I am the Monarch

Chapter 247: The Ruin (2)

Roan Lancephil sometimes uselessly worry about unanswerable questions.

‘Ian Phillips vs. Clay.’

Between the two of them, who is better.
In his last life, only Ian Phillips stood out.
Despite the fact that he had all the memories before hexmage’s mental attack,
the name called Clay could not be recalled.

‘That probably means he wasn’t revealed in the world before.’

Roan had admired Clay many times for his outstanding abilities while working with him.
Clay wasn’t just capable as a soldier in strategy and tactics.
His administration and management over the territory was phenomenal as well.
He even excelled at commercial goods, such as making huge profits in harvesting and trading grains in the Istel Kingdom.
Above all, Clay was insightful.
His view towards the world.
He knew better than anyone else what he needed to do first and what he needed to prepare.
To Roan, he knew the itchy spot in advance and scratches it.(TL:Clay know his most vulnerable spot, and able to ‘scratch’ it to make it worse)

‘I have also thought that maybe Clay could be better than Ian…….’
‘As I still haven’t faced the real side of Ian Phillips in my last life.’

However, the idea was shattered when he worked with Ian after the last Royal Capital Miller campaign.

‘He’s not called an unparalleled strategist without reason.’

Roan rolled his tongue out.
It hasn’t been long ago since Ian joined the Lancephil camp, just a few months ago.
But he already has a complete understanding of all the information about the Lancephil Fief Army and County.
He even identified the tendencies of those commanders and the Adjutants.
Based on the information he had identified, Ian was able to fully run the Fief Army as well as the far away County.
It’s indeed a great ability.
But Roan’s admiration wasn’t just about Ian’s abilities.

‘It’s different from Clay.’

Ian and Clay.
In reality, their abilities may be similar.
But there was a decisive difference between the two men.
If Clay is type to overwork his abilities and handled the job in a self-sufficient manner, Ian was the type that listened to the opinions of many people and helped them to unleash their abilities.
Thanks to this, the Lancephil Fief Army and Count were moving along systematically, and they were running like cogs on oil.

‘While both are good, but when two are placed on the street, unlike Clay, Ian is crowded around people.’

That’s why Roan rated Ian higher than Clay.

‘In the end, Ian will win.’

A firm belief.
He believed in Ian.
While Roan thought about such things, Ian began building an encampment with his commanders.
Each Corps and Troop took shifts to check the perimeter.
In the meantime, the camp fence was quickly erected.
It was a very quick setup with sufficient look.
The encampment was set in the form a bare minimum standards just before the sun went down.
Commander-in-chiefs, captains and commanders officers of each force gathered at the Main Command Barracks.

“We’ve setup the framework of the encampment for now sir.”

Roan nodded to Austin’s report.

“Everyone did a good job. It should have been a tiring hard march, so take some rest.”

Austin and several commanders opened their eyes wide.

“Re, Rest sir?”
“Are you just telling us to rest sir?”

A voice with a quizzical tone.
Viscount Heath Potter spoke with caution.

“Are we not preparing for the night-attack sir?”
“There will definitely be night-attack sir.”
“They’re probably thinking we’ll be knocked out from exhaustion, sir.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.
Ian smiled and nodded.

“Of course, you have to be prepared for the night attack.”

The leaders that were filled with anxiety, were relieved from that word.
Ian shook his hand and continued.

I have prepared the cottons. Give it to the soldiers.”

It wasn’t the expected words at all.

“Co, Cotton sir?”

One of the commanders stuttered.
Everyone’s view turned towards Ian.
Ian responded with a casual voice.

“The enemy won’t be doing a night-time attack. Instead, they’ll make a fuss by shooting arrows or shots from a distance. Allied soldiers will be tired of the exhausting marches, so keep their ears shut with the cottons. The encampment’s boundaries should be done in usual shifts as well.”

Casually stated, as if he’s looking through what’s in the future.
What was surprising was the response of Austin and other commanders.

“Yes sir.”
“If it’s stated so from General, then it must be so.”
“It looks look we can take a break today. Hahaha.”

No one asked for a reason, and they also did not look anxious at all .
Ian couldn’t hide his delight at the commanders.

‘They’re all good people.’

Of course, not all commanders trusted Ian from the start.
Ian’s abilities were shown steadily over the past few months, and they naturally formed trust over him.
However, that’s not the only great thing.

‘There’s no envy or jealousy.’

Lancephil’s commanders and subordinates were those who knew the power of others and who could honestly acknowledge and respect other’s role.
Rank, position, and age did not matter.
They too, like Roan, valued the person itself as the priority.
This allowed the young Ian to command and control the Fief Army without difficulty as a general.

“Well, everyone take a rest, then……”

Roan stood in front of several commanders and smiled hazily.

“See you on the battlefield tomorrow.”

With powerful voice.

“Yes Sir!”

All of the commanders bowed their heads in full military honor.
That night, as Ian said, the Rinse Liberators appeared in front of the central, left, and right-wing of the encampment, sporadically shooting arrows, ringing gongs, drums, and horns.
Lancephil Fief Army responded through the scout troop, and then blew the horns out to the camp as if it were on a walk.
Moderate level of counterattack.
Thanks to this, the Rinse Liberation had the illusion that the Lancephil Fief Army had neither rest nor had a night without sleep.
Ian vs. Clay.
The winner of the first fight was Ian.
Of course, Clay didn’t know this.

Puuuuu!

The sound of horns roared as the day wore on, announcing the deployment to three forces, the Central force, the Left, and the Right, was terrifying.
Each military forces, were as if they were ready before, and the soldiers were prepared for battle.

“It’s great.”

Roan looked forward and marveled at the sight with a low voice.
Across the field, more than 20,000 people set in formation.
It was the soldiers of the Rinse Liberation Army.
More than twice the number of Lancephil Central force.

“There shouldn’t be anything to worry about sir.”

Ian smiled faintly.

“Only about 10,000 of them have been properly trained in the military.”

The rest were conscripts who were rushed for war.
Most of them were farmers, and they had a brief moment to touch weapons in the farming season and when subjugating monsters.
By comparison, the Lancephil’s troops, left, and right-wing forces were all elite forces that had fought numerous battles.
In addition, at least a thousand Legionnaires knew how to use mana for each force.
Surely their level falls below the knights, but they were still far more powerful than the general soldiers.
Roan nodded slowly.
He thought the same way as Ian.
There was no need to be scared in advance just because of the difference in the number of troops.
No, in the first place, there was no such coward in the Lancephil Fief Army, including Roan.
Right then.

“They’re moving.”

Roan smiled, looking forward.
A long line from left to right began with the Soldiers of the Rinse Liberation Army.
The left and right moved first, and the central, which is the main body, is a little behind.
Roan turned his head slightly and looked at Ian.

“Now, Let us begin?”

Ian smiled and bowed his head.

“Yes, preparation is already over sir.”

Even before a big battle, a neutral and casual voice.
He immediately waved his arms and sent a signal.
Soldiers on the makeshift watchtower waved their small flags.
At the same time.

Puuuu! Dong! Dong! Dong!

The sound of horns and drums echoed with grandeur.

“Forwards!”

With a roaring voice, the two Troops sprang up forwards.
It was the Pakicetus Troop, which was based on Pierce and The Asta Troop, led by Heath.
The two Troops ran toward the enemy left and right respectively.

Bang!

With resounding roar, the battle began.

“Stop them!”
“Kill them!”

From the start, it was an incredibly fierce battle.
They had a much larger number of troops, but weaker individual forces were much stronger than the Lancephil Fief Army, including Pierce and Heath.
In addition, they responded immediately to complex signals and simple commands.

Pavat!

A water-mana bottle following the captain shook the flag.
Each troop was split went back to Thousand-man (chiliarch) forces, by Hundred-man Squad, and the Ten-Man Group reuniting.
Even if they stepped forward, backwards, or frantically changed their view to the left and right.
Like looking at flowing river water, they moved naturally.
In the midst of it, Pierce’s performance in pushing the enemy right wing was almost an eyeopener.

Skuk! Sukuk!

“Ku-ugh!”
“Keruk!”

Every time the spear danced, enemy soldiers fell down.

“I’m Lancephil Fief Army Asta Troop Commander Pierce!”