Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Battle of Donkeys(1)
There were several critical reasons why Neonidas had specifically chosen this region as the battlefield. First, the terrain was even free of mud or swamps, which was particularly advantageous for cavalry. Second, the area wasn’t too vast. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, there was a steep mountain range behind the imperial army that was so precipitous that even professional climbers couldn’t ascend it without equipment.

When the imperial army, under Neonidas’s command, looked back and realized there was no escape route, they understood that they had no choice but to fight with all their strength.

Now, in the dead of night, a long-bearded man holding a tall staff entered Neonidas’ tent.

“I’ve completed the count, Your Excellency. There are 220,000 people in the enemy forces. If we consider that 20,000 of them are slaves tasked with carrying loads, the enemy numbers around 200,000. They also have 495 Konotger beasts, along with numerous horses, mules, and massive draft animals.”

The words of the man speaking silenced everyone in the tent, and some even felt fear. Until now, everyone except Allea and Neonidas had believed they were retreating from the battle. But now they realized that they were “accidentally” cornered in this place and had no choice but to fight. The enemy numbers were truly overwhelming.

Everyone here had assumed that Neonidas would implement a retreat strategy to lure the Hindonpon Kingdom’s army into the imperial territories, where reinforcements could finish them off. If the enemy forces entered the heart of the empire, the other dukes would be obligated to assist.

But Neonidas had no intention of sharing the victory of this war with the other dukes. Moreover, he didn’t want to owe them a debt by allowing them to rescue him. In fact, Neonidas had been crafting a different plan all along.

That was precisely why he had brought the army to this dead-end location. For his plan to succeed, the army needed to stay united and have no opportunity to flee. In a way, he had deliberately lured them into a trap.

As for how this elderly sorcerer had provided such an accurate count of the enemy forces, the existence of such individuals with unique abilities wasn’t a secret. Some sorcerers could heal diseases, some could construct a house alone if enough materials were provided, and others, like this man, could count living beings within a specific area. Of course, sorcerers who weren’t useful in battle were rare, and some were extremely expensive.

However, it wasn’t surprising to have such a sorcerer in the imperial army. The same was likely true for the Hindonpon Kingdom’s forces. Neonidas was sure that, at this moment, the enemy commanders were mocking the imperial army for having so many donkey.

“So, what’s the plan? The enemy is already preparing for battle,” asked one of the generals said .

Key figures of the imperial army had gathered around a table. Neonidas stood by the tent’s entrance, gazing at the sky. There were hardly any clouds. He then walked over to his place beside Allea and sat down.

“I’ll lead the cavalry in a powerful strike from behind. You handle distracting those beasts,” Allea suggested with a reasonable strategy, causing everyone in the tent to bow their heads.

“No, you won’t do that.”

Duke Neonidas’s words to Princess Allea caused a stir in the tent. His firm tone immediately changed the atmosphere, making it heavier. In the silence, all eyes turned to Neonidas. Allea’s expression remained unchanged, her cold and emotionless demeanor serving as an icy wall against any feelings. But Neonidas’s eyes shone with determined resolve.

“Princess, I appreciate your strategies, But this strategy won’t work. Besides, I already have a better plan.” His voice unwavering.

Allea listened to his words calmly. Her eyes briefly glanced at the strategic map on the table before returning to Neonidas. The heavy atmosphere in the tent seemed to amplify her composed demeanor.

“And what exactly is this better plan, Duke Neonidas?” Her voice as cold as ever, but carrying a subtle challenge. “Everyone here thinks we’ve simply been cornered. I’d like to see how you plan to turn this situation to an advantage.”

Ignoring Allea’s cold yet determined gaze, Neonidas turned to the map. His eyes burned as they scanned the strategic drawings on the table. Time was slipping away quickly, and the first rays of sunlight were beginning to illuminate the surroundings.

“We’ll place the donkeys at the front lines, chaining them together. Beside each mule, we’ll station a soldier. Behind the mules, archers and sorcerers will be positioned. And on their flanks, long-speared cavalry will stand ready. The mules will attack first. After their charge, the archers and sorcerers will take down the remaining forces. Finally, the long-speared cavalry will finish off any remaining pests.”

When Neonidas finished explaining his plan, there was a deathly silence in the tent, but only for a few seconds. Then everyone except Allea burst into laughter. Even Neonidas joined in the laughter, as if he had truly told a joke.

“Haha, you’re quite funny, Duke. For a moment, I thought that was your actual plan,” one of the generals said as he wiped away tears of laughter.

“Yes, sometimes I can be very humorous… But that was my proper plan.”

At Neonidas’s words, another wave of laughter erupted, but this time, Neonidas wasn’t laughing.

“Haha, Duke, okay, that was truly funny. But now, please, tell us your actual plan.”

Neonidas turned to Allea and noticed her cold, emotionless gaze fixed on him. Then he redirected his eyes back to the others at the table.

“Enough. Shut your mouths. This is my real and last plan.”

This time, Neonidas’ sharp voice cut through the cheerfulness inside the tent like a knife. The laughter ceased instantly, and everyone’s expressions turned serious. The generals exchanged uneasy and bewildered glances, their eyes fixated on Neonidas. The Duke’s eyes burned with a fiery intensity, and with a resolute gesture, he slammed his hand on the map spread across the table.

“Neonidas, I don’t want to lose this war. And I certainly won’t lose it for the sake of your foolish plan.”

Allea’s stern voice gave courage to the other generals. Neonidas straightened his posture, leaning back slightly as he maintained his composure and met her gaze. Allea’s determined and defiant stance drew everyone’s attention in the tent. The generals feared a clash between Neonidas and Allea, as both were not the type to back down.

“I was personally chosen by your father, Emperor Gredor, as the Warlord, and all authority during this war rests with me. At the same time, all the responsibility is mine. Please, trust me—your fiancé. But, If we lose this war, you may kill me yourself, Your Excellency.”

Allea’s emerald-green eyes widened as though she were trying to peer into Neonidas’ soul, attempting to understand the depths of his intent. For a long—perhaps unusually long—moment, the two stared into each other’s eyes. Then Allea exhaled, reminded of the fact that Neonidas was a man from the future, and looked away.

Her deep sigh only intensified the silence in the tent. For a woman who rarely showed her emotions, this prolonged quiet was unnerving for the generals. Their gazes darted back and forth between Neonidas and Allea. The tension in the tent had become almost palpable. Finally, Allea placed her slender fingers on the edge of the table and slowly stood up, her eyes still locked on Neonidas.

“Everyone will follow Lord Neonidas’s plan and obey his commands.”

With these words, Allea swiftly left the tent. The generals, momentarily stunned, turned to look at Neonidas before eventually rising to issue orders for the army to prepare for battle, each leaving the tent one by one.

—

Four Hours Later

On the battlefield, 300,000 soldiers were stationed, waiting for the signal horn to sound the attack. The Hindonpon army undoubtedly held the upper hand in morale. Moreover, their leader’s absurdly unconventional battle formation had already sparked murmurs of discontent and unease among the imperial troops.

At the forefront of the Hindonpon army stood the Konotger beasts—massive creatures the size of elephants, exuding a dangerous aura. Behind them were the cavalry, followed by the bulk of the infantry. The Hindonpon army was divided into three divisions, but the formations were almost identical: Konotger beasts in the front, cavalry next, then the infantry, and finally, powerful mage units and archers at the rear.

The Imperial Army, on the other hand, had adopted a never-before-seen formation. At the very front were several thousand donkeys, each chained to the others at the legs. The donkeys carried goods like straw and wood on their backs. Among the donkeys stood scattered soldiers.

Behind this peculiar front line stood the archers, and powerful mages, led by Allea. Positioned behind them were the light cavalry units wielding long spears or swords, and finally, at the very rear, the infantry was stationed.

When the Hindonpon generals saw this strange formation, they laughed so hard they could barely contain themselves. They mocked the mind behind such a ridiculous plan.

On the battlefield, the two armies stood on the brink of confrontation, sizing each other up. General Velmar, the leader of the Hindonpon army, removed his magnificent helmet adorned with golden embroidery and squinted at the bizarre enemy formation. Beside him, another general was still chuckling uncontrollably.

“If only they had adopted at least a classic formation. Unfortunately, even if we win this battle, it won’t bring much glory or prestige. Defeating such a foolish formation will be easier than taking candy from a child.”