Chapter 87: Basilinna
Chapter 87: Basilinna
The Eastern Romain army’s plan was to use the raging flood to take down the alliance army. Their earlier provocations were just a chain in their plans.
It didn’t matter how the alliance army conducted their assault, or whether their cavalrymen would charge on their own accord or not. Their scheme was already a success as long as the alliance army chose to stay behind and fight them.
Hunyadi finally understood that, but it was already too late.
The turbid water had flooded the alliance army’s barracks and logistical troops.
Some logistical soldiers were washed away by the incoming flood. Some tried to escape, but the mud bogged down their movements. Some grabbed nearby planks, wine vats, flag poles, or whatever that floated and struggled in the water.
Meanwhile, the alliance army troops fighting on the frontline descended into chaos upon the realization that they had nowhere to escape to.
When the water level finally settled, multiple wooden rafts started drifting into the battlefield.
It was unrealistic to take down the enemy with just a flood. Too little water wouldn’t work, but using too much of it would result in huge casualties among the Eastern Romain army too.
While Sophia had carefully calculated the water amount, she added one more chip in.
Over a thousand Eastern Romain soldiers emerged from the seemingly uncrossable bogs on the flanks of the battlefield, and they began picking off the struggling alliance army soldiers with their bows and spears.With this, the alliance army soldiers were cornered on three sides, and the last side was facing a cliff.
Let’s see how you deal with this.
“It’s over. We have lost.”
Hunyadi’s cavalrymen turned pale.
“My Lord, why must you punish us?”
“We haven’t lost yet!” Hunyadi stared at Sophia as he drew his sword and growled, “Follow me! Let’s kill that little twat!”
He was so well-respected that the cavalrymen, despite being shaken up by the dire circumstances, obeyed his orders and moved uphill.
Sophia watched as Hunyadi’s platoon cast aside their horses to march up the hill, heading in her direction. She gestured toward them with her chin.
“Yes, Basilinna!”
An Eastern Romain commander quickly led their troops to take down Hunyadi and his platoon. A quick but intense fight ensued.
The White Knight’s reputation was not unfounded. Despite being outnumbered by the Eastern Romain army, such that his subordinates fell one after another, he still found an opening to slip past the soldiers and charge straight for Sophia.
“Little twat, you’re dead meat!”
“Mm.” Sophia raised her hand.
The Elite Horse Archers handed a loaded crossbow over to her. She aimed that crossbow at Hunyadi, her hands not shaking in the slightest.
Hunyadi swiftly got closer and closer, to the point where his twisted expression could be clearly seen and his sword’s blood stench could be smelled.
“Little twat!”
Shoosh… Tak!
The arrow struck Hunyadi’s eye, piercing his head.
Sophia put down her crossbow and turned away. She looked so composed as if what she had just shot was merely an ordinary deer.
“Continue,” she ordered, “Eliminate every last one of them.”
While no one was looking, she secretly took out her handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat off her palms.
…
Constantin XI nearly fainted when he learned that Sophia had taken away the 15,000-men strong new army. He quickly made some arrangements before bringing a few men to chase after Sophia.
You must be kidding me! What would a six-year-old child know about war? Even if she’s able to mobilize the new army, we can’t let her lead them to war!
On his way to Sophia, he received a report.
“10,000 killed, 1500 executed, and 8000 captured as prisoners. Hungary’s White Knight has died in battle. The invading army has been destroyed?”
Constantin XI’s head rang. “Are you sure you aren’t joking with me?!”
“Your Majesty, we aren’t joking,” the new army’s commander who delivered the report replied. “We have examined the bodies, and the prisoners have been taken into custody. Your Majesty, please feel free to conduct an inspection.”
“…” Constantin XI fell silent.
My Lord, have I lost my mind, or has the world gone mad? A six-year-old child defeated a world-renowned general? Why would I have such a ridiculous dream?
“Suna,” he called out.
Pah!
Madam Marti unleashed a powerful slap that sent Constantin XI turning two rounds.
“It hurts! It really isn’t a dream…” Constantin XI murmured as he clutched his swelling cheeks.
Madam Marti shook her hand. Ouch. Looks like it really isn’t a dream.
“Your Majesty.” Another new army’s commander stepped forward. “This is the budget our Basilinna has drafted for the rewards, death gratuities, treatment costs, and allocation of spoils of war. Please sign here and stamp your seal.”
“…” Constantin XI shuddered.
What a familiar maneuver. Didn’t I do this a year ago?
I had no place in the war, so I focused on cleaning up after the Khitan Caesar. The only difference is that the Khitan Caesar didn’t bother with me at all, whereas my niece at least prepared a document to spare my face…
I would have never expected.
A year ago I was riding on the Khitan Caesar’s bandwagon.
A year later I am riding on my niece’s bandwagon.
“Eyy.” Constantin XI sighed. With a bitter smile, he took the document to sign and stamp it.
Forget it. I’m already used to it. It’s a good thing there are talented people in the empire.
It isn’t that bad to have someone dealing with the fighting on my behalf, while I put my full focus into governance.
Constantin XI consoled himself.
“So, what is Sophia—I mean, our Basilinna—doing?”
Theoretically speaking, there could only be two emperors in the Eastern Romain Empire, but Constantin XI was a smart man. He knew when he should feign ignorance.
The new army’s commander eyed Constantin XI before replying, “The Basilinna said that she’s going to dispatch soldiers into Vienna to teach the fake Romie a lesson!”
…
In the Holy Romain Empire…
“Are you certain you aren’t joking with me?!”
Frederina was convinced that her messengers were pulling her feet. The White Knight, a renowned veteran general, had forged an alliance army together with nearby countries to attack the Eastern Romain Empire, but they ended up getting annihilated?!
That’s an army of 20,000 soldiers! Does the Eastern Romain Empire even have 10,000 soldiers? And you say that the one who defeated Hunyadi is a six-year-old girl?!
How can you utter such bullshit with a straight face?!
Water must have gotten into your brain!
Frederina stared at the messengers with eyebrows raised in skepticism.
“Your Majesty, it’s true!” the messengers exclaimed with pale faces. “My nephew participated in this war and was lucky to survive. He told me that they were in the midst of battle when a flood suddenly washed all of them away.”
“Many are now saying that the princess from the Eastern Romain Empire is a future saintess, and this is a warning from the Lord!”
“The Genoese claim that the same happened to the Scourge of God as well. They had been faced with a cataclysmic storm that would have sunk any ships, yet it was as obedient as a lamb when he sailed through it.”
“They must be the Lord’s envoys, and they are here to punish those who lack faith!”
Some of the messengers burst into tears as they spoke.
“Your Majesty, what should we do?”
“…” Frederina felt numb.
Saintess? Scourge of God? The Lord’s will? What the hell are they rambling about?
The White Knight was just unlucky to meet with a flood. As for him losing to a six-year-old… Don’t give me that nonsense.
The Eastern Romains merely got lucky. They should celebrate while they still can.
Frederina sighed.
Forget it. None of them are our people anyway. We didn’t suffer any losses.
“Mm, I got it.” Frederina yawned lazily. “So be it then.”
Hm, I wonder which dancer I should summon today.