The Brain’s alert level spiked the moment the Kingdom Army Detachment’s attack struck the fortress walls.
《Attempting to dispel brainwashing as a test of Possibility 1.》
From a Magi Machine hidden within the outer wall, it unleashed 'Shock' magic toward the humans stationed around the fortress.
《Thirty-two attackers neutralized. If they were brainwashed by the demon race, the 'Shock' just now should have released them.》
The Brain had chosen a method that would avoid harming the humans as much as possible while still acting in self-defense.
《Now, I shall observe their reaction.》
It entered a state of temporary standby, monitoring the reactions of the humans inside the fortress at the same time.
"Oh, they did it!"
Inside the command room on the upper floor of the fortress, Lufort de Orange let out a triumphant cry as he watched the exterior through a magi-screen.
"It seems the Brain has awakened."
Lufort did not miss those words from his aide automata, Refa.
"What was that? The Brain has awakened?"
"Yes, Lord Lufort. An attack using those Magi Machines cannot be executed without the Brain that oversees the fortress."
"I see. Good, good. It seems that fellow Dajure did his job properly after all."
"I believe so. With this, the fortress has become impregnable."
The Brain intercepted this conversation as well, processing the data immediately. It refrained from contacting Lufort directly, intending to discover the truth through the filter of daily conversation, where lies and deception were less likely to intrude.
"But why hasn't Dajure come to report? Isn't that negligent of him?"
"It is as you say. I shall send someone to check on him."
The Brain recorded every word of the exchange between Lufort and the aide automata, subjecting it to rigorous analysis.
《The aide automata appears to treat that human, Lufort, as its master.》
Since aide automata were independent entities not under the Brain's direct control, it was not unusual for one to serve a specific individual.
《However, that human is definitely not the 'Commander.' It is highly improbable that he possesses the necessary qualifications.》
There were specific requirements to become the commander of a magifortress. Given the nature of the facility, the candidate had to be a soldier and possess the requisite knowledge and experience. Beyond that, a qualification badge was mandatory. This was a rank insignia issued by the Dinar Kingdom, adorned with a small magi-crystal that emitted a unique mana waveform.
Since Lufort did not possess one, the Brain knew he was not the official Commander. Then who was he?
《The most likely hypothesis is that he is a local lord with a certain degree of authority.》
As expected of the Brain, its deduction was largely accurate.
《Why is Lufort, a man with such weak military ties, acting as the supreme commander within the fortress?》
It produced three hypotheses in short order:
- There was no time to contact the military.
- The ones surrounding the fort are the military.
- The military no longer exists.
Here, the Brain faced a dilemma. It lacked a clear criterion to determine which side deserved its allegiance. It had been created as an ally to humanity, but in its current state, it could not take any definitive action.
It had unleashed the 'Shock' magic for self-preservation, and for the time being, it could not employ any means of attack more lethal than that. Now that it had awakened, its core purpose was to be useful to humans, yet it found itself unable to fulfill that drive. To reach a verdict, the Brain hungered for more information.
After withdrawing his units by about one kilometer, Marshal Carter, the commander of the Kingdom Army Detachment, consulted with the Nostalgia technician, Chiharad Sauto. By now, Chiharad was essentially serving as a staff officer.
"The barrier remains down. We might be able to infiltrate the fortress now," Chiharad suggested.
Marshal Carter grimaced. "But what if we're hit by that magic again? There don't seem to be any fatalities, but it clearly leaves my men incapacitated."
"That is why we shall deploy combat golems. That magic appears to be a weak lightning-attribute spell. If so, it won't affect combat golems. In other words, if we advance using the golems as shields..."
"...We might be able to reach the walls. I see. Very well, let’s give it a try."
Ten combat golems and ten soldiers were selected for the mission. One of those soldiers was a member of the Quinta: Regulus 43, known locally as 'Cougar.'
"Be extremely careful. Keep behind the golems as you move," Marshal Carter said, offering his personal encouragement. He issued instructions for their conduct once inside, but since the internal layout was a mystery, much was left to the soldiers' discretion.
Their ultimate goal was simple: capture Lufort and occupy the fortress.
"Alright, move out!"
The ten soldiers and ten golems set off. They covered the first five hundred meters without incident before slowing their pace. Their speed fell further as they drew near, until at last they were moving at a crawl. However, no attack came.
(Are they watching to see what we'll do...)
Cougar looked up at the fortress while maintaining a data link with Laojun. His visual feed was being transmitted in real-time. Finally, the team reached the outer wall.
"We made it this far, but the real challenge starts now," said Dohas, the leader of the ten-man squad, urging his men to stay sharp. "We already know the gates are unbreakable. Our only option is to go over the wall."
Doing so, however, would make them easy targets for anyone inside.
"Lord Dohas, what if we dig a hole?" Cougar suggested.
"A hole?"
"Yes. With the golems' strength, I believe we could dig one in no time."
Instead of going over the wall, they would go under it. It was a tactic usually reserved for the cover of night. While it was a known maneuver, Dohas decided to adopt the plan, reasoning that the enemy might not expect a small team to attempt such a thing in broad daylight.
"Alright, let's try it. Five golems, start digging. The other five will shield us."
Their current position was hidden by the curve of the wall, making it impossible for those inside to see their work.
"This proves there’s a lack of personnel inside," Dohas noted. Normally, there would be sentries patrolling the battlements, which would make such a plan suicidal. Under the current circumstances, however, it seemed like their best bet.
The ground was a mix of soil and rock, and the fortress's foundation extended a meter underground. Thanks to the golems' tireless strength, a tunnel large enough for a golem to pass through was completed in about an hour.
"Alright, we're going in. If anyone has second thoughts, speak now. I won't have anyone becoming a liability once we're inside."
No one spoke.
"Good. Then let's move."
Dohas’s golem led the way into the tunnel, with Dohas following close behind. One by one, the ten golems and ten soldiers crawled through to the other side.
The group emerged into the fortress courtyard—a buffer zone between the outer wall and the main structure, roughly ten meters across. An entrance stood to the right, but there were no sentries or guards in sight.
It felt almost too easy, but there was no turning back now.
"All right. One at a time, head for that entrance," Dohas commanded.