A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 348: The End in the First Battle

For this purpose, a dedicated core unit is responsible for the relevant calculations—it continuously paging the receiving end to calculate the relative position.

The "Sky Knights" also carry specially made kingdom maps on their equipment, which allow them to determine their current location based on the coordinates provided by their second watch.

Finally, each person had a [Featherfall] scroll to use if their mobility devices were destroyed. Rorschach had also considered using cheaper parachutes, but he quickly realized that these aerial reconnaissance soldiers wouldn't be able to reach the altitude and speed required to deploy their parachutes.

"Never mind, the more consumables I need, the more I earn. Why should I save money for clients who don't care about money?" Luo Xia deeply reflected on himself, tearfully purchasing reels from the guild and reselling them.

Despite the fact that it's like flying a brick with great power, one thing is undeniable: the lighter the pilot's weight, the longer the maneuvering equipment can last and the more agile the maneuvering.

Therefore, this special unit has the highest proportion of female soldiers in the Imperial Army. They are all daughters of hunters, and one of them has a suspicious ear outline, suggesting that her ancestors may have been elves.

The instructor and Rorschach discussed the use of the maneuvering equipment, aiming to identify and resolve problems during training. He also reported on the pilots' progress: "One trainee named Tanya performed the best; she trained most actively and made the fewest mistakes. However, she's too short, and she doesn't carry enough ammunition and supplies."

"This is a reconnaissance unit that emphasizes flexibility and mobility. Don't be bound by past training experiences. Encourage her more and let her make the most of her talents." Luo Xia didn't have a military rank and couldn't say much. He was currently a technician. After confirming that the equipment was working properly, he left the secret training ground.

With him was Bart, who had made an excuse to sneak out of the camp. He beckoned Rorschach to mount his horse: "It's much more interesting here. We can't do anything in the camp, just hold meetings and study tactics every day, but Valois's army can't even get here."

"Don't you need to support our neighboring countries?"

"No, it's just standing by. The entire Southern Army of the Empire is currently on standby, guarding the defensive line, while the Northern Army of the Empire is moving south." They walked through the pathless forest towards the city. Bart said smugly, "So I've made arrangements. Today and the days off from now on are free for me to do as I please, under the guise of visiting relatives or assigning tasks."

"To be honest, having the garrison mages is enough; why should we get involved?"

As time went by, the Valois army's intentions became clearer. Their advance was slow, and they did not actively attack fortresses and major cities except for raiding villages. The Empire became increasingly convinced that they would not be able to leave the Salo region.

But for the lords of those states, the Valois army was terrifying, for they feared that when the kingdom's soldiers entered their territory, they would incite the people within their borders to storm their mansions and town halls, just as the Valois people had done to their king, and burn down the deeds and privileges established by these nobles hundreds of years ago.

It was less that they feared the Valois army, and more that they feared the ideas emanating from Valois and the people they had always oppressed.

Even if the lords treat their subjects well, they are not sure if those big merchants have any designs on them, such as inciting the unruly people to rebel and make them replace the lords as the new lords.

As a result, the independence that the southern states insisted on no longer existed, and they all placed their armies under the control of the empire's core, except for the relatively stable and strongest Kingdom of Bain.

But the Empire, having reorganized its southern army, seemed to be dozing off, offering no support to the trembling Duchy of Salo. Even amidst the public outrage, the messages from the palace and the prime minister's office were always the same: military preparations were underway, Valois was demanding an immediate withdrawal of its troops, and Charles XVI's personal freedom and all his powers as monarch of the Holy Kingdom were to be guaranteed.

The Second Legion from Valois advanced in this tense atmosphere, but without firing a single shot.

"General, we are about to enter Württemberg, but we have not encountered any resistance yet." The commander of the legion was Dillon, and his adjutant was worried about this war that had yet to be fought.

As you approach the city, you can see that the Duchy of Salo has deployed all its forces to defend the city, and there are also resident mages in magic robes standing proudly on the city walls.

The army had now lost the support of the church, and even lacked any charismatic followers. Under the weak command of its general, the cannons became useless baggage, for he dared not order the firing on the city.

The villages they passed through were empty; the villagers had taken refuge early on. The grain in the villages had either been handed over to the cities or hidden away by the villagers. They had gone from being full of ambition when they first crossed the border to being starving and freezing, and now harboring deep doubts about the empire's strategy.

Regardless, they had reached enemy territory, and Dillon began ordering the construction of fortifications and the establishment of temporary positions. The 15,000 vanguard men could advance no further; he awaited reinforcements from the legions and the redeployment of the other two legions to the front lines to cover his supply lines.

"Send out cavalry to scout along the Duma River. The Empire's Southern Army is likely planning to ambush us when we try to cross the river." Dillon made some foolproof preparations, waiting for the entire legion to take over the front lines.

As a result, Valois's army came to a complete halt.

The winter morning was exceptionally cold, and a thick fog descended upon the open fields. A series of rapid hoofbeats shattered the silence; a scout reported: a small group of enemy soldiers was approaching!

What the frontline sentries saw was the flag of the Holy Kingdom! The advancing enemy, carrying the blue flag with gold flowers representing the royal family, launched a column charge towards the position.

"They're the remnants of exiled nobles! Are these people here to die?" The commander was puzzled. He ordered his soldiers to set up the shotguns. If cavalry had charged from the flank, they might have been able to cut off the rabble's charge, but they were currently short of horses and shock cavalry. So they waited for the enemy to tire themselves out and set up their positions on the makeshift battlefield.

Just as Dillon had predicted, the enemy's charge posed no threat. A few sporadic gunshots rang out in front of the position, and our side calmly resisted the attack under cover.

In the thick fog, he couldn't tell how many enemies there were, but the exiles' strength was very weak, probably just a small force as the scouts had reported.

General Dillon was even a little smug at this moment: the exiled remnants must have wanted to take advantage of the winter fog to launch a sneak attack, but they did not expect me to be so cautious and not to rush forward, but to build fortifications instead.

Snap, snap snap!

Several more gunshots rang out, and the remnants of the exiled nobles charged forward again. Dillon felt something was amiss. What nobleman's private army possessed such discipline and could organize a charge? With such an army, why was the leading nobleman running away?

Left with no other choice, the shotguns opened fire on their own comrades. The column that had finally reached the front lines collapsed like wheat, but those behind quickly took their place. As the enemy drew near, the soldiers in the positions saw their comrades, carrying the royal flag and charging madly, weeping uncontrollably.

Some people gave up the charge and tried to escape the battlefield, but soon another round of gunfire rang out, and bullets from behind pierced through those who wanted to retreat.

The Valois soldiers were stunned; it wasn't them who fired the shot.

As the sun rose slightly and the thick fog dissipated, a fireball suddenly struck a shotgun on the position, the blast sending the artilleryman flying. With all the exiled nobles' forces exhausted, the vanguard of the Valois Second Legion finally met their enemy—an army from the north of the empire!

They mercilessly executed the exiled noble army at the front, and then launched a full-scale attack on the position.

Looking at the countless enemy troops on the horizon and at his own weak fortifications, Dillon gave the most foolish and deadly order: "Retreat! Retreat—!"

(End of this chapter)