Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V6Part4

Part 18 (Part 4 of Volume 6)

It’s rare to have your abilities so openly tested like this.

There’s no doubt that this stage is one where ordinary people couldn’t even stand. It’s a trial that only I, with abilities three or four times better than the average person, could reach.

──This battle is worth pouring every bit of my skill into.

Staring at the terrain model before him, Balthazar Grim, newly promoted to captain, reviewed the units representing his forces and steeled himself for victory.

What was about to take place wasn’t a simple war game, like the exercises he’d done with his colleagues at the command headquarters.

The opponent he was facing in another room, also analysing the terrain model, was currently selecting their attack points. Separated in different rooms, neither could see the scale of the other’s forces or their route of attack, simulating actual battlefield conditions.

And this opponent was unlike any other he had ever faced.

In the room across the hall, behind closed doors, sat the chief strategist of the St Vault Archipelago Fleet, Vice Admiral Victor Kahn.

Imperial Year 1349, October, Sierra Greed, Santos Island.

Inside the operations headquarters established in the old city hall of Sierra Greed, surrounded by curious staff officers assigned to the island, Balthazar stood ready for the biggest challenge of his life, just one week after his rapid promotion to captain.

──It’s both a great opportunity and a dangerous pitfall.

──If I lose, the foolish and envious will pounce on my failure.

Balthazar’s meteoric rise to captain, an unheard-of achievement in the history of the naval and air forces, had earned him many jealous glares. Those who had been in the operations command from the start weren’t amused to see an outsider like Balthazar rise so smoothly through the ranks. The atmosphere made it clear that many were eagerly awaiting his failure.

──If I show even the slightest weakness, they’ll widen the wound and turn it into a fatal blow.

──I can’t afford to stumble here.

──This isn’t a drill. Treat it as if it were a real battle.

──Right now, I am responsible for the lives of thousands of soldiers as their chief strategist…!

With this self-encouragement, Balthazar focused all his attention on the highly detailed model of Solbur Island’s terrain, down to its elevation.

Solbur Island was home to Isrion, the capital of the Hydrabard Federation.

Balthazar was assigned to the defence, acting as the chief strategist for the Hydrabard army (the Allied Forces), freely positioning his forces to defend against the assault led by Vice Admiral Victor of the St Vault army (the Imperial Forces). Although it was a simulation for the November assault on Isrion, the high-ranking officers of the Imperial Army were more interested in determining whether Balthazar’s talent, which had garnered so much attention, was the real deal.

Victor had planned the "Thundersteel" operation, which decimated the Allied naval forces. Coordinating with the Akitsu Federation, he orchestrated a pincer attack on the Urano Air Fortress from the east and west, decisively shifting the course of the Hydrabard War. He was, in essence, the brain of the Imperial Army. That such a high-ranking figure would personally engage with a mere newly promoted captain like Balthazar was a testament to Balthazar’s growing reputation.

Balthazar had gained renown as the young commander who led a daring breakthrough mission using the Airship Eriadore… but that wasn’t all. He had also been the only one to predict Urano’s large-scale invasion operation, “Operation Judeka,” by identifying a slight discrepancy in data, accurately predicting the time and scale of the assault. But an even greater achievement followed.

Last month, the "Lost Princess Elizabeth," who held the key to winning the hearts of the people of Santos Island, suddenly sent a letter to the Emperor of St Vault. In it, she named Balthazar personally, stating, "As long as Lieutenant Grim requests it, the Sylvanian royal family will not hesitate to cooperate with the Empire."

Not only had he discovered the whereabouts of Elizabeth, whose survival had been uncertain, but somehow he had also gained her complete trust. She expressed her willingness to cooperate with the Empire at Balthazar’s request. If Santos Island, the key to the Multi-Island Archipelago War, promised full support for the Empire, the future would be exceptionally bright. For an Empire facing the Hydrabard Alliance and the Akitsu Federation on two fronts, securing a strong foothold on Santos Island was essential, and Balthazar had made that possible.

The achievements were too great and came too quickly.

Was he a genius or not?

Even the Imperial Operations Command could no longer ignore Balthazar. This was their chance to test if Balthazar truly was a genius.

──Prove yourself a genius, and you’ll be brought into the core of the Operations Command.

──Being merely talented isn’t enough. There are plenty of those.

──You must be an unparalleled genius with no equal.

But the challenge wasn’t easy.

The victory condition for the attacking side, led by Vice Admiral Victor, was the capture of Isrion, the capital.

The defending side, led by Balthazar and the Allied Forces, had to annihilate the landing forces to win.

From the moment he was assigned to defence, he was at a significant disadvantage.

In an amphibious assault, the attackers, who control the timing, location, and method of attack, have the advantage. Furthermore, this simulation mirrored real-world conditions, meaning that Victor’s forces likely outnumbered Balthazar’s by three to five times. To halt the enemy’s overwhelming numbers with limited forces, Balthazar would need to predict their invasion route accurately and position his forces accordingly.

──As the defender, I have the advantage of using the terrain.

──I must exploit that to the fullest, but… let’s see.

Staring at the model of Solbur Island, Balthazar began to trace Victor’s thoughts, trying to predict his strategy.

──There are two main routes for the landing forces to attack Isrion.

──One is the northern sea approach, landing at Nagar Bay for the shortest route to Isrion.

──The other is the southern sea approach, landing at Chiang Mai Bay, an indirect route.

If he could accurately predict which route Victor would choose, Balthazar could position his limited forces for an effective ambush.

──If they attack from the north, they’ll have to pass through narrow waters.

Nagar Bay was a long, narrow, U-shaped bay, similar to a pitcher plant. While it offered the shortest route to Isrion, with three nearby airfields and direct access to the capital via a main road, the landing zone was at the far end of the bay. Any invading fleet would be exposed to heavy fire from the steep cliffs along the way, making it a highly challenging landing site.

──If they attack from the south, they’ll be further from the capital, but the fleet will face fewer obstacles.

Chiang Mai Bay was C-shaped with a shallower indentation. It offered a wider beach for landing and allowed the fleet to operate with more freedom.

──Normally, the southern route is safer. However…

Balthazar delved deeper into Victor’s mindset.

──But landing is only the beginning. They still need to march on the capital.

The road from Chiang Mai Bay to Isrion was approximately 450 kilometres. Between them lay a mountainous region, out of range of naval bombardment, with narrow, poorly maintained roads. The threat of guerrilla attacks during the march added further risk.

──It’s possible they’ll attempt a two-pronged attack.

Victor might split his forces, launching simultaneous attacks on both Chiang Mai Bay and Nagar Bay, expecting Balthazar to focus his defences on one route and exploit the weaker side for a safer landing.

──Which will the admiral choose?

Staring at the terrain model wouldn't provide the answer.

In the records room where Balthazar was stationed, there were three operations staff officers, one scribe, and a communications officer. Balthazar communicated his next move to one of the staff officers.

"I will initiate a submarine reconnaissance."

"Allied forces, initiating submarine reconnaissance," the staff officer nodded as the communications officer left the room to inform the opposing team in the adjacent meeting room.

In the meeting room, along with Vice Admiral Victor, there were two air operations officers and one fleet operations officer. Upon receiving the communication, they rolled the dice and sent the results back to Balthazar.

"A submarine has been detected."

The returning communications officer placed a submarine piece on the model, marking its location on the route between Santos Island's Sierra Greed and Chiang Mai Bay.

Balthazar nodded, reasoning carefully.

──If a submarine is located here, it suggests suspicious activity around Chiang Mai Bay.

Submarines are reconnaissance units. They’re dispatched to observe enemy fleet movements and activity around the targeted landing area, sometimes sinking transport ships to isolate the defending forces from the sea.

──So, it's likely they're coming from the southern route…

Balthazar pressed forward with further reconnaissance.

"I'll conduct aerial reconnaissance, as well as gather communication intelligence and results from enemy interrogations."

Every time he issued an order to the staff officers, the communications officer left to deliver the instructions and returned with the results. While reconnaissance and attack outcomes were determined by dice rolls, if the dice results were unclear, Colonel Pendleton, acting as the game master in the opposing meeting room, would decide the likely outcome and relay it to the players.

When Balthazar received the reconnaissance, communication, and interrogation results, they all pointed to suspicious activity near Chiang Mai Bay.

──Quite a lot of information has surfaced.

All the intelligence seemed to indicate an invasion from the southern route. No matter how much reconnaissance was conducted in the northern route, nothing was found.

──It feels suspicious.

Balthazar crossed his arms and pondered.

Suddenly, he recalled something his former superior, Colonel Andy, had once told him.

“Once you’ve learned the subtleties of human emotions, there will be nothing left to fear.”

At the time, Balthazar hadn’t understood why he needed to learn about such things.

But now──he understood. The experience of making the decision to free Kiyoaki and Kagura from prison, and gaining the complete trust of the Sylvanian royal family as a result, lived on within him.

──Humans aren’t driven solely by logic; they are moved by emotion.

──In fact… most people are driven by emotion.

──At the root of emotion is "anxiety." Many people act through the lens of anxiety.

──The same applies on the battlefield.

──You’re not just analysing thoughts. You must also read the other person’s emotions… their anxiety.

Balthazar glared in the direction of the door, beyond which Victor was waiting, and pressed on with his deductions.

──This is a simulation. It’s a game between allies with defined rules.

──But the results of this game will influence my future standing in the operations command.

If Victor were to lose, it would be an embarrassment for the other officers. Under no circumstances could they afford to lose. They would need to prepare meticulously.

──The officers judging my abilities are the higher-ups in the operations command, not the ones here.

──To these staff officers, my presence is nothing but an eyesore.

──It’s entirely possible they’ve conspired beforehand to make me lose.

──Since the result of this game involves anxiety, they’ll want to increase their chances of winning…

Considering this, the fact that the game master had yet to visit Balthazar’s room seemed suspicious. According to the briefing before the exercise, the game master was supposed to move between rooms after each stage of the operation to ensure fairness.

Balthazar turned to the communications officer and calmly inquired,

"Is Colonel Pendleton and Vice Admiral Victor having any discussions?"

The communications officer’s face stiffened for a moment. The staff officers in the room exchanged glances.

"N-No, nothing of the sort."

The communications officer averted his gaze. Balthazar glanced at the scribe who had been documenting the conversation.

"I’d like a record of that conversation, please."

The scribe exchanged a look with one of the staff officers and began writing in the notebook. Balthazar then made a request to the staff officers.

"Would it be possible to bring Colonel Pendleton into this room?"

The staff officer's expression grew skeptical, his brow furrowing slightly.

"The plan is for Colonel Pendleton to come to this room once the landing operations begin. Are you dissatisfied with the current rulings?"

"I'm simply unclear on how Colonel Pendleton is determining the reconnaissance results."

"Do you also complain about the reconnaissance process on the battlefield?"

There was a clear hostility in the staff officer’s tone, aimed at the young newcomer.

"I apologize," Balthazar offered a brief apology and shifted his gaze back to the terrain map. However, internally, distrust towards the staff officers in the Sierra Greed Operations Command continued to swirl.

He had questioned the people in the room to observe their reactions. By deliberately making an excessive demand, he could gauge how they would respond. The results were suspicious all around.

──The communications officer's attitude clearly belonged to someone hiding something.

──The scribe exchanged a glance with the staff officers before resuming his notes.

──And the staff officer's angry tone was unnecessary if there was nothing to hide.

After analysing the situation, Balthazar arrived at a conclusion.

──It's highly likely they are conspiring.

──From the start, they intend to make me lose.

Balthazar was now certain of this.

It had always been this way since his commission. The more success he achieved, the colder the eyes of those around him became. There had even been instances where his reports were falsified.

──This was supposed to be the gathering of the brightest minds in St Vault, but in the end, they are just humans.

──No matter how old or high their rank, people cannot free themselves from their emotions…

He felt disillusioned by the depths of human nature. His enemy wasn't just Vice Admiral Victor. The three staff officers, the communications officer, and the scribe in the room were enemies too.

──In that case, what can I do?

──I must ensure that the higher-ups later question the fairness of this exercise.

──To do so, records will be crucial.

Balthazar turned his gaze back to the scribe.

"Please ensure that the earlier exchange between the staff officer and myself is also recorded."

He made the request again. The scribe hastily began writing. The staff officer, furrowing his brows even deeper, spoke in a sharp tone.

"What are you trying to pull?"

"I just want to ensure nothing is left out of the record."

"The only thing that needs recording is your placement decisions! There's no need to document our conversation!"

"I believe it will be useful for future study. After all, we have gathered some of the brightest minds here, and it would be valuable to review the entire exercise later. I also hope to learn as much as I can from Vice Admiral Victor’s strategies after the simulation."

Balthazar's logical explanation caused the staff officer to remain silent for a moment before replying in a low tone.

"You don't need to remind us; the exercise will be reviewed. If you're worried about fairness, it's unnecessary. Now, make your placement decisions quickly."

Returning his attention to the terrain map, Balthazar began deciding on the defensive positions.

From the exchanges so far, he was now certain of the enemy’s attack route.

──They're coming from the northern route.

──They're planning to overpower us with sheer numbers.

Balthazar concentrated his ground forces at the narrow beaches of Nagar Bay. He placed artillery on the cliffs and positioned torpedo boats within the bay, while allocating a large number of interceptors to the three airfields.

──The key to this is the destroyers.

The Hydrabard Allied Fleet had taken massive damage in the Battle of Sierra Greed, but its destroyer units were still intact. If used properly, they could deal a heavy blow to the enemy. Balthazar had a plan in mind, but he was concerned about the possibility that the communications officer might leak his strategy to Victor.

Turning to the communications officer, Balthazar made another request.

"Before finalizing my placements, could you please take a photograph of Vice Admiral Victor’s deployments?"

The room's atmosphere instantly froze. One of the staff officers spoke sharply.

"What do you mean by that?"

"To ensure the integrity of the review."

"Are you suggesting the admiral would change his deployment after learning yours?"

The staff officer’s tone, though calm, carried clear anger.

Feigning humility, Balthazar continued.

"Of course not. It's merely to streamline the review process. I have no objection to having my placements photographed as well. I'm sure the admiral would appreciate the accuracy of the simulation."

Without changing his expression, he responded logically. After a tense silence, Balthazar turned to the communications officer.

"Please proceed with the photographs. Once it's done, we can begin the battle, and I'd appreciate it if Colonel Pendleton could join us here promptly."

As the staff officers' expressions grew increasingly tense, the communications officer grabbed a camera and headed to the opposite room.

Balthazar, watching the officer leave, picked up the pieces representing his destroyer units. With the threat of leakage minimized, he could now proceed with confidence.

──If the Allied Forces have any chance of victory…

He prepared to execute his masterstroke.

──This is it.

As Balthazar positioned the destroyer units, all the staff officers in the room gasped.

At the same time, the communications officer returned, accompanied by a visibly displeased Colonel Pendleton.

"I've taken the photograph."

"Please give me the camera."

Balthazar took the camera, verified that only one picture had been taken, then photographed his own map.

"That makes two photographs. No more are needed… Colonel, the placements are now finalized. You may begin the battle."

Colonel Pendleton glanced briefly at Balthazar’s terrain map, his face turning pale.

"…Very well. Then, let the battle begin."

Seeing the slight trembling of the colonel’s lips, Balthazar inwardly relished the moment.

As predicted by Balthazar, the St Vault Empire’s mobile fleet launched its attack from the northern route early in the morning. Their first move was to strike the Hydrabard Allied Forces’ artillery positioned on the cliffs with airstrikes. Though the Allied Forces mustered their limited air power to intercept, they were vastly outnumbered, and most of the cliff artillery was destroyed. Emboldened by this success, the Empire’s fleet, led by its battleships, moved into the narrow bay, aiming to secure the beachhead.

It was then that the Allied torpedo boat squadron, previously stationed in the area, struck. In the confined waters, the large battleships were perfect targets for the torpedo boats. Although the torpedo squadron was wiped out, they managed to heavily damage two battleships and sink one heavy cruiser.

Despite the successful counterattack, the disparity in firepower was overwhelming. While Balthazar's predictions had been flawless, there was no countering the sheer might of the Imperial fleet. By evening, the Empire had secured a foothold at Nagar Bay and began unloading supplies from their transport ships. Balthazar ordered his ground forces to pull back and establish a defensive line in front of the capital, Isrion.

Night fell. The Imperial fleet left Nagar Bay, heading toward the waters near Isrion to bombard the remaining Allied forces. At Nagar Bay, the unloading of supplies was completed, and a fortified beachhead was established.

Then, just as night descended, the Allied destroyer fleet that had set sail from the Karanakuta Fortress, along with transport ships, charged into the bay.

No one had anticipated this—an unexpected counter-landing operation.

The transport ships carried army soldiers stationed at the Karanakuta Fortress.

Balthazar’s bold gambit had caught the Imperial forces off guard. Armies are designed to unleash their maximum firepower against frontal assaults, leaving them defenceless when attacked from behind. With the success of the counter-landing, the Allied forces also advanced their defensive lines, launching a surprise attack on the Empire’s complacent troops stationed at their newly established beachhead.

The Imperial landing forces on the beach were now caught in a pincer attack, squeezed between the Allied forces from both land and sea.

──Now, it’s all down to the roll of the dice.

With a silent prayer, Balthazar rolled the dice, which smiled favourably upon him.

The unusual military simulation concluded with a decisive result just two hours after it began.

Despite being a mere exercise, the outcome was something that should never have happened. A heavy silence hung over the two terrain boards.

The victor, Balthazar, calmly removed the defeated Imperial landing units from the board and addressed the staff officers in his usual composed tone.

"The dice were in my favour."

The staff officers were momentarily at a loss for words. One of the naval officers finally spoke up.

"…A reverse landing is unprecedented in the history of the archipelago wars. In this case, it succeeded because the Imperial fleet had left Nagar Bay and the night-time incursion was successful, but in reality, the risk of breaking through a small, enemy-controlled sea would be too great. Furthermore, considering the training level of the Hydrabard Army, such a manoeuvre would be impossible."

Balthazar swallowed the urge to say, "I don’t care about your personal opinion. With the overwhelming difference in power, my only option was to bet on the reverse landing." Instead, he responded diplomatically.

"You’re absolutely right. Such an operation would be unlikely in real life."

Holding back further comments like "At least be cautious," Balthazar left the room, greeted the defeated Admiral Victor, and apologized for the earlier requests for confirmation, repeatedly attributing his success to good fortune to maintain good relations. Later, at the dinner, he remained modest and assured everyone that if he were assigned to the Operations Headquarters, he would work cooperatively and diligently. Late at night, he finally left the officers' mess hall, alone.

Horse-drawn carriages were the main mode of transportation on Santos Island. Balthazar hailed a local carriage to take him back to the officers' quarters.

It had been a productive day.

The results of the military simulation would be reported to the commanders of the Operations Headquarters. If they had any sense, Balthazar would be assigned to the St Vault Naval and Air Force Operations Headquarters. It seemed he was well on his way to participating in strategic planning at the heart of the St Vault military.

──I’ve won the biggest challenge of my life. This is my greatest achievement to date.

He allowed himself a moment of self-satisfaction.

But strangely, the feeling of accomplishment was faint. He should have been more excited, but since the exercise had ended, he had felt a cold, dry wind passing through his chest.

──I’ve proven my genius. Even veteran staff officers can’t compete with me.

He repeated the self-praise, but instead of joy, an inexplicable emptiness began to settle over him.

He glanced out the window. The street lamps illuminated a townscape with patches of roofing tiles still damaged from repeated air raids. As the gateway to the northern and southern archipelagos, Santos Island had been ravaged by war multiple times. There were no signs of reconstruction, but large construction machines could be seen digging holes throughout the island.

Ever since arriving on Santos Island, Balthazar had noticed these strange, gaping holes everywhere, as if someone was trying to dig up a new vein of valuable resources. It was said that the hidden treasure of the Sylvania royal family, worth 50 billion pesos, lay buried somewhere on the island. The rumour had been dismissed by the Operations Command as baseless, but private investors and corporations, driven by greed, had swarmed the island and were digging wherever they thought it might be.

How foolish.

Balthazar snorted at the thought and turned his attention back to the street. In stark contrast to the avaricious St Vault citizens, the displaced, homeless residents wrapped in tattered blankets lay sleeping on the side of the road. Bare-chested children with sombre eyes watched Balthazar's carriage pass by.

It felt as if the island’s dark atmosphere was seeping into his lungs. He wondered if the melancholy came from the island itself.

──No, that’s not it.

──That’s not it…

Balthazar tried to pinpoint the source of his emptiness.

In the darkness outside the window, the smiling face of Kagura Murasaki appeared.

"…Ridiculous."

He immediately dismissed the thought.

He didn’t need sentimentality within himself. Any emotions that manipulated common folk should be immediately purged. He must constantly check his inner self and rid it of any trivial thoughts that crept in.

──I have ambitions to seize a nation.

──Wait and see, old man. I’ll make sure you eat your words…

In the back of his mind, he could see the stern, expressionless face of his grandfather, Renior, the man who had built the Berner conglomerate from scratch.

Balthazar's only rival—the one person he still believed he couldn’t defeat. Even after outmanoeuvring Admiral Victor, he still wasn’t confident he could surpass his grandfather.

Everyone else had bowed before Balthazar.

But his grandfather would still mock him, looking down with contempt and arrogance. Even with all Balthazar’s accomplishments, he was still far from measuring up to him.

His guts boiled with anger.

──I am not just Renior’s grandson.

──You will be remembered in history as Balthazar’s grandfather, you damn old man.

──I will soon reach your throne. Wash your neck and wait for me…

Balthazar gazed out of the window, painting the scenery with the colour of his hatred. It was this hatred that fuelled him.

Only through hatred could he endure the annoyance of dealing with the dull and incompetent masses.

──Hatred alone is enough to keep me alive.

──I don’t need any of those soft emotions…

As he glanced out the window again, the image of Kagura’s smile layered itself over his hatred for Renior. His chest tightened painfully, and he hurriedly pushed Kagura’s image away.

──What am I thinking? Foolishness.

──Kagura has nothing to do with this. It doesn’t matter what happens to her.

──Keep your hatred burning. Don’t lose yourself.

──Hatred is the primal force that drives me forward…

Balthazar forced himself to summon more hatred, though it came with a dull, aching emptiness. As the carriage swayed, the sense of suffocation grew. He closed his eyes, but neither the emptiness nor the suffocation subsided. Kagura’s smile continued to float in the darkness behind his eyelids.

"I love you, Balthazar."

The carefree words Kagura had spoken at their parting echoed in his ears.

"We’ll meet again. I know we will. When you’ve become even greater."

A month ago, she had stood on the outer edge of the flying fortress Odin, smiling softly as the wind swept around them.

"Become the kind of person who can change the world with your own power, and then we’ll meet again."

Balthazar opened his eyes and stared out the window at the sky. Several bright stars flickered beyond the city lights.

──I’m moving forward, Kagura.

──Can you keep up with me?

He sent a silent challenge to Kagura, who was across the sea in an enemy nation. The emptiness in his chest seemed to ease slightly, replaced by something sweet creeping into his consciousness. He no longer felt the need to force it away, deciding instead to let himself indulge in that sweetness, if only for the moment.

──We’ll meet again, at the centre of this world.

He whispered the unspoken wish in his heart as the sound of horse hooves echoed faintly in his ears, allowing himself to drift into memories for a brief while.