3 bar menu

The Perseverance to Survive in this World – Part 05

The armies of Einbiest and Bios had been locked in a tense standoff for several days, and it was Einbiest that decided to break the deadlock.

“Move out! Follow me!”

The horse supporting Gerhardt’s massive frame was a special breed with six legs. Unlike the eight-legged steed in Norse mythology, Sleipner, in this world, horses with six legs were not uncommon. They weren’t as fast, but they were larger, more stable, and easier to ride.

Einbiest’s army had more infantry than warriors on horseback. Speed wasn’t a top priority.

In the end, it was us that grew impatient.

Jillarte, astride her horse, couldn’t shake off the unease creeping on her skin.

The enemy is on flatland. An ambush is highly unlikely.

Einbiest’s army headed straight for Bios.

On the other side, Bios was scrambling to respond, seemingly unprepared for Einbiest’s sudden attack. All they had for defense was some dry moats and wooden barricades.

Footsteps shook the earth. Shouts and screams rent the air. Metals clashed. Amidst the swirling dust, Jillarte led the charge into the enemy camp.

“Break through the center!”

Her striking, sand-colored cloak fluttered in the wind. She pointed forward with her cutlass, boosting the morale of the Beastmen soldiers, who cut down any enemy they came across. They were pushing forward.

Jillarte spotted the Knights Templar up ahead. Their resplendent armor was unmistakable, even from afar.

Despite Einbiest’s army advancing and engaging Bios’s forces, the knights remained still. They seemed to be concerned about something in their rear.

What are they…

Jillarte shifted her gaze behind the Knights Templar.

“Jillarte, watch out!”

“Huh?!”

A black panther Beastman rushed in on horseback and swung his spear around, deflecting the arrows raining down.

“Stay on your toes!”

“Thanks… Something about the enemy’s movements is bothering me, though. Did you notice anything behind the… Knights Templar…” Jillarte couldn’t believe her eyes.

Cheers erupted from the Knights Templar. What appeared behind them were knights—knights flying in the air.

“Wh-What the hell?! They’ve got wings!” the panther Beastman shrieked.

The individuals clad in the armor of the Knights Templar had six large white wings sprouting from their backs, beating in the air. And there were dozens of them.

“Attention, halfbreeds!” A voice amplified by a magic item resounded. “In recognition of their outstanding service to our doctrine, these chosen knights have evolved into angels. Know that attacks from them constitute divine punishment.”

The winged knights swooped in from the sky, swinging their spears, tossing swords, casting elemental magic.

This style of combat was unprecedented, and despite the superior physical abilities of the Beastmen, they struggled to respond, resulting in increased casualties. The advancing Einbiest forces were now losing ground.

“Stay focused!” Gerhardt roared. “They’re just humans flying around!!”

The disoriented Einbiest army was out of control. They lacked proper military training and discipline, leaving them vulnerable once they descended into chaos.

As soon as the military officer beside him gave a suggestion, Gerhardt reached a swift decision.

“Damn it… We’re pulling back for now!”

The bell signaling the retreat rang out. Bios’ forces did not waste the opportunity to launch a pursuit.

“I’ll cover the rear! The rest of you, follow me!”

Jillarte volunteered for the perilous task. The rear had to fend off the relentless enemy while making their own retreat. With her presence of mind and a select group of 100 elite soldiers, they successfully repelled Bios’ pursuit. Unfortunately, she lost 30 of her men to the winged knights, and the rest sustained grave injuries.

---

By nightfall, a somber mood hung over the returning Einbiest forces. Beastmen were formidable when their spirits were high, but fragile once their morale waned.

When Jillarte, the last to return to camp, hastened toward Gerhardt’s tent, she overheard his furious voice and the crash of something breaking.

“I’m gonna fucking kill them!”

“What’s happening, Milord?”

As Jillarte entered, military officers and representatives from various tribes visibly relaxed.

Gerhardt was known for his fiery temper, but ever since Jillarte assumed the role of deputy leader, he had been making fewer decisions fueled by outbursts, thanks to his receptiveness to Jillarte’s counsel. This contribution alone secured Jillarte the position of deputy leader, though only a select few high-ranking officials were privy to this.

“Jillarte, how are our troops?”

As soon he spotted her, Gerhardt’s expression shifted to a pained one, like a scolded child. Jillarte’s armor and cloak were smeared in mud and blood, her face hastily wiped clean with a wet cloth. Everyone present recognized that her quick thinking in leading the rearguard had minimized casualties during the retreat.

“We lost thirty, and many are severely wounded,” Jillarte said.

“You did well.”

“Thank you. Please extend those words to them; it will mean the world to their spirits.”

“I will. Right away.”

“R-Right away?”

Before anyone could stop him, Gerhardt left the tent. Jillarte stood there, baffled.

“Lady Jillarte, your command during the retreat was truly remarkable,” said the bearded representative of the Chelonians. He carried a hard, but light shell on his back. “The enemy had a swift cavalry. Without your actions, our losses would have been much worse.”

Jillarte was steadily solidifying her position as deputy leader. She didn’t have any such ambitions, and her actions, like leading the rear guard, were spontaneous. Nevertheless, her genuine intentions, or lack of ulterior motives, made her all the more appealing to the Beastmen.

She demonstrated her strength in the Ruler’s Rumble tournament and found a massive elemental magic stone in Southleaf Island’s dungeon, which she brought back to Einbiest. This stone now served as a potent water source.

Yet, Jillarte felt that she still had a lot more to prove. In both the tournament and Southleaf Island, she had relied heavily on Silver Face. She wanted to at least prove that Ryver, an adventurer who schemed in the tournament, had ties to Bios, but there was no evidence, and the leader of his party, Igloo Fullblood, remained elusive.

It was frustrating, but she channeled that frustration into determination. However, she constantly reminded herself that impatience was unacceptable.

“So, what has the leader riled up?” Jillarte asked the Chelonian.

“He ordered an all-out attack tomorrow. We told him that charging in without a strategy against those winged knights might lead to a repeat of today, and that infuriated him.”

“…That’s a valid point.”

Others present let out a collective sigh.

All of Gerhardt’s flaws were on full display. Charging recklessly wasn’t courage; it was plain recklessness.

But it was his depth of character—his ability to thank the soldiers who fought as the rearguard—that Gerhardt managed to thrive as the confederacy’s leader.

“Does anyone have any information about those winged knights?”

“No one does. We’ve never seen or heard of knights like that before.”

“I see. I was at the frontlines during that battle, and I noticed that the Knights Templar were constantly keeping an eye on their rear. They must have planned to send those winged knights to the battlefield.”

“Could they really be angels… messengers of the gods?” one of the military officers asked.

“Don’t be stupid. Those knights just happen to have wings. Besides, if the gods favored humans, why would they give both us and them the same Blessings through soul cards and guild cards? There’s no favoritism based on species.”

“Still, I’ve never heard of humans sprouting wings,” said the Chelonian representative, stroking his beard.

The others fell silent. Jillarte didn’t like the atmosphere. They were leaders of their units and respective races. If they returned to their units with such gloomy expressions, it would spread like wildfire.

“Listen up,” Jillarte said. “It’s true that we don’t know how those winged knights came to be. But even without knowing the reason, we can come up with a strategy.”

“A strategy, you say?”

“Yes. Those are just Knights Templar with wings. Apart from being able to fly, they’re no different from regular knights. I fought at the rear, so I’m sure. If anything, it felt like they weren’t used to using those wings.”

Her words seemed to offer a glimmer of hope, and everyone listened closely, eager not to miss a word.

“Is anyone here skilled in archery?” Jillarte asked.

A representative of the Avians quietly raised their hand. Indeed, some Beastmen had wings. However, their wings were more for gliding than true flight, with limited range.

“We have about 200 of us in our tribe.”

“That’ll do. You will all be tasked with taking down the winged knights using bows.”

“But usage of bows and arrows in the military is discouraged.”

“What? There’s no regulation like that. I’ve read the military rules multiple times.”

Upon further inquiry, the Beastmen explained that close combat was all that mattered, and firing arrows from afar was considered lame. Jillarte struggled to maintain her composure.

“Bows and arrows are excellent weapons. And they’re far from weak. Remember Ryver from the Ruler’s Rumble?”

An adventurer sent by Bios, Ryver had gained fame as a skilled archer.

“Indeed…”

“There aren’t many like him.”

“It’s infuriating, but he was strong.”

Representatives from various tribes chimed in one by one.

Ryver had even attempted to assassinate Jillarte outside the arena, and it was Silver Face who took him down.

What would he do? If his comrades were feeling uneasy…

Picturing Hikaru, Jillarted said, “The Avians’ bows are the key to our plan. Split up into units of twenty, and each unit will focus on taking down one of the winged knights. Can you do it?”

“As you command.”

“We’re counting on it. Once the enemy realizes that the winged knights are being targeted, they will likely launch an attack to eliminate the Avians. We need the best fighters in the army to protect them. Any volunteers?”

When Jillarte mentioned the best in the army, their expressions all changed.

“That’s us! The First Corps is the best there is!”

“If you need protection, Chelonians are perfect for the job.”

“No, no. The Lupines know the Avians best, since we work with them regularly.”

Arguments and debates ignited among them. However, their argument didn’t stem from defeat or negativity. It was a positive debate driven by their desire to assert themselves as the strongest.

The Avians held their heads high, their pride bolstered by Jillarte’s words of expectation.

“All right, all right,” Jillarte said. “We’ll gather everyone’s opinions and present this plan to Lord Gerhardt. We don’t know which unit will have the honor of guarding the Avians, but no hard feelings, okay?”

Satisfied, everyone left the tent.

Jillarte sighed and rested for a moment. After a while, Gerhardt returned, shoulders squared.

“Jillarte! What were you thinking?!”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard you decided on a plan all by yourself! Yes, you’re the deputy leader, but that doesn’t give you absolute authority!”

Someone had clearly informed him about the discussion.

“I think there’s been some kind of mistake,” Jillarte said.

“What?”

Jillarte carefully explained the plan’s details and clarified that she told everyone Gerhardt would make the final decision.

“They did mention I’d be the one to decide who will guard the Avians,” Gerhardt said, still not entirely satisfied.

“Milord, as you said, we should launch another attack as soon as tomorrow. Otherwise, the morale of the entire army will drop significantly. The plan I came up with is just one way to deal with the winged knights. If people have other ideas, we’ll hear them. However, until we uncover the true identity of the winged knights, I believe shooting them down with arrows is the best course of action.”

“That’s true, but…”

Jillarte sensed Gerhardt was close to agreement. The leader had many good qualities, but he could also be capricious and stubborn. His displeasure likely stemmed from the proceedings in his absence.

“What did my men say?” Jillarte asked.

“Huh? Oh… they were delighted. Some were even moved to tears.”

Gerhardt sniffled. The loyalty of his subordinates deeply touched him.

“My soldiers have faith that our leader, you, won’t yield to those winged knights.”

“Of course not. We won’t lose.”

“They were just bluffing. Could you please relay that to the troops in your own words?”

“They’re nothing but noisy crows?” Gerhardt sighed. “Jillarte.”

“Sir.”

“I’ll go along with your plan this time. But in the future, talk to me first.”

“…Understood.”

He seemed to see through everything.

“Otherwise, I feel left out.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing! Forget what I said.” Gerhardt strode out once more.

Did he say he felt left out? He wasn’t bothered that Jillarte carried forward with plans without consulting him. He was just lonely?

Jillarte chuckled. “Funny guy.”

She didn’t expect the strongest man in Einbiest to have such a soft side.