Princess Remia isn’t a bad person, and as a friend, she’s very loyal. But she’s ruling a nation on behalf of its king; she will put aside her principles and personal desires to serve the best interest of her people… Even if that means doing something that could make me think less of her.
Well, losing her relationship with me would harm her country, so I’m sure she won’t go too far…
Oh, I know what to do!
“So, how much are you willing to pay? I’ll figure out how many divine tools and soldiers I can ask for based on your budget,” Mitsuha said.
“Grk!” Panic flashed across the princess’s face.
As Mitsuha expected, it looked like Princess Remia had been hoping to pay as little as possible. But she was a royal who valued her people and would spare no expense to protect them. Her intention was to gain as much support from Mitsuha as she could at the lowest possible price. That was what would benefit her people.
However, Mitsuha’s question just made it clear that paying less would result in less support and prolonged conflict. The less she spent, the more soldiers would die, and the more land would be devastated by the empire. She had to figure out the right number without ruining her kingdom’s finances.
“This probably isn’t a decision you could make alone,” Mitsuha added. “Speak to your chancellor and your minister of finance, okay? I’ll see you later.
“Oh, and call Sabine on the radio when you want to reach us. Keep us updated on the imperial army’s advance and when it’s estimated to reach your border. I need to know how much time I have left to prepare my army. The speed and accuracy of your information will have a major impact on the amount of suffering in this war. Do you understand?”
Princess Remia’s eyes were lifeless. The quality of aid will depend on how much she’s willing to pay─that thought was a punch in the gut to her. Mitsuha grasped her shoulders and shook her. Gently, of course.
“…Y-Yes, I understand fully! Information means life and death in battle! One sentence of intel can be more powerful than a thousand soldiers!”
That was what Mitsuha wanted to hear.
I taught her a few things so this country can act as a buffer for mine. I guess she took that lecture on war tactics from the Lightning Archpriestess very seriously.
“Sabine, have someone stationed in the operations room─which is your room─at all times.”
“Okay, Mitsuha!”
She wanted to make sure the radio was always manned. Princess Remia could contact them at any minute. Sabine was just a child, but having a man in a lady’s room was still improper. That job would likely go to the maids rather than guards.
“Sabine, I’m sure you don’t need to be told this, but you don’t believe in old conventions like ‘Commoners are no different from mutts. There’s no need to be mindful of changing or sleeping in the presence of a male peasant,’ right?”
“Of course not! What kind of monster do you think I am!”
Yeah, that was a long shot…
Mitsuha half-heartedly quelled Sabine’s steam and quickly excused herself.
If I stick around any longer and give her a proper apology, she’ll start demanding a consolation prize or something. Which is fine if she expected candy or something normal, but she always takes advantage and asks for something I’d normally never give her like a radio or a bike. I can’t show her any weakness.
Things were about to get really busy with strategy meetings between the Wolf Gang guys and the helicopter teams. The mission wouldn’t succeed without sufficient preparation, accurate intel, and swift action.
The enemy army would be using swords, spears, and arrows against the mercenaries’ automatic rifles and machine guns, but there was no guarantee none of the mercenaries would get hurt or lose their life. Their powerful weapons wouldn’t do much to protect them from a volley of a few hundred arrows. The helicopters could also take an arrow or a spear in the wrong place─like the turboshaft engine─if they got too close to the ground. That would lead to a disaster.
“Time to go, guys!”
Thanks to Princess Remia’s frequent updates, Mitsuha was able to approximate the date and time the imperial army would cross the border. And now, that day had come. The twenty-one-person army from Earth─six Wolf Fang guys, fourteen helicopter crew members, and Mitsuha─were about to put their plan into motion.
The helicopters were parked on Wolf Fang’s base. Mitsuha could’ve jumped to the other world with them in the air, but that would’ve been an unnecessary risk to take. The pilots had never experienced a world-jump before, and jumping an aircraft without herself on board might lead to accidents.
Mitsuha and the mercenaries planned meticulously for the operation. The imperial army had just crossed the state line into Dalisson the previous morning. This meant that Dalisson was officially the victim of a surprise attack─the unfortunate country that wasn’t even given a declaration of war. It granted them a righteous cause to play offense. What’s more, the battlefield was on their territory. They now had an excuse to annihilate the enemy if they wished without causing an international scandal.
Letting the imperial army into their domain didn’t come without a price for Dalisson; all the villages and landscape in its path would be razed. But that was a necessary sacrifice in the game that was war. The immense expenses, the devastation of the terrain, and the citizens’ lives were all chips on a poker table.
Dalisson could’ve invaded the empire to avoid fighting on their own soil. However, they chose to let the empire raid their land to ensure that international sentiment would be on their side…while knowing that a substantial number of citizens would lose everything.
The kingdom had evacuated the villagers in the enemy’s path, of course, while also clearing out the food and valuables. All that was left in the villages was a little bit of food laced with poison. Plenty of booby traps were set up for good measure.
The Wolf Fang team was already on site. It didn’t make sense to send the ground force and the aerial force at the same time. The ground force should’ve finished setting up the mortars by now.
Mitsuha was currently on Earth with the two helicopters and the fourteen mercenaries─seven on each craft. Curiously, three of the mercenaries were women.
I wonder why? Female mercenaries can’t be common. Maybe they begged to go on the mission and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Or maybe three of the male mercenaries decided to take their girlfriends or spouses in case something happens to me and they end up getting stranded in the other world? Not that it matters. As long as they do what I’m paying them for─wait, they’re paying me, which means I have an obligation to make this trip worth their while!
Mitsuha was world-jumping them into the courtyard of Dalisson’s royal palace. She was fulfilling Princess Remia’s wish to make a display of the divine soldiers being fielded from the palace. Mitsuha was sympathetic to the request; as the regent of the kingdom, Princess Remia needed to boost morale and increase her popularity with the citizens.
Politicians have it hard.
Mitsuha climbed into one of the helicopters. The rotor was already spinning, ready for takeoff. By the time they arrived at their destination, the imperial army should be just about setting up camp for the night.
All right, jump!
“Appear!”
“WHOAAA!!”
They were greeted by a thunderous cry of bewilderment in the palace courtyard.
“What the hell?!” Mitsuha exclaimed. Princess Remia had invited a crowd of civilians into the royal palace.
Mitsuha had told the princess that no one needed to be there because she and the divine soldiers were going to sortie as soon as they appeared. Despite her warning, it seemed the princess had decided to open a section of the palace grounds to make a spectacle of the divine soldiers’ appearance.
At least she kept the courtyard clear as I asked. There could’ve been a gory accident when I jumped the helicopters. I don’t even want to think about the sight of bodies colliding and melding on a molecular level with the choppers.
Well, I know for a fact that that won’t happen…according to the nugget of information the spiritual being crammed into my brain. But a soldier or guard could’ve mistaken one of the choppers for a monster and attacked us or did a hooray in celebration at the coming of the divine soldiers only to get their arms chopped off by the rotor… Any number of tragedies could’ve occurred.
Eh, whatever. At least Princess Remia didn’t ignore my orders to keep the courtyard clear.
Mitsuha glanced toward a group of people who appeared to be members of the royal palace and spotted the princess waving at her.
Let’s do this!
She grabbed a microphone, switched the radio’s frequency to UHF, and shouted at the helicopter team: