Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Into Rommel's Trap (3)
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"Lieutenant Erwin Rommel."
He was young.
Too young to be called merely young—he looked like a child.
Captain Goette stared at the victor, who appeared at least ten years his junior, with trembling eyes.
Lieutenant Rommel met his gaze with puzzled eyes of his own before slowly opening his mouth.
"Are you the commander of this cavalry company?"
"…"
As the captain fell silent, Rommel's eyes shifted to his rank insignia.
Two gold stars. The proud epaulet signifying captain.
Yet for some reason, Captain Goette trembled with the impulse to tear it off himself.
"It seems you are."
Rommel's dark brown eyes and cold words pierced the captain's heart.
Unable to utter a word, the captain bowed his head, and Rommel turned his gaze toward the direction where the horses and soldiers had fallen, continuing.
"The accident scene looks more urgent than expected. We'll deploy personnel from our right-flank forces to assist with cleanup."
"…"
"…If there are no other requests, I'll take my leave."
As the lieutenant turned to go, the captain finally snapped his head up.
"Wait."
"What is it?"
Lieutenant Rommel turned his head and asked curtly, causing Captain Goette to close his mouth.
He chewed over various words and phrases in his mind, hesitating, before finally asking the lieutenant.
"The operation that lured us into a trap."
"…"
"Baiting us with supplies… diverting your right flank to the left to draw us in… that operation…"
Forgetting the curious gazes around him and the resulting silence.
Unaware of his own lips cracking dry, the captain pressed on desperately.
"…was it you? Did you devise and execute that operation?"
A glint appeared in the lieutenant's eyes.
According to the captured staff officers, this battalion had a talented but arrogant new lieutenant.
The captain himself had heard Rommel's name from the battalion commander. It signified an exceptional talent, a genius.
And even after hearing the lieutenant's name before him… knowing it, and hearing it confirmed, the reason he still asked was…
Even Captain Goette himself didn't know.
Simply.
"Yes, that's correct."
"…Ha, haha."
Before the lieutenant's answer, he could only drop his head in hollow defeat.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[Rommel, with no one else reliable, you'll have to take the right flank.]
[My rank…]
[What can we do? Short on manpower. Besides, you're the planner, so you're the obvious choice.]
Temporary or not, a field commander all the same! Different from being a platoon leader.
Of course, the risk was excessively high compared to simply returning.
I was just a disposable lieutenant, and if the enemy cavalry company had been even slightly more cautious, the plan could've fallen apart.
I'd literally staked my neck on it. My military career was already on the brink of ruin anyway, so I had nothing to lose.
"Aim."
And fortunately.
"Fire."
"Fire!"
Ratatata-tat-tat-tat-tat!
As planned, the enemy cavalry company charged into the barrage hell.
A hell of shells and bullets.
"Mortars!"
"We have to annihilate them here!"
Countless heavy weapons, secretly positioned along the foggy riverbank, spat fire.
The heavy weapons originally slated for the entire battalion had been plastered solely on the right flank—key points only.
It produced insane firepower.
We'd perfectly trapped the enemy, but honestly, it felt lacking.
"Too bad they're blanks. In real combat, this would've been a huge merit."
Even so, this was just a mock battle.
Using intellect to achieve good results wouldn't yield much merit.
Well… at least I'd saved my military career.
"Haha, don't be too disappointed."
"Oops. Spoke too loudly, it seems."
The referee must've overheard my mutter. I gave an awkward smile.
Even amid that, our eyes remained fixed on the chaotic cavalry company in the distance.
"In my view, the judges will give high marks, and with your talent, you'll rise further. We'll see about the future."
"Haha, understood."
Ratatata-tat! Boom! Boom! Amid the din of machine guns and mortars, the referee and I conversed peacefully.
Once trapped, the cavalry company's annihilation was only a matter of time. They were frozen in confusion—no need to worry.
The issue was what came next.
"…Hmm, hard to see through the dust, but something's off."
"The cavalry company?"
"Take a look."
At the referee's words, I set aside my concerns and raised my binoculars.
Sure enough, an inordinate amount of dust was billowing—something had happened.
For a split second, through the dust, I spotted a horse collapsed and foaming at the mouth.
"Cease fire!"
"Cease fire!!"
At my shout, the soldiers halted heavy weapons fire in unison.
"What? Did you see something?"
"Looks like an accident."
"An accident? With the German Empire's cavalry?"
The referee frowned, so I handed him the binoculars.
Soon the dust cleared on the wind, revealing a horrific scene.
Dozens of horses and soldiers lay fallen, writhing in agony.
Several soldiers in critical condition were immediately visible—the damage was clearly larger than expected.
"My god…"
The referee lowered the binoculars and muttered blankly.
I understood his feelings, but this wasn't the time.
"I'll raise the white flag and head over."
"Y-Yeah… of course. I'll go to the judges too."
"See you later."
As the referee hurried off, I conferred with approaching responsible officers.
And ordered a soldier to fetch a white flag signaling no intent to engage.
"…And notify battalion HQ of this. The mock battle might be suspended."
"Suspended…?"
"The damage is undoubtedly worse than we think."
Speaking gravely, the commanders nodded in agreement.
Soon, white flag raised, we departed for the accident site.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The enemy cavalry company earned a (real) total annihilation verdict.
Confirmed: 2 dead, 5 seriously injured, 78 lightly injured.
The horses… most of those fallen had died in the accident or been euthanized.
Not only our right flank's minimal forces, but observers from other battalions and permanent medical staff from the training grounds all rushed in.
The news quickly reached both sides' commands, and with night falling, the mock battle entered a lull.
"Remove the cavalry company entirely and continue the mock battle."
Per General Hindenburg's orders, the mock battle proceeded.
Good for us. Though the left flank suffered heavy losses from the staff's blunders, we'd repelled an entire company.
Forces equal, or slightly inferior.
A proper trench defense could've secured victory at that ratio—and in reality, we barely managed to hold.
…To the point where the battalion commander lay pathetically sprawled across two chairs.
"…Rommel, got any spare smokes?"
"No… ask Senior Manstein…"
To my weary reply, Battalion Commander Kluge slowly glanced toward Manstein.
Manstein snickered, shooting me a slightly resentful look.
"Got any?"
"…Sorry, none. Tried to procure, but smokes are supply items—smuggling's misconduct."
"Fuck… An adjutant should make it happen…"
The commander grumbled curses, and after pondering, Manstein cautiously pulled something out.
"How about this?"
Gum, wrapped in silver foil.
"Fuck no."
"Give me one."
Squeak-squeak. With that, the commander rolled over entirely. The chairs groaned uneasily under his hefty frame.
Meanwhile, I took the gum from Manstein and chewed it to soothe my idle mouth.
Yeah…
"…Heh, heh."
"The junior's laughing?"
"Leave him. Must be something good."
Though those moronic staff were back, and we suffered overwork, sleep deprivation, withdrawal symptoms, and more pains.
"Heh heh heh heh."
We'd won.
Other battalions handled defense far more easily, so our scores were dismal, but we'd won regardless.
Hope was in sight.
The key now was the upcoming attack.
"Ugh… All rested? Back to… Whoa!"
"Oops. Knew it…"
"You brat!! What'd you say?!"
Crash! As the commander moved, the chair legs finally snapped. He toppled with a racket.
Manstein rushed over in a fluster but, too startled, mangled his words. The fallen commander exploded in rage at that.
Manstein, sweating bullets, flashed his sly smile again… but it looked sloppy.
"…Hahaha, it's all from my… uh? Loyalty? Yeah, that's it."
"Even your genius brain can't excuse that slip! You're toast, punk!"
"Kukukuku."
At the comedic scene, the company commanders lying quietly on the floor let out small chuckles.
But the laughter was brief; staggering to our feet, we faced the operations map again.
Offense switch meant scrapping the old plan for a new one.
As others stayed silent, I spoke first.
"First off… the situation's changed from our defense. With part of the enemy cavalry company injured…"
The commander frowned and cut me off.
"No, no. Wrong order? How can you jump straight to the point?"
"…What order do you mean?"
Whoosh! He grabbed my arm hard and yanked.
I stumbled right in front of him.
"After one battle ends, isn't a victory speech in order?!"
"Victory speech?"
Withdrawal symptoms slowed my thoughts. Victory speech… victory…
Merits. Didn't I rack up the most this time?
The commander grinned and hoisted my seized arm high.
"Alright, everyone! Applause for this little rascal who brought us victory!"
"Pfahahahaha!"
"Whooo! Well done!"
"Seriously, we nearly lost, but you pulled it off."
Manstein's jolly laughter mingled with the claps echoing through the shabby command post.
"Look at that face! Hilarious! Haha!"
I stood blankly before forcing a stern expression, but couldn't stop my lips twitching upward.
I mean… couldn't help it.
First merit ever. Staying stern before such a monumental moment was no easy feat.
"Ahem, thank you."
"Kuhahahaha!"
"Pfahahaha!"
"Good job! Hahaha!"
"Ahem."
In the end, the commander and Manstein burst out laughing again.
Twitched too much. Gotta be stern for real…
"…Heh, heh heh. Ahem."
"Just be honest!"
"Ow! I'm happy, happy! Satisfied?!"
"Yes! See how good honesty is? Well done!"
"Gack gack."
Thwack thwack! The commander slapped my back with hearty praise.
It stung fiercely, back numb…
Memories of my past life surfaced. The days praised as a brilliant strategist.
That longed-for sensation felt wonderful.
"…Thank you."
Unable to fully express those emotions, I offered sheepish bows to those around me.