Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

[Kingsfort]

Major Fritz charged down from the Old Castle, made a beeline for the Great Geese Bridge, only pausing briefly at the Old Water Gate.

The gendarmes responsible for guarding the Old Water Gate were so tense that they began demanding passports from the Quartermaster-General—this was not a good omen.

Although the main battlefield wasn't at Kingsfort, even the dullest civilian and soldier in the city could faintly feel that this siege battle had reached an important juncture.

The Great Geese Bridge was brightly lit, with engineers urgently dismantling the only passage between the New Town and the Old City.

Fritz found General Cornelius, fully armed, at the bridgehead.

This was Fritz's first time seeing Jansen Cornelius donning armor; the latter held an unadorned sword, gazing at the distant Magit Island.

"Commander," Fritz raised his hand in a hurried salute.

Seeing Fritz approaching, Cornelius withdrew his gaze and nodded gently, "Major."

"The Seven, Eight, Nine Hundred-Men Squads are ready. We can land on the island right now," Fritz reported rapidly, "Captain Layton is awaiting your orders."

Cornelius did not respond immediately but sighed deeply, "Such a pity."

"Pity...what do you mean?" Fritz asked cautiously.

"There's quite a commotion on the island; it seems the rebels haven't neglected 'moving stones onto the walls,'" Cornelius remarked with gratification yet regret, "Let me test you, Major, at this moment, if you had a thousand available soldiers, where would you deploy them?"

"I'm dull-witted," Fritz didn't want to waste time, so he directly chose not to answer, "Please instruct me."

"If there were a thousand soldiers available, they should counterattack the rebels' trenches outside the city; if there were two thousand, they should assault the rebels' main camp," Cornelius shook his head, "Unfortunately, we don't have them."

He held the sword that once hung on Ned Smith's waist, calmly ordered, "Tell Captain Layton to set off, remind him to watch out for the rebels in Bishop's Castle who might make a desperate attempt to seize Domoncos Monastery."

Fritz snapped his boots together, indicating he remembered, "Any other orders for the two Majors?"

"What else could there be?" Cornelius understood the student's meaning but just smiled, "Do you want me to tell them that we're dismantling the bridge and that they should hold on until dawn at all costs?"

Fritz hesitated to speak.

"No need for such nonsense. I trust Major Ludwick and Major Monteccolli's abilities and integrity."

Fritz saluted but didn't leave, "What about the Paratu People taking over the New Town defense line? Can they be trusted?"

"No matter the circumstances, we cannot afford to waste precious forces sitting idle," Cornelius replied optimistically, "Therefore, we can only hope Grof Magnus hasn't misplaced his trust."

Fritz frowned, speaking in a deep voice, "That guy is eager to escape; if we didn't hold him, he'd have run off to Guidao City by now. I don't trust him, nor his people."

Cornelius gently patted the young man's shoulder: "At this critical juncture, those who want to escape are our people."

...

Meanwhile, outside the New Town of Kingsfort, in a stronghold, the reserve officers stationed there lay on the parapet, eagerly watching towards Magit Island.

Houdel and the other two were among them, not squeezed together with the others but instead found a spot on the edge. Although the view was poor, it was less crowded, allowing for whispers.

In fact, even if the view were better, it wouldn't make a difference.

Due to the obstruction of the River Dike, the reserve officers couldn't see Magit Island at all.

Yet everyone couldn't resist poking their heads above the retaining wall, searching for each flash on the horizon, listening to distant sounds.

Until both thunder and lightning fell silent.

"Has it gone quiet?" Little Majiya asked impatiently, whispering incessantly, "Is it over?"

"How could it end so soon," Claude scoffed, "Those United Province folks surely aren't tough fighters."

"Then what's going on? Why is it quiet?"

"Who knows?" Claude shrugged, "Strange things happen on the battlefield; it's normal to pause and resume after resting from exhaustion."

"Anyway," Houdel interjected dispiritedly, "If there's fighting, it has nothing to do with us."

"Then why did they bring us here? Give us weapons?" Little Majiya was puzzled, "And not let us sleep?"

"Face it; who knows?" Houdel snorted.

"You didn't ask either?"

The sudden magnetic voice startled the three into a cold sweat.

At some point, Baby Face had appeared behind them.

Houdel and the other two immediately silenced.

"Disrespect to the teacher," Baby Face continued smilingly, "I'll deduct a point from you."

"Yes," Houdel was calm, knowing he had nothing to lose, "But could you tell us why we are on standby here tonight?"

"I can't," Baby Face flatly refused, "It's a significant matter, and you don't have the clearance to know."

The three cadets felt like they had been doused with a bucket of cold water, immediately becoming dispirited.

However, Baby Face, who extinguished their hope, offered a slight hint, "Aren't you supposed to know Richard Mason better than I do? The Major never wastes anything; if he placed you here, there's definitely a purpose."

Baby Face glanced at Kingsfort in the night, murmuring, "Perhaps, I could borrow your luck and become the first to break into Kingsfort."

"Ah?" Little Majiya, possibly misunderstanding or not hearing clearly, widened his eyes instinctively, "Breaking into Kingsfort?"

This immediately attracted the eyes of surrounding cadets.

"Shouting," Baby Face smiled, "I'll deduct a point from you."

Little Majiya, with nothing to say, could only shut his mouth and salute.

"Do you mean…" Claude lowered his voice cautiously but couldn't conceal his excitement, "Maybe we can take Kingsfort tonight?"

"I didn't say that," Baby Face chuckled softly.

"Then it's... entering the city?"

"Who knows?" Baby Face answered airily, "If we're lucky, perhaps we could."

Claude heard the answer he hoped for, suddenly grabbing Houdel's shoulder, shaking vigorously, "Did you hear, Monkey?"

Houdel, however, remained utterly unmoved like a post, unaffected by Claude's shaking, as he recalled Baby Face's words during their first meeting.

"Squad Leader," Houdel cautiously asked, "Is your home... in Kingsfort?"

Baby Face raised an eyebrow, appraising Houdel for a moment, then sighed, "Thanks to you guys, maybe I can soon return home…"

Used to Baby Face's signature wicked smile, the rare display of genuine emotion left Houdel and the others bewildered.

"That's good," Claude scratched his head, "You have a home, unlike Monkey and me; we don't have homes anymore."

"Exactly, exactly," Little Majiya echoed.

Houdel immediately elbowed the two at his sides.

Baby Face gave a few dry laughs, nodded to the trio, and turned to leave.

Yet after just one step, he turned back to them—especially Houdel—and spoke earnestly:

"Don't waste your strength fighting certain people; if the battle ends like this, you should focus on your studies instead. Once educated, your life will turn out completely different. As for those people, just ignore them; they'll eventually be weeded out."

Claude and Little Majiya nodded, somewhat bewildered.

Houdel's attention was elsewhere, "Weeded out? Do you mean not everyone can graduate?"

"Who told you everyone can graduate?" Baby Face revealed his signature smile again, "Why do you think I'm deducting your points?"

...

Meanwhile, on the "King's Fort," Groni Misha saw lights beginning to appear on the opposite side of the trench.

The lights then started flickering in a regular pattern.

That was the agreed-upon signal.