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Not all Elf Fortresses could easily control dragons like Margaret could.

Having a spire was a fortunate situation. Eramenia was a nation that had never seriously considered the threat of an attack on its homeland, and realistically, it was a nation that didn’t need to consider it at all. Most of the defense facilities were merely makeshift fortifications, and it was a blessing to have even one large crossbow installed. More often than not, it was necessary for conscripted soldiers to draw the enemy’s attention with their firepower.

The elves’ archery skills were outstanding, regardless of the experience of the skilled or the beginner, so there shouldn’t be too many issues. Unfortunately, even the ordinary arrows were not in unlimited supply. As they exhausted their existing arrows, they replenished them by breaking branches to craft new arrowheads, but there were only a limited number of arrows left to equip the resource companies, which numbered at least 100,000.

If the scarcity of crossbows and arrows began to show, the elves would have hardly any realistic options to face the dragons.

Hang gliders could only approach the enemy with the aid of the wind, and ascending into the sky using hot air balloons to board was impossible. If the dragons weren’t stupid, they wouldn’t simply watch a large balloon float right before their eyes.

Beluke, who temporarily held the position of commander in place of Margaret, could do nothing effective as he watched the long-distance flight of the dragons aiming at the royal capital with wide eyes. It wasn’t because he was foolish. The dragons were living disasters, flying punishers.

As the extreme shock of the early stages of the invasion subsided and the remnants that had hidden in the forest began to engage in effective guerrilla warfare, the death rate of the elves was not as drastically high as before. However, still over 4,000 elves lost their lives, and many more soldiers were groaning with various wounds while holding their weapons for their homeland.

Something had to be done. Even Margaret jumped in to intercept the Black Dragon herself; I could not do nothing as the one holding the temporary command.

“We need a way to hold back the enemy from the air, no matter what. Is it possible to reconsider deploying the airship?”

“That’s impossible. Hydrogen is a flammable explosive substance. No matter how much magical armor is applied, it cannot be used to capture dragons breathing fire. Even if the flammability issue were resolved, the equipment is too outdated, and Eramenia no longer has the facilities to produce hydrogen.”

One of the generals’ aides immediately replied. From the tone, it was evident that the aide had already considered potential solutions.

In the case of airships used on Earth, it is common sense to use helium, which does not ignite, to lift the airship, but the fairies from 3,000 years ago did not know how to extract or use helium. In fact, even now, no one, whether elf or human, knows how to extract helium gas. The method to produce hydrogen, which had at least been used before, could also be considered a lost art since the Civil War in the forest.

Margaret, even after looking at the design plans for the grand airship, had given up on it and ignored it for various reasons.

“What if we launch a hot air balloon far from the dragons and then launch glide warriors from there?”

“That’s madness. We have nothing more than a giant hot air balloon which can only control altitude with the flame on or off, and we would need a tailwind to firmly support the gliders’ wings. Hot air balloons can’t run for long, so we’d need a strong tailwind.”

“But the chance of the glider units, after all that hard work, dying without achieving anything is far greater. In the first place, the possibility of taking off successfully is much lower! Damn it, I can’t see an escape route.”

“We are doing our best. The problem is… the enemy is simply too many.”

“Damn, what in the world is Audrich doing in this crisis that’s hanging by a thread!”

“General, the problems that Eramenia’s army cannot resolve, the Imperial army will not be able to fix either. The hero will do what a hero can do.”

One of the aides offered this serious advice. The temporary commander nodded, acknowledging the truth of the aide’s statement.

“Right. Even if the entire Imperial army were to fight alongside us in the forest, it wouldn’t be of much help. But if we could receive even a little bit of assistance in any form…”

Just then, among the short messages that had only been informing of the rapid advance of the dragons and the Elf army’s retreat, a unique message arrived. It was a message from a supply post on the western border, not the currently active battle.

“Wagon carrying arrows has arrived. It bears the emblem of the golden circle.”

One of the generals received the message and muttered its content. The temporary commander received the message with wide eyes and nodded.

“The Empire has not forsaken its duties. This is just what we need. Immediately send the wagon here. We will soon conduct a decisive battle at the royal capital, and we are greatly lacking arrows compared to the number of troops.”

Normally, they would need to keep in mind the possibility that it was a trap, which would require careful inspections and checks, but the current circumstances did not allow for such considerations. The inspection and verification of the supplies could be done at a basic level at the border; it was a priority to receive supplementary supplies as quickly as possible.

Due to the swift decision of the commander, the surprise gift sent from Walter safely arrived at the royal capital of Eramenia. Walter, who had resumed advancing north to match the movements of the dragons, put on the strongest defense he could muster. Leaving the command post to directly check the wagon, General Hambolio nodded while stroking Walter’s flag hanging from the wagon.

“30,000 arrows? That’s more than enough. No, it’s plenty. The soldiers of the kingdom will use these arrows far more effectively than the imperial soldiers could. The enemy is right at our doorstep. Load the crossbows and form ranks! We must hold them back here no matter what.”

The sounds of the dragons’ roars began to be heard. The pillars of flame from the dragons that were starting to incinerate everything in their path were now close enough that the heat could be felt on the skin.

According to the command of the commander, three legions, around 10,000 Elf soldiers, gathered their bows and quivers near the royal palace. The cavalry received orders to prepare for combat, and heavy infantry also held bows and arrows instead of spears and shields. The Eramenia army could all become spear-wielders, but they were the strongest multipurpose troop that could all be archers as well.

Two dragons, drawn by the brilliantly flashing golden dome, simultaneously turned their direction towards the royal capital. A silver-scaled dragon spewed flames toward the command post, destroying it, but by then, all Elf officers, including the temporary commander, had already retreated towards the palace.

From the west, a silver dragon, and from the east, a blue dragon, emerged, unleashing powerful breaths of fire. The general was calculating the firing point while holding the pole in front of him.

Even with the support from Walter, the number of arrows each could receive amounted to barely three or four. Caution. Orders had to be given cautiously and meticulously.

The dragons clearly aimed for the royal palace, yet they hesitated to approach, watching the Elf soldiers who had entrenched themselves in front of them. The dragons had witnessed firsthand that even a single coordinated strike from a legion could bring down one of their kind.

Due to the delay tactics of the Eramenia army, the dragons had also consumed considerable energy. Moreover, having flown over 1,000 kilometers in a single night meant they had already exhausted themselves. No matter how powerful a dragon was, maintaining a high-speed flight exceeding 100 km/h while smashing their way through Elf troops occasionally would weigh heavily on their stamina.

Just as the Elves were prepared to face the potential destruction of their homeland, the dragons were also flying toward the forest with the awareness of facing their own extinction. In some sense, this represented the utmost total war between the two most powerful races in the world.

“It seems they have no intention of coming closer until we fire first.”

An Elf officer remarked, having witnessed the dragons, which had nearly reached the royal capital, performing fear-driven evasive maneuvers. If this continued, it would be the Eramenia army that was in a rush. If that behavior was merely instinct born from fear, then it would be a good thing, but if it was an action stemming from waiting for reinforcements from other dragons, the one needing to act quickly would become the defensive force. If they continued to receive reports on the situation from elsewhere, it would help in understanding the enemy’s intentions, but with the command post burning, no further messages could be sent.

“There’s nothing we can do. Unleash the horses and get the spears ready.”

“Is it a spear charge?”

“No. It’s a cavalry charge. After we fire one, prepare for a flanking maneuver. Understood? We cannot afford to fail with a single shot. If the enemy remains airborne, our weapons cannot reach them.”

The commander’s words caused the division commander to raise an eyebrow momentarily, but he quickly nodded as if he understood and began issuing specific commands.

With the rapid orders, the troops were split into two. The eastern army aimed all of their large crossbows and individual arrows at the Blue Dragon. The western army aimed a similar number of weapons at the Silver Dragon.

As the commander swung the pole once, about 10,000 warhorses burst forth towards the royal capital, seeking their riders. From a distance, it appeared as though the horses that had lost their riders were rampaging towards the Elves, but in reality, they were Eramenia horses that followed their riders better than anyone else, simply looking for their suitable riders.

Seeing the sudden emergence of a number of horses equal to that of the enemy, the dragons began to take notice and show alertness. The Elves bringing their horses is an indication that they were preparing for a charge or initiating a large-scale retreat. Since they couldn’t charge against an enemy in the air, they might have thought about retreating from the royal capital.

Was the enemy falling back, or were they just anticipating the next move? The exhausted dragons experienced a sense of tension slipping away, creating a slight relaxation. It wasn’t a complete relaxation but just a momentary slack, yet Commander Hambolio did not miss that brief moment. Once again, the commander’s pole swung down heavily.

“Fire!”

A single shot. Thousands of arrows were fired left and right, and among them were powerful crossbow bolts that could threaten a dragon’s life with a single hit.

The two dragons, taken aback by the unexpected assault, quickly twisted their bodies to dodge the heavy crossbow arrows. However, they could not evade or deflect the other thousands of arrows being fired by the Elves. Although the number of arrows flying towards them did not leave them critically wounded, it was because the commander had instructed them to aim at one of the dragons’ strongest parts, their wings.

“Lance!”

Without waiting to confirm the results of the attack, the commander immediately ordered all forces to switch to cavalry. The Eramenian army, too, silently strapped their bows on their backs, mounted their steeds, and drew the cavalry spears that were stuck in their sides.

The commander’s tactics proved successful. While they did not receive fatal injuries to vital organs, the wings, already weakened, were hit by hundreds of arrows, causing even the strongest of dragons to be unable to maintain their flight any longer.

Only then did the two dragons realize why the Elves were preparing to mount and draw their spears, but there was no option left. To ease the pain in their wings, the silver and blue dragons began to slowly descend to the ground. General Podopolio did not wait for the dragons to completely land but swung the pole once more.

“Charge!”

The shining golden cavalry split into two and began their charge towards their assigned dragons.

The ground trembled as if it would crush the royal palace. The vibration seemed ready to uproot all the trees in the forest and filled the royal capital. Even if Alex Caprice, commanding the royal knights, faced this legion’s charge head-on, they would be torn apart like a piece of paper. Only Rose Caprice’s short charge could rival the attack and power of this legion. No, even as remarkable as Rose was, if she faced all of them in a short burst, total victory could not be guaranteed.

Splitting into two as they charged, the Elven cavalry once again branched off to surround the dragons that fell before them, encircling them with four branches.

The first impact. Hundreds, thousands of spears pierced the dragon’s body all at once, causing the dragons to unleash cries of pain. The roars from the two dragons were threatening on their own, but now they were overshadowed by the sound of the hooves of the Eramenia army.

Just when the Elf cavalry surrounding the dragons had paused to catch their breath and prepared to press in once more, the Silver Dragon began to shudder and, in a plaintive tone, begged.

“My lord! Please grant us permission to retreat. We did not come out here to die!”

I could sense that it was a plea directed at a being that was absent, namely the Dragon Lord. Simultaneously, the Blue Dragon, writhing beside him and swatting at the Elves with its forepaws, began to voice its lament toward their sovereign amidst the cries escaping its mouth.

“Our mission is complete. Two of our brethren have already died, so please allow us to withdraw. Should you deny us, all that awaits us is death!”

The Elves felt a strange repulsion at the dragons’ pleas directed toward a nonexistent being, and they began to gently widen the encirclement. Podopolio watched the two dragons, waving their tails and wings and bleeding profusely.

What they did to Eramenia was a wicked deed that warranted being torn to shreds immediately, but if they turned back on their own, there was no need to hinder that. This choice aligned with Margaret’s strategic goal of defeating the enemy with minimal sacrifice.

The two dragons, seemingly in no mood to attack the Elves for anything beyond self-defense, suddenly lifted their heads toward the sky and began to beat their wings madly as they soared upwards. The cavalry immediately tucked their spears back under their arms and drew their bows, but the commander prohibited them from firing immediately.

“They are retreating.”

One Elf aide commented upon seeing the dragons turning north. With seemingly exhausted wings, the dragons began to flap their wings toward the northwestern mountains, the shortest escape route to exit this forest. The Eramenia army, which had to conserve arrows, did not go to the trouble of pursuing or firing arrows at them. Of course, if they could ensure the dragons were killed, they would naturally go for that, but the wisdom of life held that aggravating cornered dragons could lead to unpredictable destructive actions.

“But if they say they have completed their mission, what could that possibly mean?”

General Podopolio turned his head towards the royal capital, muttering with a troubled expression. The palace stood firm. The royal capital hadn’t completely escaped the ravages of destruction, but overall, it was holding up adequately.

A strange thought crossed the general’s mind.

“What if the royal capital wasn’t the initial objective after all? If that earlier behavior of evasion was not waiting for reinforcements to reach the royal capital, but rather an attempt to delay us and strike somewhere else…”

 

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