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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Demon of the Battlefield
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Upon hearing my words, Sergeant Glendy turned to the soldiers with an expression of utmost loyalty and relayed the orders.
He added some nonsense about the Captain displaying incredible foresight.
As the soldiers, with grim expressions, prepared for battle after receiving the orders, I ascended a nearby hill with Lieutenant McCall.
This was to confirm the facts Lieutenant McCall had reported.
"As expected of Captain Daniel. There's always a plan behind your every action."
...For some reason, Frien followed along, but I didn't particularly stop her.
Ignoring her chattering, I reached the top of the hill and received the binoculars from Lieutenant McCall.
"Over there, Captain."
I turned the binoculars in the direction Lieutenant McCall pointed, revealing a clearing some distance away.
In that clearing, soldiers in Royal Army uniforms were diligently setting up camp.
I zoomed in with the binoculars and scanned the surroundings.
Several transport vehicles piled high with all sorts of supplies were visible.
Inside them were not only food, fuel, ammunition, medical and military equipment, radios, and batteries, but also a full load of barbed wire, sandbags, landmines, and concrete for constructing defensive lines.
'...It's a supply unit, alright.'
The soldiers numbered roughly over 300. That meant a battalion-sized force.
'But...'
Such a large quantity of supplies would be enough to provision at least a brigade, or even up to a division.
As far as I knew, the only Royal Army force of that scale concentrated nearby was the Ironclad Division, responsible for coastal city defense.
But that area was already surrounded by the Imperial Army, so how were they planning to resupply?
Curiosity arose, but that wasn't what was important right now.
I lowered the binoculars and turned to Lieutenant McCall.
"They don't seem like they're very accustomed to combat. Am I right?"
"Yes. Judging by their ranks, most of them are new recruits. Their veteran soldiers are either on the front lines or have mostly fallen, so the Royal Army likely had no other choice."
"Then it will be even easier to deal with them. Cadet Frien?"
Frien's eyes sparkled as she looked at me. Honestly, it was a bit overwhelming.
"...You said you studied vocal music, didn't you?"
"Yes. When I was little, I was active in the choir. I was even chosen as a soloist."
A soloist was someone with exceptional singing skill and technique within a choir.
Indeed, it was no surprise, considering that the future Frien would reach a level where she could imbue her songs with magic to empower soldiers.
Of course, I couldn't ask the current Frien to display such a technique.
Frien herself likely didn't even know exactly what her abilities were.
In that case, I had no choice but to use what was immediately available to gain an advantage in battle.
'If it's an unavoidable battle anyway, minimizing our casualties is the right thing to do.'
That would directly lead to my survival.
After doing the mental calculations, I gripped Frien's shoulder.
"Cadet Frien. Your role in this raid is extremely crucial. So, will you trust me from now on?"
There was no one better suited than Frien for a deception tactic.
Frien's face went blank for a moment before a bright smile bloomed.
"Yes! For you, Captain, I'd gladly do anything!"
*
Dawn.
Royal Army soldier Taliam, on guard duty with his comrades, was in the middle of a yawn when he froze.
A faint singing could be heard from beyond the forest.
At first, he thought he'd misheard, but the singing grew steadily closer.
Wondering what it was, Taliam, who had been staring in the direction of the singing, quickly raised his rifle.
"It's an Imperial soldier!"
At Taliam's shout, the other soldiers on guard also raised their rifles.
However, they did not open fire.
"…What is it?"
"She's alone, isn't she? And without a weapon…"
The woman approaching, eyes closed and singing, was clearly wearing an Imperial uniform.
There was no doubt she was an Imperial soldier.
But her uniform was covered in dust and dirt in various places, and its edges were torn.
"A deserter?"
"I don't know. But that's some amazing singing."
Frien was singing a sacred piece.
With every step Frien took closer, the beautiful song, praising the gods, echoed all around.
For soldiers who had no entertainment whatsoever, it was quite stimulating.
The soldiers, having lowered their rifles, began to listen to Frien's song.
Some even put their rifles down and crossed their arms.
It wasn't the kind of behavior expected of sentries, but no one pointed it out.
After all, the enemy was just one frail woman with no weapon.
And a woman who appeared to be a deserter, at that.
The sentries, judging that there was no need for vigilance, chuckled and chatted among themselves.
"It brings back memories. When I was little, following my parents to church, I always heard hymns like that."
"Yeah. I hope the war ends quickly so we can go home. Those damn Imperial bastards…"
"But what should we do with that woman? She walked here herself, so maybe she plans to defect?"
"I don't know. Before reporting to the battalion commander, should we 'have a taste'? She looks pretty good."
As the soldiers exchanged various opinions about Frien's fate and chuckled, the distance grew shorter and shorter.
Taliam, too, was chatting with the other soldiers when he suddenly noticed something strange.
'…Was the forest always that dark?'
The area behind the woman approaching the encampment was unusually dark.
Normally, faint outlines should be visible, but it was as if a curtain obscured everything, rendering nothing visible.
Feeling uneasy about it, Taliam nudged the shoulder of the soldier in front of him.
"Hey. Doesn't something seem off? The forward visibility is too dark."
However, the soldier merely let out a dismissive laugh.
"Taliam. You scaredy-pants. I keep telling you, you worry too much. The moon's hidden by storm clouds today, right? That's probably why it's darker than usual."
No. That couldn't be right. He hadn't stood guard just once or twice.
Taliam, feeling increasingly uneasy, looked around at the other soldiers, but they were all engrossed in stories of home and women.
Around that time, Frien, who had reached the very edge of the encampment, finished her song.
Thanks to that, the attention of the chatting sentries focused on Frien.
"Royal Army soldiers, who have taken the hand of the Alliance."
Frien, letting out a sweet voice, smiled.
"May you all fall into hell."
At that moment, Frien simultaneously retracted the mana she had scattered behind her like a curtain.
What was revealed then were two hundred Imperial soldiers.
Every one of them, in perfectly disciplined formation, had their rifles aimed at the Royal Army.
"...!"
Only then did Taliam realize.
That Frien's amplified, sacred singing had merely been to mask the footsteps of two hundred soldiers.
However, realizing one's mistake is always too late.
While Taliam and the other sentries were frozen in panicked shock, Daniel, leading the Imperial forces, spoke in a dry voice.
"Fire."
No sooner had he finished speaking than countless flashes erupted from the muzzles of the Imperial soldiers' rifles.
*
Rattling gunfire! Bang!
Lieutenant Colonel Henry Puer of the Supply Battalion snapped his eyes open at the sound of gunshots.
He wondered what the noise was, but no adjutant reported in.
As he blinked blankly, the gunshots continued.
"H-Haaah…!"
Henry, finally regaining his senses, frantically put on his uniform, grabbed his pistol, and stepped out of the command tent.
Hurrying his steps, Henry was horrified by the sight that unfolded outside the tent.
Flames and smoke were spreading thickly everywhere.
Amidst the pandemonium, Imperial soldiers in black uniforms could be seen occupying the encampment.
Soldiers rushed out of their military tents upon hearing the gunshots, but each time, they were struck by Imperial bullets and died instantly, unable to even let out a dying scream.
"W-What in the world…"
The Imperial Army found out about the supply route? How? Why?
His mind couldn't process the shocking situation.
Henry's eyes darted around, then he spotted a man approaching the command tent.
Amidst the chaotic mix of shouts and screams, it was an Imperial officer with black hair, walking with an air of dignity.
Henry, who had found the officer's appearance strangely familiar, immediately realized who it was upon seeing the National Order of Merit gold emblem on his chest.
'Daniel Steiner…!'
Wasn't he the one revered as the Empire's hero?
Henry, filled with fear, raised his pistol and aimed it at Daniel.
"Don't come any closer! You monster!"
Daniel stopped walking.
As they stood in silent standoff, Daniel slowly parted his lips.
"If you intend to kill me, then shoot. I won't stop you."
"Do you think I won't shoot if I say I will!?"
"No. I believe you can. But if you kill me, what will happen to your soldiers?"
Henry's hand trembled.
He understood what Daniel was trying to say.
"Imperial soldiers without a chain of command are like runaway horses. They will try to kill every Royal Army soldier here. But we can change that terrible future."
Daniel's voice sounded like a devil's temptation.
"Battalion Commander. Order a surrender immediately. Then I will also order a halt to the attack. Please, think of your subordinates. You must remember the sorrow their families will share."
Decide while you can still save at least one more person.
Henry gritted his teeth fiercely at that serpentine eloquence.
He wasn't wrong. If he stubbornly insisted on fighting to the death, everyone would just die a meaningless death.
Henry was not a brilliant commander, but he wasn't incompetent either.
Henry, letting out a low sob, lowered the hand holding his pistol.
He had no choice.
"Surrender…"
Henry slowly opened his hand, letting the pistol fall, and spoke.
"…I surrender."