NABC Page 34
Page 34
"We've made a breakthrough!" A deafening cheer erupted from the headquarters behind the German forces. The impenetrable wall that had stood in the way of the Prussian army for the past few days had finally succumbed to the combined offensive of the German forces.
For most of the officers present, the Danes, without cover, no longer had the ability to fight against the well-equipped Prussian army.
"Your Highness, thanks to you, we succeeded." The beautiful black-haired adjutant Tifa leaned close to Gisela's ear and whispered her congratulations with a happy expression.
“I heard it…” Gisela raised her hand and touched her ears, her expression surprisingly calm. Right now, she just felt that the noise around her was a bit too much, after all, she was now in four-channel surround sound.
"You seem to still be worried about something?" After a brief moment of joy, Tifa noticed Gisela's serious expression, so out of a sense of duty, she took the initiative to ask.
Gisela didn't answer Tifa's question. Instead, she frowned and fell into thought because she hadn't heard anything about the Danish magical armor. These weapons, which could influence the course of the war, hadn't appeared yet.
"Give me the binoculars." Although magic users possess eyesight far exceeding that of ordinary people, it is still impossible for them to clearly see things several kilometers away.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Tifa handed the binoculars to Gisela, then stepped aside, giving her the stepping stone. Chloris, who was standing to the side, also walked over to Gisela, resting her chin on her hand and observing Gisela thoughtfully, who still needed to stand on tiptoe even when standing on the stone.
Being around 1.6 meters tall might not seem inconvenient in everyday life, but when it comes to actually using it, naturally you'd prefer to be as tall as possible.
"Heh! Serves you right for not growing taller, you little rascal." Chloris muttered under her breath, then glanced at the adjutant named Tifa beside her, her eyes filled with a hint of amusement and mockery.
Tifa didn't say much about the somewhat unfriendly gaze, after all, this was a friend of Her Highness, the noble princess of the Kingdom of Prussia, and she didn't have the guts to clash with her.
With light steps, Chloris quietly approached Gisela, who was still unable to use the binoculars to understand the situation at the front line due to her height. Then, she reached out her hands, skillfully hugged Gisela's waist, and lifted her up.
"What are you doing, Chloris!" Gisela felt her vision rise and a ticklish sensation on her waist, and she immediately complained coquettishly, feeling a little uncomfortable. Of course, Gisela herself would never admit that she was exuding such girlish charm in this moment.
"I'm trying to help you. It must be very uncomfortable to stand on tiptoe all the time," Chloris said with a kind smile, her clear red eyes reflecting Gisela's beautiful figure.
As the old saying goes, "Those who offer unsolicited kindness are either up to no good or are thieves." Gisela rolled her small eyes, pondering what kind of trap this woman might set for her. After all, Gisela dared not let her guard down because of this woman's wicked nature.
"Never mind." After a moment, Gisela gave up. She didn't know if it was because the Prussian princess in front of her was too cunning, or because she didn't have any other purpose in the first place. At this moment, Gisela couldn't use her cold reading skills to see any signs of her lying or concealing anything.
"Why don't you hurry up and check on the front lines you care about? You still have time to chat with me," Chloris teased Gisela, then turned her head and fixed her gaze on General Moltke, who was standing next to Field Marshal Friedrich not far away.
Offense was Moltke's military principle, and "think before you act" was the guarantee of offensive victory. "When an army begins to move, all political, geographical, and national aspects should be taken into account," requiring extremely careful, detailed, cautious, and thorough planning and formulation of operational plans, deployments, and actions before the war. Once the war began, an offensive was launched. Moltke advocated preemptive, rapid offensive warfare and opposed defensive strategies.
At this moment, Moltke took out his pocket watch to check the time, then took out his notebook, as if recording some data, while also taking out binoculars to observe the battle situation several kilometers away.
What makes a great general great is his ability to summarize what he sees and hears, transforming it into part of his military thought. For most people, this battle might simply be a tactical success born from a flash of inspiration from two brilliant princesses. But Moltke was determined to meticulously record everything that happened during the battle, using it as evidence to support his analysis of the army's gains and losses in the future.
A general who can win battles may be admired by people and remembered by history, but what about after he dies? Moltke did not see the narrow success or failure in front of him. What he wanted to leave behind was an ideology that could profoundly influence the army, so that Prussia could continue to produce excellent generals and the Prussian army could always maintain its advantage.
PS1: Sorry, I set the sending time incorrectly QAQ
Chapter 122 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 57 Gisela's Magic Armor
The gaze returned to the umbrella, and Qi Er's matter was that X had gone to the front line —
Lars, thrown by the explosion, leaned against the trench wall, searching for his friend Andrew in the chaotic battlefield. The Prussians skillfully raised their bayonets, stabbing the fallen Danish soldiers to death and kicking them into the trench. Countless corpses rolled down, and the once-deeply dug defensive fortifications now seemed to have dug their own graves.
Lars struggled to pick up the "fire poker" from the ground, swayed his body, and stabbed a Prussian man who was about to kill his comrade from behind. Perhaps to vent his anger, the burly man lifted the Prussian corpse high into the air and then slammed it heavily to the ground.
"Watch out!" Lars warned his rescued companion. Karls's overly arrogant demeanor had successfully attracted the attention of several Prussian soldiers, who roared and charged towards the Dane.
"Find Lieutenant Andrew and his brother for me. I'll take care of things here." With that, Lars used the butt of his rifle to knock down a Prussian who was standing near him, but his arm was slashed by the man's bayonet.
Lars's bravery did not frighten the Prussians; instead, it fueled their fighting spirit. Enemies on the left pressed forward, and Lars dodged the thrust by leaning in the opposite direction. But another thrust came from the other direction. Using his rifle as a fulcrum, Lars spun around and fell to the ground, but fortunately, he was not hit.
Lars saw no chance of winning against four against one, and he had given up hope of surviving. His only concern now was his best friend Andrew and his brother. God help him...
At this moment, Andrew had a dream. He dreamed that the red "Dannyblo" (Danish flag) was fluttering above a golden wheat field. He dreamed that he and his brother were lying next to their grandfather under a big tree, listening to the beautiful fairy tales he wove. The blue sky, white clouds, and wild geese flying south were all part of the beautiful natural and pastoral scenery that made him feel intoxicated.
It's a pity that war destroyed them! Yes, that damned war! The old, aged voice echoed in his mind, pulling him back to reality.
He struggled to open his weary eyes, only to find himself lying in a field hospital at the rear. As an officer, he had higher priority and was entitled to better care; he was now lying on a soft hospital bed, rather than on a makeshift stretcher, having intimate contact with the cold ground.
Although Andrew's head was a little dizzy, as his consciousness returned, he suddenly sat up. The tearing pain all over his body forced him to gasp for breath.
"The front lines, how are things at our front lines?" Andrew's voice trembled slightly. The horrific explosion still echoed in his mind. He had witnessed his younger brother being swept into the blast, his fate unknown...
"He's stabilized, but..." The nurse taking care of him sounded somewhat frustrated.
"But what!" Andrew grabbed the nurse's shoulders, his bloodshot face filled with exhaustion and despair.
"The soldiers on the breastwork were mostly unable to retreat because the troops were forced to withdraw, and the wounded had to be abandoned as well." The nurse's voice choked with emotion, tears welling up in her eyes. For young medical staff like her, the feeling of watching their patients and wounded die helplessly was the most despairing.
"Lars, Lawrence." Andrew clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together. The deaths of his comrades, the deaths of his loved ones—it was all because of this damned war!
“Damn Prussians, and Austrians! No! Damn Germans!” Andrew roared angrily, but now covered in wounds and unable to even get out of bed, he had no other recourse but to roar.
If he could, he would only wish to be the one left behind on the front lines, as that would be a relief for him.
The Danes were able to temporarily hold their second line of defense thanks to a counterattack launched by the magical armor hidden within it. Having successfully broken through, the Prussians' infantry, hiding behind their own magical armor, abandoned their cover and swarmed towards the Danish lines. This left the soldiers, lacking magical armor cover, directly exposed to the Danish armor once again, making a massacre inevitable.
Fortunately, Denmark's magical armor was limited and could not expand its gains or increase Prussian losses, but it did stop the Prussians from advancing further. Of course, the Prussians were not discouraged. They directly deployed their magical armor into the first line of defense of the Danish army, providing cover for their infantry while waiting for support from their reserves.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
"What a terrible battle!" Gisela witnessed this scene clearly. Indeed, "infantry-armored combined arms" was far too advanced for them. Simply relying on a hastily organized military cooperation model couldn't bring out its true tactical and technical capabilities.
After this war, it will be necessary to rebuild a new type of army. The magic armor itself is too cumbersome and not flexible enough, and its limited numbers are also a major drawback. Tanks would be much better. Of course, there are a lot of technical difficulties in building tanks ahead of time, but it is not impossible.
She could offer ideas on the exterior design, and she believed that there was no shortage of excellent engineers in Germany. However, the most difficult problem was the engine. There was no internal combustion engine yet. But after all, Ross August Otto and Daimler, who invented the internal combustion engine, were Germans. Gisela was a princess of Austria-Hungary, and Austria-Hungary was the chair of the German Confederation. It would be easy to cooperate with the two of them, just like she sought to cooperate with Siemens.
"Sigh!" Gisela pulled herself out of her thoughts and thought that this pointless war of attrition was a waste of time. Right now, they were only dealing with Denmark. If they were to fight France and Russia later, she would be scratching herself bald.
"Your Highness, it's time," Tifa whispered to Gisela.
"Really? So my darling has finally arrived?" Gisela's lips curled into a slight smile, her face beaming with obvious joy. The magical armor that the old emperor had created exclusively for his beloved daughter had finally been delivered to the front lines.
"Is she preparing to go to the battlefield?" Chloris looked at Gisela in front of her, stretching her arms and yawning like a noble Siamese cat.
“Miss Goben and her magic-wielding troops should have arrived by now. Just follow Miss Goben’s orders and don’t be too nervous.” Chloris crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows slightly, and looked up at the sky. In her opinion, no matter how well or poorly the regular troops fought, it had nothing to do with the magic-wielding troops’ battlefield. After all, that was in the sky, and they had an absolute advantage over Denmark.
"Aren't you going to participate?" Gisela looked at the Prussian princess with suspicion. Logically speaking, as a Prussian mage, she had no reason not to participate in the battle.
PS1: Somewhat similar to the original version!
Chapter 123 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 58, Codename "Snow Fox"
"Aren't you going to participate?" Gisela looked at the Prussian princess with suspicion. Logically speaking, as a Prussian mage, she had no reason not to participate in the battle.
“I’m different from you. My performance in the war is too outstanding, which will make some people anxious and uneasy, so it’s best if I don’t go. Or do you want me to go with you?” Chloris looked at Gisela with a playful expression. She enjoyed being with this princess because she preferred to be with intelligent people rather than those mediocre people who were self-righteous.
“No! You’re overthinking it. I don’t care whether you go or not,” Gisela retorted firmly, then reluctantly slapped away the other’s hand that was around her waist.
This Prussian princess had absolutely no sense of boundaries. Relying on her pretty face, she was always making harassing gestures. If this feeling of being teased by a beautiful girl were in her previous life, Gisela would probably be overjoyed! But now, she only felt…
"In any case, I wish you a safe and triumphant return, my dear Miss Snow Fox." Chloris paid no attention to Gisela's intention to keep her distance, and instead moved closer to Gisela, bringing her head close to one of Gisela's fox ears, gently blowing on it and whispering softly.
"You!" Seeing Gisela's shuddering expression, Chloris released Gisela with satisfaction.
"Snow fox, white and white, two ears standing up, doesn't eat carrots, doesn't eat vegetables, so cute when it doesn't move." Chloris hummed a little tune as she walked towards the camp.
"Snow Fox? How did she know?"
"Snow Fox" is the code name for the magic armor developed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire for Gisela. As a special type of magic armor exclusively for magic users, its existence is an integral part of the empire's secrets and one of the empire's most important secrets.
Even Gisela herself was told that her magical armor was completed before the war began. But this secret was easily revealed by the foreign princess Chloris, which forced Gisela to seriously reconsider whether the Empire's counterintelligence department was as reliable as it appeared to the outside world.
"Tifa sent a telegram directly to the Secretariat of the Imperial Prime Minister's Residence in my name, asking the Prime Minister to confirm whether there were any departments in the Imperial bureaucracy that might have leaked information." Of course, Gisela only wanted the Prime Minister to help with the possibility of leaks; as for the final screening and handling, Gisela had her own methods.
The Prime Minister would certainly do Gisela a favor by assisting with such an investigation, but since it's an investigation, not a formal investigation, it wouldn't involve overstepping his authority. Most importantly, it doesn't conflict with his political stance. The aging Prime Minister Friedrich Ferdinand von Boiste, known for his conservatism and moderate approach to politics, presented a stark contrast to the powerful Prime Minister Bismarck next door.
“Yes, Your Highness, but there are some necessary procedures you need to prepare before that.” Tifa bowed and pointed to two beautiful ladies walking towards Gisela behind her, dressed in uniforms completely different from those of ordinary female soldiers in the Austrian army.
"Your Highness, this is your first time piloting the magic armor, so I'm here to adjust the equipment for you and confirm the information with you again."
"Magic armor is a man-made device that enhances the efficiency of magic energy use. Because it has a strength far exceeding that of the human body, it is widely used by various countries."
Using magic-armor inherently requires a significant expenditure of magical energy, so the armor's strength is directly related to the level of magical energy you possess. As a noble magic user, a favored child of magic, you are not hindered by the limited magical energy reserves of ordinary people like us. Therefore, you can freely infuse your armor with your own magical energy without any worries.
"But please remember, every time your magical energy is depleted, it takes time to replenish it. During this process, you will experience mental confusion and difficulty concentrating, which is often when you are most vulnerable. So, unless absolutely necessary, do not do anything reckless. If you feel unwell, you must return immediately." Of course, as a magical energy user, one's reserves are far greater than those of ordinary people. As for monsters that can continuously replenish their magical energy in battle without side effects, Gisela only remembers Su Beiming, whom she heard about from her mother.
“I understand.” Gisela nodded obediently, because she knew that the adjutant in front of her was such a meticulous person.
"Then please change, Your Highness." Tifa ordered the two ladies who came with a serious expression to lead Gisela to a temporary tent not far away, which surprised Gisela.
“Wait a minute, can’t I change into my current uniform? I can change myself, you don’t need to follow me…” However, the two didn’t seem to take it too seriously and continued to lead Gisela into the tent.
Danish Army
At this moment, three red and white painted magic armors landed on the ground, accompanied by reinforcements from the Danish army.
At this moment, the major general with bandages wrapped around his head was already standing in the open space with a group of staff officers, welcoming the arrival of the three most distinguished magic users of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Denmark boasts three Magus, a number fewer than traditional European powers like Prussia and Austria, but far more than former Kalmar Union nations like Norway and Sweden, and the rising Mediterranean power, Sardinia, with only one and a half Magus. (Garipotti is counted as half, as her allegiance to Savoy is not entirely absolute.)
The sheer number of magic users became the capital that emboldened the Danish people to clamor for war, while the opposing coalition could only send three and a half (they considered Gisela as half). Great powers needed to check and balance each other, and most of the magic users in Prussia and Austria needed to be deployed in their respective major strongholds, so they could not all be sent to the war against Denmark.
"Your Highness Alexandra, you've finally arrived!" The major general bowed excitedly upon seeing the blonde woman before him. The addition of their own mage was undoubtedly a morale booster for all the Danish soldiers present.
Princess Alexandra, full name Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louise Julia, is the daughter of King Christian IX and the only one of Denmark's three current Magus users to be of royal lineage. Historically, she married King Edward VII of England, but in this timeline, Denmark would not relinquish its only royal Magus user to another country, and most importantly, Edward doesn't even exist in this timeline.
PS1: This is for reference only; it's not that advanced.
Chapter 124 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 59 These Women Are Really Falling for You (Please Subscribe and Vote)
As for why there will never be a King Edward in this world, the reason is quite simple: Her Majesty Queen Victoria, who is beloved by the British people, remains unmarried to this day.
The Queen's decision not to marry is not the result of her personal will, but rather due to the cultural tradition of Britain, a tradition that dates back to the 16th century.
In 1559, Elizabeth I, the first true queen in English history, was crowned. As a magical being, she led England to defeat the Spanish Armada with her outstanding talents, dominating the ocean and laying the foundation for the future British Empire. At that time, in order to eliminate any pretext for foreign interference in England and to prevent England from falling into the vortex of the War of the Succession, she chose to remain unmarried for life.
She originally acted purely out of personal will, but the people and nobles regarded it as a tradition and a commitment to the country. Since then, it has become a tradition for the Queens of England not to marry. As for the issue of succession, it is resolved by choosing a child of suitable age from collateral bloodlines or from the domestic nobles to be adopted by the Queen.
So in a sense, Queen Victoria of this world was forced to become a "single dog".
On a side note, Gisele is quite interested in this queen, after all, her reign is what the British call the "Great and Proud Age".
"Major General, thank you for your valiant fight. My father and the Danish people will never forget your sacrifice." Princess Alexandra, unlike other princesses with their long, flowing hair, had her hair cut in a dashing, masculine style. Her attire was also very capable, and her eyes held an imposing, dignified air, making her appear as powerful and confident as a true Norse Valkyrie.
"I am very sorry, Your Highness, but we ultimately failed to hold the first line of defense." The major general did not feel proud at all at the princess's comfort; instead, his face showed a hint of guilt.
“No! I saw it from the sky just now. The difficulties you are facing are not your sole responsibility. You don’t need to blame yourself.” Alexandra took off her white gloves and took a small hourglass from her bag.
"Your Highness, this is..." The major general did not understand why the princess had given him the hourglass.
“This hourglass spins every 15 minutes. You will start the timer as soon as we leave the position. No matter what the battle is like, please launch a counterattack when this hourglass has finished spinning. You will be the commander of the reinforcements.” Alexandra’s expression was serious, and it was clear that there was no room for negotiation.
"But Your Highness, we don't have enough artillery to support our counterattack." The explosion on the breastwork and the rout just now have already cost us 80% of our artillery, so it's only natural for the Major General to raise this question.
“I have a way to deal with the shelling.” Alexandra was clearly confident in her abilities.
"Yes, Your Highness. I will personally lead the army to counterattack." The shrewd major general did not forget to demonstrate his loyalty to the princess before him.
—The focus shifts back to the Allied Forces
Gisela stared in disbelief at the magical armor before her, its style so out of place in this era. The "Snow Fox" armor, true to its name, was painted entirely silver-white, a stark contrast to the grey Imperial magical armor and the black Prussian magical armor present. After all, Austria was a land of art and poetry, its aesthetics entirely different from Prussia's pragmatic approach.
As the saying goes, whether something is easy to use or not is temporary, but whether it looks good or not is a lifelong matter.
"Your Highness, please give it a try." Tifa's expression held a hint of expectation, after all, this was the younger sister of her beloved Princess Sophie, and also a respectable mage.
It must be said that if it weren't for her fluffy fox ears, she would really bear a striking resemblance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in her youth.
Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Tifa looked at Gisela, who was dressed "beautifully," and couldn't help but imagine her graceful figure soaring through the sky.
"This is a real radish!" Unlike Tifa and the others' ulterior motives, Gisela's eyes shone with undisguised joy. She slowly walked to the "Snow Fox" armor, gently stroking the metal plate in front of her. The texture of the metal was so realistic. Riding a radish was a man's romance! Although it was a very outdated type, it didn't affect Gisela's mood at all.
"Your Highness, please take these with you." The female technician who had helped Gisela change handed Gisela a pair of goggles, along with a compass and a map.
"This is..." Gisela was completely bewildered by the technician's new three-piece outfit.
"The goggles will protect you from the bright light of magical weapons and from ambushes from enemies flying in from the direction of the sun. The compass and map will help you find your unit or reach your own stronghold after being shot down. Of course, theoretically we would also need to provide you with portable weapons (pistols or magical tactical daggers, etc.) and signal flares for self-defense and to get rescued. However, since we won't need them for today's battle, we won't provide them for now." The technician meticulously explained the relevant information.
I didn't know there were such complicated user manuals! I feel like what I learned in school isn't enough.
In fact, magic schools only teach the basic use of magic armor for magic users. Magic armor for magic wielders is never in textbooks and is a top secret of each country.
"Alright, Your Highness, please enter the armor now." The technician pointed to the driver's seat of the magic-powered armor.
"Why do I feel like the safety panel isn't fitting properly against my chest? Why is it positioned higher than it is now?" Gisela poked her head out and asked with a puzzled look.
"Because Your Highness is still growing." Tifa looked calmly at Gisela, who had made some progress but still hadn't reached the standard chest size, and comforted her after a moment's thought.
"Huh?" Gisela was taken aback by the other party's statement.
While Gisela was still looking confused, Tifa, for reasons unknown, reached out and pinched Gisela's dangling fox ears. After all, she had been curious about the princess's ears for several days, so she couldn't resist.
"What are you going to do now!" Gisela squinted at the black-haired, mature female adjutant in front of her, then raised her hand and slapped away the other woman's "soft hand." It has to be said that these beautiful women nowadays are all more "despicable" than the last, always trying to touch her inappropriately.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, it was my rudeness," Tifa said, bowing deeply.
PS1: Magneto
Chapter 125 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 60 A Different 1453 (Seeking votes and collections)
"Ha!" Isn't it common sense to show your cleavage when apologizing? Wait a minute, this woman's got quite a lot of breasts! Watching Tifa bow, her cleavage groaning under gravity, Gisela swallowed hard, glanced away, and then said guiltily: