Do Your Own Revolution

#086

“What… What is this…?”

He couldn’t even distinguish what was happening.

A report that they were moving.

And hundreds of light beams decorating the sky and bombs pouring down like rain.

In the next moment after being bewildered by that sight, Acting Head Martan felt only one thing: confusion.

Rumble–!

The sound of the city crumbling, a city that boasted hundreds of years of Elcryer territory history.

Boom–!

The anti-aircraft guns that were hastily activated exploded with their ammunition storage before they could fire a single shot.

The burning Elcryer territory and the private soldiers, subordinates, and territory residents burning within it.

“Lord, the enemy’s bombardment…!”

“The entire city is burning! This, this is impossible…!”

He should have noticed earlier.

When he heard the news that Eugene had killed his brother, Martin.

When he surrounded the territory with armored trains and airships, overturning his expectations.

When he killed the messenger, killed the subjugation force, killed the finance minister – he should have noticed even a little sooner.

That from the beginning, these people could not be measured by common sense.

Just need to buy time?

Look at those shells pouring down on this territory.

They didn’t allow even a sliver of opportunity to scheme for buying time.

Take the territory residents hostage and shake their justification?

The Imperial Army would consider justice and cause, so they wouldn’t concentrate their bombardment at once?

All wrong.

Look at those bastards burning the entire city along with the territory residents.

Look at the Elcryer territory burning mercilessly.

These weren’t the rebel army he had been dealing with all this time.

This wasn’t the previous Imperial Army that always bowed to magic nobles.

Justice and cause – such things weren’t needed from the beginning…!

“Damn it. The fire’s reaching the mansion…!”

“Stop it! Water! Bring water quickly!”

The knights who were preparing to defend the mansion and hunt down Special Magic Unit members.

However, before they could even encounter the enemy forces, they had to fight against the fire demon (火魔) spreading throughout the city.

But the knights remaining here only had experience in small-scale engagements with some rebels.

They were all novices who had never suppressed large-scale fires or extinguished fires ignited by military incendiary bombs.

Whoosh-!

“Ugh, aaaaah?!”

“What? Why is the fire getting worse after putting water on it…!”

When water was sprayed on the fire caused by incendiary bombs, the steam that evaporated spread the flammable substances contained in the incendiary bombs in all directions.

The scattered sparks caused more fires, and spraying water on them only resulted in the same situation.

If even the mansion equipped with all sorts of preparations for war was like this, there was no need to mention the other buildings outside the mansion.

Boom–!

“Aah! Aaaah-!”

“Stop-! Please stop–!”

When shells that had reached inside the mansion exploded at close range, knights collapsed in agony.

Were they injured from the explosion?

No.

The knights always maintained magical power fields in preparation for battle, and could easily block explosions of this level.

However, the shell shock caused by the impact and roar of the explosions was like poison to knights who had no experience in large-scale battles.

“Damn it all-!”

Bang-!

Unable to endure the continuous impacts and roars, one knight kicked open the mansion door and ran out.

“You?! Where are you going?! Don’t leave your position…!”

“No! Nooo–!”

Did he lose his mind because of the explosions…!

Watching the knight screaming with vacant eyes, Acting Head Martan gritted his teeth.

In the moment other knights tried to stop him.

Splat!

The head of the knight who ran outside the mansion exploded on the spot.

Thud-!

The gunshot wasn’t even heard.

No, it was buried under the explosions and flames covering the entire area.

The knight’s body collapsed, having lost its head.

Looking up at the sky, the knights could see something glinting from the airships surrounding the mansion.

“Ah, aah…!”

The reflection from a high-powered scope.

It was a Special Magical Power Unit sniper.

“The moment we leave the mansion…”

“We die.”

Some knights sat down, paralyzed with fear.

The city dyed red.

Collapsing defensive facilities.

The wave of airships covering the sky, and dozens of snipers watching them from those airships.

Looking at all of this, Acting Head Martan could only grit his teeth at the overwhelming sense of defeat.

His plan to draw in the Imperial Army and wage a war of attrition had crumbled helplessly.

“Eugene, Lorentz.”

Looking at the black airship floating in the sky.

Thinking of that man who would be looking down at him from up there, Martan muttered with a blood-spitting heart.

“You barbaric, dog-like bastard…!”

The Empire’s hunting dog.

Those cold fangs were now biting into his neck.

***

“Communication from the artillery unit.”

20 hours after the bombardment began.

At the train station at the entrance of Elcryer territory.

Leopold approached me and reported with a stern expression.

“The 4th Artillery Unit has exhausted all loaded shells and ammunition. They’re beginning withdrawal operations.”

“Good. Then everything went according to plan.”

Saying that, I looked at the cityscape that had been bombarded for 20 hours.

Thud, thud thud…

A wasteland covered in ashes and debris.

The Elcryer territory, which had been made up of wooden buildings and castle walls, had become a wasteland similar to any other battlefield.

“To think that such a complex city would end up like this…”

“With many wooden buildings and practically no fire response manual in the territory… Starting with incendiary bomb strikes worked better than expected.”

Looking at the Elcryer territory that had burned much more cleanly than initially expected, I opened my mouth toward a group of knights standing behind me.

“Thanks to the information you provided, the operation was much easier to execute. I’m grateful for that.”

“That, that is…”

“Umm…”

Those who shrunk at my words were a group of knights with the Elcryer family seal on their chests.

However, unlike the main family knights who wore golden emblems, the emblems engraved on their badges were black.

These were knights under the branch family heads of Elcryer, not the direct line.

About 18 hours after announcing the bombing operation,

They had escaped from the Elcryer mansion and requested protection while expressing their intention to surrender to the Imperial Army.

“Now, now you understand?! W-we are innocent! We have nothing to do with the main family’s affairs!”

When one knight shouted that, others joined in raising their voices.

“A-anyway, we’re just branch family members, practically treated as outsiders by the main family. How could we possibly be hostile to the Imperial Army!”

“We didn’t even know the main family head was conducting such heinous experiments!”

Hearing those words, Leopold stepped forward.

“You didn’t know? Do you think that makes any sense? Huh?!”

He had personally seen Count Elcryer’s laboratory inside the fortress built in Gloucester territory.

Just thinking about it made him want to vomit.

People hanging mutilated, half-transformed into monsters, and their voices screaming to be killed.

Seeing their condition with no hope of survival, I and the Special Magic Unit members had to end the test subjects’ lives with heavy hearts.

The emotion he felt then was clearly burning in his face.

“We’ve already searched the count’s laboratory and confirmed the entire list of research sponsors. Your name was on that sponsor list! How dare you open your mouth…!”

“The main family ordered us to sign sponsorship documents! They didn’t even tell us what experiments we were sponsoring! Who could refuse their orders?!”

“These people still…!”

“I understand what you’re all saying.”

There’s no point in getting emotional here.

Stopping Leopold’s words, I spoke in an emotionless, dry voice.

“However, it’s an undeniable fact that House Elcryer researched monsters and used humans as materials.”

“…!”

“And the count shared that research data with other families and reaped numerous benefits in return. Even as branch family members, you knights have lived off those spoils.”

The knights who heard my words quietly avoided my gaze.

“That, that is…”

“True, but…”

Even if they claim ignorance, they must feel some guilty conscience.

But it’s also true that these people have their grievances, which is why they begged for their lives while providing information.

Even betraying the main family they had served for generations.

“Very well. You and the other branch knights will be excluded from execution.”

“Commander…!”

“Ah, as expected!”

“Thank you, thank you!”

As soon as my answer came, Leopold’s shout and the knights’ exclamations burst out in succession.

“Division Commander, this isn’t right. Negotiating with magic nobles! That’s…”

Leopold tried to protest something more, but I raised my hand to stop his words.

No need to make such a lost puppy face, my adjutant.

This (temporary) Division Commander has everything planned out.

“However.”

At my lowered voice, the branch nobles who had been rejoicing flinched.

“Being designated as an enemy of the Empire is a solemn imperial order from His Majesty. Even if you express surrender and provide information, that cannot wash away your crimes.”

“P-pardon?”

Looking at the branch nobles watching me with anxious eyes, I spoke with a resolute expression.

“What you can salvage is solely your own life and those of your family members.”

“…!”

“All your assets will be confiscated in the name of the Imperial Royal Family, and your rights and personal information as nobles will be erased today.”

All imperial public institutions will treat you as stateless refugees.

With each word I spoke, their faces gradually turned pale.

“That means… In other words…!”

“As it happens, today’s last train is ready.”

Saying that, I briefly spoke while pointing at the train that had finished withdrawal operations.

“What are you waiting for? Get running.”

Screech–!

As soon as my words ended, the train’s whistle blew, and dozens of knights began racing toward the train.

Their status as nobles would remain for only 24 more hours.

Within that time, they had to gather whatever assets and family members they could take and leave this empire.

Where would these people go after leaving the empire?

Which noble would accept knights who betrayed their main family and became refugees?

That’s not my concern.

I don’t particularly want to know either.

“If we miss that train, we can’t return to the territory today…!”

“Damn it, get out of my way!”

“Me, I’m first!”

Nobles running while trampling their superiors’ heads and striking their lords’ faces.

Seeing that unsightly scene, even Leopold, who had been fuming, seemed somewhat placated.

“So this was your intention from the start.”

“What, did you think I would quietly negotiate with magic nobles?”

“Haha, true enough. And here I was, not realizing…”

“But you know what, adjutant.”

However, that didn’t last long.

When I lowered my voice like I had with them, Leopold startled and looked at me with trembling eyes.

“Seeing how you’ve been talking back to your superior, I think I’ve been too lenient with you lately. Don’t you think?”

“D-D-Division Commander, I have committed a mortal sin. I’m, I’m sorry…”

Does saying sorry end your military service?

…Those words almost came up to my throat, but I desperately pushed them down.

Ah, must maintain a progressive military, must maintain a progressive military.

After collecting myself, I showed Leopold a bright smile and then.

“Let’s talk separately after the operation ends. Understood?”

I said that in a gentle voice.

“Hey, our Division Commander just smiled, didn’t he?”

“What the fuck? Division Commander smiled?”

“Damn, if it were me, I’d desert.”

“Special Magic Unit… Desert?”

“Ah, right. We die if we desert.”

“Staff Sergeant Leopold, what are you doing? Hurry up and write your will in the administration office.”

Ah, my dear Special Magic Unit soldiers.

Your skill at talking behind the Division Commander’s back is quite impressive, the atmosphere in our unit is looking very good.

I’ll see you all after the operation ends.

I’ll make sure you maintain smiling faces for 24 hours a day for at least two weeks.

***

“Search complete with no abnormalities. No life signs detected. We’re the only ones alive in the area.”

Led by Special Magical Power Unit members who activated detection magic, Imperial Army infantry began entering the city one after another.

On the way to the Elcryer mansion located in the center of the city, not a single enemy hindered us.

Rumble-!

The Elcryer mansion, scorched and tattered everywhere.

Two marksmen exchanged glances and blew up the central gate, and Imperial Army soldiers swiftly entered the mansion and began searching every corner.

“First floor lobby, confirmed!”

“Guest rooms, clear!”

“Second floor secured!”

“Third floor, no one here!”

Though the mansion had a rectangular structure, there were no enemies hiding to ambush us.

What we occasionally saw were the corpses of servants who had committed suicide with pistols, or servants who had lost their lives to swords.

Or the remains of knights who had been hanged while trying to escape.

Just as I was feeling suspicious, Guille, who had briefly checked the mansion’s courtyard, sent me a magical power communication.

“Looks like we didn’t need to conduct a search operation after all.”

“What do you mean?”

“The knights. They’re all gathered in the courtyard.”

Hearing Guille’s words, I entered the courtyard accompanied by guard forces.

Knights in circular formation centered around Acting Head Martan, glaring at us.

However, their condition was too devastated to be considered the Knight Order of a great magic house.

“Eugene Lorentz…!”

“Martan Elcryer. So you were all gathered here.”

Rustle-!

When Special Magic Unit members simultaneously aimed their rifles after confirming the enemy, the knights gritted their teeth at the sight.

Their physical condition devastated by 20 hours of bombardment.

Magical power depleted from maintaining defensive magic continuously.

Fleeing branch forces and comrades being hunted before their eyes.

Morale that had hit rock bottom watching all this.

The once proud Knight Order of House Elcryer was no more.

What gathered here was merely a cluster of walking corpses struggling against death.

“Even after this… Do you think you’ll get away with this?”

Martan, thoroughly gripped by fear, shouted desperately.

“The Round Table will not forget this. They will never forget the fact that you destroyed one of the Twelve Houses! The magic nobles will have your head…!”

He was right.

To borrow a common cliché, Elcryer was the weakest among the Round Table’s magic houses.

They had an imprint unsuitable for combat as they focused on research, and their knights’ level wasn’t high either.

‘However, even to deal with such knights, the Special Magic Unit and Imperial Army had to mobilize this much resources and manpower.’

Even to bring down Elcryer, the weakest among magic nobles, we had to employ every possible scheme and strategy.

Without that, we simply couldn’t defeat them.

And using this victory as a starting point, magic nobles would begin seriously threatening the Emperor and me.

However.

“Try it if you can.”

“…!”

At the words that flowed from my mouth, Acting Head Martan’s eyes wavered.

“You idiots who abandoned the battlefield, blinded by rebels, think you can defeat our Imperial Army that brought down the Republic?”

“You, bastard…!”

“A Knight Order that couldn’t even control one revolution and abandoned the frontline thinks they can beat our Special Magical Power Unit? Don’t make me laugh.”

As I spat those words, determination swirled in the eyes of the soldiers who had followed me into the mansion.

A sardonic smile hung on the lips of the Special Magic Unit members lined up on either side of me.

Confidence in having put magic nobles beneath our feet.

The possibility of crushing the Knight Order.

This stage was set to prove that.

‘Your Elcryer is just the beginning.’

There is a plan.

There were chess pieces to be used, and disasters to be drawn in.

What remained was the trigger to execute that plan, and my growth that would be catalyzed by it.

And this battle was the ignition point to start it all.

Therefore.

“All units, prepare to fire.”

Special Magic Unit members moved in perfect unison, loading magic bullets into their weapons.

Magic amplified in an instant, equipped with explosive power rivaling that of knights.

When hundreds of spells aimed at them, fear spread across the knights’ faces.

Faces that sensed death.

After briefly observing their terror as they trembled with helplessness.

“Fire.”

With my command, the members’ gun barrels simultaneously spewed fire.

One of the 12 Great Magic Houses, Count Elcryer.

Their proud Knight Order vanished under the Special Magical Power Unit’s magic.

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