I was in the middle of a quiet tea party with my superior officer.
"The aroma's on par with a second-class Dilimo blend... but the aftertaste is awfully rough on the throat," said Brigade Commander Lieutenant Colonel Althea, calmly critiquing the tea.
Honestly, I couldn't tell one tea from another. Ever since I reincarnated into this world, my sense of taste and smell felt duller than before. Maybe it was the Empire's poor food culture. Or maybe it was just me.
Well, whatever. More pressing matters were at hand—like the distant thunder of artillery shells landing near the fort. Something was definitely flying overhead.
"Being able to boil water out here is already a blessing," I said. "The battlefield's a cleaner, comfier place than the back alleys of my old town."
And that wasn't just bravado. Being a soldier, even a low-ranking one, guaranteed basic necessities. Officers had it even better. Honestly, life here was far safer and more stable than my childhood on the streets.
Althea gave a wry smile. "Impressive resolve. Even under a rain of bullets?"
Right as she spoke, shells exploded in the distance, shaking the earth. Yet the 'Grim Reaper's Scythe'—our nickname for the fort's deadly long-range cannon—remained silent.
I took another sip of the cheap tea and smiled calmly. "It's not raining just yet. No need for umbrellas."
"I see," she replied, just as another shell landed farther off.
"But seriously, Your Excellency... is it really safe for you to be here?" I asked.
"If it weren't safe, you wouldn't be here either, would you?" she said without hesitation.
Well... she had a point. In truth, staying close to her was probably the safest place I could be.
Althea gave me a sidelong glance, her tone dry but steady. "No matter where I stand, if the odds are the same, I'll give it my all. If soldiers see their commander drinking tea under fire, it gives them courage."
"That's how it is, huh?" I muttered.
I'm not some selfless hero. I'm a pragmatic survivor. Picking moments like these to earn favor is just common sense to someone like me.
But Hannah, standing nearby, didn't see it that way. Her large frame trembled as she glanced up at the sky.
"Um, maybe... maybe we should move somewhere safer?" she asked nervously.
"If such a place existed, I'd go there too..." I replied.
A direct hit from a fortress shell could bring this whole structure down. Indoors wasn't exactly safe either.
Seeing Hannah still shaking, I offered a light comment to ease her nerves. "Don't worry too much. The battlefield's full of surprises."
Trying to plan everything perfectly would just wear you out. A bit of boldness was sometimes necessary... or at least, that's what I wanted to believe.
Then it happened.
A thunderous explosion erupted from Godo Fort, shaking the ground. The tea rippled violently in my cup. Stone walls cracked and collapsed, fire burst out of the gunports and windows. A full-blown disaster.
Fragments of who-knows-what were launched skyward, some of it flying toward us. Something struck the brim of my cap.
"Whoa!?" I gasped as Hannah flinched beside me.
"What was that!?" she shouted.
Honestly, I wanted to ask the same thing. But panicking wouldn't help. I took a calm sip of tea and said, "See?"
"D-Don't tell me... that explosion, was it... the Second Lieutenant's doing!?" she stammered.
"There's no way," I said, shaking my head. I raised the telescope and scanned the damage at Godo Fort.
"The whole area around the gunports is in shambles. That wasn't external fire—probably an ammunition explosion."
It's not impossible. Cannons are fired by igniting powder. If that powder isn't managed right, accidents like this happen. Not that I'm sure it was just that.
From what I could see, the fortress's main battery had gone silent. Probably nothing but charred corpses inside now. Their artillery had been effectively neutralized.
Even I hadn't expected this turn of events. But now I understood why the 'Grim Reaper's Scythe' hadn't moved—it was already silenced.
I stood up and adjusted my cap. "Break time's over. Let's get moving."
"Y-Yes, sir! But... what exactly does this mean?" Hannah asked, saluting, her face full of confusion.
Althea answered instead, her voice sharp. "If they've lost artillery support, the enemy will have no choice but to send infantry. There's no other way to retake the fort."
Exactly. It was her first battle, but Althea had clearly studied her manuals thoroughly. A true noble.
I nodded and turned to her. "We should assess the damage and prepare our defenses immediately."
"Understood," she said. "Tell me what I should be on guard for."
I wished I could fully rely on the military knowledge from my previous life. But I had only seen a handful of siege battles since reincarnation, and even those hadn't offered much insight.
"Maintain confidence at all costs. If morale breaks, it'll turn into a bloodbath. No one can run from that."
"Hard to stay confident without any guarantee of reinforcements," she muttered with a slight smile. "But fine. I'll do what I can."
Althea donned her coat and adjusted her cap with a flick, adding a playful grin as she turned to Hannah. "First squad, guard the defensive tower's gun slits. Second squad, scout along the outer walls. We'll show them that we're not just pretty decorations."
"Understood!" Hannah replied with a strong voice.
And then there was me. I wasn't in command of the infantry. I was just the Brigade Commander's advisor. I'd probably be free once the fighting began.
As I was thinking that, Althea slid closer.
"Stay by my side," she said. "I'll need your advice."
"Yes, ma'am," I replied.
Right. I was getting distracted. Focus.
Then she lowered her voice. "If I start acting strange, let me know. I'm forcing myself to stay composed."
She was trembling ever so slightly. Seeing her like that—so human—I couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Haha."
"Don't laugh," she muttered with a glare. Not truly angry—just embarrassed.
"My apologies," I said, smiling.
This boss of mine... she's kind of cute.
Alright. I'll support her as much as I can.
* * *
With the fortress guns silent, a tense calm settled around Zephyr Fort.
But not for long. I could sense movement from the enemy lines. Shapes flickered between trees, and the bushes shifted unnaturally.
They were coming. Just as expected. That mountain path was too narrow for heavy weapons. They'd be sending light infantry ahead.
I confirmed the positions of the first and second squads and began issuing orders.
First, to the first squad.
"That gun slit used to be an arrow slit. It's tall and narrow. Whatever you do, don't stand up in front of it."
Its design, optimized for archery, was deceptively similar to a proper gun port—but not quite the same. One careless move could get someone's head blown off.
"One more thing—stick to the shooter-loader formation. If your shooter gets taken out, have someone from second squad take over."
The formation was simple: one shooter, two loaders. The shooter rotated through three rifles while the loaders prepped them. The result was rapid, continuous fire. A kind of "triple-shot" rhythm.
It was nothing revolutionary. This world, just like my old one, had naturally arrived at the same tactics once muskets were in play.
I dashed up the stairs to second squad's position, where I took a more direct tone.
"Everyone, fix bayonets," I ordered. "The enemy is scaling the walls under cover. Use your bayonets to push them back. No hesitation—drive them off!"
They were still ordinary people deep down, unaccustomed to killing at such close range. In melee, that hesitation could get them killed.
I had to be ready for that, too.
"Captain Midona," I said, turning to her, "if any soldiers freeze up, pull them back. They can assist as loaders for first squad."
"Understood," Midona replied, giving a tight, determined salute. She had once served as Althea's maid, but her eyes were those of a soldier now.
Then, from the treeline at the base of the mountain near Godo Fort, flickers of movement emerged.
They were coming.
Notes:
• Althea - Colonel Althea Medelin. Female. Brigade Commander of the 6th Special Task Brigade. Young woman in her twenties with long black hair. Noble from the Medelin family, a rival to the Litreille clan. Professional and disciplined, yet approachable. Holds a high rank despite her age, indicating exceptional ability. Relationship: Superior to Euner Krombelts, welcomes him to the brigade.
• Hannah - Hannah Heiden. Female. A Corporal in the 6th Special Task Brigade. Her appearance is tall with broad shoulders and a reverse triangle athletic build. She has a confident and assertive demeanor. Her relationship with Second Lieutenant Krombelts is initially formal but becomes more respectful after recognizing his rank. She is strong and capable, easily carrying heavy luggage.
• Godo Fort - A stronghold located on a mountain peak, west of Zephyr Fort. It serves as a border guard base and has the capability to provide fierce bombardment in case of an attack. Located in the Empire.
• Zephyr Fort - A rear outlying castle located in the border region. It is part of a network of fortresses designed to prevent enemy encirclement. The brigade is deployed here to reinforce its defenses. Securing a 'hotel' for accommodation was a significant achievement, given the challenges of field camping.
• Midona - Female. A platoon leader and former servant of the Medelin Family. Her appearance is modest, with a quiet and observant demeanor. She has a history with Althea, which adds a layer of familiarity to their interactions. She is curious and eager to learn, as shown by her questions during the briefing.