First Battle 2
The Togo forces launched their assault on the main island of the Halzy Archipelago.
Victor had detected the enemy's trap in advance.
Did the debut commander Victor have a plan for his first battle?
"What? Vil, you say there are ambushers lying in wait on the ridges to either side?"
His grandfather Bilbert, a battle-hardened veteran in his late seventies who still served vigorously as Grand Marshal, furrowed his brow in thought.
"Yes, I used my own detection magic."
"You've even developed a new type of detection magic?"
Those were the words of his uncle, Robert von Togo.
He had a bit of a muscle-headed side, but he was a good-natured uncle all the same.
"Well, yeah."
"Rob, that's promising. Assuming we trust Vil's report, what do you make of it?"
"Father, I've been thinking it was odd they could see us but weren't attacking. If Vil's right, those bastards might be planning to delay our advance on Halzy Port City at all costs."
Halzy Port City sprawled behind the beach right in front of them—the heart of the Halzy Archipelago and stronghold of the Halzy Party.
"Indeed. If we get bogged down here, who knows what Norden's next move will be. Vil, do you have a plan?"
"Yes, Grandfather. It's a bit risky, but I have one."
"Let's hear it."
"Yes. For starters, we'll play right into their trap."
"What?"
My proposal to deliberately walk into the enemy's trap left not just Grandfather and Uncle speechless, but also the knights and officers around them—and even Linda.
"However, we'll have our forces loose arrows at the enemy's frontal beach positions, and keep our knights' defensive magic active until then."
"And then?"
"The instant that happens, the ambushers on the ridges will have to activate their mana to use their magic bows and reveal themselves. That's when I'll detect them with the new magic and obliterate both ridges with massive firepower spells."
"But isn't Young Master the only one who can use the new detection magic?"
Everton, a knight from a prestigious house long in service to the Togo family and overall commander of the landing force for this operation, spoke up.
"That's right, Knight Everton. Which is why I'll be going in on a landing craft too."
"Young Master, that's dangerous! Even just using the high-output new detection magic will make you a target for their magic bows!"
Linda—Knight Rosen—let out a cry like a scream.
"She's right, Vil. Listen to Knight Rosen."
Uncle admonished me in his gruff, booming voice.
"But Uncle, who else is there? Grandfather, you have to command the entire army. You're slated to lead the detached squadron, aren't you? And only I can use the new magic."
Uncle grunted in frustration and glanced at Grandfather.
Grandfather, who had been listening silently to the exchange, spoke gravely.
"Vil, you're prepared for this, aren't you?"
"Yes. I didn't expect my first battle to turn out like this—talk about bad luck—but I'm still a man of the Togo Earldom."
The knights let out impressed murmurs. Nobles didn't usually join landing assaults; they were far too dangerous.
"Well said! I'm proud of you. Very well, Vil—go!"
"Your Excellency, is this truly wise?"
"Yes. Vil's plan is the best course here. Knight Everton, make sure every landing force commander is thoroughly briefed on it."
"Yes, sir!"
"And Knight Rosen."
"Yes, sir!"
"Will you be his shield?"
"Your Excellency, leave it to me. This Knight Rosen will protect Young Master with my life."
"I count on you... Ah, in this moment, you remind me of your father, the warrior Langley, in his younger days."
"I am deeply honored."
Moved to tears, Linda knelt before Grandfather right there.
Oi oi, I plan to fuck Linda plenty later, so don't go dying on me.
"Right, prepare the landing craft—hurry!"
With the decision made, Uncle Robert's booming voice echoed as soldiers began clambering down rope ladders into the landing craft one after another.
"Vil."
As I gripped the rope ladder from the gunwale, Uncle's voice called from behind.
"Uncle, something wrong?"
"Don't die on me. If anything happens to you, I won't have the face to show Emily."
"To Aunt Emily?"
Emily was Uncle Robert's wife—a voluptuous beauty with a body ripened to perfection.
"Yeah, she's always had a soft spot for you."
"That's nice to hear. Shame I haven't seen her lately."
Uncle and Aunt were the picture of a loving couple, but they had no children.
"We don't have kids of our own, so she probably wanted a sharp one like you."
"You're both still young, aren't you?"
Uncle was in his early forties, Aunt just past thirty, or so I recalled. Too early to give up.
"Anyway, make sure you come back. And when you triumphantly return to the capital, stop by Central Port City and see Emily for me."
Since the war with the Halzy Party began, Uncle had been stationed with his wife at Central Port City on the main Togo Islands—the Togo clan's ancestral homeland—to defend it.
Pirate stock like Uncle could handle island life, but for Aunt, from a noble house even if a branch, it must have been a change.
"Yes, got it."
Just thinking of Aunt's dynamite body had my crotch snagging on the ladder.
"Young Master, shall we?"
Linda called out.
"Yeah. Well then, Uncle."
"Yeah. Good luck in battle."
Once aboard the pitch-black landing craft, Knight Everton approached.
"Young Master, please stay hidden at the bow."
"Got it."
"And keep your mana suppressed until the last moment."
"I know. You all too."
"A few knights, including myself, will activate our mana ahead of schedule."
"What? That's dangerous!"
"No, we want to lure out the ambushers early—so you can wipe them out, Young Master."
"I see. But still..."
"No need to worry. We'll just flicker our mana."
"Ah, to make it hard for them to zero in."
"As expected of Young Master."
With that, Knight Everton grinned.
"But can landing craft really withstand long-range mana attacks? They're not built like warships."
"Don't you know, Young Master? We tested it—the thick coat holds up just fine against them."
"Really?"
"Yes. Everyone already trusts the anti-mana paint you developed."
The anti-mana paint was my invention—a special coating for ships.
It was the trump card, the secret weapon, for this Halzy Archipelago campaign.
Applied to a hull, it deflected most mana attacks.
The landing craft were pitch-black because the paint was.
I'd raced to finish it in time for last year's great naval battle, but adhesion to wooden hulls had been tricky, and I'd missed the deadline.
We'd won the battle, but the fleet took notable losses.
If it'd been ready, the outcome might've been even better.
But the extra prep time let us coat every vessel this time. If it worked on landing craft too, casualties would drop.
"Good to know everyone trusts it. That makes the development headaches worth it. I'll pass the word to the public company folks—they'll be thrilled."
"Please do. Now, to the bow."
"Yeah. Knight Everton, good luck."
"Yes, sir!"
The public company was the development promotion outfit I'd founded at age six.
It leveraged my past-life knowledge for all sorts of R&D.
The anti-mana paint was one success born from my ideas.
"Young Master, over here."
As I moved to the bow, two familiar middle-aged warriors called out.
"Aren't you the ones who fought alongside Warrior Langley?"
"Young Master remembers us? That's somethin'."
"I forgot which battle, but you were with him when he came to the lower mansion to report his triumph."
"Spot on, sir."
"Now under Knight Rosen?"
"Yes. The boss asked us to look after his daughter, so we signed on direct with House Rosen."
"Good. With veterans like you, Knight Rosen's got backbone."
"Hey, you two! Who do you think you're talking to!?"
Knight Rosen—Linda—scolded them.
"Whoa, scary."
"Knight Rosen, this is a battlefield. Don't sweat the small stuff—it'll ruin that pretty face."
"Ah! Y-Young Master!?"
Linda flushed beet red.
"She's a real catch, yeah," one said.
"Yep. Little more ladylike, and suitors'd line up."
"Don't you think so, Young Master?"
"Yeah, I want Linda for myself."
My honest slip made the two warriors grin like fools.
"Young Master! That's too far! And you two, shut it!"
With that, Linda huffed and turned her crimson face toward the bow.
She's so damn cute. I could pin her down right now.
While we bantered, the landing force finished embarking.
"All landing craft, launch!"
Grandfather Bilbert issued the order upon confirmation. From the flagship, signal flags commanded the boats forward.
Knight Everton, overall landing commander, spotted them and signaled all craft to advance. Oarsmen propelled us toward the target beach.
From the flagship above, Uncle Robert's booming voice rang out again.
"All ships, hammer the enemy beach positions with long-range mana strikes! No holding back—make it flashy!"
Trails of mana fire streaked past our speeding landing craft, slamming into the shore in massive explosions.
The enemy positions fired back at the boats. Near-misses churned the sea, rocking our craft wildly.
January 28, Unified Calendar 589.
Thus began the first phase of the Halzy Archipelago conquest—the main island landing operation, marking my debut in battle.
The Togo forces commenced their Halzy main island landing operation.
Victor set out with the landing force aboard a landing craft.
At last, the Halzy Archipelago conquest battle had begun. What would decide victory or defeat?
Another page in continental history (lol)