Keep the Attack Going

"Second Lieutenant Morin, is that right?"

Brigadier General Karl Paul, commander of the 16th Infantry Brigade, finally spoke. He was a man in his forties with a resolute face.

"No wonder Lieutenant General Mackensen assigned you to the military observation group... I thought you'd gotten in through some dubious connection, but it seems you really do have some ability."

Morin had no idea how to answer.

He knew better than anyone that his place in the military observation group had nothing to do with his abilities...

Mackensen had simply wanted to give his dear friend's son a chance to develop. In a sense, Morin really had benefited from a personal connection.

But he had no time to dwell on that now. He stood quietly, waiting for the brigade commander's final decision.

"The intelligence you brought back is extremely valuable, Second Lieutenant Morin."

Brigadier General Paul studied the markings on the map, approval in his voice.

"This information will be a tremendous help in our next operation..."

Morin's sense of foreboding grew stronger.

That did not sound like a man about to call off the attack.

Sure enough, Paul's next words made Morin's heart sink.

"But the attack plan will not change."

At that, not only Morin but Major Thomas and the commander of the 33rd Regiment beside him went pale.

"Exactly, Commander!"

A liaison officer from the International Brigades stepped forward, visibly agitated.

"We must take Seville now, before the Britannian reinforcements can establish themselves! This is the key to liberating all of Andalusia! Second Lieutenant Morin just told us what the Royal Army is doing in Seville. We can't wait any longer!"

A National Army liaison immediately chimed in. "Yes, we can't wait! The longer we delay, the stronger the enemy's defenses will become!"

Major Thomas and the commander of the 33rd Regiment both tried to object, arguing that a direct assault was too risky without sufficient intelligence.

But quite a few officers at Brigade Headquarters believed the intelligence gathered before the battle was detailed enough. In particular, they had pinpointed the positions of the Magic Crystal Cannons most likely to cause casualties.

From previous encounters with the Britannians in overseas colonies, they knew those cannons had a range of less than five kilometers.

The Field Artillery Regiment now attached to the 16th Infantry Brigade had both 77mm Cannons and 105mm Howitzers, all of which far outranged the Britannian Magic Crystal Cannons.

They could therefore devastate the Magic Crystal Cannon Positions before the attack even began!

And without cannon support, the remaining Royal Army and Britannian infantry would not be hard to deal with.

Both sides held firm. In the end, Brigadier General Paul made the decision, announcing in a tone that brooked no argument that the attack on Seville would proceed.

The debate in the tent came to an abrupt halt.

Major Thomas looked at Morin and gave a slight shake of his head. His eyes seemed to say, Don't do anything rash. It's over.

Morin clenched his fists, then slowly released them.

He knew the officers favoring the attack had a point. With detailed intelligence and superior artillery range, the assault was feasible.

But once the attack began, there would be casualties...

And he knew there was nothing he could do to change it.

The hastily convened military meeting ended in an atmosphere of grim resolve.

As he left the Brigade Headquarters tent, Morin still refused to give up. He wanted to make one last appeal to Lieutenant General Mackensen.

But he was told Mackensen had taken a military train back to the Expeditionary Force General Headquarters that afternoon.

His last hope was gone.

Morin and Major Thomas rode side by side toward camp. Neither spoke the entire way. Both were weighed down by dread.

When they returned to the 1st Battalion camp, they were met by faces full of concern and hope.

Captain Hauser was the first to approach.

"How did it go, Major? What did Brigade Headquarters say?"

Major Thomas shook his head wearily and said nothing.

The other officers at Battalion Headquarters saw their commander's expression, and their hearts sank.

Morin looked at their disappointment, bitterness filling his chest.

He knew he had done all he could.

But against the vast machinery of war and the will of those above him, one man's efforts were painfully small.

"The attack will proceed as planned."

Major Thomas answered the question on everyone's mind.

"I expect the formal orders from Brigade Headquarters will arrive in an hour or two... We'll likely break camp and move into our attack positions after midnight. The assault on Seville begins at dawn."

Morin no longer knew what else he could do...

Perhaps all he could do now was lead his platoon as a junior officer and keep as many of them alive as possible through the brutal battle ahead.

"Get some rest, all of you."

Major Thomas finally spoke, his voice firm.

"You are soldiers of the Saxon Empire. Our duty is to obey orders and fight for the empire! Get your strength back. We have a hard battle ahead tomorrow... Is that clear?!"

"Yes, sir!"

The officers snapped to attention and answered in unison.

At the 16th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, most people had left the main command tent. Only the brigade commander and his chief of staff remained.

"You had doubts about this attack too, didn't you?"

The chief of staff studied Brigadier General Paul's weary profile and spoke softly.

"Why did you decide to press ahead with the assault?"

Paul was silent for a long time before letting out a deep sigh.

Instead of answering, he turned to a document case, took out a telegram that had been delivered directly to him before the meeting, and handed it over.

"Read it yourself."

It was a telegram from the imperial General Staff.

Its message was blunt. In the clearest possible terms, it ordered the 16th Infantry Brigade to take Seville alongside allied forces within the specified time, regardless of the cost, and to hold it firmly afterward.

The chief of staff was still reeling from the General Staff's uncompromising order when his gaze reached the final paragraph.

The line stopped him cold.

The General Staff had ordered the Zeppelin-class armored airship L30, currently on standby over the Mediterranean, to come and provide support after completing its resupply at sea.

"An armored airship..."

The chief of staff's hand trembled slightly as he held the telegram. It was almost unbelievable.

He had never imagined the General Staff valued Seville so highly.

They were even willing to deploy an armored airship, one of the empire's strategic weapons.

It was a true giant of the skies, a weapon that could hover over the enemy and rain down fire at will...

"Now you understand..."

The brigade commander sat back down and rubbed his temples.

"For me, this wasn't a choice. It was an absolute order."

The chief of staff gently set the telegram back on the table. His questions had been answered, replaced by a tangled mix of excitement and awe.

"I understand, sir... But why Seville? What makes this city so important?"

"The newly discovered vein of luminescence crystal ore lies underground near Seville."

The chief of staff understood at once and asked no more.

The brigade commander looked up at the tent roof, as though he could see through the canvas to the night sky where a storm was gathering.

After a moment, he checked his pocket watch and said to his chief of staff:

"Have the runners deliver the operational orders to every battalion in two hours. Brigade Headquarters and the other directly attached units should prepare to move forward as well!"

Morin returned to his position with the 3rd Company. Captain Hauser, his company commander, had made a point of following him.

"Morin, don't dwell on it! Sometimes that's just how it is for soldiers. We follow orders."

"I know, Captain."

"Good." Hauser patted him on the back. "You've done more than enough today. Go get some sleep!"

Morin nodded, took his leave of Captain Hauser, and returned to his tent.

The instant his head touched the pillow, sleep overwhelmed everything else.

As he plunged almost instantly into a deep sleep, new information appeared under the system's "Intelligence" tab.

[Allied strategic unit detected... Analyzing information...]

[Saxon Empire Air Force—Zeppelin-class armored airship L30]

[Status: Resupplying at sea]

[Estimated arrival: 15 hours, 21 minutes]