God of the Battlefield (3)
God of the Battlefield (3)
"It seems the cannon knight can truly be called the god of the battlefield."
These were Dvil's words after completing his cannon training.
He had now learned to alternately handle the 105mm cannon barrel that had become his own and the full-scale 155mm howitzer.
"Dealing massive damage from a distance with howitzer bombardment, inflicting further damage with direct fire when the gap closes, and finishing with a machete when there's no distance left.
How could one not be called the god of the battlefield?"
"In most cases, you won't even need to draw your machete."
"If you end up drawing your machete, it would be one of three things. Either the enemy's numbers are overwhelmingly greater than the number of cannons, or the enemy is that powerful."
Hildea also chuckled, adding a word.
"For example, like a Dragon?"
"I am curious. The cannon knights versus a Dragon, which side would be stronger?"
I was also curious, so I butted in.
"Have you ever seen a Dragon in the North?"
"There have been no sightings. But wouldn't a Dragon be living in the vast Elf Forest?"
Suddenly, Hildea and Dvil began a serious yet childish debate over 'Elf vs Dragon: who is stronger?'
'Come to think of it, has it been over 100 years since the last dragon sighting?'
That should not be interpreted as dragons being that hard to find.
It's more correct to say it's been over 100 years since anyone invaded a dragon's domain and returned alive.
'Would there really be a lightning dragon in the great lightning-scorched earth called the Palace of the Thunder Dragon in the southern Empire?'
The place was given such a name, surely because a dragon was sighted there once.
The two Sword Masters' verbal sparring continued until the V-Bat UAV returned under Luna's escort.
"Luna, how was the radio reception?"
"It was very clear. Like using short-range radio."
"That's because V-Bat acts as a relay. Shortwave communication can reach thousands of kilometers away, but the sound quality isn't good. But Luna, your expression doesn't look good?"
"I, I accidentally dropped my cake and a raptor monster snatched it away."
"Oh dear, you dropped your cake again? Here, I'll give you one more."
So that's why you looked so gloomy.
I gave her 3 whole Mint Choco Cakes specifically, telling her to enjoy them.
***
Piel, Hildea, Dvil, and Yuzel boarded the palanquin.
Luna lifted it up gently with Flight Magic and they headed for Count Anbelrum Castle.
'I have nothing I can do except lift the palanquin for the Colonel-nim. I'm the same rice bug as Yuzel.'
I glanced back, and the three of them except Yuzel were in a cheerful discussion.
"Just imagine it once. A future where the entire Northern Knight Order is armed with 155mm howitzers."
"Ooh, wouldn't that become a force capable of toppling the Empire?"
"Colonel Piel, when will the next 155mm cannon be completed?"
"The manufacturing cost is high... If it's truly urgent, we could make it right away, but for now, the manufacturing resources are either invested in food production or stockpiled."
The two Sword Masters nodded.
"Mm, food. Important, very important."
"Of course, food is far more important than cannons. If you can't eat, using Mana becomes difficult."
Feeling depressed as she kept listening, Luna blocked the sound with Wind Magic.
'Luna, you rice bug. Don't have useless thoughts and just hold the palanquin well.'
***
【Remaining Budget: 64,902,320】
I saved a lot last month, and it looks like I can save a lot this month too.
In my heart, I want to give a 155mm howitzer to Lord Deville too, but just purchasing an additional towed artillery piece costs 1 million budget.
That's enough flour for 500,000 households to eat for 1 to 2 days.
'I understand the heart of why the Republic of Korea's artillery bureau drags out even obsolete cannons, heavily modifies them, and commits elder abuse.'
Save where you can, and keep using whatever weapons are still usable.
That's why we don't retire the Ainshuvan 60mm mortars.
"It seems the plant legion that infiltrated the coast of the Asran Marquisate is causing damage. I think we'll have to move soon."
"Safe travels, Lord Deville."
The elves are dispersing their ivory whale transport units into small groups to avoid our territory and land persistently.
When a support request comes from another territory, we clean up only after they've experienced enough of the fear of the plant legions.
Thanks to that, the recognition that the safest places in the kingdom are Ainshuvan and Anvellum Territory is spreading widely throughout the kingdom.
All of this is the grand strategy of Marshall Plan 2.0 — the northernization of the entire kingdom.
"Hildea-nim, I'm going to measure your chest size."
"Huh? S, So suddenly? Please don't...."
A woman who used to willingly take off her top is acting like this, so it's definitely suspicious.
Using snacks with a proper mix of threats and appeasement, I finally succeeded in measuring Hildea's chest size.
"With you so on the verge of tears, it seems like I'm doing something awful...."
"I was not on the verge of tears!"
Damn, it's just as I expected.
There was absolutely no growth....
'To think she's still stuck at B+.'
"It's because you keep using Aura. Your chest isn't growing. Do you understand?"
"But the Aura Field Dome was a skill I absolutely had to train to protect you...."
"You trained it because you wanted to direct-fire the 155mm howitzer without dismantling it."
"Heuk...."
"Anyway, please refrain from overusing Aura where I cannot see you from now on."
"...I will try. What about the new snack?"
"I will give it to you."
I purchased PX Potato Chips and handed them to Hildea and Yuzel.
Both of them picked up the thin chips, their eyes going wide.
"How is this possible! This is the first time I've seen such a pretty snack! Colonel Piel, what on earth is this?"
"It's called a potato chip snack. It's made by thinly slicing potatoes and frying them in oil. You'll find it delicious."
"It is delicious! Too delicious! Uwaaang, I'm full so I can't eat much...."
"...Yuzel, you always seem to be in a full state."
Seeing Yuzel reminds me of a child who put their fist into a glass jar full of candy.
Gripping so much candy in their fist they can't pull it out, whimpering.
'It's amazing her stomach doesn't stick out. Is it because of her height?'
Yuzel is taller than Hildea and slightly shorter than Noona. Tall enough for a woman.
"Colonel Piel! Couldn't you put this 'snack' thing in my snack basket as well?"
"These are rare, so it's hard to give you many. I will give them occasionally, so please bear with it."
That's a lie.
If she gets addicted to regular snacks, the amount of 'Calova CX' she eats will decrease.
For calorie supply, Calova CX is the most efficient.
Yuzel's eyes became glossy with tears.
"Hiiing, so I can't eat this potato chip snack often?"
"...I'll let you eat 1 bag a day."
Suddenly, the face of Luna listlessly picking up and eating a potato chip caught my eye.
Usually, she'd be jumping around saying it's delicious, so seeing her like this is worrying.
'Seems the Mint Choco cake she dropped earlier won't leave her mind....'
I secretly called Luna aside away from the two women and quietly gave her some.
"Colonel-nim? You're giving this many potato chip snacks only to me?"
"Shh, it's a secret. Keep them in your subspace ring and quietly eat them by yourself."
The subspace ring I extorted as a bribe from the Military Inspector General Marquis in the past.
Luna is wearing it for the dispatch unit's supply.
She transports supplies back and forth using the subspace ring.
'Seriously, without Luna, this unit wouldn't function.'
If not for Luna, supplying the dispatch unit would've been cumbersome.
It would've been impossible to measure the firing coordinates for the dispatch unit's 120mm mortar unit.
I wouldn't be able to comfortably come meet Noona in just half a day.
The Incendiary Package carpet bombing would also be impossible.
'A 7th-class Wind Mage, an irreplaceable strategic asset.'
Luna, clutching a bunch of snack bags in her arms, kept her head bowed, fidgeting with her fingers, then spoke without showing her face.
"...Thank you. For taking such kind care of someone like me."
"Eat well and cheer up."
***
Watching Piel grow distant, Luna quietly thought.
'Cheer up, he says... Even though I've become useless thanks to V-Bat, he doesn't neglect me.'
She recalled the time when she was on the brink of annihilation in Marquis Oltain territory with the Penal Unit.
As she was dying in the whole-body tearing pain from the Mandrake side effects, all pain had vanished thanks to the emergency kit Piel had placed on her.
At that time, Luna thought she had seen an angel.
'The Samgyetang he first fed me, the Samgyeopsal, the Soju, they were truly delicious....'
The now fully pardoned Penal Unit still enjoys a Samgyeopsal and Soju party once a week.
It's thanks to Piel thoroughly keeping the promises he made during the Sword of Subordination oath.
The light in Luna's eyes hardened.
"I can't lose to a V-Bat magical device."
All of this is because she had been complacent before the wall of the 8th class.
Luna decided to whip herself into shape once more.
***
The Imperial Palace.
Count Yunes, who had won the bid for the Wyvern Lord in the North, arrived.
The imperial nobles gaped in astonishment at the massive stuffed wyvern displayed in the palace garden.
"So this is a Wyvern Lord!"
"It's truly immense! A regular wyvern feels like a mere young chick in comparison!"
"To have succeeded in hunting a Wyvern Lord, Ainshuvan's combat power is truly formidable."
"But where is Count Yunes?"
"He is currently in a private audience with His Majesty, and it seems he might receive some reprimanding."
"Could it be that Princess Yuzel has run away from home again?"
"Yes."
"What can be done? Who but His Majesty and the Empress could stop the 1st in line for succession, the Imperial Princess, from doing what she wants?"
The nobles dismissed it and let the matter pass.
After a while, Count Yunes came out with a grave expression.
'His Majesty seems to have scolded him particularly harshly this time. His face doesn't look good.'
'I should offer some words of comfort....'
It wasn't just Count Yunes.
The expressions of the imperial nobles and knights who had accompanied him to the North were also extremely grave.
'Just how much of a scolding did the count receive, for everyone down the line to be so harshly rebuked?'
While everyone was thinking of trickle-down rage.
Count Yunes opened his mouth.
"There are reports of unusual stirrings from the monster legions in the eastern part of the Ainschvan Zone, the northern region of the Oridan Kingdom."
"The northern part of Oridan, you say?"
"What is happening?"
"With Ainshuvan holding out so firmly, aren't the elves preparing a ground bypass infiltration route in addition to the ivory whale lake route?"
"That is very possible!"
The elves had already bypassed Ainshuvan and pioneered a sea infiltration route.
It wouldn't be strange for them to prepare to pioneer a new ground infiltration route into the Oridan Kingdom.
Everyone began to listen seriously to Count Yunes' words.
The nobles and knights who had gone on the Northern auction expedition also actively chimed in with the count's words.
"Please, help us!"
A special envoy also rushed in from the Oridan Kingdom.
The special envoy was also a noble who had attended the Ainshuvan auction.
In a desperate voice, the special envoy pleaded for support.
"The signs of monster stirrings in our country's northern forest zone are serious! The aid of the Transcontinental Expedition Force is desperately needed! Please help us!"
He pleaded so earnestly that the hearts of the imperial nobles instantly swayed.
It didn't stop there.
All the kingdoms of the continent expressed their desire to participate in the Oridan Kingdom expedition, sending word to the Empire.
"Every single person who came as a special envoy is a noble who visited the North."
"Surely, they must have detected unusual signs there in the North."
Swept up in the heated atmosphere, the imperial nobles seriously discussed the expedition.
Count Yunes ran around here and there, expounding the necessity of supporting Oridan.
"We cannot hope for Ainshuvan's help! They are already performing beyond their limits just by defending their own front line!"
"If the kingdoms do not unite under the Empire's banner to support Oridan, the monster legions commanded by the elves will come pouring into the continent like a flood!"
The Emperor accepted the recommendation of the Imperial Nobility Council and finally gave his approval.
And so, the Transcontinental Monster Subjugation Expedition Force was formed.
It was the birth of the largest allied army on the continent, which would later come to be called the Meat Expedition Force.