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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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[Chirp-chirp- chirp-chirp- squawk- squawk- caw-!]
‘Is that a swallow? It’s so loud.’
Summer. The space between Grantebrycge and Beodericsworth had become a place where only birds flew.
Nearly two weeks had passed since the preliminary battle, and only the ceaselessly roaming scouts were reporting the ever-changing movements of the enemy to their respective castles.
As for me, I was just sitting here waiting for the movements of Ivarr and Hastein, but I had wondered what Edmund was waiting for, and sure enough, news of a large-scale military force being observed began to trickle in.
The main force of Mercia must have finally revealed itself.
Since it was seen with human eyes, the exact number could not be known, but this was, after all, their home ground. It would be at least 10,000. Combined with the vanguard led by Edmund, 15,000? Or more.
On the other hand, our numbers totaled 11,000.
My vanguard of 2,000, 2,000 under Guthrum, the Helgi loyalists within East Anglia centered around Sigtryggr at 3,000, and Oleg and Djur who had arrived a few days ago with 4,000.
I had never fought a war where the numbers were in my favor, so I couldn’t help but laugh for a moment at the thought that this number was manageable. But this time, it was not a situation where I had to attack unconditionally like in Northumbria.
Because the news I had been waiting for had arrived while we were just glaring at each other’s castle walls, with a plain of half a day’s distance between us.
Hastein’s messenger had finally reached me.
‘Cymru wants a price… a price? I’ll give it. What’s the big deal?’
Was there any way Cymru could be unified? The Celtic friends who were said to be divided into north and south. But these people, who did not shy away from a fight, seemed to have united their will at the opportunity to finally beat the Angle and Saxon kingdoms…
Hastein, through the messenger, had appealed that he and Salomon had tried very hard to reduce their absurd demands, but I was determined to grant all of the Cymry’s demands instead.
What they wanted was the western territory of Mercia. The limit was as far as their hands could reach.
If you can take it, take it. I could give that much land as much as they wanted. It was a place I couldn’t even eat right now anyway.
I sent my thoughts back with the messenger, and I finally decided to move. I immediately gathered the main commanders of my army in one place.
[Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!]
Since we didn’t know when the enemy’s attack would begin, everyone was properly armed. My retainers climbed the stairs up the not-so-high castle walls without much effort.
Refil and Storolf. Oleg and Djur. Sigtryggr and Guthrum.
And even Leon, who had become my adjutant.
Considering that I had roamed here and there with Ivarr leading less than 1,000 warriors, we had developed a lot.
“Konungr, you called!”
The always energetic Storolf asked on behalf of the group, and I stood up from leaning against the castle wall.
“It is good you have all come. Jarl Hastein has sent a messenger.”
Though it was just one sentence, there was no one gathered here who did not know its meaning.
My retainers, whose eyes all began to sparkle. At that sight, a low laugh escaped me.
“It’s finally beginning…”
Especially Sigtryggr, who had a deep-seated grudge against Edmund, exuded an atmosphere as if he would draw his sword and step forward at any moment… Since I had only seen his calm side, seeing him like this was not bad.
Shall I say he seemed more human.
“Yes, it’s finally beginning. But it doesn’t seem like our Cymry friends will be attacking the enemy’s rear right away, so we must think that victory is our own to take.”
“Of course! Konungr!”
“We will not let a single one of them leave alive!”
“Just leave it to us!”
I wondered if they would become complacent in the triumphant atmosphere, so I spoke a little sternly, and everyone pulled themselves together.
In the first place, the purpose of this summons was to announce the start of the pincer movement from the east and west and also to call for caution, so the objectives were all accomplished. Now, all that was left was to face the enemy.
The enemies would believe in their advantage, so they would never avoid our challenge.
“Good. Then today, we leave the castle. But let us remember. This time, it is a battle we win by just holding the enemy’s ankle. I will bestow a hefty reward on everyone, so being unnecessarily greedy is absolutely not tolerated. Do you understand?”
“Yes! Konungr!”
[Thud!]
My retainers, who all bowed their heads and gave a military salute.
In the midst of my heart being filled with satisfaction at their reliable appearance, the chirping of the birds looking down on the humans on the castle walls continued.
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Beodericsworth had moved.
The Northmen’s army, which had been crouching quietly like a hibernating bear, like a beehive stockpiling honey, had suddenly increased its number of scouts more than tenfold, and had then opened the castle gates and poured out all at once.
For Burgred and Cyning Edmund, who were the instigators of this war and were in a position to take the enemy’s territory, it was a good thing, but the aftertaste was certainly not clean.
“They opened the castle gates and came out…? Is this report correct?”
“It is, Cyning Burgred. Unless the eyes of our scouts have suddenly gone blind, everyone has reported the same thing.”
“How could I not believe the words of my own warriors? It’s just… so unexpected. By any chance, were we mistaken about their numbers?”
“That is not so, Cyning. It is a matter we have confirmed several times. Our numbers are greater.”
“Yes, and not by just one or two, I mean. And yet, what do you think is the reason they have come out?”
Burgred’s brow was furrowed with questions, and on Edmund’s face, which had been full of a gloomy light for a while, a light of hope appeared.
“That is something I do not understand well either, Cyning.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Edmund, who had been listening silently to the conversation between Burgred and Cœnred, stepped forward around the time the conversation between the king and the lord of Mercia began to repeat itself, biting each other’s tails.
“Their Konungr, Helgi Ragnarsson, is truly a great warrior worthy of appearing in the scriptures. This, I, who have faced him, would know best here.”
Although the forces he had were small, Edmund was, after all, the rightful monarch of East Anglia. In fact, since he had even received the recognition of the Pope, whose influence was not so great on this Isle of Britain, Burgred nodded his head in a gesture to continue.
“I will listen, Cyning Edmund.”
“Thank you, Cyning Burgred.”
A subtle current felt when they exchanged gazes for a moment.
Aelfred, who was sitting quietly in this place as an observer from Wessex, noticed the tension between the two kings, but just recorded the fact in a corner of his mind. He did not show any particular movement.
“Although they are truly a pack of vicious wolf captains and their pack, they are, in the end, just a band of plunderers and barbarians who do not know the true faith. Having triumphed in East Anglia and Northumbria, can you not imagine how great their arrogance must be?”
Edmund, who expressed his unpleasant feelings toward the Northmen and their leader, Helgi Ragnarsson, without any reservation. However, as if he was not a person who was just buried in faith and ignored reality, he began to lay out his own logic.
“They have won until now with the powerful breakthrough led by the Konungr of those heathens, so it will surely be the same this time. However, I have not been idle in preparation for this time, so I and the warriors of East Anglia will block them in the center.”
Edmund with a determined look. In his posture, expression, and voice, which contained a deep heat, one could even feel a kind of reverence.
Burgred, who had received a new impression of this person, Edmund, just like everyone else in the hall, tried to hide his admiration and asked Edmund for his plan.
“Indeed, you are worthy of being a Cyning who receives the praise of the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, I cannot help but ask, by what means do you plan to block their well-known charge?”
The answer that came back to a very rational question was a very faithful one. A madness never seen before was flowing from Edmund’s mouth.
“With faith and blood. I have sworn in the name of God that we will fight with long spears and sturdy shields until we all fall. I and the soldiers of East Anglia will not retreat a single step.”
“Ehem-”
“Hah-”
In front of the blind gaze of one who had resolved to die, the royals and nobles, who had more attachment to life than anyone else, all let out a sigh.
‘I had heard that two monasteries in northern East Anglia had gone to great lengths for Edmund’s expedition this time, and it seems it was true.’
Of course, the resolve of Edmund and his men, who had even disregarded death, was dazzling, but did reality ever run on faith alone?
In Burgred’s mind, he could already guess who the one who had instigated Edmund from behind was. Probably the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Aethelred of Wessex…
How could Edmund, who had been driven out to the marshlands, have appeared with 2,000 elite soldiers? War is fought with money, food, steel, and people.
‘Well, does it matter?’
After all, the elite troops of Mercia would deliver the final blow. If Edmund would buy time for him as bait, there was no reason to refuse.
Of course, he would have to think again about whether Edmund was worth that much to the enemy’s leader, Konungr Helgi.
But it was probably a topic that did not need to be brought up in this place right now.
“You are a true man of faith, Cyning Edmund. I would like to apologize for my rudeness until now. Please forgive me.”
“What is there to forgive or not? Ealdorman Cœnred. Are we not all brothers in Catholicism, facing the enemy of our faith? Do not say such things.”
“Hah-… You truly make me ashamed, Cyning Edmund.”
“Cyning Edmund!”
“Long live Cyning Edmund!”
‘Edmund has already earned the price of his life.’
To have bought the respect of the high-nosed nobles in an instant.
At this emotional moment, Burgred, who felt that Edmund was a scarier person than he had thought, happened to meet the eyes of Aelfred, who surely had similar thoughts.
That coy brother-in-law, who was looking at Edmund with a sour expression, and then hurriedly turned his eyes away as if embarrassed when their eyes met.
‘It seems I was mistaken. If we fight those Northmen here… in the end, it will be Wessex that wins.’
Burgred, who had given a bitter smile, brought the meeting, which had brightened up in an instant, to a conclusion.
If Beodericsworth had moved, Grantebrycge would respond.
“Warriors of Mercia and East Anglia, the time has come to debate with that heathen Konungr of the North whose faith is the true faith. Today, we leave the castle.”
“Long live Mercia! Long live East Anglia!”
“Long live Cyning Burgred! Long live Cyning Edmund!”
The fervor of the commanders soon spread to the warriors under their command, and the warriors of Burgred and Edmund, heading for the promised victory, vigorously left the castle gates.
Vigorously and resolutely.
It was the advance of the Mercia & North-West East Anglia allied forces, which had started with great momentum, but they, who had been heading for a pleasant victory, soon had to harden their expressions.
Because the formation and momentum of the Northmen, who were waiting, holding the low hills in advance, were more impressive than they had thought.
‘Damn Edmund. What? Fundamentally just barbarians? In what way do they look like barbarians.’
War is fought with money, food, people, and equipment, was it? Of those, the most important was the people. In a way, the alliance of Mercia and East Anglia might have fallen into the trap of numbers.
Because their momentum looked so stern that it could easily overcome that number.
‘They are lined up along the low hills. Thanks to that, it’s difficult to grasp their exact numbers, and since they are sitting on the road, it won’t be easy to bypass them either. The only thing to believe in is that we have more numbers, and that our mobility is faster.’
The riders of Mercia were renowned as a cavalry that was not inferior to that of Wessex. They were by no means lacking compared to the cavalry that the Frankish kingdom across the southern strait had begun to raise in earnest.
Of course, the riders of Western Europe in this period were more suited for dismounted combat than mounted combat, but anyway, mobility was very important.
‘In the end, is there no choice but to clash?’
Where had all the fervor from before the departure gone? Burgred, who had glanced at Edmund’s face, which had hardened upon facing the enemy, soon gave a command in a calm tone.
“Thankfully, the enemies were waiting for us first. We will also deploy our troops and set up a guard. We must prevent the enemy from getting around to our rear.”
“Yes!”
A battle where a considerable number of troops clash. The victory would not be decided easily.
Burgred decided to slowly provoke the enemy’s nerves. And then, he would strike a proper blow. Because if it went to a war of attrition, in the end, the side with more numbers would be advantageous.
‘This is a war we cannot lose.’
If worse came to worst, he could mobilize the unsummoned troops in the rear, and he could also request reinforcements from Wessex.
This war could not possibly be lost, Burgred thought.
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