"Master, casualties are 1,835... 524 seriously wounded, no minor injuries... 1,311 dead." Rayler, the third disciple, looked dejected. "Also, Fulin is dead."
Fulin was a military talent ranked around 300th among Kailar's disciples. Although he had significant issues with the overall strategic view, he possessed a keen sense of direction in small-scale battles. Kailar knew, without even thinking, that Fulin must have discovered the enemy's presence and acutely realized that the enemy absolutely could not be allowed to break through the formation, so he fought hard… His entire squad probably died, didn't they? Kailar's eyes couldn't help but show sadness and grief.
"Artoria, come tell me who the enemy is." Kailar couldn't help but grit his teeth. He had just achieved a glorious victory only to be ambushed by the enemy again. This kind of drastic fluctuation in fortune was something only someone with Kailar's exceptional mental fortitude could handle; any other commander would have long since collapsed.
"It's Leinuo's cavalry!" Looking at the fluttering horse banners of the iron cavalry above, Artoria's face was grim, and her spirits were quite low.
Less than a month after King Uther's death, so many people rose up. One or two could be called accidental, a lord with ambition, but these three or four rebels appearing one after another made it impossible not to consider King Uther's mistakes.
For her own father to be so unpopular was a great blow to Artoria.
"Leinuo, Leinuo, Leinuo…" Kailar murmured the name as if remembering something: "Viscount Chamberlain of Leinuo's territory died two years ago. His son Hali succeeded him…"
"Hali!"
Kailar's gaze shot into the enemy formation like lightning: "I'm afraid our only enemy is this audacious Hali! He doesn't understand the rules of a Knight, doesn't know the honor of a warrior, to actually launch a sneak attack amidst the chaos of war…"
Suddenly, he sighed to the sky: "I was too rigid! I only thought of the Knight's rules of one-on-one combat, formation against formation, but he taught me a good lesson. I must thank him!" Although this tuition was paid with the blood and flesh of thousands of his subjects and warriors, and more people would be buried for this lesson in the future.
"Hali Bright! Let's have a decisive battle." The discomfiture no longer showed on Kailar's face; a spirited Kailar had never wanted to defeat this enemy more.
Hali Bright felt great! Extremely great! Super great!
Who is Kailar?
Camelot's number one young man!
Always mentioned by elders, the 'child from another family'!
Perfect! Handsome! Elegant! Dashing! Unrivaled!
At ten years old, he achieved a title personally bestowed by the King, something others could never obtain in a lifetime. At fifteen, his talents were unparalleled; his demon poems and songs echoed throughout the land, so artistic they almost dripped with water. Even across the sea, many unmarried literary maidens eagerly awaited a intimate encounter with Kailar, the unrivaled literary youth.
Not to mention the Harvest Festival, wine, and Red Leaf Ridge products he created, which drew the world's attention.
Red Leaf Ridge was like a bright pearl on the King's head, and even all of Camelot implicitly looked to Red Leaf Ridge as its leader.
Everything was the achievement of that artistic youth, Kailar… Kailar this… Kailar that… Hali had had enough!!
Could it be that young Viscount Hali truly couldn't even compare to that "Sage" who had no title whatsoever and was, by position, merely an idle official?!
So, after the mountain pressing down on him, King Uther, died, he excitedly led his three hundred Knights, who were more like household retainers, to this place.
He didn't expect Red Leaf Ridge to already be at war!
He recognized that banner, the banner of that cavalry, the Knights of the Madhesia's Glory Knight Order. The leader was Madhesia, an older brother figure he had admired since childhood.
But the object of his secret admiration… was defeated!
Without reason, without cause, he was defeated!
Madhesia was deeply entrenched in the enemy formation, and his Knights were repeatedly charging the phalanx, but even frontal assaults couldn't escape the outcome of defeat… He was afraid! Afraid from the bottom of his heart! Afraid to his very bones! He was so afraid that he unhesitatingly ordered the Knight Order to attack the weaker rear of the phalanx.
He won! Turning that arrogant artistic youth into a foolish youth, an ordinary youth, he finally let out a huge sigh of relief. Like a proud rooster, he reined in his horse at the front of his cavalry formation, raising his hand, puffing out his chest, and shaking his head.
He was proud; he had finally beaten that artistic youth, finally overcome the great mountain that had weighed on his heart. He was utterly thrilled!
But when he looked at his subordinates, it was like a bucket of cold water poured over him from head to toe. He suddenly felt a bit pathetic, but then came immense anger; "What kind of looks are those! Yes! I'm talking about you! What kind of looks are these?!"
They were merely household servants! Merely warriors! How dare they despise him, the noble Viscount! His fragile and proud self-esteem was instantly provoked.
"Viscount, we just feel that your command was a bit inappropriate, and not quite suitable for us." The most articulate Knight stepped forward, subtly expressing everyone's dissatisfaction.
To be honest, as a tactic, Hali's arrangement was not wrong. Facing an enemy ten times their number with three hundred cavalry, picking weak points and taking advantage of openings were all viable. But for Knights, this was a great humiliation. They were proud, but not brainless. Even they knew that charging a phalanx like that would be a one-way trip!
But what about that!
They would rather die on the charge like the Madesia Knights than cowardly attack the enemy's logistics personnel from behind like despicable assassins!
This was a shameful, disgraceful battle. Even if they won, they would only be reviled for eternity, because they had abandoned the faith of a Knight. If they lost, it would be even worse; having lost even a sneak attack, they would be forever bound to the pillar of shame.
From the moment Hali Bright gave that order, he had already become estranged from his Knights, because Hali was not a Knight; Hali was merely a noble with martial arts! He did not understand the honor of a Knight, he did not understand!
So he was furious.
"What then! Just charge?!" he yelled.
The Knights didn't give him a chance to speak, for they directly took his roar as a command and blew the Knight's bugle for the charge.
With their horses' hooves thundering, they charged steadfastly towards the front of the formation…