Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Calem furrowed his brows, his eyes fixed on the smoke-filled battlefield. He might not have even realized it himself, but his hands were trembling slightly.
The current battlefield situation was the one he feared most—his cavalry had lost their momentum, and the enemy's infantry had not been broken.
The orc commanders surrounding Calem were silent.
Many of them were hoping for a miracle—perhaps after some more fighting, the human formations would suddenly collapse?
Others, though, were thinking something they dared not speak: the army had been advancing westward, undefeated in battle. The orc cavalry had always been victorious when charging against weak human infantry formations, but now, if they voiced any pessimism, it might anger Calem.
Time passed second by second, and finally, someone couldn't hold back anymore and broke the silence, shattering everyone's illusions.
"Continuing like this is pointless; it's like being stuck in the mud. We need to pull back, regroup, and prepare for a second charge!"
When someone spoke up, the orc commanders let out a sigh of relief and looked to their leader for a response.
Calem turned to the speaker, his eyes seeming ready to burn with fire.
Just as everyone expected him to lash out, the orc general gritted his teeth and said, "You're right, Grothal."
Calem ordered in a sharp voice, "Have them retreat and regroup. We need to tighten the bowstring and launch a deadly second strike!"
In truth, Grothal's suggestion of being "stuck in the mud" was quite a polite way of putting things because, from every angle, the orcs had suffered much heavier casualties. The bodies surrounding the human formations were a testament to the orcs' fury and shock.
The deafening sound of the horn rang out.
Experienced Schroder immediately deduced the orcs' intentions. "They're retreating!" he said.
He quickly gave the order: "Have the artillery prepare. Once we're at a safe distance from the enemy, return to positions and fire on the retreating forces."
Earlier in the battle, the artillery had immediately withdrawn into the nearest formations when the enemy got close, leaving the cannons behind.
Many orc soldiers tried to destroy the fearsome firearms, but whether it was the copper and iron barrels or the sturdy wooden carriages, none could be destroyed in such a short time, especially with just knives, swords, and spears. The orc soldiers reluctantly gave up, leaving the cannons untouched.
Some barrels of gunpowder were left behind, which could easily be set alight, but the orc soldiers clearly lacked the knowledge to do so.
To cover the retreat of the central cavalry, the orc forces on both wings began to move, quickly advancing towards the left and right wings of the Allied army—also cavalry—to prevent the central cavalry from being ambushed during their withdrawal.
In earlier battles, the Allied left and right wings had remained idle, watching as the orc cavalry relentlessly attacked the human infantry. Now, the orc commanders realized that the human cavalry's inaction was a display of their confidence in their infantry formations.
However, as the battle continued, Calem began to question the human commanders' cautiousness. If he were commanding, faced with the enemy's cavalry losing speed and becoming entangled with his infantry, he would order the left and right wings of his cavalry to encircle and cooperate with the infantry in a pincer movement, ensuring no enemy cavalry could escape.
Seeing the towering dust from the opposite side, Catherine realized it was her turn, along with her troops, to take action.
Schroder's signal reached her at that moment—block the orc cavalry on both wings.
With a sharp sound, Catherine unsheathed her sword.
"Warriors! Remember the Valley of the Sunset, remember this retreat. Today, we will repay the orcs' humiliation a hundredfold!"
The princess's voice fueled the already burning fire in their hearts.
"Kill the orcs!" "Repay a hundredfold!"
The air was filled with angry shouts.
The Allied cavalry spurred their horses, heading towards the oncoming orc cavalry.
Compared to the orcs from the vast plains, the Allied cavalry formations were more organized and compact, maintaining orderly lines even while galloping.
The Allied left wing met the orc right wing, and the Allied right wing faced the orc left wing. Four powerful forces collided.
Paul, holding binoculars, nervously watched the direction where Catherine was. But the thick smoke severely obstructed his view.
"She should stay in a safe place, just like me!" he muttered in frustration, worried for Catherine.
"Princess probably craves revenge too much!" Marianna explained, "The sense of accomplishment from personally slaying the enemy is indescribable!"
The red-haired sorceress was in the midst of a mental storm.
Before the battle, she had prepared to act quickly and take Paul away from the battlefield if things went wrong.
At that time, Marianna didn't think the Allied forces could withstand the orc onslaught, even if her son's army seemed more innovative.
But the battle's progress exceeded her expectations. The forces from Alden not only withstood the orc cavalry's charge but also dealt heavy casualties in return.
Marianna realized she had underestimated her eldest son. He now commanded a powerful military force, one that could make him a significant player on the world stage.
Holding such a military force would attract envy, and if he was seen as a pawn to be used, it would be disastrous. Marianna was deeply concerned.
On the battlefield, the orc left and right wings had already begun their attack, while the orc cavalry attempting to break the human central formation began to retreat. The human cavalry had successfully tied them down, and their retreat was not hindered.
"Quick! Reload!"
The Allied artillerymen ran out of their formations, returning to their positions.
After a flurry of activity, the cannons fired again.
The artillery first used scattershot to bombard the retreating orcs. After the orcs had retreated further, they switched to solid shot for more targeted fire.
Undoubtedly, this dealt another heavy blow to the retreating orc cavalry.
"Quick! Regroup into a charging formation!"
The central cavalry finally returned to their starting position, and Calem eagerly issued his orders, which were quickly carried out.
However…
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A barrage of projectiles whizzed toward the cavalry's regrouping area, and instantly, blood and dirt flew as several warhorses were flipped to the ground.
"Regroup into a charging formation!" Calem roared.
But after several attempts, he was forced to abandon the idea of having his soldiers regroup in place.
(End of the Chapter)
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