Youjo Senki - Volume 12 - Chapter 2.3

NOVEMBER 29, UNIFIED YEAR 1927, THE ILDOA FRONT

The Empire’s Aerial Mage Battalion has been reinforced with tanks. That’s right, tanks.

They proceed to exude their mana signals in luxury for all to pick up on as they clumsily bring the line of tanks down one of the main roads in the most conspicuous way possible. The battalion follows the road in a leisurely manner, as if heading for a picnic on a nice cold day in a winter resort.

A female mage officer can be seen taking a bite out of a chocolate bar as she drives her motorcycle down the road, carefree. In her sidecar sits another officer—a small girl far too small to be a soldier—who happily pours herself a cup of nice and warm coffee from her thermos.

Honestly, the entire scene lacks the tension one would expect from a group of people heading to an active war zone. It looks more like a nice field trip. The reason for their brazenness in such a dangerous area? Well, this is the elite 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion.

They are currently borrowing the 8th Panzer Division’s newly acquired tanks, with jerrycans full of plundered high-octane gasoline to fuel their trip. Incidentally, these are the same jerrycans the mages spent the entire cease-fire transporting, so there was a bit of a love-hate relationship going on.

The jerrycans are situated on either side of the standard-issue Ildoan motorcycles currently heading southbound toward the royal capital.

This is meant to be a diversion. We’re acting like vulnerable bait for the enemy mages. Our main goal is to look so vulnerable that the Ildoan and Unified States troops can’t ignore the Imperial carrot dangling before them. The premise is that the Imperial mages who wreaked so much havoc in the east have let their guard down in the faraway land of Ildoa.

I should mention that this plan has already hit a proverbial speed bump. Specifically, it’s our disguises. Even more specifically, it’s our mana signals.

Tanya’s orders were to intentionally employ lackluster signal masking so that the battalion’s mana would be easily detected. I explained to my subordinates that the intent was to lure the enemy. Everyone understood the goal and what they needed to do. There were no problems in this regard. The whole unit, from the commanding officer to the lowest foot soldier, everyone knew their role for this mission.

The only problem is that deliberately failing to mask their mana signals…has been more or less impossible. Their attempt to be lackluster is what’s lackluster.

Our orders are to let everyone notice us, and yet, almost every soldier has kept their mana hidden. The problem became apparent when Lieutenant Serebryakov confessed in a strained voice that she couldn’t let her mana leak.

I must recognize that I may have made an error in training my battalion. After all, the troops know that Tanya has never accepted anything less than perfection from them on the battlefield.

This much should be a given, I feel. When it comes to hiding mana signals, it’s either fully blocked or not blocked at all. There is no point if even an inkling of mana gets through. Thus, mana signature concealment must always be perfect. To both maintain stealth and execute effective ambushes.

The 203rd knows this well, and that’s putting it lightly. The members of the 203rd have achieved a level of emissions reduction so perfect that it has become second nature for them.

It’s almost ironic. They’re basically incapable of doing the opposite!

“There may have been an issue with my training methods. Perhaps I was too strict about mana signal leaks.”

This is a huge blow to my confidence as a teacher. These are grizzled veterans. I can understand that their extensive combat experience makes it agonizing to even consider deliberately letting their mana signals show.

It’s become a habit for them while on the front lines. Any attempt by Tanya to make adjustments was foiled by the deeply ingrained habit of avoiding such an unforgivable offense. The more battle-hardened the veteran, the tougher it is for them to feign incompetence. In fact, it ends up being the newer recruits, such as First Lieutenant Wüstemann, who manage to fulfill Tanya’s request.

That being said, this was basically the only problem worth noting.

Given enough time, a veteran could figure out a way to break their habits. In fact, that’s what they’ve already done. More accurately, that’s what Tanya made them do.

Thanks to this, small traces of mana signals are now slipping out—though not a satisfactory amount, considering their intended deception—as they zoom down the Ildoan roads.

The perfect weather today makes for a nice, peaceful drive. Thanks to their clear line of sight, the 203rd is able to spot the enemies first.

First to find the enemy, first to strike, and then a quick withdrawal. This is the ideal pattern of attack.

Of course, I’m constantly making sure my subordinates are fully aware of the strict orders to not go too far and to refrain from carelessly relying on their instincts.

“Salamander Leader to all units. Confirmation on two Unified mages above. They’re flying at an altitude of seventy-five hundred in a pair. They appear to be a patrol, so we will ignore them. Hold your fire, understood? Also, refrain from tracking their mana signals.”

In response to her orders, the first officer brings his bike up next to Tanya’s and gives a small protest for the hell of it.

“02 to 01. Those two’ll come back to ream us in the ass if we let them go.”

“01 to 02. Keep the antics to a minimum.”

“My apologies.”

Major Weiss gives a salute and a quick nod, which earns him a grin from Tanya. It’s obvious he isn’t actually worried about them coming back to bite us in the ass. It’s just a joke to try and lighten up the mood before battle. Humor is always good when danger waits in the wings.

I pour myself another cup of coffee while enjoying Ildoa’s mild cold weather.

“Lieutenant Serebryakov, you always make the best coffee.”

My adjutant is preoccupied with driving the bike, so as a sign of appreciation, I reach into her satchel and take out more chocolate for her. After politely accepting, my adjutant promptly takes a big bite out of the bar while I turn my attention to the two specs in the sky.

“It’s impressive, really.”

A smile jumps onto my face.

I watch as the pair flies in a straight line above us. It makes me take a jab at Major Weiss, who keeps his bike next to mine while appreciating the enemy.

“Look at their flight. It’s very smooth. I’m sure it’d take a considerable amount of reeducation to get you and the rest of the troops to fly like that.”

“Mercy, please. I don’t think we can fly in such a military parade–like fashion…”

“Come now,” I say with a laugh. “I’m sure if we searched long enough, we could find outdated primers on how to fly.”

“I’m too afraid to follow an obsolete manual.”

The first officer shudders at the thought. To think this man used to do everything by the book. That was back in Dacia. I still remember it. How nostalgic. I recall my first officer following the old conventions and withdrawing at the first sight of foot soldiers.

But look at him now. Major Weiss’s experience has brought him so far from textbook combat that I very much doubt he can even maintain any of the standard formations shown in the training manual.

“It’s funny how much people can grow, isn’t it, Major?”

“What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just never expected you to disparage the training manual.”

I’m reminiscing fondly, but Major Weiss blushes and waves his hand.

“That was a long time ago! I was young back then.”

“That’s true. Making those mistakes while you’re young is the best way to learn. I should probably go easier on Lieutenants Grantz and Wüstemann.”

I nonchalantly share this with my first officer before receiving an unexpected remark from Lieutenant Serebryakov while she drives the bike.

“You know, every now and then I’m struck by this strange thought…”

“What’s that, Lieutenant Serebryakov?”

“Just that it’s a bit strange for you to discuss age…”

“Oh?” An uncomfortable sense of understanding comes over me. Nevertheless, it’s the first officer who jumps in to correct my adjutant’s misguided realization.

“C’mon now, Lieutenant. Let’s not kid ourselves here.”

“What, Major Weiss?”

My adjutant gives a blank look while, with the most serious of expressions, my first officer continues to speak.

“The only years that matters are how many have been spent fighting.”

“How many years you’ve spent fighting…?”

“That’s right. And in that sense, the colonel is the oldest one here.”

“Da-ha-ha-ha!”

Jovial laughter spreads throughout the friendly vehicular picnic.

As far as I can tell, Lieutenant Wüstemann still seems a bit stiff. Perhaps he still feels a bit of tension from being on the battlefield. The rest of her troops, however, seem to be enjoying themselves.

As for Lieutenant Serebryakov…she continues to gobble down even more chocolate. The chocolate I gave her is long gone. Who knows where she got her hands on so many sweets.

Juxtaposed with the wholesome conversation happening on the ground, our enemies above maintain a rigid flight path. They are definitely sticking to their manuals.

While munching on some chocolate, I keep one eye on the sky and let out a sigh.

“It’s still a decent maneuver. Their obvious surplus of resources is making me a bit jealous.”

The soldiers above are mage troops being used for aerial recon.

There’s nothing particularly strange about this. It’s the most basic of the basics. Basics, if you look in a textbook, that is.

They’re using their aerial mages to patrol multiple air zones, after all. To cover a wide area would require a significant amount of manpower.

While the enemy may have the resources to do this, such a tactic would be far too luxurious for the current Imperial Army to employ.

“We used to do that back on the Rhine.”

I mumble to myself while shaking my head. It’s more than possible that our continual waste of human resources is what led to the manpower shortage we face today.

It’s just like radar picket ships. The enemy spreads their scouts thinly throughout the area of operations and the main force sends reinforcements when they encounter something. This is a legitimate tactic that only the wealthy can employ. And if you can afford to employ such a tactic…it’s safe and reliable.

In this regard, the Unified States is blessed, but the Empire still has the upper hand. For now, at least. We paid for our tuition in full with corpses because experience was our teacher.

Hmm…

As I eye the enemies above, something occurs to me.

“Clean movements. Both of them are maintaining their distance.”

These two mages are doing their best, and their efforts are pointed in the right direction.

However…I’m delighted after confirming my suspicions.

These two still aren’t afraid. Just like the Federation soldiers weren’t.

It won’t be long before victory is ours.