Vol 3 Chapter 6 (1/2)

Chapter 6: Capture Apta Fortress

Part 1

Vileena Owell had boarded Apta’s only cruiser and departed from the fortress city—.

That piece of news brought mixed feelings to Ax Bazgan. They were currently smack in the middle of preparations to deploy.

There were soldiers in armour everywhere as medium-sized and large-sized dragons sluggishly emerged one after the other from the dragon stables.

“Is he having the Garberan princess take shelter in a safe place? Which means he’s finally decided Apta as the place where we’ll hold the deciding battle.”

“No, it’s a clever move.”

Ravan Dol appeared. Walking around with his favourite potato stuffed in his cheeks might as well have reduced the famed strategist’s dignity to rubbish, but he had until recently been in command of moving the dragons out from their cages. No matter how ferocious the dragon, they were equivalent to a tamed dog once subjected to Ravan’s wiles, which he was well known for.

“What is?”

“Consequent to him suddenly sending their only carrier away from Apta, we will worry over where that carrier is headed. It might load itself full of soldiers and return, or maybe conceal itself in our advance route.”

“Let’s say he’s getting reinforcements. In that case, things will be fine as long as we swiftly attack and crush them before the s.h.i.+p returns. With a distance of a few hours at most, they don’t have enough soldiers to exceed ours, right? And if it’s to ambush our troops, that isn’t too much for us to concern ourselves with. Your strategy, in the first place, was to attack from multiple fronts. As long as one of the routes we use breaks through and captures the centre, it is our victory.”

“Mmhm.” With a most fitting nod, Ravan plopped a potato into his mouth. “Or perhaps, it might be to incite us quicken our pace in this way. That he’s done this to provoke us must mean he’s confident in Apta’s defense, and also in finis.h.i.+ng up the battle shortly.”

“And we’re supposed to be intimidated by that? We set up a strategy knowing we allowed ourselves to be provoked. Don’t get cold feet now. Now, call together all the commanding officers. We’re going to review our strategy one last time!”

Prince Gil was most likely a.s.suming they were going to make a direct attack on Apta. Since Taulia held the upper hand in terms of might, it was only natural that they would employ blitzkrieg tactics. So as far as Gil was concerned, luring the enemy in deep was the premise on which he worked his plans.

Ravan Dol had therefore proposed attacking from multiple directions, in a way that facilitated a multi-faceted attack at different intervals. Even supposing the enemy had been running their mouth and now lay in wait, he did not believe Apta currently had the forces to hold off a second or third attack.

Of course, they would also suffer some damage, but it was still much better than concentrating their forces as their enemy hoped. Ravan certainly did not underestimate the Mephians, namely Gil Mephius.

“Oooh. Can we use those?”

Ax, discovering a new species amongst the dragons being carried out from the cages, revelled in delight. “Yes,” Ravan Dol responded in concert with a rare chuckle.

Three metres long with rust-coloured scales, the most notable aspect of this medium-sized dragon was the horn growing from the centre of its head. The one-horned dragon Yunion. A selectively bred variant of the Baians. Its four limbs had grown fat and short, but they were far more agile than their appearance suggested, and its scales repelled swords and spears even up close.

Ravan had, with the Baians as the basis, crossed many species of dragons, and by some miraculous probability, arrived at this usable breed after several generations of painstaking efforts raising them from hatchlings. He prided in their fierce capabilities, but more than that, they were intelligent and obedient to humans.

Mephius’ main force were in the Baians. They certainly grew quickly and there was also no problem with their battle prowess, but the number of eggs they laid in a single setting were few and they had tempers; they could only be handled by a select few. The Yunions could be said to account for this weakness.

“They will be a great addition. —All right! We move at sunset. Let that Mephian brat sit arrogantly in his chair believing he’s got us caught in his trap.”

He put on his helmet, a heedlessly large horn attached, and affixed his slightly curved long sword to his belt.

Straddled onto a Tengo, Ax Bazgan raised the six-metre dragon lance fixed on the saddle and spurred his men.

“It’s time to set off. Men, you are soldiers who have conquered demons. They may try to swing their dull blades and fire their pea-sized bullets, but remember! Those frail Mephian men can’t even lift so much as a finger against our cattle. We shall illuminate the magnificent glory of the Bazgan House greater than the sun, and show them the very meaning of blinding! Now, words won’t be needed from hereon. Push forward!”

On the other end, the Aptan inhabitants had fully taken shelter. There were those who relied on their relatives and moved to another town, and those who carried food to the cellars and readied to spend several days there, and then there were the remaining majority who followed the soldiers’ instructions.

All their faces showed unease. If Apta became a battleground, the houses and fields would get damaged, regardless of victory or defeat. To make matters worse, the Garberan army had left the fortress, and even Princess Vileena departed. Not so much as a single soldier had come in response to their request for reinforcements. In everyone’s eyes, the chances of victory were slim.

Orba, on that day, established the fortress hall as headquarters and sat at its heart.

Many of the men around were busily moving about, but Orba alone sat umoving. His arms were folded as he stared at the map opened before him, and he would occasionally look up and gaze into empty s.p.a.ce.

There, Pas.h.i.+r came along. He was sprucely dressed in the set of clothes...o...b.. had previously given him.

“Is everything in position?”

“Yes.”

He wore a grim face, but it was his usual one, devoid of tension and anxiety. Pas.h.i.+r’s independent infantry unit was a.s.signed to the southern gate.

“...”

“If there’s something you want to say, then say it. You have the status of a commander. If you, the commander, continue to carry unease, it will affect your troops’ morale.”

“What are you saying this point in time?” Pas.h.i.+r’s nose creased, “As if there’s even a single person who isn’t uneasy over this war. If there’s a far-sighted person amongst the enemy soldiers surely marching here now, and he could see over ‘here’, he would be up for a surprise. Because, there’s no one here at all!”

Orba’s lips swerved up, and with a small sn.i.g.g.e.r, offered no further reply. This time was different from his usual indulgences. Even he, if he had to admit it, was nervous. This was on a different scale from simply commanding his Imperial Guards and undergoing covert operations.

He was constantly shadowed by an unease that there was something he might have been mistaken about. Would it be better if he made a change to that plan? Would it be better to a.s.sign those men some other location? Did they have enough bullets? Were the guns and cannons in perfect condition? What about about the dragons?

If he had to speak his real mind, he would rather get off his seat and go around the fortress interior than play commander in a place like this. The things he wanted to confirm through his own eyes were innumerable. But he had already done this time and time again leading up to this day. So Orba was going to stay here, even if it meant suppressing his own emotions. Just as he had spoken of to Pas.h.i.+r, any negative emotions a general carried within him—worry, apprehension, fear, dismay—could not be allowed to show.

A leader’s strength soaks in steadily, like soil does from the ground. But it only takes an instant for his weakness to show. Like a fuse lit on fire.

That was something Orba was instinctively familiar with.

“More importantly, you really meant it, right?” Pas.h.i.+r brought a different topic to the conversation. “That if we reap merits in battle, you’ll free all of us from the status of slave.”

“Of course. It’s for that reason that they desperately fight. They’ve also seen how you became the infantry commander with their own eyes.”

“I see.” Swallowing his various emotions, Pas.h.i.+r suddenly a.s.sumed attention. “Then if you’ll excuse me, I’ll return to my station. I’ll also relay the words you said just now.”

“Ah, Pas.h.i.+r, except...”

“Hah?”

Pas.h.i.+r’s feet stopped right as he began to leave. And at Orba’s following words, he made an indescribably complex expression.

“Your life alone won’t be set free. You’ve already become the infantry’s commanding officer, and my subordinate. I don’t have any intention of letting you go.”

It was that time when the sun began to set.

They’ve come.

In the headquarters, Orba stood up from his seat.

On the Yunos River border, Ax’s army’s flag waved. The timing was as...o...b.. had predicted, but their positioning was strange.

The river’s chasm lay between them; they were on the other side. As the forest’s shade blended into the dark sky, they began to align two long-range cannons.

Naturally, Orba ordered the northern battery bordering the river to aim across the valley and fire. Twice, thrice the cannons roared. The enemy quickly pulled the cannons back and retreated towards the forest, but it was not a complete retreat. The tall pole bearing Taulia’s flag stayed up, firm and unmoving.

Are they aiming for a protracted battle?

He considered this, but what Ax Bazgan was afraid of most were Mephius’ reinforcements. He should have known full well that, due to the original difference in both countries’ strength, if he overlooked this chance the fortress would no longer be for the taking.

The sun soon set. Because the enemy had not lit a single fire, the cannons could not take aim. Nonetheless, Orba ordered them to repeat fire at fixed intervals to hold the enemy in place.

Each second pa.s.sed itched him in impatience. Orba’s plan was, as Ravan Dol had foreseen, to lure them in and then surround them. If the enemy would not move, then they also would not move. Orba took countless deep breaths. His body’s pains had considerably receded. Now, it was not beyond him to take a sword and plunge into the enemy ranks. However, this time he had no intention of shouldering such a role. Nay, he mustn’t.

“Prince.”

Gowen came running.

“They are also coming from the south. They seem to be advancing along the same route as last time and are making sure to scrupulously examine the path ahead this time, so it appears they will take some more time.”

“What are their numbers?”

“According to the scout’s report, roughly three hundred. Judging from their speed, they likely have no cannons.”

He split the army, huh.

The force across the river was likely meant to divert their cannon fire. There was no other reason why Ax would purposely expose his valuable long-range cannons.

“Harden the gates. Shoot them from the watchtowers and steeples. Have Pas.h.i.+r and the others remain on standby.”

The cannons stationed on the south-eastern tip fired at the area in front of the southern gates. The Taulian soldiers came running through the dirt exploding in the field. A skirmish line. The few-membered forces each displayed orderly movements.

Retreat followed advance. Advance followed retreat. Pas.h.i.+r leaned against the parapets, watching the battle taking place below him.

Oh!

He ducked. A cannon nearby the gate exploded. Stone and wooden debris rained down his back, accompanied by the smell of gunpowder. The Mephian a.s.sumption that they ‘had no cannons’ was wrong. It wasn’t a mistake to a.s.sume this from their rate of advance, but the Taulian army had two of their newly bred Yunions pulling each of the cannons.

Even as the Mephians tried to shoot it down, the Yunions would pull back to be replaced by gunners and archers pus.h.i.+ng forward. Their apt.i.tude in freely commanding the dragons could possibly be said to be greater than Mephius’.

“Prince, shall I sortie the airs.h.i.+ps?”

Neil Thompson, the commander of the airs.h.i.+p squadron, exerted his determination and as he did so his red face grew even redder. Even as the impatience inside him grew, Orba answered,

“All right, form two three-unit groups and head out! Your destination is across the chasm from Apta on the other side of the river. Your role is only to restrain them. Don’t go too deep! All you have to do is earn the northern battery time before it can be used.”

“Yes sir!”

With a vigorous kick off the hall flooring, Neil darted off.

That’s the spirit.

As the footsteps resounded in his ears, Orba retook his arms-folded posture.

They were already long aware the Mephian side had prepared a trap in wait. With that in mind, they utilised tactics to offset that aim. If they were to entrust themselves to numbers and storm in, things would have advanced as...o...b.. predicted, but they were slowly whittling away at his forces and were already prepared to sustain a certain degree of damage.

His body ached. The colour of his blood right now was most likely black. It seethed black, coursing through his body just under his skin. He felt it molding itself into another one of himself.

That other him was eagerly clamouring to take that sword from his waist and go running into the battlefield right this instant. ‘It doesn’t suit you to sit still in a place like this. Now, take that sword and gun and go towards the place of killing. Evade the enemy’s gunfire, climb over your men’s corpses, and soak your sword in the enemy’s blood. Isn’t that exactly your specialty?’—

Tch.

Orba grit his teeth painfully and ordered an imperial guard squad leader to call s.h.i.+que.

Pointing to a spot on the map, he relayed his instructions

“Take command of the gunners and exit the side gate on the east. Use the shortcut through the ridge to flank their rear. Have one s.h.i.+p act as a decoy. Perform volley fire on them in that opening.”

And at the same time, he hurried a messenger to Pas.h.i.+r.

“Have the Black Armoured Division act as reinforcements. Once s.h.i.+que and the rest succeed in their surprise attack, launch your attack.”

s.h.i.+que left with twenty gunners. Just as they were about to leave the urban districts, the enemy cannon fired and broke the wall’s upper tip. They crouched and left running out from the fortress walls, all while the firing of each round sent chills throughout their entire bodies.

The urban areas held a number of secret exitways, and after going through one of these, they followed along the route Orba had given them. A single airs.h.i.+p crossed up over the gate. Enemy fire s.h.i.+fted towards it.

“Fire!” s.h.i.+que ordered.

A barrage of gunshots, loud enough to drown out all other sounds, rang out in succession. The enemy soldiers were caught defenceless, but owing to their spread out formation, it didn’t throw them much into confusion and caused little damage. Next, the gates opened and Pas.h.i.+r’s troops sprung out armed with their swords.

Pas.h.i.+r started with the nearby approaching soldiers, slicing through one of their torsos, then stopping a overhead axe swing with his sword, he ran it straight through the Zerdian’s head. And without a second’s delay, he turned his body and cut off the arm together with the spear of the soldier who launched at him behind.

The foot men following behind, starting with Miguel Tes, also let loose in a frenzy.

They were men who before were already prepared to face execution. Even with a gun pointed at the tips of their nose, even if the enemy’s sword they failed to parry struck a blow to their shoulders, even if an arrow pierced their toe, they drove forward unfaltering.

In the meanwhile, s.h.i.+que provided cover fire for the infantry while trying to corner the enemy’s cannon. However, the scattered Taulian platoon laid their bodies low and bathed him in a shower of bullets. One soldier beside s.h.i.+que about to load a bullet took one to the face.

The battle in front of the main south gate was, however, altogether moving in Mephius’ favour. The Black Armoured Division, seeing this as the proper timing to push out joined the melee fray and the Taulians were forced into a gradual retreat.

Thus, the Mephians began concentrating their forces to the front.

A soldier came rus.h.i.+ng into headquarters carrying bad news for Orba.

“N-New enemy forces approaching from the west!!”

“West?” Orba sat up. “Their air carrier huh. So they still had reserves. Tch, turn the cannons—”

“It’s not only air carriers! There are also enemy dragoons. They’re attempting to ford the river on their dragons!”

Part 2

Ax Bazgan was in this moment aboard Taulia’s only cruiser-cla.s.s s.h.i.+p taking command. The pair of sails released on the s.h.i.+p’s top and bottom to balance the s.h.i.+p in the air received the night winds and spread plenty. Armaments were equipped on the s.h.i.+p’s bow, port, and starboard one apiece.

Under the s.h.i.+p, Ravan Dol personally took the dragoon unit and advanced east against the Yunos River’s current. Nearby Ravan, a single airs.h.i.+p messenger was seen tagging behind.

The enemy would never imagine that they would cross directly against the river. Yunos’ vehement current was nothing to fear for dragons. Only, they risked subjecting themselves to enemy fire because there were no spots to take cover, but it was for this purpose Ravan had split the forces.

“Apta has few soldiers to start with. There is no way they could account us crossing the river, so there is a good chance they haven’t stationed soldiers there. They won’t be able to immediately respond to our attack.”

Ax grinned from the sky. Even better, the cannons they lined across the chasm began full-blown firing. And with the cruiser’s appearance, preventing the dragoons’ advance would becoming more and more difficult.

“Begin cover fire! You don’t have to aim, but do it enough that they can’t ignore us!”

Get too close, and they risked entering enemy range. The air carrier acting as a mobile battery from the skies would serve more than enough.

The Apta fortress surroundings lit red and then smoked white as the cannon’s roars sounded. Both side’s bombardments were as Ax instructed, having little effect at all, but that opening allowed the dragoons straddled on their Sozos and Gorus to gradually cross the river.

They used the transport route for goods ferried through the river, climbing the gentled hill and approaching Apta. When just as they prepared to slash their claws and swing their tails to tear down the fortress walls,

“Enemy airs.h.i.+ps have started their attacks on the dragoons! ” A soldier confirming the battle’s progress with binoculars shouted. Ax curved his lips into a sardonic smile.

“Ha! Too slow, too slow, too slow! b.l.o.o.d.y Mephians, the trap you tried to set up for us has backfired now, hasn’t it? Everything’s been forestalled, forestalled, forestalled.”

Gil seemed to be confident in the trap he laid within the fortress, but in trying to draw him in he did absolutely nothing to halt his advance. Gil was too lax in allowing him to place his men however he wished.

“Send the second division to the south gates! Don’t forget to stay alert on the air. The enemy air carrier may show up.”

On Ax’s issued command, the infantry and dragoons riding their small-sized dragons that carefully hid themselves in the southern forest entered the battle. The Mephian soldiers who had begun s.h.i.+fting towards the tide of victory, turned to panic at the sight.

After putting up a pathetic attempt at resistance, they immediately shut themselves behind the closed gates.

All the cannons at Taulia’s disposal had been used up to distract the enemy so there were none remaining; but in its place slowly appeared an enormous shadow. Next to that shadow was Bouwen, entrusted over command of the second division. He raised his sword and shouted.

“All right men! The engineers will support the tanks while advancing forward. Gunners will stay in position and provide cover fire. Soldiers, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for! Draw your swords and wait for my signal!”

While the first division clashed swords with the enemy, the tank they had finished a.s.sembling beforehand was sent out. (Alt: they sent out the tank they had finished a.s.sembling beforehand) The appearance of the multi-wheeled tank advancing forward, grinding the dirt up as it did, was just like a mechanized dragon furnished with long arms and three heads. The arms were ballistas, and the heads were towers that carried several gunners, designed to be ladders to lean against the fortress walls. In its front was a pointed horn, designed to pierce the bulky gates and walls, it emitted an eerie s.h.i.+ne.

Originally, it was supposed to be pulled by dragons, but because this time the majority had been focused onto the force attacking from the west, the engineers walked bent over laying out rails, pus.h.i.+ng the tank through them.

Boom. The horn rammed into the gates the first time, sending ripples down Bouwen’s stomache. The defending enemy towers left and right of the gates rained down bullets, and likewise shots fired from above their own towers.

Roughly the same time the southern gates were being smashed to pieces, the dragons breached the western walls and flooded into Apta’s city districts. Those frightening roars and tremoring footsteps surely struck immense fear into the hearts of the townsmen hiding under their cellars.

“All right!”

Ax shouted joyously.

With this, our victory’s decided.

The enemy’s plan was probably to lure the enemy into their bosom, but now that they had allowed Ax and his men to break all the way into their belly, that trap was going to have little effect. Their line of vision had been reduced to only being able to confirm the enemy’s forces with their own eyes. Having broken into the urban districts, they could send detached dragoon units to subdue the batteries, meaning any firepower that threatened the air carrier was no more. This extensive starry sky existed only for Ax.

“Move the s.h.i.+p forward. I’m also going down. I’ll catch Gil Mephius by the neck with my bare hands.”

Ax ordered the s.h.i.+p’s advance as he lovingly caressed the fan on his waist.

And without experiencing any major obstacles, Ax drew closer to Aptan fortress walls, and the mult.i.tude of towers as well as the houses’ rooftops came under his view. As the plan was to lure the enemy into Apta alone, the figures of the populace fleeing was nowhere to be seen. They were most likely taking shelter.

“Mmh. This might end without bringing much resentment.”

Ax nodded, satisfied. Apta was practically already his territory. Ending this without having to set homes ablaze and involving the populace into the conflict; it was safe to say there were no results better than this.

For this reason, Ax never ordered his men to set fire.

The dragons heavily plunged forward the stone-paved streets. They closed in on the fortress walls from the other end of the city. Arrows and bullets were fired from the tower battlements, but the three soldiers each on the plain scaffolds tied onto the Sozos’ back also responded in suit. As a single Sozos was pierced in the eye and collapsed, the remaining dragons swarmed the watchtower, smas.h.i.+ng it to pieces.

The air carrier came to a stop above a different tower connecting to the castle. A ladder unrolled down the s.h.i.+p with armed soldiers climbing off. Ax Bazgan was within one of the airs.h.i.+ps in the cruiser.

“Have the cruiser remain on alert in the sky. We still don’t know the whereabouts of the carrier that left Apta. Although I doubt it can do much even if it comes back.”

After giving this order to the s.h.i.+p’s captain, Ax personally descended down to the tower’s roof.

“My lord!” A soldier came running up the stairs and kneeled. “We have sightings of Prince Gil. He’s been reported fleeing the first floor with several men who appear to be his Imperial Guards.”

“Oh ho? That he didn’t run off away from the castle is praiseworthy. Ravan!”

Around one of the corridors overseeing the garden, he spotted the strategist perched on a dragon and called out to him. In high spirits he asked,

“What do you suppose I should do with the prince? Kill him, or maybe capture him alive?”

“If possible, capturing him alive would be ideal,” Ravan answered sternly. “Having an all-out resistance against Mephius would be bothersome. Taking him hostage and agreeing to a temporary ceasefire in exchange for him is best.”

“Hmph. Until then, I’ll shower him in plenty of affection as he serves under me ‘til he can’t go on anymore.”

Ax hummed, as he was led by his soldiers down the stairs.

Ravan Dol surveyed the dusty surroundings reeking on gunpowder with squinty eyes.

Now, what odds does that prince have to provoke us?

In the end, not a single one of Gil’s supposedly laid traps had set off. One of their advance routes had been thwarted, but making their way into the fortress so easily had been in a way, unexpected.

I highly doubt he actually plans to hole himself in the fortress and fight while being sieged.

And then, feeling the presence of an air carrier taking off above him, he looked up.

A shadow blocking the view of the starlight approached his way. Their Taulian air carrier began to intercept it. This was likely the cruiser that had left Apta in order to let the princess escape. No doubt it was their plan to land behind them while the Taulian soldiers were concentrated on attacking the fortress, and pincer them. However they had already missed their chance. At this stage where the castle had already fallen, there was little they could do, and in fact, it immediately turned tail from where it came. The Taulian carrier begain to pursue the cruiser—

No, wait.

His long years of experience and characteristic senses flashed at him jolting those nerves that grew lax with the foretelling of victory into waking.

“The enemy s.h.i.+p’s retreat happened too fast. It seems to be luring our cruiser. Messenger!”

“Yes, sir!”

The answer came by the dragon’s foot. The messenger airs.h.i.+p, in order to conserve ether, stayed on the ground when the troops weren’t moving.

“Head for our s.h.i.+p. Tell them not to chase the enemy cruiser too far.”

“Understood!”

The messenger immediately started the engine and flew off to the sky together with his airs.h.i.+p, disappearing into the black of the night.

“Sir Ravan. What about us?”

“Stay on the lookout. If that carrier was meant to lure us, another s.h.i.+p might be coming.”

“If more troops come, do you suppose they’ll charge us with dragons?”

“We need not be afraid of Mephian trained dragons. In fact, have you come across even a single dragon while here? They likely ran away in this confusion—“

The instant after he said this, Ravan’s body was rocked vehemently. It wasn’t only Ravan, but the soldiers, the towers, the Sozos—all of Apta was taken by a severe tremor.

“What in blazes?!” Ravan cried.

His sight was directed towards the sky once more. A huge shadow loomed over the night sky, as if engulfing the fortress. Ravan’s predictions were right on its mark. However, the envoy raining down destruction from that huge shadow did so only on a single point that, in a certain sense was the most crucial of all, and went against all his expectations.

The large tremor had, of course, also swept under Ax who had gone down to the first level.

“What on blazes?!”

As he cried the same words as the strategist, a second, then a third tremor came. The ceiling and walls creaked and dust fell on them. His men scattered left and right. In the confusion Ax often found himself nearly cras.h.i.+ng shoulders with his men.

“A-An earthquake? At this timing...d.a.m.n it to h.e.l.l.“

At that point, a soldier went on his knees in front of the staggering Ax.

“We’re under enemy attack!”

“Enemy? Where is the enemy?”

“T-The sky—A large dragonstone s.h.i.+p’s appeared and is bombarding Apta!”

“Apta?”

In spite of their current dilemma, Ax struggled to grasp the meaning of those words for an instant.

“Apta, you say? Absurd! What kind of idiot would attack his own fort—”

A fourth tremor came. He came to a start at the creaking(jarring) sounds of the beams supporting the ceiling. The majority of the soldiers were already scrambling out of the fortress even without Ax having to give the order.

Don’t run! Ax had tried to shout, but along with the fourth tremor a portion of the ceiling behind them collapsed, swallowing several soldiers in it.

“All right—stay in the air until we get the signal. Spread the sails and continue the bombardment.”

Further up on the sky above Apta, 150 metres overhead, the large air carrier Dhum spread its sails. This s.h.i.+p, as per tradition crowned the name of Dragon G.o.d Mephius’ subordinate dragon, was Prince Gil’s flags.h.i.+p.

The commanding young captain was one of the men Gil had left in Birac. He was a winged dragon officer and also the youngest born of a n.o.ble family.

Inside the bridge, Garbera’s princess Vileena Owell was also present. Her head held high, she leaned proper against a chair prepared for her while surveying Apta’s ongoing bombardment.

The day before, Vileena had been commanded by Prince Gil to depart Apta, but it was not so that she could take shelter. While successfully making it seem that way to their enemies, she embarked for an intermediary airs.h.i.+p base and boarded the Dhum which had been moved there.

The one transporting the Dhum all the way there was Birac’s merchant, Zaj Hamann. He camouflaged the s.h.i.+p so that it would not be recognised by the enemy and had it fly together with a group of other merchant s.h.i.+ps he had prepared.

“Dhum is our last trump card,” Orba affirmed when explaining the strategy to Vileena. “An ace hidden for a time when the number of moves who can make are limited amongst those already limited moves. We’re talking about a s.h.i.+p this large. When the enemy sees it, they’ll go off thinking the rear guard has come all on their own. The enemy’s greatest strength is in their numbers. It comes to be that the thing they have to fear most will be reinforcements from Mephius.”

It was certainly a valid strategy, she believed. It also seemed capable of driving Ax Bazgan off. However, this would only work once. In the end they still had few soldiers. Knowing this, Taulia was more than likely to come here again with an even more overbearing force . Then again, to think...

Even as she kept her face expressionless, the surprise did not disappear from her eyes. She would have never imagined he would bomb Apta fortress itself. Of course, he would lead the townsmen into the forest in preparation for this.

The thunderous roars continued beneath in succession and smoke gushed upwards shrouding the flying pieces of stone like a monster made of clouds.

“Even I hadn’t considered destroying the fortress from the very beginning. It was just a card I kept in reserve. But to remove Taulia’s threat as soon as possible, there’s already nothing else but this,” Gil Mephius had frankly told her.

“I saw Ax Bazgan using my own eyes and heard him with my own ears. He will come out to the battlefield. Even if he doesn’t, he’s a man full of pride. He’ll come with a large army to attack my impudent self. That is our aim. We will be sacrificing the fortress. If the enemy doesn’t come with a large army, then there’s no meaning to it.”

Thinking about it now, that was just about the first time he met her face to face and spoke his real mind.