01x10 - No Place of Joy Hath a Soldier

[bunniefuu]

The time has come!

The time for us

to fulfill our most ardent wish!

30,000 from the Principality of Amidonia

have passed the valley of

the Ursula Mountains and are approaching.

Most likely,

Gaius is planning on occupying

Altomura, a city in the southwest.

ORIGINAL STORY BY DOJYOMARU

This is high quality wheat.

The Forbidden Army's 5,000 men

can't eat all of this,

can they, Weist Garreau?

You are absolutely correct.

Altomura has no intention of resisting,

Your Highness.

So you are going to switch to our side?

Y… Yes!

We have no other choice but to

beg for your mercy, Your Highness.

Fine.

Then open the gates this instant.

About that…

Please give us some time.

Why?

Some within the fortress wish to surrender

while others are adamant about fighting.

And so, that is why I came here

to speak to you first.

You don't have to convince the people.

We can easily take down Altomura

whenever we want.

H… However,

there are many who are too foolish

to understand that.

I doubt you would want to waste

your soldiers on fools like that.

If I am guaranteed my life,

I promise… I promise that I will

get everyone in the fortress to agree.

They say you need

an army that is five times larger

than your enemy for a siege.

As this man said,

we don't have to

unnecessarily waste our soldiers.

Fine.

If you surrender,

we guarantee the safety

of those in the fortress.

Thank you!

Once the gate is open, it's all ours.

I will display that double-crossing rat's

head on the gate.

No need to worry.

Carmine has 40,000 soldiers

while King Souma only has

10,000 at his disposal.

How can he send reinforcements

while fighting against 40,000?

Damn it! They're working way too hard.

It can't be helped, Hal.

From their perspective,

a fortress suddenly appeared

before them overnight.

Of course they'd panic.

I guess so.

Even I was surprised when I heard about

this Sunomata Project.

His Majesty is so amazing.

To think he'd dispatch 10,000 right after

the meeting with the duchies fell through.

I didn't think we would

set up a battle line facing

Randel Castle within the same day.

It's thanks to

Tomoe's Rhinosaurus Land Train.

And His Majesty's "two-by-four method"

is excellent as well.

By unifying the materials for the fortress

we were able to

mass produce them beforehand.

Who knew building roads and cities

would be helpful in making a fortress.

I guess we have to return the favor.

All right, one more!

Hal! The enemy has brought something out.

Is this pretty bad?

Yes, it's pretty bad.

Anti-magic reinforcement

only works against magic and fire.

Physical attacks to the walls

made from Roman concrete--

What should we do?!

Don't ask me…

Can't you do something with your magic?

I used up all my energy

on making the fortress!

That was easier than

sh**ting down a migratory falcon.

Who are you?

Oh, I forgot to introduce myself.

I am Sur, from the God-Protected Forest.

When we had that disaster,

you saved my daughter--

I am sorry I couldn't thank you then.

Although, after you rescued her,

my daughter now idolizes you

and is saying, "I want to join

the Forbidden Army and be like him."

And I don't exactly know what to say.

Open the gate!

Our targets are

the three cannons up ahead!

Don't mind the soldiers.

Focus only on destroying our targets

and do not try to do more.

Charge!

We will show you that the Royal Guard

is not just for show!

sh**t fire!

Look at that!

The other two cannons are on fire too.

What a success!

Yeah…

All three are destroyed, huh?

Duke Carmine, the Army isn't even trying!

Those corrupt nobles who are only good at

accumulating wealth have so much to say.

I hope that you aren't trying to

back out in fear.

Who do you think I fear?

You are the ones

who don't seem to understand.

Our enemy only has 10,000

while we have 40,000 soldiers.

Why would we have to attack recklessly?

If that's the case,

why don't we wipe them out

in one go rather than little by little?

You did that

only to be chased around and scattered!

You even brought out the cannons

and got them destroyed.

We… are very sorry.

I don't sense Souma's presence

in that fortress.

How can you be so sure?

Ever since they built it,

the Forbidden Army

has only been defending.

If he was there, he would have

made some kind of move.

He is definitely taking action somewhere.

That's why we have to lure him out.

So, you are going to use the soldiers

in that fortress as bait?

You all must be tired.

This w*r isn't going to end

in just a day or two.

You should relax

for the whole day tomorrow.

Yes, sir.

Beowulf…

Are the preparations done?

Yes, everything is ready.

In the end, a rat is nothing but a rat.

Tell all the generals

to immediately commence--

What is going on?

VARGAS DUCHY, RED DRAGON CITY

GEORG CARMINE

I have a message.

The lord of Altomura,

Weist Garreau, is requesting an audience.

-Let him through.

-Yes.

-I am terribly sorry!

-Weist!

What happened to your promise

to open the gate?

It's taking me time to convince those

who are acting reckless

out of desperation.

I don't want to hear your excuses!

I will behead you and use it

as a warning to those in the fortress.

Pardon me, Your Highness,

but the voices coming from Altomura

are the w*r cries of the reckless people

who want to fight to their death.

Father…

Fighting troops

who are all prepared to die

will cause too many casualties.

That is absolutely correct.

I will prove my sincerity.

Please accept this gold dust.

And please be gracious with us.

I see that you are sincere.

But what do you mean by being "gracious"?

Until tomorrow… Until tomorrow noon…

Until that tree

casts a shadow, that reaches here.

I beg that you refrain from

attacking until then.

This time for sure, I promise that

I will convince everyone in the fortress!

Why don't we accept Weist's offer

and show them graciousness?

Fine.

We will hold back on attacking

until tomorrow noon.

If the gates don't open by then,

we will go in by force.

Yes! I promise…

I promise that I will convince

everyone in the fortress!

Was that all right, Walter…

I mean, Duchess Excel?

With that much gold,

we could have hired

a division of mercenaries from Zem.

Mercenaries will always be mercenaries.

Money can make them switch sides anytime.

I am up against three opponents right now.

I only have time on my side.

That much gold is nothing

compared to the time I can buy with it.

You are still such a child,

if you don't even understand that.

My goodness…

The new king is very bold for making you

run around like this.

He really knows how to use people.

He told me to "go to Altomura"

out of the blue.

I bet neither Duke Vargas nor Carmine

could have guessed that you were

tied into the meeting from here.

That goes for Gaius as well.

It took three days to get here

from Lagoon City.

He made me rush for three whole days.

He could be more considerate

to the elderly.

Please stop acting old

only when it's convenient.

It's okay when I say it myself.

I will never allow anyone else to say it.

By the way, Duchess Excel,

I bought us time until tomorrow noon.

Was that enough?

That's fine.

If His Majesty hasn't made

a move until then…

If that happens,

we will go down along with this fortress.

What are you doing, Kaede?

Hal, I am happy.

Huh? About what?

The fact that you are by my side.

Things will be settled today or tomorrow.

If we can get through this…

Then what?

If we can get through this,

I hope everything works out.

Don't say you "hope so."

If you're going to say it,

say it with confidence.

So…

please protect me, Hal.

Our enemy's attacks are

suddenly less intense.

-I don't see mercenaries from Zem either.

-Watch out!

They've changed their formation

which means

they may have switched to

protracted warfare.

Then maybe we can take it easy.

You can't let your guard down

on the b*ttlefield, Hal.

That's when they'll catch you.

I know that.

Prepare to attack.

Get the message out to the generals

-to prepare to attack.

-Yes, sir.

Multiple wyverns are flying in

from the east.

It's the Air Force.

It's Duke Vargas' Air Force.

This was what the Army was waiting for?

THE NIGHT BEFORE

My lord…

Tolman.

How's the evacuation of the citizens?

It is complete.

The only ones left in the Red Dragon City

are the Air Force

and those of the Vargas household.

I see.

That's good to hear.

That new king Souma

is impressive despite his age.

You've changed your opinion of him?

Yes, I have.

It's too late now though.

We've received many requests to join you

from different Air Force units

from all over.

Turn them all down.

I won't drag them into my mess.

I thought you would say that.

Are you not going to join

Duke Carmine's forces?

I don't mind fighting with him,

but the last thing I want is to

fight side-by-side with corrupt nobles.

There's no way out of this.

Not that I want one.

All I need to do is show my pride

as the commander of the Air Force.

Whether I go out with a bang

or rip out his guts…

According to the recon unit,

10,000 of the Forbidden Army

headed toward the Carmine Duchy.

We don't know if King Souma

is with them or not,

but I doubt they have any troops

to send our way.

Is he trying to ignore me?

Since we only have 100 knights,

that is a possible strategy.

That's impossible.

For Souma,

the most ideal situation would be

to defeat me first and take the Air Force

with him to the battle with Duke Carmine.

However,

it doesn't change the fact that

he has no more troops.

You never know.

He might do something

we would never think of.

Father!

Souma's army is here.

They're here? How many?

Well…

One ship.

What?

Father, Battleship Albert is approaching.

They put wheels on it

to make it move on land by force.

Why would you ruin your flagship here?

I have no choice.

We're already short on people.

We have just received

a letter from King Souma.

He is requesting to speak

over the gemstone broadcast.

So?

Why did you bring Albert this far inland?

Of course,

that is to capture Red Dragon City.

Albert has fired.

We'll be hit.

I'm impressed.

I never expected to see

a ship running on land.

I thought you'd like something

as flashy as this.

Yeah, I almost fell for you.

You might just become an amazing king.

It's not too late to surrender now.

I can't make a fool of myself

and surrender now.

I see.

That's really too bad,

Castor.

Carla!

Go and shut those noisy cannons up!

Yes!

Souma…

If you really have

what it takes to be a king,

prove it by surpassing me.

Target your attacks at Battleship Albert.

We will capture King Souma.

We will make him a witness to

the valor of the Vargas family!

Let's go!

Prepare to drop the bombs.

Scatter!

It's a repeating ballista?

It can't be!

Those are defensive weapons!

"Anti-air repeating ballistae

are only used to defend bases."

They used that common knowledge

against us.

-Damn it! What should we do?

-Lady Carla!

We have to target their blind spot.

They attached the wheels

on the ship last minute.

That is their blind spot.

All right.

We just have to approach

by flying at a low altitude.

Did you hear that?

Go and neutralize the main battery and

anti-air repeating ballistae right away.

Isn't it faster to destroy the bridge?

Princess Liscia might be in the bridge.

So all you need to do is

neutralize the weapons.

Capture Souma alive.

Roger!

Besides,

if we k*ll Souma,

that will make Liscia sad.

If I was going to feel this way,

I should have convinced Father.

And then…

I should have

supported them as their subject.

Well,

it's too late for that now.

It's too quiet.

We don't see any enemy soldiers.

There must have been someone

controlling the main battery.

We found something that looks like

a piece of armor

with a puppet hand inside.

Hurry back to the castle.

But we haven't found Souma yet.

He's not on this ship.

We were lured out, just as they planned.

Lured out?

Don't tell me their target was…

It was Father,

who is in the Red Dragon Castle.