Chapter 222: Man is Mortal
“Brigade Commander! A telegram just came in from the 3rd Company of the 1st Infantry Battalion! They say they don’t require support! They also report that they’ve successfully destroyed three enemy tanks! There are no casualties, so the initial damage report may have been a simple miscommunication!”
At the mortar position, a radio operator reported, unable to hide his excitement.
Daniel, who had been surveying the battlefield, let out a sigh of relief at the operator’s report.
Looks like Frien is making her mark in the 3rd Company.
For a large number of casualties to suddenly vanish meant that Frien had used her ability.
The healing magic of this world was, at best, capable of quickly staunching the bleeding of a wound.
But the healing magic possessed by Frien, who was said to be cursed by God, was unparalleled.
She could instantly heal most injuries on the spot.
What’s more, she could perform wide-area healing just by scattering her mana, so to the soldiers on the battlefield, Frien must have seemed like a woman who performed miracles.
This ability was one of the reasons Frien would later be revered as the Saintess of the Empire.
But…
It felt like Frien was awakening her abilities much faster than he’d expected.
Originally, Frien shouldn't have been able to display wide-area healing at this point in time.
If I had to guess the reason…
It was likely the result of Frien honing her abilities by torturing various people.
In addition to that, she had constantly followed him into battle and treated the wounded, so she must have naturally contemplated and mastered her own mana.
…I have to assume history has changed.
It wasn't intentional, but many things had changed since Daniel Steiner began to intervene in this world.
The original history of the Empire was one of being pushed around by the Allied Forces, only to finally collapse when the great powers entered the war.
But now, the Empire was successfully repelling all of the Allied Forces' attacks, and its momentum hadn't faltered despite the Republic's entry into the war.
The incidents Daniel had caused were altering history, like a series of butterfly effects.
After all, the Imperial Army attacking Penburg was something that should have been impossible.
The history of the world war was slowly being twisted.
And yet Daniel, the man at the very center of it, preferred a bakery displaying bread and desserts to a battlefield rampant with iron and blood.
Of course, the radio operator, who knew nothing of this, considered it a great honor to assist Daniel and continued his report.
“Brigade Commander! The 2nd Infantry Battalion requests we adjust artillery fire 300 meters forward!”
Putting his thoughts aside, Daniel answered immediately.
“Artillery adjustment approved. Have the reserves stand by to support the first defensive line and respond to any enemy breakthroughs. Also, redeploy one tank company to flank the front line.”
The first defensive line was holding up better than expected.
The reasons were complex, but the biggest factor was the enemy's low morale.
Having heard that communication with their command had been cut off, they must have been forced to cross the river and then march relentlessly with little sleep. Their bodies and minds had to be in shambles.
In that state, they had failed to break through Daniel's pre-established defensive line and were now locked in a stalemate. It was only natural that their offensive power would plummet.
If they launched a surprise attack on the flank of the enemy's breakthrough unit now, they could not only halt the enemy but also significantly boost their own troops' morale.
The radio operator, reading Daniel's thoughts, relayed the message. The troops, whose faith in their commander was at its peak, moved with perfect discipline.
However, even a perfect strategy couldn't completely offset the difference in numbers.
As the battle devolved into a war of attrition, with both sides trading blows, enemy forces occasionally broke through the first defensive line.
Each time, Daniel hastily plugged the holes in the line with artillery adjustments and reserves.
After eighteen long hours, the enemy division entered a lull before they could even breach the first defensive line.
Thanks to the fighting turning into localized skirmishes, the sound of cannons could still be heard intermittently at dawn.
As Daniel stood on-site, having skipped his meals to listen to the sounds of battle, the radio operator next to him received a transmission.
After putting down the receiver and kneeling for a brief conversation, the operator looked up at Daniel, his face beaming.
“Brigade Commander! The Magic Mobile Army brigade has just arrived! They’ve relayed that they will join the battle as of this moment and have requested our support!”
That was welcome news.
Daniel, who had been worrying about how to block the enemy's attack tomorrow, breathed a sigh of relief.
“They made good time. Tell them to radio us when they're ready to commence the attack. And…”
Daniel looked down at the radio operator.
“Contact the enemy division using the frequency we captured from the Penburg command post.”
“…The enemy division, sir?”
“That’s right. They wouldn’t want to die for nothing, would they?”
Daniel lifted his head, picturing the enemy commander somewhere in the forest.
“So we should offer them a chance to surrender, as humanely as possible.”
*
Meanwhile, in the command tent of the Allied Forces’ Penburg assault unit.
“What in the world is going on?! I’m asking why we haven’t been able to make a single dent in the enemy’s defensive line!”
Colonel Sampe, the senior commander leading the division, roared.
But none of the staff officers gathered around the round table could answer.
As the silence stretched on, the Operations Chief, sensing the mood, spoke up quietly.
“The defensive line formed by Daniel Steiner’s brigade was much more solid than we anticipated. Furthermore, the forced march has severely lowered the soldiers’ morale, which is also a contributing factor.”
“You call that an explanation…! Do you think we had any other choice when communications with headquarters were cut?”
“No, sir. But if we continue like this, it will just be a repeat of this war of attrition. And in terms of casualty ratios, we are at a great disadvantage.”
The Operations Chief swallowed dryly and continued.
“Even if we manage to defeat Daniel Steiner’s brigade, our forces will suffer near-total annihilation. And as of now, it’s uncertain if we can even defeat his brigade.”
“The Operations Chief is not wrong.”
The Information Staff Officer, who had been listening, chimed in.
“In addition, strange reports are coming in. An enemy company located on the ridge to the left of our main force is said to get back up and fight again a few minutes after being shot.”
“…”
“They say that unless you aim for the head, they just keep getting up. Some are calling it the ‘Witch’s Company’ and are terrified.”
Sampe frowned.
“Information Staff Officer. Are you telling me to believe such a ridiculous story?”
“I too believe it’s just a bizarre rumor, but it shows just how far our troops’ morale has fallen. Perhaps it would be best to negotiate with Daniel Steiner now…”
At the Information Staff Officer’s defeatist words, Sampe clenched his fists.
“What kind of bullshit are you spouting now! Look at the difference in our numbers! By a simple count, we have twice as many men! And you want me to bow my head and negotiate?! Are you saying the honor of the Allied Forces is worth so little!”
Everyone had no choice but to lower their heads at Sampe’s outburst.
As a heavy silence descended, the sound of footsteps approached from outside the tent.
A communications officer burst through the entrance and saluted Sampe.
As Sampe returned the salute with a scowl, the communications officer began to speak urgently.
“Division Commander. Urgent news. We’ve spotted a large-scale movement of an enemy brigade 3 kilometers to our rear. Estimated troop count is over 4,000…!”
At the communications officer’s report, not only the staff officers but also Sampe himself could only stare with his mouth agape.
Sampe, frozen as if he’d been struck on the head, forced the words out.
“…An additional enemy brigade is coming here?”
“Yes, sir.”
Feeling a wave of dizziness, Sampe felt the strength leave his legs and collapsed into a chair.
Since when…
If an enemy brigade was arriving now, it meant Daniel must have requested support from his headquarters long ago.
All to devour the provisional Allied division advancing on Penburg.
He had been tricked into crossing the bridge by Daniel Steiner, and now he had fallen for it again.
The thought that he had been dancing in the palm of that bastard’s hand again made it hard to breathe.
Just as he thought his military career was over, the communications officer spoke.
“Also, Daniel Steiner asked me to relay a message to you, Division Commander.”
Sampe, who was catching his breath in the chair, slowly raised his head.
“…What message did he want you to relay?”
The communications officer met his gaze and bit his lip hard.
“Man is mortal.”
His voice trembled.
“You are no different.”
Taking a short, deep breath, the communications officer continued, his face pale with terror.
“But it doesn't have to be today. Does it?”
As the staff officers began to murmur amongst themselves, Sampe’s face turned deathly white.
That message means…
It was the same as saying: if you don’t surrender, I will kill you all.