The grenade thrown by the grenadiers immediately flies towards the drones.
Ordinary soldiers would not do crazy things like make a fuss to avoid a grenade or at least run towards the ground where the grenade landed.
However, the drones rushed at them without paying any attention, and were brutally toppled by the fragments emitted when the grenade exploded.
“Ugh!”
Still, there are drones with debris stuck in them, and the moment the soldiers freak out –
“Aaaap!”
Damien and Kazel ran out with their swords and cut them down with the cuirassiers.
Since it is not possible to gallop on horseback inside a fortress full of obstacles anyway, this is the maximum use of the Hamahan elite heavy cavalry.
Nevertheless.
“Ugh…”
Damien was frightened when he saw the drones rushing behind the smoke from the grenade explosion.
“Your Excellency the Count! “The cannon is fully loaded!”
“Oh yes! “Shoot, shoot!”
“launch!”
At Giselle’s command, the cannon fired pellets again, and the rushing drones were torn to pieces again.
“Now jump! “Retreat to the third line of defense!”
“To the third line of defense! “Run to your death!”
“Don’t hesitate and throw away your cannons and equipment! Retreat at full speed!”
As soon as he could, Damien ordered a retreat, and with Peter de Casel and Giselle Davy repeating the order, Damien’s army began to retreat in haste.
Refugees are housed deep inside the fortress and guided drones. The routes inside the fortress are restricted as much as possible, and units in charge are assigned to each direction, divided into bases, and drones are eliminated as much as possible with buckshot and grenades.
To that end, cannons were distributed along the roads for each base and replenishment of ammunition and equipment was provided at each base.
If the battle becomes more intense, there is no way it will be fought while carrying cannons from base to base, and drones cannot perform complex missions such as bombarding with captured cannons anyway.
So, block as much as you can, leave the cannons and equipment on the defense line, then retreat and fight using the cannons and equipment prepared at the next base.
Nicola, I can hear a series of gunfire from the other direction you are in charge of, as well as Crocs’ loud cheers and the Orcs’ battle cries. So far, everything is going according to plan.
Damien inwardly stuck out his tongue.
It was definitely worth it for Lafayette and the generals to put a lot of thought into preparing for a defensive battle…
“The rate of exhaustion is too fast!”
Damien almost screamed and turned around.
It’s a long way away, but at a glance, there are scary-looking drones running after them.
“Hey Dabi! “How many defense lines have we set up?”
Giselle answered the questions she knew clearly, but answered sincerely even as she ran hard.
“Huh huh, this is the 5th round, Your Excellency.”
“Wow, that’s reassuring. “We can last a long time, right?”
Damien muttered soullessly, then pulled out his head and screamed.
“What is the Marquis de Lafayette doing!”
If you die like this, I will follow you around and curse you for the rest of your life!
* * *
The warhorse, unable to run properly amidst the waves of drones, was already caught and fell down long ago.
“Tsk!”
I blew off the head of the drone that was running in front of me and immediately rolled over to avoid the other drones that were attacking me.
When I got up and swung my sword, the legs of all the drones that were coming towards me were cut off, but even after they lost their legs and fell to the ground, they struggled and stretched out their arms towards me.
Avoid, cut off, and trample on those arms as you run.
“Whoosh whoosh.”
Use your magic power as much as possible, catch your breath, and advance while avoiding and destroying the drones coming at you from all directions.
“It’s beautiful.”
Paimon, who kept retreating and keeping his distance as if he was going to be caught by me, muttered with an ecstatic expression.
“I can’t believe that a marquis like this was called a disgrace to the nobility for being defeated by a commoner! The humans of Francia must have inferior eyesight. “I have received many reports about the Marquis’ combat abilities, but what you are showing me now far surpasses even those!”
I glanced back.
Gaston, Shandra, and the cuirassiers are desperately trying to break through the drones, but the number of drones is still far too high.
If they try too hard to break through, they will end up suffering.
No in this case.
I guess I should say that they deliberately opened the road just for me so as not to be disturbed by them?
I said, twisting the corner of my mouth.
“Well, I was rolling around here and there.”
I have experience from a past life, and I am experiencing all kinds of hardships to this extent.
Even if you don’t like it, you have no choice but to become stronger. If I hadn’t done that, I would have died long ago.
Moreover…
I held my sword with strength, splitting the drones running towards me vertically, then cutting them horizontally again, cutting off the arms of other drones.
The kendo movements feel sharper than ever.
Gremory’s blessing is definitely valid.
If it were me now, I think I would be close to the gas cylinder, even if it would be impossible to become a blue knight.
I cut down the charging drone again and then pointed my sword at Paimon and said.
“How long are you going to hide behind puppets and run away? Is playing with dolls all you know how to do? “I didn’t know that a great devil like the CEO of Abyss Corporation could be so incompetent.”
It was a bit of a provocation, but Paimon smiled and opened his mouth.
“Marquis de Lafayette, how long do you plan to play revolutionary? To be honest, I have great doubts. The Marquis has noticed the innovation of Abyss Corporation since he was just a minor marquis. “You joined the new wave faster than anyone else in that kingdom of chaos.”
This damn guy can’t have a proper conversation at all.
While I was dodging and cutting down the charging drones, Paimon was talking freely.
“But has there ever been a precedent for a person with such abilities and accomplishments to be satisfied with nothing more than being a military commander? It’s time to stop coveting power. Democracy is democracy. “Oh my…”
Paimon grabbed the neck of the drone standing next to him and ripped it out.
Then, he lifted his fallen neck, looked into the drone’s soulless eyes, and spoke.
“Why do you dedicate yourself to a government where lowly, uncivilized scum fight among themselves and run to the limit of inefficiency? “That brilliant progress and innovation has gone nowhere and stagnates with the scum out of nowhere.”
…It’s not like he’s running away because he has no strength.
“Crazy guy.”
I cut down the drone and ran out straight towards Paimon.
As we rush towards the horn emitting purple light, the drones get in between us again.
I frantically cut down the rushing drones, but the distance between them widened again.
There will be no end to this.
“Hehehe….”
Paimon put his hand to his mouth, laughed, and then snapped his fingers.
At the same time, the drones that were rushing toward me stopped moving.
“Marquis, please answer me. Why on earth are you devoting yourself to the National Assembly and the Revolutionary Army? The Marquis is a person who has lived as a nobleman. “This is the first time in hundreds of years that I have seen a person like you, Marquis, and I cannot help but feel sad why someone capable of more efficient innovation remains stagnant.”
I slowly caught my breath, which had become rough due to the intense movement.
Damn it, it’s true that I can take a breather thanks to this crazy devil’s curiosity.
“…You seem to be greatly mistaken.”
“yes?”
I smiled at Paimon, who blinked.
“Do you think I am working as a general in the revolutionary army because I like democracy and the National Assembly?”
I asked Maximilien Isidore to prove to me whether their National Assembly was worth protecting.
The reason I rejected Balian’s proposal was not because I had a firm belief in protecting the National Assembly, but because I did not find Balian’s proposal particularly attractive.
Maximilien Isidore’s noble death certainly made a deep impression on me, but what it elicited was only a reservation to protect them ‘if they do not betray the spirit of the revolution.’
“The reason I am following them is because the person I have chosen to serve as my lord wants to embrace them, nothing more or less.”
“Master? By any chance, are you referring to the puppet queen that the Marquis himself set up?”
“puppet.”
I laughed.
Yes, a puppet queen with no real power.
Eris doesn’t have any great power or authority.
It is not completely groundless to claim that she is nothing more than a puppet queen set up by the National Assembly in another country.
But….
“You guys may not understand, but there are people who want to follow you even if they don’t have power, even if it means losing a little in efficiency, devil.”
To me, the National Assembly was nothing more than a lesser evil that could be replaced whenever necessary. It was nothing more than a means to use to protect Christine and my people.
However, Eris believed that they could move forward on a better path and succeeded in unifying them by receiving their absolute support without actually having any power or authority.
In that case, as a patron who found a saint who purely loved people and put her on the throne when she didn’t want it, I should at least follow her wishes.
“At least I have faith that my queen will make sure that I and my precious people avoid the worst. It is the National Assembly chosen by the Queen. “Even if you guys don’t have the efficiency to survive or die, you won’t go down the wrong path.”
“Hmm, avoid the worst. Giving up great progress just for that…”
While Paimon looked somewhat disappointed.
I opened my mouth, feeling much more comfortable.
“Is it better than that, devil?”
Paimon furrowed his brows.
“What do you mean?”
I answered with a smile.
“The number of drones entering Dilus must be decreasing considerably.”
Paimon’s eyebrows twitched.
Mirbo and Crocs seem to be doing well. It is only meant to buy time, but the means of gaining time cause mass destruction by drones.
Since the situation inside the fortress cannot be observed from here, Paimon cannot ignore it.
“Is it okay for you, the commander, to leisurely answer your questions like this? There was no way to supply the materials for your drones, so they would have sent the drones to Iberica. “If I fail even here…”
I said and slowly turned my gaze to look at Gaston and Shandra, who had come a little closer to me.
Jérôme Morel and Chasseur can be seen joining in the background.
“I don’t know if Abyss Corporation will lose money even if I make you look like a half-pas. “Ah, if the CEO is so obsessed with efficiency and behaves like a dog at Abyss Corporation, do you still want to be loyal?”
Paimon, CEO of Sloth Corporation.
It seems that he has animosity toward the Abyss Corporation, especially Pride Corporation, which is its de facto head.
Gremory said so.
“after.”
Paimon laughed.
“Hehehe…”
…After all, something as simple as this doesn’t work, does it?
The moment I thought that, Paimon’s finger moved.
At the same time, the drones began to ignore me and flock towards Gaston and Shandra.
That thing… If you leave it alone for a moment, the damage will be serious.
“Ah, it’s a pity. It is truly a pity, Marquis. “I had very high expectations of you, but you turned out to be just another human being.”
Paimon spread his hand and made a sound.
On the outside, his arms are swollen like those of a woman… but
when you think about this guy’s record, you can’t tell how much he must have repaired on the inside.
“Finally fighting in person?”
“Yes. Still, since you have given me a brief moment of interest in my boring life of hundreds of years, I will give you the honor of making me your personal test subject instead of a drone.”
“That’s not nice- ugh!”
The moment I came to my senses, I blocked Paimon’s swinging arm with his sword, which was running right in front of me, and my arm rang from the shock.
“Hey, this isn’t really a joke-”
Before he could finish his sentence, Paimon raised both arms and brought them down.
I raised my sword to block, but almost fell to the ground from that ignorant force.
Paimon sneered as he looked down at me, who was struggling with his arms blocked by his sword.
“Why are you doing this, Marquis? “Where did the leisure you had until now go?”
“Ugh….”
“Yes? Please tell me, Marquis. “What on earth did you believe in and provoked me like that?”
I answered, looking at Paimon, who was looking down at me with a very amused expression.
“…I believe in your arrogant composure?”
The moment when Paimon had a puzzled look on his face.
“Kaaaaang!”
A leopard beast jumped out from behind him and bit Paimon on the back of his neck.
“Ugh!”
For some reason, even though his body was completely bitten by Austell, Crocs’ fifth henchman, only a little blood dripped from Paimon’s neck.
“You lowly beast!”
“Keuung!”
Instead, Austel fell after being hit by Paimon’s fist.
But-
“Kaaaaang!”
Paimon could not hide his bewilderment as dozens of beastmen rushed after Ostell.
“I guess you thought you were using yourself as bait to pique your interest, but in fact, I was the bait.”
While the cavalry rushed in from the front, the beastmen who specialized in stealth action took a detour from the beginning to attack from behind, waiting for the right moment.
It was a bonus that Jérôme Morel’s Chasseur Gaston and Shandra’s unit linked together and made it look like they were making a desperate breakthrough on purpose.
“Trivial things…!”
Paimon showed surprising strength against the rushing beastmen, but the beastmen ran desperately and ended up hanging around Paimon’s arms and legs.
“You only had eyes for me. As if everyone else had no value.”
It is worth seeing that the devil was caught by the natives, who caused so much chaos in Iberica but did not even pay attention to him and looked down on him as a lowly creature.
“Lafayette-!”
I approached the crying Paimon and swung my sword –
“That’s why I lost.”
The horn that was spewing ominous purple light from the command tower of soulless puppets was cut down.
