I apologize, but I’ve been asleep due to feeling unwell.
An update is scheduled for around 18:00 on August 19, 2024.
Oh boy, I thought I was going to die.
Who would have expected to encounter a “Mobile Weapon Class” Nosferatu?
Since we didn’t have the option to fight that thing head-on, we fled with our tails between our legs, managing to retreat from the battlefield without any casualties.
It seems the enemy also made an emergency launch. The Nosferatu wasn’t ready, its movements sluggish, and it took about five minutes just to get moving, which gave us some room to escape.
It was fortunate that it didn’t chase us all the way out of the valley.
However, the fact that no one has seen one of these before suggests that they haven’t been subjected to any serious attacks, not even ones that prompted their full force being exerted.
We were truly taken aback, especially since the situation was dire towards the end.
“This reconnaissance for firepower turned out to be quite an adventure, didn’t it?”
“I didn’t hear anything about there being five of those things…”
Although we’ve gained a great deal of knowledge, we’re now in a serious predicament. How do we report this to Aurelia?
By the way, how has the Canopy Holy Capital remained safe all this time, even with such a force in reserve?
Even if used alone, while maybe not as powerful as a Giant Dragon — though it didn’t have any weapons equipped — with five machines, it should have been possible to obliterate Canopy Holy Capital’s defenses and enter easily. Furthermore, it should have been possible to destroy it simply by throwing buildings at it continuously.
So why hasn’t the Nosferatu used its full strength to destroy the Canopy Holy Capital until now?
Instead of pushing forward with production models, why does it send out Magius Geanaite as the foot soldiers, despite their tough armor that seems hard to penetrate for knights even in one-on-one combat?
And why does it save the Mobile Weapon Class for the final act?
With these weapons at their disposal, it would take no more than ten days to turn the Canopy Holy Capital into rubble.
[What are you going to do, Chief? Can we take those things down with the “Holy Lance”?]
Ridelberdy seemed to have calmed the warriors and approached with the question, but I shook my head.
It might be possible to destroy them if the Holy Lance fires at full power, given that they lack armor plates. But, if they are equipped with magnetic field generators, we’re finished.
Additionally, even if the Holy Lance has been repaired, the mechanism now shows signs of wear. After firing, it would need three hundred seconds for cooling and reloading. At that rate, we’d probably be crushed before we could fire the second round.
[So, we are to retreat then?]
[We have no choice but to do so. Rushing towards an enemy we cannot defeat is not bravery; it’s suicide.]..
[■■■! The warrior band won’t be disbanded anytime soon.]..
The captain is right. Our time for rest is still far away.
But at least, we’re not returning empty-handed.
Having defeated Nosferatus in quantities measured in the tens of thousands is quite the achievement, and we can now warn of the real danger hidden in the “Valley of Death.”
Most importantly, we have managed to salvage data from the “Corrupted Male Deity.”
This cannot be analyzed until we return to base, but it will surely provide us with valuable information.
“Boy, that was close, huh?”
Removing her helmet, Galatea scratched her short black hair as she approached. She reeked of the sweet-sour sweat peculiar to women and had led the breakthrough during our withdrawal, so I planned to recommend her to Aurelia for first-class honors.
“We weren’t informed about Nosferatus as tall as guardian gods…”
On the other hand, Falken, who had initially been clamoring loudly for battle, now stood with his spirit visibly crushed, gazing off into the horizon, worried sick that the enemy might be catching up.
Rest assured, they won’t chase us. The enemy must have their reasons too. Besides, our land traversing abilities are superior on flat ground. If we go at full speed, we can evade them easily.
“That was good…”
“Yeah, unless they start throwing things at us. Then it would be a different story.”
“…Didn’t you just say something scary?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
I lied without batting an eye and left the Valley of Death behind, leaving behind a large number of bodies for analysis, making our way back to base.
Upon visiting the Canopy Holy Capital en route, we were surprised by the unusually somber atmosphere despite the resumption of food supplies from the south. The dystopian but palatable meals were also circulating, and the reconstruction was progressing. Yet, the mood felt inexplicably gloomy.
While wondering why, I parked the tank in the outskirts—due to its wide width, it couldn’t navigate the main streets—and requested an audience with the Vice-Cardinal via the usher guide, who surprisingly granted it smoothly.
Well, I did get a bit annoyed when the usher’s assistant mentioned the natural racial discrimination that prevents other species from entering the sacred canopy, but the individuals themselves were hesitant, claiming it was “scary to dive into other gods’ bellies,” so I decided to let it slide—albeit barely.
Still, I made sure to memorize their faces and names. If you end up being sent away to a remote area sometime in the future, don’t complain.
“It’s you… How was the Valley of Death?”
After waiting for about a quarter of an hour in the waiting room, I was led to the guest room, where I had to wait an additional five minutes.
Aurelia then arrived looking… well, exhausted beyond measure. Even through her veil, it was evident just how much she had wasted away. She appeared quite worn out indeed.
“Showing you would probably be faster.”
I handed her the small terminal loaded with the first-hand information and detailed combat reports, and without any hesitation, she interfaced with it directly, viewing the battle scenes and reports immediately.
She was visibly taken aback by the size of the massive army and seemed astonished at the emergence of the new model. However, her first comment came as a bit of a surprise.
“…Why is there some sort of propaganda-like editing? It feels almost like a media presentation?”
“Probably because the machine spirits had too much time on their hands.”
Although I couldn’t help but think, “That’s what you’re concerned about?” I decided not to comment. If I had to point out, I would have likely done so myself, so I remained silent. It seems that Selene became obsessed with angles, editing, and even inserted background music into what was initially supposed to be a pure entertainment piece. It was partly out of her own hobby. She loves old media and films, and I suppose she wanted to try her hand at being a director or producer. However, since doing this in an official military report would be frowned upon, she seized the opportunity to test her skills now since no one would criticize her for it.
“The visuals were engaging, but there’s definitely a propagandistic odor to it.”
‘What? I was aiming for pure entertainment!’
Although the partner seemed quite shocked, I let that pass since the overall message was communicated satisfactorily.
“This should ease our concerns about the valley for a while. Honestly, with both knight orders having been destroyed, we didn’t have the manpower to spare for that fortress.”
‘Glad to be of help.’
“But there are a few problems.”
As soon as one issue is resolved, another arises. It’s almost like a software bug that keeps popping up, and it’s quite unpleasant. However, since we’re still using your production facilities here, I can’t ignore this. Prompting her with a wave of my hand to continue, Aurelia hesitated a bit before speaking about the threats emanating from the north and the dragons.
“They’re coming again!?”
“A few small dragons… they saw the heads of the Giant Dragons we placed in the north and fled in fright, but the citizens are in a great uproar. They’re wondering if the guardian gods will protect them again when the time comes.”
I see. That explains why the city was so somber on our way here. Given the rumors about my absence even with the guardian god on display, it’s understandable the people feel uneasy.
So that’s why the citizens welcomed my return with such an unusual enthusiasm.
“Especially since the Eastern Garden Knights, who mainly conduct anti-dragon combat, fled north and haven’t returned, the citizens are particularly fearful of dragons.”
“Any news from the north after that?”
With a subtle shake of her head, like a pear ripened beyond usefulness, I had to suppress a sigh with some difficulty.
What is Virgil thinking?! Surely, he knows that the guardian god has been activated and now protects the Canopy Holy Capital. While the north may be his homeland, does he truly believe he can outmaneuver Canopy Holy Capital?
No, what’s more, why do the people continue to follow someone who’s been excommunicated by the theocracy? Honestly, it all feels too incomprehensible.
“We sent reconnaissance personnel, but none have returned. The same goes for the envoys we sent to negotiate.”
“Surely that man isn’t planning to take on the Holy Capital?”
“I’d like to think he’s not that stupid…”
Despite the devastating blow from the dragon attacks, the Capital remains a city of a million people. Although it’s in an open plain, which might seem unadvantageous for defense, the densely interwoven buildings create a structure that could transform the city into a battlefield reminiscent of Stalingrad, where the struggle for a single building might cost hundreds of lives on both sides.
Especially since the knights’ equipment lacks artillery—actually, the concept of cannons was absent—urban capture should be impossible.
But what if they have a clever plan, perhaps secret ruins that can produce tanks or heavy artillery?
That said, we have absolutely no capacity to attack the north. The only knights currently capable of facing an enemy directly within the Holy Capital are the Southern Garden Knights, but they are a security unit tasked with urban patrol rather than frontline combatants. The so-called Central Knight Order is technically impressive but serves as protectors for the clergy and isn’t even counted among the personnel by Aurelia.
The Northern Garden Knights have lost half their numbers in a prolonged defensive battle, and the remaining half are mostly wounded, effectively wiping out the order. The Western Garden Knights have less than forty percent operational capability.
We simply lack the capacity to send an expeditionary force.
“Are the reinforcements progressing?”
“Although we have been able to produce the Gear Caliber and Armor, there simply aren’t enough humans who have compatibility with the mechanical spirits and sprites. We have issued special orders and are recruiting suitable individuals city-wide, regardless of social status, but progress has been slow.”
Even if the numbers align, it could take another year or three to become a combat-ready force. Watching her rub her temples, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.
You see, mechanical humans—if you install the minimum software, they can become soldiers quite easily. While their strength certainly depends on the accumulation of experience, with basic prosthetic replacement at recruitment offices, you can get minimally functional soldiers within half a day. Observing their year-to-year cultivation, I started reflecting on just how privileged we had been.
Truthfully, upon hearing that they were short of soldiers, I nearly blurted out, “Install the software?” with the logic of our mechanical humans, but that’s a secret.
“Meanwhile, with the dragon situation, since the Eastern Garden Knights have taken all the expertise with them, we are left with no training personnel, and it’s quite concerning.”
“Hmm…I’ll have to think of some temporary countermeasures.”
I don’t really hold much sentiment for the Canopy Holy Capital itself, but I feel pity for all the intelligent beings that reside within it. Aurelia is also pushing herself hard to rebuild the city, so I’ll aim to support her capabilities as much as possible.
Perhaps Selene could design a simplified version of the modified Holy Bow, something like a ballista. Placing these on rooftops outside the city could do the trick of at least repelling the dragons. Even though automatic aiming systems might be too advanced, creating rudimentary aiming devices that amateurs could operate is certainly possible. If necessary, we can always delegate this to Gear Priests who can interface directly with the mechanical systems. With the tax they collect, they should take on some part of the responsibility.
“I’ll return to discuss the countermeasures.”
“…Would sending a warrior corps from your side be difficult?”
“Old…cough cough. Engaging in human warfare, I’d rather not. I merely command respect from them, and I do not hold the authority to issue orders.”
It seems that you are resorting to the last straw, indicating how dire the situation must be.
That makes sense too, with all the incompetent elements being flushed out and local administrators frequently replaced, creating disorder and manpower shortages.
However, I understand the situation and sympathize with it. I will assist in eliminating the threats, but I’d like to refrain from getting involved in power struggles.
Although if I wished to, with the current strength, it would indeed be possible to launch a northern expedition and hang Virgil as a show of power, I wouldn’t impose such a risk on the northern people. That would be contrary to my principles.
Ultimately, the problem of corruption lies with the entire Canopy Holy Capital structure. I am not the Deus Ex Machina who can conveniently appear and resolve all issues. Therefore, please stop expecting everything from me.
Nevertheless, I will prepare a hotline and set up appropriate measures so that we can respond quickly if needed. Seeing the guardian god move should deter even the most foolish enemy.
Anyway, while the Holy Capital holds importance, my priority is the data recovered. If this can offer even the slightest clue to the mass killings, it will certainly aid our planetary exploration.
It feels cruel to throw the remnants of honest divine officials, who are exhausted under mental strain, a “do your best,” and to prioritize returning to the base, but we will move on for now….
[Supplementary Record of Planetary Exploration] While mechanical humans cherish VR experiences as entertainment, numerical self-hood entities tend to prefer novels and video content that leave room for contemplation and analysis.
