Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: 3rd Guard Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion (4)
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"..."
The soldiers exchanged tense glances inside the trench.
Whiiieee!! At the sound of the officer's whistle, they quietly climbed out of the trench and began charging forward.
"Don't fire. We avoid combat just like in training."
"Got it. It'd be best to infiltrate through that path."
They moved stealthily, using craters and debris for cover to avoid detection by the enemy as much as possible, steering clear of combat.
"Alright, get ready."
And when the timing felt right for breaching.
"Lay it down."
Tadang! At the squad leader's command, they placed wooden planks over the barbed wire and leaped into the enemy trench.
Click— They scanned their surroundings and aimed their weapons.
"Fire! Fire at will!"
Tududududu! The stormtroopers' "Lieutenant's Period Cramps" spat fire... turning the scarecrows into beehives.
Targets and scarecrows were placed at key points throughout the trench.
Ignoring the enemy's fortified positions, the stormtroopers bypassed them and pressed forward relentlessly toward their objective...
"Training end!!!"
Piiiieek!! At the officer's declaration, they collapsed right there on the spot.
"Hah, that was brutal!"
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Yes. It had all been a training exercise.
With the battalion training period drawing to a close, our battalion was pouring everything into raising the proficiency of the fully organized stormtrooper battalion.
In the process, the soldiers couldn't bring themselves to curse out the battalion commander, so they vented on the easy target—me. It was heartbreaking.
Calling my masterpiece MP40 the "Lieutenant's Period Cramps" was just too much.
"...So, what do you think? Is it good enough?"
Noticing my silence as I tried to maintain composure, the battalion commander asked in an anxious tone.
Sorry, but I had no real concerns, because...
"There are a few issues, but overall it's solid. We can iron out the details in the remaining time."
"Good, that's a relief."
The process had truly gone smoothly.
The attacks pitched as the lieutenant's ideas had been blocked by the battalion commander, and the 3rd Battalion had adapted admirably to the new organization and training, true to their Guard Regiment standards, in record time.
The division had provided tremendous support for our training, so I was deeply grateful.
My flamethrowers and submachine guns had earned some inappropriate nicknames... but they'd proven they could more than pull their weight.
'Phew, now I can finally get some rest...'
"So, junior, what exactly does this mean?"
"Ah, the reason for attaching heavy weapons directly to the assault company is..."
"Junior, what role do you envision for tanks (Panzer)?"
"For now, infantry support and trench breakthroughs..."
"Junior, then strategically speaking, what are the ways to break through trench warfare?"
"..."
Manstein. I'd never met anyone so talkative, whether before or after his death in my past life...
Ah, right—Manfred. But Manstein was no slouch either.
Did all the "Man" guys share that trait?
Suppressing my irritation, I replied politely.
"Senior, I have some work to do..."
"Oh? Then answer while you work!"
"..."
Is he insane?
He kept smiling the whole time, so I couldn't tell if he was screwing with me or if this was just how he was.
I just sighed and kept working on the documents.
"Senior... don't you have adjutant duties too?"
"Of course they're done. The battalion commander told me to take it easy."
I felt it in my bones.
A competent lunatic was the hardest kind to deal with.
No, adjutant work wasn't just one or two tasks—especially not now—and he claimed he'd finished it all?
Adjutants were basically aides—positions where work never ended. What did he mean by "finished"?
Manstein smirked again, as if reading my thoughts.
"Everyone's clocked out except the duty officer. Didn't you notice?"
"..."
At those words, I stared blankly out the window.
What the hell, it's pitch black out there. Is that my future?
"Heh heh heh, they all snuck off to bed. Even the clerks helping you slinked away after gauging the mood."
"Damn it... but why isn't my work done yet?"
"'Those who wear the crown must bear its weight,' was it?"
Manstein's nonsense sapped my will.
I half-assed the paperwork while chatting with him.
"So why haven't you clocked out yet, senior?"
His beaming face darkened abruptly.
"Ever heard this? 'The advantage of being an adjutant is that you don't stand duty. The disadvantage is that all 365 days of the year are duty.'"
"..."
An awkward silence settled over the room.
I hated this pathetic situation where we pitied each other.
Please... someone... save me from this hell...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The result of offering my blood and sleep to Ares as sacrifice: the battalion fully awakened as a perfect stormtrooper unit.
And the appointed day arrived. Weather: clear. Status: all green.
Our battalion moved to the Reuberitz military training grounds.
A massive mock battle under General Hindenburg's supervision was scheduled.
Though called training, it was a competition in tournament format. The intent was clear: the last battalion standing with the best results would become the standard.
Probably adopted this non-military style due to resource shortages and time constraints. Shouldering the banner didn't grant omnipotent power, after all.
"..."
"..."
...Of course, the battalion commander and I noticed something else first.
Tournament format meant, in other words, half the battalions would be dead last.
If we got unlucky and lost the first round... we'd be done for. Even if we argued it was bad luck and half the others lost too, it wouldn't matter.
The division commander who'd dumped all the resources into us wouldn't accept excuses. And there had been staff on the division side opposing it anyway.
"...We'll do well, right?"
"We've trained hard. Ah, thank you, senior..."
The battalion commander and I shivered as we gulped down the coffee Manstein offered.
Then we spotted soldiers from other battalions laughing it up with ours in the distance.
Our faces naturally soured. Some of us had our necks on the line!
"Damn bastards..."
Sensing the battalion commander's murderous glare, the soldiers whipped their heads around with a creak.
At my subtle nod, they scurried back to their positions.
Soon, General Hindenburg took the podium and began his speech.
"This training will bring a massive transformation to the Reich's army! The Supreme Command, the Reichstag, and even His Majesty the Kaiser himself are watching this moment!"
"..."
"You all! Proud warriors of the fatherland! Legendary comeback heroes renowned across the nation!"
The old tiger bellowed, and the soldiers straightened their shoulders, staring tensely at General Hindenburg.
"With the world's situation changing rapidly and threats and daggers flying from all sides, never has your existence been more desperately needed than today!"
The battalion commander, Manstein, and I listened with serious expressions.
These weren't words to take lightly as mere motivational speech.
"You stand here based on pessimistic predictions for future battlefields! You represent the Great German Army right now, and the battalion that wins this mock battle will be selected as the standard for those battlefields!"
"..."
"Do you understand? The lives of troops who may go to those battlefields hang on you!"
Gulp— I heard the battalion commander swallow beside me, his throat dry.
Well, his career was on the line... mine too, but.
Still, the time we'd invested differed greatly, so it made sense.
"You must swear to give your all in this training and remember that the honor of your battalion, regiment, and division rests on you!"
"..."
"There will be no second chances! Losing battalions will return to garrison immediately! So pour your souls into this one opportunity!"
With that short, powerful speech, Hindenburg spun on his heel and stepped down.
A field-grade officer looking flustered hurried up to give instructions.
"The mock training will proceed as follows!"
"...General Hindenburg is quite straightforward."
"That's his style."
"Hard to believe he's retiring next year. He was once talked about for Chief of Staff."
"Hm."
Manstein gave an ambiguous smile.
Half of it was reluctance to badmouth the superior who'd sidelined his uncle, half his usual masterful tact.
Glance— Catching Manstein's mood, the battalion commander changed the subject.
"Shall we go? We need to prep for the mock battle."
"It's okay to skip the rest of the speech?"
"They won't nitpick over leaving midway."
"..."
...You maybe, but a mere lieutenant like me might get chewed out.
Seeing my expression, the battalion commander chuckled softly.
"I'll shield you no matter what, so let's go. Manstein's my adjutant, so he'll be fine."
Damn... if only I could trust you...
"...You want me to trust you?"
"Heh heh, great attitude toward your superior."
But better to trust once than endure a boring speech.
Besides... we did need to make final preparations.