The Strategist Knows Everything

"Thanks! Too much time!

"Tell that to the four of us. Well, I'm still gonna get you to work."

Saying so, I came to the rear command where Fio is. The staff staffs who solidify themselves around Fio and the liaison staff are moving.

Command is fully functional. Even if the enemy is more than twice as powerful and overwhelmingly superior with fire, he can stand it.

But we're not here to defend this fort. We are here to push our enemies to retreat at least. Bearing it is not enough.

"What do we need to do to retreat our enemies?

That's what Fio says to me. The staff officer nearby shows a slightly grumpy face.

Naturally. If Fio were to ask me, I wouldn't know what the staff was up to.

Nevertheless. I can't afford to worry about our personal mood right now. Now he's gaining momentum, pushing, but losing in numbers, and losing in firepower. As soon as we lose momentum, we return to our disadvantages.

It's a battle against time.

We have to think fast and act fast.

"Damage. We need to do a lot of damage, or make it look like it's done, and make the commander think his army is at a disadvantage."

"You're a commander like that Dick, right? This is a difference in numbers, and you're going to meditate on some damage, aren't you?

"Oh. His job is to drop this fort. I wouldn't hate to sacrifice for that, but they still have to fight after this. The division of the army to attack the three forts means we need to rendezvous somewhere. But it's hard to do that in a damaged army. Somewhere, they must be pulling the line of damage."

"If you can spot it, you can push it into retreat."

In the army of the earth, the army is judged to be wiped out at a loss of about 30% to 40%. I don't know if this applies to the armies of this world as it is, but it would be one criterion.

Why 30% to 40%. It's easy, because when you lose 30% to 40%, that army can't function as an army.

If humans lose 30% to 40% of their bodies, it will be difficult to walk. The army loses its function, too.

In that regard, one criterion for withdrawal could be damage to such an extent that the purpose cannot be fulfilled.

When that happens, it becomes necessary to be an enemy thought and think. This is important, but quite difficult.

"Fio. What is the ultimate purpose of the enemy?

"I think it's a conquest of the Empire."

"So, what's the interim goal?

"Hmm, is that about attacking Ferenol?

"When that happens, don't retreat if you cause damage that can't attack Ferenol"

It's easy to say, but not easy to do. Thirty thousand Albion troops will probably be enough to attack Ferenol. Even with Fio's uncle on Taishou, Ferenol is not a fort. It's only the city. If we are besieged by thirty thousand armies, we will not be spared the fall.

Currently, the number of Albion troops attacking the fort is approximately 30,000. And forty thousand at the rear. I think this 40,000 will move to attack the two remaining forts, but if it doesn't, there will be 40,000 as a trap.

If we lose 30,000 troops round and even drop the fort, 40,000 troops will attack Ferenol.

But.

"If we don't attack the three forts at the same time, there will be enemy forces behind us when we attack Ferenol. You'll want to avoid that. If you think about it, you haven't missed your expectations that you would attack the three forts..."

"Yeah. If that's the premise, this offensive army of Fort Lair needs to prevail. If you attack Fort Hauser, you will drain at least the same number of troops, so if you attack at 40,000, you will probably lose 15,000 to 20,000. The rest is about 20,000. I don't think that 20,000 is enough, so I want this Fort Lair offensive to have as many troops as possible...

Fio says so, virtually assuming that he was the enemy commander.

There will still be troops left in Albion's home country. With that in mind, what this 70,000 invading troops are looking for is an offense up to Ferenol. If we attack Ferenol, we will start restructuring our forces again.

So even if it is, I want to leave 40,000 to attack Ferenol. So what damage is allowed to the army attacking this Fort Lair?

"About 10,000 max."

"I think so. The less, the better. I think maybe the number the enemy general is thinking of pulling back on the line is about six to seven thousand. That's about it."

"Yeah. Don't worry about it."

Cut six to seven thousand of the thirty thousand. If it's the same number, the total number of soldiers here is still eight thousand. If you're going to go out there and shred over time, it's still not easy to go out there and shred that many troops. Anyway, this one is overwhelmingly inferior to the front fire.

Consolidated sorcery shooting from the front doesn't make it a battle. I mean, we can't shoot each other. This one is the best in defense. While Fio and I were talking, the Imperial Army was already turning to defense.

Defending combined witchcraft requires defensive witchcraft in a group. It's a sword and a shield. I can't have one role when I'm in one.

If magic cannot be done, will it be slaughtered by infantry? If you destroy the avant-garde you're attacking, it'll be about 6,000. Instead, this one will also be damaged and unable to defend the fort.

Realistically, it's tough to inflict six to seven thousand damage with this force.

But I don't have to kill 6,000 soldiers. We just have to disable six thousand people.

"Fio. Lend me the magicians."

"You can't turn the defense too thin, can you?

"I'm fine. Just take command of the enemy."

The enemy commander is Dick. I really don't think I can take it. However, there would be a lot of auxiliary people around Dick. Attacking Dick means attacking the center of the enemy.

The army is a creature. The best way to crush it quickly is by targeting your head.

Kill enemy staff and unit commanders as much as it would disable 6,000 people. That's all I'm trying to do now.

And I have one of my men who's good at that.

"Captain Ars. I'll clean up the enemy's staff, so will Captain Ars clean up the frontline commanders?

Captain Ars wasn't surprised by my words, he just responded with a belligerent smile as usual.

■ ■ ■

When it comes to cleaning up commanders on the front line, it's not like I'm going to beat them up. Only Kaguya can do that.

Ask Captain Ars to clean up those who are giving instructions among the soldiers of the Albion army who have climbed the fort.

"Mikana and Roy help Captain Ars. Me and Erica will attack the center of the enemy."

It's so easy to give instructions, and I'll take Erica and the magicians that Fio turned me forward.

"Don't you have to put Roy on the escort?

"There's just Micah and Captain Ars in case, isn't there?

"Best of all, are you aware that you're the one who can't do it in case there is?

"I am. Is that why Erica's here? I hope so. Red Lotus Witch."

When I said that to Erica walking next to me to my right, she looked at me seriously and unexpectedly.

That's weird. I told you something weird.

"So weird?

"No, I'm not. I was surprised that you trusted me."

"Credit? You thought I hadn't done it before?

"I thought Micah was the only person you truly trusted with Knox."

That's not true. No, well, if they ask me who I trust the most, I'll definitely give you Mikana's name, but it's not like I don't trust everyone else.

"I've fought with you so far, it's terrible."

"I'm the royal family of a country destroyed by Velis, a woman who kept her life going crazy by men? Don't you think I'd betray you?

"That's what you were thinking?

It was the words of Erica that surprised me. In the past, I put on a beautiful, refreshing piece of kedgel and thought that I was living a new life now.

"You thought I was a woman who wouldn't think about it?

"Well. I feel like everyone's sister. I don't know. Why did you tell me that at this time?

"Opportunities to be two with you are not in the middle. Basically, there's always Micah."

When they say that, it's true that Erica and I don't have much chance to talk. I mean, I hardly have a chance to talk to a troop leader other than Mikana.

They noticed this was awkward. It is very important that we speak face to face. If it's between people in the organization, it's a shame.

It would be a very important concern to set up a place and an opportunity for you to say something that you would not normally be able to. I'm everyone's superior officer, and I'm the best man in the empire on the expedition. I should have paid more attention to my men.

"I'm sorry about that. When this battle is over, I'll try to talk to everyone I can."

"It would help if you did. Because I have a hard time. Still, you can afford it, right?

Because of my slight attitude on the surface, Erica sighs and immediately switches the conversation.

But does it look like I can afford that much? As far as I'm concerned, it's the same as when I'm always on the battlefield.

"Do I look like I can afford it?

"Yeah. Usually the expression is a little tougher."

"Um, I think it looks that way, maybe because Fio is taking command of the Imperial Army. Either way, you don't have to worry about the Imperial Army, so now you can focus on what you need to do"

"You mean you've got less burden, so you can afford it?

"Yes, yes, yes."

Though that's not the only reason.

To be honest, the Albion army's movements and responses were full of gaps from my point of view. It's also subtle when it comes to poking a gap because I see it, but I'm more comfortable with it than dealing with an army without a gap.

Maybe that's what I think, because it's been a long time since I fought in a fort.

The forts and castles have been swamped since the battle against Kaguya. At that time, even if it exceeded it in quantity, it was overwhelmingly above it in quality. I still remember when the battle started and they kept pushing me all the time.

That's why I compare them. Lord Kaguya's army and the present army of Albion.

Kaguya's offense was harsh and unforgiving at that time. Besides, I was surprised that he was fighting manipulatively and unwillingly.

If you think so, the enemy in front of you doesn't seem like a big opponent.

"Does that mean I've had quite a bit of experience, too?

"Right. Experience is more of a weapon than anything. Sorcery doesn't change that."

Even witchcraft is no different.

Erica probably said something about concatenated magic.

Consolidated magic with the tingly air on the battlefield is very difficult, but the second unit, led by Erica, does it almost every time. So Erica would already be the most proficient at Velis when it comes to directing consolidated magic.

Anyway, since this war started, it's definitely us Knox who's been fighting the most.

"I don't know much about witchcraft, but I do know Erica has excellent arms,"

Consolidated magic is magic that performs the same magic as the central person and creates synergies. For this reason, the higher the skill of the central magician and the other magicians who match it, the more powerful it becomes.

But apart from power, when it comes to hitting rates, it depends almost on the central magician. Because it is the central sorcerer who controls magic.

And the highest-rated sorcerer I know is Erica.

"Attack around enemy general Dick. If there's an explosion around him, there 'll be damage to the staff, and he'll mistake himself for being pushed."

"Is that why you gave long answers to the enemy general in your first speech?

"I guess it's a little different. I thought it would help if I knew where he was, but I wasn't expecting this."

That's what I'm trying to say, but I was half anticipating.

If the goal is to evacuate the enemy, it is the quickest way to get the enemy general to issue an evacuation order. And the enemy general decides he is undeniably unfavourable when the enemy reaches around him.

Then you can attack around the enemy general with a remote attack. That's about all I thought about.

Although I won't tell Erica because it would be troublesome to be misunderstood if I could read it until earlier. No, because I don't say this, because I'm not trusted, does it seem like it?

"Correction. I expected it for you"

"Are you being honest today?

"Is that it? Did you find out I lied to you?

"If we've been doing your men for quite some time, we'll know if they're lying or not. So I want you to tell me the truth as much as you can."

"Oh. I feel like there's more Micah."

While slapping such a light mouth, I narrowed my eyes and firmly caught sight of where Dick, the enemy general, was.