“One of the darkest realities of existence, I believe, is that virtue alone cannot win fights. Does everything awful perhaps stem from that fact? Is it an excuse then to abandon virtue to win a fight?”

- Excerpt from Lieutenant Hans Hoffman’s Journal Entries.

+++

+++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++

Rousselot City

“Men, present arms!” Musketeers in blueish uniforms stepped forward, all human, all wearing the same brown hats with feathers on top. Heavy matchlock muskets were placed by their users on their musket rests, as slow matches (slow-burning chords used for ignition) burned ever so slowly on their guns.

“Take aim!” Then they began aiming at the targets in the courtyard.

“Fire!” The cracks of gunpowder echoed through the garrison’s courtyard, as they looked away. White plumes filled the air, as their targets, mere straws designed to look like humans, around a hundred meters from their firing positions, were pelted down.

Hans clapped. That was certainly a fine display of marksmanship for men using ancient weapons.

“Bravo, bravo,” Hans said. “That was damned good.”

The man beside him, Captain Strobel, who was watching the early morning drills of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment cracked a laugh as Hans complimented his men. “Indeed. It’s nice that officers, even from a far-off land, understand the importance of daily drills. This costs a lot of gunpowder, but boy, it is worth it when the fight happens. Especially with the speeds of those demons.”

Hans nodded. “I believe that to be true. Training and preparedness are of utmost importance. Next to experience and logistical wellness.”

“Indeed,” Captain Strobel turned around. “You’re a man well-versed in military theory, no?”

“I believe yes, Captain,” Hans replied. “Your men. They stand in lines for volume fire, don’t they?”

“Indeed…” Captain Strobel said. “It’s the current standard of warfare for the Imperium. And I suppose for the Republic before we defeated their scrawny arses. A line of musketeers would act as one’s long-range weapon. Felting terrifying firepower until the enemy retreats. Then, should they charge forward, we have pikemen to defend them.”

Hans nodded. He understood how pike and shot warfare happened due to officer school. It was essentially the closest to rock-paper-scissors in warfare, some said. Pikemen were the best defense against cavalry, but they were vulnerable to musket fire. Musketeers were best against pikemen, but cavalry would absolutely decimate them without pikemen. And pikemen were always defense against cavalry, but again, partially useless against musketeers.

Pikemen defeat cavalry.

Cavalry defeat musketeers.

Musketeers defeat pikemen.

Of course, the reality on the battlefield was always different, especially with the addition of artillery, but it still fascinated Hans. Modern warfare was greatly detached from warfare of the past, but this…he was seeing early gunpowder warfare right before his eyes. The great grandfather of firearms-based warfare, pike-and-shot warfare, wherein artillery and shot weaponry began reigning the battlefield—was in front of him.

“The problem is, we haven’t been able to fully develop the best tactics against those demons…” Captain Strobel said. “We’re still scratching the surface of their very nature. Their power is terrifying, they killed many already and devastated the continent, but we haven’t been able to fully form a counter to them.”

The drill officers pulled another rank of musketeers forward, ordering them the same—present, take aim, then fire—filling the air with more white gunpowder smoke as the cracks of their fire reverberated through the city. Hans nodded in understanding to Captain Strobel.

“When did they even appear?”

“Demonic entities have been rumored for centuries prior,” Captain Strobel said. “Hell, the far-eastern lands, the edge of civilization, is said to be filled with such monsters that the Imperial Mage Corps had always kept at bay until the Great Wall of the East was constructed. But they were rarely reported. That changed five years ago, they began appearing, sporadically in mankind’s lands. One year ago…this entire thing turned into an infestation.”

Another volley of musket fire boomed through the courtyard as he finished his explanation. The drill officers ordered the rank that fired to go back behind, as the next rank advanced forward, planting their musket rests on the dirt as the officers ordered “Present!”.

“So…that’s why you people called it…the Great Infestation Crisis?” Hans asked as Captain Strobel nodded.

“Mhm…unfortunately, that’s only a word we grunt on the ground use. The Imperial Government refuses to even recognize this problem. Fools I say. Even the pompously greedy wankers of the Imperial Ygeia Company recognize it and hire mercenaries to deal with it.”

“To be fair…it seems that the devastation these things bring is going to cause a dent in their money.”

“Well, it sure as hell would make a big dent in the Empress’ coffers when her continent loses its people,” another crack of musket fire volley punctuated his statement. “That’s why we’re drilling hard today. We’re going to be hunting one of the bastards. Unlike those at the top, we’re out here protecting the people.”

“Are you…from here, Ygeia?”

“No, I’m from the Principality of Exousia. I was deployed here a decade ago to keep the peace on our newly conquered lands,” he breathed in deeply. “I still serve that mission. They say us Imperial soldiers are nothing but marauders that loot the lands of those we conquer. Hah, bastards, my men ain’t just some landschneckt mercenaries paid to skewer babies with their zweihänders, we’re out here serving the Empress and the mission she gave us. Keep the peace.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“And that’s what the 4th does?”

“Yep. Ever since this entire thing started, we’ve been in charge of protecting the County of Rousselot. Though, of course, lamentably, most of the ‘protecting’ is being done by paid landschneckte. Still, we hunt the bastards best, I think. And we keep them off this city.”

“I see then…” Hans said. “Do you think you stand a chance?”

He took a long time to answer.

“No, we don’t.”

The final volley from his men cracked through the courtyard, as the drill officers finally ended their morning training.

+++

“Our target’s a major problem,” said Father Olbrich. There were four of them in the room now. Adelyn, Hans, Father Olbrich, and of course, Captain Strobel. They were now discussing the demonic entity they would target starting today.

“We call it the ‘Rodent of Pestilence’, fitting for a creature that resembles that of a massive rat, and spreads a strange disease of sorts…”

“Disease?”

“Yes, indeed,” Father Olbrich said. “The creature has now devastated six villages. Two major towns. Thousands dead. We’ve been unable to deal with it yet, but that’s the scale it has done. And we only have two companies of the 4th Holy Ygeia Regiment to deal with it that we can rapidly deploy."

“Can’t leave Rousselot unguarded after all,” Captain Strobel said. “Even with the city garrison.”

“Indeed. The Countess, naturally, wants this thing gone from her lands. Everyone is in agreement with that. It will be a disaster if it reaches Rousselot while we are still preparing our defenses. And it'd be devastating if it continued running around the countryside,” Father Olbrich continued.

“Wait,” Hans interrupted. “Why isn’t the Imperial Ygeia Company sending mercenaries then? Isn’t this a major port city?”

“Oh, that’s true, but technically, we are behind walls. More importantly, it has not reached this city ever since it appeared. The Company doesn’t care about some lost towns and villages in an already remote county. They’ll only send people if that thing threatens the port here.”

“Not that they’d be able to stop it,” Captain Strobel added. “Rumors say they haven’t even killed three of the bastards. They celebrate too much after killing one, that they think we have everything to fight them all along.”

“They’re overconfident,” Father Olbrich said. “Thus, the task falls to us.”

“Have the 4th ever met that thing?” Adelyn asked.

Captain Strobel nodded.

“Yes, we have, but an entire company was wiped out. A hundred men. They only managed to wound it with concealed artillery. Once. Before it annihilated them. Only three men who escaped managed to report to us.”

“When did that happen?”

“Two weeks ago.”

Both Hans and Adelyn fell silent. That certainly sounded like a massive problem.

“Worse of all…is the disease it spreads. The areas it annihilated seem to be infested with the living dead. They bite and spread their curse. Thus, we have already blocked anyone from going there, and there is a kill-on-sight order for anyone suspected of bites…”

“That sounds horrifying,” Adelyn muttered.

“It is,” Father Olbrich said. “That’s why we have to stop it, now. Before that thing spreads its curse, its disease. We plan to do that by finding it, luring it to flat lands with our cavalry, and surprising it with prepared infantry. After it’s been wounded, we have horse artillery prepared to give it the takedown blow.”

“That’s where you two come in,” Captain Strobel said. “You two…now, will be our horse artillery.”

Father Olbrich nodded. “We are placing faith on those cannons you have. They look impressive. And if that doesn’t work, well, the original plan is still in the works. Do you two have a skill?”

That question made both Adelyn and Hans look at each other until Adelyn answered.

“Um, yes, Father Olbrich. It’s connected to our vehicle. I for one have ‘UPG: Wrath Against Sinners’, it allows me to send special anti-demon rounds from my vehicle’s cannon.”

Captain Strobel raised his eyebrow. “Rounds?”

“Equivalent of your cannonballs in our machines,” Hans quickly answered.

“Captain Wittenstein,” Father Olbrich suddenly spoke up. “The name of that thing. It sounds…almost similar to the skills said to be wielded by the Seven Angels.”

“Seven Angels?”

Captain Strobel turned to Father Olbrich. “Father, come on. Don’t suggest nonsense out of nowhere again. What are you talking about?”

“...Nothing,” Father Olbrich said. “Must just be a coincidence. Regardless, that’s what we face. If you have specialized anti-demon weapons from your ‘system’ skills, then all the better. Perhaps, you would indeed be our weapon in this fight.”

“Thank you?” Adelyn awkwardly replied, almost backing a bit near Hans.

“That’s all for now. You two are dismissed.”

+++

“Like the Seven Angels, huh…” Adelyn mumbled as she and Hans left the room.

“Well, I’d say it fits you. Maybe.”

“You absolute flatterer,” Adelyn crossed her arms. “First of all, while I do admit that I have a halo on top of me now—”

“Well, maybe that’s why our summoner turned you into a Virtus.”

“Don’t break my speech, Lieutenant.” Hans immediately stopped speaking. She definitely looked like a demon about to skewer him now.

“Okay, okay, Captain. Gee, calm down?”

She huffed. “As I was saying, even if I have a halo, I am definitely nowhere near saintly.”

“Mhm.”

“Second of all, why would they turn me into an Angel? That sounds like a big job.”

“Agreed.”

“Third of all…” she stopped. “Don’t you think…that the Virtus, supposed rulers of this continent, aren’t at all acting so…‘saintly’ or ‘angelic’?”

“Perhaps,” Hans said. “I have an inkling that they’re the ones responsible for…what appears to be…hatred of people against Alizée’s race? The Vanus? Hell, have you seen how people here speak of their lord? Just because she’s also a Vanus. We don’t know the full story. But you’re right…they seem fishy…”

“Exactly,” Adelyn nodded to herself. “As such, I absolutely am not like them, okay? In fact, screw this, I’ll treat Alizée to some good stuff. See you.”

Immediately, Adelyn broke off and went straight to the stairs, definitely to the guest rooms. She’d probably spoil the girl again, considering that Father Olbrich already paid them some money for joining in on the mission. Hans sighed.

And she calls herself ‘not an Angel’. He shook his head. Captain Wittenstein, I swear…