75 – Tersio – 3
The Crudia mountaineer mercenaries immediately began observing the training of the Leonian army.
The training of the Leonian army was systematic. When clashing with enemy infantry, long spears with the ends tied with cotton to eliminate lethality were used, and as training in preparation for an enemy cavalry charge, our musketeers fired empty guns without bullets, and then long spear soldiers were used to prepare for the cavalry that came running immediately. I was training to step forward.
The moment Charles saw it, he felt it.
“I chose the correct answer.”
Princess Leonia was originally the main character of [The Age of Gunpowder and Magic]. Despite her initial lack of power, she shows her miraculous victories one after another, quickly increasing her power and succeeding in conquering the world. That was the case in the original story.
Since she is such a princess of Leonia, I thought she would be making good use of the information about San Tercio for 3,000 ducats. And the prediction was exactly right. Princess Leonia started training in Tercio much earlier than me, so she already possessed Tercio at a considerable level.
“That’s amazing… “
Manfred muttered that while watching Tercio’s cavalry training. Charles said with a smile.
“We have to do something like that someday.”
“Is it possible? “You can’t even dream of cavalry training in the small monastery that is the headquarters of the Rochepol mercenaries.”
“Someday we will have to move the military camp.”
Of course, it will take quite some time until then.
Meanwhile, the generals of the Leonian army did not look kindly on the members of the Crudian mountaineer mercenary group who were looking around the military camp as if they were curious.
“I am Goswin, the general here. “Excuse me, gentlemen, but where are you from?”
“It is said to be the Rochepol mercenary group that came to conduct joint training with Her Royal Highness Princess Leonia.”
“Rochepol mercenary group… “I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s probably because it’s a new mercenary group. “It’s been less than six months since it was created.”
Hearing those words, the general made a bewildered expression.
I felt like I knew what the general was thinking. You probably don’t understand why the princess would want to conduct joint training with a new mercenary group.
“Just watch the necessary training and go on your own. “Be careful because your head may get blown off if you wander around in useless places.”
“What?”
“Oh my… !”
Charles raised his hand and stopped Manfred and his men from moving forward all at once. Charles was dumbfounded as he looked at the general who suddenly started talking down to him when he heard that they were a new mercenary group. No matter how much he was the princess’s subordinate, if he tolerated this, there was a high possibility that his allies’ morale would drop.
At that moment, Charles had a good idea. There was a way to raise the status of allies without causing discord with the princess’s army.
“That can’t happen.”
At that moment, the general stopped walking.
“What did you just say?”
“That’s not possible. “We are here for joint training. As we learn, shouldn’t we teach you something as well?”
General Goswin said those words with a puzzled expression.
“What on earth are you going to teach me? Hmm… “How to shepherd sheep?”
Then the officers listening around started giggling. It was a provocation that the Crudia mountaineer mercenaries were countrymen who herded sheep. His subordinates looked angry at the blatant provocation, but Charles responded calmly.
“Looking at it, the long spear soldiers were in a very mess. “Is this how you can last for 10 minutes when you meet an opposing pikeman?”
“… “
General Goswin could not ignore these words. Because that was true to some extent. The reason the princess did not fight the crown prince head-on in Oxenberg was because the training of the long spear soldiers was somewhat poor. Knowing that fact, the generals under the princess were bound to have some degree of complex regarding the long spear soldiers.
“Meanwhile, our long spear soldiers are renowned in the world. Have you heard of it? “Crudia mountaineer mercenary group.”
“Crudia… !”
“Why are the Crudia mountaineer mercenaries here?”
Crudia was famous for its long spears. There was a previous war with the Kingdom of Swadia. It was a fight between the powerful Swadia and the weak Crudia, so everyone predicted Swadia’s victory, but the Crudia Kingdom achieved a miraculous victory by actively using its long spear soldiers. When it comes to Crudia pikemen, they were considered the best in the world.
“Ah, didn’t you say it was the Rochepol mercenary group earlier?”
“That is their new name. Before joining the Rochepol Mercenary Group, it was called the Crudia Mountaineer Mercenary Group.”
General Goswin was taken aback by those words. A new mercenary group of rural hillbillies was roaming around the military camp, so I deliberately provoked them and tried to drive them out early because I was worried that military secrets would be leaked, but those hillbillies turned out to be bigger than I thought.
“First of all, we need to know exactly each other’s skills in using the long spear, so let’s fight with the long spear. And the losing side learns from the winning side.”
“… “
“Why are you doing that? This is a great opportunity to learn how to properly use a polearm from the Crudia mountaineer mercenaries, right? “If you don’t want to learn how to use a long spear, can I at least teach you how to herd sheep?”
This time it was Charles’ provocation. General Goswin was in a difficult situation. If he left his body like this, his opponent would be provoked and the prestige of his men would not be saved, and if he tried to compete with the Crudia mountaineer mercenary group, he was not confident.
“What… If you don’t want to learn how to fight between spearmen and shepherds, we have nothing to teach you. “I’ll take a look around on my own, so come back when you have the courage.”
“What?”
“The hillbillies know where this is!”
Goswin thought. If I had known that they were Crudians, I would not have provoked them. Now I think I understand why the princess called them. She must have been called to make up for the somewhat insufficient training of the pikemen.
But since the provocation has already been done, it would be disrespectful to leave it out. Now it had become a battle of pride between the two armies.
‘Anyway, since Her Majesty Princess Leonia called them, they have to compete at least once. Only then will the superior-subordinate relationship be determined in future cooperative training. Then… ‘
You have to win at least once. Goswin said he thought so.
“There is a need to distinguish between superiors and subordinates. It sticks once.”
The surrounding soldiers, who had been watching nervously at one word from the general, began to cheer in unison.
Manfred and his subordinates looked somewhat nervous. That’s right, no matter how the Crudia mountaineer mercenary group is the strongest long spear unit, their opponent is Princess Leonia’s army, which is of a different size. There was anxiety about whether they could really win.
Meanwhile, Princess Leonia’s army was at leisure. Princess Leonia’s army was regarded as the strongest army in the world, and she was confident because she had been training only her long spears for nearly a year.
And soon, she selected 100 of the best from both armies, dressed them in armor, and gave them long spears whose ends were tied with lumps of cotton instead of spear blades. The rules were simple. The one who defeated each other first was the winner.
“Boss, get ready!”
The two armies faced each other with a gap of 50 meters. Mannfred’s army wore black hoods, and the princess’s army wore white hoods.
“Start!”
Soon enough, the practice match began. The two armies raised their spears high and approached each other. And when the distance was narrowed to 20 meters according to each other’s steps.
“In battle formation!”
Both armies began lowering their polearms raised upward. So they started throwing 5-meter long spears at each other.
The two armies began to approach each other in small steps with their spears outstretched. As the distance between each other became closer, both armies were able to feel each other’s level. I could tell by looking at the small movements. Manfred, the leader of the Crudia mercenaries, thought.
‘I was scared because it was Princess Leonia’s army, but it’s not as big a deal as I thought, right?’
Meanwhile, Princess Leonia’s army was thinking the opposite.
‘I ignored him because he was a hillbilly, but what kind of intimidation did I feel…? !’
And the moment the two armies clashed.
-Kwakwauk!
The match was decided in an instant. Manfred’s pikemen had a different spirit. With great enthusiasm, they all began to push the enemy away with the tips of their spears, and the enemy slowly began to be pushed back, and soon the entire first line collapsed. And…
“All the way there!”
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Goswin shouted before there were any casualties. It was wise to go to the end to try to win when the game had already been decided, as it could have resulted in casualties.
After the victory, the Leonian soldiers were in a mourning mood. And Goswin said:
“I knew there was a clear difference in skill. “I will learn humbly from now on.”
He said that and lowered his head.
Goswin. At first, I thought he was a frivolous person, but when I actually experienced him, I found out that he wasn’t that kind of person. He was a flexible person who bent down immediately after learning that his allies were superior.
Charles thought. He said that it is good that he was able to suppress the situation like this, but if things continue like this, his relationship with Leonie’s allies may not be good. Therefore, Charles continued speaking immediately.
“But the essence of Tercio is not limited to pikemen. “I also propose a shooting competition between musketeers.”
“You mean a musket battle?”
Charles nodded his head. The reason Charles proposed a musket battle was because our army won so overwhelmingly in the fight between long spear soldiers that it really crushed the opponent’s pride. If things continued like this, training might suffer, so I thought it would be better to improve our relationship by deliberately losing in the musket shooting contest.