第１０４７堀：決戦準備中 (Part1)
Chapter 1047: Preparing for the Decisive Battle
Side: Yuki
"In the end, it seems we can't avoid the fighting."
"Yeah."
Seraria and I were gathered around a table, discussing the recent exchange between Emperor Eupia and Emperor Hans, and the decisions that had been made as a result.
"The Zurable Empire was planning to take down the Hain Empire from the start, anyway. Well, everything is going according to plan."
"That’s right. If the Zurable Empire wins as expected, things should settle down."
"It’s too late for the Hain Empire to win, and honestly, it would be a problem if they did."
Ratz, Eris, and Milly spoke with blunt indifference.
Well, it was indeed according to plan, and they were right—it would be a massive headache if the Hain Empire somehow pulled off a victory.
"But will it be okay? You’re giving the Hain Empire time to gather their troops so there won't be any lingering resentment, right?"
"That’s because they intend to settle this openly and fairly. If we win through a cheap surprise attack, I’m sure it would just lead to more dissatisfaction later."
"…People are like that. We, too, have always thought about how we win."
Just as Riel said, Emperor Eupia decided to grant the Hain Empire time to assemble their forces for this decisive battle.
The reason, as Tori pointed out, is to ensure the future governance of the region goes smoothly by letting the enemy prepare fully, only to crush them completely.
Even if we won via a surprise attack, those clinging to the glory of the past wouldn't be convinced.
That is precisely why we need to stage a "decisive battle." By winning fair and square, we show off the power of the Zurable Empire and break their spirits.
It’s not just about winning the battle; we have to think about what comes after. Well, as Kaya said, we’ve always been careful about *how* we win.
If we just wiped them out with modern weaponry, they’d just call us cowards or claim it was unfair. More importantly, they wouldn't even understand what kind of attack defeated them, so they wouldn't be able to accept that they were simply beaten by a difference in power.
Therefore, we have to choose a method of victory that aligns with the "opponent's understanding."
Well, that isn't a problem for us this time.
We’ve left the "how to win" the battle entirely up to the Zurable Empire. The real problem for us lies behind the scenes…
"That’s not the issue. We’re talking about armies clashing on a scale we’ve never seen before. The diffusion of magical power will be immense. If that happens…"
"Mm. As Agil said, there’s a possibility of a Great Outburst. If that occurs…"
"Both armies might lose control due to a third party suddenly appearing. The damage would be catastrophic."
Exactly. The potential for a Great Outburst caused by the magical diffusion from this decisive battle is the real concern.
Cleena and Samantha are especially sensitive to this, given that their homeland nearly suffered the same fate due to the Holy Sword Users' schemes.
"But, a 'Great Outburst,' was it? It’s not like that’s guaranteed to happen, right? Is it really necessary to be this cautious?"
"Hmm, like Kagura said, it doesn't really click for me either, Micos-chan."
"It’s a matter of scale, isn't it? Unless we know for sure we can handle it, it’s a huge problem if it happens on a scale we can't manage."
"That’s it. If it doesn't happen, fine. But we need to prepare to minimize the damage if it does. As Enora said, if the scale is so large that even we can't handle it, and damage spreads across the continent, that land will only become more devastated in the future. That is the one thing I want to avoid."
Exactly. We are about to have the final battle to bring peace, but it would be a joke if a Great Outburst occurred and caused both armies to rout.
Normally, a coalition would be formed to deal with a Great Outburst of that scale, but if the core powers—the Zurable Empire and the Hain Empire—are both heavily damaged, it won't be easy to organize. Who knows how many nations would fall in the meantime?
If they were under the Zurable Empire's control, we could manage, but if they were under the Hain Empire, we couldn't easily send reinforcements. It would likely become a lawless wasteland.
If it has to happen, I’d at least like it to wait until the battle is over.
"Well, caution is necessary, but where are they planning to fight? If we clarify that, won't the damage be contained? If it’s in a region with a dungeon, we could just secure it beforehand."
"I agree with Comet."
"I agree as well. Is there no information on the planned battlefield?"
Jessica and Stasia quickly agreed with Comet. Both of them had worked in the military, so their judgment in these situations was rarely wrong. I felt the same way.
"There is. Since Emperor Eupia told Emperor Hans he’d wait for them to gather their troops, the battlefield has been designated."
I projected a map onto the monitor. It was a stark, white map with almost no contour lines.
"What is this map? And where is this place?"
Deryu tilted her head, looking at the mysterious map. Well, that was to be expected. There were no landmarks to give a hint as to where it was.
"This is a plain located on the border between the Forma Kingdom and the Hain Empire. It’s vast, but there’s no farmland; it’s just an uninhabited wilderness stretching along the border. It’s hard to tell, so I’ll switch to a photographic map."
Even after switching to the photo…
"There really is nothing there."
"Just a few scattered hills and some sparse shrubs."
As Rurua and Shera said, it was a peaceful, endless plain with only a few small hills here and there. There was a slight incline, but that was it. However…
"The visibility is excellent, and there’s plenty of room to deploy troops. It’s truly a place befitting a decisive battle."
"Kirue is right. If they want to settle this, there’s no battlefield more equal than this."
It was a perfect place for war. Since there were no fields or villages, there was no need to worry about people starving. It meant they could kill each other to their hearts' content in peace.
*Wait, "kill each other in peace"?* I caught myself, and Seraria added:
"True. There’s no terrain advantage or disadvantage here. The strength of each army will be laid bare. And, logically speaking, the Zurable Empire, with its Magic Gears, has an overwhelming advantage."
"Yeah, if they fight as they are. Still, Emperor Hans didn't seem panicked at all. We’re currently investigating to see if he has any hidden trump cards."
"It would be a disaster if there were a hidden dungeon. Oh, by the way, what’s the status of the dungeons in the Hain Empire? Is there any chance they’re using monsters from them to bolster their forces?"
"No, there’s no sign of that. If anything, all the dungeons scattered throughout the Hain Empire have been turned into resource sites. If there were a hidden dungeon, that might be a possibility, but…"
"The fact that they haven't moved even in this situation is the best proof. I’ve concluded that there is no Dungeon Master in the Hain Empire. Do you still think otherwise?"
"No, at this point, I agree that there’s no Dungeon Master in the Hain Empire. And even if there were, they’d clearly be an enemy of the Hain Empire."
Emperor Hans had returned and was issuing orders. Other foreign nations were answering his call, and even those who had their land taken by the Zurable Empire were gathering.