Chapter 4.6
“All soldiers, draw your swords!”
“Prepare to siege the castle!”
In front of Rihyalda eyes, the military unit surrounding the castle was arranged into a formation to siege the castle. The elite knight unit of the empire. In addition to that, high in the sky were two units of dragon knights waiting. Generally, it could be said that one dragon knight unit was equal to 10,000 soldiers. So, it could be said this side’s military might slightly exceeds that of 20,000 men. Thinking about it in terms of common sense, there’s no reason to think they would lose.
But——
“Report! Six commanding officers on the front line along with two unit leaders of the knights have died in battle! We have also lost our battle flag! The troops are in a terrible state!”
To Rihyalda’s common sense, this was a reversal to the war situation of having infiltrated the castle. She bore the pain of this information.
“Resume by having the lieutenant take command.”
“Th-that’s…the surviving commanders that want to take the battle flag all fall one by one to ‘invisible arrows’.”
“’Invisible arrows’?”
She who took solace in the beginning reports of infiltrating the castle grew woeful. The sudden attack would soon be stopped at that inner citadel at this rate. She who drew closer to the camp near the castle could hear that dry sound in her ears. From inside the castle, all that came from it was the beaten-up underlings.
The campaign’s priestess with her healing magic might not make it in time for many of them. It was said they were taken out by “invisible arrows.”
Those who approached were blown to smithereens by a fire-type magic by a group wearing strange clothes never seen before.
“I thought it was in like manner to that earlier black dragon of the fire dragon unit.”
Rihyalda was a cautious leader. With such large bodies as dragons, if there is such magic capable of defeating the dragons, she figured to restrain them from the front lines. Again, since she didn’t know the actual state of the mysterious enemies, the end result was that she invited disaster. She, as calmly as possible, returned back to her weak points in understanding the situation.
“…What exactly are these guys? Magic that defeats a black dragon in one hit, arrows we can’t see, bugs that fly through the sky. I can’t imagine this came from this world.”
Her question was something no one there could answer. They said this war, with just this much firepower, would be over in half a day. And, Rihyalda held befitting self-confidence. In the empire’s history, there were many times when such a thing became worthless in the heat of war.
“Hurry change the formation of the troops and gather the dragon knight troops.”
“As you wish.”
She gave her underlings this order. But, as she did this, an answer popped into her head.
“That Mariisua, could it be you made a contract with the devil king of h.e.l.l?”
Rihyalda couldn’t think of how Mariisua got such power by herself: It wasn’t in by an omen or intelligence. That means some other force—in other words, Mariisua has got some sort of special ally. It was a half-way there inference.
“The gate to h.e.l.l was supposed to be sealed in the War of Inheritance.”
The voice of a man hurt her ears. There was a disturbing feeling that he had always been there.
“I know that. But then, what is it? Something is strange about this battle.”
“H
mm, I also do not know.”
“Then stand down!”
An enraged Rihyalda scowled at Genful. It was that time …
A yell came from an underling.
“Sho-shogun!?”
“What is it?!”
Turning around Rihyalda looks into all of her subordinates that were looking in the direction of the sea. It was just a blank stare. Even the injured soldiers did the same. In the direction of that sea, ocean that died red by the city burning in the flames. There, “something” was floating.
“What…is that…?”
It was something no one in this world had seen before. It was something that did not come from this world, a battleship of a nation called j.a.pan, something beyond their understanding. But, that it was something for them to fight was understood and taught by Rihyalda, as the red of the city in flames wavered on its hull.
“Hu…I see, they called for help.”
Rihyalda guessed on a hunch. That thing—whether it be some mysterious house or grotesque mercenaries, either way is fine. The military rule observed by the soldiers of the empire to push through had one thing needed right now to be able to see through. Was the thing in front of their eyes friend or foe or something else: Given the current situation, it would be decided the grotesque ship is probably an enemy.
“Are we already finished with the gathered of the dragon knights?”
She asked the old general on her side.
“Yes! We have finished gathered the black dragon knights unit and the ice and snow knights unit!”
“Change of plans. Use all the dragon knight units we have and sink that ship.”
“Bu-but…”
“It would be dangerous for them to get even more manpower. Finish it at once!”
She made a declaration, and a horn was blown to indicate the change of attack plan for the black knight unit.
The dragon knight units on standby were waiting for such a signal, and quickly responded.
“Departure for the front-!”
“Hold the unit flag!”
They got excited at the sound of the horn they heard over the resting dozens of dragons resting their wings. The ferocious yell of the dragons made the earth quake. The sublime dragons were visibly glad to seek out the enemy and they flapped their wings. The battle across s.p.a.ce-time had started.