Kays Translations

Chapter 55: The Villainous Aristocrat Gets Ready

"Grandmother, please handle the parts around here carefully. Uncle, please stay still until your magical energy recovers."

"Hehe, leave it to Grandma!"

"Uh, sorry. I'll get back to work as soon as my magical energy recovers... *groans*"

The workshop was filled with corpses.

No, correction—only Grandma was lively and enjoying her work.

"But really, Kunou-chan, you come up with amazing things. Grandma is impressed!"

"I'm amazed by your skills, Grandma. It's like a joke!"

"Oh! That makes me happy! But, if you're an Andain, you'll be able to do this kind of thing eventually!"

Grandma is incredible.

What's so incredible is her ability to create identical parts with precision, just like a human precision machine.

When I try, there's almost certainly a millimeter-level deviation.

However, when Grandma does it, she can mass-produce exactly the same parts.

I was particularly surprised that she could skillfully use her nails to make screws and bolts.

And, what's terrifying is the speed.

The ability to produce the same parts in large quantities at high speed is truly like a one-person factory.

"By the way, Kunou-chan, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"To make this magical device move, an incredible amount of magic power is required. It takes the entire magical power of an average person just to move it for three seconds. Of course, it's impossible to supplement it with human magic power, and even if you gather all the magic stones in the capital, I don't think it would be enough."

Magic stones are minerals where magic power has crystallized, and they serve as a substitute for the user's magic power when using magical devices.

I generally make magical devices energy-efficient by using magic ore to supplement the magic power used in them with my own magic power, so while I'm not familiar with using unfamiliar items, when using magical devices on an individual basis, I often use magic stones.

Well, magical devices themselves are rare to begin with. 

Magic stones circulating in the royal capital are nothing to write home about.

However, it's okay. No problem.

"In that regard, you don't have to worry."

"Oh?"

"I know someone whose magic power is almost inexhaustible."

"Is that so? That's amazing."

At that moment.

"Boss!!"

"Oh, you're here, Hagane."

"Hehe, I've been moving without rest!! Everyone's sleep-deprived!!"

Hagane gives a thumbs-up with a genuinely cheerful smile.

We needed more manpower, so I called the slaves from the territory.

The messenger is Maria. Even though she's a user of teleportation magic, jumping short distances alone is her limit, so it probably took her a few days to get here until the messenger arrived.

And yet, to come so quickly like this...

"Kohaku wanted to come too, but I stopped her with all my might!!"

"That's a good decision. Take a break, and then help with the work."

"Got it!!"

Hagane, along with the slaves who came with him, started to fall asleep as if collapsing right there.

However, among the slaves, the one-armed elf—Katia—is the only one who doesn't seem inclined to sleep.

"What's wrong? You should rest too."

"...Not necessary. I..."

"It's a hindrance if you collapse in the middle of the work. Rest and then lend a hand."

"...Understood."

Katia collapses on the spot and falls into a deep sleep.

She said it wasn't necessary, but anyone could tell she looked sleepy.

Sleeping on the job is dangerous, absolutely not allowed.

Well, ideally, I'd want them to work without sleeping, but they've come on a forced march for nearly a month, so I don't want to push them too hard.

Besides, I know that working in a fatigued state is the least efficient.

Unless it's during late-night excitement, that's a different story.

"Grandma, this is the crucial moment!"

"Hehe, leave it to me!! I'm going to get a little serious!!"

...You're still not serious, huh? Scary.

The work is progressing steadily.

Now then, while things are going well here, I wonder how the front line is holding up.

According to Freya, they somehow managed to halt the advance after losing the fortress on the border, so it seems okay for now...

Just a little more, let's keep pushing.

◆

Near the border between the Kingdom and the Empire.

There is a fortified position established to reclaim the fortress taken by the Atralta Empire.

"Askham Knights Commander, I bring a report... Oh?"

A knight approaches the tent where Vols von Askham, the commander of the Gardanakia Kingdom Knights, is stationed, acting as a messenger.

Vols gazes fondly at a portrait inside a rocket pendant.

The knight calmly asks a question.

"Your family?"

"Yeah. My beloved wife and daughter."

After a brief pause.

"Seriously, my wife and daughter are so cute it hurts."

"Saying that with a straight face is just scary."

"But there's a bit of a concern..."

"What is it? Is it something like a family member being ill?"

"Viola has been oddly growing up too quickly."

"Huh?"

The knight tilts his head.

"Isn't that a good thing? Viola-sama... I mean, Lady Viola, becoming splendid."

"It's not good at all!! She's becoming an adult and seems aware of men! Men, that girl, men... Unforgivable. I'll crush them all with the entire knight order—"

"The knight order is not exactly free. We're already feeling cramped, being accused of tax theft and such."

"I don't want that! I don't want her to get married and go away! She's still thirteen years old, you know?! Too soon! I still want her to depend on me!!"

"An old man saying 'mon' is just creepy, you know? Also, it doesn't set a good example for the other members, so please absolutely stop that."

Vols von Askham is a stern man.

As the adopted son-in-law of the Askham family and the husband of the prime minister, he has tried to be appropriately dignified.

However, when it comes to family matters, he becomes a completely different person. 

He is undeniably a doting parent—or rather, a family fanatic.

"More importantly, I have a report."

"Hmm? Did something bad happen on the front lines?"

"No, nothing bad. It's just not a particularly good report."

"I see. Go ahead."

The knight begins the report.

"You're aware that the Imperial infantry is equipped with something called muskets, right? Their movements have become more refined compared to the beginning of the war."

"The Empire's troublesome in that regard. Truly a warlike nation. It's enviable how they grow in the midst of killing each other."

"Even if you're the commander of the knight order, please don't say you envy the enemy's army... On our side, we're disrupting and defeating the enemy with charges from heavy cavalry units..."

"But only up to the outside of the fortress, right?"

"Yes."

The Atralta Imperial Army, having captured the kingdom's fortress, deployed their forces outside without resorting to a siege.

However, when pressured, they would quickly retreat into the fortress.

For the kingdom's knights who pride themselves on honorable combat, the Empire's tendency to turn and flee, showing their backs so readily, was both a source of disdain and a troublesome aspect.

"The Empire is as usual. It was the same in the past."

"What do you mean?"

"They are only interested in victory. Honor and pride come second. That's why they're fine with running away. It's for a more certain victory."

"...So, you're saying they're too good at strategic retreats."

That being said, the Kingdom is holding its own.

A strategy of thoroughly destroying the supply routes of the Imperial Army that invaded Kingdom territory has proven successful, depriving them of their ability to maintain the front line.

The repulsion or destruction of the Imperial Army that invaded Kingdom territory is complete, and the front line has been pushed back to the border.

It was all Vols's strategy.

At that moment, a messenger soldier rushes into the tent where the two are talking.

"U-urgent report!! Th-the enemy has deployed a large tube-like thing on the fortress walls! Large iron masses are flying, and there's considerable damage!!"

"Hmm? When you say large, how large are we talking?"

"I-I don't have the exact details! But, it has enough power to turn the heavily armored cavalry soldiers who went out too far into a mess!!"

The messenger soldier, perhaps having witnessed a tragedy, vomits while delivering the news.

Upon hearing this, Vols's decision is swift.

"Immediately, order the troops to retreat."

"A-are you serious?"

"Have you forgotten Her Majesty the Queen's orders? Our mission is not victory but delaying the enemy. Buy as much time as possible. Minimize the damage. These young ones make too much noise about pride. They shouldn't be within range if they stay away from the fortress walls."

"But further retreat will—! We've managed to push them back to the fortress!"

As the knight was expressing his opinion in response to Vols's orders, the ground suddenly shook.

"W-What's happening? An earthquake?"

"Hehehehe. Hahahahaahahahahahaha!!!!"

"Askham Knights Commander?"

The knight is perplexed by Vols's sudden burst of laughter. Then, another messenger arrives.

"H-High-priority report!! Th-there's a gigantic box-like thing!!"

"A box!? What is that!?"

"Well, according to the scouts, it's different from a normal box, and, um, I don't really understand it!!"

"If you don't understand it, you shouldn't be reporting it!!"

"I'm sorry!!"

In response to this perfectly reasonable retort, the messenger apologizes.

"Calm down. That's probably reinforcements sent by Her Majesty the Queen. Change formation so as not to interfere with the progress of that box. Follow behind it and proceed with the assault on the fortress!!"

"But, I mean, there's something on the fortress walls that can even harm heavily armored cavalry..."

"Enough with that. Come on, it's been a while since I let loose!!"

"W-Wait, what do you mean the supreme commander is going to let loose?!!"

In the pages of later history books, the 'Day of Victory' for the Kingdom and the 'Day the Red Rain Fell' for the Empire were about to begin.

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