The Ushas Basin is a vast flatland that spreads out in a circle surrounded by steep rocky mountains.
The Ushas Basin is a relatively water-rich breadbasket in the Kingdom of Zaruda, where there are many rocky mountains and woodlands that are unsuitable for cultivation.
　While they depend on imports from neighboring countries for most of their agricultural products, these granaries, which are scattered throughout the country, are mainly responsible for growing wheat, the staple food of the region.
　Even though the country is unsuitable for agriculture, it is not possible to cover the lifeline of foodstuffs with imports from other countries alone.
　Even if we were to give up on luxury goods, we would be at a major disadvantage if we were to become completely dependent on other countries for our staple foodstuffs.
　This is because if the neighbouring countries threaten to stop exporting food, Zaruda would be out of options.
　It was no exaggeration to say that the Ushas Basin was the heart of the Zaruda Kingdom.
Moreover, this land cannot be ignored from the point of view of national defense.
　The Ushas Basin is located about a hundred kilometers southwest of Peripheria, the capital of the Zaruda Kingdom, and is a must-go route for anyone heading to the southern and western parts of the Zaruda Kingdom.
　This is a good thing, as it will allow you to have a better understanding of what you're doing.
　In other words, it is a land where unforeseen circumstances are unlikely to occur.
And a sturdy fort built on the east side of the basin.
　It sits in the valley of the mountains that form the basin and is truly the proud guardian god of the Zaruda Kingdom.
　It is not an exaggeration to say that the fort, which has been expanded by the Zaruda royal family for many years, is an impregnable fortress coupled with the advantage of its original location by cooperating with each of the forts scattered in the mountains.
　Therefore, the Lutmea Imperial Army of 65,000, which is aiming to invade the royal capital of Peripheria, has been struggling to capture it for nearly two months.
　And today, again, with their sharp tips shining, the Oltmere soldiers rush to Fort Ushas.
　Just to gain victory........


Gentlemen!　This is a critical moment. With the combined strength of the three eastern nations, we cannot capture any of the vital points of the Altomere Empire!　The enemy's supply is stagnant, and morale is low. Now, join forces and bring the invaders to the hammer of justice!

"'Glory to the three eastern nations!　Death to the invaders!

　As the voice of Ecclesia Mariner, the beautiful general of the Mist Kingdom, the pride of the Mist Kingdom, echoes over the city walls, a cheer erupts that shakes the heavens and earth.
　Countless fists are thrust up to the heavens.
　They had absolute faith in the commander who was smiling leisurely with his black hair fluttering in front of them.
　It doesn't matter if Elexia is a general of another country or not.
　It's a good thing that you have the support of the forts set up in the surrounding mountains and the royal capital, but thanks to Ecclesia's excellent command, Fort Ushas is still holding up against a large army of 65,000.......

Prepare to fire!　First row draw down, second and third row stand by!　The siege weapons are coming. Fire at once as soon as they are in range. To the rear, be ready for the arrows!　You're ready for the oil, right?　Listen!　Don't let a single soldier leave alive!　If you want to survive, kill as many as you can!

　The cries of the commanders of the troopers are wooden spirits on the walls of the city.
　Arrows wrapped in oil-soaked cloth.
　Oil heated to several hundred degrees inside the cauldron is steaming.
If it were to fall on the Oltmere troops rushing towards you, your skin would be burnt to a crisp and you would look horrible.　And what follows is a baptism of fire arrows.
　There is no one who can pass through this continuous attack unscathed.
　For Oltmere's soldiers, Fort Ushas is truly the gates of hell.

''Don't retreat!　Knights of the Kingdom of Roselia!　Now is the time to show your true worth!

　Elena shouted at the knights around her as she squeezed the string of her custom-made strong bow towards the Oltmere soldiers who were rushing to cross the empty moat.
　Of course, even though they had some ground advantage, it was not an easy battle.
　The Oltmere Empire would lavishly pour the national power that had conquered the central part of the western continent into it.
　People, people, people.
　A veritable wave of people.
　The pressure is extraordinary.
　No matter how high the walls were, the last thing that had to be said about them was the hearts of the people.
　In the face of the attacks of the Oltomere army, which fired one arrow after another and unleashed their legal techniques, Elena desperately inspired her soldiers.
　The most important thing in a siege battle is how to maintain the morale of the soldiers.
　The battle is over if they lose heart and soul to the pressure of the onrushing enemy.
There is only one way to prevent this from happening. The only way to prevent this is to keep piling up the corpses of the enemy.

''The breaking hammer is coming!

　A cry of alarm rises from the top of the watchtower atop the ramparts.
　It's a simple thing made from a large tree cut out of the forest with a handle attached and the tip reinforced with iron, but if it is struck against repeatedly, even the thickest of iron gates will not be safe.

''Fire arrows!　Fire arrows at that thing!

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this as well.
　I'm sure you'll find that the entire hammer is covered with wet cloth to guard against fire, but that's not going to do you any good with such a small first aid kit.
　I'm sure you'll find that a makeshift weapon is not going to do the trick.

　Looking down at the repeated attacks of the Oltmere Empire from the top of the city walls, Elena, her face reddened by the setting sun, lifted her lips in a dark smile to herself.


''It's about time for today's attack to come to an end, isn't it?''

　From behind Elena, who is commanding at the front line, a woman's voice that seems to ring a bell is called out from behind Elena.

Well the sun has gone down and the enemy will probably make a fresh start... by the way, what happened to the general commander-sama coming out to the front line?

　Elena returns the question with the same tone as usual.
　At such an attitude of Elena, Ecclesia made a bitter smile and shook her head.

''Nothing in particular. And the enemies that marched into the mountains seem to be doing better than Grahart-san.''

He's a good commander too, so I guess that's no surprise.

　Elena nodded as if it were natural.
　Grahart Henschel, the head of the Knights of the Kingdom of Zaruda's Kingsguard, is one of the foremost warriors in the Kingdom of Zaruda.
　Although he doesn't have the vision to command the entire battlefield, he is competent and experienced enough to command a single battlefield.　　It's a good thing that you can't afford to lose to the Oltomere Empire in the mountain battles of your native country.
　In the first place, even though the three eastern countries are fellow countrymen who are under threat from the Oltmere Empire, leaving the last fortifications leading to the royal capital to soldiers from other countries, while Grahart takes command of the forts scattered throughout the surrounding mountains, is an unusual choice.
　Nevertheless, Elena and Ecclesia forcefully suggested that Graharto be turned to the defense of the mountain side.
　And after a rough and tumble strategy meeting, they were finally able to achieve this under the edict of King Julian I, the king.
　The reason why Elena and the two of them pushed through such an impossibility is only because of Grahart's familiarity with the terrain of the Zaruda Kingdom.
　Even though they have a solid fort and ground advantage, it's useless if they are bypassed.
　If the back of the fort is taken, the morale of the troops will drop at once.



　Looking down at the Oltmere army that was gradually retreating, Ecclesia smiled happily as she looked down at the Oltmere army.
　There's a possibility of a night attack, but we've already made preparations for that without a hitch.
　If those guys attack us unintentionally, we'll just give them a painful blow on the contrary.

''Yes, I'm sure she'll do the rest well.

　In response to Ecclesia's question, Elena turns her gaze to the north.
　As if waiting for a move to overturn the war situation........


''Saito, can't you still attack the city even though you command it?''

　Shardina's exasperated cries make the tent waver.
　An attitude that is unthinkable from her normal demeanor.
　A terrible face.
　The heartache caused by the prolonged war has taken away the light from Shardina, who was shining like a jewel.
　Even the golden hair, which had been neatly combed, has lost its luster.
The shades floating around her eyes spoke volumes about her position.

'I'm sorry. The fort built in the valley is unexpectedly strong, and it's taking some time to break through.''

　With a mysterious look on his face, Saito bowed deeply.
　Separately, it was not Saito's personal responsibility.
　This is not my fault.
　On the contrary, Shardina is responsible for bringing about this situation.
　Moreover, Saito is only a general in one unit.
　In terms of responsibility, the person who should be held accountable is none other than Shardina and her entourage, Celia, who has been assigned as a chief of staff.
　However, Saito is not a child to say this to the current Shardina.
　The most important thing is to win this battle.
　The most important thing is to win this battle. Saito understands this, and it is most abhorrent for him to say something that could destabilize Shardina's mind.
　However, as if to mock Saito's concern, the interloper opens his mouth.

You're not the only one. They've dispersed their raiding units throughout the mountains, preventing us from concentrating on capturing the fort. If we try to fight back, they will run away quickly into the mountains and will not get anywhere. We will not be able to push with tens of thousands of troops in the front.......

Sudo-san!

　It's a qualified status report, but Saito yells at Sudo in an abhorrent manner.
　Originally, Saito doesn't like Sudo.
　Since they were both summoned to this earth world from the earth as well, they certainly have some sympathy for each other, but their original personalities are as different as water and oil.
　For Saito, who is more of a warrior, Sudo's love of intrigue and trickery is incompatible with him, even though he recognizes the need for it and his excellence.　
(He's not a bad person... but... this guy is broken somehow... well, there's a part of him that can't be helped...)
　There's something about Sudo that makes him like to bleed.
　Saito gets the impression that he is somewhat broken as a human being.
　But even more than that, Saito was worried that Sudo's disconcerting words might disturb Shardina's heart.　

''It's fine, Sudo. If you have something to say, just say it.''　

　With a somewhat resigned tone, Shardina interrupted Saito's words.
　She herself never wanted to listen to Sudo's words.
　However, Sudo's ability against tactics and strategy could be said to be more than top-notch, even from Shardina's point of view.
　Even though he had some difficulties with his personality, it was difficult to ignore Sudo's words.
　Hearing Shardina's words, Sudo took a glance at Saito with a victorious gaze and lifted his lips.

''Fort Ushas is more important than the rumors. Besides, this time we're not prepared in regards to siege weapons.......our emphasis on mobility for a short term battle has backfired.

　Now that attacking with legal arts is meaningless due to the effects of the granting legal arts on the walls of the fortress, they have no choice but to take basic siege measures.
　However, most of the siege weapons are heavy and inconvenient to transport, so Shardina made few preparations for this battle.
　Of course, some preparations existed, and although they made improvised siege weapons out of wood from the forest, their performance is still inferior to what the craftsmen in the imperial capital worked on.
　Especially in terms of defense, it can be said that they are full of holes.
　I'm not sure how much water soaked the cloth is covered, but the wood cannot protect against the arrows and oil pouring down from overhead.

I'm sure you're not the only one who's been tamed. Probably sensing that we're having trouble, they're going to be opportunistic.

　In a siege, the most reliable way to attack a castle is to get help from inside.
　In other words, the easiest way to defeat them is with the help of an insider.
　However, the aristocrats, who are the best sources of help, are not moving fast enough.

''You plan to hang it on a scale?''

Well, if I were in their shoes, I would. They have no credibility. Well, that's why they are the kind of people who took us up on our offer and drove General Berhares to his death.

　Sudo gives a disgusting smile at Shardina's question.
　The cooperative attitude of a year ago is a lie.
　Seeing Sudo's attitude, Shardina couldn't help but bite off her thumbnail in annoyance.
(Probably those guys started doubting the power of the empire after seeing the prolonged war situation.......d*mn, that's why we went for a short term battle.......)

Well what do you want me to do then?　Sudo.

The best course of action would be to maintain the occupied territories and pull our troops back to the homeland once they're there. We don't know what's going on in the north, and our supply is limited. The late General Belhareth's son is attacking convoys in the mountains, and we haven't been able to move our supplies as much as we would like. It's also difficult to procure supplies locally because the Zaruda side has burned down all of their villages and fields and withdrew from the area.

　This is a method of warfare called scorched earth tactics.
　There are a number of examples of this in world history.
　If they did this, they would not be able to procure supplies locally, and supply would be extremely difficult, making it impossible to maintain the army as an army.
　This is a proven tactic that has been extremely effective when large armies invade areas that are difficult to transport, such as mountainous regions and cold regions.
　However, while it is an effective strategy, it naturally has many drawbacks.
　The biggest drawback of this strategy is that it will be even more difficult to recover after the war.　
　In other words, the Zaruda's side has been using a strategy of letting people cut their flesh and cut their bones.
　The only two ways to defeat this tactic are to win the war in such a short period of time that they don't have to worry about supplies, or to bring in supplies from the home country.
　As long as neither of those options work, pulling troops is the usual way of warfare.
　However, Shardina slowly shook her head.

''No........Sudo. Do you think we can draw here now?''

　On the part of reason, I understand that Sudo's words are correct.
　However, he couldn't simply draw his troops here.
　And Sudo himself was fully aware of that.

''Well, to be honest, it will be difficult. At the very least, Your Highness' position will be quite unpleasant. Of course, so will we.''

　Over the past year, Shardina has spent over 500 million baht on the war effort.
　That amount of money could be said to be as vast as a small country's national budget.
　Even though the Oltmere Empire is in control of the central region of the western continent, it is not an amount of money that can be raised so easily.
　However, the amount of money itself is not that much of a problem in this case.
　Considering the national strength of the Altomere Empire, it's an amount of money that can be made up in about two to three years.
　So what is the problem?
　It is only a question of being able to recoup the cost of the war.
　Wars, with very rare exceptions, are mostly fought for economic reasons.
　The occupation of territory is also about taxes and resources derived from the land.
　Pouring money into a territory is not the problem.
　What matters is that you get something for the amount of money you put in.

'When it comes to drawing troops, we'll have to negotiate with Zaruda........'

　Saito slurred his words.
　If the war situation is leaning a little more towards the Oltomere side, negotiation is not a bad option.
　Ideally, it would be ideal to destroy the country, but even Emperor Lionel of the Oltmere Empire has said in advance that he would be willing to leave it as a subordinate country.
　However, under the current circumstances, that is not an option.

''At the very least, if we don't get the Ushas Basin, we won't be able to get the money back for the war expenses we've poured into it... but under the current circumstances, it would be impossible.

I know ... and that's why your priority is to capture the fort, right?

　Silence dominated the tent.
　Both Sudo and Saito remained silent and stared at Shardina.
　If they started negotiating with the Zaruda side before the end of the Ushas fort's capture, what they could gain would be too high.
　There is no way that Zaruda's side would abandon the important land that can be called the country's pantry so easily.
　However, other than that, the Altomere Empire doesn't have much flavor in the land.
　In other words, it's not worth the money spent on the war.

''It looks like we'll have no choice but to continue our attack.

But, Sudo-san!

"If you can't retreat, you have to keep going... right?

　At Sudo's question, Saito closed his mouth again.
　Although Shardina had the Emperor's benevolent trust in her, there were many people who were jealous of her.
　This was especially true of her two older brothers.
　He's a guy who says that the stakes are high, but if this expedition ended unsuccessfully, he'd be an easy target for the monsters that dwell in the court.　
　That is true even if they are royalty.
　Even if they don't execute you, you won't get away with it.

''Tomorrow I'm going to make a decision........Sudo, I'll use the strategy I proposed last time.......''

　The sharpness returned to Shardina's eyes.
　He reaffirmed the position he was in and became hungry.

''I see, a wave attack by the entire army.......if it fails, that's the end of it.

　Hearing Shardina's words, Sudo smiles happily.
........)
　Ever since he was summoned to the earth world, the wild instincts that had been honed since he was summoned to the earth world rang an alarm bell in Saito's mind.
　But it was also true that he had no other choice.

''Saito, you're going to be on the front lines tomorrow, too.

Yes Your Highness.

　Shardina pointed a sharp gaze at Saito, who had been silent.
　With the momentum of the momentum, Saito could only nod his head with a bit of anxiety.