Chapter 81
"They said about 10,000 troops were stationed at each fortress, but according to the data, it's written that the total number of soldiers stationed in the three fortresses combined would be around 25,000. If the enemy doesn't move troops separately, we'll only have to deal with significantly fewer soldiers than us."
Volker wasn't helpful, but the information they provided was quite useful.
"The enemy's walls are only prepared for existing siege weapons, not at all for our siege cannons. We'll crush the enemy holed up in the fortress along with the fortress itself, and if they attempt field battles, we'll respond with the tactics we've practiced."
I reinforced the information with the received data and mini-map, and because the Red Dragon Corps' strength was sufficient.
Even as a strategy, there wasn't anything particularly special.
We would just crush the ignorant enemy with 25 siege cannons and 10,000 guns.
"La Leon would be a good first attack target. The road is flat and the surrounding terrain is favorable, so it seems good for aiming at Adense and Serona as well."
"It's said to be the oldest fortress among the three, so we should be able to properly demonstrate the power of the siege cannons."
After coordinating the details with the officers,
"...Then we'll depart tomorrow morning, before dawn. Tell the soldiers to go to bed early."
"Understood."
I quickly concluded the meeting.
To give Volker a taste of his own medicine, we need to move as quickly as possible.
Our goal is to occupy all three fortresses before the 5th Corps can even stick their spoon in.
Fortunately, the meeting was all wrapped up in the morning, so there was enough time to prepare.
"...It seems they're watching us."
"Hah... They're quick. I guess he wasn't originally a slow person."
Although the gazes of the 5th Corps personnel subtly observing the Red Dragon Corps were annoying,
"They're continuing to repair the walls."
"Are they watching us?"
"It seems so..."
"Huh, really."
They weren't moving openly yet, so it wasn't a big problem.
At least it's a much better situation than them preparing to move troops immediately.
In this state, the 5th Corps' advance will probably be delayed by a day or two compared to us, and we're prepared to use that difference of a few days.
It might be too much to actually take all three fortresses, but we should be able to easily crush two of them.
---
At 4 AM, before dawn.
The Red Dragon Corps soldiers, who had woken up early, entered their final checks, shining torches on the siege cannons.
The cannons placed on carts gleamed in the light, and on the adjacent carts were piled precisely manufactured shells.
"...So we're going to shoot this at the walls."
"Good thing we're on the firing side..."
With not much time left until departure, the soldiers meticulously checked the condition of the carts and cannons while muttering quietly.
"...Should I clean the barrel one more time?"
"You're crazy."
"Shh. He might hear."
"...Really crazy."
Soldiers who had already become attached to their guns were cleaning their already clean barrels multiple times.
"...What if the enemy holds out?"
"No way. How could walls that only blocked stone blocks stop iron balls this big?"
They had some worries and,
"We brought all these guns, wouldn't it be a shame if we don't get to use them properly? I hope the walls hold out."
"...You're talking nonsense."
"Then why are you fiddling with your gun? You're the same, idiot."
"..."
They also held subtle expectations.
Just as the officers had shown confidence, the soldiers were no longer considering defeat.
Following Viktor's instructions, most soldiers prepared for the march carrying only their weapons, with their armor loaded onto small carts.
At 5 AM, the soldiers and hundreds of carts finished their preparations, and,
"Let's move out."
They quietly left Mannzheim.
Although there were no shouts like usual, the soldiers' morale was high.
---
The next day.
Jose and Isaac, soldiers of La Leon fortress, were starting another day no different from usual.
Although they had heard news that imperial troops were moving,
"How long do you bet this time?"
"Hmm... Three hours?"
"Ha, you still believe in those guys?"
"Logically, it should be at least three hours. I heard some reinforcements arrived too."
"This time it's about 10,000, right? In my opinion, they're just testing us. It won't even last an hour."
They mentioned their usual bet while leaning on the sturdy walls.
La Leon fortress was certainly old, but that meant it had withstood attacks without falling for that long time.
Until now, the attacks attempted by the imperial army were at a level of just firing a few arrows and stones and then retreating.
-Ding ding ding ding ding ding!
"...Hah."
"How about setting two hours as the standard this time? Starting from when they fire their first arrow, if they stop before two hours, I win."
"Two hours? No. I'm sticking with three hours."
As the two were bickering and dawdling despite the bell ringing to announce the enemy's appearance, Juan, who had been on lookout in the watchtower, ran over to them.
"Hey, they're here. They're here!"
"Oh, really?"
"Why the fuss... Is this your first day on lookout?"
"No, you'll understand when you see it yourself! Come up, quickly!"
Unlike the two who were still relaxed, Juan couldn't hide his flustered appearance.
Feeling something strange about Juan's unusual behavior, Jose and Isaac grabbed their shields and bows and climbed up the wall.
They pushed through the soldiers lined up on the wall and moved forward.
Finally, when they reached a position where they could see the enemy,
"...What is that?"
"..."
They could see dark iron masses approaching from afar.
More than 20 iron masses were loaded on carts, slowly approaching along with armored soldiers.
"See? Something's coming! What's with the fuss..."
"Everyone, silence! Prepare to fire from your positions! We'll fire when the enemy gets closer!"
"...Idiot."
"So, three hours?"
"Alright, alright!"
Juan ducked his head at the platoon leader's shout and hid among the soldiers, while Jose and Isaac snickered and took their positions.
They pulled out arrows and prepared to draw their bows, but.
"...They're not coming."
"What's going on?"
The imperial army stopped moving more than 100m away.
"What should we do?"
"Wait."
"Understood."
As it was too far to inflict damage with arrows on armored enemies with shields, the soldiers lowered their bows and watched the imperial army moving in the distance.
They dug holes in the ground, pushed the iron masses into them, and then piled earth around them again.
"...It looks like they're preparing something."
"Can you see that from here?"
"Well, unlike someone... They're attaching something like fire?"
"Fire?"
Jose, with his excellent eyesight, could even see them moving around the iron masses and applying fire.
"...They're running away."
Unlike the usually noisy imperial army, the soldiers who applied fire quickly disappeared somewhere, and Jose felt ominous about this.
He found this silence somehow terrifyingly dreadful.
"Is it some kind of siege weapon?"
"Well, roughly..."
Before Jose could finish answering Juan's question, who had somehow approached,
"...!"
Juan felt something black flying towards him, and,
-Boom!
With an explosion that sounded like the sky was roaring, the shell hit and passed through him and everything around him before he could show any reaction.
-Eeeeeeeeee-
"...Huh?"
As the sharp ringing passed and the dust settled,
"...Aaargh!"
"Ugh, what..."
"Eeeek...!"
"My arm, my arm...!"
In front of Jose, who was standing still, unable to grasp the situation at all, the groans and screams of soldiers who had luckily survived, and the broken walls everywhere were revealed.
"...Juan?"
Reality didn't sink in for him.
He looked around blankly, trying to find Juan who had been talking right next to him, but where Juan had been standing was gone along with the surroundings, as if eaten by something.
The place where the imperial army had been was covered in thick white smoke, obscuring the view of the iron masses.
"...Listen! The enemy..."
"...Fire..."
Jose could no longer think.
He could only feel that his body felt strangely damp.
The shouts and screams around him sounded muffled, and he could only turn his head, not knowing what to do.
-Thud!
"...Hey! Move!"
"...?"
After being like that for a while, Jose barely came to his senses from the impact felt from the side.
"Can you hear me! Quickly grab your weapon and move!"
The one shouting at him was Isaac, who had been standing next to him.
As he shouted right into his ear, Jose could understand Isaac's words a little.
He picked up the bow and shield he had put down at some point and moved, led by Isaac's hand.
"Hey, are you okay? Hey! Jose!"
"Uh... Hmm..."
Isaac, who had regained his senses relatively quickly, somehow tried to drag Jose towards the intact parts of the wall, but Jose's body, having had a shell fall right next to him, wasn't normal.
Stone fragments were embedded in various parts of Jose's body, making it difficult to move through the confused soldiers with such a Jose.
And the imperial army didn't wait for them either.
Before they could properly position themselves,
-Boom!
"...Ah."
The second volley of shells ravaged the walls of La Leon.
The ground beneath their feet collapsed in an instant.
Isaac closed his eyes, feeling a strange sense of floating, terror, and despair.