episode_0022
by adminAfter the imperial army’s march, the kingdom’s army began to appear in the distance.
“Ugh. A lot, a lot.”
“Wow…Am I going to die today?”
“Unlucky.”
“There’s no need to hit me like that.”
“Even if you get hit, it’s cheap.”
The senior soldiers were talking while looking at the kingdom troops, but Tom could not hear them.
Soon, we will be fighting them.
The future that I had been trying so hard to ignore is just around the corner.
Tom unconsciously strengthened the hand holding the rifle.
‘What if I get crippled while fighting? ‘If I die…’
At most, his experience consisted of participating in a few insignificant subjugations of bandits or barbarians.
This is my first time experiencing a proper war between countries.
Of course, this may be similar to others here.
Tom knows that too, but that doesn’t relieve the tension.
‘I should have continued farming in my hometown.’
I tried to regret it, but it was already too late.
The senior, who saw him fiddling with the gun nervously, spoke to him.
“Hey. Tom. Are you scared?”
“Oh, no!”
“No, I’m shaking like a wet mouse.”
“Honestly…I’m scared.”
In response to Tom’s honest answer, his senior taps him on the shoulder.
“Hehe. Don’t worry too much. Even so, we wouldn’t have to fight directly. All you have to do is set the spear soldiers up as meat shields and shoot them from behind. Relax.”
“What dude?”
“I didn’t say anything. In particular, I never called you a meat shield.”
“I will kill you first before I die.”
“Don’t get too angry over something trivial. That’s why you lost your girlfriend to the miller’s son.”
The soldiers around him laugh at his words.
The spear soldier blushed, then cursed and turned his head forward.
The senior soldier looked at Tom again and said:
“Anyway, relax.”
Tom didn’t understand the senior soldier.
‘I’m not even nervous.’
There was no tension in the senior soldier’s tone, so Tom tried to ask him a question.
However, the senior soldier’s expression was subtle.
‘ah…’
An expression that forces the corners of the mouth to be pulled up.
He was also nervous.
It was something I was trying hard to hide.
I was pretending to be okay to lighten the mood around me.
“There are guns and cannons, so it will be okay. You’ve been through it too. It won’t be any different this time either.”
“Thank you. It’s okay now.”
“Yes. Let’s go back alive.”
Tom looked around.
Although he was trying his best to hide it, it was visible that others were also nervous.
In a situation like this, I couldn’t show that I was scared.
Tom struggled to get his mind together and walked on.
“Take a break.”
The imperial army stopped in a place that was out of range of the wizards.
They rested for a moment and waited for the next command.
***
“Imperial forces are starting to appear.”
“I see. How big is the number?”
“It is at the corps level. I’m guessing around 50,000 to 70,000.”
“It’s equal. News from other fronts…”
“Has not arrived yet.”
A meeting of the royal army officers was in full swing.
“We must strike preemptively before they take their positions.”
“We established the formation first. Wouldn’t it be more advantageous to defend?”
“If they take their positions, it will be a more difficult war than it is now. Before it’s too late…”
The kingdom’s army began counting down its defense plans.
***
The Imperial Army began to advance towards the Kingdom Army’s position.
“It’s magic!”
Magic flies from the kingdom’s military camp, but is blocked by the defense of the imperial army’s magicians.
-Cow. thud.
The shock of magic exploding in the air reverberates through the bodies of the imperial soldiers.
“Phew.”
Tom also suppressed the rising fear and moved forward in step with the soldiers next to him.
“Keep your mind straight! We have superior firepower!”
“Prepare for the cavalry charge!”
“Move according to your camp! If you go forward first, you will die!”
The commanders’ cries could be heard, but they were drowned out by the growing heartbeat.
It’s just that the kingdom’s army is getting closer.
That was the only thing that caught my eye.
“It’s a cavalry soldier! Ready to fire!”
In the distance, the cavalrymen were rapidly approaching, shaking the ground.
What happened to our cavalrymen?
I saw it moving forward earlier.
The gun Tom’s squad is carrying is a percussion cap type rifle.
We prepared to fire one step earlier than the squad operating the matchlock rifle.
‘Just as I was trained…’
Can a bullet pierce armor?
They can pierce thin armor, but is their armor really that thin?
Tom just prayed that the bullets would pierce their armor.
At least, I aimed, hoping that the horse wouldn’t get any closer.
“Fire!”
When the trigger was pulled, the hammer released and struck the detonator.
Soon, smoke came out of the gun’s muzzle.
The fast-approaching horses fell, and the cavalrymen rolled to the ground.
But their speed still did not decrease.
“Load”
Tom reloaded his rifle.
My hands were shaking and I spilled some of the gunpowder I was supposed to put in the muzzle elsewhere.
After trying hard to calm down and finish loading, I inserted the detonator and took aim.
“Fire!”
Once again the horses stumble.
Soon, matchlock gunfire and cannon fire ring out here and there.
The number of horsemen was reduced, but they were still running.
As the distance grew closer, the spearmen moved forward and raised their pikes to prepare for the cavalry’s charge.
However, the knight came to the front and blocked the charge of the remaining cavalry.
Did other places also stop the horsemen?
There was a moment of doubt, but he was busy preparing for the next shot.
“…”
The officer’s cries were barely audible.
But the people next to me moved.
Tom also moved forward so as not to be left behind.
When others stop. He stopped too.
When others moved, he moved too.
I shot and moved according to the commands I occasionally heard and the actions of people around me even if I couldn’t hear them.
So, we gradually moved forward.
In front of him, the knights were waving their swords while scattering auras.
Bullet marks can be seen on the back of the knight’s armor, indicating that one of our gunners may have shot the author.
Maybe it was me.
Enemy knights begin to attack our formation as well.
Fortunately, the knight did not rush in front of him.
And, the formation continued to move forward.
Soon, the opposing infantry also began to appear.
Tom simply forced his trembling hands to load, then mechanically fired, repeating the action.
The knights were already cutting through the enemy infantry, and the remaining enemy infantry fell after being hit by bullets or spears.
“… !”
Sometimes I felt impacts from the front, back, or sides.
Sometimes the person next to me collapsed.
You may have been caught in an arrow or a magical explosion.
But I couldn’t care about them.
The place was quickly filled, and the formation continued to move forward.
And then it stopped.
“…in…battle…in battle…!”
The commanders’ cries are heard belatedly.
Tom managed to see his surroundings.
The enemies were retreating.
“Stop the battle!”
Tom fell on his face as he heard someone shouting.
Red, sticky liquid got on my hands.
‘Did I spill it?’
It didn’t hurt.
Are you so excited that you don’t know you’re hurt?
Or did someone’s blood splatter?
Gradually, my breathing became calmer and I began to understand the situation.
The battle is over.
“Wow!”
“Won!”
I hear the cries of others.
The excitement of battle was filled again with the excitement of victory.
Tom also waved his arms and shouted out loud.
I won.
And survived.
***
“This is the battle results report.”
“Okay.”
The emperor confirmed the reports from the front.
Five legions headed to the Kingdom of Heirne.
Among them, the corps that sent the battle results report was the 1st corps.
Other locations used existing weapons, while the 1st Corps used new weapons.
Matchlocks and percussion cap rifles. And cannons.
And, the operation results arrived.
Among the approximately 50,000 friendly troops, there were few casualties.
The enemy’s approximately 50,000 troops suffered considerable damage.
The enemies suffered great damage and retreated, and our troops crossed the border of the Kingdom of Heirn.
Additionally, evaluations of new weapons were also written.
The damage suffered by the unit using the new weapon was low due to the escort of knights, spearmen, and wizards, and they were able to gain a clear advantage in firepower over the enemy troops.
It was impossible to pierce the knights’ heavy armor, but it was said that it could pierce thin parts like gauntlets and inflict significant damage.
After checking the report, the emperor handed it to the princess next to him.
“Take a look.”
“Yes. Father.”
The princess said after checking the report.
“The performance of the weapons has clearly been proven.”
“Yes. Isn’t it really fun?”
“What do you mean?”
“The battlefield, which had been fixed with knights and wizards, was changed by the new weapons of the infantry.”
The emperor thought for a moment and then spoke.
“Weapons Lab. It’s such a fun place. Steam engines, guns and cannons. Even gunpowder.”
“Yes.”
“Especially John Brown. He designed the steam engine and designed guns and cannons.”
“Yes.”
“I am also interested.”
The emperor smiled slightly as he spoke.
“I will tell you not to spare any support. I wonder how we will change the world.”
“I will do that.”
The princess also smiled and answered.
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