The signal for battle did not come from Blatta’s blockade, nor from the ambushers lurking in the grove, nor even from the Frizion Army itself. Instead, the first strike originated from the unit of twenty men that had been trailing them since they departed the Imperial Capital.
As they followed at the rear of the Frizion Army, Marquis Lognos's aide discovered several clouds of dust rising from even further behind them.
"Marquis Lognos, look at that!"
"…I see. So the ambush wasn't limited to a single location. No, perhaps this wouldn't even be called an ambush? Regardless, judging by those dust clouds, it’s a cavalry unit, without a doubt. Move the supply unit to the center. Surround them with archers and mages. Infantry, take your spears and move to the front. Our cavalry will strike the enemy's flanks once their momentum is halted, so station them where they can redeploy at a moment's notice."
Messengers sprinted away as Marquis Lognos barked out his rapid-fire instructions. Watching them go, the Marquis turned his gaze toward the supply unit and spoke to his aide.
"Normally, supply guards aren't particularly distinguished… but can I assume the men stationed there are reasonably capable?"
"Yes, My Lord. After all, this entire force is comprised of elites."
"Hmph," Lognos grunted. He kept his eyes on the supply unit as he issued a new command. "Order the soldiers guarding the supply unit to take up bows. They are archers today."
"But… My Lord, are you certain? If the supply unit is left without its primary guards…"
"It doesn't matter. As long as they are in the center of the army, a dedicated escort is unnecessary. For now, at least."
"Then should we have them merge with the infantry instead?"
"No. I said they aren't needed now. If the situation changes, we will need those guards back in position. I want them close enough to the supply unit to resume their escort duties immediately if required."
"…I see. Understood. I will make the arrangements at once."
As his aide hurried to relay the orders, Marquis Lognos turned a sharp eye toward a specific segment of the Frizion Army. The nobles positioned there were the ones suspected of harboring traitorous intent. He had already commanded his subordinates to watch them closely to ensure they made no suspicious moves during the engagement. If they showed any sign of betrayal, they were to be arrested on the spot.
"The price of betrayal will be high," he muttered.
At that moment, the enemy cavalry unit finally appeared through the screen of dust. Had it been only what he expected, Lognos would not have been surprised. Yet, the Marquis found himself widening his eyes slightly.
The riders had indeed appeared—roughly twenty in number. However, each cavalryman led a second, unmounted horse beside him. While there were only twenty riders, there were forty horses in total. The reason for this was revealed instantly.
The twenty men who had been trailing the Frizion Army on foot suddenly mounted the spare horses. In the blink of an eye, the twenty infantrymen transformed into a reinforced unit of forty cavalrymen.
"…Clever. And troublesome. Judging by the way they handled that transition, the ones who just mounted are veteran riders as well. Archers! Mages! Keep them back!"
Following Marquis Lognos's shout, a volley was unleashed. Because the nobles in this army had gathered their finest elites, the rain of arrows was relentless. They fired with staggering speed, while mages launched fire, wind, stone, and ice through the air to assault the charging riders.
However, the opposition was no common rabble; they were the cavalrymen directly under His Highness Schuls. If Lognos led elites, then this cavalry unit was equally elite.
Though it was not quite a torrential downpour, the riders charged through a hail of arrows, moving in perfect synchronicity with their horses. Their speed was immense, and the distance to Lognos’s units closed in heartbeats.
Of course, not every rider evaded the storm. Some were struck through the head by arrows raining from above and tumbled dead from their saddles. Others had arrows piercing their limbs. Some were scorched by fire, sliced by wind blades, or skewered through the torso by ice spears. Horses collapsed under the barrage, slamming their riders into the earth.
The majority of the casualties were the men who had been following the Frizion Army on foot. It was only natural; they had moved on their own power rather than on horseback, necessitating leather armor for mobility over heavy metal armor.
Nevertheless, the cavalry unit showed no fear. They plunged through the magic and arrows, finally reaching the infantry line.
"Do not falter! Brace your shields! Level your spears!" the commander shouted. "No matter how elite they are, cavalry are not invincible! Halt their momentum with your shields, then thrust your spears in unison!"
The infantrymen steeled themselves, meeting the charge with their metal shields and leveled spears. If these had been ordinary riders, that might have ended the threat. But these were members of the cavalry unit directly under the Second Prince Schuls. They severed spear tips with their longswords, parried thrusts aside, and controlled their mounts with surgical precision to weave through the points of the weapons.
Between the expertly trained warhorses and the elite soldiers riding them, the unit possessed terrifying combat potential.
"Uoooooh! I won't let you through!"
"That's right! We will protect Her Highness Frizion!"
"I refuse to die here! We will see the world Her Highness builds after this war!"
The cavalry's advantage did not last. As soldiers were injured or lost their weapons, fresh ranks from the rear rotated to the front immediately. Cavalry possessed immense charging power, but once their momentum stalled, they were vulnerable.
The infantry used their metal shields to bring the horses to a dead stop. Once halted, the riders were skewered by spears, slashed by longswords, and hammered by halberds. Furthermore, being on horseback made them prominent targets. In the chaotic melee, the elite archers and mages of the Frizion Army had no trouble picking them off at such close range.
Finally, as if to deliver the killing blow, the First Princess Faction's cavalry unit slammed into the flank of Schuls's riders.
Subjected to a coordinated wave attack while their movement was pinned, many of Schuls’s direct cavalry were wounded, though their high-quality gear kept the death toll relatively low. Realizing the tide had turned, one of the enemy riders pulled a magic whistle from his breast pocket and blew a shrill note.
The sound reached the ears of the cavalrymen instantly. They unleashed one final, all-out strike and disengaged. Their withdrawal was as brilliant as their charge—a clean, disciplined retreat worthy of Schuls's finest.
Marquis Lognos considered pursuit, but the riders were putting distance between them too quickly. Though some of his men fired arrows and magic in a final attempt, the enemy completed their withdrawal with minimal further losses.
"…Such discipline. As expected of the cavalry unit directly under His Highness Schuls," Lognos muttered, a mix of admiration and frustration in his voice. He quickly shook his head to refocus. "Report on our casualties?"
"Many injured, My Lord, but very few dead."
"I see. Have the supply unit tend to the wounded. Use the potions freely; do not be stingy. Healing them is our only priority right now."
He let out a sigh of relief as he issued the orders. Once the initial chaos had settled, Marquis Lognos’s gaze sharpened again. "What of the suspects?"
"They have shown no suspicious movement so far, My Lord. They followed our instructions quietly. If anything, it seemed they were holding back during the skirmish… but that might just be my own suspicion talking."
"Understood. They didn't show their tails this time, but do not let your guard down. Maintain the surveillance."
"Hah! And Marquis Lognos, what are your orders now that the rear is secure?"
Lognos stroked his beard and looked toward the front of the Frizion Army. Even from his position, he could tell a fierce battle was raging ahead. Simultaneously, the sounds of explosions echoed from the grove along the highway. He didn't need to ask what was happening.
"I’d like to lead the entire force forward to support them… but we have too many injured to move as a whole. Besides, we cannot leave the rear undefended. The cavalry unit withdrew, but their losses were light. If we show even a momentary opening, they will strike again."
The high mobility of the enemy cavalry was a constant threat. "We must stay vigilant. Can we manage to spare sixty men?"
His aide scanned the ranks, calculating quickly before nodding. "Yes. Sixty men would leave the rear defense stable."
"Very well. Lead that reinforcement detachment yourself. Normally, I would go, but I cannot abandon my post as commander here." If he were to leave, morale might plummet among the volunteers and mercenaries, even within an elite force. "Take Viscount Kizlo, Baron Brumos, and Baron Clarina with you. You will be in command of the detachment."
"Hah!"
Normally, a Marquis would not have an aide command other nobles, but these three had fought under Lognos many times. They understood the aide’s competence and would follow his lead without objection.
Watching the detachment depart, Marquis Lognos began reorganizing his remaining troops to counter any further cavalry strikes. The wounded were moved to the innermost circle near the supply unit for treatment. The infantry had taken the brunt of the charge—the noble house soldiers, the volunteer adventurers who admired Frizion, and the mercenaries had all suffered.
Lognos watched the healers use potions and recovery magic. Some wounds were too deep, and despite the best efforts, lives were lost. He steeled his heart, knowing now was not the time for grief. The long-range attack unit had escaped with only minor scratches, primarily because the enemy riders lacked bows. The infantry had done their job well.
Their own cavalry was also in good shape. Because they had struck the stalled enemy from the flank while wearing heavy metal armor, their injuries were minimal. Overall, the damage to the rearguard was slight.
However, this is only the beginning, Lognos thought. The princes still have plenty of strength.
The factions of Cabajid and Schuls were far larger than Frizion’s, with more nobles and vast troop reserves. Even if the forces they sent as a subjugation army were decimated, they could replenish them with ease. The survival of the First Princess Faction depended entirely on how many casualties they could avoid before reaching the Rebel Army.
Still, they cannot afford endless defeats. And with Crimson in our ranks, they will be forced to be cautious.
Lognos knew from Frizion that Rei had wiped out an entire subjugation force with a firestorm. He understood that both Cabajid and Schuls would have to move with extreme care knowing such a monster was present.
"If we get through this… we might just make it."
The princes would hate to see Frizion join the Rebel Army, as it would mean losing their best chance to crush her in isolation. Yet, if they pushed too hard and continued to lose, they risked being abandoned by the nobles in their own factions.
Lognos turned his gaze back to the front, watching the horizon where the next phase of the war was unfolding. He would hold this ground.