READ WEBNOVEL Chapter 41: Severe Punishmen
Chapter 41: Severe Punishmen
I stand up on horseback and stretch my body, but from here I can’t see anything.
「Adjutant, I’m giving you command for a little bit!」
The horse gallops toward the elevated area at the back. It is absurd for the commander to leave the center while in the middle of fighting against the enemy, but right now I think it is important to get a grasp on the situation in person.
What appeared as my field of view opened up was the heavy cavalry squad that is still attacking the enemy’s flank. The enemy army is in a rush to protect its flank and shifts into formation, letting loose quite the amount of arrows at the cavalry.
However, they don’t stop. With their bodies wrapped in armor in addition to raising a shield, the charging cavalry will not get hit by the raining arrows; there are only few who fell off their horses.
The cavalry finally collided against the front of the enemy formation, flashy metallic sounds and shouts echo across the battlefield. Both the sword and shield are like clumps of metal to the heavy cavalry and are practically useless. Rather, if you use it to accelerate and charge you may suffer miserably and end up displaying a laughable scene.
Those pierced by spears and those wearing steel and flown off by horses are still fine. The ones suffering the worst are those who are slammed to the ground and trampled upon by the horseshoes. They are being stepped on successively by the cavalry and you can no longer tell whether they are human or beast.
Even if one has experience in fighting, they will be unable to do anything in this situation. Besides being smashed apart from the front, the enemy vanguard is completely collapsing, and the situation is that the enemy forces have begun to retreat.
「That is Lord Hardlett’s 1st cavalry company, isn’t it? They sure made it in time didn’t they...」
One of the nearby company captains let out a sigh of relief. Bruno also sighed inwardly.
In order to rebuild the squad that had been trampled over, tardily from the back of the main force, a long spear squad appeared and tried to set up their spears.
「Stop their movements! Once you stop them we can do something!」
The enemy’s commander shouted to his soldiers as if scolding them. Dealing with cavalry involves robbing them of their mobility. Ideally moats and fences are the best, but on the plains where they have no such things, the next best thing would be to create an artificial wall using their spears. But while the spears are in the middle of being completely set up a black knight jumped out.
「Lord Hardlett!? If you, our commander jumps out to the front, what are we supposed to do!?」
Unintentionally, I let my voice come out. I know he is part of the military faction, but it is certainly impossible for him to fight single-handedly. He should be using the horse that I have seen before; he is heading in a straight line towards the wall of spears and charging at an unbelievable speed.
The soldiers in the vicinity are also shouting ‘dangerous!’ ‘you’ll get killed!’, but he easily jumps over the spears, and split the heads of two of the spearmen. Another two are trampled by the horse’s hooves, and a person who looked to be the captain of the spearmen squad was at a loss for words but his upper body was promptly severed apart. As I leave the area and turn around, I saw the chest and upper part spinning around in the air, and the blood spewing out. As soon as he confirmed that he took out the commander, he changed directions and chased the group of long spearmen. The long spearmen are vulnerable from the rear and flanks. The pathetic soldiers are easily cut apart, beheaded and beaten down.
The enemy commander died, in addition there is a monster attacking them from the back so they should not be able to hold their lines. The mass of cavalry approaching from the front, the bloody monster approaching from the back; finally the soldiers crumble, and they run as fast as they can but they aren’t able to outrun the cavalry. After getting stabbed in the back his spear, almost all of them were annihilated. The rest of the squad that came as reinforcement also froze in their tracks when they saw the tragedy that befell the long spearmen. For those who were on the battlefield, a scene where soldiers got stabbed by spears, or got their heads chopped off is nothing they were normally afraid of. Those are things you encounter on a daily basis in battle. However, the same principle does not apply when it comes to this man; people were torn apart, split in half, and strewn all over the place, it seemed like an impossible spectacle..
「Calm down! Stop them with your arrows!!」
They release their arrows one after the other, but he deflected them and shot them down with his spear, treating them like toys that kids were throwing at him. The squad he would chase next after the spearmen would be the archers who were firing arrows at him.
At that time, the vanguard was completely crushed and the oncoming cavalry caught up, resuming their charge.
「If we let this keep up, we will only be made fools of! All units ready? Charge!」
My battalion finally overcame the confusion and restarted the attack on the opposite side of the cavalry. The state of battle changed completely, the enemy is trying not to get annihilated and is continuing their desperate struggle.
It didn’t last long, Lord Hardlett took a portion of his cavalry and broke through the enemy’s center, once they killed the commander and his followers the enemy units swiftly crumbled, after that it was just a rout; chasing after and finishing off the escaping enemies.
—Aegir POV—
「Bruno, no Lord Renster, it’s been a while.」
「Long time no see Lord Hardlett...you saved me.」
Bruno and I shake hands; the enemy has already been annihilated, so we both left the command to our subordinates. Agor is training the infantry company at the capital so this time I had Leopolt accompany me.
By the way, during the time that we were charging on horseback he was positioned at the very back. I asked if he would move up a little further, but he replied by saying that there was a possibility that he would be hit by stray arrows and that it is the height of foolishness for a commander to be at the front of army. Saying that Leopolt got upset so he galloped away, afterwards Celia also got angry at my recklessness.
「Weren’t you supposed to wait until I arrived before you started?」
I laugh while saying it.
「I’m ashamed...I didn’t want to miss the chance to strike so I went ahead, but this is the result...」
Bruno’s battalion has lost over 200 soldiers. It is a considerable amount of damage. My squad lost at most 10 people, as well as their horses but there are many people who are able to recover right away and get back into action. There are about 4 to 5 people who were unlucky and had arrows stab them in the gaps in their armor. There will always be guys who have bad luck everywhere; I can’t do anything about it.
I turn my gaze towards the battlefield and Leopolt is hunting the already destroyed enemy troops, who are scattering and trying to escape, with good efficiency. It seems he knows how the enemy will try to escape.
「When I think about having to give an excuse to His Majesty, my head hurts.」
「In the end we won, I’ll ask Erich to do something about it and I’ll also say something.」
Bruno is one of the few fellows I trust. It would be a shame to see him lose his standing.
「But...even if you take away my reckless behavior, they were certainly strong. It won’t be as easy as it has been.」
It is commonly known by the neighboring countries that Arkland has 40,000 soldiers. And it is a number acquired purely by recruiting almost only young adult males.
「There are 40,000 soldiers of that quality, if we can’t even put up a decent fight now it would be bad later.」
Even if the central army were to do a large scale reinforcement it would only go up to 15,000 troops, and combining it with the national army it would amount to 20,000. During times of war, conscription would be enforced and the numbers would increase and bring us to an equal amount but the inferiority in the quality would be no more than a candle in the wind. Bruno’s infantry battalion, compared with those soldiers training in the capital, are pretty elite too.
「In any case, I will send a messenger and let his Majesty know that ‘the destruction of the enemy army was a success’. When you return to the capital, it will be fine if you directly tell his Majesty the strength of their spirit.」
「You are the favorite to get called directly by his Majesty after all.」
Bruno laughs deliriously at himself. Perhaps he is troubled about reaching his own limits. But if you want to be troubled, do it later, I haven’t told you about the order from his Majesty yet.
「I have a message for your battalion from the Majesty.」
「Nn!」
Bruno corrected his posture when he heard me, it is necessary to be respectful when receiving a message from the king.
「...Celia.」
「Yessir!」
Everyone makes a dubious face at Celia. Normally, it would not be the follower who tells him but it can’t be helped, I forgot about it.
「Those who encroach on my territory, those fools of Arkland, thoroughly and utterly kill them. No need for prisoners, no need to separate high class from low class, decapitate all of them and send their heads back. That is all.」
Everyone was at a loss for words. It is too severe of a command, but you cannot object to the king’s orders.
「Well, it doesn’t make me feel good to kill the guys who are still alive, but if I cut the heads of the corpses there shouldn’t be a problem.」
When the annihilation is done, it is fine if you cut the heads off the corpses and load them on wagons to send them.
「It seems like my men found some goods through their looting so I’ll confirm it.」
When I stood up to leave in a hurry, Bruno complains.
「Hey! You’re not thinking of letting me act on this order by myself are you?」
Of course that’s how it is.
「The order was given to the squad. I’m the reinforcements, you are the commander. I’m counting on you, so do it properly!」
When Leopolt comes back it would be fine to let him do it. He seems to come up with really efficient methods.
—Aegir POV—
「They are intimidating them and plundering, and they did whatever they want huh?」
In front of me was grain and vegetables, livestock being loaded onto the wagon. I wonder if they wanted me to compromise and take it back while they were making noise.
「Yes, they will someday be killed.」
The young soldier doesn’t hide his indignation.
The wagon in the back has women loaded in it. It’s their intention to take them back to be used as slaves I guess. The women who saw us hugged each other and trembled.
The farmers living in the pioneer village in the remote regions are ignored by the citizens in the capital like you wouldn’t believe. They do not know of our central army’s flag or emblem, and won’t be able to distinguish us from Arkland soldiers.
「Are you hurt?」
「Hiih! Ye...yes...」
「We are the army belonging to Goldonia. We will return you to your original village, tell us a safe place to bring you to.」
The women looked at each other in confusion and there were some who were crying.
「There is no longer a village...they burned it down and killed everyone...our place to return to.」
Now that I recall, there were several pioneer villages that they said were done in. The pioneer villages are quite small, around 10 to 20 people. They were situated in remote regions that don’t have many villages in the vicinity and have a harsh climate, the citizens were either deported from their original places or were former criminals, or people who don’t have any other places to go to. Most of the pioneer villages will get crushed in the next few years, but those remaining lucky villages have gathered people and have become full-fledged villages. An incident like this time regarding pioneer villages, it is not uncommon for them to experience this kind of misfortune at all.
「When I return to the capital I’ll bring you with me, so think about your future. The other cargo is difficult to bring back, so I’ll leave it all to Bruno.」
Their eyes lit up, they are not aware of the army’s rank but from my tone and the way I dress, they understood that I was a person who has a higher status. They might actually get to live in the capital; the women who have been afraid until now all of a sudden drew their bodies closer to me.
「Then I’ll let Captain Renster know!」
「Ok. That, and let him know that I will be going out on patrol just in case and won’t be back for a while.」
「Yessir!」
The young soldier runs off on his horse. Bruno will surely realize that I escaped based on the pretense of patrolling and he will have to undergo investigation, forgive me.
As the annihilation draws to a close, the soldiers stabbed the corpses to confirm if they were still alive. My job is done now too. This time was just to provide reinforcements; I’ll pass all the glory of the war to Bruno and get ready to leave.
「Excuse me...what about us...」
As expected, I can’t tell them to sleep outside. I’ll get the spare tent and have them sleep tightly together.
—Irijina POV—
Arkland camp
I desperately rode on my horse.
「Captain Irijina ! Please save me!! Gugaa」
「Stop! Save me! I don’t want to die!」
My subordinates are being defeated one by one but I don’t turn around. You ask me to help you, but I can’t do anything other than dying together with you. The battle is already over, what is happening now is a continued one-sided massacre, nothing more than an extermination.
「What on earth! Why!?」
It was my first time since becoming commander that I was challenged by Goldonia, although I have heard from other countries that they were a weak opponent. They love peace more than anything, and once you cross the borders they will send peace messengers.
Everything was fine until the first ambush. The spies that were sent by the enemy quickly discovered our camp, and our plan to lure the enemy in by pretending to get ready to move out and then crushing them was progressing smoothly in the beginning. I was also leading my 200-man squad and attacking their flank, only one more push and we should have been able to defeat them.
「But those guys!」
The timing of those cavalry was like they aimed to finish us, and on top of that they were charging at us with strength equal to our own country’s heavily armed steel spear cavalry. We were originally not expecting to fight a full-scale battle, so our soldiers and equipment, which were focused on ease of movement, were mainly equipped with short spears and swords.
The tiger cub long-spear squad was also demolished by a knight who was like a monster. There were no further tactics after that point. We had our hands full and were just trying to deal with what was happening by thinking on the next move.
He ultimately broke through our formation and marched straight into our headquarters, that monstrous knight...he killed the commander and the vice-chief right in front of my eyes, and also killed the rest of them. With our headquarters demolished, we couldn’t maintain our squad. We could not even get out orders to retreat properly, so we could only escape by scattering.
I will never forget the eyes of that knight. He split the commander in half vertically, his armor and spear was covered in blood...he instantly sent my spear flying and, I screamed while running away without shame or respectability, but I wonder why he didn’t chase after me...
Fortunately I lost my spear, and I, as a largely-built woman is quite lightweight. The main force of the enemy is mostly heavy cavalry so they could not catch up with me.
I was riding on my horse with determination, but soon the horse reached its limit and fell over. After rolling around the grassland, I check behind me subconsciously to see if anyone was chasing me but there was nobody there. I look around and the surroundings look familiar.
It seems that I have already crossed the borderline.
「I...I’m safe.」
Like a little girl I sat down on my inner thighs with my legs slightly spread open. A little urine leaks out but I pay it no mind. It has been leaking since I saw that knight and ran away, so it doesn’t really matter much at this point.
Naturally there are no subordinates. I could wait here for one or two to return here, but I chose not to and decided to return to the army base.
In the unlikely event that enemies cross the border like this, I must immediately let my allies know... No, that’s a lie. I actually want to immediately go back to a safe place. I cannot remove the image in my head of that knight chasing after me. I hug my trembling body.
「Oh matchless heroine.」
「The pride of the Wolls family.」
「Female general of the future.」
How many times has my father told me that he wished I was born a boy. I leak urine while crying and I wonder, if people saw me shaking in fear right now how many of them would be in shock. I [Irijina Wolls] shrink my tall figure and walk alone.
—Aegir POV—
It seems that the ‘unpleasant things’ are mostly over. All that’s left is to wait for dawn and walk the train of wagons to Arkland. With a mountain of freshly severed heads in the wagons, I can’t feel sorry for the guards that have to walk alongside it.
The night has also come. It’s about time for us to go. I get up quietly, and was about to leave the tent but Celia grabs my clothes.
「Where are you going so late at night?」
「Don’t worry, I’m just heading out for a bit.」
It’s the same thing every time so Celia understands.
「....I will be awake until you return so please come back quickly.」
If I don’t get it over with quickly she will come looking for me I guess.
I kiss Celia and play with her tongue for a bit. I put the blushing Celia, who snuggled up to me, in bed and leave the tent. With this, I can buy a little time.
Where I am heading is of course the tent where the captured women are sleeping.
「I was waiting for you.」
One woman immediately gets up to greet me from among the others who were sleeping like a log due to fatigue and tension building up. Her face was not especially pretty and she probably didn’t eat well so her skin had no gloss to it. But she had tight breasts and ass and to a man who just finished fighting, it was irresistible.
Celia is many times more beautiful but her body is still small, I am still uneasy about inserting my cock in her. It’s fun to get her to service me with her dedicated mouth, or squeeze myself in between her crotch and thighs as a form of pseudo-penetration, but as expected, thrusting in a woman’s hole is my natural instinct.
I am using my standing in order to embrace this woman, but the other party is also trying to get introduced to something they can live off of in the capital, so I don’t think I’m being cruel here.
「Please, enjoy yourself.」
The woman welcomes me in by opening both hands, her crotch is open too and waiting for me. I open the front of my pants and take out my cock without hesitation, and got on top of the girl.
「....It’s here. Eeh? This is...」
Inside the tent, the other women are sleeping so it is pitch black. We were unable to see even each other’s faces so we had to adjust our positions or we couldn’t do it well. She reached a hand to guide my cock to her hole but she lets out a voice of surprise.
「I-it’s big...!」
「Are you scared?」
「No...I like it. Big ones...」
「Then please enjoy yourself.」
「Nnaaah!」
When I bury my cock in her, she lets out quite a loud voice. So that we don’t wake the other girls, her one hand covers her mouth, and she moves her body in a rocking motion. She places her other hand on my waist and matches my movements. From the corner of her eyes, tears flow.
「Does it hurt? Should I stop?」
She nodded when I asked if it hurt, but when I asked if I should stop she shook her head. If she is prepared, then I don’t need to hold back. I rock my hips with big motions and thrust intensely. She moaned every time I thrusted, but her mouth was covered so the voice was muffled.
If I swing my hips like this while you are holding back your moans in the night, it seems like I’m raping you. If I look around, the women all had their eyes open and are looking this way. With such loud sounds coming from the slapping of our flesh of course they would wake up.
「Nnaaaaaah!!」
There is no need to hide her voice anymore so she moved her hand and pinched her clit while rubbing her breasts. I lift her up and take a sitting position, I put a nipple in my mouth and she bends her neck back in pleasure.
「...Is she getting violated?」
「We shouldn’t look, he’ll come for us next」
「We need to endure it even if he does, don’t try to resist against him or you’ll get killed.」
The surrounding women are talking amongst each other. They seem to think I am a bandit that snuck in and was raping her. I am planning to talk to the girls properly, in order to clear up the misunderstanding, I light a lamp and brighten up the tent.
With the light, there are various things that can be seen. The woman is shaking her hips on her own, she is returning kisses to my face and her face is warped in pleasure.
「It feels good captain! More, thrust into me more.」
With those words, they should understand that the girl wanted me to embrace her. I hug her tightly and ejaculate.
「Aah!? The captain’s seed is coming out...it’s thick...and hot...」
Around the time that I swung my hips several time to finish my ejaculation, the woman became exhausted, so I pull out and she rolled onto the futon.
「That person is the captain!?」
「That girl, she is certainly trying to use her body to get him to introduce her to a good workplace.」
「Not fair! I also want you to help me!」
「My face is better!」
The atmosphere of the women quickly changed, when I wanted to just feel good and let one out so I can go back they came flocking to my feet. In those eyes, there was more than lust and greed welling up in them. I started to take the clothes off the girls, and I resigned myself to the orgy as something I couldn’t do anything about but then I heard a voice.
「Aegir-sama. It’s an urgent request. Can I come in?」
Hearing Celia’s voice, the girls all pretended to sleep. The woman I embraced was worn out and had her crotch open, so as a form of mercy I at least could close her legs. The seed that was overflowing looked thick and almost solid, we didn’t have a contraceptive so she might get pregnant.
「No need. I’m coming.」
I pull the hand of the silent Celia, and I return to my own tent. I get in bed and Celia comes in beside me.
「What’s the urgent request?」
「My head needs you to pet it urgently. Loyalty also needs to be compensated.」
I laughed without thinking. She usually pouts when I treat her like a child. It seems she doesn’t like it when I’m around other girls. It’s not bad to touch a woman without lust either.
「You have done well.」
When I pet her head Celia buries her head in my chest, and she began to sleep. I understand that Celia likes me as a man, but it could be possible that she wants me to hug her like how a father or a brother would.
The feelings I have when I embrace Lucy is like a lover, but at the same time also as a mother and sister. I kind of understand how Celia feels.
Sensing that I have other women floating around in my mind Celia clings to me by entangling her entire body with mine, I also fell asleep in that warmth.
Extra Story: Maria’s Daily Life
It was sudden, but I was put in charge of the Hardlett family’s finances. The former person-in-charge was Nonna but she was discharged thanks to the fake teacup incident.
Nonna is still trying to plot against Leopolt, but she was always a wasteful person so it was something that couldn’t be helped.
No matter what, it would be madness to leave it to Carla, and Melissa-san becomes loose with her wallet when it comes to the servant children so she is disqualified, it seems I am fine because I am a small village girl. It appears they are making fun of me.
Right now, Aegir-san is out with Celia-san so I had authority over the wallet. Yesterday, we did it 4 times and I fainted...today I will immediately go shopping by abusing my authority, I’ll buy fresh and expensive meat and vegetables and made beef stew. Everyone enjoyed it and happily ate it all.
Especially the servant children, they stuffed their throats till they were packed. Alma-chan seems to be in a good mood since Celia-chan isn’t here. Miti-chan is in a bad mood because Nonna-san told her to redo the cleaning of the window in her room twice. She traced the window frame with her finger several times.
「Haa, with your sense this will be beautiful. Your body will also be quite clean.」
That was what I have been told.
「That sarcasm! Sinister! Kiii–!」
It is forbidden for a servant to criticize the household members, but this isn’t a place where they can see, so I have to make sure they can’t hear it either.
「Maria-san! Is it true that Nonna-san and Carla-san are making kids with the master ?」
Where did I hear it from, it was quite fast...Melissa-san let it slip from her mouth probably.
「Maria-san should also participate! I prefer to call Maria-san as “the wife ” more than Nonna-san.」
Well, I am not thinking about children as of yet~ I’m not quite interested in lineage and those things after all.
「But Carla-san may be blessed first?」
Miti’s face warped.
「That pervert..? I don’t like that...」
Since that incident, Miti and Alma’s impression of Carla-san steadily lowered, ranking down from “a person they don’t know well” to “pervert with unknown intentions”. For some reason, Kroll addresses her as Carla-neesan, and uses keigo to speak to her. 1
「That’s not right, speaking badly of the household members.」
Directly badmouthing is not good, it would be bad if Aegir-san hears of this. I cannot bring myself to chase these children out.
「I’m sorry...but that is why-! I want Maria-san to compete!」
Yes, yes, eventually I will~ I deceive her like so and lightly toss ash onto the kitchen stove. If I let it boil lightly overnight over low heat, the stew will become tastier. I make sure to prepare flawlessly so as not to start a fire, and since that is complete I should get in the bath and sleep.
「Excuse me...」
I heard a voice coming from the back door in the kitchen. When I opened the door to check, it was Catherine-san...I guess it’s Torii-san now? Either one is fine, as I stood up.
「Ara it has been a long time~ What is the matter?」
I ask if she wanted to eat any stew but it seems she doesn’t need any, even though it’s delicious.
「Uhm, Hardlett...Baronet, is he here?」
Well, if you wanted to come see him you should have come from the front...
「Right now he is out doing work in the army. He might not be back for a while~」
Having everyone seeking him so intensely is proof that he has gone out to fight. We’re worried but we can only believe and wait for him.
「-!! No way...no, nevermind. Thank you very much...」
Catherine-san hurriedly took her leave. By the way, she wasn’t holding the baby that she cherished so much. I guess it’s because there are many people at the orphanage that she could trouble to look after the baby for her...
As I sighed and looked to my feet, there was a red handkerchief that was dropped. I was cleaning earlier so it must definitely belong to Catherine-san. It seems she was in a hurry to go back, so it would be pointless to chase after her now. I’ll return it to her the next time she comes.
Anyways, it’s surprising that she would use a handkerchief that stands out this much...
Name: Aegir Hardlett 19 years old Summer
Status: Goldonia Kingdom Baronet Central Army 3rd division Mixed Battalion (800 people)
Annual Salary 140 gold
Money: 1228 gold coins (Silvers and below not counted)
Weapon: Dual Crater (long sword), Large Bardiche (spear)
Equipment: High-grade Steel Plate armor, Black Cloak (Cursed)
Companions: Nonna, Melissa, Maria, Carla
Servants: Miti, Alma, Kroll, Nina
Subordinates: Celia (follower), Leopolt (follower), Agor (adjutant),
Carl (company commander), Christoph (small-fry), Schwartz (Horse)
Sexual Partners Count: 30