Chapter 288 – Strategy ③
6 p.m. – Timing it with the start of Motoki’s attack on Tateyama Fortress, the corps of Rina, Kotetsu, Takaharu, Sarah, and Hibiki also begin attacking the fortress.
At the same time, the corps of Chloe, Layla, Iron, Red, and Flora departed towards Nanto Fortress to perform the usual farce.
――Decoy 4, stand by at a location that’s 3 km away from Tateyama Fortress. Keep looking at the smartphone I handed you.
I order the dhampir pretending to be me ― Decoy 4 ― to act like he’s about to launch a 《Reign》. The movements of Decoy 4, in combination with our military forces exceeding the usual amount, suggest a 《Reign》.
Now then, I wonder whether the enemy is going to fall for it.
〜♪
As I’m watching the situation on the Tateyama Fortress front on my smartphone, my phone plays the melody informing me of an incoming call. The name of the caller displayed on the screen is 『Pig』 aka Motoki.
He sure reacted quickly…is he monitoring me?
――Decoy 4, press your smartphone against your ear.
I pick up the call after handing out my order to Decoy 4.
“Shion speaking. I’m busy right now. If you’ve got business with me, keep it short.”
『Shion, what’s going on!?』
The disgusting, unruly voice of the pig offends my ear with its squealing.
“As in what?”
『Today you’ve fielded a lot more troops than usual, haven’t you!?』
“Really?”
『Don’t give me that! Isn’t it very obvious!?』
I hold the phone away from my ear because of the pig’s loud squealing.
“And? Is there any problem with there being many troops present?”
『The promise that I’d rule over Tateyama Fortress…!』
“I don’t remember having ever given you such a promise.”
『――gh! Y-Y-You bastard, what are you planning to do!?』
“Hmm? A 《Reign》, isn’t that obvious?”
Though the target is Nanto Fortress and not Tateyama Fortress.
『I shall not permit your intolerable insolence!』
“Don’t make me repeat myself over and over again. I don’t need your permission for anything I do.”
『Ugggh…you’re not going to concede?』
“If you wish to cancel the alliance, I won’t mind even if you withdraw, you know? We have more than enough combat forces to handle the rest ourselves.”
『――Wh-!?』
“Having said that, we’re still allies. So I’ll promise you that we’ll pull back without doing a 《Reign》, if you enter Tateyama Fortress before I do.”
『Who guarantees me that you’ll keep that promise…!?』
“In the first place, an alliance is a verbal promise based on mutual trust, isn’t it? If you can’t believe my words, then get lost.”
『Arggh…I’ll have you keep that promise no matter what!』, he squealed and then terminated the call from his side.
――Decoy 4, put the smartphone away.
Things have proceeded a lot more beneficial than I had expected. My plan was to call the pig and inform him, 『Today I’ll do a 《Reign》 (on Nanto Fortress)』, but…the pig called me from his side.
Annihilating the humans in Tateyama Fortress within 24 hours is impossible. I guess I’ll at least have him do his utmost for my sake.
I watched the battle over Tateyama Fortress through my smartphone.
◆
6:30 p.m. – Due to the Aster Empire and pig’s military forces being a lot bigger than usual, the humans of Tateyama Fortress quickly requested reinforcements from Toyama City. A fierce battle unfolded in front of the fortress.
Since it’s such a great chance…I’d love to whittle down the pig’s forces.
――Takaharu! Make a big detour and wedge yourself between the two elf lords hustling in the front row!
“Ey! Ey! Move it! Yar in da way!”
Takaharu starts to move according to my instruction. Once he arrives at the spot I’ve designated, he begins to fight the humans in front of him.
――Takaharu! Pull the two elf lords apart by gradually moving your corps north.
Aster Empire Main Force
○ ※ Hibiki
● ※ Elf Lord
↑
○ ※ Takaharu Pig Main Force
Tateyama → ☆ ● ※ Elf Lord
――Hibiki, control the humans’ aggro! Move south while pulling them!
Hibiki’s corps clanks their shields, pulling the humans’ aggro on themselves while moving southwards.
――Takaharu, Hibiki! Retreat at once upon my signal!
I look for the perfect timing while watching the movements of Takaharu, Hibiki and the two elf lords.
――Rina! Scold Hibiki and Takaharu and have them retreat!
“Hibiki! Takaharu! You’ve moved too far out! Come back!”
I’m not sure whether Rina’s voice has reached the two. But, as long as the pig’s subordinates have heard it, it’ll serve as a nice excuse.
――Takaharu, Hibiki! Retreat!
As a result of Takaharu and Hibiki pulling back, the two elf lords ended up stranded amidst the humans after being separated, and got swallowed whole. Did this allow us to kill leader-class kin?
I continued to order my subordinates, slowly reducing the numbers of the pig’s elites.
8 p.m. – It was the time when the usual farce would come to an end, replaced by silence dominating the area around the fortress, but today it was different as the battle was still raging on.
The humans have been throwing their combat forces into that battle without any hesitation, resulting in a battle where the tides kept changing ever so fast.
I think it’s about time now.
“Yataro, Izayoi, Saburou, we’re going to launch a 《Reign》 on Nanto Fortress!”
I began my advance on Nanto Fortress alongside the defense unit.
Translation Notes:
