Major! Are you all right?
Who the hell was that guy?
Well done, Colonel Mikel.
It is thanks to the excellent training the party gave me.
Why are we letting the enemy escape?
We need to shoot them, and everyone else commanded by the Devil of the Rhine!
The party ordered us to surround them.
You're ignoring the opportunity that's right in front of you?
Orders are orders.
Are you saying our party is wrong?
Are you saying you can win by just following orders?
Lieutenant Sue, that's enough.
He's a commander in an allied army.
Show respect.
Understood.
The Devil of the Rhine...
This story is a work of fiction. People, organizations, locations, laws, names, etc. have no relation to any real-life counterparts.
How could you let someone from that volunteer army shoot you down?
It was the Federation. A Federation mage...
What?
The Federation purged them as a symbol of the old order a long time ago...
I'm... sure of it.
The Federation has mages?
They brought them back from the camps?
The damn Commies are that obsessed with us?
Episode Six Decoy
Men, why are we not sending a relief force?
Unified Year 1927, Morning of June 18th
We're going to save our surrounded allies.
This should be a very simple matter.
If we can destroy the enemy field army that's surrounded the Rerugen Combat Team,
it will help A Group, our main unit.
It's a heroic first step
towards the completion of Project Andromeda...
General, the order given to B Group is to defend the line.
Think about the state of the Empire right now!
A single failure could doom us!
Then we just won't fail.
Resolve. That's what a commander needs!
Use your heart not to hesitate, but to make decisions!
Any more discussion is just a waste of time.
I understand your concerns.
And so...
You may follow your own hearts.
Oh, you.
Would you please call Lieutenant Grantz for me?
Very well. I make this request using the authority granted to me by Strategic HQ.
I'm counting on you.
Lieutenant Grantz has arrived!
Lieutenant, do you enjoy going for walks?
I've already spoken to Division Commander Krum,
who is in charge of our strategic reserves.
The other division commanders will be joining us as well.
I'm afraid I don't understand...
Soldim 528.
You're aware that the Rerugen Combat Team has been surrounded, yes?
Leave it to me!
I'll meet up with Division Commander Krum and go rescue them!
Oh, wait.
General, you don't need to see us off...
Please get back, General!
Impossible.
Since the Imperial Army's founding, officers have always stood at the front!
Now men, let's leap into the mud!
Let's begin a war together!
Soldim 528
Stay sharp! Watch for ambushes!
Don't shoot yet.
Use a sniping spell to make sure you take them down.
Good news.
The rescue army is on the move.
Finally?
And Lieutenant General Zettour is heading here as well.
What? He's coming himself?
"From Zettour to Rerugen Combat Team Take action immediately"
"Take action immediately."
Does he mean to take strategic action... to make the best choice for what to do?
What is General Zettour thinking?
Enemy tank at two o'clock!
Prepare for combat!
Get back, General! Please!
Don't worry. We have a mage as an escort.
Sir, I can't just...
Well done, Lieutenant!
I'm honored, but please fall back!
I'm well aware that we're in the presence of the enemy.
I expect you all to deal with them.
Same Night, Federation Soldim Encirclement Command HQ
An enemy relief force?
Yes, Lieutenant Colonel.
Our allies' patrols have sighted new enemy forces.
What we believe to be an enemy relief force has crossed a warning line of ours.
Our forces are in combat now.
And we're sure the enemy commander is Hans von Zettour?
According to intercepted enemy communications,
we believe it's quite likely.
If it's really him...
Kill him. At all costs.
He's too valuable a target to lose.
We'll go take him out on our own if we have to.
Lieutenant Colonel Drake,
I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to reconsider.
The goal of this operation is...
Our unit has the authority to make its own decisions.
We should go with you, then.
Comrade Colonel!
Comrade Political Officer,
we are fighting against the Empire, the enemy of the whole world,
alongside our allies on behalf of the party.
And we are expected to press on, come what may.
Under these conditions,
we cannot let the unit that our party has instructed us to work with
take a risk like this alone.
Very well.
You are correct.
I shall sign the order as well.
So we'll be going together, then?
This is ridiculous.
They need a fancy story just to discuss their own operations?
Dawn of the Next Day
New enemies! Eleven o'clock!
New guests?
General, we can't break through!
If the enemy's left their hole to come after us,
then I'll be the decoy.
General!
Stop the car.
A pincer attack?
Yes.
This is the current situation.
The enemy was kind enough to meet us before we arrived at our destination.
The Rerugen Combat Team will be here too.
We'll hit the enemy from both sides.
I see.
So you've worked this out with Lt. Colonel Degurechaff in advance.
If that's the case, I would've liked to know ahead of time.
No, I came up with the idea just now.
I know Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff well.
This sort of thing is well within her capabilities.
She's preparing right now, I'm sure.
Sir, even the Lieutenant Colonel...
Lieutenant!
I'm told you all call Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff a monster.
But if you ask me...
That's what a strategy officer should be.
Lieutenant Colonel!
New traffic on Federation comms!
Translate for me!
They've intercepted the relief force!
What's our allies' situation!
The battle is chaotic.
No, they're talking about a major target?
Command functionality?
The enemy's hitting hard because our allied command has exposed themselves.
Wait.
Command has exposed themselves?
Would he make a mistake like that?
L-Lieutenant Colonel?
The Lieutenant General isn't such an idiot that he can't play hide and seek!
You still don't get it?
Now it's his turn to be the decoy!
B-But why?
There's only one reason you'd focus the enemy's attention on a single direction...
So that your buddy can kick them hard in the ass!
You don't mean we're going out there ourselves...
That's right!
Everyone but the mages will remain on defense.
Have Major Weiss take command.
I'm sure he's recovered enough to flap his damn lips.
Understood!
The 203rd will head out, keeping our magical signature to a minimum!
We'll sneak through the enemy's encirclement,
head towards the relief force...
And shove our guns right up the enemy's ass!
Begin the attack!
Same Time, Soldim 528
What's the enemy doing?
No change.
They're probably so scared of our encirclement they're in hiding.
That's not who the Devil of the Rhine is.
Understood.
We'll continue the encirclement while attempting to target General Zettour.
The situation's changed!
The enemy's mages have left their base!
We'll take down the enemy base before we take down their reinforcements!
If we turn around after that and destroy their reinforcements,
we'll have a total victory!
Lieutenant Colonel, we cannot alter our orders.
The battlefield has changed, and we're adapting to it!
What's wrong with that?
We've already made the preparations to take out General Zettour!
We can't just change everything!
The Devil of the Rhine has disappeared!
We can hit while she's gone!
She's... not here?
Damn it! That girl just keeps running off!
Sky Above Soldim 528
Magical signature at three o'clock!
We can't just let her go, can we?
Fine! We'll follow her!
HQ!
We will pursue the enemy mages that have left the base!
Yes. The Allied Kingdom's unit is refusing to work with us...
They just ran off to pursue the Devil of the Rhine.
Comrade Political Officer?
The party has given us a new priority.
We are to support the Allied Kingdom,
and if the Devil of the Rhine is present,
we are to shoot her down and secure her at all costs.
Just a little longer...
We'll be seeing each other soon, my little fairy...
Hurry! The enemy will find us!
Got her!
This is 05!
They took the bait!
They fell for the decoy, huh?
That'll make things easier on the ones who stayed behind!
No way! No way! No way! Not a chance!
05, disengaging!
She broke past us!
She doesn't play fair!
A decoy?
Damn it. That was smart.
Soldim, or the relief force...
Where is she?
Sky Near the Relief Force
There they are!
Our allies!
Prepare for surface support!
We'll hit them from behind!
That's him, Lieutenant Colonel!
The one who took down Major Weiss!
That Federation mage?
Looks like they knew what we were after.
Unlock the seals on our magic!
Show these heroes from the last era how we do long-range combat these days!
What?
How do they work together so well?
The bonds they formed in the camps?!
It's no good!
We can't break their shields!
Federation computation jewel technology is that good?
If nothing else, they have strong armor...
We'll try something else!
I'll start with air bombs!
I'm going to burn out their lungs!
O Lord, by your holy name...
Drive away your foes and bring peace unto the land!
Compared to the winds in the camps...
That was nothing.
Get back, General!
This is what it all comes down to!
I have to fight as well!
General!
Hmph...
It's times like these when I'm jealous of young ones...
We can't go on!
We've lost a whole regiment!
Stop your whining!
If we fall back here, our whole army could collapse!
But...
Raise the flag!
Let them know I'm here!
At this rate...
Lieutenant Grantz! It's me!
Lieutenant Colonel!
You came!
I don't have enough men! Help me!
I'll break their shields with melee combat!
When I do, hit them from behind!
Understood!
But the General won't have any protection!
I don't care. Do it!
But...
I gave you an order!
I can't leave you exposed!
Sir!
Go!
A high-ranking officer will die.
That's a good thing.
It'll wake up those morons back home, a little.
The corpse of a soldier must be put to the best use it can.
That's what war is all about.
Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff...
Let me see you dance.
Let me show you a piece of arte, then.
Melee combat!
After me!
Now!
Fire!
Now fucking die!
It's over.
Damn it! The jewel is at its limit?
Enemy mages are retreating!
Ground support! Prepare to charge!
We're going to save the general!
Follow me!
Wipe them all out! Fire!
Sir?
A wonderful piece of arte, indeed.
Let me invite you for tea when this is over.
How sophisticated.
A strange thing to say on a battlefield.
Culture is what separates us from the beasts,
and divides daily life from the extraordinary.
Don't you agree?
Lieutenant!
You lack love for your fellow soldiers.
Wh-What do you mean?
Sorry. I'm a bit peckish.
Next Time Purgatory