■ Night Battle □
Upon returning to the base, Dorothea immediately issued a mobilization order to all the troops stationed there.
Perhaps because this was the front line, the soldiers were well-trained and ready for battle at any moment. In less than 30 minutes, all the soldiers had fully armed themselves and gathered on the parade ground.
Their number was approximately 3,000.
One might feel that this army stationed at the forefront was small in scale, but every single one of them belonged to the Demon Tribe, possessing physical abilities far superior to humans.
Under the same conditions, they could easily handle more than twice the number of human opponents.
Soon after, Eva, clad in grayish-white full plate armor, and Dorothea, dressed as a witch, slowly ascended the podium.
As the two appeared, the previously noisy parade ground fell silent in an instant.
Eva, whose expression was hidden under her helmet, scanned the faces of the soldiers lined up on the parade ground before shouting loudly.
“Attention!”
With precise movements, all the soldiers promptly followed the drill commands.
“Salute the Commander-in-Chief!”
Chack!
Dorothea, who had been standing at the back with a bored look, lazily waved her hand to acknowledge the salute from the soldiers. Then, Eva, standing beside her, proceeded with the next item on the agenda.
“Followed by the salute to the flag and a moment of silence for those who have fallen for our country, singing of the national anthem…”
“Tsk-”
“…is unnecessary, so we’ll skip it. The Commander-in-Chief’s speech will follow immediately.”
Judging by how quickly Eva skipped over the parts after hearing Dorothea’s tongue click, she wasn’t someone to be trifled with either.
Surely she wasn’t just playing the role of aide-de-camp to that hysterical lump out of mere formality.
After stepping back, Dorothea confidently stepped forward and cleared her throat to speak.
“Ah- Ah- This is Dorothea, your Commander-in-Chief.”
Thanks to amplification magic, perhaps, her arrogant voice was crystal clear, even reaching JoIn and Camilla standing at the edge of the parade ground.
She looked down at the various soldiers gathered on the parade ground and spoke calmly.
“You see, a few hours ago, I climbed the mountain and witnessed quite an interesting scene. If I tell you that there’s a big hole in Hamburg Fortress beyond those mountains, would you believe me?”
The ripple caused by Dorothea’s seemingly casual statement was immense.
After all, every demon present had been stuck here for years, unable to break through that single gateway.
As if they had never been quiet before, all the soldiers began chattering noisily with their neighbors, debating and discussing.
Ignoring the commotion, Dorothea continued speaking calmly.
“I’m convinced. If we don’t seize this opportunity to capture that fortress, we’ll never set foot on the land beyond the Vulcan Mountains in our lifetime. Isn’t that too cruel? If we, all of us here united as one, couldn’t conquer a fortress we’ve tried so hard to take, and yet fail to breakthrough despite such a golden opportunity…”
Having paused once, Dorothea glanced around at the soldiers below the podium.
Intentional silence drew everyone’s gaze solely onto her.
A skill often used by skilled orators.
Finally, she spread her arms wide and declared:
“All looting will be permitted upon capturing the enemy’s fortress. After victory, whatever you do, I will tolerate it. All treasures, girls, and alcohol within shall be yours. In exchange, I merely wish to claim the honor of having breached the supposedly impenetrable fortress that no one has managed to penetrate for nearly a hundred years.”
Her voice was soft but carried a strange magnetic power that captured everyone’s attention.
This must be what charisma looks like.
“Bring me a victory that will go down in history. You fools. Lastly…”
Dorothea said this while pointing her right hand toward the mountains beyond.
“We’ll dine inside the humans’ fortress tonight. That concludes my speech.”
-Waaaahhhhh!
The moment her speech ended, all the soldiers gathered on the parade ground erupted in a thunderous roar.
The morale of the troops was at its peak.
I met Dorothea again in the military tent used for strategy meetings.
Entering the tent a bit late, I found Dorothea already there, poring over a large map with other officers and strategists, contemplating ways to capture the humans’ fortress.
When our eyes met, she gestured for me to come closer.
“Perfect timing. Partarth, we’re currently brainstorming ways to breach the enemy’s fortress. I’d appreciate it if you could freely share your thoughts.”
The strategists nearby eyed me as though I were an unwelcome intruder, but I decided to act as confidently as possible.
“Let’s take a look…”
While muttering these words, I slipped between the strategists to examine the map’s layout.
The valley where Hamburg Lord’s fortress stood had cliffs on two of its four sides, and the path leading directly upward was narrow and long, offering almost no cover, forcing attackers into one-sided damage.
Even if they somehow broke through the enemy’s fierce attacks and reached the entrance of the fortress, the walls fortified with various spells were impervious to ordinary attacks.
Unless using magic of the fourth tier or higher or the aura of a Sword Expert, breaking through seemed impossible. And if high-level personnel were to lead the charge, they’d likely become targets for archers and end up riddled with arrows.
After reviewing several possibilities, I chose what seemed to be the best option.
“What about infiltrating JoIn and Beastmen through this side, this side?”
Pointing to the southern wall of the fortress, I suggested this location, which had been significantly damaged by a large avalanche earlier.
Dorothea tilted her head in confusion upon hearing this.
“But that side is a cliff. Even if the Beastmen are strong, it’s unlikely they could climb such a tall cliff without exhausting themselves, leaving them unable to fight effectively afterward.”
Shaking my head at her skeptical reaction, I replied,
“No, this side may seem inaccessible at first glance, but upon closer inspection, there’s a hidden trail leading up from below. It’s a secret route humans used for transporting supplies. If some of our forces use this trail, they should be able to infiltrate inside the fortress walls in coordination with the JoIn.”
“…How does someone who just arrived yesterday know about such a hidden trail?”
“Five years ago, during the Human-Demon War, I spent three months in the Vulcan Mountains. I discovered this trail back then, but since there was no proper way to breach the enemy’s walls at the time, I didn’t report it to the command.”
Dorothea listened to my explanation with a suspicious expression but sighed deeply, acknowledging the lack of alternative options.
“If that’s the case, let’s proceed as you suggest. Some will attack from the front, while a special detachment of swift Beastmen and JoIn will breach the southern wall.”
“Yes. No matter how sturdy the walls are, they cannot withstand an attack from within.”
Saying this, I picked up one of the flags lying on the map and placed it near the southern part of the fortress.
“The key to this operation is diversion. To ensure the main force can distract the enemy sufficiently, allowing the special detachment to infiltrate the enemy lines successfully.”
At this, Dorothea stroked her chin and asked,
“I understand the strategy you’re proposing. What will you do during the battle? We can’t afford to leave a mage of the fifth tier idle, surely you realize that?”
“I have a plan prepared.”
Saying this, I asked Dorothea,
“Do you happen to have any spare mana stones at the base?”
“Why the sudden need for mana stones?”
I responded with a meaningful smile.
“I have urgent use for them.”
[[#]] Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Heavy drumbeats echoed under the dark night sky.
A fully armed contingent of troops advanced toward the white valley where Hamburg Fortress stood.
Leading the charge were the cavalry units of the Demon King’s Army.
Among them were regular horse-mounted cavalry, but also riders on demonic beasts like Baicon and Dire Wolves, along with centaurs—half-human, half-horse—and rhinoceros beastmen whose skin was as tough as armor.
Eventually, Eva, both Dorothea’s aide-de-camp and commander of the cavalry, raised her long lance above her head at the forefront and shouted,
“Charge!”
Following her command, the cavalrymen behind her simultaneously lifted their weapons high.
The role assigned to the cavalry in this battle was simple.
To pave the way for the infantry ranks following behind.
The Demon King’s cavalry, unmatched in instantaneous destructive power and breakthrough ability, had completed all preparations for the assault.
Under the dark night sky, only a chilling silence lingered.
The enemy forces atop the castle walls must have already spotted them.
But there was no fear.
Only the attack remained.
After reaffirming her resolve one last time, Eva lowered the face guard of her helmet and commanded with a loud voice,
“Chargeeeeeeeeee!!”
Thus began the night battle.
