Manhattan Project
If we’re going by my past life, this would be the project that brought together the wrath of a thousand nations into one—yes, you guessed it—the development of the atomic bomb.
The moment humanity birthed a weapon to destroy itself.
“I am become d*ath, destroyer of worlds…”
Now, obviously, in this world, none of that can happen. Magic has skyrocketed in complexity, but alas, science still has a long way to go. You don’t just conjure splitting atoms here. It’s like saying baking bread could blow up a continent. There’s definitely no pressing a button to unleash mushroom clouds in this universe.
Still, that didn’t stop me from borrowing the name Manhattan Project. Big explosions that utterly crush your enemies sound pretty awesome, don’t they?
[A magical carpet bombing that rivals—or surpasses—the might of anything we’ve seen so far. Condensing that kind of magic took astronomical funding, manpower, and countless trial-and-error sessions.]
“I’ve heard the progress has been fluctuating—improving, then declining, in loops.”
[Since the front lines have eased up a bit, research has kicked back into gear. Truth be told, it’s all thanks to the Chief of Staff, right from the start to now. Really, without their keen oversight, we’d still be fumbling in the dark.]
“Not at all! This is hardly my doing. The team involved deserves all the credit, not me.”
Oh please. You might wield a sword decently, and yeah, you’ve got some brains in that head of yours, but magic? Magic gives you trouble like a stubborn horse refusing to budge. Even the sharpest tactician might choke on this sorcery business.
So, when I named this project, I envisioned a spell so powerful it could flatten entire regions—far beyond anything seen before. Of course, at the time, I wasn’t sure if it was even possible. I just figured, “Hey, if our Empire can pull this off, imagine the deterrent effect on future wars.”
And wow, the magicians who made this vision plausible? Hats off to them. They deserve every ounce of respect.
”Ah, now I see. That’s why the Ministry of Magic and the Treasury flipped their lids when I suggested assigning additional magicians to the Concentrated Unit team.”
Exactly. We’ve already poured countless resources into the magicians working on the Manhattan Project. And now I wanted to reallocate some of the best ones—not rookies, mind you—to the specialized unit? If I were Minister of Magic, I’d have been shaking the guy by the collar too.
[Imagine this. If our Empire truly wanted to assassinate, say, the King of Dedolant, we’d make a grand announcement to the entire world: “Anyone who dares oppose the Empire without this magic won’t stand a chance.”]
For context, this project’s current state is nowhere near my past-life’s atomic bombs. If I had to draw a comparison, it would be something like… uh… well, I’ve never seen a nuclear explosion in person before, but let’s just say it’s weaker than Fat Man and Little Boy. Think more like, “Oh, we wiped out a single castle city, no big deal.”
But don’t let that fool you. The destructive power here is still nothing to sneeze at. In this world, leveling a castle with one strike? That’s your Fat Man and Little Boy right there.
“Your Highness Crown Princess, your decision is appreciated, but I must remind you that this project may not be accurate enough or safe enough for battle conditions. Worse, innocent lives might be caught in the chaos.”
True, I’d love to use it wherever the enemy gathers, but doing so usually puts our troops in an awkward position. Plus, fires or smoke could easily harm our side too. It’s much better suited for fortresses and castles.
And of course, even though we aim for military targets, regular Dedolant Kingdom civilians might get caught in the crossfire as well.
[Chief of Staff, I believe that in war, there are no innocents, don’t you agree?]
“Gah… Yes, sir.”
[If we wanted to offer mercy, we should have done so ages ago. Now that Dedolant is in such dire straits, why would we extend kindness? Unless they beg us first.]
Exactly. As the Crown Princess herself stated, there’s no reason left. They started all this mess. If they’re crying for mercy now, they’re simply too late. Showing compassion might even send the wrong message.
[The War Room reported that, at this rate, the war may drag on past the year.]
“However, Paelus has surrendered and agreed to disclose Dedolant’s Secret Supply Depots. With this information, we may expedite the end.”
[Do you think Dedolant will cave just because they’re hungry? Let’s be real here.]
“Unlikely, sir. While the rank-and-file may feel the strain, the command structure likely won’t break so easily.”
True. If hunger were enough to force surrender, it’d have happened by now. For all we know, they might strip their own citizens of every single potato and leave them to starve. They could plunder everything they’ve seized from occupied Dugal territory and let the kingdom rot.
A desperate bunch will do anything to survive, even if it costs others their lives.
[The progress isn’t entirely fruitless. Reports indicate the Ministry of Magic has reached the initial set goals. However, the spells remain dangerously unstable, with a significant risk of catastrophic backfire during use.]
“So the remaining focus shifts from potency to stability.”
[We need to finalize this before winter sets in. Until then, break through every defensive line they’ve got, forcing their reserves to mass-protect their capital city. Chief of Staff.]
Elsewhere…
The purge in Benito is going smoothly. There were hiccups early on, but they’ve diminished as more factions realize clinging to the Empire is their only chance of survival.
As for Artria… sigh. Ugh, those stubborn fools. Despite Charlotte’s relentless efforts and our fierce warrior Kaya tearing through them like a lioness, nobody seems willing to talk surrender.
Apparently, Dedolant has cracked down hard, severing all dissenters. Any possibility of negotiated surrender has been obliterated. They’ve painted themselves into a corner where resistance is the only option. And somehow, their soldiers genuinely believe we’re demonic monsters with horns sprouting from our heads.
“WHAT in the world have you people been doing out there?!”
“…”
Yeah, no excuses.
Paelus, red-faced, looks shamefully at the floor. Even he seems embarrassed by the current state of affairs.
“Hmph. As I said before, Dedolant maintains five main supply depots. More could exist, but unlikely given the current state.”
“Can we rule out the possibility that they’ve relocated their depots?”
“Not easily. Unless they’ve abandoned active theaters, moving would draw instant attention from Imperial scouts. They’re too exposed now.”
Valid point. With the capital so close, we’ve beefed up reconnaissance forces. Monitoring Dedolant’s movements is easier than ever.
“The original plan was to distribute supplies directly to castles and fortresses. However, logistics proved too cumbersome, and there was fear that opening depot doors during resupply might expose vulnerable positions.”
“So instead, they set up these hidden supply caches near the fortresses.”
“Indeed. But beware: only Dedolant’s most elite soldiers—and those most indoctrinated into the ‘glory’ of the Deo Ethnic Group—are stationed there.”
Makes sense. Why station unreliable, subpar troops there? Plus, having elites guarding those caches is a bonus. Now it’s time for us to flex a bit.
“General, you don’t need to personally oversee this mission.”
“I wish to observe the situation closely. It’s been too long since I’ve seen the front lines.”
The great Cao Cao himself led the charge against Yuan Shao’s granaries, right? When the stakes are high, boosting morale matters. Of course, I won’t be wielding a sword like that overzealous Mengde. Strategists belong at the rear, analyzing situations.
“Hmm. Aide.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Will Her Highness let this slide if she finds out about my little excursion?”
“…”
You know what, it’s fine. Our loyal aide acknowledges there’s no stopping me. I’ve kept this trip a secret from the Princess for now. She’ll figure it out soon enough, I’m sure, but no use fretting.
A year of paperwork in the rear has driven me stir-crazy. Time to change that!
“Our goal is not plundering—it’s complete annihilation. We’ll hit them with surprise attacks and pyromancy. Commanders, ensure the troops remain disciplined and focused.”
With broad directives issued, I hand off the specifics to my Legion Commander. This attack must take out two supply depots simultaneously. If they won’t yield, then perhaps hunger will force their hand.
“Commencing the attack.”
As the general retreats, I glance sideways at Paelus. He tries to look composed, but there’s a palpable sadness lurking beneath the surface. Hard to blame him; no matter how corrupted Dedolant became, he still shares ties with those soldiers.
“Commander Paelus, I want to make one thing clear: this isn’t your fault. Dedolant’s mistakes belong to those who refused to acknowledge their failures and instead embraced madness.”
Paelus gives a small, awkward smile of gratitude.
And that day, our Imperial Army succeeded in erasing not one, but two of Dedolant’s secret supply caches from existence.
