Deus lo Vult

by Carlo Zen

  I knew it was pointless to think about these things at times like this, but this kind of stuff forced me to realize that if the two of us weren’t basically in different universes, she would never have earned the Silver Wings Assault Badge.

  “Company commander to all hands. In three hundred seconds the bombardment will continue. Fall back.”

  And then at some point while I was spacing out, the scattered vestiges of the enemy forces had begun to retreat. The battle always ended while I was just flying for dear life. Naturally, then, I had braced myself for the usual orders to pursue, so it was a bit of a relief to answer, “Roger.”

  Yes, relief. Relief that I wouldn’t have to guiltily chase down the enemy. I was different from Lieutenant Degurechaff, who could calmly nail fleeing soldiers in the back with optical sniping or explosion formulas. I was relieved because I wouldn’t have to shoot.

  When I was doing everything I can just to fly after her, I practically went into a trance, scattering formulas at random with no time to think. But I still hesitated when I had to aim at a fleeing soldier and cast. I mean…I would wonder if killing them was the right thing to do.

  Of course, as Corporal Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov, I should shoot, but as Visha, I have no motive.

  “We’re all here. No casualties. No losses besides gear.”

  When we landed at the rendezvous point, the sudden release from tension left me dazed. The sole thought occupying my mind was a desire to sleep like a log.

  I did wonder if that was all right, as a young lady of a delicate age, but on the front, where there was barely any water, you couldn’t hope for something as convenient as a girls’ shower room. Lieutenant Degurechaff brusquely muttered, “Sleeping now. Night,” and went to bed, so I followed her example and decided to just be thankful I had a bed; I was so ready to rest.

  But it turned out God wasn’t so kind. We were suddenly called to assemble. Before I knew it, we had all gathered.

  “Good. Okay, company, I have some bad news.”

  Uh-oh. I couldn’t help but grow tense as Lieutenant Schwarkopf matter-of-factly—unsympathetically so—continued talking. Even with my limited military experience, I had learned that there was no worse sign than a commanding officer going on matter-of-factly.

  “We’ve received an urgent message. The 403rd Assault Mage Company has suddenly entered an encounter battle with two penetrating enemy mage companies.”

  That meant the company that was tasked with handling the next enemy wave had been attacked. A new enemy had bothered the guys who were supposed to be attacking the reinforcements. My brain was tired, but the sense of crisis got it moving, and soon I was up to speed. There were our troops, the next wave of enemy forces, and the new enemy.

  “…And the reinforcements?”

  “The artillery is pounding away at them, but the observer is being chased by enemy direct support mages and can’t properly assess the impacts.”

  The conversation between superior officers made me predict a horribly bad future. Ah, I have to fight again, I sighed as I comprehended the situation.

  “So we have to rendezvous with the 403rd. We’re moving out immediately.”

  It was just one thing after another. And plus, it’s not so easy to rebuild the will to fight once you’ve relaxed. The company commander continued, heedless of me and my scattered thoughts.

  “At the same time, we have to rescue that observer who’s under attack. He’s requested backup. That reminds me, you experienced something like this up north, didn’t you, Lieutenant Degurechaff?”

  “Yes, sir, and I’m not looking to repeat it.”

  Observing for the artillery was almost like painting a target on your back for enemy mages. Any veteran would repeatedly tell you how critical it was to take out the artillery’s eyes, because then the guns were nothing to be afraid of. If you were the eyes for the ruler of the battlefield, your fate was being the first to get shot at.

  …Elya, you liar. You’re not safe in the rear having tea!

  Observers got targeted to a shocking degree. What terrified me more than anything was that even Lieutenant Degurechaff, who could calmly weave through a hail of bullets, had been seriously injured when she was an observer. That was how intensely the enemies came after them.

  Another way to think of it was that this observer, in the same position as Elya, was in serious trouble. It wasn’t at all logical, but a voice was telling me I had to save him. I didn’t really understand the feeling, either.

  So I had to do my best in this rescue operation. Newly determined, I stretched and took a deep breath to wake up. But I only felt different. On the outside, I still looked like a dead-tired kid.

  “I see. Well then…Lieutenant Degurechaff, as a Silver Wings recipient, is the rescue possible?”

  “Not even counting any potential delays, it would be difficult.”

  “Even if you used Type 95?”

  “…I’m fine, but Corporal Serebryakov looks to be at her limits,” Lieutenant Degurechaff responded, a bit resigned sounding, after glancing at me as I stood there dazed and motionless. “I don’t want to be an inept officer who takes her subordinate out on a rescue mission only to lose her in addition to the one we’re supposed to be rescuing.”

  “Then break up the pair. No, never mind.”

  The emotions contained in her words were hard to pin down. Maybe disappointment, maybe concern, but in the end, what she’d simply stated was that it was impossible. And the way Lieutenant Schwarkopf changed his mind mid-response said it all. A pair was the basic unit.

  If Lieutenant Degurechaff flew the rescue mission solo, I would be faced with an aerial battle with at least two mage companies. Assuming that units over the border would have backup was elementary. Without my buddy’s help, my chances of survival as a squirt with no support were slim.

  Even if I wanted to go on the mission, I was standing there in front of them all, tired and absentminded after the last attack. That was why they rejected the idea. That was where their hesitation came from.

  When I realized that, I shouted. I didn’t understand the urge very well myself. “Commander, if I may!”

  “Corporal Serebryakov?”

  “I’d like to volunteer! I volunteer for the rescue mission!”

  Lieutenant Schwarkopf sounded suspicious. Well, I had interrupted my superior officers, which could get me punished. I never would have dreamed I’d do something so impulsive, that I had that kind of guts.

  “Corporal!”

  “I’m an imperial soldier, too! While it’s presumptuous of me to say so, I believe I can handle this mission!”

  Lieutenant Degurechaff’s short reprimands would usually make me go limp, but even her harsh tone couldn’t stop me this time.

  “Commander, please let me go!”

  “That’s what she says, Lieutenant.”

  “Lieutenant Schwarkopf?!”

  Her shocked yelp and her eyes, usually half-closed in disinterest, now popped as wide open as they could go—the way she objected to this unbelievable response made her look somehow closer to the ten-year-old girl she was.

  Apparently even someone who seemed so cold on the surface had been worrying about her subordinates.

  “I’ll have Schones’s squad escort you. Move out.”

  “But…Lieutenant.”

  “She’s made up her mind. I understand your concern, Lieutenant, but any more just makes you overprotective.”

  Lieutenant Degurechaff looked astonished. Maybe she’s more emotional than she lets on. The thought was impertinent, but her expressions were so funny that I couldn’t help it. Though it wasn’t what I should have been focusing on at the moment, I felt I sort of understood my friend who teased me for my funny faces.

  Lieutenant Degurechaff’s vampire-like coldness had faded, and a little bit of distress took its place.

  It was weird to realize just then how unexpectedly important I was to her. And it was a bit late in the game, but it also str
uck me what a young girl it was taking care of me.

  “Understood. I’ll do my best.”

  “To save the day in a crisis is the dream of every mage. Good luck.”

  “And to you, Commander.”

  With that, the main body of the company left. Lieutenant Degurechaff saw them off and then turned to me with an admiring smile.

  “Well then, Corporal. Are you ready?”

  It was a good smile. For some reason, seeing that expression, I couldn’t help but think that she really did have pointy teeth like a vampire’s. But I still smiled back, proud and confident. That’s right, I made up my mind. I won’t abandon anyone.

  “Yes, Lieutenant.”

  “Good. Then it’s time to go to work. Sergeant Schones, I’ll be making good use of your team as well.”

  “Sure thing. We’ve got more experience on the Rhine Front than anyone.”

  “Damn Intelligence to hell! How could they tell us this area is under-defended?!”

  The combatants were nimble. Graceful from a distance. But in reality, the imperial mages were desperately taking evasive actions as the observer cast his optical formula with a shower of mana glow. This was finally shot number four. They had been picking off enemy observers for a while now, but it hadn’t affected the artillery’s accuracy one bit. From the sound, they were probably firing 120 mms. Worst-case scenario, maybe some 180 mm or 240 mm as well.

  The ground forces trying to leave the fighting area were in disarray, and the enemy was having a field day. Their breaching formation may have been ideal for speed, but it made them vulnerable to fire.

  Their only advantage was direct mage support that let them focus on breaking the line. Unfortunately, Control couldn’t get around to assisting them, so they were intercepting about as well as if they were shooting at random with their eyes closed.

  Though they had taken out the solo enemy observers, a warning must have gone out. There were limits to how well jamming could be maintained. Enough time had elapsed that they had to assume that a decent intercepting force or quick reaction force was on its way. In the worst case, their own retreat would be cut off in addition to the ground troops’. That was how much time had gone by.

  “If you got time to flap your lips, cast some formulas! You bastards!”

  To support their infantry’s retreat, they had to neutralize the enemy artillery somehow. And that was the problem: How? The simplest way would be to attack them, but from the scale of the bombardment, it seemed like corps level artillery.

  If it were artillery attached to a division or a battalion, charging in prepared to die would give them a chance, but corps level artillery would anticipate anti-mage combat. That’s why their only option is to hunt down the weak points, the observers. But not only did that take a lot of time and effort, the effects weren’t immediately obvious.

  “Aye, sir. Agh, there’s only so much we can do with opticals. Give us authorization for explosion formulas.”

  If they blew up the whole area with explosion formulas, that would catch any observers hiding on the ground, too. They didn’t have time to scan the surface for each optical cast. Not only did they have to drop their altitude to a certain extent, but also they had to do multiple flyovers to ensure they didn’t miss anything. At first they caught them off guard, but their enemies weren’t stupid. The ones who expect their opponents to be fools are the real idiots.

  News of their attack must have spread quickly, so the other observers had probably gone into hiding. Finding them would take a terrific amount of effort.

  “At this rate, we won’t even be able to get half of them.”

  Hence the idea of blowing the entire suspicious zone away. That was one valid method. Actually, in the preliminary stages of artillery battles, both sides would send out scouting parties to search for the enemy position and lay down high-explosive anti-personnel suppressive fire. If they were lucky, they might take out the observer squad. But this method presupposed a certain amount of firepower.

  Basically, they would need at least an entire mage company sustaining maximum available firepower. That would certainly give them a boost, but it would be too heavy a burden for the current forward direct support unit. And if they suppressed them with a formula big enough to burn up the whole area, it would seriously hamper them in sustaining combat later.

  “Out of the question. In the long term, it will just make finding them harder.”

  But in the long term, it was really not their day.

  “Detecting high mana! Suspected reinforcements—mages—coming up fast!”

  “Ah, damn it! Forget hunting observers! Get ready to intercept!”

  They were scattered and exhausted. Military doctrine would emphatically recommend avoiding combat in such a state, but logic was first and foremost idealistic. Things wouldn’t be so tough if it were actually possible to follow doctrine in combat. Since the leading army had yet to finish extricating itself, if the backup were to retreat, literally everyone would get killed.

  Of course, the ground units had been retreating since the moment they failed to break through, and an overhead view of the battleground showed the entire army was pulling out, but mages could move far faster than troops on the surface.

  They could just see the observers returning to direct the batteries and take out their ground army while they were fighting off the reinforcement mages.

  That was why they had to secure this airspace. There were some battles you couldn’t run away from.

  “All units, our observer is down. I say again, our observer is down.”

  Hearing that, Second Lieutenant Tanya Degurechaff makes an irritated face and mutters, “Just great.”

  If only we had sortied slightly earlier or even a bit later is the lament that crosses my mind.

  All I can do is curse the terrible timing. They didn’t make it in time to help their ally but have come too close to the enemy to turn back now. This will be all pain and no gain.

  “…As you all just heard, unfortunately we didn’t make it in time, but that just means our job is a bit different.”

  “Lieutenant Degurechaff, isn’t this too much for one platoon?”

  Sergeant Schones, on loan to Tanya from the company commander, gives a warning. According to the latest from the Combat Direction Center, they’ve lost contact with a mage; they’re sure he was shot down. Before his signal went dead, he reported a group of enemy mages that looked like at least two companies. In a sense, retreating is the correct answer despite the danger of being pursued. They were dispatched to perform a rescue. If the object of the mission has been taken out, there’s no need for them to stick around.

  “Sergeant Schones, your opinion is correct in most cases, but not in our current situation.”

  Common sense would never have them undertaking this fight as a solo platoon. Even Tanya would turn on her heel and return to base if there was enough distance between them. But rather than risk pursuit and be constantly watching their backs, it’s better to take the initiative and strike.

  “I can’t deny that we’re outnumbered…but we don’t need to wait around for the enemy to regroup and assemble.”

  Taking out enemies one by one is an elementary war strategy.

  “From the way they’re moving, the penetrators are probably two companies equipped for long-range movement.”

  They’re probably elite forces, but they’ve come a long way on high alert. Surely they’re more than a little tired. They had to break through the Empire’s defensive line and save energy for the equally long trek back to base; that greatly limits the amount of energy they can expend in the fight. Meanwhile, the imperial mages can put up a fierce defense and then just wait for friendly forces to pick them up afterward. If the artillery makes it to their position in time, a cleanup bombardment could be arranged.

  Of course, even if the enemy is exhausted, I can’t count on them to be careless. Still, the body often betrays the will. My platoon’s chances of victory are not
slim. More than anything, the enemy is scattered due to the sweeping operation. Their units are too spread out and can only coordinate in groups up to platoon size.

  Although this battle is following directly on the previous one, the mages from the Imperial Army can go full throttle since they’re on defense. Meanwhile, the Republican side has to operate on enemy territory with limited support and supplies. Assuming even numbers, the scale will still tip heavily toward the Empire.

  “In other words, this is a simple task of taking out one exhausted platoon six times.”

  Maybe it’s a slapdash strategy, but they have the supplies. They even have support, though not much.

  One-on-six sounds hopeless, but one-on-one gives them a chance. If they do some damage despite their numerical inferiority, the army can’t ask for anything more.

  “Okay, guys. I’ll take three platoons. The rest are yours. This shouldn’t be too hard.”

  I can’t expect to wipe them out completely, but it’s a perfect opportunity to rack up points by taking out one at a time. It’s a good chance to put my capabilities on display.

  The rescue was a failure, but thankfully, we’ve got the artillery battery behind us—a little energy to spare. I heard they even saved some shrapnel shells for us. How perfect! I had been upset that I didn’t get away with using my exhausted partner to refuse the mission, but I guess you never know when you’ll get lucky in life.

  Still, Tanya thinks, with a glance at the face of the subordinate behind her. Corporal Serebryakov may be nervous, but she’s flying steady. She’s skilled, yet she was drafted. She didn’t join up because she wanted to; she’s a young girl who was pressed into service. I would never have dreamed a corporal with such a background would volunteer for combat. Was it out of a sense of duty? Patriotism? Love for her buddy? Someone willing to do jobs above their pay grade is a promising human resource.

  “Are you trying to monopolize the title of ace, Lieutenant?”

  “Good question, Sergeant. Nah, just if I take out ten more, I’ll get a bonus and time off. I’m about ready for a vacation.”