On the Hill Overlooking Halzy Bay
The Togo army's landing on Halzy's main island was a resounding success.
The Halzy Party fell before they could even regroup.
Linda teases Victor, promising him a reward for creating the opening for their great victory.
What reward does Victor desire from Linda?
"Whoa, now this is a beautiful view."
Two days after the fall of Halzy Port City, I'd received word from Grandfather permitting entry into the city. Accompanied by Knight Rosen—Linda—I'd ridden horseback from the coastal landing site to this modest hill.
From here, you could take in Halzy Bay, the encircling Halzy Archipelago islands, and even the cityscape of Halzy Port below. That's what had me murmuring those words.
"Yes, Young Master. Just as you say."
Linda's eyes sparkled as she lost herself in the stunning vista.
The landing operation was a success.
Tempted by the early activation of magic power from Knight Everton and his men, the enemy ambushers popped up on the high ground like clockwork. I pinpointed their positions with my new detection magic, then unleashed massive firepower spells on both flanking ridges, reducing them to ash in an instant.
Thanks to the anti-magic coating's effects, our landing forces made it ashore with minimal casualties. With the ambushers wiped out, their morale soared, and they charged the enemy interception lines at the back of the beach without a care for the hail of arrows.
The moment I confirmed the ambushers' annihilation, I hammered the enemy lines with support spells for our allies. Already rattled by the ambushers' destruction, the interception forces collapsed in no time and began their rout.
This very hill had housed an enemy rear guard position, but they fled without a fight. In just half a day after landing, Togo forces poured into Halzy Port City.
Once the landing succeeded, Grandfather Bilbert came ashore with the follow-up troops. He ordered me to oversee logistics unloading, then raced toward Halzy Port like the wind.
There was fierce resistance within the city itself, but it only lasted a day. The Halzy Party's current leader fled the city with five small ships, aiming to regroup on the easternmost island of the Halzy Archipelago.
But fleet staff had anticipated this as one possible enemy move. Right after the landing began, Uncle Robert's detached squadron broke off from the main Togo fleet and forced its way into Halzy Bay, intercepting and annihilating the Halzy escape flotilla.
On January 30th of the Unified Calendar Year 589, the Halzy Party leader perished with his ship. And just like that, the Halzy Party was gone.
As Linda and I savored the view side by side, she turned to me with a triumphant gleam, as if suddenly remembering something.
"Young Master, it seems Father and I were right after all."
"About what?"
"That you'd rack up a major victory on your first campaign."
"Grandfather took Halzy Port, and Uncle finished off the Halzy leader, didn't he?"
"Neither would have been possible without you wiping out those ambushers."
"I see."
"It's your great feat, Young Master."
"In that case, will you give me a reward, Linda?"
"Of course—anything you desire."
Linda smiled brightly.
"Then I want you, Linda. I want to hold you."
"Eh!?"
"No good?"
"I... um... Are you serious, Young Master?"
Her beaming smile from moments ago turned beet red in a flash.
"Dead serious. Or do you have someone else?"
"Well... yes... but I thought it was hopeless..."
"...Was?"
I noticed her almond-shaped eyes, flushed with red, growing misty.
"Yes... I... I've admired you for so long, even though I knew it was presumptuous..."
There was a hint of hesitation, but hearing that, I took her faintly trembling hand.
"Linda, one more time: I want you. I want to hold you."
"Yes... Young Master... As you wish."
I pulled her close and claimed her lips.
Her body trembled in tiny shivers, but a single hot tear traced down from her closed eyes.
Atop that hill with its sweeping view, Victor and Linda lingered, lips locked for a time.
The landing victory meant nothing—who cared? For me, claiming Linda was the real triumph.
We mounted up and descended the hill into Halzy Port City.
Along the way, Linda kept her head down, face still faintly flushed.
"This way, Young Master."
A familiar young officer guided us to a requisitioned Western-style mansion.
"Where are Grandfather and Uncle?"
"Grand Marshal Bilbert and Lord Robert are pacifying the archipelago's islands."
"Any resistance?"
"No, hardly any open opposition."
"Kinda anticlimactic."
"More like they're all bewildered, really."
An older officer I'd seen before chimed in.
"How so?"
"The Halzy Party's fall was too swift. They're still processing it."
"Can't believe it's real, huh?"
"Exactly."
"The city's surprisingly calm too."
"That's thanks to the quick resolution. The moment you saw through the enemy's beach strategy, victory was sealed."
"Don't butter me up."
"Even we can hardly believe it."
The older officer chuckled wryly.
"Young Master, your room is ready."
A staff officer entered and announced it.
"Good. Bath drawn?"
"Yes, sir—you can bathe right away."
"Perfect. I'll freshen up first."
"Understood. We'll prepare it—wait in your room."
On my way to the room, I approached Linda, who stood silently in the corner, and whispered in her ear.
"Linda, come to my room after your bath. Got it?"
"Yes... Understood, Young Master..."
She answered, hiding her shyness, but that trailing tone felt sweeter than ever.
Just seeing that look and those gestures had my groin ready to erupt.
Having crossed the line from master and servant, Linda poured out her long-hidden feelings.
Now those feelings answered, she faces her first battle as a woman.
Another page turns in continental history (lol)