Quit being a knight and become a mercenary

98 – Beheading Operation (3)

A few days later, Lev Forest.

Baron Ainz, who commanded the detachment that included the White Brigade under my command, raised his right hand and signaled to stop.

“All troops stop here.”

At those words, the 2,000-member detachment, including me, stopped moving.

“Everyone, please wait here until further instructions from Baron Bourne. I don’t know how long the wait will be, so I won’t interfere with your ability to sit back and relax. Anyone who engages in unnecessary chatter will be severely punished according to military law.”

No matter how much we are mercenaries, when we are under the Margrave, we are under his authority, and if we break military law here, our heads will be taken off.

So, we all had to silence even the sound of breathing in front of the enemy.

The commanders, including me, delivered orders in a low voice.

“No chatting, everyone. “You can sit down and rest.”

“If you open your mouth, you’ll die, so just sit there and stare.”

“It’s okay to sit and rest, but if you talk you’ll die.”

As the order was spread throughout the entire detachment, Baron Ainz asked another knight.

“There was no separate enemy scouting unit near here, right?”

“There was, but it should be okay for the next few hours. According to the information I heard when I interrogated the guys I just captured, there will be no additional scouts dispatched to this area until this evening.”

At those words, Ainz frowned.

“…… You can’t take that literally. Double the number of security personnel.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And tell the archers among the mercenaries to keep a close watch on the surrounding area.”

Baron Ainz, who had set up an ambush at a perfect location for a surprise attack and even ordered me to be on guard, looked at me and gestured.

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“Did you say Martin Mayer? “Come here.”

“Yes, Baron.”

Even as I walked toward him, I was worried about why he called me.

‘Judging by the lack of anger in his facial expression and voice, I don’t think he’s calling me to get angry.’

As I approached, Baron Ainz pointed to his right front.

Looking in the direction indicated, I could see the rear of the Montmartre army fighting with us.

“Oh my, I thought it was going down… Youngest child, bring me some cold water!”

“What the f*ck is cold water? There’s only lukewarm water.”

“He’s the leader of the Ten, and he speaks very arrogantly?”

I think it was because they returned from fighting hard in the vanguard, but everyone had dirt and blood on their clothes and a look of exhaustion on their faces.

None of those resting seemed to have thought that there would be an attack from behind, and not even the slightest control was being carried out other than keeping their positions.

Well, even if I were the Count of Montmartre, it would not have been easy to imagine that I would be suddenly hit in the back from the rear, as the ‘surprise’ itself was very difficult due to the plains on all sides.

Furthermore, the troops under Margrave Estel are only 15,000, so they are much smaller than theirs…

‘It would be even more difficult to think of splitting up troops that are not present in terrain where surprise raids are difficult.’

Baron Ainz tapped my shoulder and smiled.

“It looks like the operation you proposed will work out easier than expected. Even though it was from the rear, seeing it so defenseless didn’t mean they weren’t expecting a surprise attack. “As long as we carry out a surprise attack, the impact will be quite significant.”

“I was lucky.”

No matter how far back you are, it is common to have a minimum number of security personnel and prepare for a possible surprise attack under your own control.

So, when I was thinking about and proposing a surprise operation, I also imagined a situation where they were maintaining order, which was different from what they are showing now.

So, I answered honestly, but Baron Ainz frowned slightly.

“Luck? Don’t talk about luck. I know you have no intention of doing so, but those words could diminish the value of Margrave Estelle, who thinks highly of you. “This is purely a reflection of your cool-headed judgment of the situation.”

The luck that comes to talented people can be seen as being included in skill, so you can say that, right?

“This is too much praise.”

“I can’t praise you too much, thanks to you I was able to attack the backs of defenseless guys like that.”

“If Margrave Estelle hadn’t listened to the tactics of a mere mercenary like me, I wouldn’t have been able to shine. And I don’t think it would be too late to give that kind of praise after we capture the count over there.”

“You are full of confidence. It’s like looking at me when I was young. Maybe you too will become a sword master like me.”

Sword Master, according to the settings in the game, is a supreme state that only one out of 2,000 swordsmen who use Aurors can barely reach.

I am also steadily practicing towards that goal, and even though I am cutting down enemies in battle, I think of this as a process of practice.

“Thank you, Baron.”

After hearing those words, Ainz nodded her head and asked again in a serious voice.

“By the way, waiting is honestly embarrassing. “The enemy is showing us defenseless and asking for a surprise attack, so we have to wait longer.”

“We must wait for the Margrave’s victory.”

“I know that, but did you have any further plans in mind while coming here?”

“Seeing as the military discipline behind the enemy army is in shambles, there will only be guys with exhausted stamina or sloppy guys in the rear now. Therefore, it would be better to leave only reserve troops, not elites, in the vanguard of our troops, and then deploy the elites later when their stamina is low.”

No matter how thoughtless the Montmartre bastards are, if our decapitation unit disturbs the rear, they will mobilize their ‘elites’ to kill us.

So, if you send out lively knights or elites who are good at fighting at the right time, you will be able to fight them off.

“The important thing for us in this operation is not to kill more Montmartre guys, but to capture the enemy commander, Count Beluga, and end the battle. Okay, I will do that.”

As soon as those words were spoken, a soldier rushed towards us.

“Baron Ainz, those Montmartre guys over there are moving to the front in a hurry!”

At those words, Ainz jumped up from his seat.

“The Margrave is moving faster than I thought. All troops, stand up! “Let the regular soldiers stand at the front, and knights and those who are confident in their skills should stand at the back.”

When I heard her words, I followed her orders and immediately turned back.

“It’s our turn to step forward. “Is everyone ready?”

Instead of cheering loudly, we, the white guys, quietly nodded our heads in agreement.

“I will shoot arrows and magic first before attacking the enemy. And now it’s not me who’s at the forefront, you’re at the vanguard. “I will follow you from behind, so just do as you have been trained so far, just as if you had fought in a real battle.”

It may be different from other units, but the soldiers of our Whitebeard mercenary unit have continued to receive systematic training such as formal training and guerrilla training.

Thanks to this, the average abilities of the soldiers are very excellent.

Although a new recruit is not at a level where he can fight and win against a veteran mercenary such as a senior mercenary in the enemy mercenary unit…

‘No matter which mercenary company you join, our mercenary recruits are at least Grade A.’

Everyone’s average has been leveled upward, so the Whitebeard Mercenaries will shine well even without me.

It’s like putting an awl in your pocket and making a hole in your pants.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

At the same time as he said those words, Baron Ainz swung his sword and sent a signal to all the soldiers of the separate unit.

The content of the signal is a signal asking whether you are ready to run out of the forest and attack.

“We are ready.”

“Please trust us.”

“I will show you the power of the knights and regular soldiers under the Baron Konrad family.”

And soon we moved carefully, making no sound, until we reached the border of the forest.

Seeing as the enemy did not react by blowing trumpets or shooting arrows, it seems they had no idea that we had set up an ambush.

“……It’s an opportunity.”

Soon after, the bannermen under Baron Ainz waved his flag up and down.

“Lucia, start chanting magic. “Blow it away with the strongest one.”

“Yes.”

As Lucia began chanting magic, magicians from other mercenary units and units under nobles also began chanting.

The archers fed their arrows to the bowstrings and waited quietly until the wizards finished chanting.

It only lasts about 2-3 minutes, but the pressure of having to succeed in this surprise attack makes this time feel infinitely long.

‘If you fail here, you will all die.’

I’ve always been like that, but I’m even more nervous now.

I felt cold sweat on my hands, and the sound of my heart pounding hit my eardrums.

On the other hand, I wonder if Baron Ainz is as nervous as I am…

Aura was emanating from his body.

If my aura looks like a blue fog, then his aura looks like it’s covered in a dark, thick blue film.

Aura fog, no, a dark blue aura cloud, like a poisonous gas, was visible all over my body.

It looks very threatening on the outside, but how is its power when actually dealing with an enemy?

Will it be something that goes beyond human limits and shows the power of a tank or an airplane?

While I was lost in such random thoughts, Baron Ainz’s voice resounded as loudly as thunder.

“Shoot the entire army! “Long live Margrave Estelle!”