chapter_0034

33 – Devil of the Battlefield

33 – Devil of the Battlefield

Glendy, the Sergeant, upon hearing my words, turned to the soldiers with a face full of loyalty and issued orders, adding the nonsense that the Company Commander had displayed incredible foresight.

While the soldiers, with grim faces, prepared for battle, I ascended a nearby hill with Mckell, the Lieutenant.

It was to verify the facts Mckell had reported.

“As expected of Captain Daniel. Every action is always accompanied by a plan.”

…For some reason, Frien followed, but I didn’t particularly stop her.

Ignoring Frien’s chatter, I reached the top of the hill and received binoculars from Lieutenant Mckell.

“It’s over there, Company Commander.”

Turning the binoculars in the direction Lieutenant Mckell indicated, I saw an open space a little further away.

In that open space, soldiers wearing the Kingdom’s army uniforms were diligently preparing camp.

I magnified the binoculars and surveyed the surroundings.

Several transport vehicles piled with all sorts of supplies were visible.

Inside were food, fuel, ammunition, medical and military equipment, radios and batteries, as well as barbed wire, sandbags, mines, and concrete for building defenses.

‘…It’s a supply unit, alright.’

The soldiers numbered over 300, a battalion-sized force.

‘But…’

With that amount of supplies, it would be enough to supply at least a brigade, or even a division.

As far as I knew, the only Kingdom army force of that size concentrated in this area was the Armored Division defending the coastal city.

But that place was already surrounded by the Imperial Army, so how were they planning to supply them?

I felt doubtful, but that wasn’t the important thing right now.

I lowered the binoculars and turned to Lieutenant Mckell.

“It doesn’t seem like there are many experienced fighters. Am I right?”

“Yes. Judging by their ranks, most of them are new recruits. The veterans are either on the front lines or mostly dead, so the Kingdom army probably had no choice.”

“In that case, it’ll be easier to cook them. Frien, Cadet?”

Frien looked at me with sparkling eyes. To be honest, it was a little overwhelming.

“…You said you did vocal music, right?”

“Yes. I was in the choir when I was young, and I was even chosen as a soloist.”

A soloist was someone with exceptional singing skills and technique within the choir.

Come to think of it, the future Frien would even be able to imbue her songs with magic to enhance soldiers, so it wasn’t surprising.

Of course, I couldn’t ask the current Frien to demonstrate such skills.

Frien herself probably didn’t even know exactly what her abilities were.

In that case, I had no choice but to use what I could to gain an advantage in the battle.

‘If it’s an unavoidable battle anyway, it’s best to minimize our side’s casualties.’

Because that would be directly linked to my survival.

Calculating in my head, I grabbed Frien’s shoulders.

“Frien, Cadet. Your role in this raid is very important. So, from now on, will you trust me?”

There was no one better than Frien to use deception tactics.

Frien looked dazed for a moment, then soon gave a bright smile.

“Yes! I’d be happy to, Captain!”

*

Dawn.

Kingdom army soldier Taliam, who was standing guard with his comrades, paused mid-yawn.

He could hear a faint singing voice coming from the other side of the forest.

At first, he thought he was mistaken, but the singing voice was getting closer and closer.

Wondering what it could be, Taliam stared in the direction of the singing and quickly raised his gun.

“It’s the Imperial Army!”

At Taliam’s shout, the other soldiers on guard also raised their guns.

However, they didn’t fire.

“…What is it?”

“She’s alone? And without a weapon…”

The woman approaching with her eyes closed, singing, was clearly wearing the Empire’s uniform.

There was no doubt she was an Imperial soldier.

But the uniform was covered in dirt and dust, and the edges were torn.

“A deserter?”

“I don’t know. But her singing is amazing.”

Frien was singing vocal music.

With each step Frien took closer, the beautiful singing praising God echoed in all directions.

For soldiers with no entertainment, it was quite stimulating.

Before they knew it, the soldiers who were guarding lowered their guns and began to enjoy Frien’s song.

Some even crossed their arms with their guns down.

It wasn’t something that soldiers on guard duty should be doing, but no one pointed it out.

After all, the enemy was just a weak woman without a weapon.

And a woman who looked like a deserter.

The guards, judging that there was no need to be wary, chatted among themselves with chuckles.

“It reminds me of the old days. When I went to church with my parents when I was young, I always heard hymns like that.”

“Yeah. The war needs to end quickly so we can go back home. Those damn Imperial bastards…”

“But what about that woman? If she walked here on her own, is she planning to defect?”

“I don’t know. Should we have a taste before reporting to the battalion commander? She looks pretty good.”

While the soldiers were sharing their opinions about Frien’s treatment and chuckling, the distance was getting closer and closer.

Taliam, like the other soldiers, was talking when he suddenly noticed something strange.

‘…Was the forest always this dark?’

The area behind the woman approaching the camp was strangely dark.

Normally, the outline should be faintly visible, but it was as if it was covered by a curtain, and nothing could be seen.

Feeling puzzled, Taliam tapped the shoulder of the soldier in front of him.

“Hey. Doesn’t something seem strange? The forward visibility is too dark.”

But the soldier just let out a hollow laugh.

“Taliam. You’re such a scaredy-cat. You worry too much, you know? The moon is covered by dark clouds today. That’s why it’s darker than usual.”

No. That couldn’t be. It wasn’t like he hadn’t stood guard before.

Feeling increasingly uneasy, Taliam looked around at the soldiers, but they were all engrossed in stories about their hometowns and women.

Around that time, Frien, who had arrived right in front of the camp, finished her song.

Thanks to that, the eyes of the guards who were talking were focused on Frien.

“Kingdom soldiers who have joined hands with the Allied Forces.”

Frien, with a sweet voice, smiled.

“May you fall into hell.”

At that moment, Frien simultaneously withdrew the mana she had scattered like a curtain behind her.

What was revealed was two hundred Imperial soldiers.

They were all aiming their guns at the Kingdom army in a well-organized formation.

“…!”

Only then did Taliam realize.

That Frien had amplified her voice with magic to sing vocal music was merely to hide the footsteps of the two hundred soldiers.

However, it was always too late to realize a mistake.

While Taliam and the other guards were frozen in panic, Daniel, with the Imperial soldiers in tow, said in a dry voice.

“Fire.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than countless flashes of light erupted from the muzzles of the Imperial soldiers.

*

Ta-ta-tang! Taang!

Henry Puer, the Lieutenant Colonel of the supply battalion, woke up with a start at the sound of gunfire.

He wondered what it was, but no adjutant came in to report.

While he was blinking blankly, the gunfire continued.

“Hah, hah…!”

Only then did Henry come to his senses and hurriedly put on his uniform, grabbed his pistol, and came out of the command tent.

Hurrying his steps, Henry couldn’t help but be shocked at the sight that unfolded outside the tent.

Flames and smoke were spreading everywhere.

In that chaos, he could see Imperial soldiers in black uniforms occupying the camp.

There were soldiers who were rushing out of their military tents after hearing the gunfire, but each time, they were shot by the Imperial soldiers and died without even being able to scream.

“W-What is this…”

Did the Imperial Army find out about the supply route? How? Why?

His mind couldn’t process the shocking situation.

Rolling his eyes around, Henry discovered a man approaching the command tent.

Amidst the chaotic mix of shouts and screams, the one walking with dignity was an Imperial Army officer with black hair.

Henry, who thought the officer’s appearance was somehow familiar, soon realized after seeing the National Virtue Medal gold badge worn on the officer’s chest.

‘Daniel Steiner…!’

Wasn’t he the one being hailed as the Empire’s hero?

Feeling fear, Henry raised his pistol and aimed it at Daniel.

“Don’t come any closer! You monster!”

Daniel stopped walking.

While they were facing each other in silence, Daniel slowly moved his lips.

“If you want to kill me, then shoot. I won’t stop you.”

“You think I won’t shoot if you tell me to!?”

“No. You probably can. But what will happen to your soldiers if you kill me?”

Henry’s hand trembled.

Because he understood what Daniel was trying to say.

“An Imperial Army that has lost its chain of command is no different from a runaway horse. They will try to kill every Kingdom soldier here. But we can change that terrible future.”

Daniel’s voice sounded like the temptation of the devil.

“Battalion Commander. Order them to surrender right now. Then I will order them to stop the attack. Please think of your subordinates. You must remember the sorrow that their families will share.”

Make a decision when you can save even one more person.

Henry gritted his teeth at the snake-like words.

It wasn’t wrong. If he stubbornly insisted on fighting to the death, everyone would die in vain.

Henry wasn’t a capable commander, but he wasn’t an incompetent one either.

Henry, who was sobbing quietly, lowered the hand holding the pistol.

He had no choice.

“Surrender…”

Henry, who loosened his grip, dropped his pistol and said.

“…I surrender.”