The enemy scout unit that conducted the reconnaissance never came back again. We posted guards even during the night, wary of an attack.
I'm going to double-check the fort's structure while I still can.
"I see..." I murmured, rubbing the side of the defensive tower with another stone in hand. After a few seconds, I nodded to myself.
That settles it.
"What are you doing?" Hannah's voice reached me as she passed by, her eyes filled with confusion.
"This tower's stone is a different color from the rest," I said, holding up the stone for comparison. "The way it's stacked, the spacing—it's all off. It must've been built long after the other parts of the fort."
Mildor Territory was all mountains. Stones were everywhere. For a fort this size, you wouldn't need to go far to get building materials. But the color difference here... it wasn't something you'd overlook.
"Also, the defensive tower doesn't seem to be sharing any structural load with the walls. The arrow slits are spaced evenly on both the outer and inner walls, which is odd. That means it was probably built as a standalone structure first."
"I see... really?" Hannah tilted her head, still looking unsure.
I gave a small, wry smile. "Thinking is my job, so don't sweat it. Corporal, take a break. Once the fighting starts, the platoon leader's going to be busy."
A bit of insurance, nothing more. I'll run this by the Lieutenant Colonels later.
* * *
Before dawn, someone shook me awake.
"Staff Officer! Staff Officer!"
"Mmm...? Huh...?"
"Why are you answering so cutely!? Wake up! The enemy's here!"
"Myo?!"
I shot up and saluted on instinct. "Y-Yes, sir!"
The girl burst out laughing. A brilliant display of dignity, that was.
I hurriedly shoved my bedhead under my cap and pulled on my jacket. My head was still foggy, but I was waking up.
"Give me the report."
"Enemy movement spotted on the east side. Not sure how many, but it's not a small group."
Of course they'd come from the east.
That side didn't have a defensive tower. The structure was much weaker than the west. Gunports, yes. But no cannon openings. And the eastern wall—being the narrow end of the oval—had almost no ports facing that way.
"Any signs of movement elsewhere?"
"Faint signs on the west and north. Nothing clear yet."
So we're getting surrounded. They're not playing around.
That much was enough for me to move. I stepped out of the tent and asked the soldier following behind.
"How are our allies moving?"
"They're following Staff Officer's instructions exactly."
"Good."
I climbed up the castle wall and raised my binoculars toward the east. The sky was beginning to lighten. In the gray-blue dawn, I saw the enemy.
Three hundred... maybe six hundred. Not a thousand, I think.
They were keeping a cautious distance—about five hundred meters out. Probably wary of our cannons.
Thankfully, they didn't bring their own. If they had, we'd be in serious trouble. It's not easy to move artillery overnight, but that doesn't mean they don't have any.
Brugge's army had cannons. Even mountain troops carried small shoulder-fired models. If they aimed those at our weak points, it could get ugly fast.
"Did Second Lieutenant arrive yet?" a voice called behind me.
I turned to find a small-framed figure wrapped in layers of fluff—Lieutenant Colonel Althea. Her smile was calm, almost too calm.
"Good morning. It's quite cold today," she said with an easy grace that didn't match her childlike appearance.
I tried to respond in kind. "Yes, it is. The enemy soldiers must be freezing too. Maybe we should warm them up."
"Haha!" she laughed, but a moment later her shoulders tensed and she whispered, "Honestly... I'm scared."
"So am I," I replied.
No one could stay calm with a battle about to begin.
We shared a quiet smile, broken by the approach of Midona Corporal, the Second Platoon Leader.
"My lady, all subunits have taken position. Defense reports no issues."
"Good. But call me Lieutenant Colonel," Althea replied with a sigh.
"My apologies."
Midona smirked. She used to be Althea's nursemaid and still treated her like a child. The Lieutenant Colonel tried to keep a blank expression, but her cheeks were tinged red.
"Second Lieutenant, any other tasks for us?"
"No. The enemy isn't moving yet, and for now, our biggest threat is fatigue. Even if your mind stays alert, try to let your body rest."
Siege warfare was brutal even without fighting. Just waiting wore you down. Rest was essential.
I gave Althea a soft smile, hoping it would help ease the pressure.
"I can't share everything... but if it comes to the worst, surrender or negotiation is an option. There's no need to cling to a hopeless stand."
Modern warfare had rules. Not every battle had to end in total destruction—though that was still common.
Althea chuckled quietly. "Thank you, Second Lieutenant. I'll head to the defensive tower. You're going to the east wall?"
"Captain Dumble is there. If the commander's on that side, someone from our brigade has to be with him."
I didn't have troops under my command, so I chose to assist where I was most needed.
One last thing came to mind.
"For enemies who stay at range, warning shots are fine. Don't waste ammo by forcing fights. If we run out, we're finished."
The enemy was scary, yes—but running dry was worse. Once we had no rounds left, there'd be no next move.
Althea looked straight at me and smiled.
"Don't die yet, okay?"
"I'll do my best," I said.
But there were no promises in war.
* * *
I reached the east wall and stood beside Captain Dumble.
"Oh, you came, Second Lieutenant Krombelts."
"I did."
"We managed to move one cannon last night. It's the only one that can fire directly."
The defensive tower held five cannons, but the walls blocked line of sight. They could only fire in high arcs. Once the enemy got close, even that wouldn't work.
This cannon on the wall—its angle was terrible. There were no proper gunports. If the enemy rushed us, we couldn't fire it at all.
"Only one, huh? And the angle's bad too."
"Yeah. But we had no other place to set it. At least the artillerymen here are all handpicked heroes."
In other words, they were the only ones crazy enough for the job.
"What about the infantry guarding this area?"
"They're eager. You'll see."
I hoped that was true.
Just before sunrise, the enemy began to move.
Drums and pipes echoed across the fields—the Brugge Army's march. I didn't recognize the tune, but it sounded better than the Agan Army's.
The infantry came in waves, marching toward the wall. The morning sun behind them cast long, shifting shadows.
"They're here..." one of the cannon crew muttered. Someone else swallowed hard.
I leaned against the parapet, tugging my cap low over my eyes.
"Shall we begin, Captain?"
"Yes. Gentlemen, let's show these Brugge countryfolk what real war looks like."
Captain Dumble raised his saber and calmly gave the order.
"Target, enemy's left rear column. Commence bombardment."
The cannon fired with a deafening roar.
Notes:
• 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.
• Brugge - A neighboring territory with mountain troops that pose a threat to the border. The enemy's strength and intentions are unknown, but they are the primary target of the brigade's deployment. The border with Brugge is a contested area where hundreds of lives are lost for minor territorial gains.
• 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.
• 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.
• Dumble - Male. Garrison commander of Zephyr Fortress. Experienced and cautious. Wears standard officer attire. Initially skeptical of the 6th Special Task Brigade but is persuaded by Euner's demonstration. Becomes more cooperative afterward.