Late Night Fireworks
Late Night Fireworks
Hildea readily granted my request.
"Colonel Piel Marshall, I hereby order your promotion to brigadier general."
"I accept the order."
A star promotion is the authority of the King, so we told no one—a promotion ceremony just between us two.
【This promotion is not recognized.】
As expected, my hypothesis was correct.
'Would it be different if Hildea had declared herself an independent sovereign?'
Unfortunately, a hypothesis that cannot be tested.
"No one will recognize it, but I, for my part, will consider you a brigadier general in my heart. Until the day you become a true brigadier general, please act just as you have."
"Understood."
"It's time for bed. Then let us receive a mana massage."
"Yes."
We each changed clothes and settled into bed.
I lay down, and Hildea got on top and diligently gave me a mana massage.
She also didn't forget to eat Calova in between.
'She probably doesn't need a bra yet, right? She's barely an A+.'
But even after all this, if mana awakening still doesn't happen... could I be of a bloodline cursed with mana?
'Is it my mother's bloodline?'
As sleep crept in, I felt the soft touch and closed my eyes.
***
Stand straight, Luna.
"If you could fly, why didn't you say so earlier?"
"What? A 7th Class wind mage can naturally fly, you know? It's common sense."
To confirm, I asked Elenoa and Hildea, and they both said the same thing.
"I had no idea."
"Was that common sense?"
Anyway, this is why geniuses are hopeless.
They think everyone else knows just because they know.
"When fighting the plant legion, fire mages use flame spells and spread them precisely with wind for attacks, right?"
"Yes, because that's the most cost-effective."
"But my direct airborne unit won't fight like that."
From the start, the airborne unit only has Luna as its one mage.
"Luna, from today, it's study time."
"What kind of study?"
"It's called artillery coordinate plotting."
Currently in the North, we maximize cost-effectiveness with the combination of 60mm mortars and Rebecca's Browning heavy machine gun.
That's because in the next-generation logistics system, 60mm proximity-fuze shells aren't produced due to poor cost-effectiveness.
'But 120mm mortars are different.'
I've selected the 120mm mortar with a maximum range of 7.2 km as the main weapon for the garrison.
Since the elf legions come riding ivory whales from the sea, the strategy is to pour proximity-fuze explosive shell airbursts from a distance.
If Luna goes up high and provides strike coordinates, we can bombard them even from outside visual range at 6-7 km.
'Kikik, how panicked will they be when airbursts hit from beyond their sight?'
I diligently taught Luna the weapon operation methods I studied with the Tactical PDA, and she absorbs them in a flash.
'I'll have to retract my statement that my unit doesn't need mages.'
In terms of firepower they're useless, but mages are indeed intelligent. I wonder if that's why they're good at cooking rice without burning it?
I issued one hundred 120mm mortars to the knights led by Vice-commander Lord Deville of the Juanbuk Army.
"Colonel Piel, this seems to have a larger caliber than the Commander-in-Chief's 105mm cannon?"
"Because it's a 120mm mortar. However, in terms of range and power, Hildea-nim's 105mm cannon is overwhelmingly superior."
From the start, a mortar carried and fired by infantry cannot compare with a howitzer towed and fired by artillery.
"This has a range of about 200 to 7,200 meters. It's for taking out enemies outside visual range."
"Ah, so if Luna tells us the enemy's location from the air, we just fire accordingly?"
"Exactly."
We practiced coordinate alignment with training rounds, and everyone mastered it at an astonishing speed.
After all, these were people who used to hold 60mm mortars barehanded and aim by 'feel', so needless to say.
"Khh... My whole body tingles with the desire to try real explosive shells."
"I wish the plant legion would come quickly."
"It's a shame we can't see the sight of them being torn apart with our own eyes."
Chiik. Chiik.
-Colonel-nim, this is Private Bertenhal from Count Anbelrum Castle.
"I'm listening."
-Marquis Hapscorten and some key vassals were killed by elf assassins. Additionally, the plant legion has created an elf forest in the marquisate's largest rye field.
"What? They're creating an elf forest?"
While it's pleasing to watch the territory of a covenant party get swept away, the matter of them spawning an elf forest multi is a different story.
The Marquis Hapscorten territory is right next door to our home.
I finished training and hurriedly returned to the count's castle.
Luna helped with a quick return using wind magic.
***
That arrogant heir I saw before—should I now call him the young marquis?
He wailed as if his whole body was being torn apart, not caring that his face was ruined, begging for help.
Even Hildea, burning with vengeance, had an expression that was far from pleased.
"The territory is collapsing! Rumors of an elf forest have spread, and the territory residents are deserting! Please, please help! Please have mercy!"
After a brief discussion, Hildea, Elenoa, and I presented a deal.
"Permanently cede the area where the elf legion created the forest to our family. Then we will handle the forest."
"Really? I will do that!"
He must truly be desperate.
It's a deal that hands over half the territory, but he accepts without hesitation.
While Elenoa formally drafted the document, I prepared with Hildea and the knights.
"Colonel Marshall, is the 120mm mortar finally making its combat debut?"
Seeing that, all the knights seemed to be itching for action.
Probably because they hadn't fought an explosive shell battle yet.
"Heh heh, the 60mm mortar knights back home would be dying of envy if they saw this."
"The barrel caliber alone is twice as big, isn't it?"
"Sorry to ruin the mood, but I don't think the mortars will be needed. You may have to draw your machetes instead."
The knights' eyes changed.
"Does that mean we might have to face the marquisate knights?"
"We're entering the land of a covenant party. We must consider every possible dirty trick."
"The colonel is right. We had let our guard down for a moment."
"Thanks for the wake-up call."
Hildea returned after concluding the deal.
"Piel, as you said, I received the loyalty oath instead of Elenoa. He hesitated a little, then knelt."
"Do not show pity. A marquis family heir is educated to endure any humiliation to protect the territory and family."
"Hoo, the noble society is truly cold-hearted. I am of commoner origin, so I still haven't adapted."
We immediately set off for the marquisate.
Luna flying high overhead guided us by radio, making it comfortable.
While riding comfortably on Hildea's back, she suddenly spoke.
"If your posture is uncomfortable, you may hold onto my chest."
"Huh?"
"I mean, there is a stable handhold, so don't be anxious about falling."
I was flustered, but then I realized from her proud voice.
'No, what nonsense chest pride is she showing when she's only an A+?'
Having lived without, now that she has a little, she's proud as if she's an H-cup. Well, it's cute.
"I was just saying it because you seemed uncomfortable with what to do with your hands. I am fine wherever you hold onto me."
Ah, so it was because my arms looked unstable.
I retract the chest pride comment.
"It suddenly reminds me of the time we two discovered and destroyed the corrupted World Tree during reconnaissance."
"That was a fiery memory. I still cannot forget the flames created by the M183 demolition bags."
I finally asked a question I had been hesitating about for quite a long time.
"Do you remember when I gave you my sleeping bag and I was shivering alone, so you told me to come in and sleep together?"
"Of course."
"Are you normally that kind to your subordinates?"
"...What are you saying? Absolutely not."
She seemed slightly offended.
"Naturally, you were the first."
"...Why did you let me in?"
"You seemed like it would be okay. And I felt I should do that for you."
I felt I would never forget the words Hildea said next.
"I am a woman with perfectly good eyes too, you know...."
"...."
"Y-your nose, if it had been just a little bit lower, I wouldn't have even made you a duty officer...."
Anyway, hearing that I was the first puts me at ease.
Because it means she wasn't that good to just anyone, but because it was me.
***
Although fuel efficiency was poor, befitting a high-mobility tank corps, we quickly arrived at the elf forest.
'It's convenient having a reconnaissance plane guide us.'
Hildea and the knights froze when they saw the elf forest towering over 50 meters.
"I didn't expect it to be this huge...."
"How long has it been since I've seen an elf forest this close...?"
"Colonel Marshall, can we really eliminate that with mortars? It seems like we'd have to bombard it for days on end."
Of course, I had already thought ahead.
"Luna, it's time for you to shine."
"Kyaaaak! You'll also give me mint choco, right?"
"Of course. Come here."
Just then, the sun was slowly setting toward the mountains.
When darkness fully falls, the sight of that giant elf forest burning will be even more spectacular.
【Requesting supply of M183 demolition bags.】
【M183 demolition bags....】
【Requesting supply of AN-M14 TH4 incendiary grenades.】
【AN-M14 TH4 incendiary...】
Seeing the mountain of C4 demolition bags and incendiary grenades, Luna jumped up and down.
"Kyaaaak! Kyaaaak! Are we going to blow all this up at once?"
"That's right. Come to think of it, this is your first time with these, right Luna? This is a demolition bag, and this is an incendiary grenade. You tie the incendiary grenades to the bag, drop them from the sky, and then...."
Luna airdrops the demolition bags bundled with multiple incendiary grenades and spreads them all over the forest, then remote ignition detonates all the bags at once.
The thermite magnesium inside the grenades with their safety pins not removed catches fire, spreading tremendous heat and flash around.
'This is the mini napalm bomb aerial bombardment.'
I wish night would come quickly.
***
"They're attacking the forest under cover of night?"
"Yes, Count Balckenhardt is currently on standby south of the rye field."
"Troops?"
"The count, one female mage, and Colonel Piel Anbelreum—three in total."
The 50 accompanying knights had concealed themselves, so the marquisate knights could not detect them.
The young marquis gnashed his teeth, recalling the humiliation from earlier.
'A long-established prestigious family like our Marquis Hapscorten swearing loyalty to a newly risen count family that only opened its doors five years ago.'
Something that could not simply be overlooked.
So the young Marquis Hapscorten, who had lost his father, made a cold-hearted decision.
"I don't know how a mage and a swordmaster plan to destroy the forest, but no matter, it's fine. Even a swordmaster won't be able to recover their strength after such a battle."
A swordmaster is formidable.
But they have the fatal flaw of immense stamina consumption.
"No matter how strong, when fully fatigued from battle, they are just a tired beast. We'll seize that moment to capture Hildea, that wench."
If we rape her and impregnate her, the loyalty oath can be reversed.
And if we also capture Piel Anbelreum, we can also nullify the territory cession promised to the Count Anbelrum family.
The knights nodded with unwavering expressions.
"Understood!"
"Heh heh, we'll have to prepare to serve the new mistress of the marquis family."
"Marquis-nim, you'll need to find a healthy wet nurse in advance, won't you?"
"Puhahaha!"
The young marquis and the knights positioned themselves where they could clearly see the elf forest and waited for night to come.
And finally, the full moon rose brilliantly.
Kugwagwagwang! Kwagwagwang!
An earth-shattering, unprecedented roar swept through the area.
The knights struggled to calm their startled warhorses, and the flustered marquis looked around, pale with shock.
"What in the world is this... Uwaaak!"
A red flash reflected in the young marquis's eyes.
The giant elf forest rooted in the rye field was blazing fiercely, and the scorching heat could be felt even from this distance.
"D-did Bulkhanus descend...?"
It was an unimaginable fire disaster, as if the incarnation of hellfire was rampaging.