Fun Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord (Novel) - Chapter 84 - Departure

Chapter 84 – Departure

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Ten ten-man wagons gleaming silver. About fifty horses.

They were the greatest number of armored wagons and horses we could prepare.

Honestly, the number was small, but even so, it looked more than enough to resemble a proper knight order.

“They say it will take a full two weeks to reach our destination. We’ve got food ready, along with spare weapons and shields, and the secret weapon is prepared too… all right, I guess it’s time to depart.”

When I said that after finishing my inspection, Dee raised his voice from horseback.

“We depart! Everyone but Fifth Squad, take your positions! Fifth Squad, prepare the ballistas inside the wagons!”

“Yes, sir!”

At Dee’s command, everyone moved swiftly, and in no time the marching formation was complete.

Mm, splendid.

Van-kun is satisfied.

“U-Um, may I truly ride in the wagon as well…?”

Inside the sixth wagon in the column, the one with the most luxurious interior, Till asked that anxiously.

“Of course. You’re my attendant, after all. It’d be rough on you if you had to walk outside.”

When I answered that, Till smiled in a troubled sort of way.

Everyone else would take turns resting in the wagons, but thanks to lordly privilege, I would remain in the wagon the whole time. And beside me were Kamushin and Till, both lightly dressed so they could put on armor at any time. Arte, who still had some worries in terms of stamina, was riding there as well.

After that, the members of the Ultra-Strong Mechanical Bow Corps would rotate through the wagon.

“For now, we’ll move at an easy pace, then conduct reconnaissance near Scudetto. It’d be nice if the enemy had already withdrawn, but it’s probably still fully in the middle of battle.”

Apparently, in this world, despite the existence of magic and the like, siege warfare still normally takes a long time. In the end, since there are hardly any mages capable of easily breaking through walls, the common-sense approach is still to slowly destroy the walls and gates with siege weapons and the like.

Of course, if there were ten or twenty first-rate Four Elements mages, that would be a different matter, but that is not easy to gather. After all, capable mages are needed to defend the country as well, and the opposing side should likewise have stationed mages for defense.

“Scudetto, as the core of national defense, should have mages assigned to it too, right?”

“Of course! And on top of that, that land is part of House Fertio’s territory! Your father is surely already hurrying there at the head of a knight order!”

“Well, that makes sense.”

At Dee’s words, which I had heard before departure, I nodded and accepted it.

At the end of the day, Daddy really is incredible.

That was something I understood well.

His head is completely broken by how meritocratic he is, but his own ability is unquestionably high.

And moreover, the knight order that man rebuilt from the ground up is equally abnormal. He gathered together only those with ability and trained them like a madman.

I had watched them in between being trained by Dee myself, and both the training content and the knights who breezed through it were crazy.

Incidentally, because I trained with the boy soldiers, I did not participate in that hellish training.

“Well, as long as the numbers aren’t too wildly different, we should be fine, right?”

Thinking that, I enjoyed the wagon journey in a perfectly laid-back manner.

But when we reached the site, the situation was not what I’d expected.

The battle was already over.

Thick black smoke rose up in great clouds, while the ruined walls and buildings exposed their painful state. Soldiers who were likely from the border knight order or House Fertio’s knight order were scattered about without any coherent formation, withdrawing away from the fortress city.

Yes. It was the very moment Fortress City Scudetto fell.

One section of the wall had been completely destroyed, and nearby was a great mass of knights in black armor.

“…To think Scudetto would be conquered in only a month or two…”

Arb, one of Dee’s captains, muttered that in shock. At those words, Dee answered, his brow furrowed deeply.

“The cause is likely that.”

As he said that, he pointed at the sight ahead. There, resting their wings on part of the wall, were wyverns.

Not one or two. More than twenty wyverns were covering one section of the wall.

It was an abnormal sight. Normally, one would judge that city to have been destroyed by magical beasts.

And inside the walls, flames and wind still raged, and angry shouts could still be heard.

“Looks like they’re still fighting.”

When I said that, Dee nodded grimly.

“That is correct. Most likely the border knight order is acting as the rear guard while House Fertio’s knight order is leading the evacuation.”

“That place is both a fortress and a city. There must be many civilians as well…”

“House Fertio’s knight order is deployed around the fortress city and putting up resistance. They’re not being pursued in proper force, but they have clearly missed the moment for a complete retreat.”

Receiving those serious battlefield reports from the three of them, I folded my arms and grunted.

The enemy, caught up in having taken the fortress city and pursuing the enemy before them, had not yet noticed us.

I didn’t want to overdo it, but perhaps we could at least provide some support.

Thinking that, I lifted my face.

“…It’s early, but we’ll bring out the secret weapon. Stay ready to flee at any time, but make the preparations.”

When I gave the order, Dee and the others replied and started moving.

Watching them prepare with swift efficiency, I turned back to Arte.

“How’s the secret weapon? All right?”

When I asked that, Arte nodded with her fingers clasped before her chest.

“…Please leave it to me.”

“Mm. I’m counting on you.”

I answered with a smile to Arte, who was trembling yet speaking with resolve.

“Till and Kamushin, Arte may be left defenseless, so protect her.”

“Yes!”

“Understood.”

With giant shields in hand, Till and Kamushin nodded and took up their positions.

Only about five minutes passed.

Preparations were complete, and the armored wagons were placed lined up side by side, their roofs raising toward the driver’s seats.

Since they had been built mainly from light but strong Wood Block, a few strong people could move them with ease.

And in the blink of an eye, the wagons transformed into a giant wall.

Sliding windows in the center were opened, the tips of the ballistas thrust through them, and the preparations were complete.

A giant wall and ballistas made from ten armored wagons.

Behind them stood the ballista operators and their assistants.

And farther back stood the repeating mechanical bow corps and the large-shield corps protecting them.

An ironclad formation.

“…All right. Then let’s begin the attack! The more flashy it is, the more it should help the civilians escape, so let’s go bold! As planned, we start with Arte.”

When I said that, Arte nodded and fixed her gaze on the smoking fortress city through the gaps in the wall.
“Here I go. Automaton, Uno!”
The instant Arte shouted that, the Wood Block doll that had been loaded onto one of the wagons lifted its upper body.
It was Arte’s personal doll, completed after half a day of repeated adjustments.
Though their outfits differed slightly, all wore designs like dresses fitted with armor. It stood three meters tall and slender.
Its weapons were a greatsword over two meters long and a large shield.
Since the body and weapons were made as much as possible from Wood Block, the burden on Arte to control it was small.
The automaton stood atop the wagon, then made a light leap and floated upward.
At those natural movements and physical abilities, even the members of the Seat Knight Order watching raised cries of admiration.
Then, landing beyond the wall, the automaton dashed toward the fortress city with the speed of the wind, exactly as Arte had imagined.
Some of the enemy noticed the automaton, but it was already too late.
Using an enemy wagon as a springboard, the automaton leapt upward and, as though cutting through empty air, severed a wyvern’s head without resistance.
“Good! Now’s the time! While they’re confused, shoot as many wyverns as you can!”
The instant I shouted that, the ballistas that had already taken aim began firing one after another.
“Wyverns controlled by Puppet Magic have slow initial reactions! Don’t rush! Aim carefully and make every shot count!”
At Dee’s roar, the soldiers answered with shouts of their own.
Now then, the war begins.
It really is just like me that my first war would open with a grand ambush.