I Don’t Need a Guillotine for My Revolution

Chapter 219: Abyssal Holy War - The Longest Week (1)

Episode 219. Abyssal Holy War - The Longest Week (1)

The third day since the Allied Forces' landing and the commencement of the gate's installation.

The Magic Corps had begun installing the gate, and the Allied Forces were on high alert.

“Hey, what the hell is this fog?”

“You bastard, cut the useless chatter and stand your watch properly.”

“I'm just saying, it's unnerving. A purple mist? I've never seen anything like it. And it never disappears. What kind of crappy weather is this?”

“Let's just leave that to the great mages. What would we figure out by worrying about it? It just makes you more anxious.”

“Tsk, I guess so, but…”

Hearing the soldiers' anxious voices in the distance, Louis gave a wry smile.

Wouldn't it be nice if being a mage meant you knew everything at a glance?Louis slowly raised his gaze to the sky, still shrouded in the violet fog.

Naturally, the Magic Tower didn't know the exact nature of the fog either.

In the first place, the Magic Tower was full of people who studied the magic arts, not experts in natural science.

The Allied Forces and the Magic Tower had been able to decide on landing on an island shrouded in an unknown fog only because the powers on the Central Continent, who had long done business with Abyss Corporation, had concluded that the fog itself wasn't immediately lethal.

If the fog had been lethal to any race other than the Demon Race, the interspecies slaves that Abyss Corporation had employed before introducing the Drones would have all died from the start.

But even if there were no immediate deadly effects, it couldn't be helped that it was unsettling. And just because there was no obvious harm right now didn't mean there weren't long-term toxins that could accumulate.

The climate of this island itself instilled a fundamental sense of unease in any race besides demons. In the short span of just three days, it had rained twice, further fueling the already humid and unpleasant mood.

“Is there any progress, Liaison Officer?”

Louis's face lit up at the voice from behind him and he turned, only to clear his throat and fix his expression.

“Lieutenant Colonel Davi.”

Using his background to his advantage, Louis had been given the position of liaison officer between the Magic Tower and the Allied Forces, particularly the Francia Army, which played a key role.

…In truth, it was also unavoidable, as he was the only one in the Magic Tower who had any understanding of military structure and was capable of a common-sense conversation.

Giselle smiled brightly at Louis, but he only gave an awkward laugh.

“It's in progress. The foundational work is almost finished. …Though I feel like I've told you that several times already.”

“I know. And I've already relayed it several times. But Commander Millbeau is just so curious.”

Louis immediately understood the situation.

“Um, is he getting very… impatient?”

“It would be improper for me to comment on my superior, wouldn't it?”

Giselle Davi didn't deny it.

From that alone, Louis could picture Damien De Millbeau on the verge of a nervous breakdown from anxiety, and a laugh escaped him.

Giselle also just smiled faintly.

They were once superior and subordinate, and now he had risen to a position where they could converse with mutual courtesy.

Feeling a fresh sense of wonder, and at the same time, a faint bitterness that this was only possible for him because he belonged to a different organization like the Magic Tower, Louis asked cautiously.

“So, uhm. Is the situation with the Allied Forces not very good?”

Giselle's expression became ambiguous.

“Well, being on high alert for three days straight isn't good.”

After the initial clash with the Drones, there hadn't been a proper engagement, not even an encounter with the enemy.

Even after landing, they had received several shipments of ammunition and food supplies through the landing point and transported them to the hill, maintaining a state of extreme tension, but, as if it were a lie, absolutely nothing had happened.

Despite this, the anxiety and fear of a surprise attack from the fog at any moment was rampant throughout all units of the Allied Forces in enemy territory.

And a living being's concentration and stamina are finite.

If a situation requiring constant, maximum tension continues, eventually, not even the most elite and powerful army can maintain its combat power.

“I think I know what it feels like to just sit here and wither away.”

Giselle said lightly, then looked up at the sky, still covered in the purple mist, and added.

“And I don't think I can ever get used to that fog.”

“…Haha, right… It may not be immediately lethal, but it is a sky that makes you depressed just looking at it.”

The command post had at least taken that into account and set up on a coastal hill where the fog was thinner, but that was no comfort to the soldiers floundering in endless tension under this gloomy weather, where even the sunlight was tinted purple.

“Still, we just need to hold on a little longer and somehow complete the gate.”

In any case, as long as the gate is completed.

Reinforcements from the homeland will become possible, and at the very least, the advance party could temporarily retreat to the homeland to rest.

Once the gate is complete, the entire situation will surely improve.

Giselle smiled brightly at Louis's words and replied.

“That's reassuring, Liaison Officer of the Magic Tower.”

“Haha, well, my only role is to take turns pouring mana into the construction process.”

“That's true, but that is the key to victory, after all. It's something we can't do.”

Hearing Giselle's words, Louis scratched his cheek with his hand and said.

“Conversely, we have to rely on the Allied Forces for defense. Haha… Still.”

Louis paused for a moment, then looked at Giselle with a rather determined expression and said.

“We will do our best to finish as quickly as possible, before the Allied Forces get more exhausted or suffer great sacrifices.”

Giselle also smiled faintly and replied.

“I'm counting on you. Well then, Commander, His Excellency Millbeau must be getting anxious, so I should be going.”

Louis felt a pang of disappointment, but it was difficult to show it to the ever-refreshing Giselle, so he prepared to say his goodbyes.

And at that moment, a commotion arose from behind them.

“Commander Maxim! The foundational work is complete!”

“Goo-od. Move it, chop-chop! Once this gate is finished, all of Abyss Corporation's Magitek will be ours! Mwahahahaha!”

“Ghehehehehehe!”

“Magitek machines, they must be so pretty. I'll strip them bare and savor every last part of them…”

“Aah, just imagining it is euphoric…”

Louis was at a loss for words at his comrades' madness.

'Wait, if they're going to act like that, what does that make what I just said?'

'What about the effort to reduce the Allied Forces' sacrifices? The justice of the Central Continent?'

Of course, contrary to Louis's hopes, they were just ruthlessly venting the stress and thirst for knowledge they had accumulated in the corners of their labs.

“…Lieutenant Colonel Davi. I'm telling you this in advance to avoid any misunderstanding, but not all mages from the Magic Tower are like that.”

At least he wasn't, so it wasn't a lie.

Giselle Davi was silent for a long moment, then gave a very awkward laugh and said one thing.

“…At least now there's one piece of positive news to report to Commander, His Excellency Millbeau.”

Louis covered his face with his hands.

'Ah, I'm screwed.'

*

“…So the first stage of the process is finished.”

“Yes, Your Excellency the Marquis!”

I furrowed my brow and looked down at the operation map.

Even though the scouts had worked their legs off to gradually complete it, the operation map was extremely incomplete.

It was probably somewhat different from the actual terrain, and the scale wasn't perfect either.

This was likely an unavoidable problem.

Our current position on a hill adjacent to the coastal cliffs was manageable, but going just a little inland meant being immediately enveloped in a dense fog with less than 100 meters of visibility.

It wouldn't be strange for a Drone to pop out of the fog at any moment, and the scouts had to venture into an environment where it was difficult to even get a proper sense of direction.

It would be conscienceless to demand they create a precise map in such a situation.

In any case, progress was slow, but it was being made.

If our assessment wasn't drastically wrong, we had confirmed we were installing the gate on a hill approximately 200km southwest of Pandemonium, the capital of Abyss Corporation.

And yet, aside from the initial engagement, we had suffered no significant losses, which only fueled my anxiety.

Though it was unavoidable in preparation for engagement or a later advance, the scouts were troops dispatched with a certain level of expected loss.

In fact, considering how the messengers were cut off during the initial landing, an attack by Drones emerging from that fog would leave them utterly helpless.

But for the past three days, as if it were a lie, nothing had happened.

A very small number of scouts did go missing, but it was more reasonable to assume they had lost their way and had not yet returned, rather than being casualties of an enemy attack.

If they put their minds to it, they could have killed all the scouts they wanted.

At the very least, they couldn't be unaware that we were continuously receiving and stockpiling vast amounts of ammunition and food supplies through the landing site.

I thought they would at least try to cut off additional supplies, so I had devised a flawless operation and organized units to escort them, but my preparations and efforts were in vain. Not only was there no battle, but we hadn't seen a single sign of a Drone.

Feeling a deep fatigue, I pressed my fingers firmly into my brow.

One might think 'no battle is a good thing,' but in reality, that wasn't the case.

We were on a disquieting demon island shrouded in an unknown fog, and we had already experienced a surprise attack from enemies that suddenly emerged from it.

If the enemy had attacked and we'd had an engagement, we could have at least relaxed our tension for a moment in exhaustion after the battle.

But in a situation like this, where an attack could come at any moment, the soldiers couldn't relax even if they wanted to. Just from the flood of reports from each unit, I could keenly feel the soldiers' accumulating fatigue.

At the same time, however, as a commander, I had to be prepared for anything.

The advance party's troops were extremely limited, and rashly increasing rotations to give the soldiers rest could lead to catastrophic results in the event of a surprise attack.

Therefore, a two-shift rotation was the limit, and rest time was inevitably restricted.

And in this environment, the soldiers struggled to even get a light sleep, often dozing fitfully before their next shift began.

In the midst of that, we had to requisition a large number of troops each time to bring in supplies in preparation for an attack, so dissatisfaction was building.

But just because there's dissatisfaction, should I send only a small force with the supply unit? What if they get attacked?

But if this situation continues, the unity of the Allied Forces—already a chaotic mess loosely tied together—will only grow weaker.

Right now, that damn Alejandro and his Paladin Order have volunteered to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force into enemy territory rather than just kill time like this.

Charging into the enemy's heart through a fog where you can't see an inch ahead—what valor!

If it weren't for the fact that we'd also bleed if those bastards died a dog's death, I'd be so moved I'd be tempted to grant them permission.

The commanders-in-chief of each army, like Kroxx, Jill, and General Scharnhorst, are at least more reasonable than Alejandro and trust me, but a commander-in-chief's will doesn't represent their entire army.

They're already busy suppressing the opposition and complaints rising from below.

I unconsciously tapped the operation map, feeling a sense of impatience.

It feels like being slowly cornered and hunted, unable to do anything.

The justification of a Holy War to protect the Central Continent from demons is fading away so meaninglessly in the face of unknown terror and extreme tension.

With not a single combat loss, fatigue and dissatisfaction continue to build, and only cracks are forming in the Allied Forces' unity.

Is this what Grand Duke Leopold felt when he faced me?

Now that I'm experiencing it myself, it's truly...

Wretched.

Feeling my head grow a bit numb with fatigue, I put out the light.

If I can't even get proper rest, I'll just be playing right into the enemy's hands.

Managing one's stamina is the most basic skill of a soldier…

I forced myself to lie down on the field cot and pull the blanket over me.

And at that moment.

A sound I'd heard somewhere before rang out.

Peeeeeeeee-

Peeeeeeeng-

Something flying through the air with a roar.

'Where have I heard this sound before?'

The moment I thought that, the sound of an explosion erupted.

“Ugh, uwaaack!”

“A-artillery fire! No! It's rockets—!”

My dazed mind snapped to attention, and just as I grabbed my sword and rushed outside.

From the purple sky blanketed in fog.

The sight of countless rockets pouring down on our encampment filled my eyes.