Chapter 6: The Scheming Battle for Red Dragon City (part 1)

—32nd Day, 9th Month, 1,546th Year, Continental Calendar — Red Dragon City.

Ever since Souma had issued his ultimatum, the lord of Red Dragon City, Castor

Vargas, had been incredibly busy. Because he had chosen to support Georg Carmine

using only his personal troops from Red Dragon City, there was the risk that Red

Dragon City itself would become a battlefield.

Castor was aware that this had all come about as a result of his own pride. He

couldn't let the people of his domain suffer for his pride.

Because of that, he ended up having to do the work of evacuating the citizenry to

other cities himself. Normally, Castor left these sort of tasks entirely to his steward

Tolman, but this time he did the work by himself. He thought this might be the last

time he had the chance, so he was trying to fulfill his duties as their lord.

Inside the governmental affairs office in Red Dragon Castle, his castle in Red

Dragon City, Castor asked Tolman a question. "How is the evacuation of the citizens

going?"

"It is already complete," Tolman replied. "Now, the only people remaining in Red

Dragon City are a unit from the Air Force and those connected to the House of

Vargas."

"I see... I'm glad to hear that," Castor said, leaning back in his chair, a look of

heartfelt relief on his face. "Maybe I shouldn't say this, but it's a load off my

shoulders. Without that burden to carry, I can act as an individual warrior."

"Truly, those were words a lord must never speak."

"I was never cut out to be a lord anyway," Castor said. "Though I inherited the Air

Force and my subjects from my old man, I never had a gift for management. When I

think about what it would have been like without you and Accela, the very thought

of it frightens me."

Castor looked up to the ceiling.

"When I think back now, I realize that King Albert was carrying so much more,

and with that timid personality of his. ...And now, that new king, Souma, is carrying

that burden. He's pretty impressive, for a kid his age. I can see why the princess was

willing to cut her hair to walk alongside him."

Liscia had cut her hair as a show of determination towards Georg, but when

Castor had seen it, his heart had been moved. Castor had always had a simple

personality, so straightforward expressions of emotion like that really hit him hard.

Seeing Castor like this, Tolman asked him in astonishment, "You've changed your

view of him now, after all this time?"

"Yeah. I have. ...You're right, it took me far too long," Castor said, recognizing his

own fault.

It was too late to turn back now. He had no intention of trying, either. From here

on out, he would face Souma bravely. Even if he was defeated, he would show the

king the pride of a long-serving General of the Air Force.

"We have received requests from Air Force units around the country saying they

wish to side with you, Master..." Tolman began.

The Air Force was home to a lot of ruffians who felt that might made right, so a

brave and fierce commander like Castor got a lot of respect from his subordinates.

However, Castor waved his hand at the idea.

"Tell 'em all to take a hike. I'm not letting them join me in my stubborn pride."

"...I thought you would say that," Tolman said, looking at his awkward master

with resigned dismay. "Now then, master. What do you plan to do now?"

"I'm not gonna do anything," Castor said. "I'll just wait here for Souma."

"You won't go to join Duke Carmine?"

"I can't leave Red Dragon City sitting empty. Besides, I wouldn't mind fighting

alongside Duke Carmine, but I'll have to pass on riding alongside a bunch of corrupt

nobles. I couldn't stay true to my pride like that."

For Castor, the outcome of this war was secondary. Win or lose, live or die, he

thought only of fighting in a way for which no one would be able to laugh at him.

"I will wait in this land for Souma to come," he said. "If he comes with a great

army, I will fall gloriously in battle. If he underestimates me and only sends a small

force, I will chew them to pieces. That is all."

"Ah, but will things go as you've planned...?" Tolman said, looking down to the

documents in his hands. "According to reports from our scouts, a force of 10,000

from the Forbidden Army has headed towards the Carmine Duchy. It is unclear

whether King Souma is accompanying that army, but I do not believe they have any

forces to send at us."

"You're saying he's gonna ignore me?" Castor asked.

"We only have one hundred knights, so I believe ignoring you would be an

option."

"Ha, not a chance," Castor dismissed Tolman's concerns with a laugh. "The 40,000

strong Army led by Duke Carmine, or 100 knights from the Air Force? Which sounds

like the more difficult opponent to you? On top of that, if he defeats me, we have a

rule in place that says the entire Air Force will side with Souma. For Souma, the best

course of action is to strike me down, then to lead the Air Force into a final battle

with Duke Carmine."

"However, the fact of the matter is that King Souma has no spare troops at his

disposal..."

"I dunno about that. The new king's a shrewd one, and I hear his right-hand-man,

the Prime Minister, is sharp, too. They may come up with some method we would

never have thought of," Castor said, smiling in anticipation. His expression was like

that of a mischievous boy excited to see whether his prank was going to work or not.

When he saw Castor eagerly awaiting some scheme by his enemies, even though

he might soon be in a serious crisis, Tolman held his temples. "Master, I simply

cannot understand that sense of yours."

"Ha ha ha, you don't really need to understand it. Actually... Tolman, don't get

involved in this battle," Castor said, suddenly taking on a serious expression.

Tolman was shocked into silence, but after a moment he regained his composure.

"...Why is that?" he asked. "I am prepared to serve you to the very end, you realize?"

"If something happens to me, and then you die, too, who's gonna lead the Air

Force? Besides, I'm concerned for Carl, who I left with Duchess Excel," Castor said,

wearing a somewhat lonely smile as he did. "Duchess Walter has sided with King

Souma. Even if something happens to us, I'm sure she'll have Carl, who I've cut ties

with, inherit the House of Vargas. But Carl's still young. Accela can't handle things all

by herself. That's exactly why I want you there to watch over Carl. You know the

House of Vargas well, after all. That's why... no matter what happens, you have to

survive. That's an order."

"...You do give cruel orders," Tolman said, wearing a bitter smile with a tinge of

loneliness. However, he quickly took on a serious expression. Standing with his back

straight, his feet together, he saluted. "I have most certainly received your order."

"...I'm counting on you."

As the master and servant were having this exchange, Castor's daughter Carla

rushed into the room, out of breath.

"Father! Souma's forces have appeared!"

When he heard those words, Castor stood up, full of vigor. "He's here, huh! So,

how big's this force he's leading?"

How many troops Souma had brought would determine whether Castor would

be able to show him his pride. Was it 5,000, or 10,000? Castor had hoped for a large

force, but Carla's next words made him doubt his ears.

—The enemy force was... one ship!

"...Are you serious?"

Having come up to the walls to look, Castor saw a battleship advancing across the

plains towards them. Red Dragon City was built halfway up a mountain in the

middle of the plains. There were no rivers near it that a battleship could traverse.

However, that battleship was running along the ground, not along a river or

anything else.

"Father, that looks like the battleship Albert," Carla said, looking through a

telescope.

"The Albert? What's that thing doing running across the land?" Castor asked

incredulously.

The battleship Albert. Named for the former king, it was the sole ship held by the

Forbidden Army, and also the flagship of the Royal Navy. While its shape was similar

to the Mikasa, the flagship of the Combined Fleet at the time of the Battle of

Tsushima, instead of being propelled by an internal combustion engine, it was

drawn by two sea dragons.

However, it wasn't sea dragons that were pulling the Albert now.

"Ah! Father, look. The Albert is being drawn by rhinosauruses."

When Castor took the telescope from Carla to see for himself, he saw that the

Albert was being drawn by three of the large, land-dwelling creatures called

rhinosauruses.

When he looked closer, he noticed that the Albert's keel had been modified. There

were what looked like wheels on the sides.

"They put wheels on it so they could force it to run on land?! After a modification

like that, there's no way it can go back to being a ship! Do they plan to throw away

their flagship here?!"

"It's not like we had much choice," said a transmitted voice. "We've already got a

shortage of manpower."

"?!"

When he turned to look at the sudden voice which had responded to his

questioning, he saw Tolman standing there holding a simple Jewel Voice Broadcast

receiver. Standing behind Tolman were a number of Castor's subordinates who had,

for some reason, brought a Jewel Voice Broadcast jewel up onto the wall.

The image of Souma Kazuya was displayed on the simple receiver Tolman was

holding. It was too dark to see what was behind him.

"We just received a letter from King Souma requesting to speak with you by

Jewel Voice Broadcast, so we made the necessary preparations," Tolman explained.

Hearing this, Castor said, "...I see," with a nod. "And? Why's the Albert all this way

inland?"

In response to Castor's question, Souma just shrugged. "Don't underestimate the

Forbidden Army's transport capacity. If we use paved roads and rhinosauruses,

carrying around a modified battleship is easy."

"That's not what I'm talking about. I'm asking why you went to the trouble of

bringing it all this way."

Castor wasn't asking about how, he wanted to know why.

Souma told him the answer without any theatrics. "To attack and take Red

Dragon City, of course."

The next moment...

Booooooom!

...there was a loud noise. Then, only seconds later, there was crunching sound as

a great tremor shook the wall. As he stumbled forward due to the tremor, Castor

looked around the area.

"What?! What happened?!"

"W-We're taking fire from the Albert! It appears to have landed a direct hit on the

walls!"

"We're taking fire?! ...Ah! I see! Cannons, huh?"

Firearms had not developed very far in this world with magic.

Within the kingdom, only the Army had cannons that were meant to be used

inland. However, because all types of magic other than water tended to be weaker at

sea, battles on the water were mainly fought by ships firing at each other with

artillery. Of course, warships were loaded with large cannons. This was also true of

the Forbidden Army's Albert