Novel All
Chapter 569
Chapter 569
Chapter 569: Both Armies March
"ALL TROOPS!! ADVANCE!!"
Riding a black eagle-lion, Leo issued a command to the massive army of 150,000 from the sky.
One step at a time, the soldiers moved forward.
This was the moment the Empire, which had been focusing on border defense during the war with the Kingdom and since the rebellion in the Imperial City, started to truly invade the Kingdom's territory.
The United Kingdom, the Feudal States, the Kingdom.
Three nations that had formed an alliance to attack.
The United Kingdom and the Feudal States had already been taken care of.
Only the Kingdom remained.
For the enduring Imperial soldiers, this was a chance for a counterattack.
How dare they do this to us.
Now it's your turn.
With such thoughts, the soldiers advanced.
Their confidence was backed by a massive force of 150,000.
And leading them was the Heroic Prince, Leonard.
The deputy commander was the reincarnation of the Hero, Elna.
Protecting Leonard was Theodore, who led the Second Royal Guard Knights.
Even with two top Royal Guard Knights Captains participating, the Generals leading each division were all those who had made a name for themselves in the civil war.
At the head of them all was Harnish, who led the vanguard.
"To lead the vanguard of such a large army... General Estman would be pleased."
"We haven't even started yet. Don't let your guard down."
Despite cautioning his subordinates, Harnish himself was hardly composed.
Originally, Harnish, who had been General Estman's aide, could be classified as an elite in the military. However, no matter how elite, one is not given the responsibility of leading the vanguard of an army exceeding 100,000 in their twenties. That would either be for a royal family member, a grand noble, or someone who had achieved remarkable military success.
Harnish had fought under Leo in the battle with Gordon in the north. By siding with Leo during the internal conflict in the military, he had earned trust.
His promotion was a product of the war times.
However, while this excited him, he also felt a vague sense of anxiety.
Almost none of the experienced generals were participating in the war. The participating generals were all those who had recently achieved military successes.
While it sounded good to emphasize skill, it was clear that Leonard chose people he could easily work with.
What was lacking was experience.
Harnish had been of the opinion that they should have brought along a few generals who had attacked the Kingdom in the past. Even if such people were a thorn in Leonard's side, their past experience would certainly be useful.
"There's no point in thinking about it now..."
The army had already begun to advance.
There was no point in thinking about the formation now.
If they really needed experience, he would convince himself to call someone.
Behind him was an army of 150,000 Imperial soldiers.
If he collapsed, the 150,000 behind him would also collapse.
That's what it meant to be the vanguard. But he could not hesitate. It was also the role of the vanguard to boost the morale of the allies.
He had to be strong and wise.
His responsibilities were different from those of other generals.
"Alright... send the cavalry to the front! We're now in enemy territory! Do not neglect the search! Maintain a state where a search party is always ahead! We are the vanguard! Remember that victory or defeat depends on our performance!!"
Leonard had left the actions of each division to their respective generals.
Whether to send out a search party or not, if every single thing had to be reported to the supreme commander, an army of 150,000 would not function.
Young generals had been deliberately selected to prioritize decision-making on the spot.
Immediate judgment, decision-making ability over experience. That's why young generals were chosen.
Why did they do that?
If the enemy was weak, they could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. But if they couldn't be overwhelmed, it meant that the enemy commander was formidable.
In that case, on-the-spot judgment would be required.
The personnel selection had been made with the assumption of being at a disadvantage.
And it was not wrong.
The opponent was Ansem, the one Arnold had warned about.
As he flew through the sky, Leonard was quietly determined.
He was prepared to be put at a disadvantage.
"So they've moved."
"Yes, the commander-in-chief is Leonard. His deputy is the genius of Armsberg. It's a fairly serious lineup."
Kingdom's famed general, Barand.
He was a veteran who served as the deputy commander of the empire's interception force and had also eliminated the magic squadron on Ansem's orders.
"Serious, huh... If the empire was serious, the Princess General would come out. If that woman led the Eastern Border Defense Army, we might not have had a chance of winning."
"Your jests, sir. Even the Princess General would be no match for His Highness."
"Do not underestimate the imperial royal family. The strongest general in the Adler family is the Princess General. Considering her achievements, we should be glad she didn't come. Of course... that doesn't mean Leonard is a step down."
"He has no achievements in expeditions. He has won battles within the empire, but he has not led a large army like this one. His supporting deputy is the prodigy of Amusberg. He too has no experience leading an army. Personal bravery and command ability are different things."
Barand gave his reasonable opinion.
There is no experience or track record. There should be a weakness to exploit.
It was not wrong.
It was not wrong, but...
"Don't view Adler and the Armsberg as ordinary. They'll pull the rug from under you. Even if they lack experience, they have it engraved in their blood. And... Leonard and Elna are his brother and childhood friend. That alone should be enough for caution."
"Who is 'he'?"
"The Seventh Imperial Prince, Arnold. He got the better of us in the Duchy. Perhaps he's more cunning than the Princess General. The kingdom might have to thank him. He chose to be called the Insipid Prince."
"Is he that significant...?"
To Barand's question, Ansem nodded.
Ansem had a dream.
It was a possible future.
"Once... the Empire had Wilhelm. I never doubted that I was the one to stop his path of conquest... but we both fell. However... I managed to bounce back somehow. Against my will, I might add. And before me now stand Wilhelm's brothers. Princes trying to take over Wilhelm's legacy. Not what I had in mind... but not bad."
"So let's stop Wilhelm's successors and show His Highness's superiority. Even if Wilhelm was alive, he could not have walked the path of conquest."
"That's right. That's my reason for existence now. But... I do have a bit of regret."
It's not about Wilhelm's death.
The one leading an army of 150,000 is Leonard, not Arnold.
He lost in the Duchy. But they both had various constraints.
It's different here.
"Is it because Arnold is not the enemy commander?"
"Exactly. I have a desire to settle scores with that man leading our respective large armies. I can't finish with a defeat."
As the commander-in-chief leading the Kingdom's army, he felt relieved that Arnold did not appear. But at the same time, as an individual, Ansem wanted to fight him.
But as the commander-in-chief, he couldn't prioritize personal feelings.
And besides...
"Well, he'll probably come from the sea anyway. If his brother is attacked, he should do something. A rematch then wouldn't be a dream."
Ansem stood up from his chair with a grin.
Then, flipping his white cloak, he issued an order.
"Meet Leonard head-on!! Deploy!!"
Thus, to intercept the invading army, Ansem led an army of 100,000 Kingdom soldiers to deployment.
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