Interlude 12
Emergency Situation Drill
Translator : PolterGlast
While the Archduke
of the Westlights Demon Territory Dukedom, Takuhir, was away
visiting the Royal Capital Kylar,
his direct territory was enveloped in an abnormal sense of tension. And
rightfully so, because time and time again, only when he was absent did those
seeking an opening make their move. Moreover, right now, battle-hardened
neighboring lords like Marquis Gorman, Marquis Solis, and Count Cornell
were all absent together. That sense of tension had transmitted down to the
lowest-ranking soldiers.
「Is it
about time?」
At the Roadside
Station connecting Aegis and Termira—although general public use
of this place has not yet been permitted—the guard captain there muttered alone
while gazing toward Aegis. He was someone who applied from among the
laborers and became a soldier in the early days when the city was being built
in Teigoon. Having served in battles against the Empire Army countless times, it is no
exaggeration to call him a veteran soldier now. As Takuhir's army
expanded, he was appointed as a guard captain leading 30 men.
「What
is it?」
The one who asked
that was a new recruit who had recently been appointed, one of them.
「A
night emergency drill. I feel like it might come around today. Just in case,
while it's still bright out, we'll inspect the passageway on the elevated
bridge from now to see if there are any small stones, unevenness, cracks, or
anything. No matter how many lanterns we have, we can't confirm the condition
of the road surface. In the darkness, such things lead to accidents.」
「Um...
even if it's a drill, is it really possible to make an emergency movement at
night? Considering common sense, isn't it quite dangerous?」
「I
suppose so. The enemy would think so too. But we are the ones who do that
unconventional thing. That's how we've won our battles. Besides...」
Saying so, the guard
captain smiled wryly.
「Above
all else, our boss, who loves alcohol, apparently hasn't drank a single drop
since His Majesty the Archduke departed. Even though he’s the type of person
who lives for that one glass after work... well, of course it never actually
stops at just one glass, but he works for the sake of enjoying that pleasure,
you see.」
The new recruit had
heard from his colleagues. That the Commander and the guard captain were
originally laborers in Est, and it seems the Commander (Gail) was
the crew boss at the time, and the guard captain and the current Vice Commander
of the Demon Territory Knights (Gord) both worked under him. Due
to such a history, the guard captain still calls the Commander 'boss' with
respect and old familiarity. For those who were called laborers and made their
living doing physical labor on site, the glorious rise of Commander Gail
and Vice Commander Gord, who climbed all the way to Baron from there, is
a success story known by everyone.
「Understood.
We will divide the work in my squad and conduct inspections in both directions!」
「I'm
counting on you. The Roadside Station we guard is closest to Aegis. If
the worst happens, we’ll be the ones with the least amount of time. Once the
inspection is finished, remain on standby in combat readiness.」
「Y-Yes...
Stand by in combat
readiness, is it?」
The face of the new
recruit who answered clouded a little. Speaking of stand by in combat readiness,
because even at night they can only take turns taking short naps.
「When
it comes to actual combat, we might even fight for days without sleep or rest.
Don't throw in the towel over something of this level.」
Looking at the back
of the new recruit who had a pathetic face for a moment but corrected his
posture anew and ran off vigorously, the guard captain muttered.
「To
make the new recruits usable even a little earlier, huh. It really doesn't
happen overnight. I feel like I can understand the boss's struggles...」
※
That day, Gail
had finished his patrol of the Demon Territory and entered the fort of Aegis.
Then, after the usual dinner, he summoned his close aides.
「How is
it? I think it's about time.」
「I
agree. I think it's just the right time for a night rapid-response interception
drill.」
「Regarding
this matter...」
「Even
the commander class of our army knows nothing.」
「Alright!
We'll execute it tonight after lights out. I'm going to tighten the screws hard
so they don't get arrogant just because we've only had winning battles. As
someone entrusted with watching over the house in Lord Takuhir's
absence, I'll put the fear of God into the slackers! You guys advance as the
vanguard of the main unit and identify the issues in each location.」
「Yes!
And what is the scale?」
「The
code is 5. Excluding the defense personnel, we're taking the entire operational
standing army of Aegis, the Rasetsu barrier gate, and Ishtar,
as well as the part-time soldiers who were able to rush over. We also include
those who, despite being off-duty, were constantly prepared and commendably
rushed over.」
Hearing those words,
they subsequently scattered. And then... a little while after lights out,
amidst being enveloped in darkness and falling silent, suddenly the
two-consecutive strikes of a bell rang out in the fort and town of Aegis.
「It's
the two-consecutive bell strikes! The code is 2, 2, 2, 5!」
「It's
5! Damn it... he's really fired up.」
「Tch!
Seriously, at this time? Call an assembly immediately!」
「All
squads! Leave the stragglers behind! Only those who can gather, follow me!」
「Don't
fall behind other squads! Think that our arrival will determine the lives we
can save!」
While the angry
roars of the captain class of each squad flew about and the soldiers ran
around, the territory residents living in Aegis were calm. There was a
reason for that. Because the bell being struck was the two-consecutive strikes.
Takuhir had implemented an initiative to make many people understand the
situation by the way the bell was rung.
·
If it's just a simple rapid striking, it's an
emergency notification to the territory residents.
·
In the case of two-consecutive strikes, it's a
training action targeting the military.
·
If it's three-consecutive strikes, it's a
military mobilization under a real state of emergency.
He also included
several meanings depending on the number of rapid strikes. And the code, this
is the number of bells rung after repeating the two-consecutive strikes three
times, which includes various instructions. This time was '5', which meant a
sortie using the entire operational army.
While each squad
changed the color of their eyes and gathered, those who happened to be assigned
at that time also began to move busily.
「Dispatch
a vanguard unit ahead onto the passageway immediately to set up lights!」
「Watchtower,
what are you doing! The communication beacon is top priority. Tell them to
light the fire immediately! Otherwise the march will stop ahead!」
「Lookouts,
observe the response from Rasetsu and the First Roadside Station!
Please... notice it. If there is a response from the First, report it
immediately. At that point, the night march begins.」
Saying so, they
stared at the southwest and east of the Demon Territory enveloped in
pitch-black darkness with feelings like praying.
※
At the facility
called the First Roadside Station, set up 10 km away from the fort of Aegis, the guard captain in
question was assigned. Here, normally, to avoid stimulating the monsters,
lights are kept to a minimum at night. The outer wall spreading in a circle
with a diameter of 200 m; lights are lined up inside it, dimly illuminating the
inside of the outer wall, and other than that, small lights are only lit
indoors or at key points.
「Captain
Lars! Contact from the observer, we have confirmed lights in the
direction of Aegis!」
One of the soldiers
assigned as a lookout rushed in vigorously.
「What
is the number?」
「Sir! The top is 2 and the
bottom is 5.」
「2 and
5, huh... the boss is really fired up. Wake everyone up immediately! 21 people,
immediately set up lights on the road up to the Second Roadside Station. The
watchtower, relay the signal while continuing observation! The rest, after
setting up lights for 200 m on both sides from here, begin preparations for
water supply! We don't have time, a large number of guests will be coming in
droves from now on.」
Lars issued
instructions in rapid succession, then went up to the watchtower himself to
confirm. In the darkness, a faint light is lit far away in the direction of Aegis.
He peered into the telescope the observer had pointed in that direction.
Through that, he was able to accurately identify the communication beacon fire
set up high on the watchtower of Aegis. And even with the naked eye, he
could confirm light stretching out slowly from the direction of Aegis
onto the elevated road that had become pitch-black.
「Hmph,
that's fast... Hey, you there, go to the stable immediately and prepare 10
fresh horses at the south gate. Could you give them water and fodder there?」
「Yes,
understood!」
The man who answered
so was the new recruit he had exchanged words with during the day. Although he
was somewhat tense, there was absolutely no agitation or sense of aversion in
his expression. That's right, the accumulation of such training leads to action
in actual combat.
「Do it
properly.」
He said so and saw
off the new recruit's back. While they were having such an exchange, the south
and north gates opened. To the south, four horse-drawn wagons fully loaded with
lanterns boarded 4 people besides the coachman, and an empty horse-drawn wagon
ridden only by the coachman followed at the very rear. The lead wagon advanced
up to 200 m and temporarily stopped, and from then on, dropped off 1 person and
4 lanterns every 100 m. The subsequent 3 wagons overtook it, advanced 400 m
ahead from that point, and the next wagon repeated the same process. The empty
wagon at the very rear picked up the soldiers who had set up the lanterns one
after another, and caught up with the wagon stopping 400 m ahead. Then, it
advanced ahead of the leading 3 wagons and repeated the same process. By
repeating this relay method, they connect a road lit by lights up to the area
the next Roadside Station is in charge of. By doing so, a path is secured,
albeit dim, in a very short time. And in the depressions where the lanterns are
set, metal plates polished to a mirror finish are set up in advance, a device
to efficiently light the way, not just as markers.
After his wife Yuko collapsed, Nishida worked
frantically to earn their daily bread. By chance, among the jobs he did then,
he also worked a part-time job setting up restriction lines over a distance of
several kilometers in a short time for night construction on a highway. Based
on his experience at that time, he obtained the idea for this relay method.
※
Shortly after the order
was issued, receiving the report that the relay beacon fire was lit at the
First Roadside Station, Gail commenced the movement of the military
forces gathered at that point. Following the observing (grading) unit advancing
at the front, leading the 150 people who gathered immediately.
「If
it's a rapid response for just Aegis, is this considered a lot gathered?」
「Well...
because they gathered not only from the military but also from mercenary
groups, farmer-soldiers, and armed vigilante corps... Since it's a rapid
response drill at night, furthermore, we couldn't issue a summons to the
soldiers stationed in Teigoon, Gaia, and Deimos...」
「I
see...」
To his adjutant's
answer, he himself didn't know how to evaluate it. Because this drill itself is
an unprecedented drill that has never existed before. Because he was told by
his lord, Takuhir...
『I
maintained the roads and thought of a method to operate them. But I
don't know if it will go well or not. I want you to actually try it and
report if there are any issues. Also moving as an army, and the time it took to
arrive.』
Right now, following
him were 60 cavalry and around 90 infantry continuing at a run. And before his
eyes, the First Roadside Station brightly illuminated by the beacon fire came
into view.
「Hmph,
it seems Lars has managed to make arrangements well. Order to the entire
army, we will take a short break for water supply at the Roadside Station, but
tell them we depart immediately.」
Saying so, he passed
through the thrown-open gate of the Roadside Station. Beyond that, numerous
tables were placed so as not to hinder the march, and cups filled with water
were lined up. And a single man ran up to him.
「From
the guard captain of the First Roadside Station, reporting to the Commander.
From here onward, the deployment of guide lights up to the Second Roadside
Station is complete! From here on, our squad will also leave behind response
personnel and 20 people will participate in the rapid response drill.」
「Hmph,
as efficient as ever, I see.」
「Well,
I’ve known you for a long time, boss. At this point, I can read you like the
back of my hand.」
The face of Lars
answering so seemed as if he was smiling fearlessly illuminated by the beacon
fire.
「The start is
good! But our destination is still far ahead. Izanami has enough food prepared to feed you all until you're
stuffed. To those who arrive in the first group, I'll treat you to plenty of alcohol starting from the morning! Now, we
depart for the Second Roadside Station!」
They became one and
dashed off again. From far behind them, the second group that departed Aegis
late, the unit that departed Rasetsu, and from far behind them the unit
from Ishtar followed.
It is said that Takuhir, who received the report from Gail at a later date, praised them, listened to the issues and revised the response, and... deepened his confidence in operating the soldiers. In preparation for the coming emergency, continuing untiring efforts even in peacetime, their struggle continues.
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