Chapter 40

Sergeant Rosel, the leader of the First Infantry Squad, shouted.

"They're coming!"

And finally, a group of Kionis cavalry broke past us, the sound of hooves shaking the dry ground.

"Whoa!"

Arrows whizzed by. The Kionis cavalry held their bows in their right hands and fired arrows. They could shoot with their left hands as well. This meant that the enemy had taken measures against our weak points. However, the arrows still seemed quite weak. Not as terrifying as we had feared.

The battlefield had been plagued with bad luck, but our one stroke of luck was that we were upwind. The force of the arrows would weaken further, and the enemy would be hit directly by sand and gunpowder smoke. However, this also made it harder to see the enemy. The colonel shouted.

"First Squad, be on guard in the rear! Second Squad, help with the withdrawal of the cannons!"

The enemy cavalry, as they passed by, rained arrows on our artillery position. Seeing the artillery position surrounded by sturdy wagons, they seemed to think, "These guys are a pain to deal with." They then continued to flow past.

Our position was fine, but the rear artillery position was in a sorry state. The enemy cavalry galloped through the gaps in the artillery positions, throwing something as they went. Realizing what was happening, explosions began to occur everywhere.

Hanna, who was pulling a field gun with her incredible strength, tilted her head.

"What is that?"

"It's a grenade. A relic from the old days."

It was an old-style hand grenade with a fuse. They were almost no longer used in the Schwaider army. In the era of line infantry, one couldn't get close enough to throw such things. But if used by cavalry, it was a different story.

While the power and reliability were low, being bombarded with grenades was a nightmare for artillery. The ammunition for the cannons was in large quantities, and if it exploded, the consequences would be dire. As a result, the artillery positions were in chaos, with soldiers cutting the fuses of the grenades and moving the powder barrels. There was no time for firing.

On the other hand, the position of the Sixth Special Brigade was unscathed. It was a good decision to surround it with wagons. However, some of the cavalry turned and attacked. It wasn't going to be that easy.

Hanna immediately shouted.

"Fire!"

The field guns left for rear guard duty erupted. They fired large shot. Several cavalrymen were blown off their horses, and the snipers hiding in the wagons shot the remaining cavalry.

Caught off guard by the unexpected counterattack, the surviving Kionis cavalry shouted in a foreign language and hastily turned to leave. Satella, the Kionis-born captain of the Satella cavalry, muttered.

"They were shouting, 'Don't forget your purpose.'"

"I see."

"They have a dirty accent, so I can't tell which clan they're from."

"I see."

Please don't smile with such a terrifying face. I understand the hatred from a destroyed clan, but the contempt and hatred for other clans are intense. The battle had already shifted to the rear. At this rate, the main camp was being attacked.

The colonel, sheathing his saber, muttered.

"Though it may be unwise to ask in this state, I want to hear the staff officer's opinion."

"It's a complete losing battle. There's nothing we can do. We should leave the battlefield."

"Of course. We'll have to abandon the marshal."

The surrounding artillery units were engaged in firefighting, and the infantry units had started moving to rescue the main camp. On the other hand, despite the operation plan being in ruins, no orders were coming from the main camp. It was in chaos.

But I said without hesitation.

"Can we do anything by pulling the cannons and rushing to the main camp now?"

"If there's a court-martial, I'll explain it that way."

The cannons were already hitched to the horses, and the wagons were ready. We had consumed rations and water on the way, so there was plenty of room in the wagons. On the way there, they served as cargo trucks, and on the way back, as troop carriers. This was all part of the plan.

Amid the deep confusion in the entire army, the colonel ordered with a firm attitude.

"To all members of the Sixth Special Brigade! We will now leave the battlefield! Load the wounded onto the wagons! Don't forget to take a roll call!"

I have my own military horse, so I can be the last to leave. I will calmly check the withdrawal situation.

...And there seems to be a group that is lagging behind. Is there some trouble?

Rushing over, I found several line infantrymen tending to a fallen comrade.

"What happened?"

"This girl got hit in the stomach with an arrow..."

At that moment, I needed to make an effort to maintain my composure.

An arrow had pierced the stomach of a girl. It probably reached her internal organs. I recognized this female soldier. She was the one who always glanced at me. She seemed suspicious, but as a spy of the Retraieu Duke, she was too careless, so I didn't particularly guard against her.

She looked surprised but bravely smiled.

"Ah, Staff Officer! I-I'm fine! Just pull out the arrow..."

"Don't pull it out!"

I held her hand and showed her an arrow stuck in the nearby ground.

"Look, the tip has a barb. If you pull it out, it will tear the wound. Hey, everyone, load her onto the wagon as is!"

This arrowhead was similar to what I had seen in a museum in my previous life. If it cuts a major blood vessel when pulled out, it's over. There is no blood transfusion technology in this world.

"Three of you, carry her gently! And the other