What Do You Wish For With Murky Eyes: Record of Highserk War - Chapter 12

Winston Ferrius looked down from the hill at the Highserk army.

The Highserk Imperial Army was advancing toward the shadow of the hill where Duke Youth Myard was encamped, furthest from the Ferrius army.

“It is roughly as expected.”

Given the previous trends of the Highserk Imperial Army, they had overcome disadvantages by leveraging mobility, exploiting local numerical advantages, and the difference in soldiers’ training.

“Yes, it seems that the Highserk Empire intends to face us in a decisive battle after dealing with the weak Myard soldiers.”

Around Winston, a group of strategists brought from the homeland arranged pieces on the map.

“The perimeter of the hill is heavily guarded, and although we only have a rough idea of their formation, they will undoubtedly attack the Myard position. They are deploying three 2,000 man infantry units on each flank, no doubt intending to buy time.”

Upon receiving the report from the strategist, Winston nodded with satisfaction.

“Arrogant, to think that with 6,000 men, he can withstand the Ferrius soldiers. I’ll put an end to Berger’s military record this time.”

Winston looked at the map again, imagining the deployment of his troops.

To diminish the military power of Myard, making it militarily dependent on Ferrius, as well as weaken the strength of the Highserk Imperial Army.

It was an ideal scenario for Winston.

“There is no oversight in constructing the defensive position.”

“The Myard position has not only anti-cavalry fences but also makeshift moats with palisades made with simple earth attribute magic. Even though they are a mix of militia, it will take time to capture the hill defended by over 10,000 soldiers.”

“The remaining concern is the Jáfe Cavalry Battalion.”

The Jáfe Cavalry Battalion is renowned as the strongest cavalry group in the northern neighboring nations. It is a force that has supported the rapid advance of the Highserk Empire; a common recognition among commanders and soldiers, including Winston.

“When we launch the offensive, defense by cavalry is anticipated. There will undoubtedly be thousands of casualties.”

“Sacrifices are inevitable for victory. The cavalry battalion is not invincible. If the majority of infantry is lost, they will also falter. Without infantry, final victory is unattainable.”

Winston paused, then lightly tapped the table.

“We will bring victory to our King Barristan, and our homeland. Remember, don’t be negligent. We’ll determine the outcome with a decisive blow when both Highserk and Myard are exhausted.”

For the decisive battle, both armies gathered on the plains near the capital, Aidenburg. The Duwei squad, after joining the Liguria battalion, awaited the order to march, stationed in the constructed defensive position.

“According to the information from the advance party, it seems that the main forces from the Ferrius Kingdom have also joined. The numbers are around 14,000, including 4,000 Myard territorial troops and 7,000 militia called up for emergency, totaling over 20,000.”

The high-ranking officers had already concluded their strategic discussions, and now, in a top-down fashion, lower-ranking officers, including Squad Leader Duwei, gathered for information sharing.

“With the enemy forces exceeding 25,000, and considering the losses along the way, the Highserk Empire’s troops are now less than 18,000. The resistance from the Myard forces along the border was not in vain.”

“It seemed rare for the enemy to come out on their own, so that’s why?” remarked Jose, nodding in understanding.

Since Walm and his group invaded the Myard Principality, there had been few conventional field battles. The focus had been on siege warfare, pursuit, and mop-up operations, all of which were labor-intensive and resulted in significant casualties.

“While we were being worn down, they called in their precious masters.”

“Facing an opponent who has spent five years preparing their forces, we can’t afford to be complacent…”

Jose tapped the grumbling Noor’s helmet lightly. The crisp sound reached Walm’s ears.

“Highserk Empire has been engrossed in war for five years and is still able to deploy this number of troops. The domestic situation… well, except for some areas that are lagging in development, it’s filled with experienced and well-trained regular soldiers. Even with a difference of 6,000 to 7,000, it’s not an insurmountable gap,” explained Jose.

“We’ve become quite skilled, eh?”

“You say that, but I think it’s shrinking down again.”

Jose made a grabbing motion towards a certain something, causing Barito’s cockscomb to sway left and right. He had not forgotten being grabbed during their first battle.

“Please don’t do that…”

While Jose was poking fun at Barito, Walm held a different opinion. After experiencing several battles, the two of them could no longer be considered new recruits. The demands of the Duwei squad were exceptionally high. However, Walm hadn’t conveyed this to them, fearing they might become overconfident and get killed in battle.

“Enough with that. Let’s get to the main point. The Liguria battalion, along with the powerful Jáfe Cavalry, is stationed in the rear, ready for action.”

The squad leader made a bombshell statement. As far as Walm knew, the Highserk Empire, especially Gerald Berger, excelled in the anvil and hammer tactic, burying superior forces with flanking maneuvers, half-envelopments, and breakthroughs.

The driving force behind this was the renowned Jáfe Cavalry Battalion, considered the strongest in the neighboring countries. Serving as Gerald Berger’s right-hand men and the cutting edge of the empire, these warriors were adept at subduing enemy cavalry units, and opening up the weak points in the infantry’s defenses. Often, they were accompanied by lightly equipped infantry units, which served both as support and auxiliary forces.

“Why the Liguria Battalion, though? We’ve never coordinated with cavalry against the Liberitoa Commercial Federation.”

Jose asked with an unusual seriousness. Even for Walm, being suddenly told to coordinate with cavalry was perplexing. While there were a few instances of deploying cavalry in the anti-Liberitoa front, it was never on a battalion scale. The main force in battles was almost always infantry, and Walm’s interactions with cavalry were limited to messengers and those tasked with enemy disruption.

“It’s an unavoidable situation. The vanguard’s lightly equipped infantry battalion has been overexerted. But we can’t afford to withdraw the main force facing Myard either. So, the experienced Liguria Battalion, familiar with the use of light infantry, was chosen. It’s going to be tough.”

The squad leader, who usually laughed off everything heartily, had a serious expression. Walm had learned that this face meant trouble.

“I-Is it really that bad?”

Barito, whose cockscomb seemed to have lost some of its spirit, asked.

“It’s not good. We can’t afford to fall behind the cavalry’s speed. Even if your heart feels like it’s about to burst, and your lungs and legs are shaking at their limits, if you stop, the following soldiers will swallow up the squad turning it into a mess, and if you fall, you’ll be crushed to death. You have to kill the enemies in front of you while running.”

The words of Squad Leader Duwei carried weight and felt real. The scene was easily imaginable.

“And my squad is at the forefront! This happened because Walm goes wild with «Heavy Strike»!!”

Incredibly, the squad leader, who caused the most commotion, was blaming Walm for the situation.

“No, no, squad Leader Duwei is the one always rampaging around!!”

Walm protested immediately, but the squad leader avoided eye contact.

“We’ve two users of «Heavy Strike» and Willart’s magic on top of that. I guess it was impossible for Platoon Leader Kozul to keep everything hidden, right?”

In Walm’s view, the slightly chubby platoon leader loved moderation in everything. He disliked being excessively decorated with war merits and being assigned to the dangerous front lines. Perhaps that sentiment had leaked out.

“The Liguria Battalion Commander patted me on the shoulder and said he’s ‘expecting great things.’ I thought it strange. It should have been the usual squad leader or platoon leader-level strategy meeting. But all the company commanders were gathered. What’s this about ‘the most elite squad that our company is proud of’? It’s the first time I’ve had a proper conversation with that company commander”

With complications piling up, the squad leader was in a bad mood. While it wasn’t something Walm could ignore, the only thing he could do was mentally prepare himself and rest his body until the actual combat started.