Chapter 38: Temporary Victory

The Mage’s figure vanished embarrassingly into the sky, and the silence on the high ground was instantly shattered.

“We scared him off!”

Someone shouted first, and then deafening cheers echoed across the entire hillside. The soldiers who had survived the ordeal, both Saxons and International Brigades volunteers, leaped out from behind cover. They waved their rifles, some even tossing their spiked helmets into the air—a move that was instantly stopped by their officers, who chased and roughly kicked their backsides.

Nevertheless, all the soldiers were venting their excitement and euphoria in the most primal way possible. The joy of this victory was far more intense than merely routing an infantry battalion of the Northumberland Fusilier Regiment.

Morin was naturally infected by the atmosphere and felt extremely excited, but his mind was primarily filled with confusion.

A High Mentor forced to retreat by a rifle volley? The authority of Mages in this world seemed less absolute than he had imagined? He had initially worried that every Highland Mage was a ‘Meteorology MAX proficiency’ existence, like the figure in his historical references, but now it seemed they were not invincible. With reasonable tactical planning, it seemed they could actually be contended with?

“I hope I’m not mistaken…” Morin looked at the cheering soldiers around him, and the tight string in his heart slowly relaxed.

“My God, Second Lieutenant Morin… we actually drove off a High Mentor!” The bearded commander of the International Brigades, who had been lying next to him, was red-faced with excitement. He forcefully clapped Morin’s shoulder, his voice filled with disbelief. “I’ve participated in so many battles, and this is the first time! The first time I’ve seen us ordinary men with rifles make those arrogant Mage Lords suffer a defeat!”

Morin then belatedly realized just how incredible their actions were in the eyes of the people of this world. The Mages’ position on the battlefield ‘food chain’ in this world had apparently always been close to the apex. This had ingrained a deeply entrenched stereotype in many ordinary soldiers: that Mages were an unstoppable force.

Today, a group of ordinary soldiers on Hill 127 had temporarily shattered that stereotype with their rifles.

Just then, the sound of a metal cockpit hatch opening came from the area below the high ground, which had been turned into a mire by the spell.

Ludwig’s figure emerged from the cockpit of the deeply stuck Teutonic Knights’ Armored Knight. He took off his helmet, revealing a handsome face smudged with oil. He looked up at the cheering soldiers on the high ground, searching the crowd for a moment, seemingly trying to find the man who had fired the first shot.

After a moment, he gave up and raised his right hand high, giving a thumbs-up to everyone on the high ground.

This simple yet powerful gesture instantly pushed the soldiers’ emotions to another climax. The cheers grew even more fervent, and some even began shouting slogans like “Long Live the Teutonic Knights!”

“Well, isn’t he theatrical…” Morin watched the noble pilot accepting the cheers below, realizing that the Teutonic Knights’ Armored Knights seemed to be like ‘battlefield celebrities’ within the Saxon army.

“Don’t just stand there! Get down and help!” Battalion Commander Major Thomas’s voice rang out in time. He directed the soldiers to rush down the high ground and help extricate the Armored Knights still stuck in the mud. Morin also prepared to lead his subordinates down.

At that moment, the messenger Morin had sent to the artillery command post came running back, breathless.

“Platoon Leader! I couldn’t find the artillery command post, but I ran into a troop of our cavalry on the way!” The messenger’s face was still excited. “I told them the location of the Aetherium Crystal Cannon emplacement you marked. The cavalry officer said they would take care of that problem!”

Morin suddenly understood. It seems that was the Saxon Cavalry Regiment that had just charged. No wonder they had retreated in that direction; they were executing a new mission. He only hoped their attack was successful…

On the slope below, the rescue work was in full swing. Teutonic Knights’ logistics trucks and a large number of draft horses quickly arrived at the scene. Soldiers vigorously dug out the now-solidified mud with shovels and spades found from the Baggage Train. Then, thick cables were looped around the Armored Knights’ bodies, and the trucks and horses worked together to pull them out. The two less-stuck Armored Knights were the first to break free. After a quick inspection by the Knight Order’s technicians, they restarted their internal combustion engines and joined the rescue effort.

Morin stood to the side, watching the scene that looked like digging up giant potatoes in a field, yet a feeling of unease lingered. What if the enemy’s Aetherium Crystal Cannons fired a few more rounds right now?

Fortunately, his greatest fear did not materialize this time. Perhaps the cavalry unit genuinely took out the enemy’s Aetherium Crystal Cannon emplacement; in any case, the Royal Army’s Aetherium Crystal Cannons fell completely silent afterward.

When the last vehicle—Ludwig’s own machine—was successfully dragged from the mud, everyone cheered again. Ludwig jumped out of the cockpit and was immediately surrounded by the ecstatic soldiers. Even Major Thomas solemnly took off his spiked helmet and saluted the noble Armored Knight commander.

In the midst of the noisy crowd, Morin stood far back, wearing a polite smile and clapping along with the surrounding soldiers. Normally, Morin, blended into the crowd, wouldn’t attract attention, but his obvious composure—at odds with the atmosphere—quickly drew Ludwig’s eye.

Ludwig’s gaze lingered on Morin for a few seconds, his brow slightly furrowed, as if trying to recall something.

“Lieutenant Colonel, it was Second Lieutenant Morin who first ordered us to fire at the Mage in the sky!” Captain Hauser, seeing the officer’s attention, immediately put his arm around Morin’s shoulder and introduced him with pride.

Ludwig’s confusion instantly turned to astonishment. He re-examined Morin, his expression as if he had witnessed something that overturned his entire understanding of the world. He remembered. He had seen this young man at several noble parties before the war. A little-known ‘fallen playboy’ who relied on his ancestral minor title and a thick skin to frequent grand parties, using his handsome face and glib tongue to charm naïve noble ladies.

How could he be here? And how could he have performed such an act of both courage and intelligence?

Despite his inner questions, Ludwig put aside his noble arrogance. He strode over to Morin and offered a solemn military salute.

“Second Lieutenant Morin, on behalf of the Teutonic Knights and all the comrades you saved, I offer you my most sincere respect.” His voice was loud and genuine. “The courage you showed in facing such a powerful enemy is admirable.”

“You are too kind, Lieutenant Colonel. This was not my achievement alone.” Morin returned the salute, noticing his rank, and continued: “Without the combined effort of the 1st Battalion and the International Brigades, we certainly could not have forced that Mage to retreat.”

After the Teutonic Knights were extricated, all units began to recover bodies and treat the wounded. At the same time, a messenger galloped up, stopping before Major Thomas.

“Reporting, Major! Regimental Command order! The enemy is retreating along the entire front! Order us to pursue immediately!”

(End of Chapter 38)