Hello everyone, gabrielchiong11 here, and here's a new chapter of this fic.
I sincerely apologize for the long wait, I was busy with stiff IRL as well as focusing on other fics that took my interest.
Now that I am here, hope you enjoy. Though I need to remind you, I've made several revisions in the previous that hopefully to future potential storylines that I would like to explore in the world of Summoning Japan.
Hope you guys enjoy.
Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 4, Day 30.
Qua-Toyne Principality - Government Council
Several days ago on the 26th day of this month, the event of the battle when Japan repulsed Lourian Kingdom Navy was reported by the military observer officer Bruay as he was asked to give his testimony.
It was previously unprecedented for a mere military observer officer to testify in the Government Council, but as it was a battle report that determined the fate and survival of this country, the country's representatives were seriously listening.
"――, that is the battle report of the Grand Battle of the Rodenius Sea."
The reports were distributed to the members of the Government Council.
"…What is this? Just with a single ship, Japan challenged a Lourian Fleet of 4,400 ships and destroyed their morale by sinking 4,000 ships. In addition, they shot down an air support of more than 200 Wyverns, furthermore, the battleship didn't receive any damage?"
"When the Japanese Navy warship was issuing a warning, it received a flame arrow. Hence, just like what is stated, the damage is not zero, the ship received a scratch on its hull paint."
"This can't be considered as a damage at all."
It was a subdued retort, but Bruay made a troubled expression. He had thought that it would be unbelievable if he didn't write any damage, but even if he had that paint-damage written on the report, Bruay himself could agree that this line could be seen as a poor joke no matter what. Besides, just how should he wrote it so it will be acceptable?
"The record state that there is no damage on Japanese personnel. So that means, no casualties? Our country navy doesn't even have a part to play? Even if this is a fairytale, it's too preposterous. I don't think that you are deliberately lying in this place, but this report is too unreal that it is unbelievable."
The remark made by the greatly perplexed Foreign Minister Linsui, represented the thoughts of the other council members.
"Foreign Minister, Sir! In the first place, doesn't the report say that Japan 'has a military beyond the scope of our imagination '?"
A mock flew from a corner of the Council Room.
By all rights, they should be rejoicing since the Louria's invasion was prevented, but since the result from the first battle was too out of bounds, the Government Council had fear of some sort to Japan.
"In the report from the diplomatic delegation dispatched to Japan, they heard that Japanese people can't use magic. But in your report, 'The Louria Kingdom Navy's warships were pulverized into fragments by something similar to a massive explosion magic.' So which one is the truth?"
Bruay answered Linsui's question.
"The attack done by Japan is, to put it in simpler words: 'something similar to a massive explosion magic'. It can't be concluded whether or not it was magic, but since it exhibited such tremendous power and the closest similar thing that came to my mind is only the explosion magic, I used that expression in the record."
"Then, so that means Japan repeatedly launched large explosion attacks without magic, which destroyed the Louria Kingdom's warship? That is absolutely impossible."
A mockery flew again, Bruay thought that it will be a waste a time to explain more than this and so he became a bit sullen.
Prime Minister Kanata, who was silently watching the situation, carefully began to talk.
"At any rate, the sea invasion this time has been prevented. Though Louria still should have about 400 ships remaining, if they were beaten up this much by just a single ship, they would be on guard and it will take time before they able to launch another invasion. Military Minister, what about the situation in the land-side?"
"Currently the Louria Army units had fortified themselves on encampments surrounding Gim. It seems that since the sea invasion strategy has failed, after they solidified Gim's defense, they will launch another invasion. It seems that they had abandoned their rapid push strategy."
The Military Minister answered while reading the reports from the Intelligence Section and the Western Defense Corps in his hand.
"About Japan's movement, they have asked a permission to borrow 3 kilometers square of land on Daital Plain, 5 kilometers east of the Fortress City Ejei."
The Military Minister passed an application written in the Continental Common Language to Kanata. The Foreign Minister and the Military Minister had already given their sign, it only lacked a sign from the Prime Minister.
"Behind Ejei…? Isn't that the place where they would build an airfield based on their trade agreement?"
"Looks like it."
"Given that an airfield is under construction there already, but if they're planning on expanding it for their own use… No problem. Foreign Minister, when you return this application, issue a permit for expansion construction. Let them use it indefinitely."
There was some opposition to Kanata's order, but everyone understood that it is impossible to defend against Louria without Japan's power. In addition, it was obvious that in the unlikely event of Japan bared their fangs at Qua-Toyne, at that point, the country's destruction is inevitable.
In the future, Japan will construct a huge base as well as an airfield on the same location.
Louria Kingdom. Capital City: Jin-Haag, Haag Castle.
Louria Kingdom's 34th King, Haag Louria XXXIV, was exasperated when he hear the after battle report from General Patagene. Just a few days ago, a new emerging nation named Japan, participate in the war against the Louria Kingdom, and in the Grand Battle of the Rodenius Sea, they annihilated 250 wyverns. Furthermore, it was an unprecedented catastrophe, 4000 warships were sunk, about 90% of the fleet,.
Moreover, there were no confirmed military gain of this battle at all. It was indeed a completely unexpected defeat. Or rather, a huge loss.
"Why did we lose to Japan in this naval battle?"
"Because the content of the report from the Navy is too absurd, we are currently in the process of re-investigating the cause and verifying the credibility of the report, Your Majesty."
According to the report, the Japanese attacked the wyvern squadron with "a burst of light that can shred anything around it and with no way to avoid it on time" and practically annihilated the wyvern squadron. The evidence for this were the mid-battle manacom messages from the wyverns and the discovery of huge amount of wyvern corpses floating in the ocean by the retreating navy. They conjectured this to be the result of some kind of new magic weapon.
However, even when they were 4 km away from the battlefield, they were felled by something.
What the heck is 'something'?
Patagene had been racking his brain at this vaguely worded report. However, the report also stated that the wyvern bodies were torn into pieces. That something had a power to destroy a warship with a single hit, furthermore, it could be launched in succession. He couldn't imagine, just how much magic power it needed.
Had the ancient Magic Empire of the legends revived? He didn't know what kind of opponent they went to war against.
For ages, Louria Kingdom only has a large population, but the individual quality wasn't that good. In order to unify Rodenius, for the last 6 years, they had educated as much as possible and able to gather an overwhelming number of decent talented people. However, given the situation, they were fearful that they could be annihilated without able to do anything.
"Either way, the damage is a reality. It will be troubling if something like this happened in the future."
"Yes, Your Majesty! Until we identified the cause of our defeat in the naval battle, we will refrain from aggressively advancing our Navy. However, in the land, the number is everything. Currently, Gim had already fallen. After we absolutely reviewed our future war strategy, it will be easy to conquer the Principality with only our ground forces. Your Majesty could expect to hear a victory report."
"Patagene, I entrust the war this time to you. I ask you not to betray my expectation."
"Yes, Your Majesty! It's my humble pleasure!"
In the sea and the sky, the quality reigns. However, in the land, the numbers reigns. In a land battle, Louria might be able to triumph one way or another.
On that day, the King was tormented by the unexpected defeat and had a sleepless night.
Third Civilized Land. Papardia Empire.
The dim room was illuminated by a faint orange light. Its light source was a glass ball that was brightened with light spirit's power, and under that light, there were two shadows.
The two men who cast that shadows had a conversation that will influence the fate of the country.
"... ... Japan? It's a name that I have never heard before…"
"It's an island country that it is located northeast of the Rodenius continent."
"If so then I will recognize it when reading the report… But, has a country like that ever existed before? To begin with, if that country is located about 1,000 kilometers from Rodenius, then it will be unthinkable that it had never been mentioned in our history until now."
"Because of the chaotic ocean currents and winds in that ocean area, it is a perilous route. Since we tried to avoid that area as much as possible, we hadn't sent any investigation to that place."
"However, even for the decidedly uncivilized naval battle in the Frontier that is far away from the Civilized Lands, that Louria Kingdom lost 4,000 ships against 1 enemy ship, is rather… too unreal?"
"'An Always Accurate Cannon' is ludicrous. Perhaps he had mental illness due to the long duty as military attaché in the barbaric Frontier. Let's substitute him soon. However, Your Excellency, if Lourian Navy's warships, for argument's sake, clashed with our 100-Cannons Ship-of-the-Line 'Fishernus', the outcome might be similar."
"Your point?"
"With height and armor thickness, there is no chance for Fishernus to be sunk by those mobs. As long as they continue to shot cannon shells from a distance of 2 kilometers, they could attack one-sidedly. At any rate, for it to be a single ships, there must be a mistake. It is unknown if Japan attacked Lourian Navy with hundreds of ships, but seeing the warship destruction description, we should conclude that they have reached the technological level for cannon building."
"A cannon built by a bunch of uncivilized savages? … Until now, the reason why the nations in Rodenius and the surrounding area never try to invade us might be because they realized just how puny their power is. But, now that they finally able to build cannons, they judge that this is the right time to show their face, huh? By the way, to think that Louria could lose, is this possible? This will interfere with our national strategy."
"A land battle is different from the sea ones, the number decide everything. In any case, Louria has a large population, so they wouldn't possibly lose to a country that had just begun to possess a cannon."
"This naval battle report had no credibility. Until we could verify it, postpone reporting this to His Majesty. You understand?"
"As you wish."
Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 5, Day 21.
Near Qua-Toyne Principality, Near the Border
"Hah….! Hah…! Hah…!"
The villagers were gasping their breath while heading east. It was to escape from the Lourian invading army.
About 20 kilometers east from Gim, there was a small nameless elven village. They had little interaction with the outside world, and so seldom obtain new information, so they were late to receive the news about the Gim Massacre.
The entire village started to evacuate, but there was no Qua-Toynese army left in the vicinity, and so, they decided to wager their life and evacuate with their own power from the area controlled by Louria.
Currently, the villagers had moved 10 kilometers east from the village. Their number was 200 people.
The area they passed through was nothing but short-grass covered open plains. The sky was clear and the blowing wind was comfortable. The birds were singing, while the wild cows were eating the grass in bliss. This was a tranquil scenery through and through, but for the villagers, they were traveling on the shadow valley of death. It was easy to travel through this place, but there were few covers and so it was easy for them to get discovered.
A young boy was walking hand in hand with his his little sister.
The boy's name is Parun. His mother had passed away early from sickness and so he lived only with his father and imouto. However, his father received a call to service in the army when Louria was gathering its force to invade, and the left the home that morning.
His father's smile burned inside Parun's mind.
Palun, I entrust you with Asha. You are the big brother after all.
He had been entrusted with everything and so he vowed to absolutely protect his little sister, Asha.
Their travel speed wasn't that fast, and so Parun's uneasiness became worse.
On the rear group, there were youngsters standing guard – what's remained after the army's call for service – but their numbers was only 10 people, considerably few.
25 kilometers ahead... If we go for another 25 kilometers, there is a base of the Qua-Toyne Principality Army.
Suddenly, screams raised from the rear group.
"It's the Lourian Cavalry!"
When Parun looked back, there were 100 Lourian Cavalry approaching, 3 kilometers behind their group.
It was the army from Louria Kingdom, a country that devoted to annihilate the demi-humans.
The villagers began to scream and ran away. However, they couldn't escape from the cavalry's speed, and the looming threats gradually closing in.
"Red-Eyed Jove", the Captain of the 15th Cavalry Squadron of the Louria Kingdom's Hawk Knight Order, pursed his lips to the sight of preys in front of him.
"… Target discovered."
It was a group of 200 elves, mostly composed of old people, women, and children. They were 3 kilometers ahead, but if there are no obstacles and he has 5 minutes allowance, then he could catch up with them easily.
He disdainfully remembered Gim. The order from his superior was supposed to be: "You could do what you like, even 'play' with them."
He remembered the cat-eared demi-humans in Gim. The husband-wife couple was desperately begging for their life, but they were killed without any hesitation, and their daughter was about to be violated in front of her parents, then it happened.
Somehow, in some way, a poison dart found it's way on her arm and a moment later, she died.
He remembered the disappointment all too well. Almost vividly, in fact.
When the next night came, hell happened.
Men were screaming in pain, some were blown away by the explosions, some had their bodies shred as though they were paper. Every single one of their deaths were brutal, much more so than what they did to the people of Gim.
Reports came, a hundred or so died. Some were forced to kill some of the surviving men just to relieve them of their pain. There were also reports of certain officers disappearing on the night of the attack. Never to be found again.
Since then, the same attacks happened over and over again. With the same amount of casualties every goddamn night.
It has been 30 days since the nightly attacks began. Over 3,000 men were killed.
The memory only served to increase his ever-growing rage and frustrations at the attackers. He believed they were a hindrance to Louria's goal and purpose.
Last night, however, his brother, who was part of the main force stationed in Gim had nightmares of the nightly attacks since then.
Some times he won't sleep, he had black eye bugs due to the lack of rest, he heard hallucinations of men in stick firing explosive magic, other times he would stare into space pondering the meaning of life. The latter of which sickened that he thought that he wasn't his brother.
The last part was so unlikely of his brother that he almost killed him on the spot if it weren't for the General to keep things in order
He had been that way for more than a month. And last night, he disappeared.
Though his brother wasn't a cavalry knight like him, but he was an officer of the Lourian Army! He wasn't supposed to be weak! He was strong! A brother he can lean his back on!
But that night took away his brother, and it was the last straw Jove could ever have in his entire life.
He was pissed beyond compare.
Jove observed the preys, dark emotion surged all over his body.
The Hawk Knights Order was called the best even amongst Louria Kingdom's Eastern Lords Army and was extolled as mighty warriors. Amongst them, the 15th Cavalry Squadron was a gathering of ruffians. They were bandits or pirates who obtain merits during Louria Kingdom's age of expansion, given a peerage and became nobles.
Their Captain, Jove was someone with especially cruel personality even compared with his members. If they didn't please him, he would even kill his subordinates in the battlefield and covered it as killed in action.
"Now then… Should we hunt? Listen! Kill every of those demi-humans! Charge!"
"""Hyaaa…"""
The 15th Cavalry Squadron yelled out their battle cry and dashed towards the elves. Savage battle cries and horse gallops reverberated on the calm plains.
This one is for you, Jones.
Parun pulled Aisha's hand as they ran feverishly.
"It's alright, big brother will be protecting you without fail! Don't worry!"
"Un."
Parun behaved bravely, but his heart was full of fear. He knew that the other party was a group of devils who come to kill them for real.
I am scared! I am scared! Had we done something bad? Won't God help us? Please do something! Something… at least, protect Aisha!
As death approached, Parun remembered the bedtime story he heard from her mother.
──A long time ago, a Demon Lord appeared on the North Continent.
The Demon Lord, accompanied by his powerful monster subordinates, invaded Philades Continent and many cities disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Elves, Humans, and Beastfolks couldn't resist the Demon Lord Army separately, so the various races joined hands and create an organization called 'Interracial Union' to combat the Demon Lord's Army by using each race's strong point. However, the Demon Lord Army was so strong that even the united races couldn't match, and the Interracial Union suffered defeat after defeat, and the veteran warriors died in battles. With the number of people able to fight decreased, the Demon Lord Army killed many Elves, Humans, and Beastfolks. More than half of the Philades Continent fell into Demon Lord's Army and then they invaded Rodenius Continent across the sea.
The Interracial Union retreated repeatedly and finally was cornered on the Elf's Sacred Land, the Divine Forest where the Elven God resided.
The Demon Lord Army recognized the high magic power Elves as troublesome being, and so to exterminate the Elves, they launched an attack on Divine Forest.
To protect the race that is like His children, the God of the Elves (the Forest God), raised His prayer to His own creator, the Supreme God, the Sun God. The Sun God responded to the prayers of the Forest God and sent his messengers to this world.
The messengers of the Sun God came riding Divine Ships that fly in the sky or Steel Land Dragons, with might sorcery that burns the land together with a thunder-like roar, they burned down the Demons.
Although the Demon Lord Army retreated from the Divine Forest after losing their main force, the messengers of the Sun God exterminated the Demons in the Rodenius continent, and even destroyed the Demon Lord Army that ruled the Philades Continent.
Elves, Humans, Beasts were saved and spread to the whole world.
Elves tried to give gold, silver, and treasures to the messengers of the Sun Gods as gratitude for their help, but they never took it and boarded on the Divine Ship before departed.
But one of the numerous Divine Ships broke down and remained in this land.
That Divine Ship was given a long lost ancient magic, the Space-Time Delaying Storage Magic, and is now carefully kept in the middle of the shrine in the Sacred Land of Leen-Nou Forest, on Qua-Toyne Principality.
Mother said that this story really happened…
Parun prays while running.
Oh God, God! Oh, Forest God! Oh, Sun God! If you are really there, please help us now…! I don't care even if I had to become a sacrifice. Please… Please at least save my little sister! Oh, God please deliver us from the evil hands of the Louria Army that are trying to kill us!
Has Parun's desperate prayer never reached? Nothing happened.
Louria soldiers savagely approached.
"Hyahahaha-!"
"Go ahead, run away! If you are dawdling, you will get killed, you know!"
He could hear the ruthless yell as well.
As far as his eyes could see, they were still in the grassland, he realized that it was impossible to escape.
Even if there were weapons, it was only bows to repel beasts and farm implements.
Whether to fight or being slaughtered ── Some of the villagers had given up.
Their distance was less than 500 m.
Everyone gave up.
Parun faced the sky and shouts.
"PLEASE GOD ──! Help ussssssssssssssssssss!"
A light passed over the boy.
The Knights' distance with the villagers was just below 500 meters.
The villagers faces were paralyzed with fear as they desperately flee.
The drawn swords are the sign of the incoming slaughterfest. There were also fine women mixed amongst the fleeing mass. Soon, it will be another Gim… Imagining the tragic future that will befall his preys, a smile broke on Jove's face.
"Chargeeeeee──────!"
"""UOOOooooooo!"
The cavalry squadron increased their horse's speed even more and scattered a large amount of dust as they dashed forward.
"── Captain! There's something glowing in the sky!"
Suddenly, a subordinate with the best eyesight in the squadron yelled and pointed at the sky.
"Hah?… What is it !?"
When Jove looked up at the sky, a spear of light flew straight towards them.
── So fast!
Instinctively sensing a danger, he pulled the reins and cried out while taking an evasive action.
"Avoid it!"
The light spear pierced through the Hawk Knights Order's 15th Cavalry Squadron without them able to avoid it.
Parun was like seeing a dream.
Just after he shouted towards the Heaven, a spear of light flew over him.
The 'Light' burst open near the Lourian soldiers, and immediately after that, an ear-splitting thunderous roar and shock wave mowed down the surroundings.
"Wuuaaaa!"
Soil was flying around as if the earth itself had erupted, even the Lourian soldiers outside the blast radius fell down together with their horse.
It was as if the Wrath of God hadn't been satisfied yet, Light Spears continued to rain down one after another.
Streak of flashes, roar of thunders.
With a tremendous exploding flame, the earth was charred down.
"T-The Louria soldiers scattered!"
"W-What is happening!?"
Someone shouted.
The scarred and frightened Louria soldiers scattered to all directions, their file and rank completely fell into chaos.
The scattered cavalry on the front was struck by yet another Light Spear.
With a power enough to turn the earth inside out, the cavalry engulfed by that shock blown away into pieces together with their horse.
"Damn it ! What the hell is that !"
Red-Eyed Jove looked up at the sky.
A phenomenon that they couldn't understand was happening before their eyes. White and slender, like the size of a Wyvern, inorganic objects were flying through the sky while giving off whirling loud roars. Every time it emitted a light, their comrade blown apart by a violent explosion.
The enemy was in the sky, they had no means to attack them from ground.
"Bastards! This is a foul play!"
Jove and his surviving subordinates were trying to turn around towards their encampments―――
"Eh…?"
On the next moment, his eyes saw a sight of himself and his horse shattered. Red Eyed Jove was smashed to smithereens by a rocket from the Imperial Navy's Air Force land-carrier plane, 'A6M8'.
The Hawk Knights Order 15th Cavalry Squadron was annihilated in just mere seconds.
The A6M Zero was the Imperial Navy's Carrier Plane introduced in the year 1940.
Since then, the aircraft would become one of the most fear carrier planes of its time.
After the transfer to this world, most of the pilots of this legendary aircraft was left stationary as it has mostly been peaceful in the last 5 years barring some air drills and a certain major uprising of 1947.
Since then, it had been refitted with up-to-date weaponry and engines that allowed this aircraft to maintain its service toward Japan. Especially in the wake of a possible force that can be a major threat to the Empire as a whole.
One the weapons outfitted in this aircraft was the Type 7 HVAR (High-Velocity Aerial Rocket).
Weighing 60kgs each, this unguided missile was used extensively at the start of the major uprising last year.
It was combat tested and was seen as a major success for both Army and Navy forces to use on their existing aircraft.
Before that rocket was introduced or was it thought of, there were ideas from some of the pilots of the Zeros to attach several Type 4 Rocket Launchers onto their aircraft. The reason was simply out of boredom
Though they were met resistances from their superiors, after some time later, they managed to convince them into attaching the Rocket Launchers onto their planes.
During that time, when they were flying on their craft, a large sea monster appeared at the beaches where their air base (someplace where the Pacific once was there) on a small island.
The ground forces were caught off guard when it occurred. In that time, most of the men at the air base became complacent due to the peace during the Isolation Period and thus wasn't prepared for an unexpected attack.
Fortunately enough though, and perhaps an opportunity granted by the Shinto Gods themselves, the aircraft that was flying with the attached Rocket Launchers sprang into action. Diving in to take the first shot.
His endeavor was granted success when he fired the first salvo of the rockets flying onto the enemy, eliminating it soon as it had appeared.
Thus, after this incident, the idea of a rocket launching from a plane was born.
Since then, the development of the Type 7 HVAR was made a high priority between a joint venture from both the Army and Navy as they deemed it to be worthy of use in a large scale of modern warfare. Though with minor infighting, mostly bickering between the high-ranking officers of both branches.
With this in mind, the A6M was modeled with a new highly powerful and efficient engine, as well as major improvements to it's overall structural integrity, this factor made the A6M at the end of its service life a force to be reckoned with.
As such, it's successor, the A7M Reppu, was highly superior to the A6Ms latest variant. However, High Command had deem the successor to be risky to use in combat against Lourian forces. As such, the Zero fighter was used instead.
Even with the restrictions, with the hands of an experienced pilot, this was something to fear of.
Before long, numerous flying ships appeared from the eastern sky.
While giving off fear-inducing whirling sounds, the objects, that had cast huge magic capable to roast the earth, passed through the over the villagers with great speed. Fierce winds flew underneath the big objects, the raging strong wind increased the villagers' fear.
Parun looked up at the objects.
He was captivated by the mysterious arks, but he noticed that on each hull there was a red circle like a sun drawn on it.
"―――! Sun? There is a drawing of the sun's symbol! So the Sun God's Messenger really comes!"
The flying ships soon left, in their place came the men with horseless carriages and the steel dragons, as described in the legends, followed the men. With some riding on said metal beasts.
"Who are they? Those people with dirty looking brown clothes?"
"They don't look like soldiers, but… What their identity is?"
The villagers who, was saved from Louria Kingdom's Soldiers and relieved that they still held their lives for the moment, became wary of the people that appeared before them. They were not a member of Louria Kingdom Army, but they also were not Qua-Toyne Principality Army either. Although they looked like belong to the human race, they didn't appear like soldiers at all, their whole body was smeared with mud or sand, and they wore clothing with designs never seen before. They were carrying something like a black tube with a wooden handle in their hand.
There was one who didn't have that black thing, but he raised his hand the men and metal beasts came to sudden halt.
For that action, that couldn't be thought of having much authority from a human, the villagers were surprised and frozen in silence.
In the first place, those people hold overwhelming power enough to annihilate the cavalry in mere seconds. If the villagers made them angry, they might lose their own lives. Perhaps if they report the injured people, would they be killed since they wouldn't be useful for the labor force? Or will they be sacrificed to the monster that cast those powerful magic?
Parun who believed that they are the Sun God's Messengers moved forward without fear.
"Thank you for helping us. Are uncles the Sun God's Messenger-sama?"
At the boy's question, the IJA personnel was confused for a few moments and tilted his head.
Sun's Messenger? ―――Oh, perhaps because the Japanese flag is the sun, so he misunderstands? It's simple to correct him… but this is just a child's word. It will be less troublesome if I just agree with him.
Although rare as it is back in their world, but throughout the five years since they've been in this world, and facing several uncommon threats occurring throughout the Empire, which required the cooperation between the Army and Navy, they were well-versed in guiding civilians and evacuating them as soon as possible. In one of many operations, he had participated in one of them, thus he had the experience in such a situation.
Also, they were also orders to help the evacuation of Qua-Toynese Civilians, as part of building a positive image for Qua-Toyne to believe in, so there was no choice but to lend them their aid.
Though, telling the kid of a white lie would be alright, so he responded with a nod and answered
"Yes, that's right. We came to save you, so you don't need to worry anymore."
The villagers looked at each other and began a commotion.
Seeing this situation, the IJA personnel slightly regretted, Ah! I've done it.
"Th-The Sun God's Messenger he says!?"
"Now that he mentioned, there is a picture of the sun on one of their flying ship's hull!"
"You're right! The sun is also on their clothes' shoulder!"
"A Divine Ship that flies in the sky… a powerful magic that burns the earth… and a mark that symbolizes the Sun God! There is no mistake! The God of the Elves once again prayed for the Sun God to sent His Messengers!"
"Oh… Sun God! We offer our gratitude for sending Your Mighty Messenger to rescue us."
The village chief, as the representative of the village, moved forward and stood beside Parun before offering his gratitude.
"Sun God's Messenger-sama, we offer our utmost gratitude for saving our life on this occasion."
"We-We are just doing what were ordered to do. (I guess so?) Though I'm really glad that we make it on time. Now, this way ―――"
While having a cramp on his face, the IJA personnel attempted to guide the villagers into their trucks as well as detaching a single Company for escort, when the villagers suddenly bowed down to the ground.
"We are truly… truly thankful!"
"Ah, please raise your head! Come now, quick enter. We will transport you to a safer place…"
"It will be disrespectful for us to not supplicate ourselves in front of the Sun God's Messenger-sama…"
"Umm, it will be alright… So, please could you quickly get on here?"
"We can't possibly do that! To ride on the Horseless Carriage that we know are empowered with the Sun God's Divine Magic, we are not worthy…"
Dammit! Now General Kuribayashi is going to chew me out for this! Even worse, court martial!
The IJA personnel who came to the rescue would need a considerable amount of time to solve this misunderstanding.
"GAAAH! PLEASE STO-O-O-OP!"
"Tell us what you know!"
"I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW一一一 *shink* GAAAH!"
The man's screams echoed throughout the cavern under the City of Gim. His pained cries never reached the heavens.
He was many men who was unfortunate enough to this fate placed upon him.
He was an ordinary officer of the Louria Kingdom Army, he was assigned to the Main Force that conquered Gim in a single day.
Naturally, a man of his ranking shouldn't be in a place like this, with guards around his tent. Under the protection of the men under his control.
However, this was not the case.
"PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU! I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING一一一 *shink* GAAAH! YOU BASTARD!"
His pained cries intensified, almost to the point he can make anyone's ears turn deaf just by how loud he was.
His cries was justified. In fact, you could almost pity him because of the limbs dripping in fresh blood.
This wasn't torture in any sense of the word. He was experiencing hell.
He was beginning to lose his vision, which was good for him because finally rest from all the pain the man in front of him inflicted upon him.
Then, a soothing light appeared, erasing his pain and gave him a sense of peace.
The peace was a dreaded reminder that was the coming of hell upon him.
"YOU DEMIHUMAN BITCH! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO一一一 *shink* GRAAAH! HEEEEAAAAL MEEE!?"
Another limb was cut off without a second wasted. His cries intensified once more.
The young Cat Demihuman flinched at the sight. Her stomach churning as she witnessed a limb cut off from the chair he was chained to.
The Cat girl drooped her ears, not from dejection of what the captured man said, but from the cries that began hurting her ears.
She looked to be around 12 or 13 years of age, with subtle signs of puberty that can be seen when one is aware about her features.
Though young as she may look, but she was not what she seem.
"Sergeant Kurokawa, what do we know about him?"
The Cat girl asked, looking at the captured officer with a churning stomach at the sight of his lost limb.
The torturer, Sergeant Kurokawa, dropped his sword, a Katana, on the ground as he took a small notebook inside his pocket.
"According to what he said earlier, as well as other before him with rough sketches, his name was Jones. His blood relatives being Red-Eyed Jove, who is the Captain of the 15th Cavalry, famous for his brutality. Or so what he claimed to be."
"IT'S TRUE!" the man cried out mightily, "ONCE HE GETS HERE, HE'LL KILL ALL OF YOU BAR一一一*stab* GRAAAH! BARBARIANS!"
"Shut up. No one is going to come to your rescue. We've heard of this literally 29 times before you and no one has ever proven that claim. And no one will."
Kurokawa calmly answered after stabbing Jones at his shoulder as though without any touch of empathy at all.
The girl flinched, seeing a casual stab at Jones. But, she never felt sorry for the man.
She heard stories of Red-eyed Jove, he was an extremely evil man, even killing his own comrades due to his dislikes. According to the rumors that is.
To think he has a brother as cruel as him is despicable.
The Cat Demihuman thought disdainfully by the actions she heard Jones had done and the verified testimony that what he did was true and he did it with joy.
She would never forgive anyone who is as evil as him and his brother.
"What do you think, has he said enough, Felicia?"
The Cat Demihuman, Felicia, turned to the Sergeant then to the captured Officer was seething in pain and anger at both of them.
Pain at the torturer who cut off his limbs and the Demihuman who healed him and his torturous experience like never before.
Anger at his own folly being captured by barbarians and under the thumb of a race he despised so much.
Whether or not how much valuable information that this man can give if they were to spare him, but she knew she had to make the call.
After all, she was the healer that helped torturers do anything what they want to inflict pain on their victims.
But that inflicted pain was a necessary evil to gain information though as much as it was morally wrong it was.
It had been like that everyday since she revealed that she was able to use healing magic.
Healing magic that was used in practices like this, was something she never hoped it would come to happen.
"Sergeant Kurokawa."
"Yes?"
The older man looked at the girl, his waiting for confirmation as though it was routine work.
Felicia knew she had to make the judgment. And she knew all too well what would happen.
Thus, she made her decision.
"...Please, end his misery."
With that, both her and the Sergeant began leaving the room.
"HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU BARBARIANS ARE GOING TO GO!? I SWEAR ONCE I GET OUT OF THIS CHAINS I WOULD KILL AND GUT YOU LIKE WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"
His declaration was loud and clear, but it fell on deaf ears when Kurosawa coldly responded.
"That won't be necessary."
He opened the door, revealing a man with a small flame lit up at the end of the pipe with a strange barrel that he carried on his back.
Though Jones may not know what it is or how it is going to do to him. One thing for certain一一
Flames started spewing out as it aimed toward the man who was the brother of Red-eyed Jove. The man who was called Red Coat Jones.
一一He was going to die.
"AAAAAHHHHH! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!"
That was the last cry the man would ever make as he died by the flamethrower. Cursing the pair to eternal damnation.
Even then, he would go to hell first before he could see it happen to them.
After Jone's screams had died down, Felicia felt nauseous.
She was sick... she was sick and tired of the job she was placed in.
The Cat girl thought of the optimistic times that she would use her healing for the purposes that Healers were meant to be. Helping people with their injuries.
When the opportunity arose when Sergeant Itami Youji was looking for a Healer, she thought that she was going to use her healing powers to good use. The time to use his magical ability to assist the good men in their mission.
Oh how naive she was to the cruel things of this world.
The first week was hell for her.
She over exhaust herself with her magic, collapsing in front of the torturer and the tortured. Which resulted witnessing a man burned to death by flamethrower. Unable to move from her position.
The next day, the same thing happened, but the next death was decapitation and soon cremation.
It was like that in the past 30 days. And in those 30 days, she felt she was beginning to get used to with her role and job in this Company of soldiers.
A Healer who prolonged pain and ended those in pure suffering and misery.
She felt sick. She wanted to stop before she'll get used to it. A cold hearted healer with no empathy to the suffering of the living.
But, she could feel she was losing her empathy in each passing day in this Company.
To leave or not to leave this Company?
That was one of the main things she could think of that was worth taking into consideration of her own choice. The idea of leaving the Company of Soldiers alone seemed like a foreign idea to her.
After all, she felt that she owed the Company a great debt.
Before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, she felt a hand placed on her petite shoulder. Snapping her back to reality and she turned to face who was behind her.
What she saw was the familiar, concerned expression of the man who saved her.
"Have you been doing well, Felicia?"
"..."
She did not reply. She doesn't want to, but the man, Itami Youji, knew what was going on inside her head.
After knowing her during the 30 days in this Cavern, with once in a while going outside for fresh air, they've acquainted themselves quite well during their time with each other.
"...Well, if you don't want to talk, then at least we could eat some dinner. I know you're hungry kid."
"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not a kid! And I'm not hungry!"
After she uttered those words, a huge growl came from her stomach. Loud enough for any nearby IJA soldiers to hear them.
The Cat Demihuman had her face flustered in embarrassment while Itami gave an amused look at her expense.
"Does that say anything?"
"...Shut up..."
The Sergeant merely shrugged as he lead the young girl toward the more spacious part of the cavern. Illuminated by the lights of the lanterns that was stolen during their nightly raids at the Lourian Forces stationed in Gim.
Whether or not she approved their tactic of attacking the enemy without giving them rest. But she could see the merits of that tactic to good effect on lowering enemy morale.
Though, she wondered if it will do any effect to the war as a whole.
"You alright Felicia? You've been silent all the way."
Her thoughts were cut off by Itami's words as he sat one of the chairs, once belonged to her neighbors but now they were dead, and offered one to her.
Naturally, she accepted with a nod. And the Sergeant gave her one of the rations he had on hand.
This was her meal since meeting the Company. So far, it doesn't taste good nor bad, but plain enough that there wasn't practically worth mentioning about the rations. She wasn't complaining or anything but it is enough to fill her stomach.
Time went on, the pair eating their respective rations in silence.
In this silence, however, was broken by the Sergeant voice.
"Kim would be participating in tonight's raid."
"Is that so? I heard he did well in the previous raids."
"Yeah. The kid has a good eye, probably should best be a sniper after this conflict is over. That boy has potential."
"Really? Then why hasn't been in that position before?"
"Beats me. The same could be said to you. Why haven't you left this place when you feel sick about our methods when you had the chance?"
Itami's words caught Felicia's guard off.
What did he mean by that?
The question came so quickly, she could only utter a single word after that.
"...What?"
"You heard me. Why haven't you left this place when you had the chance? Don't play some sort of bullshit that it's about repaying your debts in this Company. What is your real reason for staying in this Company that you couldn't stand watching people suffer with our torture methods using your healing magic?"
The 27 year old Sergeant's words struck deep into her heart as every excuse she could think of was washed away by the straightforwardness of the man's speech.
What was her reason for staying in this Company of Soldiers?
She initially thought of the time she spent with the 180 men that made up this Company.
Sergeant Kurokawa was a man with a stone face but he is a good cook. He made meals each time the men that participated in the raids took whatever they can from the Lourian Army.
Captain Tsubasa was a very strict and methodical man, but his intention were good and he won't hesitate to use any methods if it's for the benefits of the Infantry Company that he lead.
Private Kim was someone with a quirkiness she never thought she would see in a person. He's someone that she would like to interact often to lighten up this gloomy cavern.
Then, there was Sergeant Itami Youji...
He was the man that saved her, he was someone that closely resembled to her dad in terms of personality and kindness. He was certainly a person who's old enough to be her uncle.
She though long and hard about it.
Then, she gave her answer to the man who was waiting to hear her out.
"I guess it's you guys that made me stay in this Company."
"Hah?"
"Don't get me wrong, your methods aren't good so much that I can't stand it around it, but it's a necessary part of your job so I don't completely mind it unless it's way too disturbing for my own liking. For soldiers, you guys act like criminals escaping from the law and that's one thing I noticed each time you guys do your nightly raids."
"S-Slow down. This development is way too fast!"
"Is it? The way act around it just speaks volumes of casual laziness. What kind of soldier does that? For someone who is from an Empire with unimaginable national power, I find it unbelievable someone like you live there."
"Oi. It's part of living as a human. Whatever propaganda papers you've been reading about the 'Imperial Army Men are strong and disciplined that bullets would never kill them'! That's a full load of bull I've ever heard if that was the case."
Itami's brief rant came to a halt when he calmed himself down and asked the girl beside him properly.
"Then, what is your actual reason for staying here...? With us?"
"It's you guys, actually. With everyone dead, including my relatives, I have nowhere to go now that I think about it. All I have after Louria attacked were you guys."
"I see... in that case, you won't leave us until all of this is over?"
"Yeah... but I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back to the normal society in Qua-Toyne after all the stuff I've been through with you people. Besides, I'm the only one with the shown side effects of the experimental dart you've shot me with."
That was true.
A month ago, they checked the other 9 that was shot by the experimental dart if they were shown the side effects Felicia does.
All of them were shown to have no signs of the side effects, which boggles the mind of him, Kim, and Felicia herself at the revelation.
As for those that they managed to save during the Attack on Gim were safely transported toward Eiji the moment they were ready to go to the Fortress City. Only Felicia remained with the group.
At first, it was thought that her usefulness with Healing Magic prevented her from leaving the Company. But that was proven to be not the case.
Still, he felt somewhat happy that it wasn't the reason for her to stay.
In fact, he enjoyed her presence. Especially to keep things lively in this base of operations of a cavern. The way she talked about life in Qua-Toyne was a topic the men of the Company were eager to listen as they never knew what Principality was all about before the conflict began.
This was something he wanted to hear talk about in this dark cavern waiting to strike every night and spying during the day.
"Well, that wrapped things up a bit. But, I'm glad that I was able to hear your thoughts about us in this Company."
"No problem. In fact, I won't mind calling you Uncle every once in a while."
"Yeah... wait, what!? What did you say?"
"Nothing~"
"You cheeky kid!"
So, the day went by with Felicia's mood brighter than before.
How long it would take for this brief happiness to last in this war?
Well... that ended in an ominous...
Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter. And once again, I apologize for the long delay. Hopefully the next part would come around next week or so if I'm not too busy.
That's all for now, gabrielchiong11, out!
