Chapter 241 – 241. Struggle, And, You, Me, We (3)
– One –
The encampment of the Imperial Army, enveloped in darkness.
At the entrance,
Clap!
Two soldiers aim their spears at the shadows that suddenly appear in front of them.
“Stop!”
“Who are you?!”
The shadow immediately stops in place.
The place where the shadow stopped was the place where the light of the searchlight magic tool that was lit in the Imperial military camp did not reach, the very boundary.
“Reveal your affiliation!”
“…”
No answer comes back.
“If you do not answer, I will attack immediately!”
“…”
The shadow still chooses silence.
Gulp.
While one soldier guards the front, the other soldier raises the luminous magic tool hung on his belt facing forward.
Swoop.
Still, the shadow doesn’t even move.
“Turn on the light.”
A soldier aiming a spear whispers quietly.
Gulp.
After the soldier behind him swallowed,
Click.
Press the switch of the luminous magic tool,
Squeaky.
In the place where the light was shining, there was only the blowing wind.
“Kuaaaaa!”
“Ears, ears, ears, ears, ghosts!”
The two soldiers scream and scramble.
Hearing their screams,
Beep beep!
Beep!
A sharp whistle erupts from a nearby guard post.
Why hey hey hey hey hey!
Why hey hey hey hey hey!
With a sharp beep,
Click, click, click, click!
Papa papapat!
Searchlight magic tools light up all over the place.
A trail of lights lingers around Sawi.
It’s a raid!
Wake up, kids!
Gather after fully dressed up!
There is commotion all over the barracks.
Chuck, Chuck, Chuck, Chuck, Chuck, Chuck!
A support platoon that had been sleeping in the barracks right next to the guard post ran towards the epicenter of the screams, fully armed.
When they arrived, the two soldiers on guard were slumped in their seats, urinating and shaking.
“What’s going on?!”
The platoon commander shouts at the guard.
His face was full of fatigue and irritation.
Judging by the fact that they ran out before even a few tens of seconds had passed, it was clear that they were sleeping while wearing combat uniforms and armor.
“Aren’t you asking what’s going on!”
The platoon commander is annoyed and rolls his eyes.
The emotions felt by the platoon members did not seem to be very different from that of the platoon leader.
“Ears, ears, ears, ears,”
“Sibal… Is that again?”
They didn’t seem to be the first time this had happened.
The faces of some of the soldiers who were full of annoyance from not being able to sleep are stained with sympathy.
They seemed to share the same experience with each other.
“Calm down!”
“Uh, uh…”
The two guards gradually escape from fear.
Nothing was resolved, but the mere fact that there were comrades in the vicinity seemed to comfort the guards somewhat.
“Are their behavior the same as before?”
The platoon commander frowned and asked a question.
The two soldiers nodded their heads hurriedly.
“Nimi…”
Buck buck buck buck.
The platoon commander puts his hand inside his helmet and looks around, scratching his head roughly.
There’s nothing.
No traces left, no clear evidence.
But you can’t ask like this.
It was because the same report was uploaded dozens of times every day, and it was an unending phenomenon.
“Hey. You three.”
“Ancient!”
“Go and report to the upper level as it is, then return.”
“It’s old!”
Chuck, Chuck, Chuck, Chuck.
Three soldiers disappear.
The platoon commander looked around at the remaining platoon members.
“The four of them get them up and wash them. If there are no instructions from the upper level, the rest will be on guard until the shift. Did you understand?”
“Ancient!”
Until they changed their shift, no shadows appeared before them again.
However, as soon as the military camp declared the end of the situation, the lights had to be lit incessantly.
This is because shadows were found all over the guard post, even inside the military camp.
“…”
“Let’s go…”
“Yes…”
The soldiers who stayed up all night are on guard and return to the barracks.
Every time an emergency alert was issued, they had to wake up, so the soldiers on shift were also soaked in fatigue.
Turd, turd, turd, turd.
The Imperial Army always wins.
Except when the opponent is sleepy.
– 2 –
At dawn, under a thicket of trees, several kilometers away from the Imperial military camp.
“Haaaaa…”
The two men and women swayed,
“Kooooo…”
One woman was soundly asleep.
“Monohon. Are you very sleepy?”
“Yes…”
Monohorn answered, half-fazed.
“This ability is … Haaamam … Overnight, too much, huh, I wrote it …”
His head falls
Margarita smiles and supports his collapsing body.
“Great job.”
Yup!
When Margarita kisses him on the cheek, Monohorn smirks and falls asleep.
She lifts her head and looks around, yielding her knee to the drooping Mono Horn.
Woo woo woo woo.
The wind blows by her side.
She looks up at the sky with a happy face.
She shakes her hand and closes her mouth.
The sound of the wind gets louder and louder.
Dump.
Jose sat down with a tired expression.
Beside her, her estrus was supporting her.
“Honey, Estrus-nee has worked hard too.”
They hug each other
“There’s nothing particularly hard about fighting an all-out war. It’s okay, my love.”
“No~♬ After staying with Jose oppa all night~ My heart was beating so fast that I couldn’t stand it~? Maybe~ my pussy got wet~?”
After hearing the two people’s answers, Margarita nodded her head brightly.
Compared to the monohorns, they didn’t seem too tired.
“Then shall we wake up Jesu and go back, my love? We should also rest a little.”
“Yes, honey.”
She turns her head to see Ur Mama beside her.
“Koo-oh… Hmmm-nya…”
She was sleeping soundly in her hammock, which Mono Horn had made of soft stems.
Shake, shake
Rocking, rocking.
As Margarita gently shakes it, Urmama slowly opens her eyes.
“Ahhhhh, everyone is here.”
She raises her head in a hoarse voice.
Soon after, he laughed.
“Are you going home now?”
“Yeah~ Maman did you sleep well~?”
“Yes! I’ll take you home soon!”
Ur Mama wakes up and prepares for her return.
They were slowly driving the Imperial Army into the bog.
– 3 –
“Come on, Cardinal Cass.”
“Yes, Vice Admiral Draft.”
Those who stood at the top of the two groups sat facing each other.
Their expressions were very heavy.
“I’m very sorry that I’ve said it out loud, but I think we’ll have to distribute the Knights Templar to each unit. Let alone march, I don’t know how many days it’s been since we’ve been stranded here.”
“… Actually, I was going to ask for it first. At this rate, I’m afraid I’ll be torn apart before even engaging the enemy.”
“I agree.”
They sigh at the same time.
“However, I want you to know this. The Knights Templar are said to be invincible for their ability to sustain a battle, but that is only when a large number of division-level or higher personnel gather. However, it can never be a fundamental solution. So, if we do not reveal the identity of the ghosts the soldiers are talking about and wipe them out, even the Knights Templar may become incapacitated in the end.”
“… I already know that part. I will do my best to eradicate the ghost story.”
“I believe. I will leave the reorganization of the Templars to you. Can I leave now?”
“Yes.”
Cardinal Cass exits the barracks.
Left alone, Vice Admiral Draft racked his brains to come up with an appropriate countermeasure.
However, the experience and knowledge he gained during his decades of service in the Imperial Army was limited to tactics and strategy against humans.
That’s why it was difficult for him to find an appropriate countermeasure against the ghost.
– 4 –
Around early evening.
Due to the length of the day, the time zone was early evening, but the presence of the sun was no different from daytime.
In the scorching heat of the forest, nine people sit in the crevice of a shady rock and talk quietly.
“Hehe~? Today, a wizard and a shaman were also mobilized~?”
“I see. There are much more diverse types of guards than before. Um… It seems that the Cathedral Knights are also deployed for each barracks. It seems that the soldiers’ fatigue is starting to reach its peak?”
Margarita and Estrus look at each other and share their findings.
Octopoda, who was listening quietly, asked them.
“Has that happened on all fronts?”
“Yes, Octopoda oppa. Even if the imperial army is forced to advance, it seems that they intend to narrow the siege a little more. Since the front line is getting longer, I think they judged that the boundary range was too wide.”
“Utilizing the dummy seems to be getting more and more difficult, Monohorn.”
“I think you’ll still be okay?”
Everyone gathers in front of the map of operations.
Monohorn gestures and draws a line.
“Right now, the spacing between guard posts is about 50m. It’s being operated in 3 shifts. Besides, they’re thinking of narrowing down the spacing more and more to make the guard net tighter. This much here,”
Swoop.
Monohorn’s finger drew a line toward the north from the front line formed by the Imperial forces.
The imperial army’s encirclement was in the form of an arc, and assuming that it was drawn as a complete circle, it moved toward the center of the completed circle to the halfway point.
“If they come this far, the length of the wire they have to be on guard against will be cut in half. Even then, the interval is about 25m, right?”
“… Did Monohorn learn geometry?”
“Ah, it’s just a simple proportion, proportional. I’m not good at geometry because I’m a phoenix.”
“Hmm…”
Octopoda nods his head.
It was because he had heard the word “Supoja” Several times from Monohorn, so he did not know the nuance and exact meaning of the word.
“Anyway, arithmetically, even if the vigilance interval is reduced by half, that’s assuming that the troops remain intact. Will there be no stragglers or deserters during that distance?”
“Ah…”
“I keep waking up several times throughout the night to the point where it’s hard to get out of bed, and I keep hearing ghost stories about ghosts. How do soldiers tired of physical exhaustion and fear refuse to desert? It’s a law that comes out. Maybe the soldiers’ fatigue accumulates, so instead of the 3rd shift, we can turn the alert to the 4th shift. Then, won’t a hole in the guard net end up being pierced?”
“Hmm… There is a point, sister. No matter how elite a military group is, it cannot be invincible in the face of accumulated blood.”
“That’s right, big brother! I think it’s enough to do it after that, using a weapon.”
“In preparation for the fact that additional troops will be dispatched?”
“Yes, Sister Demosi. The current strategy is effective enough, but there is no reason to reveal or exhaust the trump card already.”
Everyone nods.
Monohorn looks back at them with a sinister grin.
“And this can also raise the level. Until now, it appeared silently and disappeared when the soldiers discovered it… Uhhhhh…”
“Hmm… I don’t think it would be difficult for me to physically attack the soldiers like you did.”
“Can’t I just attack? Rather than the regularity of always attacking first, I think the irregularity of not knowing when to attack suddenly will instill greater fear.”
Benison looked back at the Monohorn with a shudder as if he was frightened just by imagining it.
“Monohon is too vicious!”
Hehe… So, who crawls in for a long time?”
Monohorn, however, seemed to enjoy his appraisal.
“Oh, Brother Benison.”
“Yes, Monohorn!”
“How did you go on reconnaissance?”
Monohorn grinned and asked Benison.
He scouted far away alone while the five men, including Monohorn, raided the Imperial army camp.
It was something Margarita could have done, but anyway, they left Benison with the reconnaissance mission.
“Ah… Those bastards are completely crazy…”
It was because the appearances he never wanted to show to his precious companions were too common around the rebel stronghold.
“They were outside the Imperial Army’s encirclement from the beginning.”
“Yes.”
Benison’s tone, unlike usual, contained seriousness before he knew it.
Maybe what was in it was disgust.
“Now they’re turning around the frontier villages on the border of the unexplored lands and are eager to plunder.”
“… I’ll have a look.”
“No, don’t look!”
When Margarita tries to sense it, Benison, freaking out, blocks it.
She opens her eyes wide and freezes.
“Never look!”
His face was very pale.
“I can’t… I can’t, I can’t…”
Benison was trembling.
Judging from his reaction, it was not difficult for everyone to predict the shock he must have received.
“Calm down for now, Benison.”
“Brother Benison, it’s okay. It’s okay.”
“My dear, come quickly.”
Everyone comforts him.
None of them, except Bennison, knew what terrible things the rebels were up to, as he did not inform them specifically.
“It’s just, it’s just that something terrible is going on, that’s all…”
“Okay, okay, honey. I won’t ask anymore. It’s okay. Pop.”
“Oh, don’t cry, Estrus.”
“Do you want to touch Chichi?”
“Yes, yes…”
Jumuluck, Jumuluck.
They all waited until Benison calmed down.
“Benison.”
“Yes, big eyes.”
“Are there many wounded among the residents of the settlement?”
“Oh, um…”
Hearing Ada’s question, Benison rolls his eyes.
He seemed afraid to tell the truth.
“At least they didn’t seem to need my big eyes…”
“Why, ah…”
Ada lowers her head.
She understood Benison’s words.
“No matter how fake the rebels are, they seem to be going too far. Why is that? What is the goal of the Regal?”
Demosi frowned, unable to hide her nervous look.
Her nervousness must have been an emotion stemming from her displeasure at an incomprehensible phenomenon.
“The goal of the rebels would be to achieve the great cause of revolution by gaining the support of the people, but they are as if they would shoulder all the bad karma and take on a stigma, ah…”
“I guess.”
She seemed to realize her mono soul at the same time as her.
“Margarita, you said that Regal transferred command authority to the Imperial Army and went to the rear, right?”
“Huh.”
“Fuck you, you bastard…”
Fast.
Monohorn goes for it.
“Incompetent Imperial forces who did not properly grasp the location of the enemy and left civilians to be slaughtered. An unknown insider who informed the rebels of the Imperial Army’s advance route. Using that information, he ordered the massacre of civilians outside the Imperial Army’s encirclement. A cunning saintess, and a cruel rebel who is hard to bear to open her eyes to. Regal, who has stepped back from all this responsibility. The responsibility must be placed on the imperial army and the imperial faction.”
“Um… Under the current circumstances, such a picture is drawn… But isn’t it over-interpreted, Monohorn?”
“Is there any other interpretation, Brother Octopoda?”
“That…”
Octopoda hesitates.
“Perhaps, Regal intends to highlight the incompetence of the Imperial Army and the Imperial faction. It is intended to shake public opinion in the system or play a joke in front of the Emperor, consequently damaging the image of the Imperial Army leadership, and ultimately trying to seize military power. They may be moving on purpose.”
“… In the process, the imperial army would suffer a lot of casualties, but wouldn’t Regal’s political standing be shaken as well?”
“What do you know? Most of them aren’t the enlisted soldiers you brought. The cubs you brought might also be chaff.”
“That…”
Everyone’s expression changes seriously.
“Even if we don’t seize the military power, even if all the privates we brought are destroyed, there’s nothing to lose as Regal. , That alone makes Regal’s power far superior. As long as they don’t come this far and lose, Regal will have no choice but to take advantage even if they lose.”
“It is so sad and horrifying that there are not enough words to refute…”
Mono Horn strokes his chin.
I’m worried.
“No matter what Regal gains, there’s no way for us to stop it. We don’t want Regal to gain any advantage, so we can’t die. Don’t we, Monohorn?”
“That’s right. That’s what Democy said, but…”
His troubles grow longer.
“Monohon, what are you more worried about?”
“Rebels.”
Monohorn’s worries reached there.
“In this war, we have become the leader of the rebels. But the rebels have been hiding in the vicinity of the frontier village.”
“Yeah. You’re so far away from us anyway, you didn’t even pay attention. But why is that all of a sudden?”
“What is their role?”
“Huh…?”
Everyone looks back at Monohorn with a puzzled expression.
Monohorn’s face hardened.
“It’s as if they’ve already broken through the encirclement. But they’ve returned to the north and haven’t hit the imperial army’s head? Why? It’s really tasty food. A big asshole who only guards the front and leaves the back empty. It’s good to eat. He’s a cute little pig… Why would he be like that…”
Octopoda’s face goes pale.
“Stop, can’t you…?”
Monohorn reflexively looks back at him.
All eyes follow Monohorn to Octopoda’s face.
“I, it seems, the purpose is to march south!”
“If it’s in the south, is it also Jedo Island, brother Poda?”
“What else can you imagine! Countless Imperial troops already stationed throughout the Empire are flocking here! The road to the Isles will be as empty as usual!”
“Ah… Fuck…”
Bang!
Mono Horn slams his fist on the table.
He seemed very resentful of being beaten by Regal in a number fight.
“Those bastards, somehow, left a lot of traces while wandering here and there, and in the end it was a bait. Ha… I can’t believe I didn’t notice this…”
“… Does that mean, in order to keep the imperial army more in the north, you used tens of thousands of rebels to artificially leave traces, Monohorn?”
“I guess so. If the Imperial army advances a little further north from here, it won’t be difficult to hear that the rear is being attacked. It won’t be long until the point where the line they formed breaks communication range. Maybe they’ve already crossed it. But the traces of the rebels stayed around, and we are here too. We have been running out of this way because the imperial army has been scolded to take revenge to take revenge.
Estrus, who had been listening quietly, interjected into him.
“But~ the Imperial Army isn’t even a retard~ Wouldn’t you hear that kind of news when you get food or equipment?”
“Looks like Regal fell to the rear to block that.”
“Oh~?”
“No, honestly, the command authority was taken over by the head of the Imperial Army. From that bastard’s point of view, the rebels wouldn’t be assholes. Why don’t you take it out as a supply line to the rear? If that’s the case, the asshole can block information really naturally.”
“Even if a messenger comes from the island, it’s easy to swipe the hair off~?”
“Yes.”
“Huh~ Fucking bastard is disgusting~”
“Me too.”
The puzzles are gradually coming together.
A countermeasure was needed.
“I don’t think it’s time to just relax and defend.”
“That’s right. It seems impossible to clear up misunderstandings anyway, and the emperor’s faction is out…”
“What if you go and kill only the motherfucking bastard now~?”
Mono Horn is about to nod her head, but Margarita shakes her head.
“I’ve already stepped out.”
“Wow… Then, who’s in the place where there should be an asshole right now?”
“I think it’s a double… Yes. It’s a double. Maybe it’s because it was brainwashed so hard that no one around me feels out of place.”
“Sir, I have nothing to say, really…”
Buck buck buck buck.
Mono Horn scratches her head.
“Fucking bastard, I’m sure you’re not going to step out forever.”
“That’s right. Arbitrarily retreating from the enemy is the same as deserting.”
“Obviously, there must be some plan, but I think I’ll have to prepare for that a little later. First of all, I’ll have to think about all the bastards over there.”
Jose quietly listens to the conversation between Demosi and Monohorn, then opens his mouth in a low voice.
“No matter what Regal has, why don’t we just focus on defense as originally planned, sister? If we succeed in annihilating the Imperial Army, wouldn’t we do something good only for Regal, as you said?”
“It’s because of two problems, brother.”
“What is it?”
“First, the imperial faction behind the Imperial Army is our enemy after all, so we have to get rid of them anyway. Second, if we preserve the enemy’s power, it’s because we won’t be able to handle the Regal’s schemes later.”
Jose strokes his chin.
He seemed to feel the inadequacy of Monohorn’s answer.
“Hmm… I can understand the first reason, but I don’t quite understand the second reason. Can you explain in detail?”
Monohorn shook his head.
“I’m just anxious. I don’t know what to say because it’s really a feeling.”
Jose looked at it and smiled.
“If it’s my brother’s intuition, I’ll believe that my brother’s survival instinct was triggered.”
“Huh~ Our Monohorn survival instinct~ recognizes this Estrus~?”
Estrus seemed to agree with that.
Others nod their heads.
“It’s good. Even if it’s different from what I expected, I won’t blame my sister, so let’s do our best together.”
A nightmare hangs over the imperial army.