Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem-Chapter 445: Together

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Zach noticed the difference in how the people of Rittel looked at him the next morning when he went to find Yan. It was better than being glared at for something he didn’t do, but he couldn’t say it felt right.

He ignored it.

Yan was in the command center as Zach had expected. Opposite to yesterday, when Yan had to flash his authority to get Zach into the meeting room, the guards outside held the door open for him. They didn’t even ask his familiars to stay outside. They were free to follow him inside if they wanted to.

But it would be unnecessarily crowded, so Zach only brought Yanael.

"..."

"Zacharia, you’re here." Yan was the only one who greeted Zach with anything other than awkward silence.

"Well, yeah. We need to make use of the breathing room we’ve gained. They know they can’t attack us with the forces they have, which means they’ll be holding off until they’re ready. We should take initiative before they do."

The military officers understood and listened to Zach this time. They would not try the same thing again when it had already failed this spectacularly. But that didn’t mean they would stop trying. They would either try something else or just use more force.

Rittel wasn’t a key location in the war, but it was an important access point. For both sides, it would alleviate a lot of stress on the supply route if they secured it. It was also easy to defend and hold with the right troops.

The barbarians wanted to take the city, and the imperial troops could not hand it over without making the barbarians sacrifice at least as much as they would lose by doing so.

So, before the barbarians had the chance to gather their forces and launch a more powerful attack, Rittel’s forces had to do something.

"...What do you have in mind?" The military officer with a big mustache asked hesitantly. There was something about how he had been vocal in his opposition toward Zach’s participation in the war just a day ago, but now wasn’t the time for that. By asking, he admitted and acknowledged that Zach deserved his spot by the table.

"Two alternatives. The first would be to scout our surroundings and the area in front to try and estimate the barbarians’ forces. If possible, we charge in full and drive them back. It’s offensive, but it will keep Rittel safe. For now."

"The second?" Yan asked. The first option wasn’t optimal. But if Zach brought it up, it could only mean that the other was equally as bad.

"We send out a small unit of elites. Guerilla warfare to harass the barbarians and distract them. They will have to move and do things to attack Rittel. That’s when the unit strikes and makes them bleed."

"..."

Risk everything by betting everything on everyone or risk everything by betting everything on a select few.

If the first alternative failed, the city’s troops would be wiped out outside the city with far from enough soldiers to defend it, even if reinforcements arrived before the barbarians.

If the second alternative failed, either because the unit was removed from the equation or because they couldn’t do enough damage to the barbarians to interfere with their plans, the city would be overtaken by a force much stronger than the one that had failed, the one that failed only because of Zach’s familiars and their tactics.

"This is under the assumption that we will not receive any further reinforcements and that they will attack Rittel again with a stronger force," one of the military officers said.

"Yes." Zach nodded.

"Why?"

"Because that’s the worst scenario, excluding natural disasters and sickness. We do not know if we will receive much more reinforcements. Even our supplies are having trouble getting here. We cannot count on it. And the fact that the barbarians have spent weeks trying to slowly wear this city down and open the gates is proof that they want it. Since we’re defending it so much, it’s clear we don’t want to give it up.

"Why? Because it’s a strategical location. It opens up a path west for the barbarians, and it lets us defend against a full advance from the barbarians. But then again, it’s not like they can’t go around us. It’s not like they can’t go anywhere else. Rittel isn’t the only city.

"That’s good. For us. But not for the rest. We have an opportunity here, something that we can assume the other defending cities don’t have." Zach accidentally said a little more than he had intended. His blood still ran hot from last night.

"..."

"Then I say we take this opportunity," the mustached officer said firmly, making his stance clear. He couldn’t say which, if either, of the plans Zach proposed was right. But they had to do something, and they had to assume the conditions were the worst. That was the only way they could overcome them when it turned out to be true.

Yan could tell that things were leaning toward a vote, based on the bearded officer’s statement. But there was something he had to clarify first.

"This small unit of elites…Were you thinking of anyone specific?" He asked.

"..." Zach silently looked at Yan for a moment before opening his mouth.

"...If this city had anyone worthy of being called an elite other than me, then it wouldn’t have gotten this bad before we arrived."

Yan’s eyes narrowed.

"So, you were planning on keeping the barbarians busy with just yourself?"

Zach subtly nodded toward his familiars before glancing at Garad.

"Well, I’ll need someone familiar with the terrain, but I’m confident I can do it."

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"That confidence is the problem," Yan said. "Do you remember what led you here?" He asked.

Zach nodded tiredly.

"I won’t go if you stop me, but that means we have to go with the first alternative or something else if anyone has any ideas?" Zach glanced at the military officers. Maybe they had been inspired. Maybe they could contribute.

"No?"

It didn’t look like they had any ideas other than the two he had already shared.

"Do you know what I was told when I was given this assignment?" Yan continued.

"No."

"I was told not to let you out of my sight," Yan answered his own question.

"That means we’re going together," he said with a smile.