What Do You Wish For With Murky Eyes: Record of Highserk War - Chapter 26

“Destroy it!! Pile it up! We can’t keep it, so might as well make use of it.”

Walm spread the bag of soil he had been carrying on his back onto the ground.

The squad leader was dismantling a wheelbarrow used to carry ore. Other squads were dismantling repair materials for the mine tunnels, buildings for miners, and stacking them on the road.

Different squad members were digging up the ground with pickaxes, pouring water from the ore-dedicated channel into the dug-up area, creating sludge.

Due to repeated battles and sabotage, Walm and the soldiers, including him, were severely soiled by a mixture of waste, flowing sweat, and dust.

“Don’t lay the pillars flat, bury them halfway and make them stand. That alone will serve as an obstacle.”

Walm’s squad had continued to hold a makeshift defensive position made with scraps and equipment until two days ago, but due to the relentless attacks from forces several times larger than theirs they finally reached their limit.

While hastily retreating, they artificially collapsed the road along the mountain path, and the battalion focused on buying the last bit of time.

Even so, the Liberitoa Commercial Federation Army, which presumably had an engineering corps with earth attribute magic, would quickly repair the transportation route and attempt another advance.

The wounded and supplies were prioritized and gathered at the rear assembly point. The former Myard territory border area was next to a powerful demon territory, which served as a bottleneck and proved useful as a defensive zone.

Walm would curse at times, but he never stopped working. He knew that stacking obstacles, even a clump of dirt, could slow down the footsteps of thousands of enemy soldiers, saving their lives.

“Stop the work! Stop working! Liberitoa soldiers are coming!! We’re retreating too.”

Platoon Leader Kozul, along with a few subordinates, announced the retreat to those around. As if they had been waiting, they concluded their work, and the soldiers, carrying their belongings, began to retreat squad by squad.

Walm spotted members of the other squad, who had served as the rear guard, among the retreating people.

“Hey, what happened to the others?”

When Walm called out to one of them, the reply came as a shout.

“They got blown away. Those bastards concentrated magic users on us. The road is still blocked, but in half an hour, they’ll come pouring in here like an avalanche. Hurry up and escape.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldier hurriedly descended the mine.

“Come on, hurry. If we’re slow, we might get stabbed in the back.”

Jose called out while putting on his armor. Wearing armor and weapons could restrict movement and unnecessarily waste energy when engaged in construction work. Walm’s current attire was not much different from his peasant days.

He put on knee pads that were lying on the ground and dressed from the lower body upwards. After putting on his helmet and slinging a bag on his back, except for the two newcomers, everyone was ready.

Squad Leader Duwei, who visually confirmed Noor and Barito gathering with the squad about 10 seconds later, looked around and spoke.

“No fools getting lost, right? Say goodbye to this annoying mine. Let’s go.”

No one objected. Responding to the squad leader’s call, the squad left the mine in unison.

————

As the spearhead of the Highserk Imperial Army, the Jáfe Cavalry continued to support the frontline skillfully utilizing its mobility and impact. They struck the enemy’s protruding parts, continued to strike the flanks, and bought valuable time, but the casualties were becoming significant.

Jáfe, commanding the cavalry, dispersed his troops into platoon units, focusing on delay and harassment attacks. He used the smaller groups to lure out the enemy, then regrouped them into company size forces to counter larger enemy forces, thus overcoming the numerical disadvantage.

However, on this particular day, he was on the verge of failure. In terms of numbers, Craist and Ferrius allied forces had lost more. The problem was that even the Highserk Empire’s renowned cavalry, the precious elite troops with unparalleled training under Jáfe, lost two of its platoons.

“…Are those the visitors from the other world of this generation?”

Craist was known for having many visitors and drifters from other worlds. Jáfe had heard information on rumors about the visitors, but this was more than just rumors.

A few hundred meters away, a dazzling torrent of light occurred, blowing horses and riders away with the ground. While the spectacle might appear beautiful from a distance, up close, it resembled the formation of hell.

Before the dust and blood splatter could settle, magic of various attributes—fire, ice, wind, earth—pursued the retreating cavalry. Even cavalry specializing in one or two attributes couldn’t withstand all four.

“Use long-range threats. Magic users and archers, support the retreating cavalry. Don’t get closer than necessary.”

Following Jáfe’s command, the soldiers began their attacks simultaneously. Although the magic and arrows landed from a distance, they were enough to create a space preventing pursuit.

When the attack was momentarily interrupted, an earthen wall was instantly built, and the flying attacks were intercepted by light-attribute magic

While the earned time was only about 10 seconds, it was enough for the cavalry to escape. Despite the relentless Ferrius soldiers shooting arrows, none of the retreating cavalry fell.

“The remaining squads have already withdrawn to the rendezvous point. There’s no need for the commander to risk danger…”

One of the staff officers accompanying Jáfe expressed his dissatisfaction from horseback. Though he was one of the Highserk Empire’s frontline commanders, everyone in the staff knew about his tendency to venture too far into the frontline.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of getting hit. It would be a waste for the soldiers to die unnecessarily.”

Jáfe barely caught sight of a boy emitting powerful light attributes and a girl casting a variety of spells. They seemed to be of an age young enough to enlist as junior soldiers even in the Highserk Empire.

“To properly command, you need to witness such threats firsthand.”

Jáfe began evaluating the enemy’s capabilities. In terms of firepower, they performed as effectively as two magic squads combined. Their magical power was truly formidable. Their physical abilities and magical membranes must also boast considerable strength.

“Admittedly, I don’t think they excel in melee combat, but it’s best to consider the worst-case scenario.”

In Jáfe’s calculations, to kill them, he would need to send in two or three cavalry squads as sacrificial pawns. The issue lay with their entourage.

“Is the Rehauzen Knight Order babysitting them?”

Breaking through the Rehauzen Knight Order while under intense fire was no easy task. Due to the dispersed usage of troops, Jáfe’s available forces were less than a comapny. While they were a formidable opponent not to be underestimated, their very existence could be used as bait. Having conducted numerous baiting operations before, Jáfe wanted to avoid being lured into a trap.

“The decisive battlefield isn’t here yet. Commander Berger is preparing a stage fitting for the land of Myard. It would be inexcusable to be absent.”

Not only the Jáfe Cavalry Battalion but also the elite of the light infantry, the Liguria Infantry Battalion, are participating in the party.

There’s no need for Jáfe to dance alone as if he were running ahead.

“Let’s welcome them who have come a long way. We must convey that there is no need to worry about their journey back.”

The staff officer, who seemed to get pushed around a bit, felt relieved at Jáfe’s words and, made a lighthearted comment.

“Haha, you said it well… Well then, it’s about time. Let’s withdraw.”

After confirming that all the cavalry under his command had successfully retreated, Jáfe turned on his heel.

Though long-range magic began landing near Jáfe, it didn’t manage to deal any effective blows.