Steel and Flesh

"Such a majestic city will soon fly the Empire's banner."

From beneath the steel faceplate came heavy breathing on the far side of the abyss.

Sir Smith, commander of King's Sharp Blade, looked up at the towering walls and spires on the "other side," his heart swelling with ambition.

If there was anyone among the English army who was not particularly saddened by Iron Duke's death, it was Sir Smith.

After all, the original Iron Duke had still been young. Though Smith was Iron Duke's second heir, Sir Geoffrey, who was even younger than him, stood ahead of him. Barring an accident, his place in the succession would never have come into use in his lifetime.

But now, not only had Iron Duke fallen in battle, but Sir Geoffrey, the first heir and commander of King's Shield, who was deeply trusted by the Queen, had also perished with King's Shield at the hands of the enemy's female devil.

Thus, he was now Iron Duke's rightful successor. So long as he won this battle, he would rise from an obscure minor noble into the ranks of Great Britain Empire's most exalted figures.

As for Iron Duke's Armor being destroyed, he considered it utterly insignificant. So long as the Empire still needed that banner, it would spare no expense to rebuild it. At most, it would take two or three years.

Boom—

Behind him, the artillery position halfway up the mountain opened fire again.

Artillery fire blossomed across the enemy walls like flowers in Hell.

An armored gun turret took a direct hit, but fortunately, it was not one of the enemy's massive siege cannons. The shell ricocheted off the armor plate and exploded in midair.

Centurion Leon, who was hiding inside the armored turret and taking potshots at enemies across the