Chapter 70
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Train Like You're in Combat, Fight Like You're Training (2)
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I didn't think it was impossible. International relations are rarely a simple matter of good versus evil.
There are many reasons for a war to break out. From the perspective of the small nations caught in between, it might feel unjust, but every great power has its own justification.
Even Hitler wasn't yet the pure symbol of evil we know him as today when he first attempted to use force to annex other nations.
After all, he had a reason: to save a nation shattered by the Treaty of Versailles, and to be certain of rebuilding the German Empire by occupying Austria, Czechoslovakia, and even Poland.
At the very least, to the German people and a few other imperialists, he was enough to be hailed as a national hero, far from being 'evil'.
Of course, his image was completely ruined when the unprecedented atrocity and folly of the Holocaust spread to the world.
It's the same in Hearts of General.
At first, it's clearly divided into two factions, but as the game progresses, the factional structure weakens, and it inevitably becomes a power struggle between nations.
From the start, the condition for a 'Perfect' victory is to conquer all five nations except your own.
And surprisingly, it's often easier to achieve a 'Perfect' victory than a 'Faction' victory.
So, the premise that Count Petrinant Ludwig developed the first airship with the help of Ukran isn't entirely out of the question.
It's only been about half a year since the game started. How is a player supposed to know about a series of deals between the Ukran Duchy and Count Petrinant?
'Even taking that into account, it's still a load of bull...'
I looked at Soni Chepelin, who was enthusiastically nodding along next to the Count.
Wait a minute.
Now that I think about it, does all of this connect back to the artifact stolen from Belgorod Fortress?
I retraced my memory of when I first met the Colonel. He definitely said at the time that the artifact was the most crucial part of his plan.
'The Omen Pearl, was it?'
I've heard of that artifact. It wasn't the kind of item that could turn the tide of the entire war, and it wasn't a guaranteed drop—you could only get it randomly.
Artifacts weren't considered all that important in the game to begin with.
There were certainly some good artifacts that strengthened specific characters or gave buffs to an entire army.
But most were just 'nice to have'.
In that sense, the Omen Pearl, an artifact that simply drastically increases the user's mana level, wasn't something Soni Chepelin would be so desperate to get back.
But what if the Omen Pearl was an essential artifact for developing this airship?
Then it would be a perfectly valid reason for Soni Chepelin to be planning to push troops into enemy territory to seize it.
'Is that really it?'
It was just a guess, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the only answer.
And finally, what was only a guess became a fact, thanks to the Count's words.
"We're substituting it with a crude mana crystal for now, but in truth, to achieve its original output, a special artifact is required."
He exchanged a glance with Josef and Soni Chepelin, then took out a rolled-up map from his pocket and unfolded it.
"What you see outside is the smallest model I've developed. In the Reinhardt Empire's armory, a machine five times that size is waiting to be mobilized."
"F-five times!?"
Disbelieving voices burst out from all over.
Now I get why it seemed so small for something the Count developed. The real airships from the game must be back in the main country.
"That's why we need you."
As Count Petrinant Ludwig and Soni Chepelin kept rambling on about the airship, Chief of Staff Josef, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke.
"Our 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion will be tasked with retrieving the artifact that was stolen by the Sovye Empire, for the completion of the next-generation aerial weapon that Count Petrinant and Colonel Soni Chepelin are working on."
Bingo.
I knew it.
I had a vague feeling this would happen the moment the name 'Assault' was attached to the unit.
I never would have dreamed they'd be using an airship, though...
Soni Chepelin was planning to use the battalion in some way to retrieve the artifact.
"...Does everyone understand?"
Of course, I was the only one who knew this, so the NCOs and officers of the battalion all looked at him with blank expressions, as if to say, 'What are you talking about?'
The 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion...
We have a long way to go.
***
"You knew, Battalion Commander!?"
"I had an inkling. But I didn't know they'd be using an airship."
"Why... why didn't you tell us...!"
Bell Mayer stomped her foot in frustration. I didn't really need to ask why. The operation plan she'd been notified of probably felt no different from a suicide mission.
Going deep into Sovye territory aboard that huge, bizarre balloon to steal an artifact?
At a time when tactics for 'airborne operations' or 'assaults' hadn't even been established, it was reasonable for her to think it was insane.
Military organizations, from the commander-in-chief down to the lowest-ranked soldier, prefer to be conservative by nature.
Getting inside a giant balloon and dropping from the sky to attack a fortress?
If I hadn't personally experienced military life in modern times, I would have definitely thought it was crazy too.
"Bell, are you very afraid?"
"Aren't you, Battalion Commander?"
"Well... I do this all the time."
"What on earth do they teach at the officer's academy?"
I won't brag about it here.
But as someone who legitimately earned the airborne qualification badge, I used to perform jumps regularly.
An airship hovering at high altitude is probably less dangerous than a transport plane gliding at high speed.
"Well, I've done those things too."
I said, brushing it off.
You can't say Bell Mayer's life has been smooth. The reason she suffers from a mental illness stems from the horrific past she experienced as a child.
But having a horrific past and being intoxicated with a peaceful world are two different things.
Ukran was peaceful.
And for a very long time, excessively so.
The Quernen War itself, if you think about it, was more of a local skirmish than a full-scale war.
It was only called a 'war' because the Azov troops actually landed on the duchy's territory and occupied part of the south.
The impact and scale were too insignificant to be considered a conventional war.
In other words, except for some people in the south and those near the border, most had lived a peaceful life for over a hundred years.
Peace must be preserved, but it also clouds people's judgment.
The whole country is like this, so you can't really call Bell Mayer strange.
If I told someone in South Korea right now that a war had broken out and they should go fight, how many people do you think would willingly agree?
I guarantee you.
In the early stages of the war, not even half of ten people would go.
However, that won't do now.
A war is bound to happen, and in the time I have left, I must prepare for that future.
"It'll feel different once you try it. The sensation of flying through the air is surprisingly wonderful."
"R-really...?"
Unlike Bell Mayer, who was still looking at me with disbelief, the other platoon leaders were surprisingly calm about it.
"An assault. That's an interesting method for the Ukran military."
"Ooh!! As expected of Platoon Leader Claude!!"
Platoon Leader Erwin Rus, who was diligently imitating Claude as he carefully checked his equipment. Platoon Leader Hilton Calia was also silently putting on his gear without a single complaint.
Roxana and Lumia, who were part of the battalion headquarters staff, were the same. In fact, Roxana was extremely excited.
"Flying through the sky!! I never thought it would be possible in my lifetime!"
"An assault unit... that must mean we're an elite unit, right? To live up to that expectation, we'll have to try even harder!!"
"Ugh..."
Seeing her comrades getting so worked up, Bell Mayer couldn't just keep hiding either.
"If you're scared, I'll jump with you. From now on, it will be purely jump training."
It wasn't for nothing that Soni Chepelin treated the soldiers to a delicious and luxurious meal.
Starting today, the very next day, the real jump training began.
They had just returned from a 72-hour survival training course, only to be ordered to get on a strange weapon, go up into the sky, and jump.
The soldiers, dazed from the sudden blow, had faces just as deathly pale as Bell Mayer's.
"Th-then... please take care of me."
"Once you get the hang of it, it's easy from then on."
If you can't avoid it, enjoy it.
Moreover, with the ultimate cheat of 'magic' at our disposal, the jump training the Battalion Commander and Chief of Staff were planning was far easier than a real airborne training course.
All you have to do is fall and activate the intermediate wind magic 'Featherfoot' at the right time.
There's no 11-meter mock tower training, which is said to be the most terrifying experience for a human.
Nor do you need to learn the complicated parachute operation methods.
Even if you master parachute operation, you don't have to worry about your legs getting shredded if you land incorrectly.
'This is a piece of cake. If I get the airborne qualification badge for this, it's a complete sham.'
The first jump training, which I thought would be so easy, was supposed to go like that—but.
"Jump!!!"
"Jump, jump, jump!!!"
"Now, Platoon Leader Bell, just look straight at me and jump, okay?"
"Yes...! Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaahh—!!!"
The moment she jumped from the airship, she let out a scream so loud it felt like my eardrums would burst.
"W-wait a minute!! Calm down!! Bell!!!"
"Kyaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!! Mommy!!!"
"Guh...! Gck!!"
Bell Mayer buried her face straight into my chest. I could feel the soft, pliable sensation all too clearly...
But now was not the time to be distracted by such things. We were in the middle of a freefall.
"Bell, Sergeant Bell! I can't breathe...!! Let go of me first!! I can't even see properly to use magic... Gck!!"
"Aaaaahhhh!!! Battalion Commmanderrrr!!!"
"Sh-shit, we're screwed...!"
As expected, I was starting to regret that things had gone too smoothly until now.
We were in a total mess.