Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 38 Temporary Victory

The mage's figure disappeared into the horizon in a disheveled state, instantly shattering the silence on the highlands.

"We chased him away!"

Someone shouted first, and then a deafening cheer echoed across the entire hillside.

The surviving soldiers, whether Saxons or volunteers from the International Brigades, all jumped up from behind their bunkers.

They waved their rifles, and some even threw their pointed helmets into the air—an action that was immediately stopped by the officers, who then kicked them hard in the backside.

However, all the soldiers were expressing their excitement and ecstasy in the most primal way.

The joy of this victory was far greater than that of defeating an infantry battalion of a Northumberland flintlock regiment.

Morin was naturally caught up in the atmosphere and became very excited, but he was filled with more doubts than anything else.

A high-level mage was forced back by a volley of rifle fire?
It seems that the value of a mage in this world isn't as high as he imagined?

He was initially worried that all the highland mages were like Liu Xiu, with MAX proficiency in Meteor Spell, but now it seems they are not invincible.

With proper tactical planning, it seems that it is actually possible to put up a fight?

"I hope I'm not just imagining things."

As Morin looked at the soldiers around him who were caught up in the revelry, the tension in his heart slowly eased.

"My God, Lieutenant Morin, we actually drove a high-level mage away!"

The bearded commander of the International Brigade, who had been lying next to him, was so excited that his face turned red.

He patted Morin's shoulder hard, his voice filled with disbelief.

"I've been in so many battles, but this is the first time! The first time I've seen ordinary people with guns like us make those high and mighty mages suffer a setback!"

It was only then that Morin belatedly realized how incredible their actions must have seemed to the people of this world.

In this world, mages have always seemed to occupy a position close to the top of the battlefield 'food chain'.

This has led many ordinary soldiers to develop a stereotype that they are an invincible force.

Today, a group of ordinary soldiers on Hill 127 temporarily shattered this stereotype with their rifles.

Just then, from the area below the high ground that had been turned into a quagmire by magic, came the sound of a metal cockpit canopy opening.

The cockpit of the Teutonic Knights armored knight that was stuck the deepest part slowly opened, and Ludwig's figure stood up from it.

He took off his helmet, revealing a handsome face stained with a little oil.

He looked up at the cheering soldiers on the high ground, his gaze searching through the crowd for a moment, as if trying to find the person who had fired the first shot.

However, he abandoned the idea a moment later, raised his right hand high, and gave a thumbs up to everyone on the high ground.

This simple yet powerful action instantly propelled the soldiers' emotions to another climax.

The cheers grew even louder, and some people even began shouting "Long live the Teutonic Knights!"

"Wow, that's pretty flashy."

Looking down at the noble pilot receiving cheers, Morin realized that the Teutonic Knights' armored knights seemed to be 'battle stars' in the Saxon army.

"Don't just stand there! Go down and help!"

Major Thomas, the battalion commander of the 1st Battalion, rang out just in time. He directed his soldiers to rush down the hill to help the armored knights who were still stuck in the mud to get out of trouble.

Morin also prepared to follow with his men.

At that moment, the messenger he had sent to the artillery command post ran back, panting.

"Platoon leader! I couldn't find the artillery command post, but I encountered a troop of our cavalry on the way!"

The messenger still had an excited look on his face.

"I told them the location of the magic crystal cannon position you marked, and the cavalry commander said they would take care of that problem!"

Morin suddenly realized. This must be the Saxon cavalry regiment that had launched the charge earlier.

No wonder they left the battlefield in that direction; they were going to carry out a new combat mission.

However, it remains to be seen whether their attack will be successful.
Down the hillside, rescue work is in full swing.

The Teutonic Knights' logistics trucks and a large number of draft horses quickly arrived at the scene.

The soldiers used shovels and spades they had found in the supply corps to dig the soil that had hardened again.

Then, thick cables were attached to the armored knight, and the truck and draft horses pulled him along.

The two armored knights that were stuck relatively shallowly were the first to break free, and after the knights' technicians quickly inspected and restarted their internal combustion engines, they joined the rescue efforts.

Morin stood to the side, watching the scene that resembled digging up giant potatoes in a farmland, but he still felt uneasy.

What if, at this moment, the enemy fires a few more magic crystal cannon shots?
Fortunately, this time, his worst fears did not come true.

Perhaps the cavalry unit really destroyed the enemy's magic crystal cannon position; in any case, all of the kingdom's magic crystal cannons did indeed fall silent afterward.

As the last vehicle, Ludwig's, was successfully pulled out of the mud, everyone cheered again.

Ludwig jumped out of the cockpit and was immediately surrounded by fanatical soldiers.

Even Major Thomas solemnly removed his pointed helmet to pay homage to this noble armored knight commander.

Amid the noisy crowd, Morin stood at a distance with a polite smile on his face, then clapped along with the others.

Normally, Morin, who had blended into the crowd, would not have attracted attention, but his calm demeanor, which was clearly out of place with the atmosphere around him, quickly caught Ludwig's attention.

Ludwig's gaze lingered on Morin for a few seconds, his brow furrowing slightly as if he were recalling something.

"Lieutenant Colonel, it was this Lieutenant Morin who was the first to order us to fire on the mages in the sky!"

When Captain Hauser noticed that the other party had taken notice of them, he immediately put his arm around Morin's shoulder and introduced him with a proud expression.

Ludwig's confusion instantly turned into surprise. He re-examined Morin, his expression as if he had witnessed something that overturned his understanding.

He remembered.

He had seen this young man at a banquet for nobles before the war began.

One of them, relying on his meager family fortune and his thick skin, frequented various banquets.

With his fairly handsome face and smooth-talking skills, he flirted with naive noble ladies everywhere.

He was a somewhat well-known 'fallen playboy' in the Junker aristocratic circles.

Why is he here?

And they even made that courageous and wise move?
Despite his inner turmoil, Ludwig put aside his aristocratic arrogance.

He strode up to Morin and gave him a solemn military salute.

“Lieutenant Morin, on behalf of the Teutonic Knights and all your comrades whom you saved, I extend my sincerest respect to you.”

His voice was loud and sincere.

"The courage you showed when facing a formidable opponent is admirable."

"You're too kind, Lieutenant Colonel. This wasn't achieved by me alone."

Morin glanced at the other man's rank, returned the salute, and then continued:

"Without the combined efforts of everyone in the 1st Battalion and the International Brigade, it would have been impossible to force that mage to retreat."

After the Teutonic Knights escaped, their units began collecting the bodies and providing emergency treatment to the wounded.

At the same time, a messenger rode up on horseback and stopped in front of Major Thomas.

"Reporting, Major! Regimental orders! The enemy is retreating across the board! We are ordered to pursue them immediately!"

(End of this chapter)