After nightfall, in Gareth’s lamp-lit tent, the most important officers gathered for a military conference to decide their course of action for tomorrow.
However, the subject of this military conference was not tomorrow’s events, but rather the enemy’s actions today.
“What exactly was the charge?”
One officer asked the question on everyone’s mind. The officers present tilted their heads.
Indeed, the enemy’s attack power was astounding. Many troops were beaten down, with not a few casualties. But since it was brute force, it could be easily blocked by formation maneuvers.
“That’s why I said to let me go, then I could’ve wiped them out. Right?”
Although Garios shouted loudly, they would have crushed them even without Garios.
No matter how strong the general in golden armor fought at the front, without close coordination with the troops, there were great vulnerabilities. If their rear was cut off by a cavalry charge and they were surrounded, while the vanguard general might be difficult to defeat, the troops themselves were an opponent that could be easily crushed.
However, considering the battles of the past few days, this could not be an enemy that they could not understand to that extent.
If so, what was their goal? No matter how they thought about it, they could not deduce the enemy’s intentions.
Among the officers there, Gami also closed his eyes. Even Gami could not understand the enemy’s strategy.
With no conclusions, the military conference continued. If the enemy used the same methods tomorrow, they would act according to the basic tactic of reacting to the enemy’s actions first. And so it ended with the passive conclusion to wait and see what the enemy would do.
Garios complained that he had to stay at the headquarters for defense, but since the enemy’s methods were opaque, they should not act rashly.
Just as the conference was about to break up, a sentry entered the tent.
“Excuse me, the interrogator says he has urgent news to report.”
The sentry relayed the message and the interrogator entered the tent.
Under Gareth’s orders, prisoners captured during the fighting were being interrogated for information.
“Grand Marshal, I have learned something that should be reported quickly.”
Although the interrogator made his report, Gareth was a bit surprised.
“That was quick. Did you open their mouths already?”
Gareth, who had ordered the interrogation, had not expected a report today.
Interrogating prisoners was simple, but most prisoners would lie. It took time to interrogate and accumulate large numbers of prisoners to integrate information and increase accuracy. If they talked so soon, the information was likely to be deceptive.
“Yes, though I can’t be sure.”
The interrogator made a troubled expression, but if he still thought it should be reported, they should listen.
“No matter. Tell us.”
After Gareth allowed the report, the interrogator spoke the information he had received. It was decidedly unbelievable.
“Is it true? It’s said that the prince who defeated the Demon King relieved the commanding general and took command himself?”
Gareth couldn’t help but ask back. Something like replacing the commander had not occurred to him at all.
“It seems so. According to the prisoner, the prince was angered by the passivity of his own army, dismissed the general, and is personally commanding the front lines.”
Since Gareth asked back, the interrogator repeated the same words. But no matter how one looked at it, it was unbelievable.
“Are you really saying that? Did you mistranslate?”
One of the officers asked the obvious question.
While studying human language for the sake of battle, very few were able to master it perfectly.
“I asked several times, the translation is correct.”
The interrogator confirmed the accuracy of the translation.
“This prince is quite young, isn’t he? Has he led troops before?”
Gareth asked the interrogator about the prince.
“Well… this is his first campaign.”
Upon hearing the interrogator’s answer, the officers present were all shocked.
To become an effective commander, one had to lead soldiers into battle dozens of times and learn the basics of tactics.
Especially when leading a large army, experience was crucial. Even strategic geniuses couldn’t compensate for this.
All the officers here had started with small squads of about ten men and gradually gained battle experience.
For a rookie to criticize the tactics of battle-hardened generals and take command in battle was a nightmare for the soldiers.
“Besides… it’s said that in this battle, the one who leads is this prince.”
Hearing the interrogator’s words, Gareth remembered the image of a general leading from the front.
“Are you saying that he is the one who leads?”
Gareth couldn’t believe it.
“Yes, that’s what the prisoners say.”
The supreme commander was walking to the front lines. This was impossible.
“Could this be false information?”
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One of the officers asked the obvious question. Maybe it was a strategy to spread false information and deceive them.
“That possibility exists, but all the captured soldiers said the same thing. I think the accuracy of the information should be quite high…”
After hearing the interrogator’s words, Gareth thought for a moment.
If the captured soldiers were subordinates of a disgraced general, that could be a reason for them to talk easily.
And the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. It was as if the dense fog that was obscuring his vision was slowly dissipating.
The hastily formed attack formation, the poor coordination between the leading lord and the soldiers following him.
He had thought that there might be some hidden agenda, but now he understood. The enemy had no secrets.
“Inexperienced.”
Gami muttered under his breath. The officers couldn’t hide their ironic smiles either.
The enemy lord was like an incompetent ruler.
In today’s battle, the prince’s actions were remarkably impressive, and defeating the Demon King might not be a lie. In terms of sheer combat power, few in the Demon King’s army could match him.
But that was all. As a commander, as a leader, he could be considered a failure.
The appointed general personally took the lead. His importance was indeed considerable.
With the general leading the charge, the soldiers would be motivated. And by putting himself in a dangerous position, he would create a sense of unity with the soldiers. One could personally feel the dynamics of the battlefield and quickly discern the enemy’s strategies.
Although risky, the importance of a general leading from the front was significant.
But the prince’s warfare was not like that.
He only fought to show off his own martial prowess and display his achievements in battle. He did not survey the entire battlefield, he fought only for himself.
“Oh dear, we have to fight this kind of child?”
Gareth suddenly felt very tired.
As a general, one should leave the task of wielding blade and spear to the soldiers like pieces on a board, command the rear, and achieve victory with minimal losses. Winning without taking up arms was the greatest achievement of a commander, but if the hand of the commander became a piece competing with other pieces in battle, it would be meaningless.
“Grand Marshal Gareth, how about releasing the prisoners here?”
Gami, who had rarely spoken before, made a suggestion.
“Then tell them that if the lord attacks again tomorrow, I will also send elite troops.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
Although Garios did not understand, the others laughed at Gami’s evil plan. Indeed, they might see something interesting.
“What is this about?”
Garios, the only one who did not understand Gami’s tactics, had a questioning look on his face.
“Don’t worry, Garios. Enjoy yourself. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a chance to enter the stage tomorrow.”
“Really?”
Gareth’s words delighted Garios like a child. Seeing him, Gareth also twisted his mouth.
No matter how strong the prince was today, he probably couldn’t compete with Garios. And even if it was a trap, with the right formation, the defense of their base was rock solid. There was nothing to fear.
If it was a trap, Garios might die, but with that annoying brute gone, it wouldn’t be a bad thing for Gareth.
No matter how things turned out, it could be said that he was one step closer to becoming Demon King.
The Dacano Plains in the northwest of the Kingdom of Lionel had once been a pastoral paradise of grazing cattle, gentle breezes, babbling brooks, and dancing insects.
But now that scene had become a memory, transformed into a battlefield ravaged by death and destruction.
The green plain was piled high with the corpses of tens of thousands of demons and humans, the cries of the animals replacing the groans of the dying. Of the insects that flitted about, only flies remained to crawl over the corpses.
The earth was consumed by the devastation of the exploding magic, the spilled blood forming rivers, even ponds in places.
Gami, the chief of intelligence for the Demon King’s army, walked through this hellish battlefield with only a handful of guards.
Leaning on a stick, he walked lightly, his body swaying incessantly.
“Very good, very good?”
Seeing corpses everywhere, Gami nodded in satisfaction.
“Go kill, go die, that is a soldier’s heart’s desire.”
Gami seemed to swallow the deaths and lamentations, his eyes shining. Even his heart felt younger.
Just as he felt great, as if he was about to burst into song, Gami’s foot suddenly stepped onto the merciless battlefield.
A huge pit had formed there.
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