333 – Defensive war at the new city wall.

I don’t guarantee a 100% perfect translation.

Feel free to correct me in the comments.

This is my own project, not trying to steal Volare’s novel, but since they are slow I was thinking of trying my best at doing a so-so translation.

This is MTL but in my opinion is decent enough to read.

 

Next Chapter in about 4 hours

 

---

333

When the ringing bell resounded, the entire camp came alive.

Van’er rushed out of the tent and with the flow of people quickly ran to the wall, taking his own combat position. This set of procedures had already been practiced innumerable times, so even if nobody takes command, everybody properly knows that they needed to do next.

It was the same in last year’s Months of Demon, when under alert of state each part of the city wall only arranges a few number of patrols, enough so they can cope with two or three scattered demon beasts. If the lookout post observes a large-scale demon beast attack, the alarm will ring.

In the horizon a shadow is approaching, Van’er estimates on the number of enemies being about a thousand or so, remembering about a year ago, the next fight will be a tough one. As a gunman of the flintlock team he is responsible to provide continuous fire, so he must alternate with the other recruit members taking turns filling the guns until the end.

But now, Border Town’s power has had dramatic changes.

Cat’s Claw opened the artillery’s cloth cover and removes the snow, Rodney inspected the field artillery gun tube, and after confirming that there is no foreign body inside he started to load the ammunition. Although the present city walls are changed to compacted soil, the height and width have increased, and every one hundred meters is equipped with a bombing platform, making the defensive firepower greatly improved.

The corridor on top of the wall is wide enough to allow four people to walk side by side, of the two rows on top of the wall, the first one consists on members of the flintlock team, the second row are the recruits, they are responsible for filling in the cylinder and placing the bullet, then passing it to the front soldiers again.

 „Nobody seem bothered by it” Rodney says in the middle of a yawn, „every year in the Months of Demons people go crazy and run frantically, even if they defend Border Town, it doesn’t add any benefits to them, right?” 

„It just happens to be a good way to improve our skill,” Nelson said while laughing, „compared with those fixed motionless wooden targets, hitting demon beasts is more interesting.”

„Speaking of target practice, recently I heard an interesting rumor related to our artillery team,” says Jop in a mysterious tone.

„What is that rumor?” 

„I heard the other artillery groups saying the groups that is the most accurate will be reorganized into an elite artillery team, and given a brand-new task,” he paused and then said, „has anyone heard anything more about this?” 

„Elite artillery team?” 

„If you who is more experienced don’t know, how can we know more.”

„Perhaps those are baseless rumors of idle, bored people”

In the artillery group only Van’er has not said anything, after hearing Jop’s words, he cannot help but frown, did some people regard this opportunity to show off their skills?

Sir Iron Axe had looked for him one week ago, and told him the prince has plans to develop new cannon, one which was completely different from the field artillery used now and it would not be used by the First Army, but placed on the ship, converting it to a warship with long-distance range attack capability. The new artillery operators would be the best members of the artillery team, and to join he can apply to Iron Axe.

Van’er agreed without hesitation, this was clearly a further opportunity in the army, according to the arguments of Iron Axe, His Royal Highness the Prince held high expectations for this new branch, which may even be separated from the First Army, becoming a brand-new army. If you can achieve great merits, the future warships will be named after those persons.

This is what glory was about! If a warship was to be called Van’er, he would be satisfied with his whole life. He recalled his life, originally being just a miner, always boasting so he could get food, until finally he could not endure the months of demons and watched as his brother died in the slums of the Stronghold. But now that he was in the army, he did not need to show off in order to eat or drink again, the uniform was thick and warm; even while returning to his district, the surrounding neighbors would call his name.

All these changes were thanks to His Royal Highness.

What initially was just his decision to join the militia for a boiled egg, turned out to be simply his life wisest choice.

In addition, Iron Axe also asked him if he had any suitable candidates and that he could apply for it together. In other words, these young men may have the opportunity of succeeding, but they are too rash, maybe waiting for them to calm down would be good. Moreover, if they make great merits, these new warships could also be called Jop, Cat’s Claw…? That’s too difficult to listen to…… Rodney and Nelson can still be considered.

As for the people who disclosed this matter, he must report it to Iron Axe, after all the regulations are very clear on the matter, any news the First Army has, unless a superior explicitly requests, are not allowed to be spread.

„Stop talking, and put all your attention to the battlefield,” Van’er coughs two to interrupt the artillery group member’s discussion, „do not forget what Sir Iron Axe repeatedly stressed in the class, any mistakes are likely to become irreversible failures.”

„Yes!” Everyone said in one voice.

As the solid iron ball killing efficiency is too low, the fighting with a demon beast group starts after is other opposite party is close, firing with shrapnel. When the appearance of the fierce Wolf species crosses over the hundred meters line, the bombing started.

The heat wave blows the snow below the muzzle, the huge roar causes pain in the ears of Van’er, in a distant place a fog of black blood suddenly raises, demon beasts fell down one after the other. Whether it is a wild boar or bear species, their furs provide not enough defense to withstand the iron pellet close bombardment.

„There are more over there” said Cat’s Claw pointing to the left front, „red skin wolf species!”

The group moves the cannon agilely, adjusting the muzzle to the target’s direction, and after the loading finishes it once again fires, the shrapnel ammo does not need to aim, so long as the target is to the front, can always sweep a large number of enemies. Moreover, the newly-built soil city wall is higher than the stone wall, wolf species have no way to threaten the top, after the first attack this flexible demon beast, it looks like nothing more than a shooting practice.

Then it’s finally the turn of the flintlock team, to guarantee hit rate, they always wait for the target to cross 50 meters before opening fire.

The sound of the revolving rifle is not uniform as the flintlock, but it is dense and endless, at the top of the walls white smoke rises, and as the choking smoke that irritates the nose comes, he cannot help but sneeze.

„This group of idiots, their power is obviously lower but they sure make a lot of smoke” Jop complained.

„But it sure is a time the war is decided by artillery”, Rodney agrees „it was so when we dealt with the knights, and also with the demon beasts it should be the case”

At this time, a rapid bell sounds from the direction of the lookout post, this meant as the early warning of the spotting of a hybrid species demon beast.

Van’er narrows his eyes to focus to the front and sees only two gigantic shadows beyond the smoke slowly moving forward, from the size of the body, it should be a Siege Beast of thick carapace.

„Look at what’s coming” He draws out the corners of the mouth, grinning, „now it’s time for us to show off, change to the solid balls.”

In order to deal with the high defensive power of the enemy, the new shell developed by the factory can pass through the carapace of the enemy even at about two hundred meters, if attacking the wolf species demon beast a moment ago was the warm-up, now it was the official shooting.

„Very well” Van’er claps saying that „lets makes the other artillery groups have a look at who is the sharpest artillery soldier.”

 

<< Previous   Table of Contents   Next>>

• Release that Witch