Oh, really…… Certainly pike infantry is a type of soldier carrying long spears for anti-cavalry combat. Although, I only know about this from games, they would make a dense phalanx formation to oppose the charging cavalry. So they are a corps that sticks out their spear to counter an attack. Certainly, I believe that depending on the situation, they could be a powerful corps…… But is it to the extent where they could be called a treasured army? I asked Hakuya about this.
「Your Majesty, do you remember the reason why gunpowder infantry never appeared both in this Continent and outside this Continent?」(Hakuya)
He asked me back.
「Because magic’s attack power is higher and its firing range is longer, so gunpowder weapons are unnecessary, right? That’s why large mass projectile cannons are used only in naval battles or when attacking wall reinforced with magic.」(Souma)
「That’s correct. In addition, the creatures living on this Continent have hard skins, so the average gunpowder infantry wouldn’t be able to damage them.」(Hakuya)
In other words, since they couldn’t even use it as hunting weapons, there were no reasons to develop guns. But then, they should have developed rifling or armor-piercing bullet, right? Even a musket that could only fire a literally round pellet should have been widespread (the Japanese domestic harquebus is an early form of musket). If at one point, we could produce such a rifle, then it should have increased the country’s power. But even if I knew about the musket’s history, as expected, I didn’t know about its construction. Hakuya continued his explanation.
「Furthermore, depending on its suitability, the armoTr could also be enchanted with a damage reduction effect. Conversely, to break through this, it is normal for a weapon to also be enchanted with a damage increase effect.」(Hakuya)
「Ah, a vicious circle……」 [5](Souma)
「Yes. There also the fact that the enchantment arts for armors and weapons are more powerful on objects with a greater mass. In other words, in this world, the arrow are stronger than a bullet, but the arrow is weaker than the lance.」[6](Hakuya)
So does that mean, even if we develop a rifle, the small bullet wouldn’t have much power? The day for the implementation of gun corps becomes increasingly distant……
「Even in this world, using magic or a wyvern knight bombardment wouldn’t be effective against them and a cavalry charge would simply be countered. Also it is not possible to aim the cannons to shoot at them (the shells are not explosive)[7], so in the end, that mass of black helmets and armors would still slowly be approaching. For the enemy’s side, it will be……」(Hakuya)
「Quite a horror. They would only see them as Hell’s Army.」(Souma)
If they are fighting on the flat plains, they will be invincible. So perhaps battling them on a hilly region or wetlands that have bad footholds, luring them towards the traps, or surrounding them and creating chaos in their formation…… was something that I had thought, but these plans were only applicable in a defensive battle. It will be hard for the invader to battle on the place that they choose. So the phrase 『Territory as far as the Magic Armored Corps have marched』 was really suitable.
「Furthermore, the Imperial Army also has strong units besides the Magic Armored Corps.」(Liscia)
Liscia told me as she looked at the enemy lines.
「Not to mention the Wyvern Knights, they also have Griffon Knights that are said to be as strong as the Dragon Knights. Magician Corps that overwhelm our own in terms of both number and quality, battle-specialized Rhinosaurus Corps…… If we battle with the Empire, then we will need to take on all of them.」(Liscia)
Ah…… She’s right. The enemy’s army didn’t only have the Magic Armored Corps. So my thinking about battling them in a place that I chose was foolish.
「……As expected, we couldn’t win against the Empire.」(Souma)
「Souma……」(Liscia)
「Your Majesty……」(Aisha)
Because Liscia and Aisha made worried faces, I smiled a bit.
「Not yet, for now.」(Souma)
「「!?」」(Liscia)(Aisha)
「Now then, shall we greet Jeanne and Julius?」(Souma)
When I made this order, the other three answered vigorously.
「「「Yes, Your Majesty!」」」(Liscia)(Aisha)(Hakuya)