Hugo Barris is the colonel of Rifle Battalion Number 1. Today he had planned to take his battalion camping to train survival skills.
However, at the last moment he was informed that his battalion, together with Rifle Battalion No. 2 and Artillery Battalion No. 1, had an urgent mission.
It was the first time there had been a mobilization of the army. That afternoon, after receiving the mobilization order, the other battalions looked at them with envy.
According to the brigade general, this mission was top secret. If it was spread privately, one would be executed for treason.
Colonel Hugo had cold sweat on his back. He had planned to show off in front of his friend; luckily he had been warned in time.
The mission consisted of leaving Solomon City at night without anyone noticing, following the viscount lord's retinue, and waiting to ambush the traitors who would rebel against their lord.
This frightened Colonel Hugo: he had never known there were traitors in the viscounty.
At night, together with Colonel Hugo, gathered in a tent were the colonel of Rifle Battalion No. 2, Aton Coll, and the colonel of Artillery Battalion No. 1, Ron Clos.
"We will depart at midnight. It must be taken into account that the lord's retinue left in the afternoon, so we will march all night so as not to lose their trail," Colonel Ron was the one who spoke.
"I think that's fine. Then we must order the soldiers to rest so they have energy."
"Very well, that is all," said Colonel Hugo, who was the commander of this mission.
He knew that this was an opportunity to earn merit in front of the lord, so everything had to come out perfectly.
He did not care who the traitors were; he only had one thing in mind: finish off every last one of them.
"For the glory of Lord André!"
"For the glory of Lord André!"
"For the glory of Lord André!"
The three colonels had undisguised fanaticism on their faces. After testing the weapons invented by André, they had filled themselves with unprecedented admiration and pride.
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"Even with the paved roads, it took three days of travel to reach the mines. I still don't feel comfortable in these carriages," André complained as he got down from the carriage, tired from his long journey.
"I think the journey was very comfortable and fast. I had never felt better," Rose replied at his side, making André put on a blank face.
"I am of the same opinion; it was much better than the journey from Green City," Alicia also protested against André's complaint.
"What do the ignorant who do not know the heavens know," André said a phrase that left the two of them disconcerted.
"My lord, I believe that now it is much better than before. It only takes five days for transport from the mine to Solomon City, which I never dared to imagine. All thanks to the paved roads," Mario also explained from the side.
"That's right, André. Previously, to transport the products from the mine about twenty days were needed," Rose also explained.
"How can you know those things?" André asked curiously.
Rose's face had a mist when she said:
"My parents worked in the mine. When they died, I was lucky that Lady Amanda took me in."
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you remember sad moments."
"It's fine, it's already in the past. Now I am happy with the lady and with you."
Rose's face turned red after saying that.
"Alright you two, stop flirting and let's do business first," Alicia interrupted the moment ruthlessly.
"Alright, Mario, guide us."
Following Mario, the group arrived at a settlement. The miners lived there. They went directly to the largest house, where the mine overseer lived.
The overseer was waiting together with other high positions of the mine. Smiling very amicably, he went in front of André, bowed, and said:
"A pleasure to meet you, my lord. My name is Orly. It is a joy to finally see you."
"Oh, Orly, how is the work in the mine?"
André greeted casually. He already knew that this fellow was in collusion with Baron Creus and his group, so he would not live long.
"Everything has gone very well thanks to the new mining methods you provided us, my lord. We have managed to extract double the normal production."
When he had just taken power, André had taken charge of sending him an advanced mining method and a great deal of gunpowder for detonations, which achieved a significant increase in the minerals extracted.
But this fellow had not met André's expectations. Not only had he not increased production to the expected measure, but he had colluded with Baron Chase to divert a large part and sell it to other territories for his own benefit.
It was only so as not to alert the rebels that he was still alive.
"Mmm, very well done. Wait for your reward, which will arrive very soon."
Overseer Orly was excited. Soon he would have his own fief: that is what Baron Chase had promised him. He only had to keep the viscount for as long as possible.
To make a greater contribution, he was thinking of finishing off the viscount himself. It was just that that opportunity was not easy to obtain.
But if it came to him, he had decided not to hesitate and execute the viscount himself.
"What is the matter of great importance that requires me to be here in person at the mine?"
"This, I am afraid, you will have to come with me into the mine to see it, my lord."
"Why would one have to enter the mines? You only have to explain the things here," Alicia said with anger, looking at Overseer Orly.
"It's fine, sister. Nothing will happen. Besides, I have my guards in case something happens." André had brought with him fifty riflemen as guards.
Overseer Orly looked at the guards with a strange tube in their hands and did not take them seriously. He only mocked them in his mind.
"Then I am going with you."
"I am too."
Alicia and Rose offered to accompany him at once.
"No, you two will stay here. I will surely be fine. We will leave twenty soldiers for your safety."
Then, after persuading them for a long time, he finally left together with Orly and his thirty riflemen, who were also equipped with short pistols, of which barely two hundred units had been managed to be produced due to their complicated design.
Following Orly, André, with his great memory, could easily recognize the way back.
Five hours later, in the depths of the mine, they finally arrived at their destination.
It should be said that André's summons was not invented: there really was something that needed him to decide.
In a large cave, it seemed that a great deal of explosive had been used. Upon entering the cave, André saw something that left him completely stupefied, something impossible to see in this world.
"How can this be possible?"
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