432 – Battle of Benedict Plain (1)
Near Valois City, Benedict Plain.
Carlos, Commander-in-Chief Francois, sighed as he looked at the Reich Imperial Army in the distance.
“I never thought I’d meet that damned Peter Yeager on the battlefield twice. I’m so excited.”
At those words, Deputy Commander Clemont asked with a mixture of half curiosity and half concern.
“Even though Peter Yeager is great, he is not without weaknesses. Our soldiers have a lot of combat experience and their morale is also quite high. Moreover, His Highness the Duke, the Commander-in-Chief, is a master of reversals who have led numerous battles to victory.”
“Am I, the master of reversals?”
He has won numerous battles since the civil war caused by Peter Yeager broke out.
As a result, it is true that there was a group within Francois who looked up to him as a great general.
Every time Carlos heard something like that, he said no in his heart, but so far he just accepted it as if there was nothing he could do.
What he was showing now was a bit absurd to the second-in-command, who believed that he was a master general.
However, Carlos himself knew Peter Yeager’s abilities.
‘Peter Yeager, that monster is a true master.’
However, the weight of the position on his shoulders was too heavy for him to put those words out of his mouth.
“If I can defeat Peter Jaeger, the steel general of the Reich Empire, then I can truly be called a master.”
Then he gave orders as Commander-in-Chief of the Francois Republic.
“Sound the drums and trumpets to announce the charge. Also, tell this to the officers. “Tell the soldiers the story of the imperial prostitute at the ‘Cafe’ again.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Clémont immediately delivered orders to his staff, and the sounds of drums and trumpets echoed across the plain.
“Charge, we must not let the cafe imperial courtesan rule us again!”
Looking at it objectively, the time when the Kafe Imperial Family ruled was much better than now, when it became a republic and suffered from endless civil war.
Although we were poor at that time, we lived without worrying about starving to death, and a peaceful daily life was a given.
However, the ignorant soldiers who were influenced by the commanders’ brainwashing education did not know such things.
“I’m sick of the war and it seems like I’m going crazy, but honestly, it’s better than having a prostitute named Lina come back and rule over us, right?”
“Our platoon leader said that. “If Lina comes back, we’ll all be exploited like dogs.”
“I guess that’s why nobles tell us to fight like this. That’s why they risked their lives to destroy the empire.”
Believing in facts that were completely different from reality, the Republic Army marched in step with the Reich Imperial Army.
Meanwhile, Reich Imperial Army officers are persuading the soldiers with completely different words.
“His Royal Highness Crown Prince Lina and the Crown Prince declared war with tears in their eyes to save Francois, who was devastated by the civil war!”
When the Reich Empire generals heard this, they wondered if this was bullsh*t or nonsense, but if they were going to launch a war of ‘invasion’, it was plausible and pleasant to say that they had come to liberate the poor Francois people.
This is because soldiers and junior officers who did not know the inside story truly believed it when they were taught so from above.
“Is there a reason why His Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince came with us in this war?”
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“Can’t you see that we are giving food to the poor and starving people of François and lowering taxes?”
“Your Majesty the real Emperor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince are also merciful. “You would do this for people who are not even our empire’s citizens.”
Of course, this idea also spread to the company to which Friedrich Jaeger belonged.
“Platoon Commander Jaeger, is it true that we came to rescue these guys under the orders of Her Highness Lina, the Crown Princess of the Reich Empire?”
When Friedrich heard those words, he felt as if his mind was turning white.
I wanted to be honest with you.
‘It is said that His Majesty the Emperor is kind and merciful only to the people of the empire, and can trample on all other humans at any time without changing his expression.’
However, if he said that, he could be arrested for insulting the emperor, so he responded by placing an iron plate on his face.
“Why do you ask such an obvious question? “Didn’t you also see His Highness personally handing out food to the people of Francois?”
Although he is just a second lieutenant, Second Lieutenant Jaeger is the ‘eldest son of His Excellency Peter Jaeger.’
The soldiers in this platoon were full of new recruits who had overcome ‘tremendous competition’ to take on the title of Duke Jaeger…
After hearing Friedrich’s words, he answered with confidence.
“I heard this during military training, but it is true that our Reich Imperial Army is a righteous army that receives the bow of Deus!”
“Long live the Reich Empire! Long live your Majesty the Emperor!”
“How good is it to execute justice and achieve merit?”
Seeing the guys so excited, Friedrich sighed inwardly.
At the same time, a loud voice rang out from the Reich Imperial Army.
“The enemy’s arrows and magic are flying! “Everyone, get ready!”
As soon as they heard those words, the imperial army officers and non-commissioned officers adjusted their posture and ordered the soldiers to move as they had been trained.
“Bow your head! “Bow your head!”
“Go straight ahead, charge!”
“Keep moving forward!”
Friedrich was also momentarily embarrassed, but…
‘Even if I can’t surpass his father, I won’t be a shameful soldier as an officer.’
“Pick up your spear and go forward! I, Friedrich von Jaeger, will stand at the forefront with you! “Do not be afraid and follow me!”
The imperial army advanced slowly, walking unwaveringly in the rain of magic and arrows.
Apart from that, numerous horror stories broke out simultaneously around the Reich Imperial Army, especially Ensign Friedrich, who was at the forefront.
“Save people! “It’s hot!”
“Ugh! Mom!”
“Martius, Martius!”
Even people who have been on the battlefield dozens of times say they can never get used to the screams of their subordinates and comrades as they die.
That sound tore through the spirit of Friedrich, who had just become a rookie second lieutenant and was deployed…
Since he was young, Friedrich Jaeger had thought about wanting to be like his father and the time and effort he had put into honing himself had somehow allowed him to endure.
‘Just like my father did, I must make a great contribution in this battle.’
So Frederick strengthened his resolve and began to look around his enemy’s camp.
Because what his father and mother had told him reminded him of the teaching that every army has weak and strong units.
“You said that if you succeed in penetrating a weak unit, the enemy’s defense will weaken from then on.”
Most platoon commanders in the Reich Imperial Army had no actual combat experience, but had a sense of superiority as ‘nobles’ who graduated from the academy, so they tried to apply only what they learned from textbooks.
Considering that some people couldn’t even do that and were criticized by the company commander, Friedrich’s attitude was clearly an outstanding example of a platoon leader.
So, Sergeant Eichmann, the deputy platoon leader of Friedrich’s platoon, who was watching this, was secretly impressed.
‘After all, you can’t fool blood, can you?’
Then, before I knew it, the distance to the enemy had gotten closer and the barrage of arrows and magic had stopped.
Imperial officers immediately waved their batons and gave orders.
“Drop the window! “Form a square, a square!”
At those words, all the soldiers quickly formed a square with their shoulders close to each other, just as they had learned through the intense, hellish training, and aimed their spears at the enemy.
Meanwhile, as he had promised, Lieutenant Friedrich stood at the front of his platoon, shoulder to shoulder with his soldiers, and aimed his spear at the enemy.
“Don’t be afraid, today we will make a big achievement and go home with dignity! “I, Friedrich von Jaeger, swear on the honor of the Jaeger family.”
It is said that officers from noble families usually say this, but these words, spoken by a minor from the ‘Duke Jaeger family’, carried enormous weight.
The soldiers felt hope that his weighty words could change their lives.
“Long live Ensign Jaeger!”
“Let’s just trust the platoon leader and follow him!”
“f*ck it, it’s just one shot in life anyway!”
As they approached each other aiming their spears, Frederick succeeded in finding out where the weakest point in the line in front of him was.
‘The enemy across from our platoon, from the fourth from the right and behind.’
Then he thought of the weapons his father had given him.
A very rough-looking but sharp and strong sword, and a fully loaded mechanical crossbow on his back.
‘When I met the opposing commander, he told me not to even think about fighting but to just shoot this first.’
As I was thinking of such thoughts, the sound of charging trumpets was heard from both armies.
The Reich Imperial Army soldiers kept pace and rushed towards the enemy in front of them.
At best, rushing was just a matter of keeping pace and moving at a not-too-slow pace…
The distance was only about 50 meters, so it was narrowed down in a few tens of seconds.
As soon as the distance between them became closer, the commanders of both armies gave orders in loud voices.
“Stab!”
Just as he had learned from his father, Friedrich Jaeger looked straight at his enemy’s spear and struck it with the force of a moment, sending it flying aside, and then stabbed the enemy in front of him, killing him.
“……Didn’t your father say that he was very active from the first day he went out? So me too…”
After immediately removing the spear from the dead soldier, he aimed at the soldier behind him, applied force to the tip of the spear, and stabbed him vigorously.
In this way, he continued to move forward.
The surrounding Reich soldiers cheered at the sight.
“That flag, that’s the Jaeger platoon flag! Ensign Jaeger is attacking!”
On the other hand, the morale of François and his soldiers, who heard the name ‘Jaeger’, slowly began to decline.
“Jaeger… Jaeger? “Are you saying that this bastard is the Peter Yeager family member who took offense whenever my father was even mentioned in passing?”
Friedrich Jaeger was slowly making his presence known by combining his skills with the power brought by his family.
This situation was not conveyed to ‘Peter Yeager’ who was watching all the matches…
‘No matter what happens, I will be selected as one of the meritorious men of this war.’
Friedrich Jaeger, with determination, stabbed the enemy in front of him with his long spear and then drew his sword this time.
“Jaeger platoon charge! “It’s time to crush those Francois Baguettes!”