The day after departing from the campsite, they arrived at Barrel Fortress, where they relieved the small number of soldiers assigned to maintain the fort and took on the duty of defense.
Barrel Fortress was a small facility, encircled by stone walls, consisting of a single-story headquarters, a warehouse, stables, and a watchtower.
It was slightly smaller than the other fortresses they had seen along the way. With a garrison of 250 soldiers, it seemed more than sufficient for defense.
The fortress was situated atop a gentle hill, with gates on the west side, facing the Kingdom of Ransel, and the east side, which served as the rear.
To the northwest—toward the enemy’s direction—a forest lay ahead to the right, with scattered smaller groves to the left. Beyond that, plains stretched as far as the eye could see.
“The main building includes a command room, an infirmary, a kitchen, and a few private rooms. For now, these rooms will be used by myself, Noein-dono, and the officers. The soldiers will stay in tents,” someone explained.
The command room was soon filled with the leaders, discussing their plans.
As expected from someone in the elite First Legion, Frederic was highly competent. Under his precise instructions, personnel and supplies were quickly allocated throughout the fortress. Schedules for sentry duty and command shifts were also established efficiently.
By the evening of their arrival, Barrel Fortress had already begun functioning as a defensive outpost, ready for battle.
That night, a dinner was held with the officers and representatives of the beastfolk to strengthen the unit’s bond.
“So, Jinozze, you were already a leader among the beastfolk?” someone asked during the conversation.
“Yes. I served as the village chief in a beastfolk settlement within the Marquisate of Galdowin. However, due to attacks by the Ransel Kingdom’s army and economic decline, our village could no longer sustain itself. Those of us capable of fighting had no choice but to enlist as recruits to survive,” Jinozze explained.
Through this discussion, the background of the beastfolk recruits stationed at Barrel Fortress came to light.
“Boreas here was also the chief of another settlement. We were acquainted, as our villages had some interaction in the past,” Jinozze added.
“I see. It’s fortunate, at least, that you didn’t get separated from those you know. It’s also helpful for command purposes,” the officer remarked.
Frederic, too, appeared to harbor no prejudice against the beastfolk, and the meal progressed in a cordial atmosphere.
“My son, who I was grooming as the next chief, is here as well. That’s him—Kenoze. Feel free to make use of him if needed,” Jinozze said, pointing to a young male mousefolk whose features resembled his own, dining with others nearby.
“What do you all plan to do after the war? Will you return to your villages?” Noein asked.
At this, Jinozze and Boreas both darkened.
“We went back once to check on the village, but… it had been burned down by the Ransel Kingdom’s army. The same goes for Boreas’s village. Without homes or fields, it’s unlikely we can return to our previous way of life. As for what comes after the war… we’ll decide once we’ve survived,” Jinozze admitted.
The mood turned somber. Beside Noein, Mathilda’s expression shifted subtly, revealing her inner turmoil as a fellow beastfolk from the southern regions.
Noticing this, Noein glanced at Mathilda and gave her a small nod.
“Hold it like this so that your line of sight and the crossbow’s aim are perfectly aligned. Keep your arms tucked in, and pull the trigger gently,” Yuri instructed.
“When drawing the string, shift your weight onto the foot in the stirrup. Use your whole body, not just your arms,” Pence added.
The next day, crossbow training began for the recruits.
Yuri and Pence served as instructors, with soldiers from the Arlkvist domain assisting. Following their guidance, the recruits practiced shooting targets in groups of ten, gradually becoming accustomed to handling crossbows.
“It seems larger species reload faster, but smaller ones struggle a bit with pulling the string,” Mathilda observed.
“Yes, but the smaller ones seem to have better accuracy when it comes to hitting the target,” Noein noted as they watched the training.
With the start of combat still a few days away, Noein found himself with little to do.
“Noein-sama, the ballista assembly is complete,” reported one of the soldiers overseeing the task.
“Thank you. How about the explosive bolts?”
“Out of the 50 we brought, three were broken, likely due to vibrations during transport. We apologize,” the soldier said.
“No need to apologize. Let’s focus on improving the packing and transportation methods when we return,” Noein reassured him.
The magical tools serving as the heads of the explosive bolts were ceramic, designed to shatter on impact and scatter oil. Their fragility made them susceptible to damage during transport.
“So, that ballista… it’s essentially a giant crossbow?” Frederic asked as he approached Noein.
“Yes, the mechanism is the same. Being larger, it’s incredibly powerful and can be used for hunting large monsters or siege warfare,” Noein replied.
“Can it be useful in the defense of this fortress?” Frederic inquired.
“Absolutely. Its regular bolts are powerful enough to pierce through shields and the enemy behind them. We also have special disposable magical tools attached to the bolt tips, like what we call ‘explosive bolts.’ They can wreak havoc,” Noein explained.
“Burning an entire group of enemies at once… That’s a harsh weapon. It’s like recreating advanced fire magic,” Frederic muttered, somewhat taken aback.
“Exactly. One lucky shot could incapacitate dozens. It’s disastrous for the enemy but invaluable for us,” Noein said with a cheerful smile, causing Frederic to offer a slightly strained grin in return.
As they spoke, a soldier who had gone out for reconnaissance returned.
“Report.”
“Sir, the other fortresses are mostly prepared and waiting for the start of battle. It’s estimated to begin in about three days.”
“I see. That means we’ll likely see action after that. Good work—get some rest,” Frederic dismissed the soldier and turned to Noein.
“That’s how it stands. Let’s not overexert ourselves for the next three days. Once the battle begins, it’ll be a long haul,” Frederic said.
“Agreed. I’ll make sure to get plenty of sleep while I can. It’ll be tough to rest with the enemy right in front of us,” Noein replied, his tone light and joking.
