"Second Lieutenant Morin, correct?"
Brigadier General Karl Paul, commander of the 16th Infantry Brigade, finally spoke. He looked to be in his forties, with a stern, resolute face.
"No wonder Lieutenant General Mackensen assigned you to the military observer mission... I originally thought some questionable nepotism was involved, but it seems you really do have some ability."
Morin suddenly had no idea how to answer.
He knew better than anyone that his place in the military observer mission had absolutely nothing to do with his abilities...
Lieutenant General Mackensen simply wanted to give his close friend's son some proper experience. In a sense, he really had benefited from "nepotism."
But right now, he had no inclination to dwell on that. He merely stood quietly, waiting for the brigade commander's final decision.
"The intelligence you brought back is extremely valuable, Second Lieutenant Morin."
Brigadier General Paul carefully examined the markings on the map, his tone approving.
"This information will be an enormous help in our upcoming operations..."
As Morin listened, the foreboding in his heart grew stronger.
Nothing about those words sounded like he intended to call off the attack.
Sure enough, Brigadier General Paul's next words made his heart sink.
"However, the attack plan will not change."
At those words, not only Morin but also Major Thomas and the commander of the 33rd Regiment beside him went pale.
"Exactly, General!"
A liaison officer from the International Brigades stepped forward, visibly agitated.
"We must seize Seville now, in one decisive blow, before the Britannians' reinforcements have secured their footing!
"This is the key to liberating all of Andalusia! As Second Lieutenant Morin just told us, the Royal Army is running rampant in Seville. We cannot wait any longer!"
The National Army's liaison immediately agreed. "Yes, we cannot wait any longer! 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 frontal assault with insufficient intelligence was far too risky.
But quite a few staff officers at Brigade Headquarters believed the enemy intelligence gathered before this battle was sufficiently detailed. In particular, the exact positions of the Magic Crystal Cannons, which could easily inflict casualties on their troops, had all been located.
Judging by previous encounters with the Britannians in the overseas colonies, their Magic Crystal Cannons had a range of less than five kilometers.
Meanwhile, the Field Artillery Regiment currently attached to reinforce the 16th Infantry Brigade had both 77mm Cannons and 105mm Howitzers, whose ranges far exceeded those of the Britannians' Magic Crystal Cannons.
They could therefore deliver devastating strikes against these Magic Crystal Cannon Positions before launching the attack!
Once deprived of Magic Crystal Cannon support, the remaining Royal Army troops and Britannian infantry would not be difficult to deal with.
Those favoring an attack and those advocating a delay each stood their ground. Ultimately, Brigadier General Paul made the decision, announcing in a tone that brooked no argument that the attack on Seville would proceed.
The argument inside 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. This is where it ends.
Morin clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them.
He knew full well that the staff officers advocating an attack were not wrong. With detailed intelligence and superior artillery range, the assault was feasible.
But whatever the circumstances, once the attack began, casualties were inevitable...
He also understood that nothing could be changed now.
The impromptu military conference ended in that oppressive yet resolute atmosphere.
As he left the headquarters tent, Morin still refused to give up. He wanted to find Lieutenant General Mackensen and make one last attempt.
Instead, he was told that Lieutenant General Mackensen had already boarded a military train that afternoon and returned to the Expeditionary Force General Headquarters in the rear.
His last hope was dashed.
Morin and Major Thomas rode side by side on the road back to camp. Neither spoke along the way, both weighed down by utter gloom.
When the two returned to the 1st Battalion's camp, they were greeted by faces full of concern and expectation.
Captain Hauser was the first to approach.
"Well? Major, what did Brigade Headquarters say?"
Major Thomas shook his head wearily without speaking.
The other officers from Battalion Headquarters saw their commander's expression, and their hearts sank.
As Morin looked at everyone's disappointment, bitterness filled his own heart.
He knew he had done all he could.
But an individual's efforts were ultimately so insignificant before the enormous machinery of war and the will of those higher up.
"The attack will proceed as planned."
Major Thomas answered the question on everyone's minds.
"I expect the formal orders from Brigade Headquarters will arrive in an hour or two... We'll likely break camp in the latter half of the night and move into our assault positions. Tomorrow morning, we officially launch the attack on Seville."
Morin had no idea what else he could do...
Perhaps the only thing left was to fulfill his role as a junior officer and lead his platoon through this brutal battle, keeping as many of them alive as possible.
"Go back and get some rest, all of you."
Major Thomas finally spoke again, his voice firm.
"You are all soldiers of the Saxon Empire. Our duty is to obey orders and fight for the empire! Get yourselves properly rested. We have a hard battle ahead of us tomorrow... Is that understood?!"
"Yes, sir!"
The officers snapped to attention and answered at the top of their lungs.
Inside the main tent at the 16th Infantry Brigade's headquarters, most of the others had already left. Only the brigade commander and his chief of staff remained.
"You had your own reservations about this attack, didn't you?"
The 16th Infantry Brigade's chief of staff looked at Brigadier General Paul's weary profile and asked quietly.
"I'm curious. Why did you ultimately decide to force the attack through?"
Brigadier General Paul remained silent for a long while, then let out a deep sigh.
Rather than answer, he turned to a document box beside him and took out a telegram that had been delivered directly to him before the meeting. He handed it to the chief of staff.
"Read it yourself."
It was a telegram from the empire's General Staff.
Its contents were brief and direct. In the clearest possible terms, it ordered the 16th Infantry Brigade to coordinate with allied forces, capture Seville within the specified time at any cost, and ensure that it remained firmly under their control.
While the chief of staff was still reeling from the General Staff's uncompromising orders, his eyes fell on the telegram's final paragraph.
That line made his breath catch.
The General Staff had ordered L30, a Zeppelin-class Armored Airship standing by over the Mediterranean, to provide support once it had completed resupply at sea.
"An Armored Airship..."
The chief of staff's hand trembled slightly as he held the telegram. He could scarcely believe it.
He had never imagined that the General Staff attached such tremendous importance to Seville.
They were even willing to deploy an Armored Airship, one of the empire's strategic weapons.
It was a true behemoth of the skies, a powerful weapon that could hover over the enemy and rain down fire at will...
"Now you understand..."
The brigade commander sat back down in his chair and rubbed his temples.
"For me, this wasn't a choice. It was an absolute order."
The chief of staff gently placed the telegram back on the desk. Every question in his mind had been answered, replaced by a complicated mixture of excitement and awe.
"I understand, sir... But why Seville? What is it about this city that drew their attention?"
"The newly discovered luminescence crystal ore vein lies underground near Seville."
The chief of staff understood at once and asked no further questions.
The brigade commander raised his head and looked at the roof of the tent, as though he could see through the canvas to the night sky, where a storm was about to gather.
A moment later, he checked the time on his pocket watch and told his chief of staff:
"In two hours, have the messengers deliver the operational orders to every battalion. Brigade Headquarters and the other directly subordinate units are to prepare to move forward as well!"
Morin returned to his own 3rd Company's position, and its commander, Captain Hauser, made a point of following him.
"Morin, don't dwell on it! Sometimes that's what being a soldier means. All we need to do is carry out our orders."
"I know, Captain."
"Good." Hauser patted him on the back. "You've already done more than enough today. Go back and get a good night's sleep!"
Morin nodded, then took his leave of Captain Hauser and returned to his tent.
The instant his head touched the pillow, the wave of drowsiness that swept over him drowned out everything else.
As he plunged into deep sleep in an instant, a new entry appeared in the system's "Intelligence" tab.
[Friendly strategic unit detected... Analyzing information...] [Saxon Empire Air Force—Zeppelin-class Armored Airship—L30] [Status: resupplying at sea] [Estimated arrival time: 15 hours, 21 minutes]
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