Altina the Sword Princess - Volume 14 - Chapter Pr

Volume 14 (1 of 5)

Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro, Seir K

Recap

Regis d’Auric was a young soldier inept in swordplay and horsemanship, spending all his time reading. He was transferred to the borders, where he met a girl with vermillion hair and crimson eyes— Marie Quatre Argentina de Belgaria. Nickname, Altina.

Her mother was a commoner, and she was chased out of the palace for this. Despite being just fourteen, she was appointed the commander of a border regiment because of her status as a royal… She didn’t lament her fate resolving herself to change the Empire for the sake of the oppressed people.

「I want to become Empress, lend me your wisdom.」

In order to be acknowledged by others as a commander, Altina challenged the hero Jerome who was the de facto leader, and won.

Regis didn’t have any confidence in himself, but he still promised to be her strategist.

The two of them experienced a series of hardships.

The attack of the barbarians.

Assaulting the impregnable Fort Volks.

Traveling to the capital to attend the 《Founding Day Festival》…

While the Belgarian Empire was in turmoil caused by succession issues, a declaration of war came from the neighbouring High Brittania.

At the same time, the Varden Archduchy attacked Fort Volks as if they were working in concert, but the assault was crushed in just a single night. Following this, they aided the Seventh Army in their retreat from the 《Battle of Lafressange》.

To cut off the enemy’s supply line, Regis eliminated the High Brittania’s 《Queen’s Fleet》 as the acting admiral.

He then annihilated the supply unit led by the Mercenary King Gilbert, making the decisive move to cement the Empire’s victory.

At the same time— The Second Prince Latreille witnessed the Emperor indulging in lavish pleasures even though the Empire was on the brink. He could no longer hold back his rage, and swung his 《Arme Victoire Volonte》.

He covered up the fact that he committed regicide, and announced to the public that the Emperor passed away from old age.

During the battle to liberate the fortress city Grebauvar, Latreille saw Regis’ extraordinary command abilities, and decided to assassinate him judging him to be a great threat.

However, Regis managed to return to the capital with the aid of the Mercenary Band 《Renard Pendu》, and laid out political chess pieces in the dark. With the help of the book shop owner Carol, news reporter Claude, activist Bourgine and the Third Prince Bastian, a report on Prince Latreille committing regicide was published in the Weekly Quarry newspaper.

On the other hand, Altina couldn’t accept the obituary of Regis’ demise, and led her army to the capital.

The First Army renowned for being the strongest in the Empire, and the most decorated unit in the war that just ended, the Fourth Army. These two sides faced off against each other tensely on the outskirts of the capital.

At this crucial point, Regis finally reunited with Altina.

After negotiating with Latreille, civil war was averted.

Latreille was coronated as the Emperor, and bestowed the Staff of the Généralissime to Altina. He ordered her to send reinforcements to the southern war front that was going poorly.

After purging the generals who were more retarded and incompetent than Regis imagined, they finally managed to fortify the frontlines.

With the help of the Grand Noble Eleanor, they managed to send Elise back to High Brittania to take her rightful place as the new Queen, Elizabeth Victoria.

Regis entrusted the plans to improve the new rifles to her.

On the other hand, the curtains had been opened for a new battle for Altina.

Emperor Latreille ordered her to invade the Hispania Empire. That nation had been disguising their navy as pirates attacking the merchant ships from the surrounding countries. Regis was against hegemony, but he couldn’t ignore such criminal deeds either.

In order to bring them down, the 40,000 troops of the Fourth and Thirteenth Armies crossed the borders.

On a certain hill, they clashed with the 30,000 soldiers from Hispania.

The soldiers spread out into small groups using boulders and trees as cover.

However, Regis used the new cannons to blow away all obstacles destroying all the enemy’s hiding places. The surprised and now unprotected enemy was routed in the face of the new rifles of the Belgaria Empire.

Altina drew her sword.

【All units, advance!】 
Prologue: Dominance

Belgaria Empire year 851, November 17th—

The sound of rifle reports echoed on the battlefield.

Altina’s Fourth Army was the first unit to train with rifles in the Empire.

They could maintain formation in live battle, reload quickly and shot with high accuracy.

【Fire!!】

The soldiers fired orderly like in training at the approaching, spread-out Hispania army, 

But the enemy didn’t slow down.

【Charge!】
【Charge!】
【Charge!】

They were like moths to a flame.

Altina frowned on her horse karakara. Her side had the upper hand, but she still hated seeing people dying.

【Why aren’t they retreating?】

Regis who was standing beside her surveyed the same battlefield. But he couldn’t ride a horse, and was standing.

【… Given how spread out the troops are, it’s hard to relay the commander’s orders to everyone.】

【So spreading out is bad?】

【Yes, but that is just consequentialism— The Hispania army wanted to approach the Belgaria Army by using cover. Hence, compared to marching in formation, splitting into numerous groups would make them more agile and harder to attack with gunfire.】

【It seems that they never expect things to turn out this way.】
【… That’s right.】

Before the battle begun, the battlefield had a lot of cover ,boulders, trees and the like.

The opposing commander chose this place intentionally to minimize the effectiveness of the Belgaria Empire’s new rifles and cannons.

After all, if the field of vision was poor, the new rifle wouldn’t be able to make full use of its advantage of range and firepower.
However, this was within Regis’ expectations too.

After seeing the enemy spread out—

The Belgaria army’s new cannons, the 200 《40 Allen cannon》 pulverised all the covers on the battlefield leading to the Hispania soldiers reckless charge in this open and completely different battlefield.

Most of them didn’t even notice the flaw in their tactics, and got shot down by the rifles.

Altina looked shocked.

【Why aren’t they sounding the bugles to retreat?】

【… I think they already did. But the distance is too far, and the sound got drowned out by the nonstop gunshots.】

Although Regis was the one who ordered the Belgaria army to keep firing without any breaks in between.

【So our forces wouldn’t be able to hear the command from the bugles?】

【… Did anything like that ever happen to us?】
【I don’t think so.】

Their unit fought a battle with the rifles firing in unison before.
But they didn’t have any issue with the orders being relayed through bugles.

【… When the commander of the Belgaria army… which is you, issues an order, the bugles at the headquarters will be sounded. The bugles situated at various locations would echo the order to the frontlines. And of course, we would also send out messengers.】

【Oh, I see.】
【… Are you thinking that it is pointless to increase the number of bugles?】

【Because I never thought that the sound of the gunshots would muffle the bugles, I thought we just needed to increase the number of buglers proportionately to the increase in our soldiers.】

Altina scratched her head.

【… I see, I guess I didn’t make it clear, huh.】

Regis replied with a shrug.

He checked his pocket watch, then gave an order to the buglers.

It was a one-sided affair, but ammunition and stamina of the troops were still being depleted. It was almost time to switch out the front ranks.

A smoke signal had been raised behind the enemy; they realized that the bugles wouldn’t reach, and used a different method.

The order to retreat was late, but it was better than never.

Altina pointed to the enemy:
【The Hispaniards are fleeing!】

The correct terms to use on the battlefield was ‘retreat’ or ‘retrograde’.
However, the enemy was running in scattered groups without any semblance of formation.

As he looked at the battlefield Regis said:

【… The Hispania army was 30,000 in the beginning, but their numbers had dwindled to less than 20,000.】

【What a tragedy.】

Countless corpses littered the battlefield.

Regis said with a shiver:

【… As expected, rifles are scary.】

【That’s right.】

【… In the past, most casualties in battle were only wounded, and could return to their homes with their lives.】
【But it’s different in a war with rifles.】

【… Yes.】

He had fought several battles and braced himself, but it was still heart wrenching.

She asked seriously:

【But, we have to move forward. Isn’t that right, Regis?】

【… Yes, that’s right. No matter how great our ideals are, it would just be wishful-thinking if we don’t win the battle in front of us.】

Altina nodded.

She lifted up the 《Grand Tonnerre Quatre》.
【All units, ready!】

The knight corps formed up in the front.

The heavy infantry was right behind them.

The riflemen retreated to the back. However, they had another assignment: they traded their rifles for pikes and guarded the headquarters.

In this era, armies had already started fixing bayonets to the front of their rifles to fight in battles.

However, the bayonets were jammed into the muzzles of the rifles, so they couldn’t be fired.

The rifles were also too short, so the fourth army prepared pikes for them instead.

Altina swung her blade towards the enemy.

【All units, advance!】

The enemy was already routed.

It was no longer a battle, but since the enemy was fleeing instead of surrendering, they couldn’t let them off so easily.

After a pursuit and another 5,000 casualties, the battle concluded.