We moved into position near the mouth of the valley under the cover of darkness and waited for dawn.
The horses were tied up and left behind. Apparently, horses are of no use in a fortress assault.
The horses were unhitched from the carriage as well. Several knights capable of Physical Enhancement pushed it instead. We could only move at a walking pace, but that was fine. By positioning the side without a door toward the depths of the valley, the thick oak planks served as a sturdy shield. The window curtains were made of a heavy fabric supposedly capable of stopping arrows, so we kept them drawn. It was a makeshift arrow shield, and we were instructed to stay behind it for the initial phase.
As the sky began to lighten, the layout of the valley came into focus. It was a farm. Low-growing rye stretched all the way to the back of the valley.
Just as I had heard, the terrain offered absolutely no cover. Since it was just after dawn, there was no one in sight.
"Let’s go."
Lutz gave a short, sharp command, and everyone began to move.
The knights fanned out and sprinted through the fields. Katia was at the vanguard, with the men of House Laufen racing close behind her. We followed at a slower pace, pushing the carriage.
When the knights were about halfway across the field, a low, resonant drone—bwooo, bwooo—echoed through the air.
Looking toward the source of the sound, I saw a lookout on a watchtower blowing a horn. We had been spotted. The enemy side suddenly became frantic with activity.
"Here they come! Ready shields!!"
First came the arrows.
They rained down on us from the slopes. The knights parried them with swords and shields as they ran. Some arrows couldn't be deflected and buried themselves in shields; occasionally, one would find its mark, and a knight would fall back with an injury.
It was different from what I had imagined. I thought it would be something unavoidable, where you just prayed you wouldn't be hit. But these men were parrying them as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Perhaps I had underestimated what knights using Physical Enhancement were truly capable of.
"Lord Rein, get back."
As I peeked out to watch, Mira pulled my arm and guided me back behind the carriage. Immediately after, I heard the heavy thud of something striking the oak planks right next to me.
The first casualty was brought to us shortly after. He was a knight of House Werl with an arrow protruding from his arm. I pulled it out and immediately applied Recovery Magic. The wound sealed shut, and I wiped away the blood with a cloth.
"...Thank you."
The knight replied, looking slightly embarrassed, and immediately sprinted back to the front.
By the time the vanguard cleared the field and reached the base of the incline, the situation above shifted. A man holding a staff leaned out from a gap atop the wooden fence.
The air rippled at the tip of his staff, and a sphere of fire began to take shape.
When it grew to about the size of a human head, he hurled it toward us.
It struck near the front of the charging knights at the base of the path and erupted in an explosion.
A thunderous boom echoed a moment later. Soil and rye were blasted into the air, and several knights at the vanguard were sent flying before crashing back to earth.
Then the realization hit me: Katia was right where it had landed.
A chill ran down my spine. Thick dust and smoke swirled upward, obscuring the scene.
"Katia!"
I shouted her name without thinking.
As if responding to my voice, something moved, forcefully parting the cloud of dust.
It was the color of soil, molded into a human shape. Arms, back, legs—it was all encased.
It was the same height as the person I knew, and she held a familiar halberd in her hands.
It was Katia.
Katia gave her halberd a sharp swing to steady her resolve, and as if its purpose had been served, the Earth Armor crumbled and fell away like discarded shells.
Scattering those fragments, she resumed her charge at the head of the unit.
As she ran, it seemed more magicians joined the fray. They unleashed a continuous barrage of explosive spheres and spells that spread fire over a wide area.
Katia charged through the inferno with total composure.
Looking closely, I realized that whenever her Earth Armor was chipped away by the heat or impact, she was instantly reconstructing it from her feet up to replenish the protection.
"You aren't His Excellency—that armor won't hold, Milady!"
Lutz shouted as he chased after her, though I didn't fully understand what he meant by that.
From that point on, I no longer had the luxury of watching the front. Knights injured by magic were being brought to us in a steady stream.
Many of those caught in the magical blasts suffered from fractures and burns, most of which I was able to heal. Perhaps thanks to their armor, no one had sustained fatal injuries yet, though one man had lost the fingers on one hand. I left his emergency treatment to Big Sister Therese for the time being. As we drew closer to the fortress, the number of arrow wounds also increased.
To a man, they all returned to the fray the moment their treatment was finished.
"Next!"
It was Anton's voice. The ones transporting the wounded were almost exclusively knights of House Werl. There was a clear gap in experience between the soldiers of a Margrave’s house, who were constantly engaged in border skirmishes, and those of the Werl unit. Since Anton had said as much himself, it was likely a matter of utilizing the right people for the right roles.
Big Sister Therese was primarily handling the severe cases. There was no hesitation in her movements; she was clearly accustomed to such scenes.
"We’ve reached the wall!"
Someone shouted. I looked up to see Katia right at the base of the fence. Lutz was at her side, cutting down every arrow aimed at her as if he could see their trajectories before they were even fired.
For some reason, Katia wasn't wearing her Earth Armor anymore.
"Why isn't she using her armor...?"
As I muttered the question, a knight of House Laufen receiving treatment nearby answered.
"Lady Katia cannot cast different spells simultaneously. I believe she is about to create a stairway."
Just as he predicted, Katia pressed both hands against the ground.
The earth surged upward. One step. Two steps. Three steps.
At that moment, someone leaned over the top of the fence, clutching a staff.
"Ah—!?"
The cry escaped my lips, but in that same instant, Lutz pulled something from his waist and hurled it. A streak of silver light cut through the air.
A knife buried itself in the magician's brow, and he vanished behind the fence.
"Go! Open the gate!!"
At Lutz's command, the other knights scrambled up the earthen stairs. Katia vaulted over the fence and disappeared from sight as well.
A short while later, the gate swung open from the inside.
The knights surged through. A cacophony of war cries and shouts erupted, and I knew the chaotic melee had begun within the walls.
"Lord Rein. We are moving forward. Please stay close to me."
Anton began pushing the carriage toward the gate.
◇◇◇
The outside was a cacophony of noise. Opening the door to my quarters, I addressed a nearby man.
"What is happening?"
"Lord Lothar!? It’s an attack! Please, arm yourself!"
Soldiers bearing a crest I recognized had managed to breach the fence. Their numbers weren't particularly great, and yet, our side was being pushed back.
"Sigh..."
An involuntary sigh escaped me.
"I make such elaborate preparations, even lending out magicians, and they can’t even hold a position like this?"
The man looked as if he wanted to offer an excuse, but one look at me made him hold his tongue.
"No matter. I’ll just have to cut down these backwater knights myself."
I descended the stairs and stepped outside.
The air was thick with smoke and the sound of screaming. No one was looking at me; everyone was too preoccupied with the enemy directly in front of them.
One soldier came charging toward me.
He was young. He was shouting something—whether he was demanding my surrender or my name, I couldn't tell over the din of battle.
I felt no need to answer him.
I drew my sword and swung it once.
The young soldier collapsed. I flicked the blood from my blade and continued walking.
Now then, I suppose it’s time I did a little work.