The genius prince : vol 7 ch 32

 "You're right." Strang nods, but continues. "Of the 3,000 who were not seen, only about 2,000 were able to move, and most of them were probably not dead. The rest were either in poor health or were left to nurse. "

"That's not so bad. Couldn't the poison have been stronger?"

"Too strong a poison tends to have an immediate effect. If the poison is discovered early on, the damage is lessened. Moreover, the dead don't need anything, but the living need to cry, urinate, laugh, eat, and defecate. "

"So the living are a drag."

 "Yes. The weight of the dead is only on the mind, but the weight of the living is on the shoulders," Strang shrugs.

"The deadly poisons are not realistic to begin with to have enough of them to be used as a tactic. The cost of producing, refining, maintaining, and managing it would be enormous, and its uses would be too limited. "

"Ah, that's as it should be. Then, what is the other function of what you have handled?"

"It was originally a plant used for dyeing clothes, However, if ingested over a long period of time or in large quantities, it has the potential to cause health problems. It was mixed with food, either in the form of leaves or as a powder. "

It is a strategy that can only be described as despicable. If it had been Demetrio who had been offered the plan, he would have instinctively avoided it, and if it had been Baldrosh, he would have rejected it out of pride as a military man.

Manfred, however, did not hesitate to allow the plan to be implemented, including the incitement to rebellion. He knew that he was the third son and that he was not in a position to choose his own means.

"So what do we do from here?"

"We'll go all in. We'll decide today, when they're shaken up."

"... If everything is done, I will hold a baptismal ceremony and become an emperor on a sunny day."

"Don't forget that when you ascend to the throne, you will be granted autonomy for my homeland."

"Of course, you will be rewarded for your services." Manfred responded friendly.

But Strang realizes that his eyes aren't laughing.

"Then, as the future emperor, I shall go and inspire them all."

Manfred leaves with a good mood in his step. Strang let out a small breath as he watched Manfred's back as he walked away.

"It's not easy whether it works or not .... But now it's right in front of me."

 The final day of the battle was about to begin.

The battlefield turned into an overwhelming offensive of the Manfred army.

The Baldrosh forces had suffered a great deal of damage to their morale, not to mention the difference in force created by the poison. Anxiety over whether their fallen comrades would be all right, and whether they would be able to stand and fight, had dulled the soldiers' swords and their judgment, and made them feel agitated.

Manfred's army was roused by this opportunity. As if to relieve the frustration of having been one-sidedly beaten up, they were achieving successes in various areas

Even though the Barldrosh forces were calling them cowards and scumbags, Manfred's army's momentum was unstoppable. From their point of view, the other side was the coward who had ignored the agreement and tried to baptize him.

In addition, Manfred himself had the effect of spreading awareness throughout the army that the cause was theirs and that they had taken efficient measures to exterminate the vermin that was undermining the empire.

Arguably, Baldrosh's army was in a tight spot.

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"Your Highness! The second line of defense has been breached!"

"It seems that the messenger is being targeted! Everywhere is isolated without grasping the situation!"

"We can't stop the enemy in the center! Your Highness, we can't go on like this!!"

The reports that came in one after another to the main camp were a nightmare.

For four days after the war started, we had the initiative. Everyone thought it would be the same the next day. But what about the result? Overnight, the situation has turned upside down.

"Is this happening ..."

Defeat. Those two words are floating in front of my eyes. If only we had attacked more boldly from day one. If only we had paid more attention to the supplies we received. Even though I knew it was pointless, these thoughts kept going around and around in my brain.

"Your Highness, please be careful ......!"

Lorencio, standing beside me, said with a hint of anguish in his voice.

"We must retreat for the time being,......!"

"Retreat? Where do you want us to retreat to?!"

"Narsila. If we stay in that city, even Prince Manfred won't be able to touch us easily.”

"Hmm ...!"Bardrosh glared at Lorencio.

"Narsila is a sacred place for the people of the Empire! How can I be so shameless as to use it as a shield? "

"We have no other choice but to rebuild it. ............!"

 If today Barldrosh's army retreated to his own lands instead of Narsila, Manfred would not be able to pursue him.

But that would mean that Manfred would be baptized and crowned emperor in Narsila. For Baldrosh, this would be a substantial defeat.

"Please listen!"

It would take time to rebuild the army, and the only thing that could buy that time now was the shield of Narsila. Bardosh could understand it.

It took a few seconds to make a tough decision.

"... Retreat to narsila”

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Strang was the first to know that Baldrosh's main army was on the move.

"Is this the way to survive rather than to be proud ............?"

He had considered the possibility of seeking a spectacular death, but it seemed that Barldrosh had chosen to remain a prince. But, of course, either way was within Strang's expectations.

"Put out a spare cavalry and let it go around. Shoot at the retreating enemy headquarters."

"Yes !"

"Send out the reserve cavalry to go around and shoot at the retreating enemy main line. ”

Following Strang's instructions, messengers are scattered all over the place.

And as he showed, in conjunction with the enemy's headquarters retreating to Narsila, Baldrosh entire army begins to retreat. In order to follow his back, manferd the army is also in the forefront all at once.

Glenn didn't miss the chance.

"Everyone follow me!"

At that moment, Glenn raised his voice and ran his horse.

"Captain"

Subordinates who were trying to retreat with their allies screamed astonished at Glenn's actions.

Even more surprised were Manfred’s soldiers. They were thinking that they would close in on their retreating enemy, only to find themselves being chased. It was so sudden, they couldn’t prepare fast enough. They were sent flying by the cavalrymen. 

" captain! Please wait!"

Glen was charging farther inside after tearing through their defenses. His panicked subordinates were hot on his heels.