You'll See Soon Enough

After three days of grueling march, the Eleventh Company finally reached the outskirts of Sodesa.

During this time, Otto and the others had been mulling over how the judgment cell managed to locate them at the airport. Even if the enemy possessed magic-enhanced reaction time and deployment speed, how had they pinpointed the Eleventh's location in the first place? Given the chaos at the airbase, it seemed unlikely that the garrison had time to call for reinforcements. And those at the airfield probably hadn't realized the hangar fire and related events were part of a coordinated assault. Maybe magic played a part. But Otto also suspected their radio exchange with the transport aircraft might have compromised them.

In any case, the Eleventh had kept a low profile ever since. Otto adhered strictly to protocol, keeping radio contact limited to necessary thirty-second intervals, and ensured they marched mostly at night, avoiding crowded roads. So far, it seemed to be working. They hadn't encountered any judgment cells since.

"So now that we're here, what's the plan?"

Standing on a hillside overlooking the town, Nemilic asked the question on everyone's mind.

The four platoons were stationed on a ridge to the east of Sodesa. It was midday, and people were visibly active both inside and around the town.

"I asked HQ the same thing," Otto said with a shrug. "Their answer was: 'You'll see soon enough.'"

Vague responses like that had no place in a well-run military operation. But if command was being cryptic, something big was about to happen.

"For now, we wait," Otto finally ordered, assigning extra personnel to perimeter watch.

...

"So, are you and her really, you know... like that?" Inaya snuck up beside Sennia, whispering with gleeful mischief.

She'd had days to think it over. Inaya now realized she was sitting on a bombshell of a secret. And if Shatiel tried anything rash, she could always spill the beans. A fragile balance of mutual silence now existed between them, which emboldened her.

"Yup," Sennia replied casually, without the slightest hesitation.

No point denying it. Inaya had already seen everything.

"You like girls?"

"I like Shatiel."

"...Right."

Inaya had lived over a hundred years, so it took more than a same-gender romance to rattle her. But now she finally understood why Shatiel had kicked her so hard back in Hekar...

"Ooooh, lovebirds in the field, huh?"

Inaya grinned, teasing, though Sennia remained unmoved. That took some of the fun out of it.

"So how did you two end up like this?"

Her curiosity still burned bright.

"Hmm... can't say."

Sennia actually paused to consider it before giving the most disappointing answer possible.

"Tch. You two are just full of secrets, huh."

Inaya sighed. She knew better than to pry into something clearly off-limits.

"But—" Sennia leaned closer. "Have you ever fallen for someone? You've lived over a hundred years, so your love life must be... colorful."

What a reversal. Inaya blinked.

"Zero."

"Zero... as in, no experience whatsoever?"

Sennia stared, mouth agape.

"I got through the worst parts of life alone. After a while, I stopped wanting deep connections."

Inaya's gaze turned distant as she leaned back against a truck wheel, legs crossed, arms behind her head.

"But I'm not opposed anymore. If I met someone like that... maybe I'd want to curl up with them, too."

"..."

Sennia looked at her for a long moment, saying nothing.

From what she'd heard, Sennia already suspected Inaya's life hadn't been easy. But now, seeing that look, she realized the pain might run deeper than she thought.

"Surprised? I was kinda like Arcia when I was younger."

When Sennia still didn't speak, Inaya continued.

"Not surprised, really... just didn't expect your story to be so... intense."

"You live as long as I have, you pick up a few things."

Inaya said it evenly, patting Sennia on the shoulder.

"Okay, when did you turn into a life coach?"

Sennia laughed softly.

...

Elsewhere, Otto unfolded a military map over the hood of a truck. According to intel, Dazilet forces had advanced over a hundred kilometers in just over two weeks, seizing heavily fortified zones thanks to the space-faring dreadnoughts. The area they were in would soon become a frontline.

That likely explained the presence of Night Knights in Sodesa—but not why Otto and his company had also been sent here, or why they'd received no specifics.

"Look there!"

Rogm pointed skyward.

Everyone turned to see a massive formation of fighter jets streaking across the sky, trailing white contrails, utterly silent. Judging by their approach, they were likely from the Luvinan Empire. But where were they headed with such a large deployment?

Moments later, the fighters disappeared into the horizon. Routine troop movement, perhaps. Nothing more.

But just over an hour later, something far less routine happened.

Another wave of aircraft approached—this time flying low, some trailing black smoke, looking like they'd seen combat. The markings showed they were Dazilet Air Force. While a few fighter jets flew escort, most were massive transports, maybe even bombers.

Truth be told, most of the Night Knights watching had no idea what models they were.

Then the drop began.

"Paratroopers?"

The squad leaders gathered, watching as a sky full of parachutes unfurled over Sodesa.

"They're dropping right into a hostile town? What kind of strategy is that?"

Paratroopers were typically used behind enemy lines, targeting logistics hubs or supply stations—not dropped directly into enemy territory, especially not a populated town.

"Wait—those are Night Knights!"

Otto pointed. Now they could see it clearly: the descending troops wore Night Knight combat suits.

"There's so many of them..."

Hundreds of parachutes dotted the sky. Never in this war had such a large number of Night Knights been deployed together.

"No wonder command was being cryptic..."

Otto had expected a couple of platoons, maybe enough to link up and exfiltrate. What he got instead was a full-scale spectacle.

"Something's happening in town."

As the paratroopers descended, townspeople scattered. The streets emptied quickly, making it all too easy to spot the robed figures.

"Judgment cells?!"

No one had expected judgment troops to be stationed in such a seemingly insignificant town—and in such numbers.

The white-robed soldiers swiftly spread out, occupying rooftops, alleyways, and even the fields beyond the town. They even wheeled out some bizarre four-wheeled device into the town square, clearly prepared.

Meanwhile, the descending Night Knights were already cutting their parachutes mid-air and engaging. Despite initial disorganization, they quickly rallied in small clusters, clearing sections of the town and pushing forward.

Gunfire, explosions, and flames erupted across Sodesa. Lexomancer spells shattered buildings, reduced homes to rubble. And soon, everyone realized what that strange device in the square was for.

A dense fog began spreading from the plaza, cloaking street after street. At first it just seemed to obscure vision. But then, thanks to some enchantment, bolts of energy exploded within the mist, catching Night Knights off guard and causing heavy casualties.

Realizing the fog was magical, the Night Knights moved to the rooftops, where visibility was better. From that vantage point, they spotted the source: the arcane apparatus in the plaza.

One particular Night Knight team wasted no time, charging straight for the square. Unlike others, they wielded longswords instead of rifles—and engaged judgment sword-wielders head-on. Even more striking, they used magic too. From the distant hillside, the others could see flames erupt with each swing of their blades.

With the plaza taken, the Night Knights gained the upper hand. Despite the judgment cells numbering a hundred or two, they couldn't match the overwhelming force. Some fled; most were hunted down.

The battle ended swiftly.

"Damn... that was gorgeous," Edwin muttered, echoing what every commander there was feeling.

A tight, well-coordinated airborne assault, executed with precision—and with hundreds of Night Knights? It was a rare sight.

"Come on. Let's head into town."

The fighting was over. No reason to linger. The four platoons packed up and headed for Sodesa by truck.