Chapter 272: The Prelude to the Assault
The domain of Cecil functioned like a machine running at full power. Once orders were given, every cog and gear spun rapidly into motion—not everyone knew exactly what was about to happen, but nearly everyone knew precisely what they were supposed to do. Clear commands and strict regulations were the domain’s greatest strength, setting it apart from other noble territories. As long as each person carried out their assigned tasks, this massive machine would operate flawlessly, unleashing a force that left all who witnessed it in awe.
In just three days, the southern defenses had been reinforced and expanded once again. From the Dark Mountains to the city walls stretched a vast open area, now layered with barricades and fences. Between these obstacles lay fields of landmines. Of the thousands of soldiers, sixty percent were stationed along the southern wall, while the remaining forty percent served as reserves and mobile units along other defensive lines. Meanwhile, the security forces maintained order within the domain, constantly relaying new orders from the lord. Though a crisis loomed ever closer, everything within the territory remained orderly. This palpable sense of control quickly calmed the unease that had begun to spread through the city.
The population of Cecil had exploded in recent times, swelling with refugees who had never experienced the domain’s first defense or a full-scale disaster drill. Even with reassurances, panic was inevitable. Normally, nobles paid little mind to such “commoners” losing their composure, trusting only their knights, mages, and private armies. But here, the administration’s office immediately issued clear instructions to everyone, and the security forces continuously broadcast updates on the situation. The effect was surprisingly effective—even the panicked newcomers quickly settled down once they received explicit orders. Heddy herself was astonished by the change.
On the southern city wall, Gawain was inspecting the final defensive line alongside Heddy and others. When the steward reported on the city’s status, he smiled at Heddy and said, “Fear always comes from the unknown. When people don’t know what’s coming, their fear grows uncontrollably. But if you give them clear information—even direct orders—they calm down easily. Even if you tell them to go move bricks together, they’ll feel reassured. Having a plan means the situation is still under control.”
At that moment, a figure glowing with arcane light appeared on the wall. Soldiers quickly parted to make way as Kamail strode through the crowd and approached Gawain. “Both arcane obelisks have been activated. The entire stretch of the wall is now enveloped in a magical field.”
Gawain nodded. “Good work. Adding two obelisks in such a short time couldn’t have been easy.”
“Actually, it wasn’t too bad. The mechanical devices you invented are very useful. I thought that without the Gondor Empire’s arcane foundries, making things in this era would be harder. But it’s turned out much better than I expected,” Kamail buzzed, then floated slightly higher to survey the entire wall. “This is… something I’ve never seen before.”
Curious, Heddy asked, “You’ve never been on a battlefield?”
“I’m a researcher. Though I’m a mage with some combat experience, I’ve never truly been on a battlefield,” Kamail admitted frankly. “Besides, I lived during Gondor’s peak, when no nation on the continent dared challenge us.”
“Well then, you’re about to witness what a battlefield looks like,” Gawain smiled. “A battlefield of the new era.”
“Perfect. I’m also curious about these ‘aberrations’ you mentioned,” Kamail’s arcane glow brightened. “Monsters that appeared during the magical storm… they should be of great research value.”
Gawain nodded, then glanced around and suddenly asked, “Where’s Rebecca? I haven’t seen her since earlier.”
“She left the wall this morning to prepare some combat gear,” Heddy explained. “She’s not great at commanding, but she can provide fire support, so I let her go.”
“Combat gear, huh…” Gawain blinked. “I wonder what that girl is up to now…”
In the lord’s manor, inside Rebecca’s self-made “laboratory,” a certain iron-headed girl was carefully assembling a pile of rune plates.
As a third-level mage who only knew how to cast big fireballs and had no experimental knowledge, Rebecca didn’t have her own lab. But after showing her talent for math and repeatedly contributing to inventions, Heddy relaxed her supervision of this walking fireball launcher. Rebecca secretly set up a workshop in the storage room of her suite. It wasn’t much of a lab—few magical devices, since she couldn’t use them anyway—but it was filled with mechanical tools like small drills and lathes. Here, Rebecca had crafted many useful—and some downright bizarre—things.
Tielpan sat in a corner, watching Rebecca connect the rune plates with red copper hinges, forming wide metal bands. She fastened them with hooks and straps around her body and asked, “Is that some kind of new armor?”
“What armor? This is my own invention: a combat mage amplifier!” Rebecca said, struggling to secure the plates. She glanced at the yawning Tiel. “Why do you look so half-asleep? Didn’t you say you were supposed to be in an excited state for a month or so?”
“Misjudged myself. Underestimated my laziness,” Tiel said, stretching his long body, his tail twitching comfortably. “By the way, you’re about to go to war, right? Aren’t you afraid your great-great-grandpa will beat you up for messing around with toys now?”
“You don’t understand. This is for combat preparation!” Rebecca said seriously, finally snapping the last buckle on the amplifier. “What about you? Aren’t you going to help on the wall?”
“I’ll think about it… I’ll think about it…” Tiel’s eyelids drooped, but he fought to stay awake. “By the way, why did you call me here? Not just to have an audience watch you strap yourself into a weird iron belt, right?”
“Of course not. I need you as a safety backup because I don’t know how powerful this amplifier will be,” Rebecca said, pressing a trigger hidden between the rune plates. One by one, the plates lit up. “Watch closely. I’m going to test it now…”
Tiel lazily watched Rebecca pick up her staff and casually conjure a fireball. Then suddenly, he jumped in shock, shouting, “What the hell is that fireball?!”
On the southern city wall’s eastern extension, a squad of special “city guards” was hauling a crate of crystal bombs up to the tower where the catapults stood. Solderin supervised their work.
These were the sixteen Typhon soldiers still held as prisoners of war.
Typhon knight Balto bent down to place the last crystal bomb beside the catapult. Then he stood and looked back toward the town.
From this high vantage point, he could easily see most of the city—even the place where he had been imprisoned.
It had been three days since he left the cell. As a Typhon warrior, he had spent those three days hauling bricks and ammunition along this stretch of wall for the Ansu.
It wasn’t something to be proud of, but as a prisoner, Balto knew he had little choice. Being alive and breathing fresh air outside the cell was already a blessing. Besides, he had been told his work was to help defend against monsters from the Gondor Wastelands—not to fight his own people. That was at least some consolation.
During these three days, Balto and his comrades hadn’t forgotten to observe their surroundings, to learn everything they could about this mysterious frontier, about the enigmatic ancient duke and his strange new army. The more they learned, the more astonished they became.
He had expected Ansu to be a decaying, backward land mired in decline—corrupt nobles, starving commoners, a desolate border, and simmering internal strife. That was what Typhon propaganda taught its people, and what the Winter Wolf Legion’s scouts had reported. But here, Cecil’s domain was nothing like that.
He hadn’t seen the domain’s normal state, but he had witnessed it after the alarm sounded. He saw it running with astonishing efficiency, the army mobilizing in order and preparing actively, departments coordinating tightly without delay or shirking. The administration office functioned like the brain of the entire domain, issuing orderly commands that kept everything running smoothly. And within the city, the ignorant masses—who should have been chaotic, foolish, and numb—acted like trained militia or well-informed citizens. They showed no signs of disorder; instead, they fully supported the city’s defense and maintained normal production and daily life. Except for a half-day pause on the first day to redistribute production goals, the city’s operations were unaffected by the state of war!
Honestly, Balto didn’t think any city in Typhon could match this.
The more he observed, the more alarmed he and his comrades became. If the rest of Ansu developed like this, was going to war with them still wise?
But the knight’s thoughts were cut short by a sudden pang of unease.
Guided by instinct, he turned toward the mountain barrier south of the wall. With the enhanced vision of a superhuman, he saw a sinister black-and-red smoke rising from the junction of mountain and plain. Within it, countless twisted, grotesque shapes took form.
He heard a comrade whisper beside him, “What… what is that?!”
The alarm bell on the wall rang out urgently. The sentries in the watchtower beat the bell and shouted at the top of their lungs:
“They’re coming!!”
(End of chapter)