Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Assault on La Leon Fortress
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"Though they said each fortress has around 10,000 troops stationed there, the documents state that even combining all three fortresses, it's only about 25,000 soldiers. If the enemy doesn't move any additional forces, we'll only have to face significantly fewer troops than our own."
Volker himself hadn't been much help, but the information his men had provided proved quite useful.
"The enemy's walls are prepared only for conventional siege weapons. They have no countermeasures against our siege cannons at all. We'll smash the fortresses with the enemy still holed up inside, and if they attempt a field battle, we'll counter with the tactics we've already drilled."
He had supplemented the relayed documents with information from the minimap, and with the Red Dragon Legion's ample strength...
The strategy wasn't anything particularly elaborate.
Just 25 siege cannons and 10,000 rifles to crush the ignorant foe.
"La Leon makes the best first target. The approach is flat, and the terrain around it is favorable for pushing on to Adense and Serona afterward."
"It's also the oldest-built among the three, so we can really show off the power of our siege cannons."
After fine-tuning the details with his officers,
"...Then we'll depart tomorrow morning before dawn breaks. Tell the troops to turn in early."
"Understood."
He wrapped up the meeting swiftly.
To shove it in Volker's face, they needed to move as quickly as possible.
Their goal was to seize all three fortresses before the 5th Legion could even stick a spoon in.
Fortunately, the meeting had concluded by late morning, leaving plenty of time for preparations.
"...Looks like they're watching us."
"Ha... fast workers. Not that he was ever the slow type."
The sidelong glances from the 5th Legion personnel subtly observing the Red Dragon Legion were annoying,
"Repairs on the walls are still ongoing."
"Are they wary of us?"
"Seems like it..."
"Heh, figures."
but they weren't making any overt moves yet, so it wasn't a big issue.
At least it was far better than if they were already preparing to march out.
In this situation, the 5th Legion's advance would likely lag a day or two behind theirs, and they were ready to capitalize on that gap.
It might be a stretch to take all three fortresses, but smashing two would be easy enough.
At 4 a.m., before the crack of dawn.
The Red Dragon Legion soldiers, awake early, held torches to the siege cannons for final checks.
The cannons on their wagons gleamed in the firelight, stacked beside them with precisely crafted shells.
"...So we're firing these at the walls, huh."
"Lucky we're on the shooting end..."
With departure imminent, the soldiers muttered softly as they meticulously inspected the wagons and cannons.
"...Should I clean the barrel one more time?"
"You're insane."
"Tch. Don't want it hearing you."
"...Total nutjob."
Soldiers already attached to their rifles polished the spotless barrels repeatedly.
"...What if the enemy holds out?"
"No chance. How's a wall meant to stop stones gonna block these iron balls?"
They harbored a touch of worry, and
"If we bring rifles all this way and don't get to use 'em proper, won't it suck? I hope the walls hold."
"...What kinda bullshit."
"Then why you fiddling with your rifle? You're the same damn type."
"..."
a subtle excitement.
Just as the officers had shown confidence, the soldiers weren't even considering defeat.
Following Victor's orders, most troops loaded their armor onto small wagons, grabbing only weapons for the march.
By 5 a.m., soldiers and hundreds of wagons were ready,
"Move out."
and they quietly departed Manzheim.
No usual cheers or battle cries, but morale was sky-high.
The next day.
Jose and Isaac, soldiers at La Leon Fortress, were greeting another ordinary day.
They'd heard the Empire's forces were on the move, but
"How long this time?"
"Hm... three hours?"
"Ha, you still believing those guys?"
"Common sense says at least three. Heard reinforcements arrived or something."
"What, ten thousand this time? Nah, I bet it's just a probe. Less than an hour."
they leaned against the sturdy walls, bringing up their usual bet.
La Leon was old, true, but that also meant it had withstood attacks unbroken for ages.
The Empire's assaults so far had been half-hearted flurries of a few arrows and stones before retreating.
-Ding ding ding ding ding!
"...Sigh."
"How about two hours as the line? From when they loose the first arrow, if they stop two hours before that, I win."
"Two hours? Nah, sticking with three."
Even as the bell signaling the enemy's approach rang, the bickering pair dawdled until Juan, on watch from the guard tower, came running.
"Hey, they're here! They're here!"
"Oh, yeah?"
"What's with the fuss... You stood watch one day too many?"
"No, just see for yourself! Come up, quick!"
Unlike the two still full of leisure, Juan couldn't hide his panic.
Sensing something off in Juan's unusual demeanor, Jose and Isaac grabbed shields and bows and climbed the walls.
They shoved through the lined-up soldiers to the front.
Finally reaching a spot with a view of the enemy,
"...What the hell is that?"
"..."
they spotted massive black iron lumps approaching from afar.
Over 20 of them, mounted on wagons, advancing slowly amid armored troops.
"S-see? Something's coming! What fuss..."
"Quiet, everyone! Prepare to fire from your positions! Shoot when they get closer!"
"...Idiot."
"So, three hours?"
"Fine, fine!"
Juan ducked into the ranks at the squad leader's shout, while Jose and Isaac snickered and took their places.
They drew arrows, nocking them,
"...They're not coming?"
"What's up?"
but the Empire halted over 100 meters away.
"What now?"
"Hold position."
"Yes, sir."
Too far for arrows to harm armored foes with shields, the soldiers lowered bows and watched the distant Empire troops.
They dug pits, rolled the iron lumps in, and piled earth around them.
"...Looks like they're prepping something?"
"You can see that from here?"
"Unlike some... They're lighting something, like fire?"
"Fire?"
Keen-eyed Jose even spotted them touching fire to the lumps.
"...They're running."
Unlike the usual noisy Empire rabble, the soldiers who'd lit the fuses vanished swiftly, filling Jose with dread.
This unnatural silence chilled him to the bone.
"Some siege weapon?"
"Something like that..."
Before Jose could finish answering Juan, now beside him,
"...!"
Juan sensed something pitch-black hurtling toward his face,
-KABOOM!
and the shell exploded with a thunderous roar that shook the heavens, obliterating him and everything around before he could react.
-Eeeeeeeeeee-
"...Huh?"
As the shrill ringing faded and dust cleared,
"...Aaaagh!"
"Hic, what... was..."
"Eeeek...!"
"My arm, my arm...!"
shattered walls and the groans and screams of miraculously surviving soldiers appeared before Jose, who'd stood frozen, uncomprehending.
"...Juan?"
Reality hadn't sunk in.
He blankly scanned for Juan, with whom he'd just been chatting right beside him, but Juan's spot—and the area around it—had vanished, as if devoured.
Thick white smoke shrouded the Empire's position, hiding the iron lumps.
"...hear me! The enemy..."
"...fire..."
Jose couldn't think anymore.
He only felt his body strangely damp.
The shouts and screams around him sounded muffled, leaving him turning his head in bewilderment.
-Thwack!
"...Hey! Move!"
"...?"
After what felt like ages, a jolt from the side snapped Jose back slightly.
"Can you hear me! Grab your weapon and move, now!"
It was Isaac beside him, yelling right in his ear, letting Jose catch the words faintly.
He snatched up his discarded bow and shield, letting Isaac drag him along.
"Hey, you okay? Hey! Jose!"
"Uh... yeah..."
Isaac, who'd recovered faster, hauled Jose toward an intact wall section, but with a shell having landed right next to him, Jose's body was far from normal—shrapnel embedded everywhere—making it hell to navigate the panicked soldiers with him in tow.
And the Empire didn't wait.
Before they could settle,
-KABOOM!
"...Ah."
the second volley ravaged La Leon's walls.
The ground beneath them crumbled in an instant.
Isaac closed his eyes, feeling an eerie floatiness mingled with terror and despair.