This game conquered space with warp, a fantasy faster than light. But you don't fight while controlling something giant in space.
Why?
'Because shields are the best.'
Even nuclear weapons and biochemical weapons can't penetrate shields. Armies without shields are useless because they'll be wiped out if you warp in a nuclear bomb and detonate it.
With this setting, all wars proceed from start to finish as hand-to-hand combat with infantry composed of humans and automatons with shields.
[11]■□□□□
[18]■□□□□
[10]■□□□□
[14]■□□□□
Having a poor territory with nothing to lose, I gave up on defense from the start and conscripted all automatons without pointed ears to war.
'Pitiful.'
I couldn't help but click my tongue after confirming the scale of the assembled forces.
A scene like high school girls going on a picnic in their uniforms.
The clothing is the problem. All automatons wore white shirts with navy blue blazers and pleated skirts.
'How is this combat gear?'
The setting is that this composition is the automaton's basic combat uniform.
Even down to the individuality and taste added through shoes, stockings, hats, accessories, it's exactly like school uniforms.
"Doesn't feel like going to war..."
"Young master. The war has already started. Excessive tension isn't good, but this is a war with the family and territory's fate at stake. Please take it seriously."
[21]■■■□□□□(45%)
[13]■□□□□
Elise, who looked very good in the uniform, nagged beside me again.
"Can't we change that combat uniform?"
"You don't like it? Should I modify the skirt to be shorter?"
"That seems like it'd be legally problematic."
"You are the law, young master."
The rules of war are simple.
Whichever side infiltrates enemy lines via warp and captures the supreme commander first wins!
If the supreme commander runs away or hides and can't be seen, it's considered surrender. With the logic that humans who don't know honor don't qualify as rulers.
"Elise. Where is this?"
We were standing in the middle of a plain overgrown with weeds.
"Count Benator territory."
"I know that, but is this right?"
"Of course not. We're at a location about 1,824km from Count Benator territory's main castle. Among warpable locations, it's the safest and closest."
"Real close."
There was a reason the bandits used airplanes.
"Because we warped to an unauthorized area, the shield damage is severe. We plan to fully recover shields here before moving."
"Running?"
"No. We'll naturally move by warp. Don't worry. The distance is short, so shield damage won't be as bad as now."
"Distance is key."
"Combat will begin with the Marcus family's surprise attack warping to the Benator family's main castle. If we're not discovered before warping."
I glanced to check our status windows.
[21]■■■□□□□(45%)
[13]■□□□□
"Hmm. It'll take a long time for shields to recover."
"The probability of a successful surprise attack is correspondingly low."
"How low?"
"It's better if you don't know. Do you still want to know?"
"No."
I'm the protagonist. Probability is meaningless to the protagonist.
This war will flow according to the scenario of an episode the game company planned in advance.
"Even if the warp succeeds, if we don't quickly subdue Count Benator, we'll be annihilated."
"Elise. How far is it to the nearest city from here?"
"Are you listening to my explanation?"
"I'm listening. So the distance?"
"...About 52km."
"Close."
A distance I could run.
It won't even be hard if I ride on an automaton's back. Wisdom gained from experience.
"Young master? We're not in the middle of a game where losing is okay. Take reality seriously..."
"Let's go there."
"We'll be discovered immediately."
"I'm going to get discovered. If we occupy the city, the count will come find us on his own."
"What if Count Benator doesn't come?"
"Just his forces coming is fine."
My goal is experience points from the start. Victory can wait until after I've squeezed out all the experience points.
"Too reckless."
"It's fine."
No problem as long as it's fun.
"Understood..."
"Don't worry too much. I won't destroy the city or massacre citizens. If I win, it's my territory, right?"
"I'm worried whether you can even win."
"Don't worry."
If I lose, I can just restart from the tutorial.
***
Count Redin Benator, head of the Benator family, couldn't understand.
[24]■■■■■■■(29%)
'How can this be?'
The Benator family became a laughingstock because the heir ran away like a coward at the arena.
The death of the Master 2nd rank borrowed from the Fortis King for 20 coins is also a problem. It was insurance he kept in anxiety, but the insurance got breached!
The king, who received news of the death, is having a fit asking how he'll take responsibility.
'The worst.'
Ronan Marcus's skills weren't manipulation or anything like that.
A monster with demonic talent.
He can't give him more time. Because he hit level 21 in just three days. Tomorrow he might hit level 22 or higher.
That's why he declared war.
"Master. Protests from vassals are pouring in over the unjust declaration of war."
[25]■■■■■
The expression of the level 25 Unique Verona, no different from a pillar of the Benator family, was very serious.
"Block them with money."
"We hired excellent mercenaries with the money remaining in the family. There isn't currently enough money to quell the vassals' complaints."
"Lower the tribute."
Tribute.
Taxes vassals pay in return for their lord's protection.
Count Aspis territory doesn't matter because they do business with captured elves, but Count Benator territory, lacking distinction, depends heavily on tribute.
But if tribute is lowered...
"The economic impact is too great. There's also the potential danger of vassals' power growing. Please reconsider..."
"I know! I know! But it's better than the family disappearing tomorrow! Verona. Am I wrong?"
"...No. Your words are perfectly correct."
Redin also knows well what the Unique who's served the family long ultimately wants to say.
"Do you think we should cancel the war even now?"
"Yes. Baron Marcus holds no grudge against the Benator family. Though he killed family, he just finished advanced learning so has no family affection."
"A guy with no family affection attached his family's only Unique to his sister?"
"..."
Verona, judging persuasion was impossible, closed her mouth.
"Tell me how to win."
"There isn't one."
"Verona. Do you wish for the Benator family to disappear?"
"Absolutely not."
"Then find a method."
Even at the master's absurd demand after arbitrarily starting a war, Verona answered after coolly analyzing the situation.
"Currently, there are no forces at the main house capable of stopping Baron Ronan Marcus. With the level 27 Unique joining, it's hopelessly inferior."
"...Countermeasures?"
"The ruins discovered in Baron Marcus territory turned out to be a temple of Segra, the goddess of discrimination. There's a possibility it's a nexus."
"Nexus!"
A word that makes your chest swell just hearing it.
"If we recruit allies on the condition of jointly managing the temple upon victory, there will be applicants."
"Verona. This is a war started to seize the temple, so what are you saying if we hand that temple to others?"
"I don't want to doubt your judgment, master, but it's better than the family disappearing tomorrow."
"Ugh..."
An automaton returning the master's words intact.
"...Master."
"Give up the temple. Look into it immediately."
"There's no time for that."
"What?"
"The Marcus family invaded first. A city is under attack. No Unique is visible."
"This bastard's insane...!"
Count Benator's eyes flipped, thinking he'd been completely looked down on.
"Now while there's no Unique is our chance. We must mobilize the family's full capacity to deal with him."
"Execute immediately!"
A guy who should humbly accept judgment is planting his flag in Count Benator territory?
If he tolerates this, all vassals will look down on the Benator family.
'Ronan Marcus!'
I'll make you regret brazenly entering the hunter's domain!
"Master."
"Hm? Why is this...?"
Verona handed him a sword and answered.
"Full mobilization. If you remain at the main castle, master, forces will be dispersed."
"...I see."
The sword he gripped after a long time felt very heavy. Because he didn't expect to fight directly.
Redin, as always, planned to be a hunter who releases hounds and watches from afar.
[24]■■■■■■■(29%)
Though levels inflated by a nexus, if he didn't have skill, he couldn't have inflated to level 24. If his body still remembers skills over 100 years old.
"Preparations are complete."
"So it seems."
Count Redin Benator's expression, who came out to the terrace, gradually smoothed.
Hounds were assembled on the grassy clearing. They warped to the main castle the moment Butler Verona's full mobilization order fell.
[19]■■■■■■□
[22]■■■■■□
[21]■■■■□
[23]■■■■□
Barons and knights, automatons who swore eternal loyalty to the Benator family looked up at the terrace waiting for his command.
[18]■■■■■■
[17]■■■■■■
Mercenaries gathered in cheeky postures in corners that were hard to see.
'At this level, I won't have to fight directly!'
Redin, who'd put down his burden, shouted boldly like a hero dominating an era.
"Great and great hunters of Benator! Let's begin the hunt!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
The civil war with Count Benator territory's fate at stake began!
***
Baron Marcus territory repeatedly regressed due to successive lords full of vanity.
The area around the main castle is decent, but if you go just a bit outside, desolate scenery reminiscent of American westerns endlessly unfolds.
Though there's a maglev train the first Baron Marcus connected across the entire planet like a net, that's the only benefit of civilization the territory's people enjoy.
In contrast,
'They live well.'
Count Benator territory's people led much better lives.
Parks and streets had not a speck of trash, roads in a grid pattern flowed smoothly like blood vessels. Even places where people gathered were quiet as reading rooms.
'...Should I invest a bit in my territory too?'
The city's atmosphere where strict control and welfare coexist was very impressive.
Then a siren rang noisily enough to tear my eardrums.
"We're discovered."
"Seems so."
As if blocking us who infiltrated the city, the Benator family's automatons steadily assembled via warp.
"I'll take the vanguard."
[18]■■■■■
Pione, who summoned a pair of rapiers, charged first.
[14]■■■■■
[11]■■■■■
[10]■■■■■
Following her, the Marcus family's automatons began combat.
"It's about to get fun!"
"Young master! More are coming!"
[13]■■□□□
Elise, whose shield was already precarious, shouted while facing enemies.
"Don't worry. It's according to my plan."
I also advanced rapidly while cutting down enemies with my gladius.
[12]□□□□□
[11]□□□□□
[10]□□□□□
[13]□□□□□
Too weak. The level 10 automatons that were absurdly strong in the tutorial felt like scarecrows made of straw. Meaning I've gotten that much stronger.
[21]■■■■■■■(46%)
'Too little experience!'
As combat gets easier, leveling up gets harder.
I hope the Benator family's main force comes quickly.
"Young master!"
"Did they come?"
"Yes. They came. As much as you expected, young master."
As Elise said.
Behind us, forces on a brigade scale appeared in the blink of an eye.
[25]■■■■■
[23]■■■■■
[21]■■■■■
Beautiful girls armed with identical combat uniforms and dual swords instantly surrounded us.
Like that Endgame portals scene, but with significantly more pleated skirts.
Even my chest was about to swell.
[24]■■■■■■■
I also saw the character presumed to be Count Redin Benator, the condition for victory.
A face resembling his son and brother I killed.
No doubt.
"Ronan Marcus! How is it? Too late to regret now—"
"Excellent!"
Experience points are scattered everywhere!
"Kill that bastard immediately!"
"Going...!"
I'm going all in!