โWhen will Uncle come backโฆ?โ
Emilia was waiting for Yujin. Since the students and mercenaries had been separated and gathered at the train station, the students had all been accommodated in lodgings assigned by the officials.
โHe really isnโt coming back. I wonder whatโs going onโฆโ
Sylvia, who was sitting beside her, stopped counting the patterns on the ceiling and spoke up. Budika, bored from waiting, was snoring softly. Lian and Emil, who had been housed separately in the menโs quarters, were probably bored as well.
โI thought weโd at least get a briefing on the precautions before entering the demon realm.โ
โRight.โ
Just as Sylvia said, they had expected the officials to gather the students for some guidance, but instead, everyone had been brought here, told that details would be announced later, and then the officials disappeared. Judging by the officialsโ grim expressions, Emilia had a hunch that something was happening.
โCould it be a monster attack like during the ice disaster?โ
โNo wayโฆโ
Sylvia shook her head at that suggestion. Enderdebelt was one of the northern border fortresses of the Empire, protected by three massive walls facing the demon realm.
โNot even the orc hordes fifteen years ago could break through.โ
If anything like the ice disaster had happened, they wouldnโt still be sitting around like this. Considering the history, Sylviaโs worries werenโt really justified, but recalling yesterdayโs events made Emilia realize that their safety wasnโt absolute.
โWell, Uncle will let us know when he comes back.โ
Sylvia shrugged and was about to close her eyes whenโ
Knock, knock, knock!
There was a sound of knocking at the door.
Was it an official coming with information? Just to be safe, before unlocking the door, Emilia asked out loud.
โWho is it?โ
โItโs Needle. Open the door.โ
โHuh?โ
Why was it Uncle Needle instead of Yujin? Usually, Needle was always with Yujin wherever he went.
As fellow mercenaries, their mutual trust was shaky.
โOf course, yesterday the kids were entrusted to Needle, but that was a special situation because Yujin had to leave to save this side.โ
Needle had originally headed to gather the mercenaries along with Yujin, so why was he the only one returning?
โWhat about Uncle Yujin?โ
โI came to explain everything, including that.โ
So Yujin must have had some reason to send only Needle back? Something felt off, so Emilia opened the door. Needle inspected the people inside the room and asked,
โWhere are Lian and Emil?โ
โTheyโre in the menโs dormitory, separately.โ
โIs it close by?โ
Emilia pointed out the way to the menโs quarters. Needle listened to the directions, left briefly, and soon after returned with the boys.
โHmmโฆ? Whatโs going onโฆ?โ
Budika sensed the movement and lazily got up. Once all five students were gathered in one place, Needle sat on the floor and told everyone to sit down.
โI just heard this from the military officials of this fortress.โ
Those words startled everyone.
โWhat!?โ
โThe military?โ
โWhatโs happening?โ
โWhereโs Uncle Yujin?โ
โWhat on earth is going on?โ
The flood of questions made Needle furrow his brows.
โโฆ..โ
Like Yujin, Needle had quite the temper. Provoking him now would probably end with someone getting punched.
Silence fell again, and then Needle continued.
โThere is currently a risk of a monster invasion in this fortress.โ
His words shocked everyone, but they fell silent, more curious than panicked about what exactly was going on.
Needle pointed his thumb toward the window as if indicating something outside.
โThey say the third wall has collapsed.โ
โWhat!?โ
โLian?โ
Not only was the wallโs collapse shocking, but Lian suddenly jumped up, making everyone even more startled. Of course, one of the impenetrable triple walls falling was a huge deal, but โto be that shockedโฆโ
Needle noticed the odd reaction and twitched his eyebrows.
โWhatโs wrong? Do you have relatives among the soldiers stationed there?โ
Lian scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
โN-noโฆโ
โThen calm down and listen.โ
The mercenaryโs cold tone made the boy sink back down. Given the situation, Needleโs tension was understandable.
When the room settled, he rubbed his forehead.
โSo, all of us, including the mercenaries, will be conscripted as reserve forces under Imperial Law Article 30.โ
That meant Uncle Yujin would be deployed as a reserve to the frontlines. But if that were the only reason for his absence, then Needle shouldnโt be here either. There had to be another reason. Emilia carefully asked.
โIs Uncle Yujinโs absence related to that as well?โ
โYeah, probablyโฆโ
Needle rubbed his temple.
โHe seems to have gone as a staff officer to plan military operations.โ
โReally?โ
Everyone was surprised by the answer. They knew Yujin was skilled, but not that he was trusted enough to be appointed as a military staff officer.
โDonโt be surprised. That guy has plenty of experience hunting monsters.โ
Needle said matter-of-factly. Despite their usual bad blood, he acknowledged Yujinโs skills.
โSo, what should we do?โ
This time Lian asked Needle. The collapse of one of Enderdebeltโs triple walls was a serious security threat for the entire Empire.
โWill we be drafted into active duty soon?โ
In that case, students at the Royal Academy would also be conscripted as military resources. It was natural for the country to draft the talents it nurtured, so they had to prepare for the call.
โWellโฆโ
Surprisingly, Needleโs response was lukewarm. Even though one of the Empireโs greatest defenses had fallen, he didnโt seem to think the situation was that serious.
โReally?โ
Lian, bewildered, got a shrug from the mercenary.
โIf it were Yujin, he wouldnโt let things get that bad.โ
Perhaps mercenaries of a similar caliber could roughly estimate the situationโs severity. The world of seasoned mercenaries was truly profound.
โWhat youโll have to do is simple.โ
โHuh?โ
Everyone tilted their heads at the cryptic remark.
โJust in time, I hear footsteps.โ
Needle turned toward the door. At first, they hadnโt heard the footsteps, but now the official who had guided them reached the door.
โAh, everyoneโs gathered!โ
The official looked brighter than before.
โThereโs something you all need to help with!โ
*****
โWhy hydrochloric acid and hot air balloons?โ
Frost Snow asked curiously as she watched the worksite. The students were helping sew leather pouches for the balloonsโ gondolas. Gluing the leather was a simple task that students could handle.
โThe reason is simple.โ
Yujin held up his index finger.
โBones dissolve in hydrochloric acid.โ
If the acid was sprayed from above via the balloons, few monsters could withstand it. If there were such tough ones, this fortress wouldโve fallen already.
โIs that really the only reason?โ
โWhat matters is whether we can get results from it.โ
He glanced at the mercenaries carrying glass bottles. There was a paper mill here that made paper from the trees of the Great Mountain Range. The bleach used in the paper-making process was hydrochloric acid. The pouches for the acid were supplied by the paper mill as well.
โDo you have battlefield experience?โ
Frost Snow scoffed.
โIโm a knight, of course I do!โ
โWhatโs the most annoying thing on the battlefield, in your opinion?โ
โAnnoying, huhโฆโ
She furrowed her brows, thinking deeply. She realized this question was connected to his previous one. After a silent moment searching for the right answer, she replied,
โThe ones who shoot lead bullets from afar.โ
โRight. That would be annoying for a knight.โ
A fitting answer.
โThen we should get rid of the bullets from those annoying monsters, shouldnโt we?โ
Yujin didnโt expect to kill all the monsters with hydrochloric acid. The acid might scatter as it fell from the sky. But what it definitely did wasโ
โDissolve the bones, causing flesh to stick and fuse.โ
That would stop monsters from firing bones as projectiles.
โSo you mean to block their ranged attacks!โ
Frost Snowโs eyes sparkled with understanding. After hearing this much, she could guess the rest.
Monsters deprived of ranged attacks would be forced into close combat, and โhumans have guns, a fine means of communication.โ
The enemy would be forced into melee while they fired their guns. With 2,000 troops, extermination was possible.
โExcellent! Excellent!โ
The knight laughed heartily and patted Frost Snow on the back.
Thud!
โUgh.โ
A lionโs hand felt like a mace. Anyway, the operationโs outline was what Frost Snow had been told. After luring monsters to a certain point, acid rain would be sprayed from the balloons.
โI hope we can finish them off today.โ
Fortunately, the preparations ended only by nightfall. After receiving instructions for the next dayโs tasks, the students and mercenaries went to sleep, while this group climbed the second wall to watch for monsters that might come at night.
โThe full moon has risen.โ
The pearl of the night sky shone down on the land. Its light made the vast green sea ripple in the wind, and the leaves of the giant trees swayed as one, like waves.
[What a magnificent sight.]
Ilru, who had been quiet, finally spoke, seemingly uninterested in human affairs.
โItโs beautiful.โ
Though the gorgeous scene was somewhat tainted by the lurking monsters beneath.
[Since ancient times, forests and seas have been objects of reverence, fear, and mystery.]
โThat makes sense.โ
Even a hundred years ago, forests had their own legends.
โDid the ancients think the same?โ
[Many did. Spirits lived in the woods, and massive tentacled monsters swallowed sailors in the seas.]
โNot much different from now.โ
Human imagination seemed to run along the same lines. Talking with an ancient like this stirred many thoughts. But thinking too much before a battle was only a hindrance.
โBetter to stop the chatter here.โ
Tomorrow would bring a great fight. The battlefield might be easy, as told to Frost Snow, but no matter how favorable, the outcome was never certain.
โSomeone will have to draw the monstersโ attention.โ
They couldnโt let the monsters spot the balloons in the sky.
โAre you sure about this?โ
โGoing to act as bait all alone?โ
โCrazy, just crazy.โ
The mercenaries around him clicked their tongues. By noon, after all preparations were complete, everyone had gathered at the second wall, where one man passed through the fortress gate and headed toward the Great Forest.
โBait, huh.โ
Frost Snow mulled over Yujinโs suggestion from dawn. The planner of an operation always knew the perfect timing, so he volunteered to lure the monsters.
- The balloons carrying hydrochloric acid canโt be intercepted by the monsters.
It was true they had to protect the balloons from being shot down early, butโ
โHe doesnโt even consider his own risk.โ
She thought he was older and more experienced, but he treated his life as a means to ensure the planโs success. Such thoughts werenโt typical of a mercenary in his twenties.
โWho exactly is he?โ
He had more monster-hunting experience than any other mercenary and faced battle with remarkable composure.
โFew knights are like that.โ
Frost Snow felt a sort of respect. What life experiences had he endured? How compressed were his memories at such a young age?
โSir Frost Snow! Yujin is about to fire a flare!โ
โWhat!?โ
At the subordinateโs report, she focused again. Between where the third wall stood and the Great Forest lay a midpoint, where Yujin stood alone, aiming a flare pistol at the air.
Bang!
Smoke puffed from the barrel as a red fireball ascended into the sky. The brilliant light and loud noise were enough to awaken the monsters sleeping in the forest.
Kkirruk?
An eerie sound stirred movement in the Great Forest. Red lights began to flicker between the great treesโeyes of the monsters attacking the fortress.
โYou bastardsโฆ!โ
The monsters had not retreated even after their previous attack. They had been hiding along the forestโs border, waiting for the right moment. Their malice was clenched in gritted teeth, determined to finish them off.
Kaaak!
Soon black shapes poured out of the forest. On the backs of the four-legged monsters were white spots.
Those were their spinesโtheir ranged weapons.
โYujin is running!โ
As the subordinate reported, Yujin started running toward them.
โAll units, battle readiness!โ
โBattle readiness!โ
At the command, soldiers gathered below the gate. Positioning behind the barricades and sandbags, 2,000 troops prepared for concentrated fire in front of the second wall.
โWhat about Yujin!?โ
โFive seconds to the target point!โ
The target point was the place to signal the balloons to explode. Considering the acidโs falling speed and time, it was chosen so as to hit the monsters as much as possible.
โFive!โ
Yujin loaded a flare into his pistol while running.
โFour!โ
The monsters chasing him were drawing closer.
โThree!โ
Yujin aimed the barrel toward the sky.
โTwo!โ
The monsters readied their spines to fire.
โOne!โ
The flare shot from the barrel.
โFire!โ
At the same time, the balloons burst their acid pouches.