Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: The Counter-Fortress
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The Western army had begun massacring civilians.
The command center was a scene of chaos.
Several officers, led by Ballast's general, Mainz Ramstrong, raised their voices, insisting they had to rescue the civilians.
"It's estimated that over 100,000 have already died! At this rate, millions more civilians will perish! Are you saying we're just going to ignore that? The army exists to protect the people! We have to move!"
Olaf, Ash, and Landon Crowe voiced their agreement.
On the other hand, there was opposition.
"Then what do you suggest we do? We have no way to defeat the enemy! Are you saying we should move knowing we'll lose? Wouldn't it be better to preserve our forces instead?"
It was Lutger's argument.
Yugent Dresden and Sophia chimed in with agreement.
Sophia's support was unexpected, given her past actions.
In the previous war in Bekavia, she had stubbornly rejected my strategy because it put civilians at risk.
Of course, the situations were completely different.
Sophia cited her own experience.
"There was a similar situation before. Wade prioritized the operation's success over civilian safety, while I put civilian safety first. It doesn't matter whose choice was right. Each had their reasons, and either way, there was a chance of victory. But this is different. There's no chance at all! It's suicide!"
That was the reality of facing an enemy entrenched in good terrain with a fortress built.
Boom! Ash slammed the table and shouted.
"Then are you saying we should just sit back and watch hundreds of thousands of civilians die? We have to do something!"
"Then tell us how! How to wipe out an entrenched enemy!"
"We can put our heads together and figure it out! That's what I hate about your defeatist attitude—giving up without even trying!"
"That's because there's nothing! No method exists! It's a dead end!"
Bekavia's princess Sophia and Tunka's prince Ash were in similar positions, but Sophia was clearly more level-headed.
The officers split into two factions, exchanging heated arguments.
Most officers, like Eona and Anton, stayed neutral at first, but even they were gradually swayed and began leaning toward one side.
Finally, they turned to me for an answer.
Sophia shook her head and said to me.
"Ilrain, as supreme commander, put an end to this pointless debate."
Personally, I agreed with Sophia.
This was an unwinnable war.
We could surround them without attacking and focus on rescuing civilians, but it wouldn't achieve much.
The problem came during retreat. The enemy would surely chase our retreating forces.
That could lead to losing even the troops we had, potentially dooming the entire war.
Rescuing civilians was important, but losing the war would make it all for nothing, causing far more suffering.
It was heartbreaking to watch civilians die, but there was nothing we could do.
However.
*I don't like this.*
I could sense it subtly.
The enemy was enjoying watching me struggle like this.
That enemy general, Tettora Anistri, would be laughing at me dancing to her tune.
I felt a boiling rage inside. It was competitive spirit toward the foe who had outmaneuvered me, and fury at her for resorting to the low tactic of civilian massacres.
That's why I made a somewhat emotional choice.
"Doing nothing is unacceptable. So, as Ash said, let's put our heads together and come up with a plan."
"There's no plan! You know that too!"
"Still, it's better than doing nothing. Isn't that right, Professor Sophia? You've always said the path to victory in war hides in unexpected places."
"That's…!"
She had no retort since I threw her own words back at her.
Sophia sighed and nodded.
With that, the officers began openly brainstorming ways to break the impasse.
Ash spoke first.
"We have plenty of brave warriors. Eonia, Mirabel, me, and that scary guy Anton over there. If we lead and pierce their vanguard, attacking the fortress wouldn't be so reckless."
Lutger immediately countered.
"Not reckless? That's exactly what reckless means. In this operation, all we can do is surround their main force with appropriate troops and rescue civilians with the rest. If that's not good enough, suggest a way to annihilate their main force."
"What about targeting their supplies?"
Lutger shot down Olaf's question again.
"The enemy dug pits and stored massive amounts of food there. Without a high-level spy who can infiltrate the storage, it's impossible. Same with water—they have wells well-equipped."
There was a way to cut off groundwater from upstream, but it required massive engineering. At least three months, not a day or two. Impossible in this situation.
"What about fire attack?"
Aegert boldly suggested.
"Their east, west, and north are mountainous, right? Shoot fire arrows from the heights—if one hits the supplies, jackpot!"
"I told you, Aegert. The food is in underground warehouses. Blind fire arrows won't hit. Plus, they used slash-and-burn last year, so there's hardly any wood or grass to spread the fire."
"Then how about flooding?"
"What terrain drains as well as mountains? Don't spout nonsense!"
Dorothy, sitting next to Aegert, intervened to calm him. Aegert clicked his tongue in boredom.
"Tch! You told me to speak up! And now you scold me."
"Aegert! Shh!"
I absorbed everyone's opinions, immersed in the search for an answer.
Als's genius mind and my quick calculations were operating at peak performance. That meant this situation was just that dire.
Then Olaf made a face like he'd found the answer.
"…Flooding might not be entirely wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Mr. Lutger, according to the data you provided, this Sadban mountain range was developed during the Pensilon Empire era to build a military fortress, right?"
"That's true, but."
"That includes the mid-slope camps and the watchtowers on the highlands, doesn't it? They must have developed the highlands for those too. Meaning the terrain there isn't stable. With the right measures, couldn't we trigger a landslide from the highlands?"
"A landslide!?"
The room buzzed.
Emboldened, Olaf continued.
"We surround them first, then induce a landslide on a rainy day to bury their camp. That would neutralize part of their fortress. We break through there and attack!"
Olaf immediately signaled for my approval, but I shook my head.
"No. It's hard to induce a landslide on command. We don't know when it'll rain. Without exceptional luck, it's impossible. A plan relying on luck… relying on luck…? A plan relying on luck…?"
Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind.
Sophia noticed and asked.
"You've thought of something."
"…Yes. Worth a try."
"What is it?"
"Fire attack."
"Fire attack!?"
Who knew Aegert's offhand remark would be the key.
"What exactly do you plan to do?"
"Can't say yet."
I jotted down the needed materials on the documents in front of me and stood.
"Olaf! Prepare these materials quickly. Start now if possible."
"Got it."
"Next, Anton! Go to Juras right now and show him this. He'll understand."
"Yes, sir!"
I issued orders to the other officers, leaving only Ballast's general Ramstrong, Meisen, and Dorothy.
Dorothy smiled awkwardly.
"Feels bad for the others. We don't have any real roles."
Meisen had only come as Yugent's attendant, so he'd been uncomfortable throughout.
Ramstrong also looked uneasy, probably expecting a reprimand for his harsh words.
"Als, can I go now?"
"Go?"
"You and… Senior Meisen don't have anything for me. You have things to discuss with General Ramstrong, right?"
"What are you talking about? Real planning starts now."
"What?"
The three left here.
They were the key to this operation.
*
*
*
Dawn of the fifth day of the war.
Tettora, stationed in the Sadban mountains, was surrounded by all manner of gold and jewels.
Spoils plundered from civilians.
Thanks to the constant influx, they had plenty of everything, including food. Morale was sky-high.
"Hmm, so this is how continentals craft jewels. Not bad."
Tettora smiled in satisfaction.
The spoils were great, but the thrill of rendering Wade helpless was even better.
Even Wade, called a supernova on the continent, was helpless against her.
It had internal significance too.
Wade was one who'd humbled Hanneman, a Western leader. Toying with him proved she was above Hanneman.
"What a shame. I wanted to face that Juras Pamillion too."
She truly believed even Juras would be nothing before her.
As she basked in euphoria,
"Report! Enemy troops from Belen are advancing! Target appears to be Sadban mountains!"
"…What?"
She hadn't expected them to move.
The enemy's best move was to stay put.
Yet they moved anyway.
"Enemy numbers?"
"Full army mobilized! Roughly 60,000 to 63,000!"
They'd thoroughly plundered the area, but some had escaped. Many who fled to Belen, burning with revenge, enlisted—3,000 in total.
Als had dispersed them to boost morale, spreading tales of Western atrocities to stoke vengeance.
"Fools. Do they really think they can beat me?"
Still, Tettora didn't think Als was targeting her main force.
Her fortress was impregnable. Even 1.5 times the troops wouldn't suffice—needed three times: 180,000.
Charging with similar numbers, around 63,000, meant some other intent.
"Let's watch their pathetic struggles."
She didn't entertain defeat. She saw Als's move as political theater.
To package it as "we tried to save civilians."
Letting them die would tarnish his reputation.
Thus, on the afternoon of the fifth day.
Als's Ballast forces climbed the southern hills, facing Tettora's fortress.
"…Impressive."
Even Lutger was awed by its solidity and precision.
The outer wall was thick stone, blocking advances, followed by a 1m-high wooden palisade shaped like battlements, where soldiers aimed spears.
Just 1m, but terrain advantage made one soldier equal two enemies.
And it wasn't one layer.
Another inside the formation. To reach Tettora at the center, two walls to breach.
"Urgh…."
Even Ash, who advocated frontal assault, was speechless.
Faced with the fortress, Als smiled lightly.
"Everyone, take your positions!"
Tettora was dying to know what Als would do.
His action wildly exceeded expectations.
After reaching the southern hill and stopping beyond arrow range, Als's troops suddenly began building a fortress.
"What…?"
Tettora frowned at the bizarre sight.
Enemy soldiers, abandoning weapons for hammers and carts, constructing.
Jack Winter, Byulang's general from her slave days, shouted.
"Holy Mother, I don't know their intent, but this is our chance! Charge and push them out!"
Ballast troops held a hill. Their vanguard disarmed for construction—push hard now, smash the front, collapse their line via the slope.
Tactically correct.
But Tettora disliked the textbook move. She hated leaving her fortress.
*Is he baiting me? To lure me out? Then hit me with something?*
Her winning strategy was defending the fortress. That guaranteed victory.
No need for unnecessary risks.
"Holy Mother, give me troops! I'll handle the enemies…."
"Shut up! Don't speak, you trash!"
Tettora hated Als's unpredictability. It felt like he was testing her.
*I'm the one testing!*
Meanwhile, a letter from Als arrived via a captured Western scout.
"Holy Mother, no need to read that."
"I said shut up!"
Ignoring Jack, she irritably opened it.
— I salute your foolishness.
It began with condemnation and mockery of plundering civilians, wrapped in flowery prose. His improved writing from novel-writing made the taunts exquisitely infuriating.
In vulgar summary:
— Barbarians gonna barbarian. No surprise lol.
Grit! Tettora ground her teeth unconsciously.
She knew it was bluff. Yet the cunning mockery enraged her.
She sent a mocking reply via a captive civilian, but Als took it, burned it unread, and flipped her off—Pensilon insult, grave even in the West.
"That bastard—!"
Fuming, Tettora glared at Als awhile, then turned away.
"Let's see how long you stay arrogant…!"
She vowed someday he'd lick her soles.