Reincarnated To Evolve My Bee Empire - Chapter 333

Chapter 333: Things aren’t actually so good, are they?
NECTUS GOT REPORTS ABOUT THESE EVENTS, BUT FARINI MA MICHKA HETSHA SAW THEM WITH HIS OWN EYES.

On the day of battle, he watched over the battlefield from the command tent placed on top of the nearby hill. From there opened a good view of the fields where herds of cows have grazed peacefully a couple weeks ago until the farmers found out about the war on their doorsteps.

Now the grass was trampled by thousands of boots.

Both armies were standing in neat lines, ready for a fight, and it looked like the victor was already predetermined.

With all the forces joining both sides, the approximate numbers reached 40 thousand people under the High King’s standard. Meanwhile, there were only 30 thousand people under Farini’s.

The difference in numbers wouldn’t have been so bad if there wasn’t also a terrible difference in quality.

After all, most of the regular army was still on the High King’s side. There wasn’t even a grand-general whom the divine guardians could sway to Farini’s side by showing him The Holy Truth—in times of war, the High King took command personally.

More than that, 40 thousand was a small number compared to the largest armies the Naregan Kingdom could gather. The illnesses and the Flaying Flu killed or made unable to fight thousands of people on both the High King’s and Farini’s side.

Otherwise, he expected the High King to have twice as many soldiers fighting for him.

There was also an enormous difference in the equipment and training of warriors on each side.

The High King had a regular army, a lot of which was stationed near the capital before. Most of them were infantrymen with curved swords and in light armor, but besides them were heavier units.

First of all, the cavalry with their long spears and long banners that flew dramatically on the wind.

Second, heavy infantry in thicker armor and wielding axes and shields—they were slower to charge, but longer to last in a fight.

Third, thousands of archers that were going to blacken the sky when the fight began.

The last, and some of the worst—musketeers. Considering that the foreigners carefully protected the secrets of their firearms, each of their weapons and each pot of their fire powder cost a small fortune.

Only the High King could afford to put musketeers on the battlefield. Farini only had archers.

Farini’s soldiers were also worse trained and equipped.

Some of them were his personal warriors, or soldiers of other nobles. These people wore good armor and had sharp weapons, no matter whether they were riding horseback or walking into the battle on foot.

But the rest were just militia Farini gave simple spears and leather armors to, and trained hastily before this fight. In total, 15 thousand of his soldiers were militiamen who had never seen a battle before. Half of the army!

Another 5 thousand were people who knew how to fight, but weren’t very experienced or well-trained. Hunters who could form archer squads, repenting bandits, mercenaries offering their services…

They could fight, and they won Farini’s battles before, but they didn’t have the battle spirit. Or much loyalty. Even militiamen at least had some fanatic zeal.

Following the advice of the holy guardians, general Gresch had put militiamen in squads under experienced soldiers and mixed them up as much as possible, then made them do training drills together. This way, veterans could guide the newbies in battle.

The only thing Farini had, which the High King hadn’t, was hiding under leather tarps and waiting for its hour. Five dozen man-sized ballistas, made by schematics given by the divine guardians.

Similar engines of war were already used in the Naregan Kingdom before, but they were much less elegant and much more bulky constructions, better fit for fortresses.

These ballistas had less firepower, but could be moved around the battlefield. And they still could kill two people in a single lucky shot.

Still, both Gresch and Farini knew things won’t go well for them, unless they bend the odds into their favor as much as possible.

The divine guardians promised their help in that. From Whisper, Farini knew that stealthy killers, bringers of divine retribution, were already waiting near the important people of the enemy army.

When the fight will begin, and the command structure will become most vulnerable—just like the people carrying it—these assassins will strike.

This way, the High King won’t be able to prepare for the fight after losing his officers, or try to avoid it.

And of course, there were hidden devotees ready to switch sides.

Farini looked at the rows of people preparing for the fight, then at his general, Gresch, who was watching the same.

“I assume that since they still didn’t reply to our suggestion to surrender with anything but arrows, they refused,” Farini said.

The arrows were shot from way too far to hit anyone, but they conveyed the idea. Especially since the High King offered the rebels to surrender first.

In exchange, he would leave the rebels’ corpses whole. Otherwise, the punishment for such a crime was quartering.

“Yes. And the sun is going up… It would be nice to wait until it shines in the eyes of our enemies, but they won’t let us,” Gresch said. “Farini, my lord, we must attack. Give the order.”

“Will you lead the charge personally?” Farini asked with a frown. “I feel like your talents are better applied here…”

“I will not shy away from a fight—and with divine blessing, my orders will carry to others even from down below,” Gresch smiled and glanced at his shoulder.

There, almost hidden from sight by Gresch’s pauldron, sat a tiny guardian. Her words were for Gresch alone, but they made his jaws open with happiness.

“Then I wish you luck, my friend. A pity that we cannot fight side by side,” Farini said, putting a hand on Gresch’s other shoulder.

“Yes, I wish we could, too, Farini. But you must stay here and inspire people with your standard. The prophet cannot fall in a fight, or everything is over!”

And things have only just began…