Chapter 11
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: First Battlefield (3)
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The division forces deployed at the 18th Infantry Regiment's garrison. Against the backdrop of white field tents already fluttering in the wind, the company's platoon leaders, myself included, gathered together.
We were there to receive the operational plan.
"Attention."
"Attention-!!"
At Captain Arendt's command, we all responded in unison. He was an officer who practically worshipped Field Manual doctrine, so he gave a satisfied smile and tapped his papers with a crisp sound.
"I will now brief you on the operation. Since you are all respectable magic officers, engrave the contents into your heads instead of on paper."
"Yes, sir!"
The other platoon leaders answered with an air of ease, as if it were nothing. I was the only one who couldn't smile.
"The objective of this expedition is to relieve the Belgorod Fortress, located approximately 4km from our current position. The force currently pressuring the fortress has been confirmed to be a band of brigands that crossed the border from the Sovye Empire."
It wasn't anything special.
In Hearts of General, it wasn't a rare occurrence for bandit groups to attack military fortresses.
Whether in peacetime or wartime, they were like vermin that plundered military supplies and chipped away at already scarce forces, regardless of the situation.
That's why, when playing as the Sovye Empire or the Walter 3 Kingdoms, where the probability of bandit groups appearing is particularly high, it was standard procedure to issue a 'Subjugation Order' to drastically reduce their occurrence.
'Though right now, I don't have the status to issue a Subjugation Order.'
I smacked my lips bitterly and tuned back into Captain Arendt's briefing.
"Their numbers are estimated to be around two hundred. As for the fortress's status, the external watchtowers have fallen. The rest of the facilities are reportedly safe."
"I expected as much. Even if it's Belgorod, it wouldn't fall to a mere bandit group."
Crenpus Adel, the 1st Platoon Leader, nodded in agreement. As the leader of the company's vanguard platoon, he was a lieutenant with an air of seasoned experience.
"Therefore, we have decided to take the day to prepare our unit, and deploy all forces tomorrow morning at 0600. Our 2nd Company will be responsible for providing magical support on the left flank of the infantry regiment. That is all. Any questions?"
"None."
"Good! Then we are dismissed for today. 5th Platoon Leader, stay behind for a moment."
"Yes, sir."
Captain Arendt pointed me out specifically. I had a bad feeling about this.
He waited silently as the other platoon leaders filed out of his tent, then pulled a cigarette pack from his breast pocket.
"Let's have a smoke."
Click-.
I quickly struck a match and lit the captain's cigarette.
"Haa... Thanks."
"Not at all."
"Your movements are quite agile for a newly commissioned lieutenant fresh out of the officer academy. You have good situational awareness. 5th Platoon Leader, are you a re-enlistee?"
"Absolutely not."
When I denied it firmly, Arendt let out his signature raspy laugh.
"Kuhuhu, just a joke. You came at just the right age, after all. Even with our Duchy's manpower shortages, we don't push kids who haven't even had their coming-of-age ceremony into the military."
Of course, this was only true until the war began. Once the world war truly kicked in, the demand for child soldiers skyrocketed across the continent.
"Anyway... the reason I called you separately is that there's a significant change to tomorrow's operation."
"May I ask what that is?"
"...You won't be able to be held in reserve. Your 5th Platoon will be responsible for supporting the tip of the left wing."
"Is that true?"
It was an unexpected answer.
Hadn't he come to see me personally before deployment and told me that no separate missions would be assigned?
I thought for sure it would be rear support or being placed in reserve.
"To be honest, even the battalion commander seemed worried, but the 2nd Infantry Battalion, which is in charge of the left flank, strongly insisted on deploying your platoon."
Why?
As infantry, they might be sick and tired of watching support troops laze around.
After all, the role of a magic soldier tends to be relatively 'safe and a sweet deal' compared to infantry exposed to fire on the front lines.
It's just like reality, where people fight every day over which position is harder.
It felt similar here.
'But why my platoon? Including myself, there are only three of us, and I mentioned that Rockheart was a problem.'
However, knowing the full situation, I was simply puzzled.
'Well, the battalion commander probably can't talk back to the regiment commander. Besides, he's the commander of a support battalion.'
In the end, our magic battalion was playing the role of a pure support unit in this operation, and the command and decision-making rights lay with the '18th Regiment Commander', the main attacker.
If the problematic 2nd Battalion Commander requested it and the Regiment Commander backed him, Lieutenant Colonel Rockheart would have had no choice but to accept.
"Well, whatever... since it's come to this, there's something I really need to ask of you."
Captain Arendt was still just a company commander. If the higher-ups said to peel, he had to peel.
"Do your best not to let Sergeant Lumia Blue participate in combat. If she causes another 'friendly fire' incident like last time, it'll be a disaster."
"Friendly fire, you say?"
"Right. Don't mention this to Sergeant Lumia specifically. I'm telling you because, as a platoon leader, you have the right to know."
I finally understood why Sergeant Lumia Blue had been reluctant to mention the past.
'She accidentally caused damage with a misfired spell.'
"Her mana level is top-class. Honestly, it's a shame to waste such talent in a trashy platoon like this. However..."
I casually picked up where Arendt left off. White smoke trailed from my mouth.
"That means that despite that value, the higher-ups haven't assigned her to a special unit because they judged her to be even more dangerous."
"That's right. Exactly. At least Sergeant Bell Mayer seems to be in good condition lately, so we can assume the risk of a Mana Rampage is low."
Mana Rampage.
A state where one falls into an uncontrollable state in an instant, firing magic indiscriminately at friend and foe alike.
It was the worst possible disaster, guaranteed to cause a massive backlash the moment it occurred, especially in the middle of a battlefield.
Therefore, it was a fatal flaw possessed by Sergeant Bell Mayer.
"Are there any precursor symptoms?"
"If her eyes lose focus and her body stiffens, subdue her even if you have to knock her out forcibly. That's the answer."
I got the best possible tip from the captain. I engraved the current content into my mind more firmly than the operation outline I had heard earlier.
Keep Lumia out of combat as much as possible. If Bell Mayer's eyes lose focus, subdue her immediately.
In some ways, it might be an excessive measure, but it was actually a way to protect them.
If they caused friendly fire or a Mana Rampage during a regular operation, even Captain Arendt wouldn't be able to handle the responsibility easily.
"...I'm asking you sincerely. After all, you've been given a chance, haven't you, 5th Platoon Leader?"
"I understand."
I flicked the finished cigarette and crushed it into the ashtray on the field desk.
"Please leave it to me."
Captain Arendt looked very worried. It was understandable. He had essentially been saddled with a bomb he never asked for.
But for me...
'This is perfect.'
It was an opportunity handed down from the heavens.
If I completed this operation successfully, I would at least be able to give the impression that I had a firm grip on the platoon's reins.
I had no intention of ruining this absolutely perfect moment.
"Then I will return to rest as well. I need to discuss tomorrow's operation with the platoon members."
"Right, good work. Carry out your mission successfully with that confidence."
"Glory to the Fatherland!"
"Glory."
After a crisp salute, I exited the captain's tent.
The sky was already painted with a red sunset. The eve of my first battle. I had to make sure I was fully prepared.
I had plenty of time.
Since we were deploying at 0600, I should be able to get plenty of rest...
...It didn't take long for me to realize just how naive that thought was.
Dimitri, a soldier of the Border Guard Unit directly under the 8th Division of the Northern Legion stationed at Belgorod Fortress, chugged the liquor he had secretly stashed away.
Drinking during combat.
Normally, this would be absolutely forbidden, but after being worn down by two days of continuous attacks by the bandit group, no one could stop him.
With no guarantee he would even see the sun tomorrow, there was no reason to fear a court-martial.
"Dimitri, give me a swig too."
The other soldiers thought the same thing. They had requested reinforcements, but it was unknown when the rescue force would actually arrive.
The messenger pigeon from the fortress commander, who was responsible for the defense, had likely died halfway through; no one had returned.
Looking at the situation alone, it was nothing short of despair.
"Damn it, what the hell is in this shithole of a fortress that they're so worked up about?"
Dimitri spat out a curse as he handed over the liquor bottle he was drinking.
A bandit raid.
Even though it happened almost every day in the borderlands, this was the first time they had faced such a fierce attack.
They had already been holed up in the fortress for two days. During that time, the external watchtower, which they had barely held onto, had fallen.
The severed head of a comrade who had held his post to the very end was even hung on the watchtower.
It was an extremely vicious assault.
It was clearly different from the typical bandit raid, where they would poke around, get hit by a hail of bullets, and run away.
"But don't these bastards seem to have increased in number since yesterday?"
"I felt that too."
Something was strange.
It was as if they were desperate to conquer this fortress.
"...Could it be because of that? Didn't they say a shipment arrived from the Right Duchy the other day?"
"It's just supplies anyway. Probably nothing but blocks of tobacco, uniforms, and ammo. What's there to loot?"
The Right Duchy was a member of the Walter 3 Kingdoms, which bordered Ukran.
Among the Walter 3 Kingdoms, the Right Duchy maintained a particularly friendly relationship with Ukran.
Supplies were often stored at the fortress for quick transport.
"The shipment is just a cloud in the sky. Listen closely. Don't you think these bastards aren't just bandits, but spies sent by the Sovye Empire?"
"What? Those guys have nothing better to do than attack a border fortress? It's not like they're planning a real war."
"You never know."
The soldiers were just throwing around baseless speculation.
Just then.
"Wait a minute. What is that?"
A soldier chatting with Dimitri pointed into the darkness.
"Dimitri! Look at that! What does that look like!?"
"Ah, fuck. What is that?"
He took the remaining liquor bottle, shook out every last drop, and clumsily lifted his head.
A pitch-black darkness where not even a sliver of moonlight shone.
Within it, a faintly flickering red light caught his eye.
"A circle...? Is that a magic circle?"
But Dimitri never managed to realize the true nature of that light source.
A rain of fire pouring out from the darkness instantly turned his body into a pile of ash.
"Graaaah!!"
"Wh-what!!? A magic soldier!? There's a magic soldier among the enemy!!"
Before the soldiers could even shout in shock.
KWAAAAANG!!!
A tremendous explosion occurred, and the fortress wall, which had stood firm through several attacks, crumbled noisily.