A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 359 Infiltrating

With a bright moon and few stars, the weather has been perfect for the next few days.

"Ninja Natsu" rushed non-stop to the outskirts of Andorella, that is, to the territory of the Holy Kingdom. During the journey, since he did not need to eat normal food, he was able to cross no-man's-lands, adhering to the principle that "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line".

Rorschach didn't know the specific battlefield, he had neither professional military knowledge to make a judgment, nor did his clone possess the Pearl of Balan for simple divination, so he came up with the simplest method:

"I'm here to fight the Imperialists. Do you know where the Holy Army is stationed?"

He could always find the answer by asking around in the nearby villages and towns. When he imitated the accent he had learned in Valuwana, knowledgeable gentry would be filled with respect, and some would even present him with a dagger and an old flintlock pistol that could occasionally be fired.

This "young hero who sacrificed himself for the kingdom" was successfully guided to the Holy Knights' camp by the enthusiastic crowd. It was actually quite easy to find, because when Rorschach arrived, there was even a makeshift mass being held in the open space, the Holy Knights were receiving holy oil, and the servants and the crowds who had come from the vicinity were all in tears.

Because of the diverse composition of this force, the paladins camped separately and only interacted with priests and verified servants; while the servants, those of clean birth, carried identification documents issued by their respective churches or monasteries and were organized into small squads and camped by region.

Criminals, bandits, and others who joined the ranks with the intention of making a quick buck were called the "Redemption Army" by the Church. They were kept separate from other camps and were the most chaotic. However, joining the "Redemption Army" did not require any identification; all that was needed was to bring your own weapons. The supplies they received were almost nonexistent, and paladins were on rotation guarding the perimeter of the camp.

After learning about this situation, Rorschach had a sudden idea—instead of just watching, why not go to the battlefield and experience it for himself? So he mingled into the chaotic "Redemption Army" camp, found an empty tent, and lay down inside.

The next day, the men in the tent discovered a young, handsome man. The most menacing of them all was probably the leader, who immediately questioned Luo Xia: "Hey! Where did you come from, kid?"

"I'm from Valuvana, a village on the side." Rorschach brandished his antique gun, making the bald, burly man who had questioned him step back. He continued, "I heard the church wanted to save the kingdom, so I ran all the way here under the moon and in the freezing wind."

"Stop kidding, who here would believe that?" The others laughed out loud. "Tell me, what did you do wrong?" They guessed that the kid's affair must be related to women, such as becoming a rich lady's mistress and then being discovered by the powerful and wealthy lady's husband.

Rorschach began sharpening the blade of his dagger with a hard stone, lowering his voice: "Every member of my family deserved to die, so I ended their lives with my own hands. Except for my young, foolish brother, no one else in the village understood me, even though I was doing it for their own good."

The tent fell silent except for the sound of sharpening knives. The burly man touched his bald head and took a few steps away from the young man. Regardless of whether what he said was true or not, this young man was definitely out of his mind!

Rorschach enjoyed peace and quiet until the army set off.

The hymns never stopped during the procession, and there were even bands and choirs riding in open-top carriages around the front and back of the procession. There was also a mobile clock tower that resembled a siege engine, which insisted on ringing on the hour.

Such an extravagant setup should normally slow down the procession, but Rorschach noticed that both the horses and the people maintained a consistent pace, as if they never got tired.

Within Arcane Vision, although most individuals possess very little intrinsic magic, each of them is currently in an active state, stimulating their muscles. Rorschach recalled witnessing a similar magical version in a secondary plane—Rapid Retreat.

At the same time, he also kept observing the composition of the group. The paladins were all tall and strong, and all the horses were covered with thin armor and holy white cloth. The paladins did not wear full armor, but rather shiny breastplates. Their most common main weapon was a hollow lance, and they carried sabers at their waists.

Besides clerical staff responsible for speaking, learning, and singing, the clergy also included knights' personal servants and the Guards of the Church. They were disciplined and guarded important supplies. The Guards of the Church were likely the main infantry force, each carrying a long-handled flintlock musket with a bayonet.

Among the believers who spontaneously joined the army were some cavalrymen, who seemed to be noble knights, surrounded by a large group of people, while the rest were a rabble, some of whom even went into battle carrying pitchforks and sickles.

Although his group consisted of thugs and bandits, their average equipment level was better than that of the believers, as was their combat experience—they were used to making a living with their weapons, and they were no exception. Some carried guns, others held knives and axes, and pushing and shoving was commonplace, requiring the paladins to supervise and maintain order.

Will this "Redemption Army" be of any use?

Rorschach's question was soon answered.

Scouts reported that the Imperial army had crossed the border and deployed its forces on the plains before Andorella. Logically, the Empire should have been able to wait in ambush from its fortified cities; this confident, proactive attack aroused suspicion among the Church's commanders.

However, no matter what, everything must continue. All the brothers in the Holy Knights who were well-versed in history and the history of church warfare believed that, based on the experience of the "Holy Expedition," the "Holy Army" could only advance and could not retreat.

The plains surrounding Andorella are flat, which is why the Empire needed to build an artificial natural fortress, which would also serve as a logistical supply center for future wars. At this moment, the army marched out of the fortress's gates and deployed its troops.

Although both sides had committed tens of thousands of troops, the battlefield was quiet and solemn until the songs blessing the soldiers and praying for victory broke the silence. Unlike usual, the hymns and horns, accompanied by drumbeats, alternated, urging the columns to spread out horizontally.

The knight didn't give the criminals and bandits a friendly look, and waved his whip at them to command them to form a makeshift battle formation.

"Hurry up!" Rorschach suddenly felt a stab in his lower back. This body had no pain sensation, but it could still feel things. He turned around and saw that the Guardians of the Church were urging the members of the Redemption Army to move forward with bayonets.

With only the battlefield ahead of Rorschach and his companions, there was only one answer—they were cannon fodder at the very front of the infantry formation.

The soldiers received the holy water—everyone passed around a large, gleaming golden cup, taking a sip of its sweet liquid. The Atonement soldiers didn't receive such treatment; they only got a piece of paper.

The priest, carrying a large basket of parchment slips, distributed them to each member of the Yom Kippur, explaining, "Take these, lost sinners! If you survive, you are a warrior of the Lord and will receive forgiveness!"

Rorschach tugged at the crudely made slips; each person received a different shape, clearly made of scraps. The writing on them wasn't handwritten by the monks, but rather blurred stamped lettering and church symbols. The text was similar to what the priest had said, except for a small line: "This voucher is valid only after the war ends and is signed by a priest. It does not exempt one from punishment for blasphemy or other sins."

Issuing indulgences before the war and verifying their validity after the war—is this to prevent people from taking the indulgences and running away? Rorschach thought the church was quite creative, and the fact that it even had a scope of application showed a lot of order!

Inspired by pre-war sermons and indulgences, the sinners didn't care that they were cannon fodder. They raised their weapons and were excited. It was very spirited!

(End of this chapter)