Episode 162

After Colonel Chepelin’s division withdrew, the remaining Swiss Expeditionary Force of ours continued to hold and defend Richten Hill.

I continued to lead from the front every day, encouraging the soldiers and carrying on the battle.

As the days passed, my body grew heavier, and I started feeling like I might die of exhaustion rather than in battle.

Indeed, when the three divisions stationed here with us retreated all at once, I was so exhausted that I even thought of just dying.

It made sense because even when I was fully conscious, I was too weary to even lift a spoon or knife, let alone wear an armor weighing over 20kg and fight right after waking up.

But, fortunately, there was a silver lining…

‘The 19th Division, led by Colonel Falken, who stayed until the end, has retreated three days ago, so now we can finally escape this hellish place.’

Thus, even in my exhausted state, I could smile with a glimmer of hope.

Although it wouldn’t be easy to escape since we had to fight the soldiers deployed by the Swiss Duke along the way through Ticino Canton, it would still be easier than continuing to fend off around 100,000 Swiss soldiers on this narrow hill as we are doing now.

Just then, Charlotte, in her maid outfit stained with the blood of wounded soldiers, came in and asked,

“You haven’t smiled for days, but you are smiling today. Is there any good news? Or are you thinking about the lady and young master in Reichburg?”

If Laura, my wife, had given birth earlier than expected, she might have already delivered the baby.

Then, by now, the Crown Prince, who is gathering soldiers at the border and waiting for me, might have sent a message about the current situation and the name of my newborn child.

Such thoughts brought a smile to my face, separate from the relief of finding an escape route.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that we can finally start escaping from this hellish place. The thought of being able to return alive makes me smile.”

Although she had never participated in a battle, she must have felt the same fear and dread of possibly dying on the battlefield.

So, hearing my words must have lightened her heart as well.

Charlotte, as I expected, shed tears of joy at the prospect of returning alive and said,

“So, does this mean you no longer have to go out and fight in front of the soldiers, Master? And also the nights spent in anxiety before sleeping in the field bed, mourning the dead…”

I thought she would be happy to safely return to her family.

I never imagined she would consider my survival more important than her own return.

I was a bit startled, but I felt truly grateful for how much she cared for me.

So, with a grateful heart, without any ulterior motive, I stroked her head and said,

“Thank you for genuinely worrying about me. Thanks to you, I feel I can definitely return alive.”

After finishing my words, I took off my armor and walked towards where the soldiers were.

I was thinking about the tactics to tie down the Swiss Confederation Duke.

Swiss Confederation Expeditionary Force, around the barracks square.

“Honestly, if it weren’t for the Division Commander, I would have deserted. I mean, isn’t it a miracle to hold out for almost a month against an army of 100,000?”

“Private Jack is right. Damn, even if this place is great for defense, the difference in military strength is enormous, yet we’ve held out until now. Seriously, I doubt if our Division Commander is even human like us.”

“I heard from Sergeant Tilly, who works as a record keeper, that the Division Commander alone has killed nearly 200 people by now. Even the knights in the bards’ tales at the taverns wouldn’t be able to do that.”

True to their words, if I hadn’t taken the lead and fought alongside the soldiers, our expeditionary force would have been annihilated by now.

Even if the Crown Prince somehow escaped, the other divisions would have scattered and retreated in disorder, eventually encountering the unique terrain and resistance of ‘Switzerland’.

During that process, the forces would have completely collapsed.

Also, as a side note, the record keepers, usually non-commissioned officers in each unit, tend to record fewer kills than the actual number I made.

This was because it becomes difficult to assign merit accurately in confusing situations like whether I killed someone with someone else or with an arrow.

So, I probably took down almost twice as many enemies as the 200 attributed to me alone.

Since I was focused only on beheading the enemy, I couldn’t count after a certain point, so I didn’t know the actual number.

Thinking this, I crossed the square where the soldiers were chatting, betting on pieces of jerky or hardtack, and playing dice.

Naturally, all eyes were on me.

As soon as I arrived at the center, I spoke loudly.

“Soldiers of the 7th Division of the Reich Empire’s military, I am truly proud of you. Without you, even if I had led the vanguard with the spirit of jumping into a pit of fire, we would have been defeated.”

Then, taking a deep breath, I shouted,

“From the officers to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the 7th Division, we have come this far without giving up. Thanks to us, all units except ours could retreat safely.”

However, if the enemies find out that the other units have retreated, the remaining imperial forces could be in danger.

Even when making porridge with wheat and barley flour, we used one pot per person to make it seem like 50,000 men were all stationed here from the smoke of cooking seen from afar.

The barracks and facilities used by the 50,000 men were also being utilized to the fullest by the soldiers.

Of course, doing this wouldn’t make the Swiss Confederation Duke believe all 50,000 of us were still here.

But anyway, it could deceive them into believing we were several times more than 8,000.

“And we will also retreat in two days. So, I want you to fight with me for just two more days, risking our lives together.”

If another general had said this in this situation, soldiers would internally think it was nonsense.

But I have always aligned my words and actions to gain my soldiers’ trust until now.

“If the Division Commander says so, we believe you! Two days, then. We’ll hang in there until the day after tomorrow. We will return alive.”

“Of course, just leave it to us!”

“Let’s go home now!”

The soldiers’ reaction was as I expected; if the words came from Peter Yaeger, the commander of the 7th Division, they were initially trustworthy.

Now, it’s time to start the actual preparation.

“In exactly two days, we will leave this place. Even the Swiss Confederation Duke, who is no smarter than a fool, will notice this. So, he will want to behead me and all of you before we can escape.”

Since the Duke was not a fool, he must already know that the Crown Prince had escaped.

He would try to annihilate our 7th Division and the other expeditionary force soldiers, thinking to make do with us instead of the Crown Prince.

Based on such an overwhelming victory, he would try to conduct post-war negotiations in their favor.

“So, we will strengthen the defense of the hill tonight and pack our belongings for escape. All soldiers of the 7th Division will ride the horses left by another unit and escape together. Attach jerky, grain flour, and water containers to the saddles for several days’ consumption.”

Carrying jerky, grain flour, and water containers to eat while fighting was something the Mongolians did on Earth when they waged war against the world, but here, it was the northern-style combat rations often eaten by the archer cavalry led by Anastasia.

“I will also participate in the trench construction, so everyone, do your best to strengthen our defenses. Plant spears left by our fallen comrades into the ground and place supply wagons on top of them. If we only place wagons, the Swiss will easily knock them down and cross over. Load empty grain sacks with heavy things like unused tents or alcohol.”

After saying this, even before giving the order to start working, I began carving the unattended long spears around me into stakes.

The officers issued instructions to each unit to carry out my orders.

We spent the night busily and productively, managing to construct a somewhat usable trench.

However, realistically speaking, if someone said they’d run away two days before in a disadvantageous situation and actually lasted two days, that person was a fool.

Because if the Swiss Duke heard it, he would thoroughly prepare, using his 100,000 soldiers, to prevent us from escaping.

So, to make him waste his efforts, I ordered my soldiers an hour before dawn,

“Everyone in the 7th Division, mount the horses assigned to you right now and immediately leave this hellish place. Hurry! Every minute and second are crucial.”

Thus, the entire division mounted their horses and began a great escape, and after watching them leave, I stayed behind to set fire to the wagons full of alcohol barrels and the entire camp before following.

I hoped that the items I left behind, which burned well, would hold back the enemy for at least an hour or two.