How to Survive on the Armored Front

Chapter 32

"They didn't come back-what do you mean!"

Alfraia frontline fortress.

While goblins bustled about repairing the lines, orcs on guard turned their heads at the roar that came from the commander's office.

"The mages just gave final word. Of the Colossus Six units deployed into the Great Forest of Kerdan, three have lost signal. The last one changed its mana signature after heading for the human frontline base."

"The Frame was captured!?"

The commander's face, buried in his hands, was equally dark.

Colossus Six, barely past its operational trials and only beginning to reach the very front, had been seized just like that.

He could not imagine what punishment would rain down.

"His Majesty the Saint King has already been informed. A summons will come soon...."

"Sir Delranel! A call from the royal palace! Present yourself!"

The mage's voice reached them before the commander had even finished. Delranel's face went pale.

"Go. I reported on you as favorably as I could."

"...Thank you, Karrel."

When he had left for the frontier this knight had been full of arrogance; now he bowed his head in calm gratitude.

Commander Karrel gave a bitter smile and waved lightly as Delranel left the office.

- Of the additional Royal Guard Knights I sent, only you survived. Delranel.

The moment he stepped into the Mage Tower he was given no time for greetings; the words made Delranel drop to his knees before the crystal orb.

"It is my own lack of ability. If only I had realized sooner...!"

- No, I do not blame you.

The voice from within the crystal was serene-nothing like the tone one would use for a knight who had returned defeated twice.

- So, did you witness the battle of that black colossus?

"For the combat record I observed from a distance."

- Then what did you feel there?

"...Pardon?"

Was he to give an after-action assessment?

With a composure that belied the loss of four of his direct knights, the Saint King asked Delranel to recall the fight.

- Were you afraid? Did it seem unreasonable? Or, fighting against the Creator's legacy, did you feel awe?

"...I thought only that I wanted to win."

The elf before him was master of the skyborne battleship Baldur, possessor of power greater than any other in the world; pointless lies would only hasten his death.

- Oh? Continue.

At the Saint King's urging Delranel clenched his teeth and slowly answered.

"At first... I was terrified. The overwhelming strength that shattered my Frame in an instant ground my pride as a knight to dust."

- And then?

"Then I thought like a madman. I laid down every shred of pride and racked my brains with Buertael and Varthael for a way to slay that monster. But now..."

He had had a chance. Yet for want of a decisive move the monster had escaped, devoured his comrades, and grown ever stronger.

"I want to destroy that monster! I want revenge for my surviving self and for my fallen comrades! But I do not know how to defeat it!"

Recalling Glaepnir mowing down his comrades with the great cannon on its arm, Delranel ground his teeth in silence.

- If you could destroy that colossus, would you give up everything?

"...Pardon?"

Delranel's head snapped up at the Saint King's sudden words.

- Your body, your mana, your rank... if you must strip away everything that makes you who you are, would you still fight that colossus?

For an instant the faces of countless knights who had stood with him flashed by.

There was no need to hesitate. Without them he would already be a corpse in that monster's maw.

"I want to win! Even if it costs my life! I will destroy that monster-with my own hands!"

A brief silence. But it did not last long.

- Come to the palace. Sir Delranel.

"!"

Delranel's eyes widened. Even as the words were spoken, brilliant light burst from the crystal orb on the tower's first floor and bathed him.

- You are worthy to become my knight.

***

Three days had passed since the dig team arrived at the Kerdan frontline base.

Dozens of layers of trenches had been filled; in their place rose a towering concrete wall.

The tents that had served as buildings had been replaced by solid structures reinforced with colossi; the base was now a proper military stronghold.

"What the young lord said was no lie, Lieutenant Yaan!"

After the daily mock battle ended. Unlike the other knights drenched in sweat, Yaan showed little sign of fatigue.

"That reflex speed was incredible. Throwing your sword and charging in like that."

"If His Highness hadn't stopped it you'd have taken a real hit!"

The rough pats on his back were still hard to get used to.

Still, the knights walking toward the office could not wipe the grins from their faces.

"Your Highness. The entire House Lorenz contingent is assembled."

"Lieutenant Yaan Verkut reporting."

Moments after that voice spoke outside the door, Prince Klaus's reply came from within.

"Enter, all of you."

The office door opened to reveal Prince Klaus in a light shirt.

"Good. I see you've settled in well."

"I'm glad to see Your Highness in good health as well."

"Still hates wearing the uniform, I see."

Their easy manner toward royalty was hard for Yaan to get used to.

While the others exchanged cheerful handshakes, Yaan's expression remained blank; Prince Klaus coughed several times.

"Let's skip the pleasantries for now. We have a mission."

"Finally."

"All these mock battles every day-my whole body itches for a real fight!"

The knights of House Lorenz rolled up their sleeves in excitement. Prince Klaus grinned at them and spread a prepared map on the table.

"Since the last battle, the Alfraian Army has hardly moved. We can assume they've effectively abandoned the ruin."

Memories of the village fight and the fallen Rana darkened Yaan's expression.

Weeks had passed, yet he still kept the blood-stained bandage in his pocket.

"However, we've received intelligence that the half-elf Rael, who fled that battle, is gathering forces by moving from village to village."

"A rebellion?"

"We don't know yet. But we must be wary."

The knights' faces turned grim at those words.

"The forest elves have joined neither the Empire nor Alfraia. Scattered by tribe, their total numbers make them a force we cannot ignore."

"And the colossus frames they possess are a power we cannot ignore either."

The knights' gazes turned as Commander Cain's voice came from the doorway.

"I bring the scouts' report, Your Highness."

"How many?"

"Twenty frames, only skeletons. One of them is fully armed."

Prince Klaus nodded heavily at the report.

"Rael is said to be able to open the Ancient ruin by some method. If he retrieves the Ancients' legacy within another ruin..."

Hearing the situation, the knights' faces grew more serious.

"Did he wait for a lull on the central front to make his move?"

"To have gathered such strength in mere weeks... far more dangerous than we thought."

Satisfied that they grasped the gravity, Prince Klaus pointed to a spot on the map.

"According to Lieutenant Yaan's report, Rael's final goal is the Ancients' legacy here. Its tactical value surpasses even Lieutenant Yaan's Frame. We suspect it may rival Alfraia's skyborne battleships."

"If it falls into Rael's hands, not only this frontline base but the entire region around the Great Forest of Kerdan could be lost to them."

After Commander Cain's explanation Prince Klaus took a step back and let Cain take over.

"The first dig team has already left, using this village as a staging point. We must secure or destroy the artifact before Rael."

When the briefing ended Prince Klaus stepped aside and Cain addressed the knights.

"You will take turns watching this area and escorting the dig team."

"Escort duty-easy as pie!"

"Don't tell me we're just construction guards again?"

At the knights' jokes, Cain gave a wry smile and spoke while looking at Yaan.

"While the 87th Independent Company establishes the defensive line, push into the forest and track Rael's whereabouts."

"Understood."

Once Cain had given all the instructions and dismissed them, the knights headed straight for the maintenance yard.

"Lieutenant Yaan."

Yaan, who had been watching them leave for a moment, turned his head toward Prince Klaus calling him.

"The reason Rael can now use the Ancients' legacy-do you truly not know?"

At the prince's question, Yaan's movements halted. A brief silence. But before long, Yaan answered with a faint smile.

"I was unable to determine it. My apologies."

The expression on Yaan's face as he spoke was as if stamped from a mold-utterly artificial.

Seeing that familiar look, Cain let out a small, bitter smile.

"...Understood. If you ever learn anything, let me know. I'll be waiting."

Prince Klaus quietly closed his eyes as he said that.

"If I say my blood was the material, who knows how they'll react."

After the interview, Yaan stepped out of the office and muttered to himself.

Soon, heading for the company barracks, Yaan relayed the operation details to Dandel, who was filling out a requisition form.

"If we're talking about the northern forest, we can get intel from the elves at the temporary settlement."

"They shot their own kin through the back of the hand-will they really cooperate with us?"

Recalling the firefight in the village, Yaan spoke, but Dandel grinned and replied.

"Do you remember the Alfraian supplies we captured in the warehouse?"

Thinking of the grass and dried insects humans couldn't eat, Yaan nodded.

"I'll sneak that out and scatter it among the elves. We'll get something."

"They'll trade information for something like that?"

"The theft's already been reported. Well, His Highness ordered us to leave it be."

"...Then I'll leave it to you."

To think Dandel-whom he'd assumed a stickler for rules-would suggest such a thing. With a newly surprised look, Yaan nodded, and Dandel saluted and stepped out of the barracks.

"Yaan."

Ren, who had spotted Yaan entering the maintenance yard, approached him. Her white hair was tied up off her shoulders, and her work suit was unzipped and tied at her waist.

"You're going to run a grinder or welder in that state?"

"I'm a biological terminal. Sparks or high heat won't damage me."

A monkey wrench and hammer tucked into the pocketed work trousers. In contrast, she wore only a black sleeveless top, her snow-white skin fully exposed.

Other mechanics could be seen sneaking glances this way.

"Dress properly."

"This is easier to move in. Efficient."

"As Maintenance squad leader, shouldn't you wear the right uniform?"

"Excessive interference from a superior. Inefficient."

No point arguing; he knew he couldn't win.

Giving a vague nod, Yaan turned toward Glaepnir; the mechanics offered light salutes as he passed.

"Commander. As ordered, I've mounted three guns on each arm."

"That's nearly the armament of three colossi. Just standing there with that load is impressive."

Glaepnir's black frame.

The folded railgun stowed on its back and six machine guns-three per arm.

With ammo boxes and belts mounted on its shoulders, Glaepnir now looked far bulkier than before.

"I can't run around unarmed forever, and with no reinforcements coming, I have to make the most of this one."

Saying that, Yaan looked at the two empty maintenance bays.

The two colossi slated for the company had yet to arrive, so the bays were being held as spares for House Lorenz contingent.

[Good morning, pilot. System startup.]

The familiar engine hum echoed in his ears.

Though the sun was already high, Yaan silently connected his nerves to the Frame and grasped the railgun mounted on its back.

Clang-

With a metallic sound the railgun detached from its back; Yaan set it in a corner of the yard and straightened up.

"If I can only fire three shots anyway, there's no point carrying it."

[Questioning armament assigned as replacement for Rail Cannon. The specified armament has critical precision flaws...]

"I know, but it's all I've got."

Ignoring Nill's complaint, Yaan moved out.

As Glaepnir rose in his stead, the mechanics moved in perfect unison.

"Commander's heading out! Clear the way!"

"This way, sir!"

Following the directions, Glaepnir began walking toward the forest, Greyhounds falling in behind.

They wore black infiltration suits for night movement.

"Move with the dig team to the ruin, then head north at night. Rest will be scarce-watch your stamina!"

"Yes, sir!"

Greyhounds advanced alongside Glaepnir at Dandel's order.

Soon two colossi strode proudly ahead, with the dig-team vehicles keeping pace.

"Match speed! Don't race ahead!"

The dig team and knights entered the trail used by Elf village residents.

Before them stretched the floodwaters all the way to the horizon, yawning like a vast maw to greet them.