Maou No Utsuwa

As Kamui thought, the Empire had changed dramatically only in military terms. Bad for the Republic, in a good direction for the Empire.

Beck Military Advisor convened a brilliant veteran he knew and created an advisory panel. It's not an encroachment on Oscar's authority, it's an organization to help.

Furthermore, in Oscar's hope, he merged that advisory group with the Imperial Knights staff organization and the military junta to create a new organization. To help with the experience and knowledge of the advisory group from the operational planning stage.

Imperial Knights Integrated Operations Headquarters. This was the name of the new organization, which became the supreme decision-making body in the military aspect of the Empire.

The current top priority of this integrated operational headquarters is to consider operations against the Republic of Arten Kreutz. For this reason, meetings are held every day for a long time.

"We are having difficulty gathering information in surrounding areas as well as amphang"

My people in charge of information management have been making bad reports.

"... a demon clan?

Intelligence gathering is the role of intelligence. If anything happens to those who inhibit its activity, all I can think about is the demonic tribe of the Republic.

"I can't even grasp that situation."

"If that's the case, you're definitely a Demon. Instruct Intelligence to pull up the Interceptor. Even if we can't, we'll just wipe it out."

The number of intermediates is just small. Even before the Republic was founded, the Demons had wiped out quite a few of them.

This situation is the same as it was then. If you send in an interlocutor to find Amphang, the number of interlocutors will only decrease as much as you send them.

"Don't use your nasty hands. I didn't know you wouldn't let me grasp that in a situation where I needed information more than anything."

Military Advisor Beck is new to this republican M.O.

"You can't beat the Republic in an intelligence war."

"But the loss of that intelligence war can also lead to the loss of the war."

"I know. I know, but I can't think of a countermeasure."

Whether in secrecy or individual combat abilities, Imperial Intermen have no teeth against the Demons.

"Do we have to do a power reconnaissance? But to do so, we must advance the army."

If you can't do it between us, we'll have to pick up the information with the army scouts. The information available is better than not limited. But to do that, we need to get the army to Amphang. In a situation where the operation has not yet been consolidated either.

"If you take the time and try to get ready, you'll hit me with a hand that won't allow it. That's who they are."

"It doesn't matter if you're a Demon or not, you're a troublesome opponent."

"Yes. And not one hand to hit. An arrow-like reminder has come from Uncle North."

"Is that a Republic measure?

"... Indeed"

The northern ambassador asks us every day when we are going to take back the ampung. They took my castle, naturally, but sending troops under circumstances that don't come with a winnable formula only adds to the sacrifice.

"But I'm sure they're buying time."

Even after taking the ampoule, the republic kept it secret for a while. That made the Imperial Army once, the Northern Belgian realm headed east, even on the Northern Belgian realm. Along the way, he learns of the fact that Amphang was taken and stops marching. He's playing a doozy when he assembles his army to work out an offensive operation.

"If we head straight to Amphang, did we have a winning chance?

"... I don't know. I can't help but think about it."

"Yes. I think so myself. We just have to do what we think is best."

"Right. You still haven't heard back from your western uncle?

Beck, military adviser, turned his head back to considering the operation.

He said the western frontier is suspicious.

"It's not unlikely..."

"First of all, there isn't. Even if all the Western Border Lords revolt, the Western Belgian army alone should be able to fight each other. In other words, the Lords of the West Side will rise to an unbeaten rebellion."

"If it had been a few years ago, we might have had a self-destructive rebellion, but not now."

The Empire is havoc. Many of them are independent in the east and successful in the south. In such a situation, on the contrary, there will be no insurgency with few eyes of success. There must be a better opportunity ahead of us.

"What are you thinking?

"You're sure it's not a busy thing. If you can't expect a western uncle to join the ranks... how far is the Northern uncle army going?

The northern ambassador has gathered troops for the repression of the northern border territories and troops of subordinate aristocrats. To concentrate your power on taking back Amphang.

"That's not unexpected either."

"Why?

"Troops headed for repression seem to be at their best because, in addition to repression, they prevent intrusion into northern Bertian territory. If you are a subordinate aristocrat..."

Oscar gets his words clogged. Oscar understands the importance of subordinate nobility trends.

"No way, you're not moving!?

Beck, military adviser gives a surprise voice. Military Advisor Beck understands the seriousness of the matter. The subordinate aristocracy hangs the empire and republic on the balance. If this happens that the balance leans heavily on the republic, the subordinate aristocrats will flow to the republic at once.

"I was wondering if Therese's letter was affecting him"

"It's..., if that's the case, noble upset won't be over just in the northern realm, right?

Thereis recognising the Republic. This gives the aristocrats a pretext to scold the republic. The pretext is not to obey the Republic, but to serve the Therays.

If this idea spreads, the empire will crack. The battle for the inheritance of the Empire may also arise. It's also a tragic feud this time, until you stop one of the roots of your breath.

In fact, this is unlikely to happen. Because I have no intention of succeeding the Empire to Therays. But many do not know that. Conversely, Therese, with the help of the Republic, would have an overwhelming majority of recipients if they were seeking to restore their rights.

Both Oscar and Beck military advisers think this way.

"Before the war, we are totally losing out on political tactics. In this situation, we have to find a way to win."

Not only the subordinate nobility of the North, but also the central nobility do not know when to betray the Empire. In this situation, we cannot possibly be able to concentrate on a war with the Republic.

"... can I be honest?

"Go ahead."

"I'm not sure"

"Me too. If anyone in this situation can win the empire, it will only be Kamui."

It's a rare intense irony for an Oscar. Oscar says it's a mistake to let go of Kamui and make him an enemy.

"... what are we going to do?

"I will fight. Because that's my role as head of the Imperial Knights."

The imperial army organization is headed in a good direction. But it was too late. The difference with the Republic is shrinking before we know it, and we have come to a point where we pull back on one trigger.

Think about it, and this is the conclusion Oscar arrived at. Still, Oscar won't stop fighting. That's because you're going to deny your way of life.

"Right...... Killing Kamui Kreutz. We're gonna have to put everything on this."

"I know."

The only way to reverse a shot is to kill Kamui. No matter how difficult it was, even if the Knights of the Empire were to be wiped out, the only way to protect the Empire from the Republic was to do it.

Even if you lose your strength to resist the kingdom of Ruthua.

The Knights of the Empire, led by Oscar, will go to a desperate battle. Win or lose, it could be a battle that leads to the demise of the Empire.

◇ ◇ ◇

The Imperial Army has assembled 60,000 troops to recapture the Anphang. This is still the result of gathering as much as we can. No western uncle joining forces in the end. The southern ambassadors can't join the ranks or anything, and the eastern ambassadors don't have any. As for Uncle Oriental, he probably would have joined the ranks if he called, but he did not have the courage to do so in the centre of the Empire. I was afraid of betrayal.

And the only northern ambassador to join the ranks remains 10,000 with little increase. Quadripartite uncle, the shield that protects the four quarters of the Empire, has lost his ability to do so.

In it, the central aristocracy sent out quite a few troops, the total number of which was thirty thousand. Adding 30,000 of the Imperial Knights to this was the formation of the Retrieval Army.

The Republican Army intercepting it had, unexpectedly for the Imperial Army, left Amphang to form a formation.

However, even if you leave the castle and form a formation, trenches are dug all over the position, like the eyes of a net, and a seemingly robust fence is erected. Just looking at it, it was a complex and vast position that I could not understand very well, such as the full extent.

"You're hit."

"Yeah. I was thinking about the possibility that I was hitting my hand, but I didn't know it would take me long to get this far"

Naturally, the Empire knows Amphang well. Hard place to attack and vice versa. Using that knowledge, the empire's thoughts about attacking Amphang were unwittingly removed.

"Still, I'd like to think it's better than a castle attack."

"Where should I attack from? I get anxious because I feel like some kind of trap is being set up."

"First, do you want to come by slowly? It's like a power recon."

"Right. Just looking at it, I don't know anything."

Five thousand of the central noblemen advance towards the position of the Republic. It's a slow march so the formation doesn't mess up while we check the perimeter.

A little further ahead of the army, Oscar stares down from the main force. I'm trying to see if there's any movement in the Republican Army position. I can't see any movement in the Republican Army so far when they say they're already close to the front of the position.

I was anxious that Oscar would reject it. And this anxiety meddles.

"Arrows! An arrow was released from the castle!

A scream that no one knows belongs to echoes through the main formation.

If I reacted to that voice and turned my gaze slightly upwards, I could see a lot of black shadows spreading across the universe.

"Are you flying over that distance?

From the outer wall of the castle to the edge of the position, there is a considerable distance. It's a distance that I don't expect to reach with a bow and arrow. But the arrow flew that distance and poured over the head of the Imperial Army, which approached the position.

The soldiers are holding their shields overhead to prevent the arrows.

"... what?

But there was no way the republican army would have made such a sweet attack. Arrows were also released from the position, from close range, towards the Imperial Army, which raised its shield overhead to prevent arrows from coming from the sky.

Soldiers who are shot with arrows at their empty bodies and fall.

That's not all. A republican army horseback riding unit, which appeared as if it had gushed from the ground, stormed the Imperial Army from the side.

"Get the horseback squad out! Help us retreat!

The order flies from the main unit. Beck, it's military adviser. Forward troops are in havoc. It's an order that you don't think it's going to bring down 5,000 troops all of a sudden.

It is the right decision. Unless the enemy is a republican army.

Towards the front line were five thousand horseback rides of the Imperial Knights. Because the enemy's horseback squad is about a thousand, it has given five times as many.

But five times as many allies are defeated one after another by the Republican army. The awesome part of it is the man swinging a horse-slashing knife that knows its size well, even from the main unit off the front line.

"... Lutz!?

Oscar found out the man was Lutz. And even one end of Lutz's real strength.

"Lord Beck! Get the whole army in front! Five thousand horses is not enough!

"Ah, oh! Twenty-first to thirty! Forty-six to sixty! Get out front!

Beck's military adviser, who was appalled by the awesomeness of the Republican Army, returned to me with Oscar's voice, hastily giving instructions.

A team of thousands. Send 10,000 of the Imperial Knights, 15,000 of the nobleman army to the front line. The republican army that saw it stopped fighting and dived into the ground.

That concludes the first battle. It ended with the victory of the republican army.

◇ ◇ ◇

From the commanders and soldiers returning from the front line, after listening to the whole story, military adviser Beck and other members of the integrated operational headquarters returned to the tent where they are headquartered.

"Do you understand the situation?

Oscar asks military adviser Beck about the situation quickly.

"I haven't finished rubbing the conversation with everyone yet, but mostly."

Members of the Integrated Operational Headquarters were listening individually from commanders and soldiers. To get a little information from a lot of people.

"As far as I know now, fine, so please explain."

"Oh. It was still impossible to grasp the full extent of the republican position. But I only found that it was made with a lot of thought."

"Specifically?

"There are a lot of blind spots anyway. Many soldiers, blocked from sight by the fence of the position, did not seem to notice the arrival of the arrows. The same goes for arrows from the front. He said all of a sudden only the arrows seemed to have flown in."

"Really? Horseback riding, from where?

A horseback riding squad that seemed to gush from the ground and dive into the ground. I'm pretty sure there's some trick to that, too.

"It's a simple trick. I think he went up and down by giving a plate or something diagonally to the deep digger. If you take it off, you can go down, but you can't go up."

"So it's possible to get out of here, right?

"I don't really recommend it. From here, we can see the twists and turns in complexity. Even if you go down there, there are many dead spots."

"Is it like going to a missouri trap?"

"We need to explore the offensive. Expecting inadequacies in positions may be a good story for bugs, but still, there's got to be somewhere easy to attack."

"Doesn't it take quite a few days?

Until now, the passage of time has sided with the Republic. Here again, Oscar wonders if it would be good to give the Republic time.

"The passage of time on the battlefield should work against the side of the cage. Besides, we need to be ready to attack that position."

"Is it a siege weapon?

"That's not all. A board that passes over the wax. It's a sturdy thing for many to cross. We also need to gather dirt to fill it. If we don't, we can't go behind the ground."

"Indeed."

Instead of going outside the castle and renouncing the protection of the walls, the Republic has stretched a few deep lines around the position. In a short period of time, the Imperial Army is so impressed with how much it has been able to dig.

We know in the first battle that one of the Republic's methods of warfare is to stop the Imperial Army with an arrow.

"It's a civil project for a while to bury and bridge."

"Really..."

There is a horror in the Republic that you don't know what you're going to do. Oscar, worried about that, is really anxious to settle.

"Don't rush. It is forbidden to rush against a caged enemy."

"I know that."

"Attack carefully. Morning and evening, all the time."

"Ever?"

Beck, military advisers weren't going to spend any time just getting ready to attack.

"Harness the power of numbers. Offensive all day in alternation, doesn't give the enemy room to rest. If you keep doing this for days, enemy soldiers will be tired and unable to move"

It is the usual means on the part of attacking in the great army, but its effect is great.

"I see...... But......"

I think it's an effective way. But one concern came to Oscar's mind when he heard about it. It is a concern as to whether it applies to republics where demons live.

"Enemy attack!!

The screams of soldiers heard from outside the tent. The Republican Army was further up than Oscar thought.

"What!?

Out of surprise, military adviser Beck went outside the tent. Oscars and others rush after them, too.

"Enemy Ha!? Where's the enemy?

Beck, a military adviser is looking for a location for the enemy. The shadows of the enemy are nowhere to be seen, neither in Oscar's eyes.

"It's the back! We are under magic attack from behind!

"What!?

My men's report also surprised the Oscars. There have been no reports of republican troops coming around the back. So when they were attacking us from behind, there was a hidden road we couldn't see, or we had troops outside the position.

Either way, it's definitely going to be a hassle ahead.

"Prepare for enemy intrusion!

Beck, military adviser gives instructions to the perimeter. With that in mind, a straightforward Kingsguard knight consolidated Oscar's perimeter. Oscar is the general. There's no way they're going to talk about it.

"All right, follow some of them!

Upon confirmation of this, military adviser Beck took several members of Operations and headed backwards.

It's already dark around here. From here on out, the enemy doesn't look good, so we're trying to get to a position we can confirm.

But before military adviser Beck could move to a position where he could confirm the rear front line, the Republican Army pulled up.

◇ ◇ ◇

When the Imperial Army faction was wolfing in an ambush. The Kamuis at the headquarters of the Republican Army relaxed on the bed.

"Sounds like it's starting."

The hustle and bustle you hear from afar. Naturally, Kamui knows what the hustle and bustle is.

"That's fast. I haven't slept long enough."

Lutz complained when I heard that.

"You're next, right?

"Oh, yeah. Then you can still sleep."

Hearing Kamui's words, Lutz put the futon over his head and, again, went to bed.

"How much did you sleep anyway? You said you didn't sleep enough."

Seeing how it goes, Kamui squeaks small.

"Really, right? But it's better than not sleeping. Brother Kamui should be asleep."

Maria, who got out of bed, spoke to Kamui as she made her battle move.

"Because I don't have to sleep for two or three days. Don't push it any harder than that, okay? This isn't about knocking them out, it's about wearing them out."

"I know. Okay, I'll be there."

Maria left the tent feeling light enough to go for a walk.

A small number of caged castles continue to attack their enemies at four or six o'clock to keep them awake. Such an insane battle begins on this day.

This is the beginning of a tough battle for the soldiers of the Empire.