The earth shook beneath Akiel as batches of armored horses thundered beside him, each having their lances lowered and thirsting for blood.
The only horsemen throughout the left flank. The Go cavalry clan was completely annihilated by the Vermillion knights.
Meanwhile Akiel slipped between them on foot by instinct alone, his red eyes now revealed as his mask shattered in two gleaming for opportunities, dodging wounds by mere inches. Minor cuts opened across his arms and ribs, yet he struck low—slashing at the horses' joints, the only place untouched by armor. Heavy knights toppled violently, crushed beneath their own mounts, while Akiel weaved through chaos on foot, his own horse long dead somewhere in the chaos. Survival was his only thought.
From the castle walls their allies screamed with triumph, "CUT THEM BARBARIC BASTARDS! GLORY TO VERMILLION!"
Meanwhile, Adelaide, glancing into the enemy's charge, couldn't get the idea of what the prince was trying to achieve.
Her officers in stolen imperial garments circled her. "FORM A RING AROUND THE WAR CONCUBINE! DO NOT LET HER ROYALNESS COME TO HARM!"
Light cavalry surrounded her with sharp cries, and infantry raised a ragged shield wall before them.
"Is it in my head they want…? For them to strike so wildly and regroup again—then scatter again to the sides, and regroup again? Inexperience? Even as they caught us unprepared… We may yet stand a chance." Adelaide muttered, trying to steady her horse.
An older officer approached, bare-chested beneath a stolen mask marked with a square—his officer's rank. "Your highness… forgive me, but our cavalry cannot stand against their armored knights. A retreat may be—"
"INSOLENCE!? YOU WOULD ADVISE HER ROYALNESS, CONCUBINE OF THE HIGH QUEEN—" Another officer barked, "ADELAIDE VON GUKKENBERG, TO RETREAT!?"
Terrified, the man bowed deeply. "Forgive me—please forgive—I spoke without thinking—"
"Enough. Hold your tongue."
But Adelaide fell silent again, eyes narrowing. Something about the enemy cavalry's movement was wrong. They weren't charging straight; inexperience couldn't be the cause—they were widening… drifting left and right… stretching out like wings.
"This… this isn't random…"
"Miss?" an officer whispered.
Just then, the third Vermillion charge—led by the Prince himself—thundered toward her vanguard. Behind him, the scattered remnants of the first and second charges had reformed far wider than before. They weren't charging at her. They were closing in around the entire left flank.
That's when her eyes widened. "Cage… A cage..? At this scale? Impossible,"
A cage.
A tightening, steel-forged triangle.
"CHARGE FORWARD! DO NOT LET THEM COMPLETE THE ENCIRCLEMENT!" Adelaide screamed, yanking her reins. But her cavalry faltered in panic, their horses neighing wildly. Too late—the left wing of the triangle met the right, and the prince's third wedge sealed the front.
The trap locked shut.
An unconventional triangle of death never seen before completely turned around on its traditional value.
Their eyes met across the narrowing death field—her black wooden mask with one broken horn, his iron mask with two red-tarnished horns.
But instead of smashing into her line… the imperial cavalry slowed.
The prince raised his blood-soaked sword. "PULL THE REINS—COMPLETE STOP!"
The barbarian soldiers froze, half-dazed, unsure if the sudden halt was mercy or a trick. Every second stretched.
"The general is right in front of them—why would he…" Adelaide froze.
The unstoppable momentum of thousands of armored riders slowed into a disciplined trot.
The western barbarian army staggered under the shock of the first two charges. Confused, disoriented, and half-naked as they were, they had not expected the enemy to regroup so swiftly. Many were still recovering from the scattering impact, some trying feebly to lift wooden shields against armored steeds. It was clear—organized resistance had crumbled. They were left in shock, already heavy with casualties, watching the envelopment happening around them.
"ENCIRCLEMENT… COMPLETE!"
The western army collapsed far quicker than Otto had feared. His message for Friedrich to encircle the enemy would arrive late—Adelaide's forces were already half destroyed. Misjudging his army's strength against armored knights, there was only one order left.
"Sound the gong."
"General!?" his officer yelled. "An all-out retreat!? We've barely begun! If we retreat, the queen, she—she'll—" His voice shuddered with fear as the general raised his arm.
"Enough! We must regroup before it's too late. Send a couple soldiers to her royalness. Knowing her, retreat won't be an option…"
The officer bowed. "Understood…"
A gong echoed across the battlefield.
"MISS! ORDER FROM HIGH COMMAND—RETREAT!"
"The general is right in front of them—why would he…" Adelaide froze.
Then she realized.
"RETREAT!? THE GENERAL OF THE ENEMY'S ARMY IS IN FRONT OF US!"
The prince never was aiming for her.
"OTTO'S WORDS ARE ABSOLUTE, HULIEK!"
His sword pointed—not at her neck—but behind him, sealing the last opening.
"They're… sealing the flank?" her officer stammered.
"SEALING!? YOU FOOL—THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE IT!" Adelaide roared.
Panic rippled through the left flank.
"LEFT WING!" she screamed. "SCATTER IF YOU CAN—ABANDON FORMATIONS! SURVIVE AS YOU—no… CHARGE! CHARGE FORWARD! THAT IS THE IMPERIAL PRINCE! WHOEVER TAKES HIS HEAD—"
Two officers not under her command seized her arms. "MISS! WE MUST RETREAT!"
"INSOLENCE, HANDS OFF THE WAR CONCUBINE!" Her own commanders barked, raising their swords at their own allies. "THE WAR CONCUBINE WILL DIE IF WE DO NOT RETREAT!"
"NO—WE CANNOT ABANDON—"
A cold drop of sweat slid under her mask.
Then the flat of a blade struck her neck.
"Forgive me, Miss…"
The prince lifted his mask just enough to reveal a smirk. "The hunt… begins."
Black flags rose. The triangle shifted inward. Both sides angled toward the center, crushing everything between them. Adelaide's left wing—leaderless, confused, and surrounded—crumbled.
Shouts turned to chaos.
"WESTWARD—RETREAT WEST! THAT'S THE WEAK POINT!"
"No—NORTH! TOWARD OUR GENERAL!"
"THEIR FORCES ARE MOSTLY IN NORTH!"
"WE'RE ABANDONED!"
"RUN!"
The officers in the center slowly retreated north towards the forest, with unconscious Adelaide leaving behind three thousand men to certain death.
By nightfall, the left flank had been butchered inside the iron cage of Vermillion steel.
And thus, the first day of the Jouragen castle siege had finished.