From the day the Afrasia United Kingdom completed the disarmament of all its major cities, ＜Paraiso＞ began its border patrol.
To establish the borderlines, numerous Multi-legged Heavy Machines, accompanied by Multi-legged Tanks and power-supplying Drones, were deployed.
The final plan involves constructing Observation Towers in various locations, using them as starting points for power supply.
However, for now, they were diligently running metal monsters along the decided border for surveying purposes.
(Since the land is unmanaged, the borderlines are determined by whoever claims them first.)
Most of the Afrasia United Kingdom’s territory is wasteland.
Naturally, the kingdom’s power is insufficient to manage this wasteland.
However, even if neighboring countries were to seize this land, they would likely be unable to maintain it.
It is that harsh and barren.
(Though abandoned people often wander in…)
This wasteland was created when lava completely covered what was once normal land, turning it into barren soil.
Therefore, groundwater itself is abundant.
As a result, there are places where water seeps out, breaking through the surface Lava Rock due to crustal movement and weathering.
If one is lucky enough to secure such a place, a small number of people can live there.
Because water is supplied, it becomes easier to dig into the earth, and Burnstone can also be mined.
The abandoned people who survived and the merchant caravans that travel to buy Burnstone trade with each other, creating a small economic zone along the border wasteland.
(All illegal settlements have already been seized by Paraiso.)
However, simultaneously with the takeover of the Afrasia United Kingdom, ＜The Tree＞ deployed surplus forces to bring down all these settlements.
Well, it wasn’t so much “bringing down” as there was hardly any armed resistance.
Without a word, they were suppressed by Multi-legged Tanks and Communicator Dolls, packed into Multi-legged Transports, and sent to farms.
The areas where the settlements were located have been turned into oases, and the installation of Observation Towers is currently underway, using them as bases.
(The resistance from the abandoned people was considerably less than expected.)
Spreading food around probably did the trick.
In the end, they were struggling in this wasteland because they were starving.
Appropriate food is distributed in exchange for labor.
With just that, most of the abandoned people agreed to become subordinates of ＜Paraiso＞.
Only a small number of people who had been profiting from illegal settlements needed education. Even they are now working properly.
(The problem is that there are still signs of abandoned people infiltrating.)
Life in the wasteland is harsh.
Almost no food can be obtained, and they rely solely on the preserved food brought in by merchant caravans.
To buy these, they have no choice but to hand-mine Burnstone.
Because the sun is too strong during the day, they can only work in the morning and evening. Otherwise, they would quickly die from heatstroke.
It’s cool at night, but they can’t do anything because there’s no light. Candles and oil are too precious to obtain.
Naturally, the weak die first.
However, at least enough abandoned people are flowing into the settlements to compensate for the reduced numbers.
(The situation in the neighboring countries doesn’t seem very good.)
Reconnaissance satellites and other means are being used to conduct investigations, but because the economic scale is small and it is not an energy-consuming civilization, information is not coming in as desired from aerial surveys.
Multiple countries border the western side of the Afrasia United Kingdom.
(New intruders detected.)
While leveling the border with heavy machinery, a group moving westward was discovered.
The installed AI reports the situation and immediately begins to act.
This is a task that has been done many times, and a certain degree of discretion has been granted.
The heavy machinery continues its work.
The Multi-legged Tank started running towards the group.
From the other party’s perspective, something huge is suddenly charging towards them. It’s unbearable.
However, they don’t have enough energy to run away.
In most cases, they resign themselves to their fate and just glare at the charging Multi-legged Tank.
Rarely, they scatter like spiders.
Even so, no one can escape the range of several kilometers visible from the Multi-legged Tank.
“We are the Garrison of the Afrasia United Kingdom. State your affiliation.”
The Communicator Doll, which had been in standby, is activated, lowered to the ground from the lower hatch, and asks through a loudspeaker.
Here, there is almost no one who can state their affiliation. Even if they do, only the names of the towns and villages where they originally lived come out.
“…We don’t belong anywhere. The village was destroyed. We have nowhere to go.”
This group seems to be relatively organized. A man who seems to be the representative steps forward and answers.
(Negotiations seem to be possible rationally.)
The AI judges so and lowers two additional Communicators to the ground.
The number of people in the group is 22. 6 men, 10 women, 4 children, and 2 infants.
Everyone is exhausted and needs immediate attention.
They are moving during the day and do not understand how to move in this wasteland.
In the hot and dry wasteland, the correct way is to move in the morning, evening, or under the moonlight, and rest in the shade during the day. Otherwise, you will quickly lose your strength.
“Understood. You all seem very tired. We will prepare water, food, and shade.”
Behind the Communicator who calls out, the two Communicators act quickly and set up a tent.
The multi-wheeled transport vehicle that caught up later is loaded with enough water and food.
“First, come this way. There are children too. It’s not too late.”
Although they are wary of the unknown entity, its appearance is that of a small and lovely girl. With some caution, the group enters the tent as invited.
It was probably because they were already at their limit.
They drink the oral rehydration solution distributed to everyone and shed tears.
Even the portable food, which is just mashed potatoes seasoned with Salt and oil, is received with almost reverent gratitude.
The infants were in a dangerous condition, but not so urgent that they needed immediate attention, so they were given formula and placed in incubators.
These were prepared in a hurry because infants were found when the illegal settlements were suppressed.
This treatment seemed to completely dispel the group’s wariness. Whatever the motive, they understood that they would not be harmed, at least for the time being, given the generous treatment of infants who should have no value at all.
This scene is repeated somewhere every other day.
The numbers, both in terms of people and frequency, were not very optimistic.
(It is also necessary to consider the infiltration of Spybot into neighboring countries.)
Physical infiltration, which had been put on hold due to the vast target area and resource constraints, needs to be seriously considered.
＜Ringo＞, who received the report from the local AI, thought so.
◇◇◇◇
“Chargeee!”
A makeshift fort built in the wasteland.
This is a Burnstone mine built by the neighboring Diaratorain Kingdom, which illegally occupies the Afrasia United Kingdom.
It was a place that was overrun by a unit of Multi-legged Tanks and Communicator Dolls dispatched by ＜Paraiso＞ about two weeks ago, and they handed it over.
The order given to the returning garrison was to recapture the fort.
In reality, the order from the country was not to interfere, but the Margrave independently reorganized his troops and launched an invasion.
The home country, though not completely, understood the threat of ＜Paraiso＞ to a minimum. They had enough faith in the ambassador who had sent the message.
However, the Margrave misunderstood the instructions from the country as a plan to undermine his power.
Therefore, he decided to regain his greatest asset, the Burnstone mine.
He had decided.
The enemy is small in number. There is talk of them using mysterious Golems, but there are few of them.
A small number will stall them, while the rest will take the fort and eliminate the enemy soldiers inside.
For that purpose, they even brought resource-consuming cavalry.
As the cavalry charged, something huge slowly rose from inside the fort.
＜Paraiso＞’s Multi-legged Tank.
(Permission to intercept. Weapons free.)
＜Ringo＞, who was watching the situation, issued the order.
The enemy is regular soldiers.
There is no need to hold back.
The coaxial Gatling gun mounted on the upper Turret spat out a large number of Cannon Shells.
First, the charging cavalry was turned into a bloody mist.
As it was, the Turret rotated.
Flechette rounds fired from the main Cannon’s Railgun rained down on the following infantry, incapacitating most of the soldiers with a single shot.
There, the multi-legged attack craft and the Communicator Doll straddling it added insult to injury.
Having leapt out from the fortress, they pursued the routed infantry, shooting them down one after another.
In less than five minutes from the start of the battle, the recapture unit, consisting of 50 infantry and 10 cavalry, was annihilated.
◇◇◇◇
“Ma’am. We have confirmed an intrusion by an armed group at the border and have repelled them.”
“Oh my, how violent. Make sure to lodge a proper protest.”
“Yes, Ma’am. All is well.”