Chapter 255
Southern Front ⑨ — Invasion by the
Imperial Left Wing Army
Translator : PolterGlast
The timeline goes back a bit, to two days after the fall of
the Southern Gate Fortress. Having captured the Southern Gate
Fortress established by the Kyle Kingdom on the border and made
perfect preparations, the Imperial Army Left Wing unit, a total of 30,000,
entered the Demon Territory with its entire force and began marching toward the
Demon Territory Count's domain.
"Fufufu, the fortress threatening our retreat is no
more. Thanks to that, I could direct all forces here. Listen up! Burn down the
Demon Territory where the hateful monsters dwell, and advance while securing
our safe zone!"
First Prince Glorious commanded the vanguard unit in
high spirits. The Imperial Army, unaccustomed to the Demon Territory, had
learned its terror firsthand in the previous invasion. In that case, it would
be fine if the Demon Territory itself did not exist on their route.
The First Prince had decided so. This was also a feat of strength
possible only because there were as many as 40 Fire Mages among the
Mages lent by the Fearalt Principality.
"I never thought our weak point, the march through the
Demon Territory, would be solved by such means. Even so, the effect of their
magic is immense."
Harry watched
their work with admiration. Fire Mages do not simply rain down
fire. They can create temporary walls of fire itself and manipulate the
direction the fire flows. Therefore, they are effectively building a safe road
within the Demon Territory.
Thanks to the 30 Fire Mages advancing at the head, a
large road extending like a belt, as wide as 300 m, stretched into the Demon
Territory. The remaining Fire and Thunder Mages split into five on each side, burning down monsters that
jumped out in rage after having their nests burned, and slaughtering them with
lightning strikes.
"Well, the drawback is that the marching speed becomes
somewhat slow. That part is frustrating. At this rate, it will take about two
days to reach the destination. I am impatient."
"Preparations for constructing encampments are also
perfect."
The First Prince had not forgotten the bitter defeat of the
past. The experience of being attacked at night by a horde of monsters and
falling into a crisis where he almost lost his own life. This time, he had a
large supply train accompanying him. It was not just weapons they were fully
loaded with. To protect the camp, wooden stakes and materials to construct
defensive lines were also sufficiently prepared.
"Alright, the march for today ends here! Begin the
prescribed work to construct the encampment!"
While it was still early before dusk, the First Prince
instructed the construction of the encampment.
10,000 soldiers stood guard in concentric circles, and
inside that, 20,000 soldiers cut down trees for stakes; once done, the Fire Mages burned the surroundings. Meanwhile, work such as digging
dry moats and installing abatis and fences on the ground proceeded.
By the time
dusk fell, a vast circular encampment had been completed, fully fortified for
defense. It was of a scale where it would be no exaggeration to call it a
fortress.
"From now until morning, engage in meals, sleep, and
guard duty in three shifts. Do not let even a single monster into the
encampment."
"Yes, sir!"
Among the First Prince's soldiers, there were not a few who
had experienced the blood-soaked night of demons in the past, soldiers with
experience fighting monsters all night long. The First Prince promoted all of
them and appointed them as responsible persons for each section of the night
guard. Furthermore, through trade merchants, he had them receive instruction on
how to proceed through the Demon Territory. In addition, this time, Viscount
Kyrias, who has a Demon Territory in his domain and is accustomed to it, is
in his camp.
Knowing the terror of monsters sufficiently, they proceeded
with countermeasures carefully so as not to violate taboos as much as possible.
Thus, although it was a somewhat roundabout method, the Left
Wing Army steadily advanced through the Demon Territory, approaching the Demon
Territory Count's domain.
The conspicuous march of the Imperial Army Left Wing
naturally caught the eyes of the scouts
Takuhir and others had sent out. And the state of their march was reported
in detail.
"Even so, human wave tactics using 30,000 soldiers. The
power of numbers, and when combined with the power of Mages, it becomes
terrifying."
Receiving the report, the Commander beside me sighed.
"Indeed... I wonder if the first King Kyle, whom
I learned about at the Academy, was also like that when he opened up the Demon
Territory? Even so, it's rather unpleasant to have them do whatever they
please."
"Well, rounding them up in one fell swoop this time is
also one of the strategies. Even now, there are several means of attack, but
that might let the big fish escape. Please be patient."
Yes, I was very angry that they were marching while making a
mess of the Demon Territory.
I myself have developed the Demon Territory to create Aegis
and built several defense facilities. But I intend to do that with moderation.
Even the place where we test-fired the Magic Cannon is land
scheduled to be cleared for a certain purpose later, not just gouging the earth
for fun. Well, considering the vigorous reproductive power of plants, I foresee
it returning to its original state in a few years...
To begin with, the Demon Territory is a dangerous place for
people and a habitat for monsters that attack people. But it is also a treasure
that brings us numerous benefits. Monsters are very useful as various
materials, and they also produce magic stones to check Mage aptitude.
And the plants that are decisive in overcoming plagues also grow within the
Demon Territory.
It could be said that we prosper receiving those benefits
because the Demon Territory exists. There is also the history of being named Demon
Territory Count in the sense of one who befriends the Demon Territory and
walks with it.
"Will they turn their blades toward Ishtar here,
and Aegis, around the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes. The enemy is advancing their army cautiously this
time. According to reports, there are more infantry, about 20,000. Considering
the current marching speed, Takuhir-sama's prediction is likely
correct."
Yes, this was the point where I was caught off guard.
Previously, Sieghart also said that if it were him, he would invade
centered on infantry rather than cavalry, but I never thought the First
Prince's camp would come with the same move.
"In that case, I am worried about the defense of Ishtar.
If confronting over ten thousand infantry, it won't be possible to hold out for
very long..."
"Indeed. At this stage, we have not yet fully grasped
the enemy army's intentions or where they will make their main attack. Ishtar
can be called impregnable in its own way, but there are uncertain
elements."
"Just in case, I told Alexis to evacuate
non-combatants in Ishtar and surrounding districts, except for those
supporting logistics, to Dimos and Gaia. I also conveyed to the
defense units to abandon the defense of pioneer villages and concentrate on
defending the city."
"Yes... I think that is the correct judgment."
At this point, I could not completely wipe away all the
anxiety welling up.
Amidst such anxiety and helplessness, the thick road the
Imperial Army made in the Demon Territory extended parallel to our defense
line, keeping a little distance, from the part where small mountain ranges
connect at the boundary with the Ishtar side, to the barrier, and up to
the front of the Aegis fort.
"Is it about time? Today... they're coming."
It was when I muttered that.
"Report from the watchtower! Balloon signal from the
barrier on the Ishtar side, Count Gorman's army. The flags are
Blue, Blue, Blue from the top!"
"As expected, they attached to the mountainous area
first... Raise the Z-flag here too!"
Yes, this is one of the new weapons I prepared for this
battle: balloon signals, a means constructed to confirm the situation of the
battlefront extending over a wide area in real-time.
With several years of research and the assistance of Mages,
we succeeded in the practical application of small balloons, albeit simple
ones.
Unmanned balloons for signal transmission are tied with
ropes and raised into the sky. By attaching large flags of five colors—Blue,
Red, Yellow, White, Black—in three tiers, we exchange a certain amount of
information between Aegis, the Ishtar barrier, and Ishtar.
It doesn't have to be high altitude; if you raise a balloon
to a slight height from an originally high place, you can confirm the flags
even ten-odd km away.
Furthermore, the barrier between us and Ishtar bears
the role of a relay point for both sides, so its defense has a very important
role for us.
Well, we call them balloons, but they are tied at the base
with ropes, resembling advertising balloons (ad balloons) rarely seen in modern
Japan anymore...
By the way, since a white flag would be bad if taken as a
sign of surrender, I made it a Hinomaru
(Rising Sun) with the center dyed red. The fact that a Hinomaru flag is raised in another world is deeply moving for me in
its own way.
And the Z-flag is divided into four by two diagonal lines
and dyed in four colors—Yellow, Black, Red, Blue—adopting the same meaning used
by the Japanese Navy. It not only conveys that we received a signal issued
elsewhere but also carries the meaning: 『The fate of the Kingdom depends on
this battle; let every man do his utmost duty praying for certain victory.』
And one more thing: when conducting annihilation attacks
with the Magic Cannon, the agreement is to raise the Demon Territory Count's
flag in three tiers. So as not to involve deployed allies by mistake.
The report obtained from the scouts released by Count
Gorman this time was...
- Top:
Blue (At the mountainous area beside the barrier)
- Middle:
Blue (Enemy soldiers have attached and begun invasion)
- Bottom:
Blue (Be on guard)
"Next, confirmed balloon signal from the barrier:
Right, Red, and Z-flag; Left, White, and Z-flag!"
"Hmm, it seems the Ishtar side also received the
information. Even so, Takuhir-sama always surprises me. This information
transmission means, the balloons, and what was introduced into this operation...
things I don't know, no, things that didn't exist in this world..."
It's no wonder the Commander is surprised. Regarding cheat
weapons utilizing modern technology, since becoming the Demon Territory
Count, I was able to obtain funds and human resources (mainly Factory Chief
Karl), so I've been working on development as ideas came to me for the
past few years.
Lightning rods, gunpowder, balloons, and... the watchtowers in various places are equipped with
fixed-type simple telescopes that we barely succeeded in developing to a
practical level this time. And I myself have a portable telescope in the
prototype stage hanging at my waist.
We have kept the development of such strategic weapons
secret as much as possible until now, but including the Western Front, we are
releasing necessary items all at once this time. To survive this unprecedented
battle.
"Now then, I think they will conduct an attack here too
to distract from the east mentioned in the report; Commander, what do you
think?"
"Indeed, they will likely fire attack magic with Mages
first. Just as they did at the battle for Southern
Gate Fortress—to throw us into chaos and pave the
way for their next move. All forces, assume anti-magic defensive formations! Wind Mages, Water Mages, Thunder Mages, if
the enemy comes closer than 300 m, an attack is coming!"
Where the Commander pointed, the Imperial Army had begun
advancing through the forest from the road they made, 1 km beyond the fortress. As many as 10,000 infantry, each
raising a large shield.
"Let them shoot first! Make them realize that things
work differently than in siege warfare! Archers, wait in shooting stance under
the umbrella of the Mages to
conduct immediate counterattacks! We will make them pay for the Margrave and
for our comrades who fell in bitter regret!"
I stood on the castle wall of the fortress, the very front
line of Aegis, shouted, and glared at the enemy army. When the Imperial
Army advanced to about 300 m from us, they stopped their advance in the forest
and created an umbrella of shields. Then, the sound of a large gong rang out.
"Here it comes!"
With the Commander's words, a rain of fire bullets scorching
the heavens and lightning strikes assaulted us with a roar. The spark of the
battle for the Demon Territory Count's domain defense line, holding the
key to the Southern Front, was finally cut and dropped.
In the sky above Aegis, clear and blue, the Hinomaru, Red Flag, and Z-flag fluttered
heroically in the wind.
◆ Reference: Main Flag Usage
◇ Top Tier (Indicates Region)
- Blue:
Mountainous Area
- Red:
Ishtar
- Yellow:
Barrier Area
- White:
Aegis
- Black:
Other Regions
◇ Middle Tier (Indicates Situation)
- Blue:
Invasion Started
- Red:
Attack Started (Enemy)
- Yellow:
Counterattack Started (Ally)
- White:
Repel Complete
- Black:
Allies Retreating
- Others:
Z-flag (Mainly meaning 'Understood'), etc.
◇ Bottom Tier (Indicates Result)
- Blue:
Caution Required
- Red:
War Situation Advantageous
- Yellow:
War Situation Disadvantageous
- White:
Victory
- Black:
Defeat / Retreat
- Others:
Z-flag (Mainly meaning 'Pray for Certain Victory'), etc.
◇ Others
- Demon
Territory Count Flag
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