Chapter 26
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Night Battle
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Upon returning to the encampment, Dorothea immediately issued a mobilization order to the entire garrison.
Perhaps because this was the front line, the soldiers were well-trained and ready for battle at a moment’s notice. Within thirty minutes, all three thousand soldiers had assembled on the training grounds, fully armed.
Three thousand might seem like a small number for a frontline force, but they were all demons, possessing physical abilities far superior to humans.
Under the same conditions, they could easily take on a human force twice their size.
Eva, clad in greyish-white full plate armor, and Dorothea, in her witch’s attire, slowly ascended the platform.
The noisy training grounds fell silent as they appeared.
Eva, her expression hidden by her helmet, scanned the assembled soldiers and shouted,
“Attention!”
The soldiers snapped to attention in unison.
“Salute!”
Snap!
Dorothea, who had been looking bored, casually waved her hand in acknowledgement of the salute. Eva then announced the next item on the agenda.
“Next, we have the salute to the national flag, a moment of silence for the fallen, and the national anthem…”
“Tch…”
“…Which we’ll skip, and proceed directly to the commander-in-chief’s address.”
Eva's quick thinking in omitting the formalities after Dorothea clicked her tongue suggested she was a veteran. She wasn't just Dorothea's adjutant for show.
Eva stepped back, and Dorothea, stepping forward, cleared her throat.
“Testing, testing. This is Dorothea, your commander-in-chief.”
Amplified by magic, her arrogant voice was clear and sharp, reaching even Camilla and me, who were standing at the edge of the training grounds.
She looked down at the assembled soldiers and said in a casual tone,
“I went up the mountain a few hours ago and saw something interesting. Would you believe that there’s now a gaping hole in the Hamburg fortress beyond the mountains?”
Her seemingly nonchalant words sent ripples through the ranks.
Every demon present had been stuck here for years, unable to breach that single fortress.
The soldiers, forgetting their earlier discipline, began chattering excitedly amongst themselves.
Undeterred by the commotion, Dorothea continued,
“Seeing that, I realized something. If we don’t seize this opportunity to take that fortress, we’ll never set foot beyond the Vulcan Mountains. …Isn’t that a cruel fate? To have such a golden opportunity to conquer the fortress that has defied all our attempts, and yet, fail to seize it?”
She paused, looking down at the soldiers.
The intentional silence drew their attention to her. A common tactic used by skilled orators.
She spread her arms wide and declared,
“I authorize unrestricted plunder upon capturing the enemy fortress. I will condone any actions you take after the battle. All the treasures, women, and alcohol within are yours for the taking. In return, I only ask for the honor of having conquered the impregnable fortress that has stood for nearly a hundred years.”
Her voice was soft, but it held a captivating power that commanded attention.
This was what they called charisma.
“Bring me a victory worthy of the history books, you fools. And finally…”
Dorothea raised her hand and pointed beyond the mountains.
“We dine in the human fortress tonight. That is all.”
“WAAAAAAAAAAH!”
As her speech concluded, the soldiers erupted in a roar of excitement.
Morale was at an all-time high.
***
I met Dorothea again in the tent used for military meetings.
As I entered, Dorothea, who had already spread out a large map and was discussing strategies with other officers and strategists, glanced up.
She beckoned me over.
“You’re just in time, Patrasche. We’re discussing how to breach the enemy fortress. I’d like to hear your opinion.”
The strategists around her eyed me like an outsider, but I decided to be bold.
“Let’s see…”
I squeezed in among them and examined the map.
The valley where the Margrave of Hamburg’s fortress stood had cliffs on two sides. The only approach was a narrow, long, uphill path with little cover, offering the attackers no protection.
Even if we managed to reach the fortress gates, the walls, reinforced with countless magical enchantments, were practically impenetrable.
Perhaps a fourth-tier spell or a Sword Expert’s aura could breach them, but such valuable assets would be targeted by archers and turned into pincushions.
After considering various possibilities, I chose the most promising option.
“How about sending the trolls and beastkin through here?”
I pointed to the southern wall of the fortress.
The section that had been damaged by the avalanche.
Dorothea tilted her head.
“But that’s a cliff. Even with their superior physical abilities, the beastkin would be exhausted from climbing such a steep cliff, leaving them unable to fight effectively.”
I shook my head.
“While it looks impassable, there’s a hidden path leading up from below. A secret passage used by the humans for transporting supplies. If a small force uses this path, they can coordinate with the trolls and infiltrate the fortress.”
“…How do you know about such a path, having just arrived yesterday?”
“I was stationed in the Vulcan Mountains for three months during the Human-Demon War five years ago. I discovered this path back then, but since we didn’t have a way to breach the fortress walls at the time, I didn’t report it to command.”
Dorothea looked skeptical but, knowing they didn't have any better options, she sighed.
“Alright, we’ll do it your way. A frontal assault to distract the enemy, while a special unit of swift beastkin and trolls breaches the southern wall.”
“Yes. Even the strongest walls can’t defend against an attack from within.”
I picked up a flag from the map and placed it on the southern side of the fortress.
“The key to this operation is diversion. The main force needs to apply enough pressure to distract the enemy and allow the special unit to infiltrate.”
Dorothea stroked her chin.
“I understand your strategy. But what will you be doing during the battle? I can’t leave a fifth-tier mage idle, you know.”
“I have a plan.”
I asked Dorothea,
“Do we have any mana stones left at the encampment?”
“Why do you need mana stones?”
I replied with a cryptic smile,
“I have a special use for them.”
***
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The heavy beat of war drums echoed through the night sky.
A force of fully armed soldiers marched towards the snow-covered valley where the Hamburg fortress stood.
Leading the charge was the Demon Lord’s army cavalry.
Among them were regular cavalry on horseback, as well as those riding magical beasts like Bicorns and Dire Wolves. There were also Centaurs, half-human, half-horse, and rhinoceros beastkin, whose thick hides served as natural armor.
Eva, Dorothea’s adjutant and commander of the cavalry, raised her lance high in the air and shouted,
“Charge!”
The cavalry behind her raised their weapons as one.
Their duty in this battle was clear—to break the enemy ranks so the infantry could advance.
With unmatched power and speed, the Demon Lord’s cavalry stood ready to unleash devastation.
A chilling silence fell over the dark night.
The enemy on the fortress walls must have seen them by now.
But there was no fear.
Only the will to attack.
Eva, steeling herself, lowered the face guard of her helmet and roared,
“CHARGE!”
The night battle had begun.