eyes.
“The nobles conspired and started a rebellion… Sir Maldin has fallen in battle.”
“…What…?”
“For now, Sir Pardin has suppressed the rebellion and is handling the aftermath. He assured us that reinforcements will be sent as soon as possible. By noon tomorrow at the latest.”
With that, Karl immediately grasped the situation.
So Pardin killed Maldin and the nobles who were trying to flee with the silver and supplies!
Karl recalled the man who had sat alone in silence with a grim expression at the banquet hall where everyone else had been laughing and drinking.
If Harmon was behind this, then he did well.
Karl thought no differently even about Harmon, who had caused a son to kill his own father.
Filial impiety or not, he couldn’t care less whether Maldin and those nobles who had driven things to this point and tried to run away lived or died.
What mattered was that Pardin would send reinforcements.
And after subduing the gnolls, before returning to Himeln, Karl intended to use Pardin’s rebellion and patricide as leverage to establish his authority over this land.
This was a place so rich in silver that even gnolls carried silver axes.
The immense wealth flowing from here would become a great source of power for Karl.
“How many troops do you think they’ll send?”
“He said he would send everyone except the minimum needed to defend the castle. However, the total number of troops won’t be that large.”
“Good. Understood. Thanks to your efforts, we’ve received valuable news. Go and get some rest.”
“…Yes, thank you.”
The soldier hesitated, seemingly flustered by Karl’s praise, then bowed deeply before quietly withdrawing.
“Have you delivered the news to Sir Corbin?”
“Not yet.”
The soldier answered Karl’s question.
He wasn’t one of the imperial soldiers Karl had brought. He was a Hilpin soldier under Corbin’s command.
And yet, instead of reporting to Corbin first, he had come straight to Karl.
“…Go and inform Sir Corbin.”
“Yes, Sir Karl.”
Even though Karl didn’t formally hold full command authority, the soldier had ignored Corbin and reported directly to him.
Karl felt both burdened and unsettled by the admiration and expectations directed at him by the soldiers.
Before long, news spread that reinforcements would arrive by tomorrow, and Axeblade Village filled with cheers.
There was another piece of good news as well. Bilford had regained consciousness.
“I apologize for not being able to participate in yesterday’s battle.”
“No need. We secured victory without much difficulty. More importantly, your recovery comes first.”
“Sir Karl……”
Bilford looked deeply moved by Karl’s words, yet at the same time slightly disappointed.
It was kind of him to be considerate. But it also felt as though his absence hadn’t mattered.
He knew it was a childish complaint, but he couldn’t help it.
“Bilford, it still seems too early for you to return to battle.”
“I-I’m fine!”
As Catherine narrowed her eyes and pressed him, a flustered Bilford stammered out a loud reply.
Bilford had not yet fully recovered. Still, that didn’t mean he was incapable of fighting.
“Don’t push yourself too hard. Reinforcements from Hilpin Castle will arrive tomorrow, so conserve your strength and focus on recovering until then.”
Karl spoke in a firm tone.
“Once reinforcements arrive, we’ll advance into the forest as quickly as possible. When that time comes, won’t it be your turn to shine, Bilford?”
“…Yes! Sir Karl!”
Bilford answered energetically.
In a forest, it’s difficult to maintain formations and ranks. The greatest advantage humans have when fighting monsters.
Thus, in rough terrain like a forest, a single elite fighter, especially a knight, becomes far more valuable than a large number of soldiers.
During the remaining time, Karl learned how to handle a sword and spear from Catherine.
And though it felt somewhat awkward, he also learned how to wield them while on horseback.
Mounted combat required strong core strength, so after only a few swings, he was completely exhausted. But what mattered was that he had learned it.
Because once he learned something even once, Karl had the talent to replicate it.
Before sunset, the outer fort was completed, and the troops were fully organized.
All preparations proceeded smoothly as they readied themselves for nightfall.
Until now, the gnolls had always attacked after sunset. Being nocturnal, it was only natural.
“G-Gnolls! The gnolls are attacking!”
So even though Catherine and Corbin had strictly warned everyone and prepared them, the gnolls attacking while the sun was still up came as a complete shock.
“Prepare for battle!”
“That’s impossible! It’s still far from sunset!”
“Move, quickly!”
Grr! Grrr!
Awoooo!
Panicked soldiers scrambled up onto the palisade.
Seeing this, the gnolls who had been creeping forward low and silent suddenly sprang up and began charging fiercely.
The gnolls had approached quietly and launched a surprise attack.
Crude as it was, it was an excellent piece of ‘tactical judgment.’
“Sir Karl!”
Karl, already exhausted from training with Catherine, froze in place, eyes wide with a chilling sense of dread.
Catherine grabbed him and pulled him along.
The firm grip on his arm snapped him back to his senses, and Karl drew in a deep breath before shouting:
“Do not panic! All preparations are already complete!”
At his shout, the soldiers who had been flustered regained their composure and began moving according to their orders.
But despite telling others not to panic, Karl himself was the most shaken of all.
Now, he was certain.
There was something in this forest. Something commanding the gnolls.
Catherine, who had been dragging Karl along, was startled when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Catherine believed Karl wouldn’t be afraid. She had already come to trust this small, frail prince.
But when she saw his face, she couldn’t help but feel a deep disappointment.
Pale and trembling, his eyelashes quivering, Karl looked unmistakably like a frightened child.
Karl stood frozen, glancing around frantically, biting his lips as his eyes darted.
His gaze turned toward the afternoon sun.
To the west, the sun hung above the forest. It was still bright for now, but if the battle dragged on, it would set. And with the sun sinking behind the gnolls advancing from the west, visibility was already poor.
This was clearly an ambush carried out with tactical intent.
“Abandon the outer wall! Fall back from the outer wall!”
Struck by a sudden chill and a surge of dread, Karl shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Sir Karl!”
Startled, Catherine called out to him, but Karl was already certain.
“Abandon the outer wall and fight as we did last night! Move, now!”
Karl shook off Catherine’s hand and rushed up onto the western palisade. Catherine followed him up, but she couldn’t hide her confusion.
The elite imperial soldiers had originally split into two groups according to plan. One group was to defend the western palisade of Axeblade Village, just as before, while the other was assigned to hold the outer wall.
But at Karl’s command, the soldiers who had been heading toward the outer wall were now hurrying back.
It was already too late. The outer wall had to be abandoned.
The moment Karl climbed onto the palisade, he pushed past the broad backs of the imperial soldiers and looked out beyond them.
For a brief moment, his eyes wavered in disarray. Then he spoke with conviction to Catherine, who had followed him.
“Lady Catherine, something is commanding the gnolls.”
“…Gnolls may follow a leader, but that cannot be called command.”
Catherine’s response was reasonable.
With their limited intelligence, gnolls were incapable of true command. That was common knowledge, a firm conclusion reached by countless scholars after years of study.
Karl lacked much of the common knowledge of this world. But even if he had known everything about gnolls, he would still have thought the same.
Because of Han Chang-in’s memories.
In situations like this, acting according to common sense is what gets you killed!
Among all the things modern-day Han Changin had gained from experiencing countless stories, the greatest strength Karl possessed now was his knowledge of the original work, followed closely by the rich imagination of a modern mind.
Karl knew there was no such thing as “absolute”.
Gnolls would “never” attack during the day.
Gnolls would “never” make tactical decisions.
Gnolls would “never” continue to multiply endlessly.
Gnolls would “never” be able to starve and still maintain healthy bodies.
After so many “absolutes” had already been shattered, it was impossible for Karl who was armed with Han Chang-in’s knowledge to believe that gnolls would “never” command.
“Lady Catherine! See it clearly with your own eyes! The gnolls have already attacked with tactical intent!”
Despite Karl’s firm shout, Catherine could only remain confused.
As a knight, she had studied monsterology and learned specialized strategies and tactics for dealing with monsters.
And yet, everything she had built over a lifetime was being dismissed as “wrong” by Karl, the sickly Fourth Prince who had spent his entire life confined to a bedroom.
Lacking full confidence in Karl, Catherine had no choice but to hesitate.
To her, Karl looked as if he had gone mad with fear.
As Catherine faltered, Karl saw the gnolls closing in and was forced to make a decision.
Grabbing Catherine’s breastplate with his small hand, Karl shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Lady Catherine! That is an order! Move at once! Will you only act after the soldiers are slaughtered by the gnolls?!”
The ‘knight’ was doubting the words of her ‘lord’ and refusing to move.
Karl made it clear to Catherine that their relationship like that of mentor and student had only existed by his grace.
Karl was the Fourth Prince and Catherine’s lord, while Catherine was merely a knight of a fallen house with no real power.
If the ‘lord’ gave an order, the ‘knight’ had to obey.
Even if Karl had made a mistake, there was no turning back now. And since it was the command of her lord, Catherine, as a knight, had to lead the battle under the assumption that a gnoll commander existed.
Freed from the need to wrestle with complicated thoughts by Karl’s command, Catherine returned to being a cold, decisive knight.
“All of you, move to the northern palisade immediately!”
Catherine redistributed the imperial soldiers who had been concentrated at the western palisade.
This was to ensure that the overall quality of forces along the palisade was evenly strengthened, in case the gnolls attempted a thorough encirclement.
She even organized a reserve force on the spot in preparation for a possible breach.
“What are you doing?!”
Corbin came running in a frenzy, protesting to Catherine as the situation had diverged completely from the original plan.
“As of this moment, all command authority lies with Lord Karl. Sir Corbin, see to your duties.”
Any respect Catherine had shown Corbin as a fellow knight vanished as she shut him down decisively. Then, with overwhelming force, she shoved the stunned Corbin aside, leaving him unable to utter a word.
In truth, the issue of command authority should have been settled the moment Karl arrived here.
But Karl had not had the presence of mind to address it, and it had been Catherine’s responsibility to do so.
Having delayed it due to uncertainty, Catherine resolved it now, at last.
“Bilford! Take charge of the northern palisade!”
“Yes, Lady Catherine!”
Bilford, who had just barely managed to throw on his armor and rush out, immediately headed for the northern palisade at Catherine’s command.
Though Corbin looked displeased, he said nothing further and instead rallied the soldiers as he climbed onto the eastern palisade.
The southern side was relatively less pressured. While the palisade built today couldn’t serve as a proper outer wall, it was still sufficient to hinder the gnolls’ movements.
In the meantime, the western palisade was already under attack by the gnolls.
Because the imperial soldiers had been spread out evenly, Hilpin’s soldiers and the conscripts were struggling to hold the line, thrusting their spears with difficulty.
A few imperial soldiers had been stationed there as well, but their numbers were too small to slaughter the gnolls one-sidedly as they had the previous night.
Catherine personally wielded her spear, killing gnolls that attacked the palisade as she assessed the flow of the battle.
It’s real! Crude as it is, they’re definitely moving under command!
Shuddering, Catherine clenched her teeth.
Now that she had reconsidered Karl’s words, everything became clear.
Instead of charging blindly at the western palisade as before, the gnolls had spread out widely and were encircling the village.
The encirclement wasn’t tight on the eastern side, and they had evenly distributed their forces even to the south, where launching an effective attack was difficult. The level of command was clearly crude.
But what mattered was that they were being commanded at all.
If we had sent troops to the outer wall, we wouldn’t have been able to defend the village.
No matter how small Axeblade Village was, it was still a village. Even with a hundred men, it was difficult to defend all the palisades, and sending troops to the outer wall would have left parts completely exposed.
If not for the order given by Karl who had seemed either terrified or possessed, the village would have fallen before the outer wall could serve its purpose, with their forces spread too thin.
Is he seeing the future? Is he possessed by a demon? Or… could it be that Lord Duren is truly watching over us?
Catherine felt a chill as she contemplated Karl’s strange and unsettling nature.
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