Ch.269Civil War (5)

After my strategy to turn the tide of our unfavorable situation was approved at the meeting, the encampment was, naturally, bustling with activity to ensure its success.

Soldiers gathered to receive emergency training for anticipated scenarios, while knights inspected and maintained their expensive equipment in preparation for the approaching decisive battle.

The temple faction was generously using their remaining holy water reserves and, as if to prove they were preparing for contingencies, they were recruiting volunteers from among themselves to form something like an emergency special attack unit.

And in the midst of all this, we—who could be considered the core of this operation—were also diligently preparing.

While priests led the enchantment of equipment that still had capacity for it, Droop’s specialized vehicle was being locally modified to carry me and my companions.

Originally, I had planned to ride Gus the pegasus and infiltrate separately to take down the enemy commander, but upon further reflection, I realized that the battle would almost certainly take place indoors.

In other words, mounted combat, which is most effective in open spaces, wouldn’t be particularly compatible with our situation, so after much deliberation, I decided to leave Gus with the allied support team.

“…Gus, I’m sorry.”

“Pruu.”

Despite my concern that this decision might appear as a lack of trust in Gus, he seemed rather indifferent to my apology.

Well, he’s always been consistent, so it’s highly likely that his unconcerned attitude is 100% genuine.

Anyway, having planned the infiltration operation from the beginning, we were gradually solidifying the form of our strategy.

The personnel directly infiltrating would be myself, Corin (plus Chimera), Hannah, with Droop and Gretel as the support team. Droop would use a flying bombardment unit to transport us, while Gretel would provide rear magical support using her familiar as a catalyst.

Additionally, the three (plus one) of us who would be dropping directly into the heart of enemy territory each had our own roles.

Corin, along with Chimera, would sweep away the enemy’s demon army with area attacks, while Hannah would specialize in one-on-one combat, focusing on taking down a single target with her newly acquired equipment.

As for me, my true objective was obviously to kill the enemy leader, presumably Delil, in one go, so these four positions fit together perfectly.

Honestly, I’d like to bring more personnel when striking a location likely to be swarming with enemy forces, but considering various practical limitations, this was the best team composition we could manage.

…Personally, I would have liked to be accompanied by my father-in-law, but he’s been reassigned under my father for reconnaissance, so it can’t be helped.

Anyway, for these entirely rational reasons, we methodically prepared various means for our mission.

In addition to the equipment enchantment mentioned earlier, we prepared various auxiliary armaments and means for organic cooperation with the external supporting team.

We had familiars that would serve as catalysts and conduits for Gretel’s magical support, magical tools for transmitting position coordinates when requesting bombardment support, and even flare-like magical tools for emergency evacuation.

And as I was steadily going through these preparation stages for infiltrating enemy territory…

Time passed quickly, and finally, the day of the operation—D-Day—arrived.

※ ※ ※

The long-awaited D-Day. It began, as previously agreed, with knights advancing to the front lines to sweep away the demons outside the castle walls.

“Charge! Charge!”

“Forward! Advance!”

Although this was merely a delaying tactic and our infiltration was the real operation, they still needed to put on a convincing show to buy time and tie down enemy forces.

Therefore, these knights, with their bodies wrapped in the priests’ holy magic, were now erasing the lower demons that would interfere with the siege.

It was a one-sided massacre that needed no explanation. In an atmosphere where mindless lower demons were being erased as if by an eraser, the domain’s army finally launched a full-scale frontal attack.

Since their objective was simply to buy as much time as possible while tying down many troops to assist our infiltration, various siege weapons that had been saved specifically for this moment were now spewing fire and launching shells.

Siege cannons similar to those used in the Holy Empire. Trebuchets that had been used for quite some time. Even direct-fire cannons designed for large monsters that could be sufficiently used for sieges.

-BOOM!! KWAAANG!! KWANG!!!

As these weapons frantically fired, pounding specific points of the city of Colandra, the soldiers on the castle walls were certainly not just watching idly.

The cannons that these demons aimed at the ground were originally fortress cannons for defense, but after being modified by demonic hands, they had acquired a distinctly different appearance.

Decorated with human bones and influenced by hellish energy, parts of their surfaces had grown bone structures and flesh, transforming the cannons themselves into something akin to living creatures.

These cannons peeked their heads (barrels) over the castle walls and fired what appeared to be poison gas shells filled with concentrated corrosive toxins.

Upon contact, metal would rust and turn to powder, wood and leather would instantly rot as if their lifespan had expired, and living organisms would gradually have their exposed areas deteriorate.

While mid-level soldiers with auras could protect themselves and their aura-infused equipment, the real problem was the artillery and lower-ranking common soldiers.

The shells and expensive cannons would rust, gunpowder would become unusable—and beyond disarming the soldiers, mass casualties could be expected.

But would the domain’s army really overlook or ignore elements that had shown such warning signs multiple times?

[Light!!]

[Purify them!]

[Holy power!!]

Holy radiance burst from the priests’ hands, pushing back the approaching demonic power (corrosive poison gas) and even completely repelling it, causing it to dissipate on the spot.

This sacred and noble power, the perfect antithesis to demons, shone brightly to create safe zones, allowing the infantry who would buy time alongside the priests to reveal their somewhat shocking appearance.

A classic tortoise formation, where soldiers completely covered themselves with rectangular shields—a formation said to have been used only in the distant past.

While these infantry, who could only be described as masses of steel, approached, the artillery continued to pour bombardment across the entire wall, hindering the defense attempt…

Finally, as if they could no longer just watch this situation, demons appeared throughout the battlefield, crossing over the castle walls.

Spider-like Arachne demons climbing over the walls with multiple legs. A large number of demon cavalry flying through the sky. Additionally, mid-level demons revealed themselves throughout the battlefield.

Their number: at least 30 beings.

As a force numerous enough to match the knights on the battlefield appeared, the knights also gripped their weapons tightly, preparing to enter the fray—

[—Hihihing!!!]

At that moment, the brave neighing of a pegasus—a sound that typically rang out in times of battlefield crisis and had now become the symbol of Lord Camille—echoed across the field.

The sound, accompanied by holy radiance, swept through the enemy ranks, resulting in near-perfect annihilation.

Of course, this was actually possible because the being riding on its back had simultaneously activated holy magic.

While pegasi are famous for not allowing anyone but their acknowledged partners to ride them, Gus, who was originally just a war horse by birth, hardly possessed such tendencies.

Thanks to this, at his partner’s request, Gus now carried a bishop-level priest and was focused on literally annihilating enemies by dispersing holy power in all directions.

Thus, the battlefield grew increasingly fierce as time passed, and this intensity of engagement reached its peak as the lord revealed himself.

“Honor guard! Follow me!”

“Yes—!!!”

Baron Hugo de Alzar, who had been the domain’s strongest before Camille. As he raised his ash wood lance and moved forward, the knights of the honor guard also joined the battlefield, bringing the situation to its climax.

The somewhat intense passion and fervor generated in this process was enough to naturally erase certain things from the minds of those fighting fiercely—

※ ※ ※

‘…It’s about time we go.’