I stood up and gave out orders.「Hak

I stood up and gave out orders.

「Hakuya, I left the cleaning up of this place to you. Then, using the Broadcast Orb located here, contact Excel who confronted Amidonia at Altomura. Tell her that it will be sufficient if she can buy time until today’s evening.」(Souma)
「As you wish.」(Hakuya)
「Tolman will lead the Air Force Wings to do continuous aerial bombing of Randell at the Carmine Duchy. However, the aerial bombing targets are only anti-air ballista located at the walls and Randell Central Castle. No matter what happens, don’t drop a single gunpowder barrel on the citizens’ houses. If there are any citizens who become casualties, then there will be punishment after the war is finished. Do you understand?!」(Souma)
「Yes, Your Majesty. I acknowledge the orders!」(Tolman)
「Liecia and Aisha will accompany me to meet with Ludwin’s unit.」(Souma)
「I understand.」(Liecia)
「Roger, Your Majesty.」(Aisha)

Alright. After everyone received their order, I turned my eyes towards Carla.

「Carla, you will also go with us.」(Souma)
「Humph, just throw me into jail and be done with it.」(Carla)
「No-no, since you have come this far, why don’t you join us to personally see who is manipulating us.」(Souma)
「? …… What do you mean? Nobody manipulated us……」(Carla)
「No, we are being manipulated.」(Souma)
「What?」(Carla)

I shrugged my shoulders at Carla who was puzzled.

「It doesn’t mean that I know all the details. Even so, why don’t I show that I am playing my part until the end? I wonder who wrote the synopsis of this battle.[2]」(Souma)

◇ ◇ ◇

~Randell, Carmine Duchy ・Noon - Second Day~

The walls of the city in the middle of the Carmine Duchy, Randell, were washed in a relaxed mood. Although the Kingdom’s Army and the Royal Army were battling even until now, the battle was completely happening at the fortress that the Royal Army constructed before Randell’s very eyes, so there was not even a single arrow that flew towards the walls that enclosed Randell.

「So boring……」(Soldier A)

A soldier who was ordered to defend the wall complained. Finding fault with that complaint, his fellow soldier frowned.

「Hey, hey, we are currently in the middle of battle with the Royal Army you know?」(Soldier B)
「Even if you say so…… The battle was only around that fort, right? Then, is there any meaning of guarding this place?」(Soldier A)

Then his other friends started laughing 「Hahahaha」.

「Isn’t this good, having it so boring like this? Did you really want to fight against the Royal Army at the front lines?」(Soldier B)
「I-I’m never saying that I wanted to.」(Soldier A)
「The people at the front might have wanted to have our duty instead. At the moment we rose up against the Royal Army, we were labeled as rebels and a rebel army. Furthermore, I heard that the breakaway Glaive Magna-dono also joined the Royal Army. How sad to battle with someone who had eaten out from the same pot.」(Soldier B)
「You’re so right there. There also talks about Amidonia moving. What are the King and Duke Carmine are thinking?」(Soldier C)

Now there was another soldier who complained.

「If you think like that, then guarding the walls is the best of the best, right?」(Soldier B)
「……Maybe that’s true.」(Soldier A)

Just as the last soldier said his agreement.

「Hey, look at the eastern sky! Something is coming!」(Soldier D)

Someone yelled, so everyone began to look at the eastern sky. If they strained their eyes, they could see shadows like a swarm of mosquitoes in the clear sky. The numbers were too large for a flock of birds as the number was no less than a thousand. When that flock drew closer, it could be recognized that it was the Wyvern Knights of the Air Force. A feeling of relief circulated among the Army’s soldiers.

「……Thank heavens. Duke Castor Valgas is an ally.」(Soldier A)
「The reinforcements from the Air Force arrived!」(Soldier B)
「With this, that battle will soon conclude. That fortress would be easily bombarded by the Air Force.」(Soldier C)

Everyone nodded with an expression that s