Volume 3 - CH 25

In the aftermath from the Battle of Binderg, receiving the green light from Headquarters, Parabellum’s Foreign Legions crossed Alligator creek, pursing the Imperial Army and entering the Principality of Albaum.

Following after the 1st Foreign Legion, the 2nd Foreign Legion brought their reinforcements eager for battle (Rolling with American vehicles, the M24 Chaffee, M4 Sherman, M26 Pershing, M36 Jackson tank destroyer, M40 Mobile Artillery and M19 Anti-aircraft tank).

The 3rd Foreign Legion brought armored reinforcements which were a general mix from all over (Japan’s Type 97 Chi-Ha, Type 3 Chi-Nu, M26 Pershing, Sherman Firefly, T34 Calliope Rocket Launcher, M40 Mobile Artillery and M19 Anti-Aircraft tanks).

The 4th Foreign Legion mainly comprised of Soviet military equipment (BT-7 Cavalry Tank, T-34 medium Tank, IS-3 Shchuka, BM-13 Katyusha, ISU-152 Beast Killer and the ZSU-37 Anti-Air Autocannon)

Chasing after Alsace’s military forces, Parabellum deployed a large amount of troops and equipment to eradicate the Empire’s presence in Albaum.

Following their trail of destruction, towns and villages were pillaged and burned by Imperial forces. Typical of their scorched earth tactics, which had been the case in the Monster Kingdom, the sight of the Empire’s retreat would cause one’s heart to harden.

Pursuing the retreating Imperial Army for about two weeks, Parabellum’s Foreign Legion military detachment had pushed their adversaries into a corner.

As approximately 20,000 Imperial forces were now occupying Albaum’s Capital City, Cardigan. Preparing for a lengthy siege battle. 

「According to the scout from the winged race… …

Actually its a report we received from the Harpies――」

Looking at both races, the winged tribe and harpies. The difference between each group is that harpies have bird wings for their arms and clawed feet, while the winged race have birdlike wings sprouting from their backs. At times they become easily mistaken for each others race, due to these traits.

Inside the 1st Foreign Legion’s Command Tent, Lieutenant Colonel Adalbert Barr was in the middle of his military brief with his Commanding Officers. Reading various reconnaissance reports, flying in from all possible sources.

「Excuse the intrusion.」

It was at this time, Lt. Colonel Barr’s protege Major Erwin Rommel entered the tent.

「… … Are they that stupid?」

Reading the one of the reconnaissance reports, Lt. Colonel Barr unintentionally leaked his thoughts beside Major Rommel.

「… …. Haha, well stupid is, as stupid does」

Glancing at the report in Lt. Colonel Barr’s hands, Major Rommel makes a pitiful expression, shaking his head at the Imperial Armies response from Cardigan.

The reason why the two were flabbergast, was due to an ultimatum coming from the Imperial forces occupying Albaum’s Capital, Cardigan Castle.

『 Stand down immediately, lay down your weapons and create a path for our forces to retreat. If our demands are not met we will slaughter all of Cardigan’s townspeople including Albaum’s Royalty. You have until sunrise to reply』

Are they mistaking us for heroes of justice or something?

It would be regretful, but even if the residents of Cardigan Castle and Albaum’s royalty perish, it would have nothing to do with us.

Well… … If it were up to me, I’d help out as much as I could, but…. ultimately the decision for this is up to those back at Headquarters and our Commander-in-chief.

Staring at the communications operator who was relaying information with Headquarters, Lt. Colonel Barr fancied the thought and coincidentally enough other Commanders inside the Command Tent thought the same idea.

「――Copy that HQ, Wilco, out.

… Sir, these are Headquarters instructions. 

『No changes towards Lt. Colonel Barr’s chain of command. The Main objective is to eliminate Imperial insurgents within Cardigan Castle & its Capital City.    If possible, rescue any civilians and hostages.』

Also, HQ added. Units that distinguish themselves during this campaign, will receive bonuses, vacation leave and other extraordinary rewards 」

「I see, well then I wonder who I should send… …」

Overhearing HQs message, when the radio operator passed on the information to Commander Barr. The leaders of smaller sections all reacted to the Colonel’s little outburst of who he would pick for the mission ahead.

「「「「「「Huooohhhh!!」」」」」」

The surrounding Commanding Officers broke out into an uproar, drowning out Lt. Colonel Barr.

「A Vacation!! That’ll be mine!!」

「Rewards!!」

「「「「「「I’ll do it, Send me, send me!!」」」」」」

Having no breaks in-between training, and mobilizing at the very last second. The Foreign Legion’s units had been sent to pursue the Imperial Forces which had retreated into the Principality of Albaum. Through countless missions, many of their subordinates had become battle fatigued, becoming really eager at notion of a vacation.

… these guys, it’s just like hanging a carrot in front of a horse…

Watching his subordinates leave the tent rambunctiously, leaving him by himself, Lt. Colonel Barr’s shoulder drooped in dismay.

「―― Alright, listen up! I’ll be going over our strategy for this operation, this will be brief and easy. You guys understand?

Our main objective will be to infiltrate Cardigan under the cover of darkness and eliminate all enemy forces.  In reserve we will have our Armor Units on standby, but due to a possibility of injuring civilians, an artillery bombardment will not be authorized.

Well, since our enemies are primarily equipped with swords and spears, I think it you guys will be fine without the heavy support.」

Infiltrate the town of Cardigan, its Castle, and to annihilate the enemy. Summarizing the strategy plainly towards his commanders, Lt. Colonel Barr gave out clear instructions. As their subordinates mustered outside in full German military winter gear awaiting for orders of the operation to be relayed to the rest of the units.

「「「「「「… …」」」」」」

「What, did you guys get all that?」

Towards his subordinates silence, Lt. Colonel Barr questioned their understanding. 

「「「「「「We get you, Sir!!」」」」」」

But following his query, the men burst out in excitement.

Eager to jump into battle, trying to build up their achievements… …

Even though at any moment they could die on the battlefield.

Glad, that they’d  be able to take a vacation, Lt. Colonel Barr watched his men with warm eyes.

… … These guys, they used to be a disorderly bunch, fighting amongst each other.

Seriously, more than half of them are vampires, who used to be full of pride.

Comprising mostly of Monster-kin and Beastmen, the Foreign Legions were a rag-tag group that the President created. Half the unit was filled with Vampires while the rest were a mix of Lycans and Tigermen.

「Alright, alright, celebrate after you make some achievements on the battlefield」

「「「「「「Ooora!! (Understood)」」」」」」

「All units, once your preparations are complete, deploy your men. 

Operation starts at 0000 hours, tonight…. … finalize your preparations. Good luck and godspeed」

Ending the strategy brief with a smile, Lt. Colonel Barr sends his subordinate leaders off.

This Chapter was translated by Kuro_0ni

―~――~―――~―――~――~―

Dear Readers using aggregator sites, If you like my work, you can show your support by leaving a comment/ constructive feedback at Hiscension.com .

In the dark of the night and freezing cold, an eerie silence permeates their surroundings like the calm before a storm. 

「The operation will begin in 100 seconds, time now!」

Following the instructions given back at the Command tent, Lt. Colonel Barr’s Commanding Officers waited with deep anticipation for the operation to begin.

「We’re detecting enemy movement. This isn’t… … something might have tipped them off. They look like they’re facing this way. 」 

Nearing the outskirts of Cardigan’s town walls, numerous shadows of the 1st Foreign Legion had formed up around key areas.

「Don’t worry too much about how the surprise attack just became a regular assault operation. Better yet, how much time do we have?」

「There’s about 60 seconds left, sir」

Brushing off a subordinates worries, the leader of the Lycans asked one of the Lieutenant’s for how much time was left, holding back his inner thirst to begin the battle.

「Hrmmmm…. I see」

Waiting for the operation to begin, the soldiers ambitions raced, eager to rack up achievements.

Concentrating hard to ignore the extreme cold weather, standing-by with a deep desire to mobilize, waiting for the hands time to strike midnight.

「… There… It’s time」

And in that instant, each respective unit, began their assault on Cardigan, Albaum’s Capital city.

「Okay boys, let’s go get’m! RAaaahー!!」

「「「「OOooOooooo!!」」」」

With eccentric fervor the men of the 1st Foreign Legion kicked off the operation, in extremely high spirits setting the stage for battle.

This Chapter was translated by Kuro_0ni

―~――~―――~―――~――~―

Dear Readers using aggregator sites, If you like my work, you can show your support by leaving a comment/ constructive feedback at Hiscension.com .

『『『『Oooooraaaaa!!』』』』

「The enemy has started to advance!!」

「Alright, steady the canno―― gyaugh!?」

「What’s wrong, why’d――Aughk!!」

As the Imperial troops tried to intercept their oncoming foes,  blood splatter decorated the air, as one soldier called out in alarm.

「They’re in the sky!! Enemies are in the sky!!」

Hidden within the shadows of the dark night, where patches of the sky were illuminated by the moon.

「Hold it, don’t waste anymore rounds. We’re still going to need them for later.」

「「「Roger that!!」」」

Flying high in the skies, vampires of the Foreign Legion’s 1st platoon targeted the enemy leaders in order to gain control of Cardigan’s defenses―― Leading the assault on one of the entrances, Lieutenant Albert George’s German uniform flapped in the wind as his men fired upon their enemy below.

「WHAT are you doing!? SHOOT THEM!!」

「It’s useless!! They’re out of our range, sir!!」

Unable to target their aggressors due to their bows range, the Imperial Soldiers began to flee in a hurry.

「Soldier, create a hole in that gate over there」

「Sir, yes sir!!」

Commanding 1st Platoon, Lieutenant George orders one of his subordinates to destroy the towns fortress gate.

「Hehe *smirk*, it’ll be done」

Stopping in mid-flight, holding a rocket launcher on his shoulder, the soldier fires at the fortresses gate.

In an instant 9 rockets had collided with the towns exterior entrace.

Originally designed for surface-to-air defense, the Fliegerfaust rocket launcher had been modified just to take out simple defenses. Making it perfect for breaching the fortress cities entrance. 

「Alright its done, let’s go!! 」

Fulfilling their goal by destroying the gate, George’s platoon advanced, edging their way from the towns outskirts towards Cardigan’s broken entrance.

「Dammit, how’d they!! Forget the wounded!! Just fi――」

「Aah!! The enemies infantry is breaking through!!」

「Shit, ARCHERS!! Fire at the enemy as soon as they’re in range!!」

On the fortresses ramparts, Imperial soldiers unaffected by the surprise assault from George’s subordinates, began to target the incoming forces with their bows.

「1st squad on me!! 2nd and 3rd squad fan out towards the flanks!!」

「「Roger that!!」」

Moving with amazing swiftness, the squad leaders guided their men into position.

「They’re coming!!」

At the same time as the Imperial Captain called out, archers began to loose their arrows towards the oncoming infantry.

But as arrows rained down on George’s men, no one received an injury. Utilizing their extraordinary physiology, the Lycans and Tigermen saw through the barrage as their reflexes enabled them to dodge, allowing the arrows to miss and strike the ground.

「2nd squad, 3rd squad!! Return fire!!」

Following the initial volley, the Imperial Captain orders the archers to reload, in similar fashion to how Artillerymen would load a cannon, or how musketeers would load a musket.

Stopping dead in their tracks, all of 2nd & 3rd squad lifted their weapons and opened fire. Unleashing the firepower of their MP 40’s, StG 44’s and MG 42 machine guns.

Bullets flew towards the ramparts, as tracer rounds lit up the darkness surrounding the walls.

「Fall back, get away!! Hurry, oh sh―!!」

Following the rain of bullets, around 5 or 6 Imperial soldiers had fallen from their rampart positions.

With the remaining soldiers who cowered back, the Imperial Captain had ordered the magicians to cast earth magic. Sealing the gate once more with a wall of dirt. 

「「「Yes Captain!!」」」

Impeded by the conjured dirt wall, the Legionnaires of 1st Platoon decided to use a Panzerfaust to break through.

As the anti-tank charge made contact with the dirt wall, a grand boom resounded as a gaping hole now appeared in its place.

「The enemy, broke through again!!」

「This is bad!! They’re going to rush through the gate!!」

「Quickly!! Make another wall!!」

「It’s useless!! We can’t do it anymore!! They’ll be coming!! Gather up in formation and block that hole!! Don’t let anyone get past us!!」

After watching their opponents resume their assault, the Empire’s soldiers gave up on creating more barriers. Gathering as many spearmen into formation to plug up the entrance, preventing the Legionnaires from advancing further.

Turning their backs from outside the fortresses walls, the Empire’s archers and musketeers began to concentrate their fire, centering on the broken gate, ready to fire en masse.

「… … why aren’t they co――Guagh!!」

But not one person came through the gate.

It was because… …

「Huh? Wha-what’s, where!? Whe――Gyaa!!」

「Move, now go, go go go go go!! Kill’em all!!」

Using the gates destruction as a diversion, the Legionnaires began scaling the ramparts utilizing iron stakes as footholds.

In a feat which could not be recreated by normal humans, the Imperial forces became overrun by the Foreign Legions tactics.

「Die you fucking pigs!!」

「「「Ugyaaaauuuggghh!!」」」

Gunfire filled the ramparts as Imperial Soldiers began dropping like flies.

「Pharell, Daya, Terry….. … Huh?  Come on let’s Gyaugh――!!」

「These small fry are too slow!!」

For the most part, Imperial magicians didn’t carry swords or spears, struggling to cast magic against their foes, they were turned into pulp as their bodies became riddled with bullets, just like a honeycomb.

「The Empire’s Machina just appeared!!」

As their spearmen and infantry were in a bind, a hidden Imperial Machina began emerging from the towns building.

「1st squad, get rid of it!!」

「「「Yes Sir!!」」」

Gouging an Imperial Captain in the gut, Lieutenant George orders 1st Squad to target the Empires Machina instead of the Empires foot soldiers.

「Too slow!!」

「Haha!! Do they really think they’ll hit us!!」

Running all over the place and bathed in a slurry of magic bullets.  1st squad pushed through the dust covered battlespace, dodging the Machina’s Magic cannon fire.

「Huh? Where’d they go!?」

Having lost his targets, the Machina Pilot became confused searching for where the enemies disappeared to.

「The package is delivered!!」

「Done on my side, hey let’s get out of here!!」

Legionnaires of 1st squad who disappeared from the Machina’s pilots view had been hiding on top of the mech’s shoulder.

Placing explosives on the unsuspecting Machina and finding cover, the members of the 1st squad, pulled on their explosives tripwires.

「Now!!」

In the moments when the Machina pilot caught sight of some members of 1st squad. Raising his magic cannon, all of a sudden the explosives detonated.

And unbeknownst to the Imperial pilot, about 10 such explosives had been stuck to his armor. Never knowing what hit him, since the explosion blew him up into smithereens.

「The towns gate is now secured!!」

「Alright, time to get moving, before more enemy reinforcements arrive!!」

With the Machina’s destruction and the anihilation of enemies within the gates area, George’s platoon broke out into cheers, while keeping watch of their perimeter.

「3rd squad, join up with the Armor Battalion, get ready to clean up the place!!  1st & 2nd squad will follow me, we’re going to engage the enemy within Cardigan Castle!! Remember why were doing this (a vacation & bonuses), so don’t die on me!!」

「「「Yes Captain!!」」」

Undeterred by the sheer amount of enemies they’d face, George’s platoon charged into enemy lines, thrilled with a desire for combat amidst the sounds of gunfire.

This Chapter was translated by Kuro_0ni

―~――~―――~―――~――~―

Dear Readers using aggregator sites, If you like my work, you can show your support by leaving a comment/ constructive feedback at Hiscension.com .

『This is Lieutenant Cliff!! Our platoon will be the first to reach Cardigan Castle!!  We’ll make those bastards writhe on the ground!! It’ll turn into a feast!!』

「Damn it, did we not make it?… …」

『Aw Damn!! We’re in second!! Lieutenant Grasse’s platoon has already started engaging the enemy within Cardigan Castle’s courtyard!!

…. ….. …. … …. … … Alright boys, everyone exterminate the enemy!! Secure & protect as many Cardigan residents as possible!!』

「Crap… come on increase the pace!!」

「「「「Roger that!!」」」」

As comms chatter incited competition amongst other platoons within the 1st Foreign Legion, George’s Platoon increased their flying speed, unwilling to lose out to their peers.

「Huh?, Ah Enemies over thereeeーー!!」

「We’re under attack!! Enemies from above!!」

「Fire!! Shoot them down!!」

「Do they really think they can shoot us from this height?… … Over there, there’s our entrance!!」

Infiltrating Cardigan Castle from the skies, George and his men descended towards an area where enemies would least expect. Entering from their weakest point they crashed through the Castle’s Cathedral windows.

「Wha! Who’re you bastards!?」

Storming Cardigan’s Cathedral, George and his men found the towns residents all packed in the corner as the Imperial Soldiers aimed their weapons towards the populace.

Upon the altar of the Holy Temple, held down by a putrid overgrown man, a chaste maiden whose dress was torn to tatters, struggled as he reared himself to fulfill his greedy desires.

「…. …*sniff*…. …..*sniff* ….」

Unwilling to cry out in despair, tears streaming from the beautiful maiden’s eyes, she glared at her aggressor (whose belly hid his stiff member) trying with all her might to resist the hideous pig.

「Die!!」

Instantly assessing the situation & reacting to their commanders outburst, the vampires of George’s squad rush with the intent to kill. Aiming at the Imperial Soldiers and their leader whose pants was already halfway down to his ankles.

「Wh――Guagh!?」

「Piece of shit… …」

Flying like a soccer ball, the overgrown middle-aged pig had been kicked by George’s subordinate.

「Gyaugh, koff… … *wheeze* … ple.. ase..」

「Hey, dipshit…」

The Imperial commander began coughing up blood, having bounced several times before coming to a stop. While pleading for his life, the Lieutenant pulls out his sidearm, a Luger P08, bringing the muzzle straight to the Imperial Officers temple.

「D-don’t, please, don’t, I….spare…. me…」

「Hmph, let me tell you something. You’ve just become my prisoner of war―― And after all those things you’ve committed, you’re just a war criminal. Needless to say, your sentence will mostly likely be torture without mercy」

Floating a bulging vein, the Lieutenant aims a frightening smile at the Imperial Officer.

「*shrieks in fear*」

「Hey, tie up this piece of shit!!」

「「Sir, yes sir!!」」

From the Lieutenant’s orders, the surrounding men roughly bound the Imperial Commander by his hands and feet.

Glancing off to the side the Lieutenant, notices the young woman who wore a jacket given by one of his subordinates, approaching her, he began to introduce himself.

「I am 1st Lieutenant Albert George, a Platoon Leader within the 1st Foreign Legion, a detachment of Parabellum’s Army. Can you tell me your name?」

「….ah…. Felt… …. Carlton… my….my father… is Marcus Carlton, Albaum’s…. … King」

Recovering from the trauma of almost being raped, the young maiden shakily responded to the Lieutenant, before answering firmly about her identity.

She’s Albaum’s Princess… … VIP hostage confirmed.

「I see… Please excuse me」

After having confirmed the hostages identity, the Lieutenant moved out of earshot before relaying the good news over the radio.

「Command, this is Lieutenant George of 1st Platoon, we’ve safely secured several residents within Cardigan Cathedral, as well as Albaum’s Princess, Felt Carlton. -Break-

We’ve also detained the enemy commander and several of his men, over」

『1st Platoon this is Command, HQ has recognized your units distinguished efforts, you guys will be greatly rewarded!! Charlie Mike over~』

Receiving high accolades from higher command, via a female radio operator, the Lieutenant throws a thumbs up towards his men as they scatter about releasing the bound hostages within the cathedral.

Following the events at Cardigan Castle, Parabellum’s reserve Infantry and Armor battalions spread through Albaum’s Capital city wiping out Imperial resistance, detaining those who surrendered, thus eradicating the Empire’s occupation within Albaum.