Chapter 10

"Hmph, the coward Edgar is unusually enthusiastic."

The man's fingers, which tapped the desk with a clattering sound, wore a magic silver ring, its presence asserted by the flickering light reflecting off it. While everyone else in and around the camp was clad in full armor, this man alone wore a robe with embroidery, lounging in a chair that seemed out of place on the battlefield, without a trace of tension.

The man, Odilon de Meizenauf, focused his gaze on the opposing army from the command tent covered by a curtain. The Viscount Edgar had foolishly rejected the proposal Odilon had offered out of kindness. Moreover, the Baron Josh, a vassal, was besieging the mine at the foot of the hill behind the outpost with the main force.

"There are more troops than expected. It seems they have truly incorporated the Haiselk soldiers."

According to the reports from the scouts Odilon had sent, the total number of Haiselk soldiers was five hundred, all of whom were regular troops. While they likely possessed better skills than common soldiers, they were, after all, troops from a second-rate country. Their mismatched spears and damaged armor looked pitiful.

"They are just the dregs of a second-rate country."

Odilon turned his gaze to the troops he had brought. Thanks to ample funds, even the common soldiers were equipped with heavy armor, and they were well-organized in formation due to training based on regular troops. A renowned mercenary group, known for their exploits as adventurers, was also part of the battle line. It was clear who the stronger side was, even without an objective assessment.

"Please, give me a chance to lead the charge!!"

"No, no, our unit will bring victory to Lord Odilon!!"

The morale, backed by the disparity in strength, was high, and the young vassals and vassal lords eagerly volunteered. Odilon intended to give his direct subordinates and retainers appropriate experience and opportunities to shine, but he wanted to avoid unnecessary casualties as much as possible. Fortunately, vassal lords and minor lords had joined the army, lured by the wealth from the magic silver mine. Odilon had already decided who would lead the vanguard.

"I will entrust the vanguard to Viscount Burns Guevieve. With 2000 troops, including common soldiers, you will capture the outpost."

"It is a great honor to be appointed to the vanguard. I will certainly capture that outpost!!"

While it was possible to besiege the outpost and prepare for a decisive battle with the remaining forces, there was a risk of losing his well-trained troops in a chaotic battle. Odilon planned to whittle down the outpost's forces and defeat them one by one. Whether they were killed or their forces were divided to support the outpost, he could eliminate them along with the main force.

In contrast to the elated Viscount Burns, Odilon whispered to the vassals who were not chosen for the vanguard, their faces twisted in disappointment.

"Your stage will come later. Let them handle the exhausting first wave of the siege."

The vassals smiled darkly, following Odilon's lead. Though their intentions differed, both armies were about to engage in battle while preserving their main forces.

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Those clinging to the city walls watched the vast army in front of them with bated breath. Among them, Worm was calmly counting the enemy troops. Of course, he didn't waste time counting each soldier one by one. There were several methods to estimate the number of troops through reconnaissance, but apart from using skills to perceive, Worm knew a method of forming a frame with tools, fingers, or hands and estimating the number within that frame to calculate the total.

If one was accustomed to full-scale wars where troops clashed in formation, they could naturally process and estimate the number without forming a frame. Of course, one had to consider the margin of error and account for hidden troops in depressions or ridges.

"About 1800 to 2000 or so."

Worm found this a reasonable number. There were roughly 700 defenders in the city, and it was logical to prepare more than three times the number for a siege. It was unclear whether the scouts were exceptionally skilled or if there was an informant, but it seemed the outpost's information had leaked.

"Wh-What, there are that many?"

Kuwen, who overheard Worm's mutter, trembled with shock. Sometimes the total number was withheld from the lower ranks to maintain morale. Now, they couldn't grasp the scale of the battlefield, but they would soon realize the numerical disadvantage as the battle progressed.

"There are still many more behind them."

"Don't shout so loudly. You'll lower the morale and be scolded by the centurion."

The two quickly shut their mouths and nodded, looking like tin soldiers moving stiffly. Worm had little experience with training new recruits. His former partner, Jose, was skilled at it, but Worm had only offered advice or assistance just before they faced danger. Now, he had to awkwardly imitate Jose's methods.

"... Do you have pubic hair?"

"Wh-What?"

The boys responded with confused and silly voices, unable to understand the question.

"Um, well..."

"Yes, I do. Sort of."

Their confusion deepened, and they looked at Worm with suspicion, as if wondering if he had a particular interest in such things. Being treated as a homosexual and subtly backed away from was not what Worm wanted.

"Don't worry. I like women. I just thought you might be too small and might not have any hair. You were just scared and huddled up."

It wasn't Worm's preference, but he was imitating his former comrade. It was better than being given cheap words of reassurance. Given the current situation, where Viscount Edgar was clearly at a disadvantage, Worm couldn't offer empty words of comfort.

"I'm not scared!!"

"We'll drive them back."

Kuwen protested, and Karim tapped the ground with the butt of his spear. Fortunately, the new recruits seemed motivated on the surface. The joke, though not in his taste, had helped ease their tension.

"That's great. But it will take about an hour for them to advance. They don't want to be attacked recklessly either."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Look over there. Not below."

The boys, though annoyed by the blunt words, obediently looked where Worm pointed.

"They're building something."

"Big shields?"

"Right. To avoid long-range attacks, they use shields and bundles of bamboo. Shields require two or three people to carry but are strong in proportion to their weight. The bamboo bundles look unreliable but are filled with soil, making them capable of withstanding not only stones and arrows but even minor magic attacks."

Worm had also benefited from such siege equipment. It was a role where inexperienced front-line soldiers could shine.

"Setting them up and preparing takes time."

"Exactly. Once those shields are lined up at the front and they start advancing, there will be no more time to prepare."

Karim looked proud, having figured it out on his own, while Kuwen looked regretful. Worm turned his gaze from them to the enemy in front. The lords of the three great countries, with their ridiculous wealth, had brought along delightful toys. In addition to the shields and bamboo bundles, they had prepared battering rams and small siege towers.

"Or maybe it's on purpose."

They must have measured the height of the outpost in advance. Otherwise, the siege towers wouldn't fit the height of the walls so perfectly. Large siege towers were difficult to operate. Their weight made them prone to getting stuck in the ground, and transporting them required careful handling. Using such overkill was a waste of resources. To Worm's dismay, the enemy understood exactly where to cut corners.

"Ah, I don't want to fight rich people. It's humiliating."

Worm muttered to himself, so quietly that even the two boys couldn't hear.