Chapter 408: Leisure Story The Burning Man 3
The difference in numbers was cruel.
Imperial soldiers are unwilling to die in a battle where victory is certain.
They were fighting carefully so that they would not die.
Even so, the overwhelming difference in troop strength is inevitable.
According to Lanchester’s first law, they rapidly cut down the Baron’s forces.
Although Kelvin was a commander himself, he struggled to stand on the front line, however, he also reached his limit. (T.N: He isn’t Cloud)
Even though he had been training swordsmanship from his childhood, and his opponents were just scaredy-cat soldiers, in front of the overwhelming difference in the number of people, he gradually became tired, got more non-fatal cuts, shed blood, his sword’s grip strength gradually weakened, his legs staggered, his eyes blurred, etc. And...
Paki~in! (SFX)
His nameless sword was broken.
And with it his heart...
The imperial soldier didn’t miss the moment Kelvin stopped his moment when his sword broke, and a subsequent slash connected with Kelvin’s body.
Although his armor prevented it from being a fatal injury, it was still as if he were hit hard with an iron rod.
The damage was by no means light.
Having reached his limit, no, having already exceeded his limit, Kelvin fell down on the spot.
But instead of feeling pain and remorse, Kelvin felt at peace that he could finally rest.
(So, this is it, huh...
But I did a good job, I have fulfilled my duty.
As a member of the Barium family, there is no shame...
Even if I die like this, nothing..., nothing...) (Kelvin)
However, Kelvin still had a lingering regret.
(Ah, I’m still haven’t apologized to her...
I want to meet her just one more time and say a few words...) (Kelvin)
Then, in the corner of his field of vision, there was the vague image of an enemy soldier swinging his sword toward him...
「Ah...」(Kelvin)
Gyi~n! (SFX)
「Uwa~a!」(Enemy Soldier)
............
Even after a few moments, there was no sign of Kelvin being hit.
...And suddenly, a shadow was cast over his as someone stood before him, blocking out the sun.
「...Who’s this?」(Kelvin)
His blurred eyes could only register the silhouette of a petite person.
However, there’s no doubt in his mind that this person came to help.
「......I received a request for mercenary recruitment. As for me, I’m just an average hunter」(Average Hunter)
Under such conditions, Kelvin never expected that anyone would be agreed to join as a recruit mercenary in losing battle.
However, it was just a request that the Lord prepared so that he could formally say “I did everything to protect the territory.”
The hunter wouldn’t get reasonable amount of reward, whether it’s a combat fanatic or a devoured mercenary.
It’s a terrible request called “Red Request” to the hunters.
Some malicious mercenaries might receive early to earn a daily allowance,
And when it finally became dangerous, they would run away by saying, “We have other requests, so we will abandon this...”
But not even one of those came this time.
It was beyond Kelvin’s expectation that there would be idiots who would accept the request that no mercenaries would have received at this stage.
And that voice... it seems like a young girl’s voice.
It sounds like the voice of a girl in his memory, but it must have been his illusion on the verge of death.
Kelvin thought so, with a slightly hazy head.
「...How many are idiots coming here?」(Kelvin)
Of course, “Idiot” in such cases is the utmost compliment.
「Alone」(Average Hunter)
「Eh?」(Kelvin)
「It’s only me, alone.
There shouldn’t be many idiots, you know?」(Average Hunter)
Kelvin, who had solidified for a moment, immediately laughed after a while.
「...Haha, that’s true...」(Kelvin)
He will die here. His fate is unlikely to change.
However, he wanted this foolish girl who makes him feel nostalgic to survive.
When he thought so and tried to instruct her to leave here.
The girl spoke first.
「...Is your heart burning now?
Is the soul shining?」(Average Hunter)
「Eh......」(Kelvin)
Kelvin was stunned by her words.
The word which that girl said on that day which he would never forget...
And there was only one answer to this.
「...My heart is still burning. And my soul is still shining.
Ever since that day, when that girl has brought fire to my heart and soul...」(Kelvin)
「...Who are you?」(Average Hunter)
「I... my name... is...」(Kelvin)
「Hmm, is your name something so cheap that you can say it while crawling on the ground...」(Average Hunter)
Kelvin grinned his teeth against that word.
「My name is... MY NAME IS...」(Kelvin)
Kelvin stood up with his broken sword as a support.
「Kelvin von Barium, the fifth son of the Baron family,...NO!」(Kelvin)
Shaking your head and scrapped the words he just said.
「My name is Kelvin!
KELVIN, the BURNING MAN!!」(Kelvin)
Kelvin, who stood firmly, screamed with his broken sword to the sky.
And, for some reason, both the enemy soldiers and allies stop moving to look at him.
「Let me lend you three things.
First is this fatigue recovery drug」(Average Hunter)
Saying so, Mile took out one vial from the item box.
The contents of the bottle are like “Micros”, but it’s not just a liquid filled with nanomachines, it’s full of nutrients.
And the inside nanomachines have previously indicated the role of curing fatigue and strengthening the body.
「Fatigue pot and flying away, Fatigue pot...
No no no no, “Fatigue flying away pot”!」(Average Hunter)
「...Isn’t that the same...」(Kelvin)
However, she ignored Kelvin’s words.
「Next, let me lend you this.
However, I will take it back later, because it’s my beloved sword!」(Average Hunter)
Saying so, Mile lent the sword to Kelvin after removing it from the sheath.
Not giving the sheath also emphasizes she will get it back later.
And Kelvin silently receives the sword with a serious expression.
Normally, a swordsman won’t entrust his or her favorite sword to another person, unless there’s a special situation.
But Mile didn’t think about that at all.
...Because she is a magician, not a swordsman
「...... And the last thing to lend is
Of course...my power」(Average Hunter)
Saying so, Miles suddenly start simple casting.
「Fireworks, should it explode from below? or Should it explode from the side? Anyway, Rapid Fire!!」(Average Hunter)
Chi~yudo~n, chi~yudo~n, chi~yudo~n! (SFX)
Explosion magic that imitates fireworks that explodes one after another at zero altitudes, that is, on the ground.
(T.N: Just like something from Michael Bay movies)
It has low killing power in spite of the sparks and bursts.
However, the effect of the threat was outstanding.
Enemy soldiers screamed and tried to escape, their formation fell into a mess by collapsing with each other.
Then there was a path leading to the enemy’s headquarters.
Then Kelvin takes the fatigue recovery medicine given by Mile, he stared at Mile’s face with his clearly visible eyes...
「The Burning Man Kelvin, here I come(*)」(Kelvin)
(T.N: This is an un-translate-able joke. “参る”, read as Mairu, the same as “マイル”, Mairu, Mile’s name)
Kelvin thrust into the enemy alone like a Musou game, and Mile followed him.
And the allied soldiers also follow after.
......It was the birth of a hero.
Then, the “soldiers who have deserted with permission” saw it on top of the building in the town. Perhaps they were excited, they came out of the shade of the building and rushed toward the enemies.
They have swords in their hands but they have already removed their armor and changed to ordinary clothes.
...When the people of the town saw it, they thought that was “the ordinary commoners took part in the battle with their weapons”,
They themselves also took the tools, farm tools, and various other things that were close at hand to join the battle.
In normal times, only 1-2% of the territory’s inhabitants will become soldiers who consume various things but don’t produce supplies or money.
Even in an emergency, the limit is 5-10% at most, and that 10% is only temporary. But even that will cause major problems in the development of the country after the war.
The enemies couldn’t bring all their soldiers and left their territory un-defenced.
They could only bring a reasonable number of troops devoted to invasion that in terms of population ratio, it’s not a big deal.
If the whole empire moved, then it’s another story but this is just a part of the Lord Army at the frontier.
And then, they are facing a non-stop ridiculous tactical attack magic.
A Hero appears on the enemy side, and dozens of enemies are mostly citizens.
When humans are afraid of death, the difference in power of the number is lost.
No matter how well-trained a soldier is, he can’t win after being surrounded by dozens of commoners who used bamboo spears, logs, hoes, hammers, knives, etc.
Rout. (T.N: a disorderly retreat of defeated troops)
That was the only choice for the junior soldiers who had little to do with their circumstances, win or lose the battle.
Even if they are losing, don’t they want to live and return to their family?
Or will they struggle for an uncertain win and be killed by commoners in a foreign country?
There is no need to think about which one to choose.
Thus, victory or defeat was decided...