Thus, the Second Defense of Winn, which marked the end of the World War, entered its final phase.
Flamel and Aerys show no signs of quarrelling.
Certainly, Flamel must have had some thoughts about Aerys.
However, with only one step remaining to defeat Austin, there's no reason for them to fight.
If Austin were destroyed, they would gain substantial land.
If that had been the case, they would have used the young talent of Sylph Nova to try to take control of the Sabbath Federation under the pretext of establishing a legitimate Sabbatian government.
If they could even annex Sabbath, Flamel and Aerys would secure hegemony over this continent.
At this final stage, there would be no reason for allies to turn on each other.
If the two countries were to fall out, it would only be after Austin was destroyed.
"The previous disguise tactic was exploited by the enemy, resulting in serious damage. Do you have an explanation, Sylph Nova?"
"No, I do not."
"Hmph."
However, both nations had been worn down by the overwhelming bloodshed.
Flamel's casualties, including civilians, were said to have reached 500,000.
"Would it not have been better to continue with infiltration tactics rather than resorting to unusual strategies?"
"No, that would cause too many casualties. Even if we won, the compensation to the bereaved families…"
Furthermore, Flamel's manpower had decreased due to conscription, the Chaim Flu had become widespread, claiming many lives, and industry had stagnated.
Unemployment was rampant in the homeland, and some were even taken to their ally Aerys as slaves.
Flamer's participation in the war had caused such damage that it was to the point of toppling the country.
"Certainly, pressing forward with infiltration tactics is safer, but it's inefficient."
"Don't you have any new ideas, Sylph Nova?"
"Propose a more powerful and effective strategy than infiltration tactics."
"…"
Just like myself and Major Curley, who had failed to thwart the infiltration tactics and received criticism from the General Staff, Sylph had also been reprimanded for failing to bring about a conclusion in the previous operation.
If one only looked at the number of casualties from that battle, it could be considered a defeat for Austin.
However, from the Alliance's perspective, the burned supplies and bases meant they could not consider it a "victory."
"Can you think of anything?"
"…"
"Even the genius has no plan?"
The Alliance wanted Sylph to achieve a swift and decisive victory.
Perhaps there was an overly optimistic view that they could win easily given the difference in military strength.
"…There is one. A strategy that would ensure victory, with minimal casualties, and could annihilate Austin in an instant."
After being reprimanded, Sylph muttered with a bitter expression on her face.
It must have been a statement made with heart-wrenching reluctance.
"Oh, you have one? Then why haven't you proposed it?"
"Because this strategy is so powerful that it would likely also annihilate my homeland's… the Sabbatian forces."
"What does that matter? They are, after all, soldiers of the enemy Workers' Council, aren't they? Reducing their forces should be in your best interest."
"I don't desire power. I just want peace for the people of my homeland, the Sabbath."
The Flamer commander reportedly scowled upon hearing Sylph's response.
Even at this stage, she still valued Sabbatian soldiers over the victory of the Alliance.
"I understand your personal concerns, but victory must come first."
"We are not fighting for the people of the Sabbath. We are risking our lives for our own country!"
It was believed that the Defense of Winn was a battle that the Allied forces could easily handle, but that was not the case.
While weakened by disease, they were gambling with soldiers' lives, bleeding resources without a clear prospect of recouping the war expenses.
Aerys still had some leeway, but Flamel was in a state of near-suicidal desperation.
"…Of course, I understand that it would be problematic if the war dragged on. I am mindful not only of my homeland's situation but also of the circumstances of both Flamel and Aerys."
"So, what should we do?"
"With the next strike, I will bring this war to an end."
Sylph Nova understood her country's situation very well.
That's why she had no way out.
The only reason she held her current position was due to her overwhelming expertise in modern warfare.
If Sylph couldn't secure victories, the Alliance would no longer see value in her.
"If this operation fails, you can do with me and the legitimate Sabbatian government's personnel as you wish."
"Hmph. Are you that confident in this plan?"
"Yes, it's something Austin and the Sabbath could never counter. It's the culmination of all the trench warfare tactics I've used so far."
The genius of war, Sylph Nova.
With unparalleled strategic planning, the ability to develop tactics suited to trench warfare, and the skill to command effectively.
In terms of pure combat command, no one of that era could match her.
Her command skills were second to none, even amongst Bern Valou.
"In one week, I will have everything ready. Allow me to personally lead and direct the operation."
"Permission granted."
"Thank you. Then, let me make this declaration: the war will end on that day."
"…I look forward to it."
Should she unleash her full might upon Austin, it wouldn't matter who was defending; they would stand no chance.
…And perhaps, this was a twist of fate.
Or did she come to that place knowing exactly who was there?
Personally, I feel it was likely the latter.
The sector where Sylph Nova took command and executed her strategy was—
The defensive zone under the command of my Touri Regiment.
***
It was a very long war.
The East-West war with the Sabbath lasted for more than 10 years.
The World War had become a quagmire with the involvement of Flamer and Aerys.
For me, that conflict was for the most part a battle with Sylph Nova.
She and I were like mirror images.
I was an orphan who didn't even know the faces of my parents, and Sylph was the daughter of a prestigious military family.
In a peaceful world, we would have lived our lives without ever meeting or speaking to each other.
She was stubborn, loud, and had an intense personality.
I was shy, awkward, and had difficulty asserting myself.
She stood up for her country and became a soldier.
I volunteered to become a soldier simply because I wanted to help the orphanage in my hometown.
Although she was skilled at devising strategies, she was prone to panic on the battlefield.
I'm second-rate at coming up with strategies, but once on the battlefield, I somehow knew what needed to be done.
Without fame, she rose to prominence through her skill as a strategist.
Without any talent as a strategist, I rose as a symbol due to my reputation.
Most of my loved ones were killed by her.
I must have killed people precious to her as well.
But both Sylph Nova and I…
We hated this war and wanted it to end as soon as possible.
Surely, Sylph must have envisioned a happy future once this war was over.
***
"Touri. The enemy's movements seem strange."
Approximately twenty days had passed since the start of the Defense of Winn.
It was about time for reinforcements from the Sabbatian Army to arrive in Austin.
"It's quiet today."
"Maybe they're just sleeping in."
"Scout, come closer and take a look."
That day, things felt different than usual since the morning.
Despite the enemy soldiers typically launching morning assaults right at dawn, this day was unusually quiet, and there was no charge.
"Report! Enemy soldiers are gathering at the front lines."
"The trenches are full of enemy soldiers…?"
"What does that mean?"
Feeling suspicious, I decided to scout the enemy camp.
In all of the enemy positions surrounding Winn, magic artillery soldiers and assault soldiers were waiting with murderous intent.
"…This is bad."
This is preparation for Sylph's specialty, a simultaneous multiple-point breakthrough strategy.
However, it surely couldn't just be a "normal" multi-point simultaneous breakthrough tactic.
This is the genius of war, Sylph Nova's ultimate strategy, serving as the finishing touch to trench warfare.
The Allied forces now chose a new tactic that was unknown to Austin.
"It's probably a multi-point simultaneous breach! Prepare to fall back!"
"No, it's probably more than just that."
If Sylph were to conduct a simultaneous multi-point breakthrough, it would probably be in combination with infiltration tactics.
Infiltration tactics focus on identifying the opponent's weak points to infiltrate and disrupt.
"They will likely be combining it with infiltration tactics."
"Wha—?!"
By disturbing the defenders with a multi-point simultaneous breakthrough, it would create a synergistic effect, making it more likely to succeed.
These two tactics go very well together.
"This will be disastrous if they pull it off."
"…"
In fact, this is likely what she originally wanted to do.
Due to her limited forces, she could only implement infiltration tactics in certain battle zones.
If she had held command over the entire army, she could have executed infiltration tactics on a much larger scale.
Both infiltration tactics and multi-point simultaneous breakthrough tactics are effective strategies that changed the conventional wisdom of trench warfare.
The usefulness and power of combining these tactics are not hard to imagine.
She had probably been training the Allied assault units in infiltration tactics for some time now.
"Oh no."
"Touri?"
"Is this the trump card you've brought out, Sylph Nova?!"
I clenched my teeth the moment I understood the intention behind that formation.
This is a high-risk strategy that could potentially lead to a crushing defeat for the Alliance.
By its very nature, the strategy of simultaneously breaking through multiple points is high-risk, high-reward, as failure to break through results in tremendous damage.
However, this is the least welcome tactic for Austin, who wanted to keep the battle at a stalemate.
"Touri, what will you do?!"
"Deploy all guerrilla forces for defense and hold out. Even if we have to abandon the trenches, we absolutely must not allow a breakthrough."
…As expected, Sylph Nova is not someone to be underestimated.
Just how much does she hate Austin to go so far as to harass us so accurately?
"An all-out attack is coming."
"What are we going to do about this?"
And taking such a risky strategy probably means the enemy is also at their limit.
While a multi-point simultaneous breakthrough is an effective tactic, a single misstep could lead to painful losses.
There's no merit for the side so favored to win to choose such a tactic.
Moreover, the answers to countering a multi-point simultaneous breakthrough strategy have already been somewhat established.
By retreating at the appropriate timing while showering the advancing enemy with bullets, we could achieve great results.
"Wow, there are just too many of them."
"How much artillery did they prepare…?"
"Are they really all going to charge at once?"
However, that's only the case when using normal multi-point simultaneous breakthrough tactics.
Sylph will likely launch a "unique" multi-point simultaneous breakthrough that incorporates elements of infiltration tactics.
I need to figure out what kind of adjustments Sylph came up with.
"Damn it, what is this…?"
"I'm going to die this time for sure."
What kind of arrangements will she make? What ingenious tactics will she use?
I must read the enemy's formations to understand their intentions.
There are already numerous strange aspects present.
For example, the presence of what seemed to be artillery units concentrated in the trenches on the front line.
Normally, there's no need to place an artillery unit so close to the front lines.
It makes no sense to bring vital firepower within range of the enemy's attack.
"Lieutenant Gavel, please contact Major Curley."
"What's the message?"
"I request permission to act on my own judgment. Also, I'll leave command of the entire army to you."
"Understood."
I can't read her true intentions. I could make a few predictions, but…
I don't think Sylph Nova would resort to tactics that are only as clever as I can imagine.
She will do anything as long as it's effective, but she won't do things the enemy can predict.
That is her standard operating procedure.
"Don't be afraid. There will surely be a chance of victory if we can get through this."
The Allied forces appear to be devoting most of their forces to this operation.
That means they are declaring war on us to resolve this before reinforcements from the Sabbath arrive.
It's evidence that Sylph has absolute confidence in this strategy—
"A short-term decisive battle is actually what we want."
I muttered, half to myself.
I rallied my hesitant allies who were shrinking back from the overwhelming number of enemies and prepared for the enemy charge.
The Allied forces mobilized approximately 100,000 troops for this operation.
In contrast, the Sabbath-Austin Alliance had a force of around 30,000.
Moreover, we had suffered heavy damage from the infiltration tactics earlier, and wounded soldiers were clinging to the trench walls with their wounds still fresh.
"Lieutenant Gavel."
"What is it, Touri?"
"…Isn't there something strange about the troops in front of us?"
Even in such a situation, I continued to believe in victory.
I waited for the moment when the final trap left by Bern would activate.
"The Sabbatian flag?"
"Yes."
I am a soldier and a commander.
No effort should be spared to win the war.
However, the current victory condition is not annihilation, but defense.
If it's a battle to protect my hometown, my country, and the people I hold dear, I would not regret losing my life.
"Those in front of us are probably the remnants of the former Sabbatian government forces."
"…!"
I will do whatever it takes to protect the important keepsake[Sedol] I left behind in my homeland.
With that resolve, I aimed my gun across the trench.