Chapter 168 - Bringer of Light (3)
The Imperial soldiers who didn't understand the Belliang language hadn't grasped the gravity of the situation.
"What… what should we do?"
But Bruno, standing right next to him, was different.
He realized just how badly things were turning and, flustered, asked Ernest.
Still, Bruno's concern only extended as far as worrying about the villagers.
His experience was too limited to realize that a massacre could erupt at any moment.
"First, we report this to the Battalion Commander."
Ernest decided they should report immediately. If they had already entered the village, he would have resorted to force on the spot, but thanks to their cautious approach, they now had room to respond more calmly.
"Let 3rd Company know as well."
"Yes, sir."
Furthermore, they decided to inform the 3rd Company, which was in the process of occupying another village.
If Andersen was acting with caution, he might resolve things well, but if he had already entered the village, complications would surely follow.
As the cavalry hurried off to relay the news, the elderly man who did not understand the Imperial language, along with his son, watched them fearfully.
"What about them?"
Bruno pointed at the old man who had sunk to the ground and the middle-aged man who had been subdued, and asked.
A headache throbbed in Ernest's head.
If they left things as they were, there was no telling how the enemies inside the village might behave.
But on the other hand, the matter was too serious to act on his own, without orders, and too risky to enter the village hastily and suffer unnecessary losses.
He thought it was tragic that the villagers were in danger.
He saw them as innocent people suffering because they'd been caught up in the war between the Empire and Belliang.
But that didn't mean Ernest was willing to risk himself, his friends, or the subordinates who trusted and followed him, just to save them.
"…We'll wait for the Battalion Commander's orders."
After much deliberation, Ernest ordered everyone to hold their position.
If they made a rash move and an unexpected battle broke out, everyone could get into serious trouble.
He couldn't just release the captives, nor could he simply send people into the village as originally planned to tell everyone to come out.
Time dragged by in suffocating silence.
The soldiers of the 2nd Company remained on standby for battle, and the village was eerily quiet.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before Soren's orders arrived in response to their report.
"We are to proceed as planned, but make active use of force. The 3rd Company is in the same situation, and the 1st Company will prepare for battle at the edge of the forest in case anything happens."
Soren had decided to carry out the plan as originally intended. If they just withdrew now and left the village alone, the Guerrilla Unit might scatter and make things even more complicated.
They might be fools for believing guerrilla tactics could work against the Imperial Army, but in the end, a soldier is still a soldier.
Striking while they were all gathered in the village was the right move.
From the perspective of an Imperial Army commander, the deaths of innocent villagers in the process weren't even worth considering.
Even so, Ernest couldn't bring himself to accept needless civilian casualties.
If possible, he wanted to resolve things without harm to the villagers.
However, even for Ernest, it was impossible in this situation to suppress only the enemy without Allied Forces casualties or civilian deaths.
And most importantly, if they let the enemy get away, it could lead to an even bigger disaster.
The survivors would become convinced that using civilians as shields was effective, and they would attack even more viciously next time.
Only by mercilessly eliminating the enemy here, without regard for civilian casualties, would the enemy learn that using civilians as shields was pointless.
"The enemy might try to escape. If anyone disobeys orders and tries to run, shoot to kill."
"Yes, sir!"
First, Ernest gave the cavalry platoon supporting the 2nd Company orders to patrol around the village and remain on alert, with permission to shoot to kill.
Plenty of time had already passed, and it was possible the enemy would sense something was wrong and attempt to flee.
"Madsen, take position at the river. If anyone tries to escape down the river, seize them if possible. If capture isn't an option, shoot to kill."
"Yes, sir!"
Next, to block any attempt by the enemy to escape via the river, he stationed the 2nd Platoon at the river.
Anyone who plunged into the water would be drenched and unable to use gunpowder, so the risk was lower and they could be captured. Preferably, he wanted to take prisoners to interrogate them for information, so the order was to try to capture them first—but if it seemed like they might get away, shoot to kill immediately.
It was far better than losing them while trying to take them alive.
"You—go back to the village now and carry out the orders I've given you."
After that, contrary to his original plan, Ernest decided to keep the old man behind and instead send his middle-aged son back to the village.
The old man had wet himself and was so terrified he couldn't even move properly.
"H-h-however…"
"If you won't do it, then I'll consider everyone in the village an enemy and kill them all."
"..."
"This isn't a suggestion, and it's absolutely not a request. Do it."
Ernest delivered his order to the terrified middle-aged man with unwavering authority.
They had no choice.
Which meant, from Ernest's perspective as well, there was no other option.
The middle-aged man, still trembling with fear, staggered to his feet.
He glanced down at the old man, then hurriedly ran off toward the village.
"If he shows even the slightest suspicious movement, shoot him immediately."
Ernest moved to the rear of the formation and gave this command.
The soldiers, using the transport vehicles as cover, aimed their guns at the village.
The cavalry was circling around the outskirts, ready to fire at any moment; the lower part of the river was sealed off by Billim's 2nd Platoon; and the 1st and 3rd Platoons, together with the two Baltracher, were standing by, ready to attack. Tactically speaking, there wasn't a single flaw.
Ernest quietly peered inside the small village.
Since it was a run-down rural settlement, the buildings were low and spaced out, so he could see a bit of the inner streets.
People were moving about busily.
Bang!
At that moment, gunfire rang out from the opposite side of the village.
The sound was relatively dull.
It was the Balt Gun.
Pabang! Pababang!
After the first gunshot rang out, a barrage of gunfire followed as if a dam had burst.
The cavalry sprang into action.
"We're moving in! Get in the vehicles!"
"Get in the vehicles! Move, move!"
Ernest made the decision to enter the village immediately.
But instead of ordering the soldiers to charge, he had them board the vehicles.
"Isaac! Bruno! Cover the lead vehicle!"
"Yes, sir!"
While the cars were in motion, the soldiers wouldn't be able to fire.
They'd be defenseless against enemy attacks.
That's why he planned to have Isaac and Bruno protect the lead vehicle and ensure a safe entry.
"3rd Platoon is all aboard!"
"1st Platoon is all on board!"
"Let's move out!"
Vroooom!
The heavy transport vehicles began to move.
They started off slowly, then as soon as they picked up enough speed, the driver shifted gears and the vehicle jolted roughly before accelerating down the road.
Even once they were close enough to the village, Ernest didn't give the order to stop.
A wooden fence surrounding a small garden on the outskirts of the village blocked their path.
Thud! Crash! Crack!
The drivers from the Transport Company simply rammed straight through the fence and broke it down, pushing into the interior.
Compared to the solid stone walls these vehicles could smash through, a flimsy wooden fence wasn't even worth calling an obstacle.
"Stop!"
"Stop! Stop!"
After smashing through the fence, and just before reaching the street lined with buildings, Ernest finally gave the order to stop.
The huge, heavy transport vehicle came to a hard, lumbering halt.
"Fire! Kill them all!"
Ratatatat! Bang!
Muzzles poked out from the shadows of the buildings and from windows, and bullets rained down on them.
But not a single bullet was able to pierce the Balt Shields wielded by Isaac and Bruno.
"Disembark!"
The soldiers of 2nd Company leaped out of the transport vehicles and immediately formed up.
Some used the vehicles for cover, while others quickly took shelter behind nearby buildings.
The moment of disembarking and forming ranks is when soldiers are most vulnerable.
But with two Baltrachers present, there was nothing to worry about.
Bullets whizzed by sporadically, but they weren't even a real threat.
Isaac was assigned to 1st Platoon, Bruno to 3rd Platoon.
Ernest took cover with the 1st Platoon to the left of the transport vehicle, using the building for cover.
"This is your first and only warning! Drop your weapons and surrender!"
Ernest shouted in Belliang and then signaled to Isaac with his eyes.
Isaac raised his shield, and Ernest peered through the translucent barrier to look further inside the village.
Bang!
A bullet crashed into the shield just after Ernest pulled his head back in.
"Attack!"
The enemy spat at the outstretched hand that Ernest had extended as their first and last offer of mercy.
Their will to fight was clear—there was no reason to hesitate, and no possibility to do so.
At Ernest's order to attack, Simon's 3rd Platoon tried to circle around the outside of the building, but stopped.
Crash!
"Aaagh!"
The wall that 3rd Platoon had been using for cover collapsed with a thunderous roar.
The ceiling caved in, and the people inside screamed as they were buried under the debris.
With a Baltracher present, there was no reason to risk danger by circling around such a flimsy building.
Simon had Bruno bring down the wall, and with a single action, everyone inside was neutralized.
Now, they could use the building itself as an outpost and control the surrounding area.
"Drop your weapons and get down on the floor!"
Bruno shouted into the building in Belliang.
His voice carried more worry and fear than threat.
Some people immediately dropped to the floor at his command—civilians who had been taken as human shields by the guerrilla unit, and enemy soldiers who were terrified by the presence of a Baltracher.
"You filthy traitor!"
Bang!
But there was one bastard who, full of rage at Bruno—fellow Belliangian—pointed his gun and fired.
He was riddled with bullets by the 3rd Platoon's swift, precise response and collapsed.
"Subdue them."
"Yes, sir!"
Simon gave the order in a cold voice.
The soldiers stormed into the building, roughly dragging or tossing those who had fallen or surrendered into one spot.
The 3rd Platoon took control of one building, left a squad inside to control the people and keep watch over the area, and then Simon stepped outside with the other two squads to circle around the building and advance quickly.
Heading straight into the street would be foolish—you could be attacked from every direction.
That's why, even with a road right there, you have to swing around the outside and move in from there.
Meanwhile, the 1st Platoon had already taken two buildings.
They were better fighters than the 3rd Platoon, with Ernest alongside them and Isaac—who was more experienced in battle than Bruno—on hand.
"Advance in step with the 3rd Platoon."
Ernest adjusted the pace of the 1st Platoon's advance.
They couldn't move too far ahead; they had to match their stride with the 3rd Platoon across the street.
"P-please, spare us. Please…"
"…Drag them to the back and keep them together in one spot."
"Yes, sir."
The subdued people begged for their lives.
Robert hesitated for a moment, but he couldn't risk any danger, so he ordered his men to drag them to the rear and gather them in one place.
As terrible as it was, he couldn't just let those who were clearly civilians—little children or frail old people—go free.
Even a five-year-old can kill someone if you put a loaded gun in their hands.
Treating them as prisoners and dragging them out is actually good treatment.
In urban warfare, prisoners are only recognized after the fighting is over.
During battle, you can't allow even the slightest risk—so it's common to shoot and kill everyone who surrenders.
Using two Imperial Army infantry platoons, each with two Baltrachers included, is an excessive show of force for taking over a tiny country village like this. Since the start of combat, the 2nd Company had taken control of nine buildings in less than five minutes, smashing their way in. Using the river that ran through the village as a boundary, the east side of the village fell to the 2nd Company.
"You emperor's sons of bitches!"
From the west side of town came the sound of someone shouting at the top of their lungs.
Ernest ignored it.
He combined the divided 2nd Company back into one and led them across the bridge, pushing the Baltrachers to the front.
Bang! Tatatat!
They didn't care whether the enemy fired or not.
These weren't cannons—there was no way a handful of powder guns could penetrate the Barrier created by two Baltrachers.
"S-surrender! We surrender!"
"We surrender! Please, we surrender!"
Seeing this display, the few remaining enemy soldiers gave themselves up.
Continuing to fight after witnessing the overwhelming force of the Baltrachers would have been even more foolish.
"You bastards!"
However, there were still some bastards who refused to surrender.
A man who was about to reload and fire suddenly shouted angrily, then, seeing the 2nd Company crossing the bridge and taking position, grit his teeth hard.
"Come here!"
"Kyaaa!"
He roughly grabbed a trembling woman by the hair with his left hand and dragged her out from inside the building, propping his gun on her right shoulder and aiming the muzzle at the 2nd Company.
Rattatatatat! Thud.
Both the woman and the man were riddled by bullets and collapsed under the 2nd Company's gunfire.
"We're going in! Anyone on their feet is considered an enemy—shoot them all!" Simon ordered in a booming voice, and the soldiers quickly swept into the building.
"Down! Get down!"
"Please, don't kill me!"
Bang! Bang!
"For fuck's sake! I told you to get down! Down! Get down!"
The soldiers from Belliang in the 3rd Platoon shouted at the top of their lungs for everyone to get down, but the terrified people ignored the orders and moved about chaotically.
From the Imperial Army's perspective, they couldn't risk leaving those people unchecked.
In the end, anyone who moved was shot and killed, and when everyone finally came to their senses, there was no one left alive and moving inside the building except for the 3rd Platoon.
"What have you done? Those were civilians!"
"Civilians? How can you be so sure? Huh?"
"There were even kids in there!"
"In the Bertagne Forest, kids like that shot and killed people with guns! Get a grip—this is war!"
"Enough! Shut up and move! The battle isn't over until we've completely taken control of the village and dragged everyone out!"
Simon fiercely barked at the soldiers, shoving apart those who were arguing—some claiming they'd killed civilians, others denying it—even though the battle wasn't over yet.
"Platoon Leader! This isn't even a battle! We're killing people who surrendered and begged for their lives!"
One soldier protested to Simon.
Simon spun around, marched up to him, and slammed the stock of his gun hard into the man's cuirass.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
Though Simon wasn't particularly tall, he was solidly built. With his strength, the soldier was knocked back and toppled over.
"If you want to play hero, go do it out there by yourself. Civilians who don't follow orders are no different from the enemy. Are you planning to endanger our allied forces just to protect the enemy?"
"..."
At Simon's words, the protesting soldier fell silent. Simon looked around at the now-quiet soldiers and spoke with firm resolve.
"Well done. Next time, do exactly as you did just now."
Instead of rebuking the soldiers for shooting all those people, Simon sincerely praised them.
He wasn't so foolish as to not realize that the bodies strewn about were civilians.
But he also knew that it was far better to shoot and subdue those who ran wild and ignored orders, rather than allow chaos to break out.
It wasn't that Simon ordered the killing of civilians because he wanted to, nor did the soldiers do it out of desire.
They were desperately trying to control the situation and, if possible, save the civilians.
If this had been any other unit, they would have already considered the civilians to be enemy soldiers, flattened the village, and killed everyone in sight.
"We surrender!"
"Please spare us! Please, spare us! Spare us…!"
"Drop your weapons and come out of the building with your hands up!"
As the cries for mercy grew louder, Ernest demanded their surrender once again.
Only then did people, empty-handed and trembling, begin to emerge from the building.
"From this moment on, anyone remaining inside the building will be considered an enemy and shot on sight without any further warning to surrender!"
They had been given more than enough time. Now, anyone still inside had to be treated as an enemy. Only fourteen people came out to the street. Ernest made them approach in pairs, and they were easily subdued without any trouble.
A search of the remaining buildings followed. Fortunately, no one was left inside.
...
With the captives bound and forced to their knees in the small square at the center of the village, Ernest looked down at them, his face as expressionless as a withered tree.
2nd Company had taken this little village without a single casualty. That was only right; if there had been any, they didn't deserve to call themselves soldiers.
The tally stood at forty-four people killed by 2nd Company, ten more who had been killed by cavalry while trying to flee, and thirty-nine captured.
Of the fifty-four people killed, neither Ernest nor anyone in the 2nd Company could say for certain how many were enemies and how many were civilians.
"Please, let us live. Please, let us live…."
"Mother… Mother..."
And among the thirty-nine people kneeling and bound, it was impossible to tell who had surrendered as an enemy and who was a civilian.
"How did it come to this…?"
Bruno muttered in disbelief, looking at the bodies that the soldiers were laying out along the street.
Although Bruno had killed Belliangians with his own hands before, he had never felt any guilt.
He saw himself as a citizen of the Empire—he was, after all, a noble and an officer of the Empire.
Bruno believed that killing Belliang soldiers was a necessary act. He thought the Empire's conquest of Belliang, and the suffering these poor people endured, was just the growing pain that had to be endured to liberate them from the exploitation of their own nobles.
But this—this was different.
This was truly wrong.
"What have we done…?"
Bruno murmured, burying his face in his hands.
He realized something had gone terribly wrong.
Yet, as an officer of the Imperial Army, he knew there had been no other choice for them.
And he knew that the people of the village were not to blame, either.
All of this was the fault of the enemy unit commander, who had misjudged the Empire's colonial policy and chosen reckless guerrilla tactics.
In war, people die more pitifully than flies swarming around filth.
As long as there were enough people left to work the fields of Belliang, the Empire was ready to kill, even to massacre Belliangians if necessary. But when it came to a tiny village with fewer than a hundred residents like this, nobody cared.
Even if they were all wiped out, their deaths wouldn't even be noted as a number.
This wasn't even considered a crime.
It was simply the act of a soldier exterminating the enemy and occupying territory.
The enemy, who had taken over the village and used the people as shields, had brought this upon them.
Now, with their hands bound, people who could no longer be distinguished as enemy or civilian desperately gazed up at Company Commander Ernest of the 2nd Company, pleading for mercy.