The doctrine of the Western Wyvern Knight Order is fundamentally combined arms.
When the Wyvern Unit with overwhelming shock power sweeps away the enemy formation, the Infantry moves in before the enemy can recover and collapses them.
As such, the Wyvern Unit and the infantry units travel with a slight distance between them.
In other words, it means it is difficult to annihilate the Wyvern Unit and the infantry at once.
Because no sane person would charge bare-handed while Wyverns are being torn apart by Anti-Air Guns right before their eyes.
"If we keep the current deployment, by the time the Wyvern Unit is completely shredded by the Anti-Air Guns, the infantry will already have fled."
And I did not like that ending.
If we are going to strike, we need to crush them decisively in one blow, because the West will feel far stronger pressure.
"So, let's ambush two Anti-Air Artillery platoons and four Anti-Air Guns on this low hill."
I said, pointing to the map of Sarsen spread across the center of the command room table.
The port we had captured was a natural fortress built between mountain ranges.
Once you entered Sarsen Port, there were only three paths: leave through the entrance you came in, go out to sea, or come to the South.
But the path coming to the South is blocked by our Anti-Air Artillery unit, right?
The sea? If bare infantry jump into the sea, they will only become fish food.
If the entrance is also blocked by two Anti-Air Artillery platoons, they will be completely isolated.
"If that happens, we will certainly be able to surround the enemy perfectly, but... if we subtract two platoons, the number of infantry defending the Sarsen front drops to 230. I am worried whether they can withstand the shock of the enemy infantry unit."
The staff officers' worry was understandable to some extent.
In this world, there had never yet been a battle between an army armed with guns and an ordinary infantry unit.
"To make the encirclement succeed, the Anti-Air Artillery unit serving as the anvil must endure the shock. Whether that is truly possible..."
It was an obvious point, but it was not as if I had no thoughts on it.
For one, the West cannot mobilize a large-scale force.
If they mobilize too many troops at once, the movement of supplies and troops becomes obvious. Their war preparations would be exposed as they are.
Therefore, the limit the West can commit while wanting to hide its preparations is a few thousand.
And how a battle between a fully equipped artillery unit and soldiers holding spears and swords proceeds had been shown by the colonial empires of Europe.
"Don't worry. A-01 will be more than capable of handling it."
In the sky, the invincible Wyvern Knight Order turns into pieces of meat, and on the ground, shells pour down.
Even a modern person of the 21st century would be thrown into confusion; it did not seem likely that medieval infantry could keep their heads.
So my interest was somewhere a little different.
"After you gain the upper hand with an initial bombardment against the infantry, try to take as many surrenders as possible."
"Surrender... you mean?"
"Yes."
Factories of the Industrial Revolution era are monsters that devour manpower. To keep the engine of Economic Growth running, labor had to be endlessly fed into it.
Even without that, we were short on manpower to put into the army.
There is no better labor resource than Western prisoners who come for free.
"We will try to take as many surrenders as possible."
"Yes. It is not mandatory, so do not push too hard. If they try to hold out to the end, sweep them all away."
The operational meeting held just before the talks ended that way.
All that remained was to wait for the result at the conference hall.
***
Irestopol, a neutral ground and trade hub between the West and the South, was an unusual city.
An island in the middle of international waters that sat exactly on the sea boundary between the West and the South. Because it was a place where people from both regions gathered, its architectural style was unusual as well.
However, I had not come to admire the new architectural style.
Before I could enjoy any leisure, a telegram arrived.
"Your Grace, it is a telegram from the Anti-Air Artillery unit in Sarsen."
"Ah, thank you. Lucilla."
[ The number of reconnaissance Wyverns detected by Radar has increased ]
[ Forces appear to be gathering ]
[ High probability that an attack will begin by the end of today ]
All the evidence foretold an imminent Western Army raid on Sarsen.
"What about the Anti-Air Artillery deployment?"
"It is all finished, they say. The moment the enemy is discovered, we can annihilate them."
"Good. Now... all that remains is to see that scoundrel Charles's shameless face."
Charles Raymonds.
What kind of expression will that despicable, muscle-brained punk make when he hears his army has been annihilated?
Just thinking about it already brings a smile to my face.
"It is about time to enter. The talks will begin in 10 minutes."
"Ah, thank you for letting me know."
Guided by the butler, I headed to the place prepared for the talks.
The outdoor conference hall was already full of people.
However, no knights or mages were visible.
Irestopol is the central point between the West and the South.
It is within the territory of the Empire, but under the jurisdiction of neither side. In such cases, the region naturally falls under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Family.
And one cannot simply bring one's own army into the Imperial Family's jurisdiction without any notice.
Neither our side nor Charles's side could bring soldiers.
That was also why this place had been chosen for the talks.
Because it was a place where both sides could speak comfortably without fear of being stabbed in the back.
"Where is the Western Grand Duke?"
"He is seated and waiting."
When I turned my gaze toward the conference hall after hearing the butler, I saw the Western Grand Duke, Charles Raymonds, already seated there.
His appearance closely matched the description in the novel.
'Red long hair and blood-red eyes. A man like a mad dog that cannot be controlled.'
Befitting that description, the clothes he wore were not a suit or uniform but ordinary everyday clothes.
At a conference hall opened supposedly to seek peace, Charles himself looked as if he had no intention of talking at all.
As expected, the talks proceeded as predicted.
"Withdraw from the Sarsen region."
When the West's aides said that:
"Then admit that your side violated the Sarsen-Lutetia Treaty and pay compensation accordingly."
Our side's aide answered that way.
"No, was it not your side that destroyed the Sarsen Fortress? I do not understand what kind of nerve makes you demand compensation after destroying the fortress."
"Do you even know who has been extorting tolls for the past three years and still say that?"
In the end, in the heated conference hall, personal attacks began to be exchanged.
The West, having lost its temper, spoke first.
"To forget completely that we have protected the South for decades and act like this, I suppose it is true that Southerners are cold-blooded people who will sell anything for money."
"Hah, you have not touched the Southern pirates for the past ten years, so I do not understand from whom exactly you claim to have protected us."
From the start, neither the West nor our side had come to negotiate.
In the middle of it all, Charles only sat with his arms crossed.
It seemed he wanted to stall for time.
In order to launch a surprise attack on an unprepared army while our command was gathered here.
But what a shame. It will not go as he wants.
"Pfft."
As I let out a smirk while thinking that, Charles's brow twitched.
"What, is there a problem?"
The answer came immediately.
Charles was the kind of man who could not fix his hot-blooded personality until he was completely enchanted by the Heroine.
Holding back without saying a word for a full hour was impressive. It seemed his patience was beginning to reach its limit.
"No, nothing. I just thought you seem to have a lot on your mind for someone who wrote in his letter that he wanted peace."
"..."
"Like someone with some other cowardly intention?"
The reaction was immediate.
Charles, who until then had only sat quietly with his arms crossed, suddenly began radiating pressure.
"Hey, you fool."
In that instant, the conference hall went completely silent.
Even if he had been driven out of his position, he was still a fellow Grand Duke, so no one had thought he would call such a person a fool.
"A man who was chased out for pestering a woman, do you think you have actually become something because people around you say 'Your Grace, Your Grace'?"
Just what was he trying to say?
Curious, I kept listening, and he raised his voice.
"Do not misunderstand. Just because you are treated like a king by the lowlifes buried in a corner of the South who do nothing but lend money at interest, it does not mean you can hide your lowly past."
Bang-!
Charles irritably threw a fist-sized Crystal Orb onto the table.
Mana burst from the Crystal Orb after it flickered for a moment, and it created a large screen in the air.
What that screen showed was Sarsen Port.
Three Wyvern Knight Orders and soldiers amounting to 5,000 were gathered before it.
They were marching proudly through a narrow passage between hills. Their momentum alone was quite impressive.
"Watch your ridiculous toy soldiers be crushed by our elite knight order with your own eyes, then realize your place once more before we talk."
Charles also seemed to feel his army's momentum.
In his voice proudly declaring victory, not a single worry about defeat could be felt.
"Do not worry. I ordered them not to let a single one live and to kill as cruelly as possible."
A sadistic smile rose on Charles's face.
Looking at him so triumphant, I answered indifferently.
"Hmm, the ones who should be worried right now are not me, but your soldiers. Charles Raymonds."
"What?"
"Because the ones who will be annihilated today at Sarsen will be your Wyvern Knight Order."
The moment my words ended, the sixteen Anti-Air Guns aimed at the sky all fired at once.