Heirina sighed after hearing Zelos’s words. He was brazen as ever, even when he was talking with the princess. She already told him many times to be more mindful about that kind of thing, but it didn’t look like he couldn't care less about it. Still, she didn’t lose her patience this time around.

  “We are on the defending side, Zelos. We shouldn’t attack unless the conditions are perfect for us. Kaitrine is disposing of some of them when they mess up or when their scouts get too carried away, so we are making progress.”

  Not nearly enough for Zelos’s tastes, but he couldn’t say that. Joining Kaitrine could be a good idea, but they don’t work well together.

  “I know a bit of Zania geography. The message should have arrived their capital two days ago, so at some point tomorrow, they will make their move.”

  Zelos nodded at Liry’s words and decided to follow her orders. The next day, Zelos decided to take it easy on the training, opting for a light session in the morning. With anticipation running high for the enemy’s next move, he felt it was important to conserve his energy and focus on being well-rested for whatever happens.

  As the day progressed, Zelos’s impatience grew. He found himself constantly glancing towards the enemy’s position, waiting for any sign of movement or action. The hours stretched on, and by mid-afternoon, his annoyance was palpable. The enemy’s inactivity only served to exacerbate his impatience, leaving him restless and agitated.

  Despite Zelos’s frustration, the enemy remained still, seemingly content to wait. However, just as the sun began its descent towards the horizon, the enemy finally made their move. With one hour left until sunset, they started to retreat, slowly but steadily.

  The sight of the enemy withdrawing from their position brought a sense of relief to Zelos, tempered with a tinge of disappointment. Though he had been eager for action, the enemy’s retreat signaled a temporary reprieve from the tension of battle.

  The army of the defenders didn’t know how to process that. They felt like they should celebrate, but they had the feeling that the enemies wouldn’t give up that easily. While the group was in silence, Irlan decided to break it.

  “Commander, what are our next orders?”

  “We will wait… Kaitrine will follow them for a bit until she confirms that they are truly retreating. It has been a while since the south attacked us. I hate to say this, but I have the feeling that they won’t give up that easily.”

  From those words, Zelos couldn’t help but think that they would give up for a while if they suffered another loss. Still, if another army arrives, who are more fresh and perhaps even stronger, it will be hard to tell how things will play out.

  On the other hand, if they pull it off, they will receive a lot of rewards and Liry’s position will be secured for a while. It would be weird and suspicious if she were to fall ill or die just after she accomplished that much.

  Speaking of which, she didn’t show her trait yet… she also didn’t use or show the gift that Reina had given to her. Maybe she was planning to use them as a last resort or something.

  Eventually, night came and then the group just relaxed while keeping their guards up once again. At that point in time, most of their soldiers had been recovered from the damage and that would put their side around three thousand strong. That was a good force for defense purposes… there was only one problem with them, they only had three hundred calvary and two hundred archers.

  “Our side isn’t balanced at all… this can truly be a problem.”

  Zelos had to think of something he should do about that, but he didn’t know what he should do at all. First, he had to wait for the enemies to make their move and that was the worst kind of thing that he hated in that country. Everyone there was too passive.

  Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the mystery ended in no time. Around midnight, Kaitrine showed up at Liry’s tent and revealed what she had learned. A new army was approaching, and it was mainly made of cavalry.

  Before night could end, everyone was able to hear the sound of enemy calvary approaching. In the end, they didn’t sleep that much waiting for an attack, but they only took the place of the previous army and didn’t do anything else.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  As morning arriving, the group’s watchful eyes scanned the horizon, revealing a startling sight. Spread across the landscape were several units of cavalry, their presence a clear sign of the enemy’s intentions.

  The cavalry units looked ready for combat, their horses powerful and sleek, their riders armed and ready for battle. It was a formidable force, one that could cover vast distances quickly and strike with devastating speed.

  But the surprises didn’t end there. Among the cavalry, the group also spotted a significant number of chariots. These ancient war machines, drawn by powerful horses and manned by skilled warriors, added another layer of threat to the enemy’s arsenal.

  “This will become nasty…”

  Everyone agreed with Zelos’s words. Few people had experience dealing with chariots, since not many used them. Still, it seemed that this one army was quite adept at using it.

  Everyone also waited for Liry’s orders, but she just stayed silent. It looked like chariots was a problem that she didn’t expect to face right now. Still, she had to make up her mind since nothing good would come out in letting their troops wait for others.

  “Chariots are usually pulled by three horses and there are usually three passengers with them armed with spears. As long as we stay out of their way and snipe them with arrows, we will be able to get rid of them. Everyone grab your bows and arrows and be ready to use them at a moment’s notice!”

  Everyone began to move after hearing Liry. Not all of them had experience using bows, but as a group, they could be deadly enough, so there was no point in thinking that it was a waste of time.

  In any case, it was clear that Liry decided not to mention other issues about chariots, like the fact that archers could also be passengers as well. Being run down by a chariot wasn’t the only problem…

  Chariots are known for their speed and maneuverability, able to cover large distances quickly and strike with suddenness. This makes them difficult to anticipate and counter, as they could swiftly change direction or charge into vulnerable areas of the enemy’s formation.

  The sight and sound of chariots charging into battle could induce fear and panic among opposing forces. The thunderous noise of their wheels and the sight of armed warriors riding atop them could demoralize troops, leading to disarray and confusion.

  Chariots were often equipped with various weapons, such as spears, javelins, or bows, allowing them to unleash a barrage of projectiles upon their enemies. This ranged firepower gave chariots the ability to harass enemy forces from a distance, weakening them before engaging in close combat.

  “It seems the enemies are planning to demoralize us for a while with the sight of their cavalry and chariots. We will have to show them as soon as they attack that their strength means nothing to us. As usual, I will be counting on you guys for that.”

  Heirina, Irlan, Edea, Kaitrine, and Zelos nodded. They knew that they would have to work a lot this time again, but it would be hard to make a real difference when cavalry could cause a lot of damage fast. From a distance, they could see that the chariots were pretty sturdy. Simple attacks wouldn’t destroy them. Still, Liry told them what they were going to do.

  In the end, the enemies’ plan to just scare the defenders by showing their numbers and resources worked because most of the soldiers there looked pretty scared as the day passed. As if that wasn’t enough, the idea of being attacked at night seemed even more troublesome. They could hear the sound of the chariots, but it would be hard to react to them since they would cross the distance in no time. At the same time, they would never be able to tell how much of their forces the enemies would be using.

  Fortunately, the enemies decided to make their move in the middle of the afternoon. Around five hundred cavalry units and one hundred chariots left their camp, but they approached the defenders from the sides and stopped there for half an hour.

  That confrontation was going to be tough. It was so obvious that everyone was afraid of that since they were being extra nice to their horses. Zelos didn’t want to lose Nightstorm against them either; he invested a lot of money on him and he was also a pretty good horse despite his mood swings.

  “Should we give them hell, bud?”

  Nightstorm grunted. His trusted steed appeared as confident as ever. Nightstorm stood tall and resolute, his demeanor unchanged from previous battles. Zelos found himself pondering whether Nightstorm’s demeanor reflected bravery or perhaps a touch of idiocy. Yet, regardless of the answer, seeing his horse so steadfast boosted Zelos’s spirits.

  In the previous battle, Nightstorm had proven his worth, navigating the chaos of the battlefield with skill and courage. He had carried Zelos safely through the fray, never faltering in the face of danger. Zelos had come to rely on Nightstorm’s unwavering loyalty and determination, and he wasn’t about to doubt him now, especially with chariots in play. With Nightstorm by his side, Zelos felt a surge of confidence. He trusted his steed to carry him through the upcoming challenges once again.

  Eventually, the enemy's cavalry began to move again, and it seemed that they had another troublesome general leading them. The idea of using tactics on the battlefield should be obvious, but the fact that those guys approached while circulating around their camp was just simply annoying.

  “Reinforce all sides and be ready for combat! Unless the arrows only when they are within your range!”

  Zelos could see in Liry’s face the worries… that will be a tough fight. The enemies also were experienced with all kinds of tactics that most people would employ against that and soon that was shown when the battle started.