Translator: Cinder Translations
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"Hah! So, these are the so-called Northwesterners? Or should I say, Aldorians? Not bad, indeed a human army quite different from others!"
The orc general, Calem, placed his hand on his forehead, his attention entirely captured by the neatly aligned soldiers at the center of the Alden army.
"Look at them, they stand so straight, their demeanor like the guards in a human court."
Calem licked his lips and let out a chuckle.
"What I don't know is whether their combat prowess will leave an impression on me, as much as their stance does."
Behind him, his subordinates laughed loudly, most of them thinking this would be an easy battle. The large army of orcs would crush the enemy before them and claim the northwest of Aldor for themselves.
Calem continued to face away from his subordinates, and in the absence of their gaze, a glint of seriousness flashed across his eyes.
As a battle-hardened general with years of experience, he could instinctively sense that this army before him was not ordinary.
Unlike their allies on the flanks, who wore a mishmash of different outfits, the soldiers from the Northwest Bay wore simple, unified attire. Individually, they might not seem remarkable, but when these soldiers lined up in neat rows and even more rows formed a square, an unspoken pressure emanated from them.
Calem had never underestimated this newly arrived human force. He had listened carefully to the reports of Amur about the battle at Silver Moon Fortress and knew the Aldens had terrifying weapons, strict discipline, and formidable fighting power.
His earlier casualness was merely to boost the morale of his troops, but Calem had confidence in his warriors. They would scorn the enemy, but that scorn would not affect their performance.
Calem raised his arm high and swung it down like a guillotine.
"Kill them!"
Woo—!
A loud horn echoed across the plains.
The warhorses, already excited, finally heard the long-awaited signal. With a snap of the reins from their eager riders, they burst into a gallop. However, their pace was not a frenzied sprint but a controlled, small-step run, keeping their energy reserved for the final charge.
The sound of countless hooves pounding the earth was like numerous hands slapping the surface of water.
The orcs launched their first wave of attack, with 10,000 cavalry at the center charging towards the Alden infantry. Another 5,000 cavalry flanked the left and right wings to support and distract the Aldorian cavalry positioned in the same way.
From the Aldor side, they watched as the enemy cavalry began to move with the sound of horns. At first, it wasn't too alarming, but as the distance closed, the sight of the enemy army became clearer. A vast mass of horses darkened the horizon, with the rising dust forming a storm-like cloud, hiding countless enemies within.
For most of the Alden soldiers, this was their first time witnessing such a sight. Though they had trained for courage against cavalry charges, the overwhelming scale of it was unprecedented.
Unease spread quickly among the soldiers, and the officers did their best to encourage their troops, though even they were anxious.
In a slightly elevated area behind the lines, Paul swallowed hard, his heart gripped by fear. His body stiffened, and he almost couldn't breathe.
Perhaps I shouldn't have come here… the thought of cowardice flashed through his mind.
I might meet my end here…
Just then, he felt a light touch on both shoulders, two contrasting sensations transmitted through him—one warm and comforting, the other cool and soothing.
The fear inside him was almost entirely dispelled in that moment.
He looked to his left in surprise—his mother, Marianna, was staring at him with eyes full of confidence. "I can at least guarantee that my child will be fine."
"Uh... thanks." Paul turned his gaze to his right, where the green-haired sorceress met his eyes and nodded in encouragement.
Perhaps they did something to me... Is it magic?
Whatever it was, Paul's heart began to swell with something new—confidence!
"Schroder!"
Paul called to his battlefield commander.
"Lord Grayman, what can I do for you?" Schroder, who had been intently calculating the orc cavalry's distance, turned to him.
"I want to address the entire army!"
In the neatly aligned formation, Private Hesse West felt like his bladder was about to burst. The large-scale cavalry charge had increased his need to urinate.
Damn it, I shouldn't have drunk so much water before the assembly.
"Alright, guys, watch closely, our cannons will fire soon and smash these guys to pieces!"
The drill instructor's shaky shout didn't have much effect, as many soldiers' hands holding their rifles were trembling slightly.
"Shh! Don't make a sound," the company commander suddenly reminded, "There's a flag signal coming!"
"Brothers! From Earl Grayman... no, a message!"
A sharp voice suddenly rang out. The signalman, who had just put down his binoculars, shouted excitedly.
Everyone perked up, listening intently.
"Aldor expects everyone to perform their duty!"
He shouted the words with all his might.
For a moment, a certain feeling blossomed in everyone's chest, nearly pushing the fear out of their bodies.
Through the flag signal, Paul's words were quickly conveyed to all human soldiers, not just those in the Alden army.
In everyone's mind, images began to form.
The curling smoke from chimneys, ripened wheat ears, bustling markets, playing children, loving parents, beloved girls... countless simple scenes appeared, yet they were all incredibly precious.
Now, these ordinary things seemed so valuable, and a heavy sense of responsibility weighed on everyone's shoulders.
No retreat, break these fur-covered bastards, make them regret stepping onto Aldor soil.
Yes, not just the Northwest Bay, not just Blackstone or the Yellow Earth Plains or the Giant Elephant Fields.
But all of Aldor!
These soldiers, most of whom were leaving their hometowns for the first time, would have spent their lives working in the fields if not for the orc invasion. The farthest they had traveled was to the lord's town, and they'd hear distant tales from bards at the market. To them, Aldor was a thin, almost non-existent concept. Nations and honor were things only nobles and knights talked about. Their job was to manage a small piece of land.
But now, facing a common enemy—one that looked so different from them—every one of them had a seed planted in their hearts.
"Aldor expects everyone to perform their duty!"
Paul's words made that seed take root.
We are we, and they are them.
TL/N: Wow, Patriotism!
(End of the Chapter)
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