Chapitre 3: An Ambush. A Betting?

(TRIGGER: CONTAINS OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE)

-------------------------------------------------

(Time Now: 4:35 AM)

(Valour's POV:)

I, Valour Ainzenhein, am currently in the Imperial Parade Grounds after I've got ready and wore my military clothes. I was standing on what seems like a high wooden platform with flags of the Ainzenhein Empire on its sides. My Knight, Eduard is standing on my right side with his hand on his sword. 10 thousand men are right infront of but they are murmuring something, I wish if I can hear their thoughts... I told Eduard to gather all my assigned men at the Parade Grounds for inspection and also for to give them my surprise speech.

Everyone - *Murmuring* *Murmuring* *Murmuring*

I motion to Eduard to shut them up because I'm about to give them the speech.

Eduard - "His Imperial Highness will be giving his speech now!"

Everyone - "...." silence enveloped the place thoroughly but everyone is looking at me with bored expressions... What the hell?

Valour - "Today, I've gathered all of you for the upcoming battle. The Demonic Army wants to destroy and enslave us all, they want to violate everything that belongs to us. They think we will not be able to defeat them! They think I will not be able to lead you well but I promise you. I promise you all that I'll lead you to victory! Those mongrels aren't expecting much from us, but we'll show them what we all really can do! And remember that you aren't fighting for me! You are fighting for your families! You are fighting for your people! We all are fighting for the Empire! Without us. The Empire will not be able to stand against the Demonic Armies! ARE YOU WITH ME?!" I said in a very loud voice but a majestic tone.

'Hopefully it will work... I've been thinking about it for quite a while... I think it was 4 hours if nor 6.... Why are they not responding???' I thought to myself.

Everyone - "..." everyone is silent with their eyes wide open and their mouths in agape...

Soldier 1 - "The Imperial Prince... He is serious...."

Soldier 2 - "Am I dreaming...."

Soldier 3 - "Did he hit his head or something?"

Everyone - *Murmuring* *Murmuring*

Valour - "....." I felt speechless. I averted my gaze to look at Eduard who is also in shock. I had a long sigh at this moment.

Everyone - "HAAAAAAAAAAAA!" suddenly, everyone shouted enthusiastically and loudly in unison.

Valour - *Sigh* I sighed in relief. "Atleast, the speech wasn't in vain..." I said to myself with a voice not higher than a whisper.

Eduard - "Your Highness! That was really great from you!" my Knight praised me while bowing in courtesy.

Valour - "Uhhhhh... It was nothing... Thank you. Please raise your head, Eduard." I said nervously.

'Haaaahhh... I'm not used to these stuffs yet.' I thought to myself.

Eduard - "Your Highness.... It's an honour to have you thanking me..."

Valour - "Get ready to march!" I said out loud to the 10 thousand men army then got down the platform and went to mount my horse while Eduard is tagging alongside me.

The men got to their respective positions while standing in ranks and formations. My army units are Cavalry, Swordsmen, Spearmen, Archers, Musketeers, Mages and Siege Engineers with Catapults, Cannons and Ballistas. I decided to check on the condition of the army and the estimated numbers of soldiers. We've 2000 Archers, 2000 Spearmen, 2000 Cavalry, 3000 Swordsmen, 300 Mages and 700 Siege Engineers. After 30 minutes of organisation we took off marching towards the Frontier to face off the Demonic army.

...

(5 Hours Later)

We are now marching and almost reaching our destination, the frontier. The men aren't exhausted because we kept taking breaks betweentimes. But suddenly a group of people came to our sight, their skintone is green and red, their bodies are huge and bulky, and they have either horns or tails. They pretty much are the Demons, they are many but not too many, perhaps they are just few thousands. They are carrying weapons and are mounting what appears to be a horse with two big horns.

Valour - "Hold!" I said to my army, and the Demonic group threw their spears and or fired their arrows which got enveloped by lightning out of nowhere while still in the air. "DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" I shouted out very loud. The men raised their own shields and the Mages casted a protection barrier around all of us, the arrows and spears got blocked by both the shields and the barriers, Eduard is covering me with his sword by slashing towards the arrows that were coming to our direction. The Demonic army started coming to us while shouting something I cannot understand.

Valour - "Battle Formations! Archers! Prepare to fire..... Fire!"

*Pew* *Pew* *Pew* 2000 Archers fired arrows at the incoming army of Demon, the arrows landed on the Demons and they start to scream in agony, we killed many of them but they kept coming towards us like swarms. I motion to Eduard and the Cavalry, Eduard nodded to me and took off to our Cavalry's direction.

Valour - "Musketeers! Prepare to fire..... Fire!"

*PEW* *PEW* *PEW* a loud sound of guns or muskets echoed through the place and smoke enveloped the entire area and the Demons screamed in agony again, let's finish it already!

Valour - "Eduard! Now! Finish them!" I loudly called out to Eduard who can be seen right behind the Demonic army with the Cavalry.

Eduard - "Yes, your Highness! Men, with me! Chaaaarge!!!"

Cavalrymen - "FOR THE EMPEROR!/FOR THE EMPIRE!/HURRAAAAAAAAH!"

The Demons looked turned to look behind them but their first liners in the sight of our Cavalry, got capacitated and their heads fell on the grounds, the Cavalry kept pushing forwards and towards the Demons. After few more minutes, no Demon can be seen standing which indicates they've been wiped out.

Valour - "Hahahaha. Was that all of them? That was easy!" I said, feeling ecstatic of my achievement today.

Eduard - "Your Highness. I don't want to disturb your celebrating but that was just an ambush. The estimated numbers of the Demonic army are unknown. However, we think they've an approximated number of 15k."

Valour - "What... That was just an ambush? Really... *Sigh*"

Eduard - "But that really was great, your Highness! You won against thousands of Demons within half an hour. No one could've done that, honestly saying. I'll send a message to the Imperial Capital, Verona, to inform his Imperial Majesty about your achievement!" he said while grasping his left hand, I feel like a flame is coming out of his own body and it's making the atmosphere very hot....

Valour - *Sweating* *Sweating* "Hahaha... I see. Do as you like, Eduard. But please. Put out the intensive Mana that's exuding..."

Eduard - "Hm? What do you mea- OH! Forgive me! Your Highness!" he puts out the Mana immediately then gets on his kneels to beg for forgiveness.

Valour - "It- It's alright. Now go."

'Haaah... I'm still not used to these regulations....'

Eduard - "Yes, your Highness!"

...

(Author's POV:)

2 Hours have passed since Valour's army has reached their destination, the Frontier. No signs of the expected Demonic army were spotted and Valour's Strategic Command started getting suspicious about the information and its details, there might be a traitor or a Demon pretending to be one of them? Valour calmed all of them and ordered a batch of cavalrymen to scout the area during. Eduard has already sent a pigeon with the message he wrote to the Imperial Capital of Ainzenhein Empire. It should've arrived around this time.

--------------------------------

(VERONA, IMPERIAL CAPITAL OF AINZENHEIN EMPIRE.)

A huge if not massive city, surrounded by walls that length 4 metres in height. The buildings give off vibes of the Gunpowder Age's building style with also stone roads. There can be seen a large building in the middle of the city, it seems to be the Imperial Palace of Verona, the home of the Emperor and the Imperial Family.

(INSIDE THE PALACE, IMPERIAL HALL)

Emperor Louis - "W-Wh-Wha- WHAT!" his eyes are wide and his mouth is in agape, he's feeling surprised if not flabbergasted.

Empress Selina - "Honey! What's wrong?! Did something happen to Valour?!?!" she asked while feeling worried.

Emperor Louis - "V- Valour... H- He wa- was ambushed..."

Empress Selina - "N-No...." she said with a panic expression.

Valeria/??/??/?? - "Father!/Dad! What do you mean!?" Valeria and 3 other women beside her asked in panic.

Emperor - "Heh..." he chuckled. "Valour was ambushed by a group of thousands of Demons. But thankfully, he managed to defeat the Demons with no casualties!" he said proudly.

Empress Selina/Valeria/??/??/?? - "Huh..." all the women presented were surprised by the sudden information.

Emperor Louis - "It's confirmed by Eduard, Valour's companion and Knight. They've reached the Frontier, their destination and now they are resting. The soldiers weren't exhausted at all, due to how caring Valour was about them. It's been hours since their arrival and the Demonic army hasn't showed up yet... Hmm... This sounds really suspicious... It was written in the intel that the Demonic army will show up as soon as Valour arrives, as long as he marches during the expected time which he did. This doesn't sound right at all... I myself have seen Valour and his army took off few hours earlier than expected... Whatsoever, I'm surprised but relieved right now, because Valour has put a batch in scouting incase something goes wrong..." he read them the message's content. *Sigh* he sighed in relief after he finished reading. "Good thing Eduard was with him. Eduard writes everything but in a good summary." he said with a slight smile.

Everyone in the Imperial Hall alongside the women beside the Emperor were all surprised but also felt ecstatic because of the news they got now. Every inch and penny of the Imperial Capital heard about the news after few minutes. The citizens fired fireworks while sounds of cannons' firing echoed throughout the city, it came from the Imperial Palace.

However, there's only one place that didn't know about what's happening in the Imperial Capital....

--------------------------------

(UNDERGROUND. A BAR)

?? - "Greetings! Ladies and gentlemen! I am Rodrigo, a Dwarf. Without any further introductions, the betting shall begins!"

Everyone - "HAAAAAIII!"

There can be seen a big board with text behind the Dwarf, the text was "Betting on the win of: [Demonic Army vs The Prince's Army]". It seems the people inside this bar are all betting for the Demonic Army, for some reason....

--------------------------------

(BACK TO VALOUR'S ARMY CAMP)

A camp with too many green and black tents with flags around the entire camp, indicating that it belongs to the Empire of Ainzenhein. A bigger tent than the others with red and purple accents, is in the middle of the camp with what appear to be armoured men guarding it. Inside the tent, there can be seen Valour and Eduard discussing about God knows what, with Valour's hands on the table that is between the two with a map on it.

Eduard - "And that's how it's, I believe."

Valour - "I see-"

*SHRIEK* *SCREAM* *DUMBUMDUM* sounds of shrieks and screams with drums echoed throughout the entire area.

Valour/Eduard - "!!!!!"

?? - "Your Highness! It's the Demonic Army!" a man who appears to be wearing a black armour with gold accents and a red cloak over his shoulders and reaches his legs, informed Valour about the arrival of the Demon Army.

Valour - "Gather the men. Prepare for battle!" he extended his right arm and ordered the latter man.

?? - "Yes, your Highness!" he bowed in courtesy before exiting the tent.

Eduard - "Your Highness."

Valour - "Ah! It's time! We'll perform the plans!"

'Today... I'll mark my name in the history of this world... Hehehehe~ I just want to fix the fucking reputation of this bastard, if I want to be honest.'

To be continued...