Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
The sunlight on that day felt gentler than usual.
This was the palace erected in the center of the Imperial Capital Banhataal. In the vast courtyard separated from the outside world, there were two oak trees about two meters apart.
They weren’t trees that fit in with the style of the palace. There were many bigger trees in the courtyard, including ancient trees comparable to a national treasure. In comparison, these two trees were planted just a few years ago.
「── Ahh, they make me forget about the time.」
But the Imperial Field Marshal Ikuta Solork liked these two trees a lot. The branches shaded the area just right, and the distance was suitable for a hammock. This was an irreplaceable resting spot that he chose and selected himself.
「... Hmm, I know why you are always late for meetings.」
The girl muttered with a smile. The person lying on the large hammock beside the youth was the Empress Chamille Kitra Katjvanmaninik. She usually spent her time with him indoors, and would only come out for fresh air during rare days with great weather.
「... Do you remember? You are the first one who taught me how to lie this way.」
「Of course I remember. I was just teasing you, and was worried that you will complain to me.」
The youth smiled mischievously. On the hammock that was swaying in the gentle breeze, Chamille clinged onto Ikuta beside her.
「I pardon your crimes… Because Yatori already taught you a lesson.」
「Ughh. You might be saying that you forgive me, but you have been kicking me a lot recently...?」
「New crimes are a different matter. Be it now or in the past, you will hit on older women whenever you see one.」
「Banning me from flirting is like asking me not to breath.」
The youth shrugged with a wry smile. At this moment── footsteps on the grass could be heard. The girl snapped to attention and sat up from her hammock.
「Good Afternoon… Erm, am I intruding on something?」
The jade-eyed youth said with a polite smile. Chamille stared with her eyes wide open.
「Torway? When did you get back to the palace...!」
「Just now. It’s been a while, Your Majesty.」
「His training just ended yesterday, so I asked him to come over── I haven’t seen you for a month, Torway.」
「Yes, but it doesn’t feel that long since we chatted through the Sprites. The training was tough, but the frequent talks with Ik-kun and Ma-kun motivates me greatly.」
Torway said with a cheerful smile. In the meanwhile, another figure appeared from behind him.
「Oh, Torway got here first? ── long time no see, Your Majesty.」
The pudgy youth looked at the crowd and said. Having another unexpected guest made Chamille jump off her hammock.
「Matthew, you are here too!」
「Ikuta told me to make time for a day off today, and I rushed here from the southern territories.」
Matthew nursed his waist that was sore from the long ride as he said that. Beside him, Haro brought over a tea set with a bright smile.
「It’s been so long, Torway-san. Did you get skinnier?」
「Great to see you, Haro-san. Don’t worry, I didn’t lose weight. I got more lean and heavier instead.」
The youth answered confidently with a pat on his chest. Haro checked him out carefully.
「── Hmm, you’re right. Your complexion is better than before, and your body condition looks fine… That’s great.」
「Oh, you got right to work. As expected of the first mental health management officer of the Empire.」
「Fufufu. Matthew-san, you put on a little more weight, right?」
「Ughh...! I-It can’t be helped, the navy pushed a load of souvenirs to me, and asked me to eat them. I can’t let them rot either...」
Matthew pouted and groaned. Sensing that the navy was taking great care of Matthew, Ikuta smiled a little deviously.
「The exchange program seems to be going well── are things going well with Pol-chan too?」
「It’s going smoothly… No, don’t just talk about me! We haven’t met for so long, so everyone must have tons of things to say! Ehh── Oh, right, how’s your injury, Haro?」
「Hmm, how about an arm wrestling match? We will know the answer immediately from that.」
Haro rolled up her sleeve with a smile. Torway looked at their interaction, then smiled and looked at the clear sky.
「The weather is great, why not have the tea party right here, Ik-kun?」
「That’s why I ask you all to come. We can get people to bring chairs over, but the grass is lush here. Let’s just sit down somewhere under the shade.」
Ikuta got off the hammock and urged everyone on. The members of the Knights Corp sat down on the grass as he suggested. Her field of vision got much closer to eye level, and Haro felt a strange sense of nostalgia and said:
「Ahh── I remember this feeling.」
The other four felt the same too. Matthew answered absent mindedly:
「... That’s right. All of us sitting around like this reminds me of our days as Officer Cadets.」
「Fufufu. Ik-kun was always hogging Safi’s wind.」
「I always believe that pretty boys have low body temperature and are resistance to heat.」
「There’s a limit to how unscientific you can be...」
Chamille pinched the back of the youth’s palm with an abhorred look. Matthew sipped the tea Haro served and exclaimed:
「... This iced tea tastes great. There are so many ice cubes, but it isn’t diluted at all.」
「Oh, you can tell? The ice cubes are made from tea.」
「That’s one extra step in making tea… Hmm, it’s cold and tasty. It will be a joy to drink this when my body is heating up.」
Everyone felt a moment of respite from Haro’s iced tea. Matthew then looked at the hammock between the trees and sighed.
「You finally built a nest in the palace… I’m impressed by how far you take your lazy nature.」
「Well, this is just the beginning. I’m thinking about setting a hammock between those two spire towers.」
Ikuta pointed to the two towers on the palace grounds and said. The blonde girl frowned.
「Spire tower… You mean the Right Sword Tower and Left Shield Tower? Those two towers that are 37m tall?」
「As expected of Ik-kun, even your napping spots are amazing.」
「If I want to make this a reality, I will have to deal with the law regarding air space. My proposal for the next meeting is already completed, so I want to lay the ground works now...」
「Hey, someone stop him! He will really do it!」
When Ikuta got into the specific steps to take, Matthew grabbed his shoulders and shook hard to stop this debauchery. This scene made the other three laugh out loud.
「── It makes me forget the time.」
Haro suddenly looked up into the sky and muttered. Their conversations stopped and the other four looked up too. A flock of birds flew right across their field of vision.
「If only all the problems would end without anything happening… Things won’t be that simple though.」
Matthew couldn’t help saying an unobtainable wish. Torway said in response:
「Somewhere in Kioka── there might be someone looking up at the same sky and thinking about the same thing.」
With anti-war sentiments gaining traction in both countries, there were more people who didn’t want war compared to those who wanted one. With that ironic fact in mind, Ikuta snorted and said.
「I have laid in my hammock in all sorts of places and watched the sky countless times, but I have never seen a day that’s suitable for war.」
The youth turned sullen after saying that sarcastically, then squinted:
「However── if it is the last thing I see, I will prefer a clear day… Since I can have a good dream if this is my eternal slumber.」
His words sounded weak willed. Ikuta acting different from usual surprised the four of them, and Matthew refuted:
「Hmmp, what’s the Field Marshal holing up in the headquarters saying? We would all be dead before you die as the commander in chief.」
He stated an obvious fact. Haro and Torway then said:
「That’s right, Ikuta-san. Not just you, it will be troubling if we don’t survive.」
「We won’t die so easily, Ik-kun.」
The jade-eyed youth promised strongly. Seeing that his comrades had grown more reliable, Ikuta raised the corners of his lips and wiped away his fragility.
「Yes, that’s right── Haro, can I have another cup, please?」
「Yes, right away!──」
When Haro was reaching for the teapot for a refill── Ikuta’s partner Kusu received a notification and connected the call.
「── Reporting to the Field Marshal. The Kioka Army is marching towards the east of our borders! I repeat, the Kioka army is marching──」
Surprisingly, none of the five people gasped at that report.
「...」
Ikuta looked at his comrades present. He looked at them finish their cup of tea and smiled:
「... We managed to make time to have tea together.」
Torway, Matthew, Haro and Chamille all nodded with a smile. Instead of being sad that their peaceful moment had ended, they were glad to have spent this irreplaceable time with their comrades.
「Alright, let’s begin── It’s time for war.」
The dark-haired youth told them as he used his walking stick to stand up, then pulled the cape on the hammock over his shoulders. He walked towards his station in his uniform of the Imperial Field Marshal── the Empress who had made a secret resolve in her heart, and capable veteran officers followed behind him.
The peace that was as precious as gems had ended. And the Final battle begins.
Chapter 1: Start of the Final Battle
The Empire and Kioka had different strategic ideas about their all out confrontation.
With that in mind, the classical way of waging war by determining a place and gathering their forces would not be possible. A place that was advantageous to one side would naturally be disadvantageous to the other. And given the huge discrepancy in numbers between the strongest weapon in modern times, the Blast Cannons, the Empire would not choose to fight in the plains.
The highest chance of victory would be a defensive battle where they engage the invading Kioka forces in turn. In exchange for destroying their lands, they could predict the enemy’s route of advancement and pick a terrain that was advantageous for the defenders. And it was easy to get supplies in their own country too.
On the other hand, Kioka still had to invade the Empire despite knowing that. They couldn’t plan around engaging the enemy invaders. The longer they dragged, the lesser their advantage in Blast Cannons numbers would be. And if the Empire took the initiative to invade, that would mean they were confident of winning with their equipment. Waiting for that to happen would be putting the cart before the horse.
One side was the Imperial army fortifying their defences and waiting for the attack. On the other side were the Kioka forces who had to strike despite knowing that fact.
However── even with how things stand, Kioka wasn’t at a disadvantage.
「── Artillery unit, forward march!」
There was no need for words, just seeing this scene explains everything.
Rows upon rows of steel cannons were drawn by the horses. Just the first rank had 30 cannons. As for the ones that follow── It would be hard to tell their numbers without overlooking them from on top of a hill.
The Kioka army prepared 6,122 Blast Cannons for this battle. The horses pulling these cannons were three times this number, and they were manned by a crew five times of that. With the mass production of Blast Cannons, 30,000 soldiers were trained in the operation of this new formation, which showed how much Kioka thought this new formation would be the key to this war.
「... I’m starting to worry whether this battle will reduce the Empire into ash...」
At the rear of the artillery procession, an officer beside the commander said quietly.
After learning the power of the Blast Cannons through their thorough training, he was aware of the devastating firepower of this artillery division. And soon, they would execute a destruction that probably had never been seen in history before── that made him feel relieved and afraid of their reliable firepower at the same time.
Sensing his worries, his superior snorted.
「We can only hope the Imperials will make a wise decision, and surrender before their land is reduced to dust.」
「Yes, I’m hoping for this same thing without a hint of sarcasm… I wish they could see this too. What can stop the advance of this army? We have enough firepower to destroy a mountain, a manmade fortress is nothing──」
「── How many do you think there is?」
The female soldier asked quietly from the tall platform. Her subordinate who was proning beside her answered cautiously:
「... I can see 3,000, and estimating from the scale of their unit, 5,000 will be a good gauge.」
She gulped at the estimated number of cannons. It was clear how serious Kioka was about this. They have spent an imaginable amount of budget to prepare their troops.
「We have to observe this carefully… This will be a harsh battle, it will be bad if we make a mistake at this stage.」
「Yes!」
「── It’s over 5,000? I see.」
Imperial Central Base Commander’s Office. After receiving the report, Ikuta Solork expressed his sincere awe and nodded.
「Incredible── I’m not complimenting that white pretty boy, but the political prowess of Ario Kyakushii. How much budget did he wrest from the Parliament to assemble that number of cannons?」
The youth muttered with a bitter smile── One advantage of a monarchy over a democracy was the ability to dictate a policy. But when facing that Prime Minister, this didn’t matter either.
「Sigh, I’m not surprised. I thought he would do that── Connect me to General Shiba.」
Kusu started the call immediately, and got through in less than 5 seconds.
「Kubalha Shiba speaking. I heard there is an outrageous amount of cannons, but we will be proceeding as planned, right?」
「Yes, of course. Please prepare for trench warfare in the first defence line.」
「Got it. How exhilarating.」
He ended the call with a laugh. The 「Twin Jewels of the Sun」 felt as reliable as ever to Ikuta, and he pushed on his table to stand up.
「── Alright then, I should get in position.」
The youth moved from his desk to the center of the commander’s officer where 20 chess boards were set up. The shape of the board and the pieces on it all differed from the original. They were tools to help him visualize the upcoming battle and the change in the situation.
「Well then── You’ll be making the first move this time, Jean.」
Four hours after the Imperial Army sent the observation report. The leading elements of the advancing Kioka Army were about to cross the borders.
「── Alright, the first fortress is almost in sight, Mazeya.」
The commander watching through his telescope at the front ranks said. He was about 50 and wore the empaulatte of a colonel. He was Kioka’s Frontline Commander for the first stage of the battle, Colonel Gatra Decaic.
「The scouts should be back soon.」
His deputy, Major Mazeya Emden, answered. They were less than 2 km away from the enemy fortress they were spying at. The large octagonal military facility seemed to be emphasizing that this was the end of the plain leading westwards, and had served as the first wall against Kioka invasion since 120 years ago── Iron wall Fortress Orwa.
「If we want to defeat the Empire, we have to capture Orwa with half of our might. This saying has been going on since my Officer Cadet days.」
「The same still applies now. If we want to invade the Empire through land routes, the only alternative is to take the path where the Aldera Holy Army crossed over the Grand Arfatra Mountains.」
「The Brilliant General is in command over there. It’s a shame we can’t use that route this time.」
「I like the tall mountains, and dream about climbing the Grand Arfatra Mountains and making a pilgrimage to Ra Saia Alderamin one day── but I don’t recommend bringing Blast Cannons along for the trip.」
Major Mazeya’s joke made Colonel Gatra laugh. Even the most devoted followers of the Church of Aldera would keep saying they would go one day without actually doing it── so much that the pilgrimage to the Grand Arfatra Mountains became a term to mock people.
「It’s better to take this route this time. I don’t know how many soldiers are garrisoned in the fort, but they are just targets for the Blast Cannon.」
「What if they come out and fought us on the open field?」
「That will save us the effort of capturing the fort.」
Colonel Gatra said confidently. At this moment, an officer hurried to their side.
「── Reporting! The scouts have returned after reconnaissance the fort!」
「So, how many troops do they have?」
Colonel Gatra asked immediately. However, the officer was hesitant to speak.
「... There are… zero.」
A silence hung over them. After a moment of confusion, the Colonel furrowed his brows.
「... Zero?」
「The fort is empty. The enemy didn’t engage when we approached, and it is easy to sneak in too. Furthermore, there are no terrain to hide a substantial force around here.」
Feeling more confused by the report, Colonel Gatra found it hard to judge the situation and turned to his adjutant.
「Is this one of the scenarios you predicted?」
「It is… But for the enemy to be absent, this is...」
Major Mazeya carefully chose his words── They already predicted that the enemy might have laid down a trap. For example, using the soldiers garrisoned in the fort as bait and attacking from behind. But in all these scenarios, it didn’t include one that had the fort left empty.
「Never mind. If they are abandoning this place, then we can just take it. Contact Major General Arkinex to confirm.」
The commander pulled himself together and made a call with his Sprite. A few seconds later, he received a reply.
「── This is Commander-in-Chief Jean Arkinex. How’s the situation, Colonel?」
「Yes Sir. The first fortress we passed along our route is unmanned. I would like to consult with you on our next course of action.」
「It’s empty?」
「Yes Sir, the reports say there are no signs of anyone. Is it fine for us to capture it?」
Colonel Gatra asked, expecting his proposal to be accepted. However, his expectation was subverted.
「No, shell it.」
「──Huh?」
「Bombard the fortress. Decimate it, it doesn’t matter if it is empty.」
Bombard an empty fort. A few seconds after receiving that order, he confirmed hastily.
「I-Is that fine, Major General Sir? We won’t have many chances to secure a base in enemy territory in the future.」
「You have my orders, Colonel.」
The white-haired officer didn’t explain further and simply restated his decision. Colonel Gatra straightened his back from the pressure, then cut the call after acknowledging that order.
「... Prepare for bombardment.」
「We are shelling an empty fort?」
「I already confirmed that is the commander-in-chief’s decision, there is no doubt about this.」
His firm voice was no longer wavering. His deputy nodded and issued the orders to the artillery unit. This was the biggest reason why Colonel Gatra was picked as the Frontline Commander. No matter what happens, he wouldn’t doubt Jean Arkinex’s decision.
「Ready to Inject Dynamic Air, Colonel!」
「Yes, proceed!」
The artillery started moving and injected Dynamic Air into the steel tubes. Colonel Gatra imagined the pressure building up in the Blast Cannons and shouted loudly with his arms crossed:
「I don’t know the Commander-in-Chief’s intent, but just think of this as target practice.」
「Yes Sir...」
His deputy who still couldn’t accept this completely answered vaguely. The artillery was ready in no time, and the Colonel ordered:
「Begin the bombardment!」
Shells were fired with a loud bang, and the ear drums of the artillerymen turned numb, even the grass by their feet was shaking. A few seconds later, the shell landed on their mark, crushing through the ceilings and the walls. The debris fell onto the ground.
「Hmm, it’s as powerful as we thought. This fort is on the large side, but it won’t stand──」
The commander grunted, happy with the effectiveness of the shelling. However── he didn’t see the next wave of attack. The entire fort exploded before their eyes.
「──Huh?」
「── T-The fortress exploded! Report, the enemy fortress has exploded! It didn’t crumble but exploded! After just one barrage...!」
The surprised voice of his subordinate could be heard through the Sprite. In contrast with his panic, the white-haired officer was as cool as a cucumber.
「Yah*── as I expected.」
Jean said as he looked at the map laid out on the table. Without waiting for the report, the fort had been marked as ‘unusable’ with a cross.
「Don’t panic, this is only natural. Even if the forts are meaningless before the Blast Cannons, that Ikuta Solork won’t just abandon a fort.」
He was certain that Dynamic Air was used to induce the explosion. That was a technique Jean used himself during the battle of the Grand Arfatra tableland. The revolutionary part about it is, depending on the side that meddled with it, the explosion could destroy the terrain or building in an instant. Jean had already seen through that an unmanned fort along their route was a suitable bait.
「If we send in the troops rashly, it will result in tragedy── you understand right, Colonel? Follow my orders to the letter. If you encounter anything unclear, contact me first. Instead of racking your own brain, you should trust in my judgement. Understand?」
「Y-Yes Sir...!」
The commander’s wavering voice expressed his intention to obey, and the white-haired officer cut the call. Miara who was standing by said:
「We ran into Ikuta Solork’s trap right away… We really can’t let our guard down.」
「This can’t even be called a trap. This is just a greeting at best between us.」
Jean said with a smile── this wasn’t a surprise. After three prior battles and the 「trial of god」 they knew each other’s capabilities very well.
「Next will be the opening battle── let’s show each other our formation, Solork.」
While the army was moving to intercept the attack, in a port a long distance to the south of the Imperial Capital Banhataal, the Imperial Navy who received word of the Kioka invasion took action.
「Heave ho...」「Bring the next barrel!」「It’s all here!」
The sailors carrying barrels bustle between the ship and the port. To prepare for a long voyage, the ship was loaded with provisions. Thanks to the water purification function of the Water Sprite, they could get portable water in the ocean, but the food for the large crew was huge by comparison. For warships loaded with weapons and munitions, just loading it would take half a day.
「── Sir! Where are you, Admiral Jurgus Sir!」
In a corner of the port that was busy on the eve of battle, a youth was wandering with a troubled face. He was a communication officer serving as Erynphin Jurgus’ adjutant. There were many issues he needed to consult his superior with, but he couldn’t find the man in question.
「Ughh, where did he go── Uwah?」
He was standing on tiptoe to survey the port when he heard the sound of water from the breakwater behind him. Something was climbing up to shore. He turned around in surprise and found Admiral Jurgus right there. He was only wearing an underwater suit and was completely drenched, and held an oyster in his hand.
「Phew── Sigh, 6 minutes is my limit. I haven’t dived for a while, and had regressed.」
The dripping wet Admiral Jurgus muttered. The adjutant was surprised by his perfect physique and squeezed out:
「A-Admiral Sir──」
「Oh, it’s you. What’s the matter?」
When the Admiral noticed him, water splashed from behind him.
「Puwah──! How’s that, uncle!?」
With that, a similarly soaked woman climbed up. She was the niece of the Admiral, Naval Lieutenant Polminue── she was holding a large oyster too.
The two of them held out their oysters. Both were large── but on a closer look, Admiral Jurgus’ oyster was a size bigger.
「It’s my win! You still have lots to learn.」
「Ughh～!」
Pommy stamped her feet vexingly when she saw her uncle’s grin. Ignoring the stunned adjutant, Admiral Jurgus said:
「That’s a nice warmup. Go back to your ship, Pommy, your crew must be getting antsy.」
「Yes yes yes, as the Admiral commands.」
Pommy said fearlessly before turning and leaving. Adjutant watched her go with a stiff face and then asked:
「M-May I ask, what were you doing?」
「What were we doing? We were just competing in picking oysters. Its to boost morale before we leave port, and also to play with my niece.」
Admiral Jurgus answered frankly with his eyes to the sea.
「Why don’t you try it? This is a war you can’t win without smelling like sea water.」
「...!」
His words made the adjutant open his eyes wide. The next moment, he put his Sprites and personal effects on the ground before diving into the sea with a big splash.
「Pwah── W-Will this do!?」
「── That’s fine… but you are surprisingly bold.」
Admiral Jurgus said with an expression that was a mixture of surprise and amusement, and offered a handkerchief to his adjutant climbing onto the breakwater.
「I can feel your guts── give me your report.」
「Yes Sir!」
Pommy ran in the port towards her ship. When she saw her comrades who were searching for her, she yelled:
「Everyone, I’m back～!」
The crew turned towards Pommy in response, and her colleagues, Paume and Yorin stood shoulder to shoulder and grumbled.
「What do you mean by ‘I’m back’!? You are late, Captain!」
「Where did you slack off to!? The preparations are almost done!」
「Sorry! I was picking oysters!」
Pommy rushed up the gangway with a poor excuse, then stopped suddenly. Because a familiar old man was waiting for her there.
「Hurry up and get ready, it’s unsightly for the leading ship to fall behind.」
「Gramps Kutchi?」
The veteran Captain of the 「Tyrannosaur」 she used to serve on, Naval Commander Ragieshī Kutsuchi. He had retired from the frontlines because of chest illness, and came here to send Pommy off.
「I want to go with you, but...」
「...Gramps Kutchi...」
Pommy frowned with a lonely face. However, the old man shook his head.
「Is this the time to feel depressed over an old man? ── Go then, Pommy. It’s your generation’s turn to shine.」
「... Yes!」
Pommy straightened her back and saluted, then rushed up the gangway. She checked the deck to confirm all the preparations were done, then ordered the crew to raise anchor and set sail, then climbed up the mast to the crow’s nest.
「Hmm── the weather is great.」
She muttered as she looked at the clear blue sea, took a deep breath── then started to sing.
「──The sun rises~ The seagulls sing──」
The crew didn’t stop moving and listened quietly to her song. They lost themselves in the song marking the start of a voyage since ancient times, and bid farewell to the land they might never step on again.
「──Board the ship~ Undo the ropes~ Sail forth and never turn back──!」
The song was carried by the sea breeze to the flagship, where Admiral Jurgus was.
「Great lungs── You know the duty of the leading vessel very well, Pommy .」
He muttered quietly with a smile── he wasn’t aboard the 「Yellow Dragon」 that was used in the Battle of Port Nemong. It couldn’t be used for tactical reasons, and the three mast 「Red Dragon」 that was two sizes smaller took on the role of flagship. Admiral Jurgus sailed on this ship during his time as a Naval Commander.
Admiral Jurgus listened to his niece’s song while he slid a knife into the giant oyster in his hand. After shucking the oyster, he was about to eat it raw when he saw a white glint and stopped.
「Oh, this is a good sign.」
He picked it up with his fingertips── a pearl so large that it couldn’t be found easily on the market. It sparkled brightly under the sunlight.
After marching a few hours away from the ruined fortress, the Kioka army finally found the enemy waiting for them in formation.
「... This is...」
Colonel Gatra was filled with doubts after looking through the telescope. That was only natural since this was a formation he had never seen before── Rows of trenches spread out over a wide area, and the Imperial soldiers manning them. They held their weapons warily from behind steel wire fences, blocking the Kioka army’s path.
「... The Major General did tell me his prediction, but seeing it in the flesh is really remarkable. I can imagine a small unit guarding a narrow path, but for such a large force to be entrenched...」
「However, this is very logical. Since fortress are meaningless now, then deploying in the fields with minimal ground work will waste less resources.」
Major Mazeya analyzed calmly, and his superior concurred with a nod.
「We can see that they are prepared── so now, we will test how well prepared they are.」
He looked behind him, where the neat rows of artillery stood── he was shivering from the majesty of the Blast Cannons deployed on the ground, and raised a hand quietly.
「Start the bombardment!」
After ample preparations were done, he gave the order. Deafening explosion rang out everywhere.
Countless shells blotted out the sun and rained down on the enemy. They were like birds of prey, and after flying out with the smoke, they swiftly descended on their prey on the ground.
「Incoming～～!」
The soldiers covered their heads under the trenches. Some couldn’t help trembling, others recited the scriptures from the Church of Aldera. All of them desperately cast out the image of being blown to shreds in the next instant.
Bzzt! The heavy impact continued── One barrage shot out more than 2,000 shells. This destructive carnage would have decimated any normal fortress. However──
「... Ughh...!」「... Ughh… Ahh...?」
As the shelling continued, the Imperial soldiers started to realize. Their body and limbs were still intact. The trenches were still holding and protecting them.
「I-I’m still alive.」「We are not dead.」
「We can hold the line...! If we stay in the trench, we can hold out against the bombardment!」
After experiencing how effective the trenches were against the bombardment, their morale rose. Given how the ground being bombarded looked like, this was a shocking result.
First of all, none of the trenches were blown apart by the explosion. The spots near the points of impact might be crumbling a little, but it was within repairable range. Most surprising of all, the steel wire fence before the trench was standing strong. Even the places that were blown by the wind of the explosion remained intact. The bombardment was strong enough to shatter the sturdy fortress, but couldn’t destroy the relatively thin wires.
The thickness of the wires were the biggest reason why it survived. Most of the impact passed through the fence made from thin wires. It was harder to destroy the steel wire fence then smashing the thick fortress walls.
「The next barrage is coming! Take cover──!」
There wasn’t much time for them to feel relieved before the tremors and explosions assaulted the Imperial soldiers again. However, the troops enduring the shelling had different faces from the first bombardment.
「... We can fight...」「... That’s right, we can fight...!」
They could challenge the overwhelming barrage of the Kioka forces. That idea took root in their chest and fortified their fighting spirit.
「── It’s not very effective? Syah*, as expected.」
On the other hand, Jean who was listening to the result of the bombardment from the frontline commander accepted this fact without feeling surprised.
「This is the expected result. The combination of steel wire fence and trenches is the best answer against our bombardment right now. If they want to fight a defensive battle, there is no better plan than this.」
He calmly complimented the enemy’s troops and preparedness. Unlike the officers on the frontlines, he was never intoxicated by the destructive might of the Blast Cannons.
「The trenches to defend against the shelling, and the steel wire fence to guard against people. The obstacles that supported each other were far sturdier than it looks. The key to this war is how to defeat their defences.」
「...Ugh...」
「Listen up, do not send the infantry forward. If they charge ahead, our forces will be dragged into a quagmire. Opening a bloody path by piling the bodies of our troops onto the steel wire fence── you won’t want to be recorded in history for such an atrocity, right?」
Jean warned his subordinates sternly. Commanded by a famous general and possessing a huge number of advanced weapons── these conditions made his men hope for a swift and powerful attack, and he needed to dash that hope early. He needed to let them know that this battle would be a tightrope walk from beginning to end.
「Don’t be hasty about attacking, we just need to test out our equipment for now. There is still a lot of time before the main show is ready── let the Imperial soldiers have a nice dream in the meantime.」
From Jean’s expression when he was speaking to his subordinate on the frontlines, Miara could feel it── Jean was confident of traversing this tightrope after considering all possible factors.
In order to attack the entrenched base, the Kioka army took other actions aside from the bombardment.
「Push out the armoured cart!」
An unusual weapon appeared before the Imperial soldiers. It was a wooden cart with steel boards on the front and sides, and had handles behind for pushing. It looked similar to a siege ladder, but was much shorter.
「Advance!」
The carts spread out against the trenches, and moved forth together on command. The Imperial forces immediately opened fire, and sparks flew on impact with the steel boards. The Kioka soldiers scowled their mouths bitterly.
「Damn it, it’s heavy...!」
The thick steel boards on the cart protected the soldiers from projectiles, but it was too heavy to be pushed by manpower. Moving on paved even ground might be possible, but it was tough on uneven ground, and they were slow.
Watching their struggles from afar, Colonel Gatra furrowed his brows unhappily.
「We can’t expect much from the armoured carts, huh...」
「It’s too heavy to be pushed with manpower. Horses can pull it, but not push it. Things might be different if there is a revolutionary advance in propulsion?」
The adjutant added quietly. They sent out the armoured cart in order to cut the steel wire fence set up by the enemy. The goal was to endure the gunfire and reach the fence, then extend a large scissors between the armour gaps to cut the wires. However── their progress wasn’t great.
「G-Good, we are halfway there── Wooahh?」
The Kioka soldiers who covered half the distance screamed as they tilted forward. They checked in a hurry, and found a wheel had sunk into the ground── it fell into a pit disguised with cloth and mud. They pulled back in a hurry. If this went on, the entire cart would fall into the pit.
「... The enemy predicted this and made preparations. This won’t work.」
「Hmm… Pull them back. We will lose the men if we push in too deep, and won’t gain anything.」
Colonel Gatra ordered the carts back without any signs of regret. This operation was to gauge the effectiveness of the armoured cart in the first place, it would just be a bonus if they could achieve results. He was satisfied learning its flaw in its debut battle.
「Look! The enemy armoured carts are retreating!」「Good! The pitfalls are working...!」
The Imperials cheered when they saw the enemy withdrawing. In one of the trenches at the front, a windgunner turned back and shouted at his superior:
「It worked, First Lieutenant Mittokarifu! If it’s like this──」
「No── it’s scary how calm the enemy is.」
In contrast with the excited soldiers, First Lieutenant Suya Mittokarifu peered through her telescope and answered coldly. Her face remained as serious as the start of the battle when she said:
「If they use the might of the Blast Cannons to cover their infantry’s attack, they can score a serious hit. However── be it the armoured cart they sent, or withdrawing it right after a pitfall was found, their emphasis was on not vainly risking the lives of their troops… Which means they have properly assessed the threat of the trenches, even though this is the first time they have seen it.」
When she pointed that out, the excitement vanished from the soldiers’ faces. Suya was staring at the enemy formation when a tall figure suddenly appeared behind her.
「Indeed. Just the armoured cart retreating isn’t a reason to feel optimistic.」
The man stroked his beard and said. The troops stood stiff when they saw his face. Only Suya smirked without even turning back.
「...General Shiba Sir. Please don’t come to the front trenches, commander. Why do you think we have communication Sprites for?」
「Hahaha! Don’t say that, beloved disciple of the Regimental Commander. I’m an old soldier, and won’t feel at ease without seeing the new battlefield.」
General Shiba said with his hand on Suya’s head. She sighed. Maybe it’s because of her master disciple relationship with Ikuta, but this man has recently been treating her like a granddaughter. And it was infuriating that she didn’t feel mad about that.
「At least keep your head down. I can’t protect you if a stray bullet comes flying.」
Suya answered and tugged at his sleeve── She understood General Shiba’s wish to watch the battle from close up.
An unprecedented number of Blast Cannons, and an unprecedented trench defence base. For both the Empire and Kioka forces, there were too many firsts in this battle. Using live battle to conduct tests was only natural. They would adjust their predictions to match the facts before them, and figure out how their army would fight in the future── both forces were still in the probing phase.
「Hmm, this pause between bombardment seems really long.」
「It might be a sign they will try something new── all units, take cover under the protective boards!」
Suya ordered in anticipation of what might happen next, and her men quickly took action. They picked up the large boards beside the trenches, then fixed it between the earth wall at an angle before crawling under it. Suya pulled General Shiba’s hand and took the same actions.
The shelling soon rang out. It sounded similar as before, but there was a secondary explosion when it was above them. Countless shrapnels rained down on the trenches. The sound of the shrapnels hitting the board made the soldiers shudder.
「... Spread shot, huh?」
Suya nodded in agreement with General Shiba. It was clear that normal shelling was ineffective against entrenched soldiers. To increase the effectiveness in killing the enemies hiding in the trenches, they used shells that explode in midair and scatter its shrapnels── shooting spread shots was a reasonable response.
「However, they are hampered by technical issues. From what I can see, less than a third of the shells explode above us. And we can see from the shrapnels blocked by the protective boards that it’s not that scary.」
When the shelling stopped, Suya crawled out before her men did. General Shiba followed her with a grin── Not just in the future, Suya was already plenty reliable now.
「The enemy seems to be testing out their new weapons one by one, I wonder what they will bring out next──」
The next moment, the Sprite in Suya’s pouch said:
「── Message from the balloon observation team behind the base! Air surveillance sighted the enemy assembling a huge Blast Cannon! From visual estimations, the barrel is ten times larger than a normal Blast Cannon...!」
The men who heard that turned tense. The communication ended shortly, and the stern faced Suya turned to General Shiba beside her.
「──It’s the main event. General Shiba, please return to the rear.」
「... I understand. Stay safe, First Lieutenant Mittokarifu.」
He had to defer to his position this time. The 「Twin Jewels of the Sun」 slid into the trench to the rear, and prayed for the front line unit’s safety.
About 1 km behind them. In the observation balloon 200 m above ground, a soldier from the new balloon formation had a cramped face.
「... You are telling me that is a Blast Cannon? Are you serious? That monstrosity is a Blast Cannon?」
The female trooper looking through the telescope muttered for the upteenth time. A few hours ago, they reported “that thing” was being assembled from their special seat in the air.
「This is a bad joke. It’s as big as a house.」
「I really wish that is just a big decoration.」
The male soldier operating the balloon beside her replied with a sigh. Her partner continued:
「... Ahh, it’s the real thing. They are adjusting the angles. Stop it, it looks just like a cannon now.」
「Maybe not. They might be building a base and then plant a white flag on it.」
The female soldier tried to joke with her partner, but realized she couldn’t raise her cramped lips. She felt a chill rising from her soul, then made a call with her Sprite.
「... I never thought we will use this in the opening battle.」
To the rear of the Kioka forces, Colonel Gatra said through gritted teeth. His adjutant shook his head.
「Destroying the enemy with the greatest force we can muster. There is nothing to be ashamed about following the right procedure.」
When he heard Major Mazeya’s consolation, Gatra nodded with a bitter face.
「That’s right… it is as the Major General said. They aren’t so weak that we can win while holding back.」
They looked up at the thing before them as they chatted. It looked like a steel tower from this angle, and would only look like a barrel from a further distance.
I was 8 metres long with the diameter of the bore being 2 metres. It might be larger than normal, but it was still a Blast Cannon. The parts were ferried by many wagons, and the soldiers assembled it after a few hours. The 8 large cannons spread out over a large distance had almost completed its final checks.
「The enemy sent out balloons, so they should have seen this.」
「That can’t be helped. We can’t move it after it’s assembled. Also, even if they did see this, they can’t do anything about it.」
「That’s right… That will just give them more time to pray.」
He swept away the uneasiness in his heart with that, then looked at the large cannon before him with awe again.
「This is the first time I’m seeing the completed thing. I sincerely think that I’m fortunate to not have been born in the Empire.」
「......」
「Final inspection is complete!」
A soldier ran over from the giant cannon and informed the Colonel. The adjutant gestured with his gaze, and Colonel Gatra nodded firmly.
「Inject Dynamic Air── I will show you the might of Kioka.」
At the same time, the observers in the air conveyed a message through the Sprites.
「── Enemy large cannon has finished adjusting its horizontal angle! It’s going to fire!」
When she heard that, Suya turned to her partner Sprite. The report was still ongoing.
「Predicted impact points are a1～a7, b1～b7! The first shell should have a large margin of error! Soldiers within this zone, please evacuate to an adjacent safe zone!」
Suya acted immediately on that information. She shouted loudly to her men in the same trench:
「All units move to C2! Form double files just like the training!」
「Y-Yes Mdm!」「Uwahhh...!」
The soldiers quickly formed up in two files, but their movements were messy, so Suya admonished them firmly:
「Don’t panic, the passage is cramped! Don’t break file formation and block your comrades behind! We will all fall if you hold up the line!」
She yelled and smacked the back of a person who was breaking formation. While Suya was herding her men off like a shepherd, her adjutant ran to her.
「First Lieutenant Mittokarifu, you should──」
「No, I will bring up the rear.」
Suya was adamant. She crossed her arms and stared at her men move, barely keeping in file formation.
「As long as I’m here, they won’t fall into panic. In this war, I won’t let anyone die in vain.」
「First Lieutenant...」
「It’s fine. Think about it── just adjusting the angle for that monstrous machine would take a lot of time. Enough time for everyone here to move out of the way. Only if the passageway isn’t block because of we got too anxious.」
How to move the entire troop accurately within limited time── with that point in mind, Suya was sure that she should stay until the end as the commander. Seeing that her resolve was firm, her adjutant stood beside her with the same determination.
「...Then, I will accompany you.」
「It’s fine, you can go first.」
「No, I’ll stay with you… Pardon me, but you have a history of misjudging the timing to withdraw, First Lieutenant.」
Her words made Suya frown sheepishly. Like her adjutant mentioned, during the end of the Remeon military coup── she made that mistake during the defensive battle against the Igsem forces. She was too stubborn and missed the timing to retreat, and almost died. Furthermore… her adjutant was the one who saved her by raising the white flag.
「... Since you’re bringing that up, I can’t refute you.」
「Of course. If you don’t reflect on it, then my efforts back then would be for naught.」
The adjutant said with her chest puffed out. Suya snorted, then hung her head to avoid her gaze.
「... Whatever. It’s not my problem if you couldn’t get away in time and got blown away.」
「Don’t worry, I will hold a deep grudge against you if that happens.」
The adjutant answered with a smile, and then turned to warn the soldiers to move in formation. Suya glanced at her back and muttered silently in her heart── Thank you.
「── Vertical angle adjustments completed! Commander, your orders please!」
The moment the soldier reported that preparation of the huge cannon was complete, Colonel Gatra yelled:
「Good… Fire!」
On his orders, the artillerymen took action, lighting the Dynamic Air inside the thick shell The soldiers nearby covered their ears until that moment came.
A violent power shook the ground beneath the cannon. The super sized shell that took one carriage to ferry flew in the sky, an incarnation of nightmare itself. It followed a trajectory into its peak and quickly descended. Anyone who learned ballistics would know the principle. The destructive power of the shell was proportional to its weight and the maximum height it reached.
Every shell sunk deep into the earth from its overwhelming weight, and exploded a short while later── tons of earth that made up the trench flew into the sky. No matter how much preparation was made, the trench couldn’t endure it. Craters 10m in diameter were blasted at every point of impact.
「Confirmed hit! Damage is unknown, but we have confirmed that we have hit their defensive base!」
「Good～!」
The commander raised his fist high and cheered. He was shaking from the joy of suppressing his enemy.
「See that, this is Kioka’s power! We are fundamentally different from you, this is the power of a nation supported by a healthy republic system...!」
「── Damage report! What’s the casualty numbers in this sector?」
After the shelling, Sarihasrag who was in command of a section of the trench shouted:
「Six heavily wounded, 27 light casualties! Three missing in action! Probably buried in the dirt...!」
「Estimate their locations and dig them out! We can use the locations of the comrades around them for reference!」
He confirmed the damage report and issued a rescue order. The Remeon second son beside him said:
「Brother──」
「Yes, I know!」
Realizing his intention before his brother even finished, Sariha instructed his Sprite to open a channel and yelled:
「── Hey, you alright, First Lieutenant Mittokarifu!? You’re always showing that haughty attitude, so don’t die in the opening act!」
Right after that, an unyielding voice answered:
「... Yes, I’m fine! Sorry for subverting your expectations!」
「Dumbass, things will get troublesome if you die! How’s the situation over there?」
「Light casualties! My neighbouring sector is falling apart, so we will be searching for any missing people and repair the trench!」
「Good! Don’t get too engrossed in digging and missing the forecast!」
「The same to you! That’s all for now!」
She cut off the call with an energetic voice. Sariha clicked his tongue.
「She is really arrogant!」
「I think the two of you aren’t too different, brother.」
「You are getting chatty, huh!?」
Sariha poked Sushuraf’s shoulder before turning and leaving. His buffed younger brother followed.
「── That’s the damage report! The evasive measures are effective, but there are some difference from the predicted numbers!」
Ikuta who was in the Imperial basecamp listened carefully to General Shiba’s damage report from the shelling. The dark-haired youth nodded after hearing all of it.
「No, it’s great. Since the damage from the first bombardment is this much, we can minimize it further next time.」
Considering the fact that the damage from the first shelling was within expectations, he continued:
「No matter how well we prepare the trenches, we can’t defend against the large caliber Blast Cannons at this stage. We can’t do anything about the explosion on the point of impact… However, it is possible to minimize the casualties as much as possible.」
This was the countermeasures Ikuta adopted against the huge cannon they couldn’t defend against. The plan was to deploy balloons to watch the enemy’s cannon, then predict the point of impact from its angle── and let the soldier evacuate ahead of time. The balloon, communication from the Sprite, and the artillerymen proficient in predicting the point of impact── This was a high level mobile defence only possible by these three elements working in concert.
「Prepare for the next wave of bombardment, and continue the defensive battle. Considering the manpower needed to transport the shells, Kioka can’t fire those huge cannons on a whim. As long as that base holds strong, they will be the one exhausting more resources.」
Ikuta stated the advantage of the defenders, but also realized that the enemy knew that too.
「However── Since they left the impression of how powerful the huge cannon is, they can use it as a bluff too. Don’t get so caught up by the shelling that you forget their infantry attacks. But we can’t continue fighting a tense psychological war either...」
「Yes, leave it to me. I’m confident about how thick my nerves are, so this is a good chance to make it thinner.」
General Shiba said with an unwavering voice. Ikuta felt how reliable the 「Twin Jewels of the Sun」 was on the frontline, but still warned him:
「I’m counting on you. However── do not hesitate when it’s time to retreat, this battle is planned around an eventual retreat in the first place.」
「I understand. I swear that I won’t let anyone die in vain. Be it the soldiers or myself.」
After confirming that the both of them share the same thought, they ended the call at the same time.
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