Fun Territory Defense Chapter 212 (Patreon)

Preparations

"It's totally... frustrating that Baron Van never ceases to amaze me."

With a face that doesn't look very regretful, His Majesty utters such a comment. His Majesty, who seemed to be in a good mood, continued to ask me various questions about cannons, so I told him about the threat of cannons and the future direction in my own way.

Of course, I was not talking about the far future, but about larger, continuous-firing, and smaller cannons. The most interesting part of the talk was that miniaturization would allow each person to handle a weapon like the guns used in my previous life.

Even peasants would soon have the power to defeat their enemies. His Majesty's point of view is not wrong.

The hard part is that when such weapons become available, the nature of warfare will take on a completely different shape.

Until now, even peasants with no combat training could achieve a certain level of success if they were densely packed with long spears at the ready. Some armies used the Tsurutsu-no-jin, a wing-spreading formation to counter sorcerers, or a variant of the fish-scale formation, a triangular formation of 100 men each with a gap between them, but these were not commonly used.

However, with the spread of guns and artillery, the traditional fighting style will be a thing of the past.

Even extremely small numbers of troops will be able to achieve results, and tactics that spread the front thinly and widely will be possible. It will also show tremendous power in guerrilla warfare, ambushes, and siege warfare.

Above all, once its use as a trap is established, it will be a very troublesome weapon.

I turned to His Majesty, worrying about the future that would eventually come.

"For now, at least, I don't think there are any such weapons in Jiernetta Kingdom. But there is a country behind it that has provided the black ball, and since the first defensive cornerstone of Jiernetta Kingdom has already been conquered, there will surely be a move to do something about it. We should begin our march before Jiernetta acquires new weapons."

His Majesty muttered, "I know," and looked down at his chin between his fingers. After a dozen seconds of contemplation, His Majesty looked up, wrinkling his brow.

"...Alright, then, we will set out the day after tomorrow. I was really thinking of a week's preparation time, but as Sir Van said, we have just occupied a key enemy base. Let's not wait for our allies to be ready, but act quickly in the order in which we arrive at Seat Village."

So determined, His Majesty turned and opened his mouth to the assembled nobles and commanders.

"Bring forward the schedule! Since we have more knights than expected, we will move to a new base as soon as possible! We will further consolidate our position to ensure that the wedge that has been driven into Jiernetta's territory does not slip out! We will take as many supplies as we can carry, but additional supplies will be carried by the Knights who will arrive later! We will leave early in the morning the day after tomorrow! Understood?"

"Yes!"

The air of everyone changed drastically upon receiving His Majesty's order. How different it is to receive an order from an absolute monarch! Everyone looked like genuine soldiers and quickly took action.

"Your Majesty, how would you like to form up? If you don't mind, my knights will take the lead..."

"We will stand before you and protect you, Your Majesty."

"I will hire adventurers to guard the march. The formation will be decided tomorrow, and I will let you know. For now, hurry and prepare the necessary supplies."

As a country known for its warfare, everyone was highly motivated to fight. Panamera was probably very well prepared.

As I searched for her, I found Panamera looking at me with her arms crossed.

"Panamera-san, aren't you going to get ready?"

I ask, and a wry smile was returned.

"We're already preparing. We can leave tomorrow."

Panamera is a warrior, after all. I have seen a movie about a group of 300 people fighting a huge empire head-on, and I am sure that Panamera would be impressed if she were to watch that.

While I was thinking about this, His Majesty walked up to me, having finished giving instructions to everyone.

"Well, tomorrow is going to be a busy day. Yes, I have a favor to ask Sir Van. It's about the lending of the ballista."

I nodded instantly at His Majesty's words.

"Yes, sir. Of course, we will lend you as many mobile ballistas and armored carriages to carry them as possible. In addition, I will ask our adventurers to provide transportation, and our prized mechanical bow team will also accompany you."

"Oh, that's good! We will also ask our adventurers to accompany us for transportation. I'm counting on you, Sir Van!"

His Majesty said in a good mood and left, saying that he was going to check on Apkallu and Dwarf again. I was glad to hear that he was only accompanied by a few people because he trusted the security of the Seat Village.

After seeing off the back of His Majesty who was leaving in a good mood, I turned my attention to Panamera who remained at this place. Then, Panamera looked at me with a serious face.

"...Let's talk a while, let's talk about it openly."

"If I do, I'll die."

"Idiot."

After having such a casual conversation, I respond a little more seriously.

"Do you want to talk about new weapons? Or is it about what's going on in the Jiernetta Kingdom?"

Panamera widened her eyes for a moment as she asked, and then immediately smiled a powerful smile.

"As expected of you, boy. Did you anticipate what I was going to ask? That's how much you think of me, is that not love?"

"I sure am in love with Panamera-san."

Panamera joked with a mischievous look on his face, and I smiled and got on board. Then Panamera groaned and took a step back.

"...Boy, you're going to be a terrible man in the future. Maybe you'll go down in history, just don't make Mistress Arte cry, okay?"

My eyebrows furrowed and my mouth agape at being told such a thing.

"I'm not going to make Arte cry. I will take good care of her."

When I answer honestly, Panamera, who was thrown off track, groaned, wrinkling her brow.

"...I feel like you're getting more and more outspoken. No, as a nobleman, that would be one of the talents he would need to have..."

Mumbling something, Panamera exhaled deeply.

"...I can't afford to think about anything else. So what do you think, boy? If I were the enemy, I wouldn't be able to stay down like this. I would try to make a move that would somehow bring us back from the brink."

Panamera looked at me as he said this, so I let out a sigh and nodded.

"I'm sure that's true. At any rate, when Scuderia Kingdom has attacked Jiernetta Kingdom so far, they have always bypassed the Wolfsburg Mountains and attacked through the roads on the seaside. That is why Jiernetta Kingdom's defenses are concentrated on the seaside, and the fortress that fell this time is a very strategic point. The Jiernetta side will not like it if we go north, or even both east and west. It is obvious that the dispersion of the battlefield would put the defenders at a disadvantage. At the very least, they would have to spread out on three sides."

Panamera's eyes narrowed as he briefly explained his prediction.

"Then, by that logic, are you expecting the other side to attack us this time?"

I nodded as Panamera told me so.

"I suppose so. Even if we attack first, if the fortress we had just taken down is attacked, we will have no choice but to return, no matter how advantageous the invasion was. Our supplies will be cut off, and above all, we will surely be caught in a pincer attack later on."

Panamera crossed her arms and let out a low "hmmm" as she replied. Looking sideways at the smoke rising from Dwarf's furnace.

"...I'm sure His Majesty is thinking about that as well. That's why I think he'll make the invasion after he's established a solid base."

Panamera shrugged her shoulders and nodded in agreement.

"Of course, His Majesty would have every possible scenario in mind. But I think Baron Van, with his knowledge of the other's weaponry, could make a more precise prediction of Jiernetta's next move. If the boy were Jiernetta's general, how would he fight?"

When asked this, he chuckles and shakes his head from side to side.

"In my case, my way of fighting is a bit special. I would think of many ways. The best way is to set traps. If you prepare a trap with black balls, the enemy won't be able to attack me that easily. If I use the cannon I just described at the right time when they slow down, I will be able to achieve considerable battle results."

I answered the question as it was asked, but Panamera looked more serious than I had imagined.

"...A trap, huh? I hadn't given that much thought. I will advise His Majesty immediately."

So saying, Panamera turned on her heel with her guards.

"...Did I perhaps say something unnecessary? This could be a pattern of being called to the front again..."

I muttered to myself in horror.