Chapter 104

Hundreds of Molotov cocktails flew through the air, impaled on spears, and the enemy knights deflected them with their shields.

However, some were unable to block the incoming spears, and even those who did found that the shattered bottles of burning oil ignited both horse and man.

The scent of well-cooked meat wafted over a hundred meters to this place.

Yet, those who suffered damage were few, and most of the knights charged forward, shouting mockingly as if they found it ridiculous, like arrows piercing through as they charged.

“Ridiculous! Did they truly think this little could stop us?”

“Look at them! How lacking in self-confidence they must be to fight us dismounted in their heraldry-armed surcoats!”

“Count Your Excellency! Our side will win this war. If you gain the Croilet territory, please share a little with this noble here.”

“That’s a discussion to have after we crush the enemy. The enemy is SIEL von Croilet, a man to never underestimate.”

We continued to throw spear-headed Molotov cocktails at the enemy, and each time, the enemy knights blocked the flying spears with their shields.

Every time a spear struck the enemy, a few knights fell from their burning horses, writhing in agony.

At the same time, an immense amount of burning oil was sprayed at their feet, but the highly trained horses pressed on as if such flames didn’t bother them at all.

As the enemy drew closer, just thirty meters away, I commanded our knights.

“Support the waists of the knights holding shields! Brace for impact!”

Following my command, my knights supported the waists of those in front holding shields.

And at that moment, with a sound like thunder, a thick smoke carrying the stench of decaying corpses approached us.

The enemy horses on the other side seemed unable to keep their wits about them amid the immense noise and smoke, failing to follow the commands of the mounted knights.

Rather, they began to throw their riders off as they galloped wildly, desperate to save themselves.

“Heeheehee!”

“Ugh!”

“Calm down, Max! This is a battlefield!!”

“You idiot, those coming from behind can’t be stopped! Get out of there now!!”

True to his words, the galloping horses from behind began barreling through indiscriminately, crashing into both horse and man in front of them.

In the process, numerous enemy knights were crushed into a pulp, their armored bodies losing all semblance of humanity like ground pork.

In such extreme chaos, the knights began to prepare to fight not us but the raging horses to survive.

“Those who survive, first kill the maddened horses! Then we return to the main force!!”

“We return to the main force for reorganization! Fight the horses!!”

“Calm down! Maintain your dignity as knights!!”

Yet, many of them were overwhelmed by the fear of battle and lost their senses.

Some young knights were already frantic in their flailing, and the faint-hearted were praying for salvation amid a hellish scene that felt unreal.

“Mom!! I want to go back to Mom!! This is hell!!”

“Oh, Lord… Deus, why do you impose such trials upon us? I humbly beseech you, take us to Deus’ land.”

“Move aside! I’m going back! I’m escaping this hellish battlefield!!”

“It’s Count Your Excellency’s command! If we follow his orders, we can make it out of this battlefield alive, can’t we?”

“Shut up! If you don’t want to be crushed under hooves, you need to run first!!”

Even knights who lived with honor and pride became just frightened children in the battlefield designed by the Excellency.

And many of those poor souls, clad in armor and wielding fine weapons, were being trampled under the hooves of their beloved horses.

It was a scene horrifyingly hard to watch, but they were paying the price as expected.

“Exterminate the dishonorable Maxburg pigs! If they cross the border alive, our brothers and families, your loved ones will be violated! Honorable knights, annihilate them!”

As my command fell, the flag symbolizing me was raised, and with that flag, thousands of knights began to charge together.

Even as we formed our lines to smash the enemy, only a few of them noticed and formed ranks.

Because…

“Ugh! No! Max, calm down, I’m your master!!”

“My arms, my legs!! Agh!”

“Run! We have to run! This is hell!!”

Those fighting against the horses in the thick smoke with limited visibility were already unable to stand against us.

“Form ranks! All of you, bring your halberds forward!! Exterminate the enemy!”

“Yes!”

Following that command, my knights charged at the enemy.

“Long live Count Croilet! Long live Count Your Excellency!”

“I shall grant rest and peace to those burdened with a shameful lord!”

“Oh, my Lady! Susan! For you, I shall earn honor!”

First, at the front, I struck the helmet of the knight standing in front of me with the hammer part of my halberd.

The knight hit in the head momentarily dropped his weapon.

Seizing that moment, I deeply stabbed his neck with the dagger I had strapped to my left, and hot blood, almost like boiling water, soaked my hand as it gushed out.

“I claim your neck!!”

Hearing those words, I looked up and saw some rookie swinging an axe at me.

I deflected the side of the axe with my gauntlet, changing its trajectory, then countered with a strike to his helmet with my right glove.

Perhaps hit in the face, the knight before me began to stagger, and in that moment, I kicked up his exposed chin with my right foot, snapping his neck back with a crunch.

I smiled down at the dead knight and said, “Not a chance, rookie!!”

After saying that, I looked around and saw my knights using their numerical superiority to engage the enemies.

“Sir Max, strike in from the right!”

“Sir Brandon, don’t worry; hit the left flank!”

“Sir Sain, that one in the middle is tough! Let’s go in with three!”

The next ones I faced were the fools who were now unable to form ranks, struggling against the horses.

Perhaps having exhausted themselves fighting the horses, these fools were easy to capture.

Just throwing ropes at those who had collapsed from exhaustion was all it took to capture them.

Thus, after about an hour, we managed to achieve a significant victory quite effortlessly.

**

“I report to Count Croilet! Colonel Beerman faced 4,000 enemy knights, killing a thousand and capturing another thousand!”

“Well done, is there any other report?”

“Count Wilhelmheim fled midway and wasn’t captured, but he did capture two barons under his command.”

“Good work. I shall order Colonel Beerman to prepare for a pursuit! Tell him to move as fast as possible on horseback.”

“Yes! Your Excellency!”

Even if a miracle occurred and Maxburg won this war, having lost so many knights, they would no longer be able to maintain their status as a prince.

Because all the knights and lords of Romania were nominally the emperor’s knights, and having killed a thousand of those knights means they would carry responsibility if questioned.

Even if the duke’s rank could somehow be maintained as a result of victory, he would lose his place as the ruler symbolizing the prince.

Also, due to the sudden absence in that territory, riots among the people and the fallen nobles would undoubtedly erupt.

Now, I had achieved all the conditions I needed to meet in this war. All I had to do was to defeat the enemy while protecting as many of my allies’ lives as possible.

“Captain Frost! Lead the guards and set out. Make sure to tell Second Lieutenant Mark that it’s an opportunity for a promotion to lieutenant!”

In response to my playful words, Frost replied seriously.

“Yes, understood. Attention, all battalion members will march to the front with Your Excellency from now on. Standard bearers, raise your flags!”

“Raise the flags! Let’s go!!!”

And I led the troops from the main force to the front line, receiving fervent cheers from the soldiers as we walked.

“Count Your Excellency has emerged! We have won!”

“Long live Count Your Excellency!”

“Sound the trumpets! Count Your Excellency is coming out. Break the enemy’s morale!”

As I walked, the majestic sound of trumpets echoed along the path I took.

After about twenty minutes of walking, as I stood at the front line, the enemy soldiers saw me and turned pale.

“It’s the White Reaper of Croilet! Damn!!”

“The Golden Fleece Mercenaries! Regroup!! Regroup!!”

“Hey, you crazy bastards!! Where are you running to?! It’s a breach of contract!!”

“We are on the brink of annihilation! We will regroup and return!”

With those words, the Golden Fleece Mercenaries pulled back under the pretext of regrouping.

Although retreating in such a situation with significant losses wouldn’t harm their reputation, Maxburg would likely seize this opportunity to minimize their pay.

However, we were left facing fewer elite troops, so it wasn’t a bad situation at all…

And I surveyed the soldiers before me.

“Commander thirty, we’re done for! The Golden Fleece Mercenaries have already abandoned us. We can no longer…”

“You fool! What do you think will happen if those behind hear you!”

“Let’s just surrender to Count Croilet right here.”

“Shut your mouth, Jackson! There’s no guarantee they’ll accept our surrender!”

Morale had already dropped, and for the sake of the bigger picture ahead, I needed to have peasants to live from a territory that had nothing left.

Moreover, any further slaughter would be mere massacre, senselessly killing innocent lives and harming my soldiers.

With how broken Maxburg had become, I’d have to negotiate for peace.

“Surrender. Those who surrender shall not be harmed further and shall be treated with respect.”