Vanguard's Burden
“Captain, you're the first junior officer I've seen talk back to Colonel Schultz like that.”
“Is that so...?”
“Surviving that is impressive in itself. If you'd said even a word wrong...”
Lieutenant Colonel Garen grimaced as if he didn't even want to imagine it.
“Still, he doesn't seem like the completely unreasonable type.”
“Of course he listens. He's just got impossibly high standards and always demands the absolute best.”
Just hearing about it made exhaustion wash over him.
“Anyway, getting called a capable talent means you've earned some recognition. Think of it positively.”
'Is that something to think positively about?'
Normally, getting on the good side of a hardass like that meant you'd end up doing everyone else's work too, slaving away like a dog.
'Shit, nah, it won't be like that. What would he even have me do?'
He'd said it a million times, but he was essentially here on detachment.
“I can't even remember the last time someone got that kind of high praise on their first meeting. Anyway, you're something else, Captain.”
“Ha... haha, thank you.”
“Take five to rest, then head down.”
“Yes, sir.”
After recharging a bit on the sofa, he followed Lieutenant Colonel Garen in a frenzy of activity right up until departure.
“All rations for 42,100 troops over five days have just finished loading.”
“Siege equipment, magic bullets, and all other gear have also been loaded.”
...
Right before departure, reports poured into the situation room where Crown Prince Louis was stationed.
“Your Highness, all fleets are ready for departure.”
Major General Godric, the operation commander for this landing, bowed toward the Crown Prince.
“How much time until the scheduled departure?”
“Seventeen minutes, Your Highness.”
A little time left.
With the frantic preparations done, the docks visible from the situation room stood eerily silent, devoid of people.
'It's really starting now.'
His first battlefield, an unfamiliar sea.
Everything was new to the Crown Prince, and that made it terrifying.
But he had to prove himself.
That he was the one to lead the Lycan Empire as the next emperor.
“Depart on schedule. Pass the word for a final check—make sure nothing's been overlooked.”
“Understood.”
After issuing the order, Louis glanced at Major Eden Tal sitting in the corner of the situation room.
“Do you have something to say?”
Eden asked lightly upon noticing the gaze.
It was quite improper, but no one called him on it.
“No. You seem... remarkably calm.”
“I've been through worse dangers multiple times, so I'm numb to it. Not exactly a good thing.”
“I see.”
Louis nodded with a complicated expression at Eden's response.
“And...”
Eden looked up and out the window.
“My junior's in a more dangerous spot than me. If I'm tense here, how's he supposed to focus? I'll just tease him later.”
At Eden's words, Louis turned to look out the window too.
'If I'm tense, then they'll be too...'
Not Eden's intent, but Louis gained a sudden insight and stood from his seat.
“All units, raise anchors and prepare to depart.”
“Yes, Your Highness!!”
8:00 PM.
The moment the minute hand hit twelve.
The warships cleaved through the sea and began to move.
Splash! Splash!
Standing in a spot usually used for loading cargo, the rocking of the waves sounded starkly clear.
'Kinda cold.'
Some heating would be nice, but no such luck.
“Hyung, so after we land here, we head straight to Hasmon Castle, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Whoa, striking the enemy's weak point. So exciting!”
Wide, sparkling eyes.
Voice pitched high with enthusiasm.
Yeah, Derek wasn't normal today either.
“I'm shaking so bad I might die, and you're all chill.”
“Pfft, why would you be scared, hyung? You've already done this once.”
“That's exactly why it's scarier. Sigh, what a life.”
He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“But hyung, shouldn't you check the bridge? No one knows this stuff like you.”
“It's all ocean out there—what's there to say? Just follow the compass.”
Unlike land, at sea, only the compass showed the way.
'But amazingly, that's all they need to navigate like ghosts.'
Science was one hell of a thing.
“True when you put it like that. Still, sucks we can't fight a naval battle after boarding a ship.”
“Why the hell would you want to?”
“It's got that romance, you know? I'd love to take down some pirates too.”
Pirates brought the Molrang Pirate Fleet to mind naturally.
'Seems like they moved as Major Eden wanted.'
Thanks to that, a good number of warships had shifted there—objective achieved.
“Catching those just gets your hands dirty. Of course, if we run into them, no choice.”
“They're threatening imperial citizens. Gotta eliminate them, even if it dirties my hands.”
“Y... yeah, impressive.”
His patriotism was top-tier in the empire, no contest.
We're approaching the target point soon. All troops, check your armament. Over.
'Here we go for real.'
Back at Rimir Castle, he'd been in a pretty safe spot as supply company commander.
This time? Vanguard.
One slip, and you're done.
'Heart's pounding.'
He clutched his chest and did a final gear check.
'Sword's here, armor's on obviously.'
This time, leather armor focused on mobility and convenience.
'Helmet last... this'll do somehow.'
A green, not-very-sturdy-looking Sylvan hood.
Even looking like that, it'd cost a whopping 120 points at the shop.
'All set. Just gotta keep my head straight.'
Slap!
He smacked both cheeks hard to steel himself.
“Whew.”
As the ship's speed dropped, tension inside ratcheted up inversely.
'Awfully quiet.'
He'd half-expected a speech or something, but from Colonel Schultz to Lieutenant Colonel Garen, no one moved.
'Pros, huh.'
Elite troops who didn't need pep talks to hype up.
Didn't feel like his kind of place, no matter how he sliced it.
Rumble rumble rumble!!!
As he steadied his breathing to stay calm, the ship anchored fully, and the locked door swung open.
“Scouts, move out. Everyone else, unload cargo.”
“Yes, sir!!”
The 103rd Battalion and troops from Ship 1 moved with machine-like precision.
Everyone knew their role's importance—no slacking.
Scouts report: all clear. No anomalies.
'Nice to hear reports right away.'
Regular battalions only gave comms orbs to commanders and key staff due to cost, but Special Forces issued them to everyone.
“Looks like all major cargo's unloaded. Let's move out, operations staffer.”
“Yes, sir.”
He turned at Colonel Schultz's call and responded.
“Lead the way. In case of variables, one platoon on staffer protection.”
“Understood!!”
At Schultz's order, the battalion shifted seamlessly into the pre-planned formation once more.
'Like machines.'
Speed, precision—everything near perfect.
“Moving out.”
At the formation's front, he spurred his horse forward, guiding by plan and experience.
Behind: 103rd Battalion, then the 17th Division disembarking from Ships 2 and 3.
19th... up to 22nd Division.
“The view... it's a sight.”
Glancing back after a while, the packed ranks like an ant swarm felt strangely surreal.
'Nothing ahead, wall of troops behind. That's the vanguard's weight.'
An indescribable heaviness of responsibility.
Sucked big time.
“L-Lord Castellan! Enemy invasion!!!”
In Hasmon Castle's castellan chambers, Viscount Golbein scowled at the noisy voice and opened his eyes.
“Invasion? Assassins?”
The first thing in his groggy mind: killers after his head.
But the butler's report was on a whole other level.
“N-No, sir. Tens of thousands of Lycan Empire troops are marching on Hasmon Castle. They'll arrive before dawn.”
“What nonsense is that?”
Hasmon wasn't even on the border—where the hell did that many troops come from?
A sudden headache hit, staggering Viscount Golbein.
“L-Lord Castellan, are you alright?”
“Not the time. Figure out what the hell happened—no, before that, alert the military!”
“Yes, sir! The Brave Fleet Command here in the castle has already called an emergency meeting.”
“Whew.”
Golbein exhaled in slight relief at the news.
But he didn't know the Brave Fleet's dire straits.
Brave Fleet Command conference room.
“Admiral, this won't be an easy fight.”
“Headache.”
Brigadier General Basil's words made Brigadier Tef grimace.
“Enemy confirmed at minimum 30,000. We can't hold a day realistically.”
“Hasmon's defenses?”
“Including guards, 3,000 total.”
“We're 3,000 too—five-to-one odds even combined.”
Navy had fewer troops than army to begin with.
And not the whole command was here, so even fewer.
“Even throwing our forces in, we won't make much impact.”
“Yeah.”
Troops trained for navy.
They had ground training, but nothing like the army's.
“Sigh, no idea where these rats slipped in, but they hit our weak spot dead-on.”
In the hopeless situation, Brigadier Tef kept rubbing his throbbing forehead.
“Admiral, sir—just got word from Yalk Island. Reinforcements forming up, departing in an hour.”
“Size?”
“7,000 troops.”
“More than expected. Yalk had that much spare?”
“Commander-in-Chief's orders to bolster defenses recently—they built up.”
“The Commander-in-Chief indeed.”
Tef couldn't help but admire the legendary figure's foresight.