Volume 3 Chapter 16 Mission
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The fixed-wing drone climbed into the night sky over the Imperial capital. I circled it once overhead. With almost no wind, the flight was stable and looked clean. As I shifted focus to the drone’s feed, Second Lieutenant Sarah showed up next to me without a word, took my hand, and opened the telepathic link.
”Kenze, are you alright?” Sarah asked, her voice clipped and professional.
I thought she’d only touched me to share the drone’s video feed, but through the link, she was asking something else entirely.
”It seems what happened in Uju is still sitting on me,” I replied, my voice coming out flatter than I intended.
Ever since that day, she’d been acting strange—coddling the kids one minute, then getting clingy and pouring her heart out the next. She’d even begged to swap night watch shifts, only to spend the whole night holding my hand. That wasn’t like her at all.
Kenze had been unstable ever since we talked about her hometown and that warrior who’d had his ears cut off. Her whole manner had shifted, and whenever I pushed her for answers, she’d dodge or give me empty, vague replies.
When we were on watch together, she’d asked if we could raise another egg once we got back to Schweilitz.
”It’s fine, but we’ll be sent to the New Continent in a year. Are you sure about that?” I asked.
”Yeah,” Kenze replied, her tone warm and grounded, with that rustic edge. “In the New Continent, we can have lots of sex, lay eggs, and build a village.”
Apparently, sex triggers ovulation for Amazonesses. But once the eggs hatch, the young need nursing to grow. Looking at her in the middle of child-rearing, I couldn’t see how she’d raise enough kids to build a village.
”Building a village is fine, but I can’t settle in the New Continent,” I said. “I have to bring back rubber, chili peppers, and pumpkin seeds.”
I reminded her that going to the New Continent was also a mission.
”Oh. Right,” she murmured, her voice losing its edge. “You have a home to go back to, don’t you.”
Was it possible Kenze wanted to marry me? But we were different species, and besides, I was a piece of trash with three wives and two mistresses who’d already had my kids. Nothing but misery waited if we ended up together.
Kenze wasn’t the type to miss something like that. Talking about her hometown must have hurt, but I wished she’d at least tell me. I felt angry at myself for being useless, for not being able to help her.
With Robert the Intelligence Officer gone from Uju, only Pamela and Kenze were left who could speak Rus. She was pulled in every direction—procurement, gathering intelligence, always needed. The others were worried too, because Kenze had never been the type to waver before.
”Second Lieutenant Sarah,” I projected.
”What?” she answered, military-sharp.
”During this mission, if something happens to me, could you look after Kenze so she doesn’t do anything stupid?”
She had kids, so I didn’t think she’d follow me into the grave, but I was afraid she might do something irreversible on impulse. If that happened, Pamela couldn’t stop her.
”If I’m still alive by then,” she replied.
A wave of loneliness pulsed through the Lieutenant’s mind, then pulled back just as fast.
”If that happened, Louise would kill me,” she added, her tone sharpening. “Don’t say stupid things. I won’t let a boy like you die.”
Lieutenant Louise. I hadn’t seen her in a while, but I figured she was still working hard in South Bohemia or Straba Province.
”We’re approaching the Viscount’s Palace,” she commanded.
At Second Lieutenant Sarah’s prompt, I focused. There was no moonlight. But the air was so clear that starlight alone gave us enough to see by.
The current trend in Viscount’s Palace architecture—not just in the Empire of Rus—favored flat, blank designs, avoiding balconies or ledges that Golems could climb. This building was that type: three or four stories shaped like a square ‘U’, each side about a hundred meters long. Even with no ledges, it was Romanesque—wide walls, very few windows, and heavy curtains blocking any view inside.
”At this rate, breaking through the Palace walls with the Golems is going to be a real pain,” I muttered.
It looked sturdy enough that even destroying one section would be a huge job.
”There,” Sarah pointed.
A building next to the U-shaped Palace was leaking bright, intense light.
That building looked older than the Palace. I couldn’t be sure, but its roof was covered in copper plating and seemed pretty flat. The walls were stone, and I guessed the ceiling wasn’t vaulted but built from wooden planks.
As I guided the drone closer, the door facing the garden opened, and two middle-aged men came out. They were holding what looked like beer mugs. Maybe trying to sober up—one sat on a bench, the other sprawled on the ground.
I dropped the drone to extremely low altitude to peer through the open door, and sure enough, there was a party going on inside.
”This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, isn’t it?” I suggested.
”The two outside don’t look like much, but I saw some high-ranking types inside,” Sarah said, her voice firm. “I wouldn’t count on this party happening again tomorrow.”
Second Lieutenant Sarah and I agreed completely.
”The only thing left is whether we can convince our leader, Onhart. That man can’t make a decision to save his life.”
We thought to each other while scanning for a way into the Palace. Because it sat on a steep cliff above the river, there were almost no defenses around the perimeter, but finding a good landing spot was hard. Finally, we found two places where Second Lieutenant Sarah’s Golems might be able to climb, and we drew up the plan.
We would move the wagon carrying the Golems from where we were parked, along the crescent-shaped lake, down to the Dnieper River. At the riverbank, we’d deploy the Golems from under the cargo bed, have them grab the prepared rucksacks, and cross. The river was about two hundred meters wide, with a current weak enough that we’d only get swept about fifty meters downstream before reaching the other side.
The opposite bank was a deep pool at the bottom of a cliff. We would stay in the water and move upstream about a hundred and fifty meters along the cliff base, then climb the route I’d found with the drone. Once we reached the top, we’d cross the fifty-meter garden in front of the Palace to the building where the party was happening. We’d peel back the copper roof, smash through the ceiling, grab some hostages, stuff them in the rucksacks, and bring them back. For the return trip, we could climb down the cliff from further upstream, cross the river, and end up close to where we started.
”By my estimate, twenty minutes,” I said.
The Golems’ effective control range was five hundred meters, and their operating time was thirty minutes. The plan gave us plenty of safety margin for both time and distance.
I swapped out the Amber for the next flight, and the Second Lieutenant went to convince Onhart. Meanwhile, the female engineers—disguised as maids—started scrambling around.
”Hey, isn’t this too rushed?” Thomas asked, coming over after seeing the spot.
I told him the Golems we brought weren’t strong enough to destroy the main Palace building itself. But the party building was easier to wreck, and we’d confirmed that people of high status were inside.
”True, it’s not like we know when the next party there will be,” he admitted.
Sarah might mock him as a muscle-head, but he was an officer, and he seemed to get the situation.
”But still, what if the roof doesn’t peel back?”
I sighed. “We have to judge by the outside. Do you have any other way to check?”
”I don’t, but look around. The horses and the people are both exhausted.”
Even so, if we missed this chance, we’d have to leave empty-handed—or worse, get caught. This middle-aged man (actually thirty-one) might be more level-headed than I gave him credit for.
”Larry, we’re going,” Sarah called.
Second Lieutenant Sarah came back and called out to me. I didn’t ask how she’d convinced Onhart. I thought Sarah was a lot more forceful than Thomas, but as long as we got the result, that was fine.
We climbed into the cargo wagon and moved along the shore of the crescent lake.
”With this, we can go home,” she said.
I didn’t know the local saying for “counting your chickens before they hatch,” but it didn’t matter. I just wanted to grab at least one person and make it back. If we did that, I could avoid the death penalty and spend my time playing to my heart’s content at Adolf-san’s shop.
”Still, Onhart is such an idiot.”
The Second Lieutenant seemed like she wanted to talk, but I could guess what she’d say next without hearing it, so I changed the subject.
”Second Lieutenant Sarah, what will you do when we get back?”
”Well, who knows,” she replied, her voice losing its hard edge. “I’m at a good age, so I’ll have no choice but to start husband-hunting.”
It was a little strange to take someone whose face was covered in piercings seriously when they talked about getting a husband.
”Hey, on the way back, why don’t we go through Kiridal? Then you could see Louise too, Larry.”
Going through enemy territory with hostages was way too dangerous, no matter how you looked at it.
”Is there some benefit to that?” I asked.
”Well, you know, if there are any handsome guys among the prisoners of war, I can force them to marry me by offering to save them.”
”Force them to marry me,” my foot. The prisoners would be too pitiful.
”Is it that funny?” she asked, watching me.
I shook my head left and right to be safe while Second Lieutenant Sarah stared at me.
”See? The five reserve Granny soldiers who fought with you, Larry. That’s how all of them got married.”
Seriously? I’d thought they were just dependable old ladies. So that was their dark history. That was why they had nowhere to go. I’d felt sorry for them, but I guessed they’d brought it on themselves.
Wait, though. They quit the military to raise kids, right?
Well, I’d leave their marriage stories for another time. We were arriving at the banks of the Dnieper River.
”Alright, time to work,” Sarah stated.
Second Lieutenant Sarah patted me on the back and stepped into the cargo wagon.
I flew the drone—with a fresh Amber—to make sure no one was watching. I could see guards in the cliff-top Palace garden, but it was dark, and they weren’t on high alert. I scanned the surrounding bushes and embankments. All clear.
I signaled to the engineers in their maid outfits. With a clatter, the bottom of the cargo wagon opened, and the vibrations of moving Golems echoed through the ground. Second Lieutenant Sarah climbed onto the wagon, wearing her remote-control helmet.
”Alright, here we go,” she signaled.
She grabbed my hand, and a burst of excitement flooded through our telepathic link. I sent the drone climbing up about a hundred meters to look down on where Sarah and I stood. As the Golems emerged from under the wagon, they straightened their bent joints into humanoid shape, slung the massive rucksacks over their shoulders, and stepped slowly into the river.
The Golems moved with extreme caution, careful not to splash.
The water was shallower than I’d expected. I was able to walk through a third of the river before the massive forms began swimming toward the opposite bank.
”The start is going well,” I said.
Perhaps because she was so focused, or maybe due to the distance, there was no reply from the Second Lieutenant through the link. Once she reached the other side, the Golem kept its body submerged and started moving upstream.
”The rocks are more slippery than I thought,” she signaled.
It wasn’t just the telepathy—waves of panic bled through the link. The rocks she was reaching for were slicker than expected, making it impossible to advance as planned.
”What do you want to do? Should we go back and just walk up the bank?” I asked.
”No, the current is too fast there, it’ll only make things harder. I’m going to push a little further,” she replied.
She was right. If we headed upstream, the riverbank would narrow and the current would get stronger. Plus, the opposite bank wouldn’t be the Viscount’s Palace anymore, but the city itself—more risk of being spotted.
The Second Lieutenant took her time, checking each foothold, and her progress was much slower than I’d planned. The delay gnawed at me. I held still anyway.
We reached the climbing point more than five minutes behind schedule.
Sarah—the Second Lieutenant—climbed onto a stepping stone and brought the Golem to a halt, waiting for the water to drain from its body and backpack. Then, like a professional bouldering competitor, she scaled the cliff face in one go.
She cleared the final stretch with a leap that made her seem to float, and the moment she landed in the Viscount’s Palace garden, she broke into a dash. The guards spotted her, but she didn’t care anymore.
She ran, scraping past the edge of the U-shaped palace, then clung to the wall, dropped the backpack, and ripped off the blue copper roof in one motion—tearing through the wooden ceiling beneath. She hoisted herself up, rested her stomach on the exposed wall edge, and tore away the remaining timber and ceiling.
Screams and police whistles echoed all the way to the riverbank.
From inside the building, she grabbed people and shoved them into the pack. She did it twice, even though once should have been enough.
By then, dozens of guards had finally gathered, but it was too late. The Golem dashed away from the scene.
Taking another route slightly upstream, she descended as if sliding down, then dove into the river with a splash. As expected of a former Golem Battalion Commander, she swam back with masterful piloting skills.
The Golem climbed onto the riverbank with the backpack in hand and lay prone. The engineers—the maids—swapped the depleted Amber for fresh, charged units, while Pamela and Thomas crawled into the backpack as planned. I launched the fixed-wing drone and watched from above until the last possible moment.
The Viscount’s Palace was still in chaos, and the guards couldn’t coordinate or form any kind of order. The confusion hadn’t reached the city yet, and there was no sign the Imperial Capital’s gates would close.
Eventually, sensing the Amber’s limit, I recalled the fixed-wing drone.
Meanwhile, the Golem with the fresh Amber had returned beneath the cargo vehicle. The hostages—knocked unconscious by Pamela and stripped naked—were wrapped in blankets like mummies and carried out of the backpack. Four of them? I thought we were only supposed to have three at most.
Onhart’s carriage arrived, and he collected the mummified hostages. I climbed into the cargo vehicle with the fixed-wing drone in my arms.
From the riverbank, Kenze led on horseback, followed by Onhart’s carriage, then the carriage I usually rode in, then the cargo vehicle I was in with Second Lieutenant Sarah. Finally, Thomas served as the rearguard on his horse.
From here on out, it was a flight for survival. In the moving carriage, I swapped the Amber in the fixed-wing drone and launched it again to check the surroundings.
When I climbed and looked at the Viscount’s Palace, the army was mobilizing faster than I’d imagined. Cavalry, infantry, and cargo wagons were already lining up.
It was three kilometers from the Viscount’s Palace to the city garrison, and another four kilometers from there to the North Gate. They would likely replenish their troops at the garrison.
We were heading upstream along the embankment, and in about a kilometer, we would cross the military road that ran east to west across the north of the Imperial Capital.
We eventually crossed the military road. Maybe because it was night, the wide road was completely empty. Looking left, I saw a large stone bridge crossing the Dnieper River.
When I returned to the drone’s feed, a ridiculous number of cavalrymen were pouring out of the Imperial Capital’s North Gate. They were heading north toward the military road.
”This many troops—the Golems don’t stand a chance,” Sarah said.
”Do you think our lives will be spared if we raise a white flag?” I asked.
”Are you an idiot? Do you really think His Majesty is the type to pay a ransom?” she replied.
”Then…” I trailed off.
”There’s nothing we can do. It’s either head-lopping or slavery,” she said coldly.
Ah, I shouldn’t have accepted this mission. If I’d known this would happen, I shouldn’t have gone to the Magic School in the first place.
Just as I thought that, the Goddess of Fate smiled on us. The Rus cavalry reached the intersection but didn’t turn left—they continued straight along the military road.
”Hahahaha,” I laughed, the tension leaving my body.
But the world wasn’t that sweet. A dozen or so of the cavalry turned and headed straight for us.
”Larry, fly ahead and see if there’s anywhere we can intercept them,” Sarah commanded.
”What is that?” I asked.
”A pack of Al-miraj,” she noted.
”Are there any Red-Eyed Wolves nearby?” I asked.
”Wait a second,” she replied.
”No Red-Eyed Wolves, but there are some grey, bear-like things,” I said.
”Bear-Forest-Cats, huh? It might be worth a try,” she muttered.
Second Lieutenant Sarah took off the helmet used to control the Golem, handed it to me, and jumped onto one of the spare horses running alongside the cargo vehicle.
”Sorry, pass me a spear,” she requested.
I pulled a spear from the back of the coachman’s stand and handed it to her as she pulled her horse close to our wagon, then she surged forward.
Sarah did a U-turn and plunged her spear into the Bear-Forest-Cat’s forehead as she rode past. The carriage barely cleared them as it sped by.
The other Bear-Forest-Cat started chasing the Second Lieutenant. She circled wide through the wasteland to get near the dead carcass, then leaned so far she almost fell from her horse and snatched the arrow and spear from the carcass in a split second.
”That’s some serious skill,” I thought.
When I flew the fixed-wing drone again, the remaining ten riders were on their way back with the Bear-Forest-Cat fur and meat.
”Life is precious, isn’t it?” the Second Lieutenant muttered as she watched the approaching cavalry, and then she let out a whistle.
The soldier who had caught up with us was shouting something in Rus.
Just as Pamela appeared from the lead carriage and started to talk, both were struck down by Kenze’s arrows.
”Snow?” Kenze whispered, stopping her hand. Large, fluffy snowflakes were falling in clumps from the pitch-black darkness.
”This is going to pile up,” Thomas said, looking up at the sky with resentment.
—
Summary:
The unit prepares to infiltrate the Viscount’s Palace near the Dnieper River to capture hostages for the mission. Tensions rise as they deal with the unstable behavior of Kenze and the lack of decisiveness from their leader, Onhart. They decide to exploit a party happening at an adjacent, older building to complete their objective before returning to their home territory.
The group executes a daring escape from the Imperial Capital after a high-stakes infiltration of the Viscount’s Palace. They navigate treacherous terrain and evade pursuers by utilizing environmental hazards like local wildlife to their advantage. They manage to shake the majority of the pursuing cavalry, but the onset of heavy snow complicates their already precarious flight.
—
Trivia:
The protagonist holds a significant number of wives and mistresses back home.
Amazoness biology involves sexual intercourse as a stimulant for ovulation, followed by the need for nursing during child-rearing.
The current Viscount’s Palace architecture is designed specifically to prevent Golem infiltration by being flat and featureless.
The five reserve soldiers mentioned by Sarah were all married through the practice of forcing prisoners of war to marry them in exchange for being saved.
The Golems require Amber for operation and Mana content management is a critical factor.
Sarah demonstrates high-level athletic and combat prowess, indicating her background as a Major Sonya subordinate.
The group’s survival relies heavily on the protagonist’s aerial surveillance with the fixed-wing drone.
The local wildlife, specifically Al-miraj and Bear-Forest-Cats, plays a pivotal role in creating tactical distractions.
The escape route involves crossing military roads and navigating the Dnieper River toward distant borders.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Sarah – A heavily pierced Elf Mage and Second Lieutenant who commands the Magic Corps and manages specialized engineering labor, including golems. Identifiable by her facial piercings, pointed ears, and long dark hair, she is a skilled boulderer, pilot, and disciplined tactical coordinator. Though cold, pragmatic, and contemptuous of army leadership under Major Sonya, she keeps Kenze restrained.
• Sara – A woman with numerous gold piercings in her ears, eyebrows, and nose, often wearing thick, aggressive makeup. She serves as the Second Lieutenant and Commander of the First Company.
• Kenze – A muscular, agile former Tashkurgan intelligence agent wearing a niqab and slave crest, Denis is a skilled archer, negotiator, and gear crafter. Traumatized by her homeland’s ruin and Boltechino, she is emotionally unstable and fiercely attached to her master Earnest, the protagonist, and Larry. She nurses her infant, sleeps with Pamela, hates Southern Amazons, and is currently left at the collapsed bridge.
• Pamela – An arrogant yet composed petite Elven Mage, academy student, and Earnest’s former slave who serves as the protagonist’s primary wife and loyal companion alongside Kenze, Larry, and Robert. Under white Gothic Lolita fashion and a glove, she hides her ears, a slave crest, and a festering wound. As a calm Arsenal Bureau resident, mediator, and interpreter with high magical aptitude, strong mana control, and memory manipulation abilities, she handles town social analysis, logistics, and powerful offensive or healing spells.
• Robert – An intelligence officer fluent in Pannonian and Rus, son of Helbert Ougen-Sigmund. He serves as an amiable intermediary and valet for the caravan leader, though tasked with briefing His Majesty at the Royal Capital. Clad in a short winter dress and wool tights, the captain faces heavy scrutiny over his department’s failures while managing relationships with locals and superiors alike.
• Louise – A South Bohemia Lieutenant and Magic Armored Division member who operates a top-tier Golem, setting an operational baseline for the protagonist. Reminiscent of Elga, she is expecting the protagonist’s child, taught him a military salute, and provides poll tax war exemption info.
• Roman – The Roman family name, carried by Louise. The lineage oversees a barony characterized by thin soil and a history of glacial weight, primarily sustained through sheep farming and recently established salt and sugar industries.
• Onhart – Tall, stern, and pragmatic, Onhart von Lothringen is a Duke’s eldest son, third in line to the Schuberitz throne, and a Lieutenant Colonel leading the traveling party. To hide his identity, he acts as Roberto de Calimen, a caravan leader and acting father figure to the protagonist. Knowledgeable and authoritative, he manages rear-carriage hostages and logistics while coordinating with Schuberitz.
• Amber – A source of Mana powering the Golems.
• Thomas – Thomas Bauer is a hulking, middle-aged Bizan Major, mercenary, and scout hired by Earnest. Bearing a wrestler build, red face, scalp burns, and a suspended death sentence, he serves as a blunt, pragmatic coachman and spear-wielding cavalry commander. While stoic and protective, his poor discipline makes him directionally challenged and careless. He envies the protagonist’s closer relationships.
• Larry – A 14-year-old Japanese reincarnated soldier, genius dueling champion, and cynical academy professor from Strock Village who resembles infant Griselda. Married to Marie, he designs drones and coilguns, manages prisoner captivity to clear debts, and acts as Pamela’s magical combat companion. Navigating a perilous journey with his party, this practical survivor hides deep vulnerability beneath his duties.
• Adolf – The polite yet dangerous behind-the-scenes boss of the Viscounty of Bizan runs a central shop the protagonist and Lieutenant Colonel frequent. Dressed in high-quality luxury clothing, this proprietor operates an intelligence hub and maintains crucial connections with powerful mercenaries, positioning themselves at the heart of regional events and ensuring the protagonist’s desired return.
• Al – Alberto (Al), a massive red‑haired man recently wed to Mary, lives near the Dish Basin. He’s a companion of Hans, helping intimidate and rally elders as a villager and leader.
• Commander – A man leading the mercenary press-gang at the south gate.
• His Majesty – The King of the realm possesses an expressionless, Noh mask-like face, rarely showing emotion except for brief amusement during trials. He holds absolute authority over the kingdom, presiding over high-level deliberations, giving the final word on legal transitions like duels, and maintaining supreme command over all military missions and strategic troop deployments.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• Sonya – Major Sonya is a sharp-eared, petite yet muscular elven Major commanding the Magic Armored Division. Celebrated for leading the 101st Golem Battalion against the Amazoness, she is a top-tier Golem pilot whose power benchmarks the protagonist. While formally a cheerful talent scout, she hides a cruel, sadistic “gal” persona, using mind-reading and painful mana injections to toy with him.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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