Low-Fantasy Occultist Isekai

"And we are sure the supply wagon will stick to this timeline? I know of many campaigns that relied on strained lines, and I can tell you, none of them ended well," Matheus Quack said, eyeing the documents on Eugene's traveling desk with disdain.

Gods, give me strength. If I have to deal with this pompous bastard for the whole war, I will burn him to a crisp and march into the deepest mine I can find to go out in a blaze of glory.

Fortunately for the tourney knight, Eugene had more resilience than that, so his life was spared this time. "I have some of my most trusted men handling the logistics; have no fear," he replied evenly.

"Hmm," Quack hemmed and hawed, but he couldn't think of anything else to complain about that wouldn't directly challenge Eugene's word, so he nodded and sank back into his chair.

Armand snorted like the bull of a man he was, shaking his head, "Supply lines are important to sustain the force, but we still haven't found more than the remnants of enemy camps! It's all well and good to be ready for a long campaign, but it's useless if you don't even know where the damn enemy is hiding!"

As a big game hunter, Eugene knew Armand Poules wouldn't enjoy the grind of chasing dark dwarves through the numerous tunnels and holes they had carved in the Howling Mountains, which allowed them to reach the northern grassland, but suggesting that the man stay behind would have been a terrible insult.

And while his own position as lord of the western grasslands was secure thanks to his Prestige rank, it didn't mean he could dismiss his lieutenants at will.

"Sir Sadie is on the hunt for them as we speak," he decided to repeat, again holding back the urge to bare his teeth and remind these two who truly held the authority here.

His new class, Drakken Blademaster, seemed to come with a set of almost animalistic instincts he was still adjusting to, and while he could easily suppress them around his family, whom he considered his to protect, it became very hard to keep his temper in check when those weaker than him started acting disrespectfully, even if it wasn't deliberately so in Armand's case.

Still, Eugene was not the kind of man to let power go to his head, especially since even with his new rank, he still wasn't at the top of his land.

No, that title went to the old Prelate who was even now weaving his web around Floria, entrenching the faith of Sashara into his lands in a way he knew would be very hard to break.

At least he seems more concerned with what's going on in the south. Sashara's temples haven't been targeted yet, but it's only a matter of time.

"Sir Sadie has been hunting the dark dwarves for months, and he has little to show for it," Quack muttered under his breath, clearly unimpressed, but he knew better than to make a big fuss about it.

Eugene was spared from dealing with the man when a runner burst into the tent with almost supernatural timing, gasping for air. "They found 'em, milord!"

The kid, and it was a kid—just a year older than his youngest son—wore the standard uniform of Floria's watch and was part of the newest batch of recruits who had made it through the rigorous training Darien had devised.

It wasn't ideal to bring young people on a campaign, but Eugene also knew he needed to build up a military force capable of controlling his new lands, and few opportunities were as good to gain experience as a war.

He blinked, finally understanding what had been said, then snatched the scroll from the kid's hands, unrolling it onto his desk, and ignored how both knights craned their necks to read its contents.

For their benefit, and because they both looked ridiculous, acting like schoolchildren trying to copy off their deskmate's paper, he read the contents aloud. "Lord Crowley, I send this messenger ahead to inform you that we have successfully located a major resupply point of the dwarven forces. As of now, we have scouted around two hundred soldiers holding it, but we expect those numbers to increase, as they seem to be preparing for something. I believe they might be trying to launch a new operation down south, since the previous attempt failed after the swell of men your elevation brought. I suggest setting out now from the camp if you wish to arrive before they have prepared whatever operation they have in the works, but I leave the decision in your capable hands. Signed, Sir Leon Sadie, Captain of the Fourteenth mounted company."

A moment of silence followed, heavy with unspoken words, many of which Eugene was sure were directed at the ever-negative Sir Quack, whose face was turning red from the embarrassment of being proven wrong so quickly.

He allowed himself a moment to enjoy that, savor it, before setting the paper down, "Now then, gentlemen. It seems we have ourselves a nest of vermin to exterminate."

Bloodthirsty grins greeted his proclamation.

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Leading an army of soldiers toward battle was somewhat eerie. Everyone knew they were about to face a dangerous enemy, one that was much better at adapting than most monsters the Green Ocean had to offer.

Just as they knew they could die, they also had the chance to emerge from it with much more than they started with. Levels, skills, and riches could all be easily gained from the battle they were about to face.

Eugene made sure all his men knew their families would be cared for if they fell in battle, but that didn't do much to dampen the excitement and bloodlust the upcoming fight brought.

Everything could change in just one day. They might fall because of their arrogance, or they could rise far beyond what they ever imagined.

Yet, Eugene could not ignore the fact that after so long a fruitless search, the enemy had finally appeared. For all that he wasn't a fan of dark dwarves, he knew they weren't stupid, and that anyone who reached a commanding position in their ruthless society usually knew better than to lose their biggest advantage, stealth.

Which meant either of two things. They are preparing something truly massive, or they want to be found. Neither option is good. But then again, I knew this wouldn't be a walk in the park.

Movement ahead snapped him out of his thoughts, but Eugene relaxed when he saw it was one of Sir Leon's men coming to take them to the temporary camp the fourteenth had prepared.

There would be no settling down this time since they were so pressed, but he needed to get an update on the enemy's actions before bringing his men into battle.

"Milord," the knight called out as he came closer, bringing his enormous horse to a halt.

I really need to find a better mount. Poor Jeremiah here is getting on with the years, and honestly, the leader of the army should have a more impressive horse.

Still, he patted his old friend on the neck. Jeremiah wasn't a warhorse, but he was good stock, bred to survive against most monsters that wandered out of the Green Ocean. Perhaps not as massive as those used by the Royal Knights, but more than enough for his purposes.

And really, intimidation wasn't a problem for him anymore. His new rank had increased his stature a few inches and given him a gravitas that always seemed to keep his men on edge.

The knights were more resistant, but he could read the tension in their stiff posture. They all knew he was the most powerful person around, and while he was an ally, that was still something worth taking note of.

"Sir Warted," he replied, tilting his head, "any change in movements?"

The man shook his helmeted head, "No, milord. The dwarves still seem determined to gather their forces. We expected them to have started moving out by now, but they are still there, waiting for something."

Eugene wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he was starting to suspect they might not be the ones setting the trap this time.

Still, the fourteenth company had a few mages capable of sensing if anyone above level one hundred was hiding among them, thanks to ancient relics given to them by the Royal Treasurer. As long as no Prestige but him took the field, Eugene was confident he could handle whatever they could throw at him.

"Very well, let's get to the camp. The time is almost nigh."

They found the remaining members of the fourteenth waiting for them in full armor, faces grimly determined. After many months of trekking through the northern grassland, searching for the faintest signs of the enemy, the prospect of a major showdown was highly appealing to them.

When Eugene shook Sir Leon's hand, he could almost feel the other man's excitement about to boil over. His eyes burned with determination, and he knew that his mana was not spilling out in waves only because of the great control instilled in every Royal Knight.

"They must suspect we are coming," Leon murmured, and Eugene nodded, having known as much.

"Well, we just need to break through whatever trap they are setting, then, shouldn't we?" Was his answer, and the man's face split in two as a bloodthirsty grin took over his features.

The secluded valley where the dark dwarves had chosen for their camp was difficult to access, and for an army with so many infantry and mounted knights like the one Eugene was leading, it should have been impossible.

Fortunately, when nature didn't provide an option, magic was there to save the day.

Bridges made of flowing stone were easily constructed from the surrounding rocks, allowing even armored horses to cross over crevices without concern. Narrow roads were widened, and hours of trudging through mud were reduced to just minutes as the ground dried almost instantly.

Truly, magic was a general's greatest friend. I've known this since the dungeon raid, where Nick's magic, immature though it might have been, made all the difference, but during a campaign, it's like night and day.

By the time they reached the entrance to the valley, Eugene could feel his men's excitement like a tangible force. They were prepared for whatever lay ahead, especially given the last-minute additions he had prepared for them.

Mind magic is a very dangerous weapon, and cannot be disrupted with something cheap enough to be given to a thousand soldiers in a few weeks, but I bet they aren't expecting everyone's helmet to be lined with ghostgrass.

It wasn't the most sophisticated method and wouldn't work against a regular spell cast at any other part of the body, but dark dwarves had a nasty habit of targeting brains, trying to twist their enemies' minds and force them to fight against their allies.

This small trick could likely foil that strategy long enough for Eugene to burn the dwarves to ash. It wouldn't work twice against the same enemy, but once was all he needed.

Below them, a neat camp sprawled out with at least three hundred armored dwarves visible, and more inside the many stone huts that had been raised from the ground.

It wasn't long before they were noticed, since while Sir Leon's men had handled the outer sentries, the inner ones were too close to be attacked.

Still, it was too late by then, and Eugene raised his new sword high in the sky, letting the fiery essence that made up his flesh flare around it. "CHAAAARGE!"

His roar echoed through the valley, shaking the earth much like a drake's would.

To their credit, the dwarves didn't fall into chaos; instead, they quickly grabbed their weapons and ran to the camp's entrance to meet them.

A wave of fire engulfed the unlucky few who got there first, reducing them to ash before they could realize who they were facing.

Yet Eugene didn't lower his guard, waiting for the trap to be sprung even as the royal knights descended upon the dwarves like scythes through wheat.

His soldiers fought well, aided by the ghostgrass protection, and tanked through most [Scramble] bolts that came their way. Some got lucky hits on unprotected parts and had to be pulled away before they could go crazy, but overall, this was starting to look like a complete wipeout.

Predictably, the ground trembled and split open as two enormous Steel Wurms emerged, large enough to overshadow even an adult wyvern, with two dark dwarves riding strange contraptions on each Wurm's back, seemingly controlling their minds. The rock shower they unleashed in all directions stopped the army's charge, bringing the battle to a standstill.

"Alright, let's see if you can take the heat," Eugene rumbled, eyes glowing bright crimson, as he let his fiery wings unfurl.