Translator’s  Note – Sorry for the delay in the chapter. I won’t say anything much but I have gotten a job that keeps me busy even on holidays. So I  find myself with less time to translate. Even so I would like to continue doing it since I like doing it.  Hope you all will support me.

While I was translating this chapter, I decided to make some changes in the names of both people and places as required. I have changed the name of ‘Signal tower’ to ‘lookout’ and will make changes in previous chapters as per the support to this change. If this change gets more favor, I will change it in the previous chapters as well.

Lastly, as usual, any corrections or  suggestions are very welcome. Then please enjoy the chapter!!!

__________________________________________________________

14 – The People Who Came To Work at the Collapsed Cliff

Raids for provisions have been done many times.

The number of carts has been reduced and the escort ratio has been increased, but it never exceeds two platoons.

At last they added the knights as escorts to deal with this, but when a little offensive was put on, they were lured out.

The kingdom feels at rest since our raids on wagons or whatever was away from their side.

And so they began to reduce the escorts for transporting wagons.

20 wagons in a transporting unit escorted by only one platoon, as expected they were very careless.

Even with a brief raid, we would easily take over 10 wagons.

Something occurred when I was looking at the transported provisions.

Wagons heading east on the highway will have new soldiers coming back with them after 10 days.

It seems that there is a purpose to replace the soldiers.

Several merchant carts followed behind the ones that carried the replacement soldiers.

I guess they are peddlers that cannot afford to hire escorts.

Since the carts are filled up with farmer's goods, it is out of our objective to raid.

Still, there is a carriage among those carts.

The merchant with us uses mules, so his cart is rather small.

Although I thought it would be a business like that, an open industry more precisely, they deal with roughly made cigarettes, cheap clothes that other merchants do not deal with so much and decorative strings that can be bought even by a village girl.

Even if all the loads are bought together it won’t be much than 10 silver coins it seems.

In a sense, they are an existence abandoned even by thieves.

「Well, we are starting. The next transportation will be after 10 days.」 [Zairas]

A section of the cliff was destroyed on Zairas san’s command.

There are cliffs on both sides of the highway, so even collapsing one cliff will block the 10 m wide road by more than half.

As such, while others were resting, our merchant came out with a red flag on his cart.

Acting prudently, we pa.s.s through the west side, and took down two carts.

Radi san showed grat.i.tude after getting the money and called for Maria san.

I tightened the rope that bound the load again and walked towards the west.

We also decided to withdraw from the highway and return to the hideout.

「Now that it's a dead end, how will we proceed here-on? 」 [Zairas]

「The cliffs are destroyed seems like the work of bandits. We have been reported of a lot of footprints.

If it goes well, we will get ourselves a reward.」 [Banta]

Everyone laughed at those words of mine.

It's just a cup of wine, but to rescue our people, our morale should be high.

「I will leave on a horse early in the morning. It will take a couple of days even if I start now.」

「I will keep a watch over here. It will take you quite a while if you bring along a prisoner.」 [Radi]

Radi san pointed on the highway 10 km away.

It seems the small ridges looks rather wide collectively.

「The spear car is ready too. And this is the sword that Banta asked for! 」 [Rider]

I received the sword that was flung towards me, well enough heavy.

I managed to catch it both hands.

But I don’t think it's good to throw a sword.

「Oh! It's an unusual sword. Show it to me.」 [Princess]

When I stood up taking the sword, a mage girl came to get the sword for the princess.

Let’s pa.s.s this to her first.

Even though I have not used it yet.

The princess is holding it with both hands to see the balance.

No matter what, it is a bit curved, so she is looking at it with strange eyes.

「The scabbard is made of wood and not of leather. Even so, it rather curved.」 [Princess]

With grumbling sounds, she pulled out the sword to look at it.

「Its focused only on a single edge. Though I think it is used to stab rather than slice the opponent, I can’t comprehend the reason for it to be curved.」 [Princess]

「Though I have never used the sword but even I have no idea of why it is like this. I had it made since I had the opportunity but I do not know how to use it.」 [Banta]

He is a scholar after all……

Everyone is looking at me with such a gaze.

I think I would have to work hard during practice.

「You talked about spear car a while ago. What is that? 」 [Princess]

「It's a vehicle Banta thought of for confinement. It moves by pus.h.i.+ng the axle, but it's quite easy to a.s.semble on-site. Its biggest feature is in the front which has six one-handed swords stuck out. With this you can hit several enemies and can also be used to obstruct enemies. The stuck out swords looks similar to line of spears and can be used as such.」 [Rider]

Although I often go astray with such things, but it's ok since it helps in planning freely at later periods.

Even the princess has a great mood while creating an attack plan.

2 days later the raid strategy was made.

The raid site will be at the site of collapsed cliffs, but Zairas san will wait at the southern forest 300 m away from the site.

Radi san with her group stayed on the cliff tops…

I have to do something in the village so I will head there tonight.

The remaining will remain standby away from the collapsed cliffs.

They are as many as 20 of our men, but we have to face against a platoon of enemy soldiers. As such thy have to move westwards towards the vantage point faster and earlier.

With the support from those on the cliff, the damage will definitely increase.

「If we carry this raid well, then our buddies will increase in one stroke. Spears will be used basically but you can use the long swords at the discretion of the captain.」 [Banta]

Looks like tomorrow morning’s practice session will be full with long sword training.

I’ll be over with it after the first session.

Besides, we need to think about the actions during the New Year.

The main issue at that would be about how long we continue to act like bandits.

While looking through what the merchants left, I found a box of gla.s.ses.

When opened, a variety of them came out. There were big one for far-sightedness and smaller ones for near-sightedness.

I placed a candle on the table and used it to measure their focal length.

Next, I tried to see if a telescope could be made by combining the lenses.

When I found two pairs with good combination, I drew out the shape and the dimensions for making the tube of the telescopes for the wood-craftsmen to make…

On evening of the third day, Radi san and her group went westwards of the highway.

They really do make a good reconnaissance unit.

The 10 people there would be able to do a lot of things.

Fourth day.

We readied ourselves and waited.

It seems our spear car is ready in the bushes to be deployed on the highway.

The structure is a simple one, the rear has a pillar aligning with the groove driving the wedges.

「Zairas! Take out a wine and a cup. Let's have a sip and raise our spirits.」 [Princess]

「No need, the knights are preparing already. Although the long swords are dull, we are still carrying 30 of them. And since we can use spears as well, we can probably annihilate the enemy platoon without much problems.」 [Zairas]

We should probably avoid being much exhausted.

I will not have anything at the moment.

「Its better to prepare meals.」 [Banta]

「Umu. I also thought about that. Maria and other wives from the village are preparing it. If it's not enough, we can make even more.」 [Princess]

One will always be in high spirits after a decent meal and good sleep.

That is what everyone here thinks…

「There’s a message from Radi san. It seems they entered the highway. There are 3 platoons in their structure.」

A messenger came into the room and went back soon after announcing the news.

「Aren’t there more than expected? 」 [Princess]

「What do you think Banta? 」 [Zairas]

「The prisoners starting the constructions would be one platoon. One platoon to monitor the prisoners, and one to prepare for us. Let’s do it. It’s only twice as much. We will show them that knights are different from general soldier.」 [Banta]

All of them agreed on it.

I lifted everyone’s spirit, but I was serious when I said they are stronger than general soldiers.

「It is as Banta says. If they to defeat us, they would need to send a battalion. However there would be no way to deploy such troops on a narrow highway. The enemy is already trapped in Banta’s artifice. Now it’s time to show them our skills! 」 [Princess]

To the speech of thee princess, all of them raised their voice and shouted like barbarians so much that my ears started hurting.

But with this, there’s no way we would be swallowed by our opponents.

Zairas san is looking over here with a smile, while the princess muttered 「It’s splendid! 」, to Maria san's whispering.

Anyways, she is really a cheerful princess, so she should be careful not to rush out too much.

I should also go prepare myself now.

With the help from Rizer san, I put on the armor.

This armor is similar to the ones used in kendo, with a body made of wood and plastered with a double layer of leather at the torso.

The back side is defenseless, reason being 「We move forward even in the moment of death, so there is no need for anything at the back.」 or so the captains told me.

The armor made by dwarves are also pretty good, each has its own taste, so the knights can confront the enemy no matter what.

I am satisfied with my armor; the princess is wearing similar endowment armor like me.

It's much lighter than the chain mail armor.

Maria san and other sister magicians are wearing leather armors.

I enjoy the pipe till all preparations are finished.

Maria san and the sisters are having tea, the dwarves and Zairas san are drinking wine.

We would have to fight from now on, will they be alright?

「Call from the lookout; [Enemy confirmation. Scale – 3 platoons.] That is all! 」

「Let us depart! 」 [Zairas]

As soon as the situation was reported, Zairas san’s voice echoed inside the room.

He is already dressed in knight garments.

We made haste out of the room and ran straight towards the highway.

3 of the units went to join Radi san’s group who were waiting on the cliff-tops.

Zairas san disappeared towards the east with Rizer san’s unit.

The remaining of us decided to hide in the forest near the second corner of the collapsed site towards the west.

「Wait till Radi san’s unit starts their attack. That will be the signal to start our attack. We would be positioned behind the thick bushes in the forest, no matter what, we should not lag behind.」 [Bartz]

Bartz san reminded us.

A bit further away, the spear car is being a.s.sembled.

Once it is put up together, there won’t be any problems at later times.

After a while, the dragging footsteps come closer.

As I thought, they are using prisoners to do the construction work.

As I look through the bushes, I could see the prisoners pa.s.sing through the highway and the enemies who we would be fighting afterwards.

I wonder if their pace is slow.

This waiting feels unusually long.

_____________________________________________________________