TL Notes –  So guys, here’s the new chapter. Not much words today. As usual, please enjoy the chapter and provide suggestions and corrections if any.

Thank you.

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Zairas from North, Torre from West

I wanted to go immediately, but I can’t go out until the enemies lower their guard.

Even though I am keeping a calm appearance, the princess and the knights are gritting their teeth, are they impatient?

On the cliff top, Radi san is positioning the marksmen while watching calmly even in this situation.

In a sense, she might be a person who can look for opportunities to attack with a peace of mind.

We all just have to wait and grasp the timing of the signal.

Seeing the signal from Radi san, a knight hiding in the bushes faced towards us and signaled.

「Looks like the soldiers will start their meals now. She said to wait just a bit more.」 [Bartz]

Bartz san came by and told the information from Radi san.

Was that, perhaps body language? It was like a guessing game, but if it's understood it can become a fine signal.

「Is that so.…… A bit longer right.」 [Princess]

The princess’s words seem simple, but she is quite angry.

I should tell Maria san not to let her jump out alone.

My eyes met with Maria san when I looked back.

She nodded firmly to me, so it seems she is quite anxious about the princess standing out.

「This time it's – 『They started eating. Start now.』」 [Bartz]

「We are moving on the highway! Get the spear car ready.  The masks will be red.」 [Princess]

Instructions were sent in a small voice.

I wore the mask, and quietly exited the forest to a.s.semble the spear car.

Its width is rather narrower than a wagon.

If two are placed side by side, the highway would get blocked.

「People with bows, take charge on the right of the highway. Put special emphasis on soldiers escaping towards the forest. Kainan san, please take charge of 2nd row. Divide yourselves on both sides of the spear car and attack correspondingly. Bartz san, attack the enemies with the spear cars. Place the spears inside the car. The princess should attack with crossbow and fire bullets from the back. If an enemy archer comes up, knock him down first! 」 [Banta]

When the final strategy is done, all of them raised their hands in acknowledgement.

The princess seems to be dissatisfied but Maria san is nodding in acceptance.

「Princess! Would you like to use it?」[Banta]

「The crossbow huh! Fumu, with this I can defeat enemies even from the back. I know how to use it also! 」 [Princess]

With a bitter smile, I presented my crossbow and bolts to the princess.

I received a small spear in exchange.

Is it not a throwing spear? It sure does feels like it.

After our arrangements for the raid was finished, Bartz san informed the knights standing guard about it.

These guards faced towards the cliff tops and gave the signal.

It probably conveys that preparations are over to Radi san.

As I was waiting holding my breath, a knight raised his hand and swooped down.

Thereafter, the sound of an explosion was heard.

「Lets go! 」 [Princess]

「「「Ooooohhhhh!!」」」

With four more in the group, Bartz san pushed the spear car forward.

We run behind them to avoid any delay.

From the corner of the highway, I saw soldiers escaping while avoiding crossbow bolts and fire bullets fired from the cliff top.

As our figures became visible, some of the soldiers who stopped running collided with the spear car.

The sound of armor breaking as well as their screams echoed out as the spear car temporarily came to a stop.

I pulled away the bodies from the spear and it moved again to attack the others.

Hoh!!

The soldiers scream mutually at top of their voice. We are just pus.h.i.+ng out the spears, but our prey has not changed. Flame bullets bursts out of the soldiers on one side, while at the other, bolts and arrows struck at backs of soldiers escaping into the forest.

「Princess! 」

Looking at the source of the sound, I found two archers aiming for the princess.

At once I turned around to cover her from the front………

「Well…」 [Banta]

「Apparently, you seemed to have noticed. Be relieved, it's just a scratch! 」 [Princess]

It's good that the princess called but, her face is leaking a funny smile along with the knights around that are grinning.

Certainly, I felt like I received an arrow while protecting the princess but………

「Your handmade armor is quite good. Though the wooden part got penetrated, it seems the arrow couldn’t pa.s.s through the leather armor behind it. It was taken off since it was broken, Reedus will repair it later. Good grief, don’t be so surprised.」 [Princess]

I looked at my chest after removing my s.h.i.+rt, it was bleeding a bit.

It’s good since it's only that much.

「Well, this became the proof of this armor’s ability. Moreover, panicking just because of that small wound would be quite pathetic. 」 [Princess]

It seems like she would go on complaining endlessly.

Nothing is better than changing topics here.

「So, what about the raid? 」 [Banta]

「Be relieved. The rescuing of prisoners is successful. All the enemies landed in the bloodbath. Well then, let's return. Can you walk? 」 [Princess]

I am still a bit unsteady, but I still don’t need a support to move.

I wrapped the broken wooden armor in a cloth and decided to return to the hideout with everyone.

I sit down on my usual seat at the hideout. The mage sisters gave us a cup with wine.

The princess looked at everyone’s face and then raised her cup high. We also toasted accordingly.

「First, good work to all. I did not think Torre was in that. Clearly they are our allies.  Although there are 2 squads, I ask of you to take commands for them.」 [Zairas]

「As you will. Like this, the enemy has no way to attempt restoration here. As expected of Zairas dono, whom we greatly admire.」 [Torre]

Although Zairas san looks young, he’s already over 30 years old.

Seems like Zairas san commanded a similar knight troop before.

「I do not have such wisdom. That youngster at the edge is our strategist. It seems he was blown away from a far away kingdom due to failure in transfer magic experiment. Although he seems to have worked hard today, he is the owner of that martial arts that takes an arrow for the princess and faints over. His strategies far surpa.s.ses us but in the battlefield……」 [Zairas]

Such a story has once again lead to laughter at the table.

「Well it should be okay to that extent. He risked his life and came between me and the arrow and received it. It's nothing to be ashamed of for a knight. Well, if you stood without fainting, you could have become a subject of tapestry.」 [Princess]

「From now on, let’s train him to become a person who will become a subject for tapestry. It will be troublesome if he faints with a scratch.」 [Zairas]

Once again the table was filled with laughter after this.

「Please wait. Does that mean that youth at the end thought of the previous raid? 」 [Torre]

「That’s right. He is not simple. He made arrangements for you to come out and then considered the raid, the direction of escape and the point of meeting us. Banta cannot do much in fighting with swords, but his strategy and planning ability far surpa.s.ses the operational headquarters’ ability of our kingdom.」 [Zairas]

Torre san stood up and looked towards me, then gave a proper knight bow to me.

「I cannot give enough grat.i.tude. Please make use of us as much as you like.」 [Torre]

I also stood up in a hurry and returned the gesture with a knight bow.

「Once again, I give you my greetings. They call me Banta, Banta is fine.

Although I don’t have any power, but please give your support.」 [Banta]

‘Certainly, he does not have much power………’

Though I heard such mutterings, I will not mind it. The training regime so far was completely different.

I think I can fight if I train properly though.

「There are 25 knights who have gathered under our banner newly. There are 18 soldiers. I’ll leave their management to Zairas. With this, our forces have increased to more than 1 platoon. Banta, what are we going to do next? 」 [Princess]

「Obviously, interception! They will think the destruction was due to the prisoner’s revolt. Isn’t Torre san famous for military warfare? Then they will come to suppress the regular soldiers under his command of the rebel unit.」 [Banta]

「Certainly, it’s a knight saying 『Zairas of the north and Torre of the west.』. But Banta, you should not have known this? 」 [Princess]

「Two platoons of soldiers came to monitor the prisoners. If by chance you get to see through their purpose, you will arrive at that point.」 [Banta]

I am troubled because even I am convinced of these words.

Is there seriously nothing like strategy or tactics in this world?

「So, when do you predict they will come? 」 [Zairas]

「Maybe they will come to see the situation tomorrow. By the way, did you ask for something? 」 [Banta]

「Ah, I have. I placed the enemy corpses below the cliff and leaned them on it.」 [Bartz]

The strategy map was placed on the table.

The pieces were arranged to show the corpses on the highway, and also the position of the lookout on the cliff.

Different colored pieces were drawn from the west of the highway towards the point the corpses are placed.

「Well, they will probably come riding horses. How do you judge this situation? 」 [Banta]

「I guess Torre has probably helped the prisoners clear their resentments. I can understand that much as well.」 [Zairas]

While nodding to Zairas san, I took a piece and placed it at the southern square.

「What if there’s smoke at this place? 」 [Banta]

「I’ll immediately lead a subjugation unit there……… That’s it! They cannot use horses in the forest. Even knights will have no choice but to walk. However, they would not be able to find Torre and the others even after a thorough search.」 [Zairas]

「When they return to the highway bring them down with crossbows. While facing towards the highway, there are cliffs as high as I am, as such they will have trouble climbing up.」 [Banta]

After that, I gazed at the faces of everyone looking at the map.

「Torre! This is Banta’s campaign. Banta alone works as a squadron is what I think.」 [Zairas]

「It’s more than a squadron. I thought of having the regular army act as bait for an ambush, but this is completely a one-sided battle.」 [Torre]

「Are you ready for it? If quick enough then they will come by day after tomorrow.」 [Zairas]

Torre san strongly nodded to Zairas san.

Early next morning, Radi san took several people and left the fort with them.

They are going to make a big enough campfire at the southern square.

I asked them to advance disorderedly to leave traces of people walking through the forest, so it might turn night-time till they come back.

In the fort’s plaza, Torre san and the other new arrivals are struggling to become bandits.

Their leather armor is torn, and their long swords are purposefully broken.

They also have red and black clothes as masks instead of mantles.

Seems like there are many archers as many of the new ones are sharpening arrowheads.

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