I will be crowned king

The moment the order to retreat was given, Bernard Molwes knew clearly that he was doomed.

Completely finished.

For an army that is fighting the enemy, how to retreat is a very complex and precise task. It requires close cooperation between various combat units and even the courage of a strong man to break his wrist to ensure that the entire process proceeds in an orderly manner and allows the main force to survive the opponent's aggressive attack. Preserve intact before attack.

The reason why cases are rare is because armies that can complete such high-level operations generally will not encounter such things; soldiers with collapsed morale, an organization with zero organization, a chaotic command system, and poor communication. , repeated attacks by the enemy...

All signs that would cause an army to lose control and turn from retreat to rout, Bernard and the four infantry regiments under his command basically hit them all.

Under the bright sunshine, the continuous howls and shouts of the charge even overshadowed the roar of the guns. The energetic Fifth Infantry Regiment replaced the Grenadier Regiment that had already suffered a lot of casualties, and cooperated with the right flank to bite the enemy. Alexey, who had trapped the enemy, launched a full-scale counterattack. At the same time, the hollow phalanx on the left wing continued to fire in an orderly manner, driving the enemy in the direction of retreat.

This is also the most difficult part of the whole battle... As long as you plan well and don't make mistakes, defeating the enemy is not difficult. The difficult part is how to annihilate as much of its effective forces as possible.

Whether it is Clovis or the Free Confederacy, there is a chance to completely eliminate the empire's power in the New World, and it is only this once; if it cannot be done in one go, or even let the Sailing City continue to jump left and right, it will have to pay ten times if it wants to do it again. Even a hundred times the price.

After all, both the Confederacy and Clovis are too weak in the face of the huge size of the Empire; the Empire can make mistakes, but it cannot. Every opportunity and every advantage must be firmly grasped to have the possibility of a comeback.

Just as the main force of the Storm Division began to strangle the empire's center line, the battle on the eastern front gradually decided the winner - Joseph, who was holding two Confederate infantry regiments, took advantage of the thick fog to attack Sir Raye's third The Seventh Line Regiment launched a surprise attack and successfully caught the "Eastern Front Reinforcements" which had high hopes, by surprise.

The surprise attack and the absolute superiority of troops made the ragtag Confederate army become "excellent" in Joseph's hands: hundreds of Winter torch skirmishers, brandishing machetes and homemade muskets, rushed towards the unprepared enemy A massive killing spree on the flanks, combined with the column offensive of the Changhu Town Infantry Regiment, successfully completed the double-team on Sir Raye.

When Sir Raye, who was frightened and angry, summoned a company of hussars to cover the breakout, the Changhu Town Infantry Regiment immediately spread out into two coordinated hollow squares on the spot, forcing back the cavalry while continuing to attack the seventh line of infantry. Intermittent firing.

After paying a price of more than 200 people, the two Confederate infantry regiments finally completed the encirclement of the enemy; Sir Raye, who had no retreat, was forced to surrender, and gloriously became the first colonist since the New World War. The Imperial Knights surrendered to the rebels.

And he wasn't even the most unlucky... Sir Amar, who was sent by Bernard to capture the hilly highlands, finally waited until the fog cleared and saw that the entire central front collapsed, and the situation was over.

Then he discovered a very serious problem - what should he and the more than a thousand people behind him do?

First of all, it is definitely impossible to defend. All the artillery has been turned into scrap metal, the warehouses have been emptied, and the positions have been destroyed; but if the attack covers the retreat of the main force in the central part... Now the main force of the Clovis people below are all taking the initiative to go down the mountain. Just throw yourself into a trap.

Neither advancing nor defending, Sir Amar was trapped on the high ground voluntarily given up to him by the enemy. He could only watch helplessly as four imperial infantry regiments were surrounded, defeated, and finally annihilated.

The main force on the western front of the empire also had the same feeling as him - holding this elite division with three infantry regiments, cavalry artillery and nearly one regiment of cavalry, Bernard also had high hopes and loyal orders. official.

The initial task assigned to this force was to guard against a surprise attack from Sailing City, so when Bernard's order for reinforcements came, with two contradictory orders, the herald was in a dilemma and had to order the troops to slowly move closer to the center.

Until the sun rose, before he could make up his mind to relieve the siege, he was bombarded by artillery fire from the siege position. The artillery battery and the few remaining artillery pieces that had been hidden on the western front of the position since the beginning of the war finally got the chance to fire at the enemy. Order.

A series of whistling parabolas cut through the sky, exploding into the sky on the path that the main force of the empire on the western front must pass through. Although it also lacked accuracy, both field artillery and large-caliber artillery for sieges were powerful enough to attack the empire's only enemy. Several cavalry cannons formed an absolute crushing firepower.

In the choking smoke, the roar that tore through everything built a "curtain" composed of firelight and sky-wide gravel and rubble, abruptly interrupting the empire's support momentum on the western front, forcing it to be unable to deploy its military line; at the same time, they were surrounded by The two regiment-level hollow phalanxes between the central imperial line and the central imperial line also discouraged the cavalry from making roundabout raids.

The central empire line, which had collapsed across the board and had no support, was completely submerged by the storm division infantry like a tide under the roar of thunderous shouts.

"it's over."

Seeing this decisive battle that seemed to come to an end in the blink of an eye, Sir Sadow took a long breath and released the monocular in his hand with a complicated expression.

Although it was not unexpected that the Clovis people could make a comeback against the wind, and even defeat Sir Bernard Morwes, who had few chips with a long-awaited draw, but when it really happened, it was still...

Not only him, but everyone at the top of the tower was silent. It was so quiet that you couldn't even hear if anyone was breathing.

Of course, it is impossible for the Clovis army of four to five thousand men to kill all the eight thousand imperial troops in just half a day, nor is it possible to double the army; even now, the four imperial infantry in the center line The Corps is still making its final desperate resistance, the elites on the Western Front also retain considerable combat effectiveness, and the thousand Imperial soldiers occupying the hilly highlands are intact...

But even the most ordinary cuirassiers would not think that these people have any chance of making a comeback; waiting for their fate, there is a high probability that after the four infantry regiments in the middle are eaten, they will be eliminated one by one in batches.

As for the final fate of Sailing City... Sado silently raised his head and looked at the back of the young knight.

Louis, who pursed his lips tightly, looked at the battlefield not far away and remained silent.

"Sir Sadow."

For a long time, the cuirassier battalion commander, who was lost in thought, was brought back to reality by the other party's words. He woke up and subconsciously raised his head, raised his chest, and saluted the other party: "Mr. Governor?"

"Assemble the troops on standby and prepare to attack." Louis looked back at him, his calm expression looking very serious:

"I'll give you a quarter of an hour... In fifteen minutes, the entire army will march westward, cooperate with the Clovis and rebel colonial troops, and defeat the remnants of Bernard's army!"

west? !

Sado, who frowned, suddenly raised his head and looked at the young knight in shock.

To be honest, there is nothing wrong in Louis' order - since the enemies occupying the highlands are ignored, and the central part has been completely contained by the main force of the Storm Division, naturally only the elites on the western front are left worthy of the "off-site reinforcements" of Sailing City. "Take action and cooperate with friendly forces to completely defeat this last remaining enemy.

But that was before!

Even half an hour ago, as long as the sailing city sent troops, they could still be called "reinforcements", but now... Sado even doubted that even if they defeated the western front of the empire, the Clovis people would still be willing to send them Treat it as a "friendly army".

Based on his understanding of Louis, he didn't think that this seemingly immature but experienced young man would make such a stupid mistake.

So if it's not for the status of "friendly army", it can only be for something else... Refer again to the words he just said: the remnants of Bernard's army, the Clovis people, the rebel colonies - they are not treated at all. The tone of an ally.

But if it were the governor of Sailing City...the real governor of Sailing City, it would be very appropriate.

Louis Bernard...he...could he be...? !

In the brief silence, the young knight looked at Sado quietly with his blue eyes without saying a word.

Feeling the invisible pressure in his eyes, Sado, who originally planned to refute, did not speak in the end, but nodded respectfully:

"As you command!"

After the words fell, the leader of the cuirassiers turned and left, and the top of the tower fell silent again.

Looking at Sir Sado's back, the young knight's eyes showed a bit of apology, but he soon regained his composure.

The elf girl on the side silently walked to his side, held Louis' right hand and carefully looked at his cheek: "Are you sure?"

"To be honest, no." Louis smiled bitterly: "The key to everything is not me, but Anson Bach's choice."

"Are you willing to eradicate the empire's presence in the new world at any cost? Or are you willing to compromise in order to avoid greater conflicts and unnecessary sacrifices?"

"I don't know if it can be successful, but for the sake of Sailing City and the Imperial soldiers who have no point in continuing to fight, we should give it a try."

"If I fail, I will probably be like Brother Kroger...the same betrayal and alienation. Not to mention the empire's army, the people of Sailing City will probably not want to stand with me, a loser." He breathed out and looked. Louis said slowly to the elf girl:

"When the time comes, I will have to force you to protect me."

Freya was startled for a moment, then smiled.

……………………

"The troops of Yangfan City have begun to take action, and they seem to be attacking the western front." Looking at the smoke and dust rising in the direction of Yangfan City, Karl hesitantly turned to Anson and said, "Do you want to send someone to intercept them?"

"Intercept, why intercept?"

Anson shrugged nonchalantly: "Isn't it nice to have someone help deal with this biggest trouble, so that we can concentrate on killing Bernard and his main force?"

good?

Karl's eyes widened, and he looked at the commander-in-chief in front of him with a bit of surprise - it seemed that he was completely different from the guy who said "we must annihilate the entire imperial army" a few minutes ago.

Feeling the extremely incomprehensible eyes beside him, Anson sighed and had no choice but to announce the answer:

"Do you think we still have the time to deal with those 'elites on the Western Front', considering that we are currently struggling to wipe out four regiments... oh, plus a regiment on the Eastern Front and that unlucky guy on the hilly highlands?"

Only then did Karl suddenly realize.

"If you are sure, who wouldn't want to solve all the problems in one go? The key is not enough strength." Anson's expression was quite helpless:

"In the final analysis, this is all because of someone's failure in the grass forest, which led to the complete defeat of the Confederate army; without those more than 6,000 cannons... friendly forces! What do you want me to do to stop the army of Sail City, ah, what can I use to encircle and suppress Zuzu? Four line regiments, while fighting to the death with the enemy's elite?"

"How can you blame me?!"

Karl looked innocent: "You obviously told yourself to abandon me and Alexei, and insisted on rescuing the siege of Sail City first. As a result, we were bulldozed by Bernard, and we almost didn't escape alive - —I haven’t blamed you yet!”

"I don't mean to blame you, I'm just discussing the matter - and let's be honest, is your failure to defend the grass forest a decisive factor..."

"If you hadn't taken away all the main forces, how could I not have been able to defend the Wild Grass Forest?!"

"You have to defend the Wild Grass Forest. How can I stop the Sailing City now?!"

"Then who is so eager to rescue Yangfan City from the siege?!"

"Nonsense, if we don't rescue the siege, how can we watch Bernard take back the Sailing City?!"

"You took away all the main forces to break the siege, and you blame me for not being able to defend the grass forest?!"

"Isn't it because you didn't guard the Wild Grass Forest that I can't stop the Sail City now?!"

......... The two people who were arguing endlessly argued with red faces for a full ten minutes under the gaze of the people around them; it was not until the cavalry lieutenant rushed back panting that they interrupted this endless cycle:

"Sir, the cavalry company reports that the target has been captured alive!"

Um? !

Anson turned back suddenly, holding Karl's collar while holding the cigarette butt he was trying to push over: "Where is it?"

"Near the position, we are temporarily surrounded by several imperial knights!" The cavalry lieutenant looked quite excited:

"Lieutenant Colonel Fabian and the Grenadier Regiment have taken over and are preparing to disarm them and escort them back directly!"

"Very good! Tell Fabian and let him as soon as possible... huh?"

Anson, who was suddenly stunned, suddenly stopped talking and found that his surroundings were suddenly empty, as if a large group of people were missing.

"Where's the Guard Company?"

"I left a long time ago." Karl slumped aside, loosened his collar, and panted.

"gone?!"

Anson frowned nervously: "When?!"

"A few minutes ago, it was about the time when you had to argue with me; Lisa seemed to suddenly remember something, and with a frightened look on her face, she led the guard company towards the hilly heights... Oh, is this the battle almost over? "

Karl recalled while walking straight down the hilly road behind him.

At the highest point of the artillery position, a King Clovis flag was rising.