[Panamera’s Bold Move]
Panamera’s plan had worked flawlessly.
As intended, she had successfully dodged the enemy’s cannon fire while preparing the ballista within range. What was more, she managed to fire the bolts without a single one of them being hit by cannon fire. While I, personally, would never have launched an attack in such a risky situation, the fact that we launched a successful preemptive strike with minimal damage was nothing short of an impressive achievement.
Now, with the ballista bolts having struck their targets, I was certain that both Yellenetta Kingdom and the Shelvia Alliance would now focus their attacks on Panamera and the ballista. This would give our foot knights a chance to reach the castle walls. Ordinarily, they would’ve been under heavy fire and unable to advance, but thanks to Panamera's strategy, they now had a chance to move.
Meanwhile, I continued my analysis from a safe distance, studying the angles and effective ranges of the cannon fire. From the safety of the armored wagon, I was able to observe the battlefield with Arte and Till, keeping a low profile to avoid any potential assassination attempts. I hoped they’d understand my caution.
"Van-sama, the cavalry have entered the effective range. The armored wagons might come under fire soon," Kamshin reported, a nervous edge in his voice.
Kamshin, who had been uneasy about Panamera's decoy strategy from the start, was worried about the risk she had taken. Initially, his concern had been about Panamera’s safety, but seeing her unscathed, his anxiety had shifted to the slower-moving armored wagons.
The armored wagons, after all, needed to fix their legs to the ground to fire the ballista, and if the enemy fired at the right moment, it would be impossible to evade.
Still, I believed the reinforced shields on the front of the wagons would prevent them from being destroyed with a single shot. At least, I hoped so. The armored wagons had never actually been hit by cannon fire before, so my confidence in their durability was not absolute.
Worst case, if the wagons were destroyed, I could simply have new ones made. But losing the personnel operating them would be irreplaceable. Above all, I could not afford to lose any of my knights, no matter how self-righteous that might sound.
"Alright. Then, let’s use one more strategy to cause a bit of chaos. Panamera-san will be expecting it, even if she hasn’t said so."
I smiled wryly, thinking of Panamera’s likely impatience, and turned to Arte.
"Arte, can you summon the puppets?"
"Yes!" Arte responded eagerly.
At my request, Arte immediately stood up inside the wagon and opened the double doors leading outside. She turned and gave me a serious look as she focused on the two puppets inside the wagon.
"…Please, two silver knights, Aventador."
Using her puppetry magic, Arte called to the two wooden-block puppets that had been kneeling. At her signal, they stood and descended from the wagon, moving with smooth, fluid motions.
Arte always seemed to be aware of her puppets’ actions, speaking to them as if they were truly alive. After a battle, she would always wipe them clean and show them affection. Sometimes, it felt like they might actually have their own will.
"Arte-sama, do your best!" Till cheered from inside the wagon.
Arte smiled brightly in response. "Yes, I’ll do my best!"
Their exchange was a little heartwarming, but this was still a battlefield. I couldn't afford to watch too long.
"Arte, don’t engage head-on. You can handle arrows, but if the cannon hits you directly, you could break. Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?"
At my words, Arte nodded and moved the puppets to the front of the wagon. The two puppets, holding long swords that were taller than themselves, assumed a stance with their blades crossed in front of them. They looked every bit like seasoned warriors.
"Alright, I understand. Now... I’m going."
Arte replied promptly and, with a decisive movement, sent the two puppets running toward the fortress city.
I felt an odd sense of unease. It was as if they were moving out of frustration or impatience, eager to act.
Nonetheless, the two puppets were already racing toward the battlefield with the speed of the wind.
"…At that speed, they might not be hit by cannon fire even if they charge straight in. But just in case, they should move separately, dodging the cannon’s aim."
"Yes!" Arte replied.
I gave my instructions, and the two puppets immediately split, running in opposite directions at breakneck speed, rapidly catching up to the cavalry.
The knights, who had been advancing cautiously under the threat of cannon fire, cheered as they saw Arte's puppets charging ahead. Although some didn’t know them, most were familiar with the tales of the invincible silver knights and their legendary status.
We used this reputation to our advantage. The appearance of the puppets on our side raised the morale of our troops, and the enemy would undoubtedly notice the change.
With that, the cannon would surely start targeting the puppets.
As the distance closed to the fortress, we would finish the siege at a pace far quicker than any ordinary battle.
Just as I was thinking this, something unexpected happened.
While the cannon fire did focus on the two puppets, only two or three shots were fired at them. Perhaps the enemy was simply aiming poorly, but the majority of shots were clearly targeting the ballista instead.
"…Do they think the puppets can’t take the cannon fire because of the walls? Or did they consider the ballista to be the bigger threat?"
If they thought two puppets were the main threat, it was a miscalculation. Normally, in a siege, two knights wouldn’t be able to do anything against a castle gate. Hundreds of soldiers would be required to use ladders or battering rams.
Were they confident in their defense, or was there something else they were counting on?
While pondering this, I switched gears, realizing that when there are too many unknowns, it’s best not to take unnecessary risks.
"Arte, let’s pull the puppets back for now."
Althea looked at me, surprised. "Eh? Should we pull back? I think they can reach the walls if they keep going..."
For once, Arte seemed hesitant. Hmm, perhaps she was starting to gain confidence. Maybe she felt now was her chance. But even so, I couldn’t predict what might happen.
"Yeah, you’re right... If it gets too dangerous, let’s pull them back. The puppets are valuable assets, so we shouldn’t take unnecessary risks, even when we have the upper hand."
Arte nodded with relief. "Got it."
She gave a calm answer before sending the puppets charging toward the fortress city again. They moved in a zigzag pattern, seemingly avoiding danger while heading straight for the city.
I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride watching her. Arte, normally so reserved, had a determination in her eyes I hadn’t seen before. Despite the tension, she was moving the puppets skillfully.
Arrows flew at them, but they were practically useless against the wooden puppets, especially with their mithril armor. The arrows couldn’t pierce them, and the puppets moved forward without a care.
Arte, no doubt thinking the same, made the puppets raise their shields and charge directly toward the fortress city.
"Arte! They’re getting too close to the fortress!"
"Eh?"
I hadn’t meant to raise my voice, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, and I shouted anyway. Althea looked back, startled.
Meanwhile, the puppets were still getting closer to the fortress city. If I didn’t give new instructions, they might not change their course.
As I realized my hesitation, a deafening explosion echoed from the direction of the fortress city, and a massive plume of black smoke rose high into the sky.
No comments:
Post a Comment