129th
Whose hand will the gods of war raise?
129 – Whose Hand Will the Gods of War Raise #3
About a thousand people, who left the west gate of Sodomora, walked endlessly through the fields.
Even I thought it was quite a magnificent sight to see a long line of armed men marching across the fields.
But there was no one to explain where to go or what to do when they got there.
It felt like I was just a random guest invited to a party, and that I had no other purpose than to fill the number of people in the room.
How long has it been since I’ve been in a crowd like this and lost my individuality?
After walking for a while like that, I was lost in thought.
Someone tapped me on the back.
I turned my head slightly and saw a blond man with a short beard looking at me, with a bow slung behind his back.
Of course, it’s an unfamiliar face.
“What the hell?”
“Hehe, I heard all about that earlier. My brother said he was the famous Samaritan. What did you put on your face? I was too scared to talk to him.”
“What did you hear?”
“Didn’t the pretty pink-haired girl just shout, ‘Have a nice trip, Hassan?’ When I heard the name Hassan, the black hair came to mind.”
I recalled the scene of Luna standing at the gate, waving to me repeatedly as she mingled with the women saying goodbye to their families.
It was hard to believe that just a day ago, I was walking through a field among these dull men, with the pink hair.
“Hey, now that I see it in person, I guess the rumors aren’t exaggerated. Rumors are usually not trustworthy.”
A man who keeps chattering while I am lost in such reminiscences.
“I’m Jack the Hunter. I’m not an adventurer like my brother. I just live in the forest and sell the skins of deer, rabbits, and other animals.”
“Is that so?”
“Still, I’m confident in my archery skills. I can take down most beasts with just two shots. Hehe, I hope I get to be active on the battlefield this time.”
The words of the man who identified himself as Hunter Jack brought to my mind images of an imminent battlefield and people shooting arrows there.
A bow, come to think of it, there is such a weapon. I tried it a few times before, but I didn’t have the aptitude for it, so I quickly gave up.
“If you just follow behind your brother, you won’t die. It’s fortunate that the group is well organized. Furthermore, since Enya is the commander, victory is a given. I heard there are a few magicians on this expedition.”
At the man’s words, I looked at the rider at the very front of the procession we were walking along. He was so far away that even though he was riding a large horse and holding a long flag, he looked like an ant.
But I know that this person has a high reputation and is trustworthy.
“Is that person, Young-ae or whatever, really that great of a person?”
“Don’t you know? You’ve never lost a single battle. You’ve been blessed by Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. You use extraordinary strategies that ordinary people can’t even think of.”
“Strategy… .”
Does that mean you’re good at using strategy and tactics?
“I heard that Lady Young-ae was the one who carried out this expedition. The cultists would never have guessed that a large-scale expedition force would come to them just a day after they attacked the city.”
This hastily organized punitive force appears to have been the idea of Yeong-ae, who is riding a horse at the very front.
Certainly, a force of a thousand men was a huge number, gathered in just one day after the city was raided.
But since they are people who were gathered quickly, their quality and level are bound to be low. Would it be helpful to take these people who are not properly armed or trained?
Since she’s said to be a woman with an extraordinary brain, I guess she just has all kinds of crazy thoughts.
“So, where are we going to fight and who are we going to fight? Do you know anything?”
I opened my mouth, which had been closed for a long time, and spoke to Hunter Jack. Judging from the way he chattered, it seemed like he knew quite a bit.
“I don’t know that either. I was going to ask you because I thought you might know. More importantly, hyung, you speak continental dialect quite nicely.”
Even though he was a man of few words, he seemed to have no idea about the destination. At that very moment, the man in the turban walking in front of me opened his mouth.
“Foot des. Wild vegetables.”
The man was a desert folk, a head shorter than me, with dark skin. Hanging from his waist was a strange sword, a scimitar, curved like a crescent moon.
Shiva, the real Sandman is better known as Hassan than me.
“We. Head to the mountain of Valdez. Go and kill. Cultist. Me. Dorgo. Get citizenship. Marry a continental woman. Have two sons. Two daughters.”
Sval, this kid can’t even speak properly, so I don’t think he should be given citizenship.
Anyway, if we listen to the story told by this Sandman named Dorgo, it seems that we are going to a place called Valdes Sanchae.
Jack, standing behind me, says:
“Valdes Mountain. They used to catch a lot of wild boars there. If we keep walking like this, we should be able to get there by the next morning.”
Marching until the next morning?
Shiba.
The kids in front might have an easy time riding horses, but I was already starting to worry about how difficult the journey would be for the backpackers following behind like me.
We walked and walked and walked.
The only thing that changes is the surrounding scenery.
As the vast field stretches on endlessly and you start to feel bored, Jack, the hunter who had been walking quietly behind you, speaks to you again.
“Sval, you must be tired. Brother, you walk better than you look. Are you good at walking in the fields because you are from the wilderness?”
“Just whatever. You can either walk with your head empty, or walk with your head full of thoughts.”
In fact, I also had a hard time with everything. I think I’ve been walking nonstop for an hour or two, so I thought it would be time to take a break and check out the atmosphere up ahead.
Boom, boom. Boom.
The drummers who were interspersed throughout the procession began to follow a certain rhythm, as if they were singing a round song.
Multi-faceted, multi-faceted, multi-faceted.
Then, the adjutant knight who was riding slowly beside us shouted loudly.
“Your Majesty has given orders by the sound of a drum! Increase the speed of departure! We will arrive at Mount Valdes before the sun sets today!”
Then he urged the people to walk faster.
No, I was already walking fast enough, but you want me to walk faster? I thought you were joking, but it seemed you were serious.
Clank, clank, clank.
As the pace of the walk increased, the noise made by the clashing of metal and tools became louder.
Until just a moment ago, I had enough free time to make small talk, but I was so out of breath that I couldn’t say anything unless I focused on the fact that I was walking quickly under the weight of my armor and equipment.
“Damn, how the hell are we going to get there before the sun sets.”
Jack grumbled at this forced march. And Sandman Dorgo, who was walking in front of me, also grumbled, breathing heavily.
“Citizenship. I want to give it up. I want to run away. I’m being held hard.”
“Stop whining! You, who don’t even have citizenship, have been given the opportunity to participate in this glorious battle and become respectable members of society! Be grateful for Lady Youngae’s mercy!”
You little bastard, you don’t know the hardships of having to walk so fast since you’re riding a horse.
Even though I hadn’t walked for a few minutes, I already felt out of breath and my legs were numb.
As summer approaches, the sky is cloudless and the hot, scorching sun is beating down, and beads of sweat are literally streaming down my forehead.
Seriously.
Wouldn’t you be dehydrated before even getting to the battlefield?
Just then, I was about to open the water bottle on my waist and drink the water I had saved.
“Stop! Stop!”
This group of marchers, who had been running, began to slowly stop, starting from the very front row. Did the commander notice the absurdity of this reckless march?
It seems that Youngae is a very smart general who has never experienced a single defeat. It was clear that she had realized that if she exhausted her stamina through excessive marching, she would definitely lose the fight.
Anyway, we were able to take a short break when the procession stopped.
But that sweet time didn’t last long.
As I raised my head because the atmosphere in the front row was suspicious, I saw the horse of Enya Sardic, the young lady in brass armor who was holding the flag high at the very front, approaching us.
“Oh, shit.”
The adjutant trembled as if greatly embarrassed by him.
“You, you guys! Get into position! This is a sign of rest! Young-ae is coming!”
“Oh, shit. The break time is shit.”
“Oh, come on!”
But the adjutant looked so desperate that Hunter Jack, Sandman Dorgo, and I had no choice but to stand up straight and rest.
Youngae approaches us in a flash. She stops proudly, her tall yellow flag fluttering.
“My first lieutenant, Bentham.”
“Yes, Enya. Bentham is here.”
Yeong-ae called out to the adjutant who was walking beside us. Was Bentham the name of this armored knight?
Anyway, when I saw Youngae up close, she was completely covered in thick armor, so I couldn’t tell whether she was really that beautiful as the rumors said.
I had high expectations for how pretty it would be. What a shame.
That moment when my appetite was being whetted.
“Bentham. We will now begin the gale tactics.”
“I, I mean, the gale tactics…? What, what are those…? I’ve never heard of such tactics in any field manuals… .”
“I just made this. The so-called gale tactics, a tactic that increases speed like a gale. From now on, everyone will take off their armor.”
“A, armor…?”
Crunch.
I could see the body of Adjutant Bentham, clad in armor, shaking violently. It felt like I had heard something absolutely ridiculous.
“G, why are you wearing armor…?”
“Armor is a tool to protect the body. It’s like life. However, even if you’re wearing armor, if you get pierced by a sword, you’ll still die. In that case, it would be better to take off the armor and use your agility. That’s why it’s called the gale tactic.”
“Go, armor… .”
At Enya Youngae’s calm explanation, the adjutant’s voice trembled as if he was doubting whether what he had heard was accurate.
To be honest, even I thought it was a ridiculous story. As an adjutant, I think he would take the situation more seriously since he would have knowledge of the battlefield and tactics as a knight.
You tell someone going to war to take off their armor? That’s not something a normal person would do unless they’re crazy.
Could it be that there is a cultist inside this yellow armor? A cultist spy pretending to be a commander? While I was seriously contemplating this.
Clank, clank, clank.
Adjutant Bentham soon began to remove the armor draped over his body, revealing the face of a rough man with short, gray hair and a square jaw.
He opened his mouth wide and shouted.
“Uh, oh my, taking off my armor! My body feels lighter than when I was wearing the armor!?”
“also.”
“You’re using such tactics! Lord Enya is truly a genius in tactics! What are you all doing! Quickly, quickly, everyone take off your armor!”
Adjutant Bentham, in addition to removing his armor, gave us instructions.
“Go, take off your armor! Increase your speed! What an idea that criminals can’t even approach!”
Crying and groaning.
His face was flushed red, whether from sweat, embarrassment, or some other unexpectedly complex emotion.
Those eyes were staring at us, as if warning us to be careful.
So Dorgo, me, and the rest of our soldiers, including Hunter Jack, also put down their heavy armor and protective gear and stretched out.
Sure, it’s nice to feel lighter after taking off the heavy armor. Damn, that’s a given.
“Come on, you guys too! Don’t you feel lighter?”
But the adjutant’s questions to us were so passionate that we had no choice but to respond to this awkward play.
Shit, is it time for me to show off my acting skills again?
“Wow, I feel so light…! Why on earth…? Why on earth do I feel so light when I take off my armor!”
“Dorgo. Light. Like a feather. Dorgo. Like a grain of sand in the desert.”
Young-ae, who was impressed by Sandman Dorgo and my awkward acting, trembled and shook her armored body.
She soon muttered, “As expected…” in a voice that could not be heard unless we were nearby.
At that moment I felt it.
This is like a death march.
If you keep following this woman, you’ll all end up lost.
“Enya-sama!!! How could you come up with such a strategy!! This is truly a blessing from heaven!!! Long live the wise man of Middle-earth, Enya-sama!!! I, Bentham! I will happily do somersaults!!!”
“Calm down, Bentham. This is not my wisdom. It is a favor lent to me by Minerva. More importantly, the black-haired Samaritan…”
Crunch.
I could feel the gaze of Young-ae, who was riding on a horse, looking at me from under her owl-shaped helmet. Thanks to that, I became nervous for no reason, wondering what this strange woman was going to say.
Is this how a private feels when the division commander speaks to him?
“Excuse me, Enya. Is there something wrong with this guy…?”
“No, my personal curiosity has nothing to do with war. Come on, everyone. Now that we’ve cast off the ominous iron, there’s nothing that can stop us! With agility, let’s strike the enemy like a whirlwind and wipe out the cultists!”
“Wow, woooooooooooo-!”
Young-ae shouted loudly, and Adjutant Bentham, who was listening, responded with a shout.
Then Bentham waved his hand so that only we could notice, and we shouted along with him.
“Ohhhhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhhhhhh!”
Soon the ground begins to shake violently as shouts echo from all directions.
It was not the roar of soldiers, but the roar of savages who had taken off their armor and turned into beasts.
“The morale is at its peak! Then, like the wind, the whirlwind stone-jin! Hiray!”
Yeong-ae galloped on her horse and began to run towards the mountain range stretching out in the distance.
As expected of a horse ridden by the eldest daughter of a noble family, it was a sports car that stretched out really fast.
Multi-faceted, multi-branched.
Every time the bastard’s feet touch the ground, the distance increases as if he has wings.
That guy must be so expensive that I can’t even buy a hoof with the gold I have. Damn, to keep up with that damn fast steed, we behind him had to run like crazy.
Even though he took off his armor, he couldn’t just throw it away, so he put it in the bag on his back, so in the end, the weight was plus or minus zero.
But there was nothing that could stop us from charging forward like arrows already shot.
“I, Dorgo. I’m going home. Sand. Desert. I miss it. Uncivilized continent. I can’t stand it. Mother-.”
“He’s a deserter! Catch him! Whip him and beat him!”
Because for the fugitives, there was only a merciless, immediate judgment waiting for them.
The scam goes in another direction.
“There, there, I see it! It’s Mount Valdes!”
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