Ch.841Why Wouldn’t There Be Innocent Civilians?

The mana cannon, a new weapon created by Floheta and the researchers of the Magic Tower, had an inherent flaw.

Every time the explosion formula engraved on the mana stone activated, it sent a powerful shock through the entire battery, causing the mana stone to break after just a couple of shots and requiring replacement. If firing continued, the barrel itself would likely shatter as well.

While the barrel’s strength could be improved by mixing dragon remains into molten iron, there was no solution for the breaking mana stones. This meant operating mana cannons on a large scale required enormous costs.

Of course, the completed mana cannon possessed tactical value that made these drawbacks worthwhile.

It had power comparable to high-level magic, more than twice the range, and unlike difficult-to-train high-level mages, could be mass-produced with enough funding.

If the operating cost issue could be solved, it would be revolutionary enough to transform the Empire’s military structure.

Of course, the operating cost problem was still holding back large-scale implementation.

If they could solve the mana stone breakage issue, they could line the Empire’s entire border with mana cannons, but for now, they were limited to introducing about thirty cannons on a trial basis.

Therefore, Leopold and Floheta considered how to use the produced mana cannons most efficiently—

“Let’s mount them on airships. If we bombard from beyond arrow and magic range, how could anyone counter unless they have wings?”

“That’s brilliant.”

They concluded that mass-producing airships equipped with mana cannons and unleashing one-sided aerial bombardment was the best solution.

—-

With generous support from Leopold and Lord Wien, and cooperation from the Magic Tower, the Empire’s workshops suspended restoration work on the system to focus on airship production, completing three vessels.

The Ramud-song, a medium airship named “Blood Tears,” and two large airships named “Lion’s Radiance.”

Unlike the crashed “Tower Lord’s Tears,” which was meant to replace carriages as an aerial transport, these were genuine warships loaded with numerous mana cannons for full-scale bombardment.

“Is it complete? Excellent. It’s time to prove the Tower Lord hasn’t been wasting the Empire’s blood money.”

Leopold deployed the completed “Lion’s Radiance” against magical beasts to verify the effectiveness of aerial bombardment.

And.

– KWAGWAGWAGWAGWANG!

“KIRRRRWEEEEEEK-!”

“GUAAAAARGH…!”

With a roar like simultaneous avalanche and typhoon, magical beasts as massive as ten elephants combined twisted and collapsed.

“Lion’s Radiance” poured merciless bombardment from the sky, beyond the reach of the magical beasts no matter how they struggled. The explosive magic’s pressure and gravity-accelerated shells brutally violated the beasts’ enormous bodies.

Magical beasts that would have required at least ten Master-level knights to subjugate were helplessly slaughtered while only able to stare impotently at the unreachable sky. Imperial forces suffered zero casualties. It was absolute domination.

Though they still needed priests’ help when facing undead species difficult to kill with mere steel, it was a monumental moment proving that airships equipped with mana cannons could replace Hero-class forces.

“Technology is the future! Magic is the future!”

“Long live the Magic Tower! Long live His Imperial Majesty!”

Those who witnessed the scene directly, as well as those who heard the reports, became convinced that the combination of airships and mana cannons was the one and only means to protect the security of an Empire lacking in heroes.

Nobles competed to open their purses wide and pour massive donations into the Magic Tower. The more airships there were, the safer their territories would be.

There was also expectation that if airships became widespread enough to replace carriages, they too could soar through the skies instead of enduring uncomfortable carriage journeys.

As a result, the Magic Tower became wealthier than ever, and Tower Lord Floheta became a legend who achieved the greatest accomplishments in the Tower’s history in just one year.

Though she herself merely frowned and grumbled that this was not money but a demand note forcing overtime work.

======[ Haschal ]======

Leopold’s gift held enough value to nullify the existing assault plan and more.

An airship with cannons plus a heap of aerial bombs. Without the variable of sorcery, I had weapons that could literally send Ordos back to the Stone Age.

I had only expected the participation of two heroes, Demian and Millia, but to think he would provide an assault bomber. It felt like receiving ten years’ worth of birthday presents all at once.

And that wasn’t all.

“It’s been a while, Lady Astika. Have you been well?”

Inside the airship that landed on the plains before Landenburg territory was not only Demian and Millia, but also an acquaintance I hadn’t expected to come all this way.

“Lacy…?”

The most reliable force against sorcerers, the pinnacle of battle priests in the Empire, the Saint of the Church of Elpinel.

I had sent a letter explaining that Ordos was filled with suspected cultists and battle priests’ assistance was needed, but I never expected Lacy herself to come directly.

I was somewhat worried about the Empire’s safety, but for me personally, it was more than welcome.

“I didn’t expect you to come. I thought you’d be busy with the General Diocese.”

“I was until now. But I’ve gained some free time. I’ve delegated all the General Diocese work to the archbishops of each order.”

Lacy smiled benevolently, clasped her hands together, and offered a light prayer, briefly explaining why she was able to come here.

Previously she had been too busy organizing the administrative system of the newly established General Diocese, but now that the organizational structure was complete, most tasks could be handled by the archbishops belonging to the General Diocese unless it was a major issue requiring consultation with all orders.

It seemed she too had realized that delegating paperwork to subordinates was an essential virtue for any leader.

“So, when do we go kill the heretics? Ever since reading your letter until arriving here, I’ve been so excited I could barely sleep properly.”

Lacy lightly shook the cross spear she was holding, her cheeks flushed with excitement and anticipation like a child the night before a field trip. As if she couldn’t wait to pierce the hearts of heretics with this spear.

“Let us quickly offer the heads of these insect-like heretics as tribute, together. For Lord Elpinel and Lady Astraea.”

It was indeed like anticipating a field trip, except it was a murder field trip.

Instead of watermelons, smashing criminals’ heads; instead of campfires, preparing burnings at the stake; instead of surfing, water torture—the traditional vacation culture of multinational expeditionary forces.

It was one of the few opportunities to release accumulated stress through legitimate violence, so soldiers with canceled leave would all wait eagerly for the field trip date with the same look in their eyes as Lacy had now.

I smiled gladly at the sensation of old memories flooding back and engaged in brief pleasant conversation with Lacy about future plans.

I hadn’t noticed at first, but Lacy had started calling me “Lady Astika” instead of the previous “Lord Median.”

I wasn’t sure if it was because she considered it rude to address a queen as “lord,” or because I had been officially recognized as the Saint of the Astraea Order.

Anyway, she was being polite. I was still calling her by her first name, so there was no need for her to worry about such formalities.

—-

After accommodating the airship passengers in the palace and letting them rest for a day, we gathered in the conference room around lunchtime the next day to establish a new assault plan.

“Those… mana bombs? Couldn’t we just sweep everything clean with those first?”

“Those who survive or avoid the bombing could be dealt with one by one using Lady Millia and the mana cannons—”

“If they try to intercept the airship, Your Majesty, Lord Demian, and Lady Elmaine could block—”

The consensus among those gathered was that we should mobilize the airship’s firepower to pound Ordos into ruins without needing to go down there.

It was orthodox and efficient.

“That won’t work.”

But I had no intention of agreeing.

I too acknowledged that there was no more effective tactic than surprise bombing from the air, but unfortunately, there were two reasons why we couldn’t fight that way this time.

The first reason was that not all residents of Ordos were sorcerers or warriors.

“There are ordinary Ka’har people who have never wielded a sword, and not just a few Western slaves they’ve plundered or purchased. Bombing the entire city would be convenient for us, but those people would all die.”

“There are no innocent Ka’har… ahem.”

Heinrich, who was about to argue that it wouldn’t matter if they were all wiped out, suddenly looked at me, Jahan, and Lacy in turn, then stopped mid-sentence and cleared his throat.

Right. Not something to say in front of a Ka’har half-blood, a pure-blooded Ka’har, and a Saint.

He’d be wary of claiming all Ka’har were criminals with me and Jahan present, and wary of dismissing the deaths of captured slaves as “collateral damage” with Lacy present.

“Regrettably, we must abandon preemptive bombing. Burning those who groan under unjustly imposed slave shackles by our own hands—Lord Elpinel would not wish for such a thing.”

Indeed, Lacy opposed preemptive bombing.

While she rivaled Heinrich in her hatred of the Ka’har of Ordos, as a Saint she could not condone burning the slaves held there as well.

If they died caught up in fierce battle, that couldn’t be helped… but actively melting everyone down was a massacre that could only be barely tolerated by me, Lacy, Adamante, and others when there was absolutely no alternative.

“That’s not the only reason.”

Besides, even if by some chance all the residents of Ordos deserved to be burned to death, my position wouldn’t change.

“Why not? If there were no innocents, then it shouldn’t matter—”

“My mother’s grave is there.”

“Ah….”

More precisely, it wasn’t my will but Hersella’s.

If we bombed all of Ordos, the grave of Hersella’s mother, Imelia, would be destroyed too. How could Hersella, who devoted all her filial piety to her mother, stand by and watch that?

The moment Imelia’s grave was shattered by the airship’s bombardment, it wouldn’t be strange if she went berserk and crashed the airship with her own hands.

Therefore, the strategy of surprise bombing Ordos to crush the enemy was an impractical armchair theory from the start.

“…Then we have no choice.”

The others seemed to accept my explanation, nodding and abandoning the preemptive bombing plan.

When someone says they can’t touch a place because their mother’s grave is there, who could counter-argue that since it’s already a corpse, it wouldn’t matter if it got a little scorched?

A mother excuse takes precedence over all persuasion methods. Even Frider, who could be as extreme as the Ka’har, held back his sarcasm.