“I never thought that the Dark Troops would be here…”
Someone muttered “Dark Troops,” words that everyone was frightened of and could not bear to mention.
Yes, the identity of the people that attacked them is the Dark Troops of the Fresyrian Kingdom.
If Assassins are the Moon Knights, the Dark Troops are the Silent Death within the battlefield.
They are primarily responsible for reconnaissance activities and command shooting.
There was always a rumor that “If you saw a Dark Soldier on the battlefield, run away,” because they usually appear before a large-scale battle.
“Fifth Prince, you must evacuate immediately. If you’re sure the Dark Troops has come down, the Black Mountains and the border will become a sea of blood,” Casillas, the commander of the Imperial Army, said.
“Calm down, Commander. There will be nothing to worry about.”
“But Your Highness the Fifth…”
“You and a hundred valiant Imperial Army soldiers are standing by my side, aren’t you? You don’t have to worry.”
“It is the Emperor’s honor to defend the Emperor’s imperial family. I’ll make sure to protect you!”
Raymond nodded with satisfaction at Casillas’ response.
As expected, the Imperial Army was simple and easy to handle. Now the problem was the commanders of the Border Army and the Crayer local Army.
“If a Dark Soldier appears, it’s not something to be taken lightly. Ask Count Akon from the Northern Central Army to send special forces.”
Someone said. His middle-aged appearance with uniformed rank and insignia showed that he was a senior commander.
“I can’t do that…Don’t you think the Lord knows it better?”
Raymond said sharply. Most of the Pilias’ special forces are deployed on the northwestern border to the Black Forest to prevent the Heifel Ranger Army.
Currently, the Pillias cannot afford to deploy their main power to the Black Mountains.
The senior commander who spoke was also aware of that. He just spit it out in frustration.
“The introduction was longer than I thought, so I’ll cut the rest off and get right to the point.”
It was time to come up with an alternative. The commanders’ attention was focused on Raymond’s confident attitude.
“We need to lure Dark Troops to find out where the Marquis is. You’re aware of that, don’t you?”
Raymond knows what the author wrote for the settings in the book, so he knows where the Marquis Crayer loses his life.
However, specifying a location without any clues can lead to loss of trust and suspicion.
“Do you have any idea how to lure in the Dark Troops?”
One of the senior commanders asked carefully. The Fifth Prince, Raymond, grinned and opened his mouth like a playful rascal.
“Isn’t there a very delicious-looking prey here?”
Casillas, the commander of the Imperial Army, jumped up.
“It’s too dangerous!”
It was a remark that could never be overlooked from the perspective of the Imperial Army, who protects the imperial family.
Unlike Casillas, who was frightened, Gesteine stood behind Raymond and remained silent.
Thanks to being with Raymond a little longer than Casillas, he was able to show his relaxed appearance because of his high credibility.
“Sir Casillas.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Fifth…….You need to step down immediately.”
“If I step down now, it’s not very good for border forces morale.”
It did not look good that the Imperial family member, who came to raise the morale of the border forces, backed down at the appearance of the greater enemy.
Unlike rumors of him being a scoundrel, seeing Raymond’s deep-thinking appearance, the commanders of the border forces reconsidered how to view him, and most of them were positive about the Fifth Prince.
“However, Your Highness the Fifth…….”
“For the glory of the Empire of Pilias, I will not waste my life, and I still have three great brothers over me, so the Empire will work even without me.”
“Fifth Prince…….”
“Isn’t this enough to convey the meaning?’
Trying to speak moderately, the Imperial Commander Casillas was tearing up.
‘Oh, I must protect this man, the Prince, who is so dedicated to the empire.’
Casillas was determined and other commanders were impressed and denied rumors of the Fifth Prince being a scum.
“What do you think would happen if a Pilias Prince entered the Black Mountains with a small number of men?”
As Casillas calmed down, Raymond made a remark with a calm expression.
The position of the Imperial family in the Pilias Empire is as high as the sky.
That is the fact that every country on the continent knows, not just the Dark Troops
“Of course, they will attempt kidnapping or assassination.”
One of the senior commanders replied coolly. Raymond opened his mouth again, nodding his head with satisfaction of satisfaction.
“The plan is simple. I’m the bait in luring the Dark Troops. And then repel the Dark Troops who came to assassinate me and capture some of them alive to secure information. What do you think?”
His explanation of the plan was finished, but no one could speak easily.
It was too heavy for the young Prince, who is not yet in his early 20s, to say so, and he also need to be responsible for creating a situation in which he had no choice but to take part.
“The most prestigious knights of the border forces will come with His Highness the Fifth.”
“I will protect you from the Silent Death.”
That’s all he can do for the Fifth Prince on his way to the danger. It may seem like a little cheer, but it hit home to Raymond.
“Well, let’s discuss a detailed plan.”
* * *
Raymond, the Fifth Prince, reentered the Black Mountains with only a handful of Shadow Squad, and the border forces sent out a handful of Elite Knights to protect the Fifth Prince from Dark Troops at the same time with the intention of leaking the information to the Enemy.
The commanders wanted to mobilize a lot of troops, but the limit of the number of people they could mobilize was clear in order to avoid the total attention of the Dark Troops.
Ambush is also meaningless in front of Dark Troops. The only way to lure them is to have reinforcements in the nearest area. So, once attacked, they have to hold out until reinforcements come.
The shoulders of the Shadow Squad, who protected the Fifth Prince, were heavy. However, unlike the somewhat nervous members of the Shadow Squad, Raymond, did not lose his composure.
“Old man, you’re keeping Mana well hidden, aren’t you?”
As usual, Lisefield was called out with a friendly title and was taking the lead in moving forward.
Lisefield, who was asked a sudden question amid the tension, was embarrassed but soon nodded and opened his mouth.
“Fifth Prince, I may be a feeble man, but I am still a tower master. It’s not difficult to hide my Mana.”
Raymond nodded with a satisfied look at Lisefield’s response.
If it turns out that there are two Great wizards on this side, though a few, the Dark Troops would not raid or mobilize more people, whichever way it was, it would be disadvantageous for Raymond.
“I think the flies are twisted.”
Berenus Kyle, the Master of the Red Tower, whispered in a calm voice.
* * *
“The Fifth Prince of Pilias has entered the Black Mountains.”
“The Fifth Prince?”
“Yes, the five year missing Prince is here.”
At the deputy’s report, the Dark Troops officer scratched his chin and arranged his thoughts. Not long ago, he remembered receiving a report from a mountain mercenary that he had seen the flag of the Fifth Prince.
“Didn’t the Fifth Prince leave the Black Mountains after the skirmish with the Mountain Mercenaries?”
“Yes, but our scout found the flag of the Fifth Prince at the entrance of the Black Mountains two days ago.”
In the Pilias Empire, the Imperial flag is not available to anyone else. It is a flag that can only be lifted if there is an imperial family member within the unit.
“The Fifth Prince came back to the Black Mountains…….”
The officer murmurs with his eyes down. He raised his head suddenly.
“How long have he been leading the army?”
They did captured Marquis Crayer, but he isn’t as important as a Imperial Family member? Either way the more provocation there is, the better it would be.
Furthermore, he is the Fifth Prince of the Pilias Empire. Cutting him into pieces and sending the mutilated body to the Imperial City would have more provocation than harming Marquis Crayer.
“All those who look like the Shadow Squad, are about 50.”
“There are too few Knights from the Pilias for the imperial family to make a move. Have you checked the border forces’ intelligence?”
“Of course, according to intelligence obtained by spies planted in border forces, the Fifth Prince went looking for something in the Black Mountains.”
It was a false information.
For once, because of the involvement of the Fifth Prince, intelligence officers from the border forces mobilized all their resources in creating false information while only trusting those who are the one involved. So the spies from the Fresyrian Kingdom did not notice anything strange.
This, of course, would have been a little different if a Dark Soldier had been the one spying instead. Unfortunately, however, the Dark Troops had not yet infiltrated the border forces, as they had only recently moved south into the Black Mountains.
“The Shadow Squad of 50….”
“There was nothing unusual about it except that there were a lot of wizards. I watched them fight against the Monsters, and they weren’t very skilled.”
There was no way for the deputy to know that the Red Tower Master and the Blue Tower Master were hiding their true powers.
Although he is said to be an excellent Dark Troops, he could not see through the identity of the high-ranking sorcerer who hid their Mana.
“Get the soldiers ready and call a nearby unit for backup.”
“One of the 7th Mountain Infantry’s white battalions is ready. Mobilization is possible right now.”
The deputy’s report cleared the officer’s mind. The platoon he commanded had 27 Dark Soldiers.
If he cooperates with the white army of mountain mercenaries, he will be able to deal with the Fifth Prince’s Shadow Squad, which has no significant history.
Had there been a “magician” who had survived the battle between the mountain mercenaries and Cron’s infantry not long ago, he would have know about the existence of a high-ranking wizard, but unfortunately, the wizard had not been able to survive at that time.
“All right, let’s go.”
Finally, the leader of the Dark Troops made a decision, and the soldiers under his command armed themselves headed to the place where the Fifth Prince was.
They really look like ghost, racing through a black mountain range full of black objects in their dark uniform.
Mountain mercenary troops followed, but those who arrived first were the Dark Troops.
The sky was turning dark when the siege ended. It was a night without the moon.
“The will of heaven is with us.”
Looking at the sky sprinkling deep darkness, the platoon leader of the Ghsot Army murmured.
The Dark Troops was notorious, but they lacked skills compared to the Moon Knights who were called the “true fear”.
The biggest reason for the gap was the use of ‘Restricted Hiding’.
Unlike Moon Knights, the Dark Troops were mostly users of “Restricted hiding” which allows them completely hid themselves in the dark.
So this deep darkness that erodes the light was an unwelcome guest to anyone.
“How would you like to say hello?”
“Did you say there was a High-Tier wizard?”
They were referring to Desia. Still, Desia was in a situation where all her original power was revealed because they would find it too suspicious if she had to hide it too much.
“Yes, it certainly is.”
The platoon leader nodded and pulled a dagger from his waist to the deputy’s reply. The boundaries of the campsite were not high.
More than half of them seemed to be sleeping soundly, and about 10 people were on guard.
“I’ll take care of the High-Tier wizard.”
The enemy did not seem to have noticed the existence of his side, so there was a strong confidence that the surprise will be successful, even a High-Tier wizard will not notice the dagger in his neck and will shut his mouth forever.
It just so happened that the High-Tier wizard was within the campfire.
“Kill the guards who are in close contact with the Fifth Prince. And when a group of white mountain mercenaries arrives, you will step down in the middle of a rush.”
“I’ll follow.”
“All right, I’m coming first.”
His body melted into the darkness. He was now restricted in hiding, but he won’t be seen without mana.
There was no fear of being caught because the leader was confident that he had erased his presence close to perfection.
He was sure his plan would succeed…….
“Ker, ker….”
When he came to his senses, he found an ice awl stuck in his throat.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t like being caught up.”
Desia spat out coldly as she watched the platoon leader spouting red blood.
“Shadow Squad draw your sword!”
The Fifth Prince, who he thought was sleeping in the barracks, ran out and shouted.
‘Ha, a trap…’
The platoon leader tried to open his mouth to warn his men, but his voice did not flow out, or even if he shouted, it was already too late.
The battle was inevitable because the Dark Soldiers were already noticed, and now they need to resort to temporary measures.
