The Extra Wants To Live

Chapter 39: Before Battle

Carl recalled the map he had received from Harman and tried to estimate how far he had to go to reach the Ax Sound Village.

'It took about 30 minutes to run lightly to the stacked log village, so assuming the map is accurate, it will take at least an hour to travel.'

Carl bites his lip. He want to get to the village of piled logs as quickly as possible and get inside the safe fence.

The darkness seemed to keep consuming him, and now even the moonlight seeping through the tree branches looked like the eyes of a monster.

"Would it have been better to wait until the sun rose?"

Carl asks Catherine in a low voice. Hee feels like he acted too hastily.

"It was the right decision to move now. Since you're heading out on a limb, momentum is more important than anything else. Even if we had moved during the day, if our momentum had been lost, we would not have been able to move as we are now."

From a tactical perspective, it would be better to wait until daybreak. Darkness is not human.

However, from the perspective of mercenary skills, Carl's fierce actions, like wildfire caught in the wind, were indeed appropriate.

Using the authority of the royal family, he controlled the villagers, conscripted them before they could come to their senses, and dispatched the army at once.

With his majesty and force standing upright, looking down on them, not a single one of the conscripts deserts even as they advance through the pitch-black darkness toward the monster that has destroyed countless villages.

"However, you must keep in mind that if a night battle occurs, it may collapse."

Carl nods his head heavily at Catherine's advice.

"Would it be okay to surround the area with carriages and have the imperial soldiers play the main role in defense?"

Carl asked carefully, thinking about the tactics they could use now.

The things he saw in the imperial archives quickly passed through Carl's head, his survival instincts ringing an alarm.

"Yes. The horse must also be brought inside. However, they are less important than soldiers. The terrain is difficult for cavalry to operate in, and a carriage can be pulled by as many people as it wants. If you have to abandon the wagon, just have someone carry the load."

Catherine fleshes out Carl's tactics.

As the battle begins, Catherine's ability to become an imperial knight through skill alone begins to shine.

Of course, if he had chosen the bloodline of a high-ranking noble family as a knight, he could have easily completed the mission in an instant like Nero in the original novel plot with the support of that family's troops... .

'There's no point in regretting the past.'

Carl cut off his regret like a knife.

Catherine is a loyal and highly skilled knight.

Considering that she brought in Bilford, this choice will be of great help in the future, even though it may seem like he is lacking right now.

When he felt that Catherine and Bilford were behind me, his shoulders, which had been shrinking, straightened confidently. Carl narrowed his eyes and glared into the darkness and spoke.

"Bilford, can you take the lead and look ahead?"

"Yes, of course."

Bilford quickly and confidently responded to Carl's sudden words.

Carl was confident that his decision was not wrong because Catherine kept her mouth shut, and spoke firmly.

"Brighten the way forward and warn of danger. When you discover the Ax Sound Village, inform them that the punitive force is on its way and have them return to join you. From now on, you will be my eyes and ears."

"yes! Master Carl!"

Bilford responded vigorously, drove his horse majestically, and took the lead.

Since Catherine must command and protect this ragtag group of conscripts when the time comes, it is tactically correct to send Bilford.

However, entrusting the cloak to Bilford and sending him as a messenger, and sending him alone as a scout for a punitive force into a forest at night infested with monsters, cannot be done simply through tactical judgment.

Bilford is just a lowly commoner who has yet to show his skills, but Carl's trust in him is heavier than the Great Mountain and hotter than the sun!

There is a firm belief that even if Bilford is attacked by a monster alone, he will definitely complete his mission. There's no way Bilford wouldn't know that.

The others have no way of knowing that this is a belief that Carl's can have because he knows the original work.

But even if he knew that, he wouldn't be able to stop the pride from filling Bilford's heart.

To be trusted so much by his lord! Even if he is a knight who has reached the level of a master, it is an honor he cannot easily enjoy!

"Catherine, if a battle breaks out, I will leave command entirely to you."

"Yes, Lord Carl."

Catherine also didn't know where Carl's infinite trust came from, but she could feel that her loyalty to the young and sickly lord whom she had served only for business purposes was firmly erected and waving.

The red cloak draped over his short back shakes as heavily as a thousand roots, and the red tassels on his helmet sparkle like light.

Is this really the 4th prince Carl of those rumors?

'If Harmon is good, reinforcements will come. If the fence in the Ax Sound Village is strong, hold out and join in with minimal damage.'

Carl did his best to think. If he leave it to Catherine, she will take care of it, but she can't.

If he stumble over something like this, how will he surpass Azgoth and Adrian in the future?

'Nothing will be solved by just playing defense. After joining, advance into the forest and subdue the monster.'

Carl pushed everything to the edge of a cliff by throwing himself into an irreversible situation.

Everyone was in a situation where they had no choice but to grit their teeth and fight.

Imperial soldiers, conscripts, villagers, and even servants Harman and Hilfin nobles who looked down on him!

The only thing that remains now is whether it he will collapse in the end, or whether he will stand firm and move forward.