The World of Otome Games is Tough For Mobs - Volume 13 - Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

A False Understanding

 “I SHALL NEGATIVELY ADJUST my evaluation of Arcadia,” Fact muttered to himself as fellow AIs nearby were busy conducting their calculations.

“This has reduced consumption of our resources,” one reported.

Another added, “We anticipate two more blasts from the enemy’s main cannon before making direct contact.”

“Three shield ships remain.”

Simple math revealed that they had enough shield ships to get within range of the enemy and engage their forces.

“It helps immensely that the Sacred Trees’ defenses saved our shield ships for a little longer. Still…” Fact trailed off. 

Despite their success in deflecting the enemy’s main cannon and magical attacks, the whole ordeal had had an unfortunate side effect. It had damaged the morale of the royal army; the troops were now terrified by the strength of Arcadia’s arsenal. Many had slowed down as they approached the enemy. Even if Fact explained the intricacies of their present situation, few of their commanders would’ve understood him.

The fact of the matter was that the royal army could win, so long as they kept charging ahead. But who would believe that?

Fact’s calculations indicated that, at this rate, their entire formation would collapse before they even reached the enemy. “We will be unable to maintain our fleet,” he said. That, in turn, would damage their chances of coming out victorious.

While he was consumed with finding a way to address the matter, one ship on the front line pulled ahead of the rest. It belonged to House Fanoss, or what had formerly been the Principality of Fanoss.

“What is going on?” Fact demanded, his words reaching the entire fleet thanks to Livia and Cleare’s assistance. He’d prefer that the humans follow commands, rather than attack on their own.

Hertrude’s voice answered. “It seems our comrades in arms are losing their nerve in front of the enemy.” There was a challenge in her voice intended for their allies; she was obviously trying to antagonize them. “I suppose, if you’re all too craven, House Fanoss will lead the charge. How disappointing that all the gentlemen in Holfort are pure bluster and can’t back up their bravado. If that’s how it’s going to be, I guess House Fanoss should take the glory for itself, hm?”

Are you really such cowards you’d rather be outshone by a girl than stand up and face the enemy? That was the implication of her words, which stirred indignation in many of her allies.

Fact struggled to understand what happened next. “What? How could that trivial antagonism coax so many into speeding up?” 

The only humans he’d ever known were those of old humanity—and only members of the military, at that. Thus, it seemed absurd to him that this army could so easily be spurred into action, especially since the only battles he’d faced were life-and-death. Each side had struggled for their respective race’s supremacy; pride was irrelevant to them.

The Alzer Republic was quick to join House Fanoss at the front, Albergue commanding the ship.

“You have some courage, young lady,” he said, “but we cannot let our priestess’s contributions go to waste. What do you think, my heroic countrymen?”

“Hate to break it to Lady Fanoss, but those of us from the Republic will be the ones leading the charge!” Loic declared from inside his Armor’s cockpit.

“My brave fellows!” bellowed Albergue. “This is nothing compared to the nightmare we endured before! Charge forward confidently and show them what the Alzer Republic is made of!”

The “nightmare” he spoke of was the incident when their former Sacred Tree had gone berserk. Incomparable fear had gripped them then. With that experience behind them, they eagerly answered Albergue’s call and sped forward.

“You just want to look good in front of the Saint, don’t you?” Hertrude teased Loic.

“I’d most certainly be honored for milady—er, ahem—I mean, for the Saint to witness my heroics. Regardless, we are the fearless Alzerian army. We aren’t so weak that we would lose our nerve against the empire!”

That very statement implied that the Holfortians were weak enough to lose their nerve. Any who’d still hesitated after Hertrude’s needling and Albergue’s call to action quickly let it be known that they wouldn’t endure further disparagement from someone as young and green as Loic.

“Don’t get ahead of yourselves, Fanoss!”

“The Alzerian army is fearless, huh? Don’t make me laugh! You guys’ve just been holed up in your own country all these years!”

“Don’t let them show you up, men! It’s time for us to demonstrate what Holfort’s all about!”

Any ships that had previously been lagging behind surged forward, the whole fleet accelerating.

“I fail to comprehend this,” Fact said. His confusion notwithstanding, the important thing was that—at this speed—they’d reach the imperial army sooner than expected.

***

When the royal army managed to block Arcadia’s main cannon, all the generals, military staff, knights, and soldiers in the room with Moritz broke into anxious chatter and shouting.

“The royal army has entered visual range!”

“They’re really picking up speed.”

“Aren’t they scared at all?!”

While the imperial army slowly crept backward, the royal one charged fearlessly toward them.

“We’ve held back enough,” said Moritz.

Arcadia nodded. “The enemy has no idea what our trump card is. Or rather, they’re operating in ignorance of our capabilities.”

Moritz lifted himself from his chair and bellowed, “All ships, prepare for battle!”

Their fleet had paused, waiting to meet the incoming enemy. None moved in front of Arcadia, which probably made him look vulnerable to their foes. Unfortunately for the royal army, that was all part of the empire’s strategy.

“I didn’t think we’d have to use our trump card,” Moritz muttered.

“It’s fine,” Arcadia assured him. “At any rate, their efforts won’t be enough to sink me.”

“I’m sure you’re right. And they have no idea we’ve been pretending this whole time.”

Arcadia snickered. “No. I’m sure they’ll be surprised when they realize.”

“Misleading them into thinking that your main cannon only fired at fifteen-minute intervals… You Demonic Creatures are awfully malicious.”

The idea that Arcadia’s main cannon couldn’t fire continuously was a lie they had cultivated.

Arcadia’s eye bent into an upside-down crescent, his lips curling upward into an enormous grin. “They’re probably expecting the next attack to come fifteen minutes from now. Too bad! There are no restrictions whatsoever on how frequently I can fire.”

It had simply been a deception meant to lead the AIs down the wrong path, depriving them of accurate information on which to base their calculations. This way, the empire could unleash their most powerful attack when the enemy least expected it.

Moritz’s voice boomed through the room. “All ships, fire your missiles! Deploy your Armors!”

***

On the Redgraves’ flagship, Vince’s shoulders slumped with relief once they were finally close enough to engage the empire in combat. “Now that we’re this close, Arcadia or whatever he’s called can’t fire that main cannon of his.”

Once the royal army was locked in melee combat with the empire, Arcadia wouldn’t be able to use that powerful beam for fear of killing his allies. At least, Vince assumed they wouldn’t sacrifice their own men like that. I can’t entirely ignore the possibility that they’re prepared for some collateral damage, but all we can do is charge toward them.

Vince was at the very front of the formation, the most dangerous position. Despite the very real possibility of death, he felt heartened by the advantage their close proximity gave them.

I’m glad I had Gilbert fall back. As long as I’m here in front, we can maintain our house’s dignity. Even if I should fall, the Redgraves will still have Gilbert and Angie to carry them forward. Our line will continue.

That was a common sentiment within the aristocracy—that it was important to maintain the family image and have children who could carry on one’s legacy. Those two concerns had compelled Vince to head to the front.

“The enemy has deployed their Armors!” one of the soldiers on board shouted, peering through his binoculars.

“Then it’s time for us to deploy ours to engage them in combat!” ordered Vince. “Don’t let the enemy get close to our ship!”

At his command, the battle began, allied and enemy Armors clashing against each other. Cannon fire erupted from ships on both sides.

Vince gritted his teeth, face wrinkling in displeasure. I knew the enemy would have a considerable advantage over us, but it seems I underestimated its extent.

The empire’s cannons weren’t fashioned in the old stationary style that limited them to firing from the side; they had full directional aim. They were also automatic, so they didn’t need to be manned to fire. Even their Armors were more impressive, well-crafted models than the royal army’s.

“I suppose I should’ve expected this from a military superpower,” Vince muttered. “Still, even with the odds stacked against us, we don’t intend to buckle so easily.” 

He narrowed his eyes as he gazed out at the allied ships and Armors on the battlefield. The emergency repairs and upgrades Luxion and the other AIs had made before the battle had helped put them on a level where they actually stood a chance against the empire. They also had a more compelling reason to fight in the shape of the homeland that lay just behind their fleet.

“We won’t let you trample us,” said Vince.

They had Holfort’s full might on the field with them, which helped bolster their morale; Vince was sure the empire sensed that.

A violent force racked the ship, the tremor knocking people off their feet and sending them flying. As it abated, Vince barked, “Wh-what just happened?!”

The ship’s captain shook his head, scrutinizing the bridge. “I-I have no idea. There was this sudden flash of light, and then…” He trailed off.

Vince peered outside through the glass. Up above them, Arcadia had unleashed an attack, bathing their forces in blinding light. It’d pierced right through their allies’ magical barriers, taking down one ship after another. The blast must also have hit their ship; they were slowly losing altitude.

“You heartless imperial bastards!” Vince roared, forehead furrowed.

Arcadia must’ve fired a beam above them that expanded and transformed into a shower of light. It was still raining down upon them, and Vince’s ship was directly in its range.

As explosions erupted all around him, Vince glanced behind him, toward where he knew his children must be. Gilbert, Angie… I leave our family’s fate to you.

Flames enveloped the ship as it nosedived toward the water below.

***

Angie watched through the Licorne’s monitor as Vince’s ship went down.

“Father!” Her voice came out in a strangled cry, her hand shooting toward the screen. Her eyes tracked the ship as it plummeted into the sea.

“Hey now!” Cleare snapped at Fact through the transmission. “We weren’t told the enemy could attack like that! That beam expands after it’s fired—and it’s from his main cannon!”

Firing that cannon upward, Arcadia had managed an attack that dispersed over a wide range and rained down upon the royal army. Even with its reduced strength, the surprise assault had been enough to sink their ships. They’d lost over a hundred vessels. The Licorne had deployed a shield to protect itself and the nearest ships, but by then, it had already been too late; Cleare couldn’t protect their other allies.

“Our data was based entirely on his attack’s previous limitations. It appears we operated under a misapprehension of his capabilities,” Fact blurted quickly, a small measure of panic seeping into his voice.

“You told us he couldn’t fire repeatedly!”

“Based on the updated data, I still don’t think he can do so,” Fact argued.

“But he basically did just that!”

There was a short pause. “Based on what we know now, I believe it is highly likely that Arcadia was storing energy while he and the imperial army made their way toward the battlefield,” Fact explained. “Their delayed pace was for that singular purpose.”

“Stop analyzing your data and start coming up with a counterattack! We might be able to manage, but our allies can’t withstand that!”

“I am currently calculating a possible solution.”

“You worthless piece of junk!” Cleare snapped at him.

While the two argued, events unfolded on the battlefield.

Carla jabbed a finger toward the window. “Our allies are being attacked!”

“Now that they’ve been weakened, and can’t do anything to defend themselves, the enemy is falling upon them,” said Kyle, color draining from his face.

The royal army had had all the momentum on the field until Arcadia launched his attack and upended everything. Now their vanguard was crumbling, while the imperial forces were fighting at full strength. The empire had so fully captured the advantage that the battle was now entirely one-sided.

Marie struck the bottom of her crystal staff, one of the Saint’s holy relics, against the floor to grab Kyle and Carla’s attention. “We still have allies fighting on the battlefield!” she reminded them, hoping that might help them compose themselves. Her gaze focused on their comrades. “House Fanoss and the Alzer Republic are still out there. Hertrude and Loic haven’t given up.”

Fanoss’s ship had withstood the attack by a hairsbreadth. The Republic’s ship was unharmed thanks to Ideal’s expert craftsmanship. Both were taking the lead at the center of the vanguard, engaging the enemy.

“Send reinforcements immediately!” Angie commanded Fact. “If we don’t, our whole front line will fall!” Her eyes filled with tears, and there was a tremor in her voice. No doubt she was concerned about her father. Under any other circumstances, she would want to divert some forces for rescue efforts, but she knew they didn’t have resources to spare.

“Even if we sent reinforcements, that would just expose them to Arcadia’s cannon. We need to maintain our distance and continue attacking,” said Fact.

“Are you saying we should abandon our allies?!” Angie snapped back.

As their argument was about to heat up, Livia lowered her gaze and noticed a familiar ship. “W-wait!” she burst out. “That’s…that’s the ship Mr. Leon’s family is on.” Her voice trembled with the realization, for the ship was currently sinking.

***

When the shower of light hit the Bartfort ship, it gradually began to sink. The crew shouted back and forth, trying to coordinate procedures for a sea landing.

“I’m telling you, slow down our descent!”

“And I’m telling you that’s impossible!”

“Just look after it! If you don’t, the force of the impact will kill us all!”

The ship trembled violently. Nicks managed to climb to his feet, still slipping a bit as he did so. “D-Dad!” His eyes swiveled to find his father, who had blood running down from a forehead wound. “Dad, are you all right?!”

“Yeah. I’m fine,” Balcus said.

“That’s a relief. Let’s hurry up and retreat, then. Most of our allies on the front line have already been sunk.” Nicks scanned the air around them. Other ships were losing altitude too.

Balcus grabbed his son by the shoulders. “Nicks, get to the water and save as many of our allies as you can.”

“Dad?” Nicks’s face tensed. He’d suggested they run, but his father was commanding him to focus on rescue efforts.

“We’ve already been hit, so it’s a strategic retreat from the front line—a viable excuse,” reasoned Balcus. “You focus on rescuing all the people you can and then get out of here. I mean it. Run once you get the chance.”

“As long as you’re coming with me!” Nicks protested, worried; his father was phrasing his words as if he planned to remain.

Balcus just smiled at him. “If I ran too, I’d never be able to face our fallen allies,” he said. “Take care of our family.” He turned and strode off the bridge.

“Dad!” Nicks lurched forward, about to chase after him, but the captain grabbed him before he could get far. “Let go of me! My dad’s…!”

“Young Master—no, Lord Nicks—please try to see it from your lord father’s point of view.”

The strength drained out of Nicks. He slumped to his knees on the floor. As he sat there in a daze, his father launched from the ship, piloting one of their family’s Armors. He was followed by a platoon of loyal knights, all returning to the battlefield. It was incredibly dangerous for such a small group to charge back into the fray, since the empire still held an unshakable advantage.

Tears ran down Nicks’s face. He threw his head back and screamed, “Leon! How long are you going to keep hiding?! You’re the one who started this war, you idiot!”

“Young Master! Look below us!” one of the crew cried.

Nicks climbed to his feet and looked out the window. The prow of Luxion’s main ship was peeking up through the water, almost like a surfacing shark. Waves crested over his surface, spraying foam everywhere as his main cannon aimed at Arcadia. No sooner had Luxion surfaced than he prepared to fire, shooting an enormous beam of bluish-white light toward Arcadia. It slammed into his magic barrier; even at this distance, the collision was so earsplitting that Nicks and the rest of the ship’s crew heard it.

As the force of Luxion’s blasts continued pummeling Arcadia’s barrier, more vicious sounds crackled and echoed.

Nicks let out a strangled laugh. “You’re late, you bastard!”

Luxion was attacking from directly beneath Arcadia, likely hoping to pierce the fortress’s barrier. If Luxion’s main cannon blasted through that, it would surely be enough to sink their most formidable opponent in this battle. Everyone, Nicks included, was convinced the royal army could claim victory once Arcadia was out of the way.

Arcadia’s barrier took on a reddish-black hue, and a cluster of similarly colored energy manifested at the base of its fortress, swelling bigger and bigger. Even Nicks could tell that, whatever it was, it was dangerous. Only a few moments passed before that cluster burst forward, forming a compact sphere. It ripped through the bluish-white beam that Luxion had unleashed and pierced straight through his ship.

“What…?” Nicks’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe what he’d just witnessed.

An explosion erupted from the hole left in Luxion’s ship. It sank back beneath the waves and disappeared. The apparent defeat left Nicks and most of their allies devastated.