To Be Comfortable, You Must Impress Piel (2)
To Be Comfortable, You Must Impress Piel (2)
The Supply Cheat is mighty and generous.
Even a Major (Promotable) gets the treatment of a Major.
Though since I'm not an official Major yet, the items requestable at Lieutenant Colonel rank aren't separately displayed.
Aside from that, I could enjoy all the authority of a 'regular infantry unit Major.'
'Special warfare weapons like automatic grenade launchers are still not requestable.'
If I roughly organize the currently requestable weapons....
Regular infantry unit personal firearms, sniper rifles, grenades, single-shot grenade launchers, C4 plastic explosives series.
Mortars (60mm, 81mm), rocket launchers, and recoilless rifles.
'The problem is the budget.'
There are various portable rockets, but all except one start at a request budget of 1,000.
【M72 LAW Portable Rocket Launcher】
【Budget: 500】
It looks like I'll be using the M72 rocket frequently.
It's the cheapest.
'High-end anti-tank missiles like the Javelin and TOW are still not requestable at the Major rank.'
I thought once I became a Major, I could use mortars and portable rockets freely, but the budget is what holds me back.
'I'll have to operate the unit in a way that maximizes budget efficiency, right?'
I can't afford to ignore cost-effectiveness.
Because the budget isn't just for buying weapons and ammunition.
'No, wait. Why am I having such weak thoughts?'
Suddenly, I snapped to my senses.
'If the budget is insufficient? Then just receive more soldiers to increase the monthly budget, right? Just get promoted higher and increase the special strategy budget too, right?'
Who am I?
The person who earned Major (Promotable) in just 4 months.
I shouldn't be having such weak thoughts.
'Alright, first I'll go receive new recruits.'
【Rank: Major (Promotable)】
【Unit Size: 200 / 1,500】
Now I can gather 1,300 more.
But first, I need to get permission.
That evening.
I set up a full-course dinner with beef brisket main combat rations, Giradel dark chocolate, and Geisha coffee.
Hildea, holding her fork, was burning with fighting spirit against the beef brisket as if facing the enemy of a lifetime.
"Commander-nim, I have a proposal. I'd like to increase the size of the food procurement unit...."
"Do as you wish! Our Major Piel, do everything you want!"
"Then may I also organize a separate combat unit?"
"Of course! You are now a Major, so you must lead your own independent combat unit!"
Though I'm a Major (Promotable), Hildea openly gives me the treatment of a Major.
"Major Piel, then may I eat now?"
"Of course. Please enjoy your meal."
Our Hildea, she's so good.
She knows to wait quietly, just drooling, until I tell her to eat.
***
The next day.
I heard surprising news from Corporal Baren.
"What? You replaced flour compensation with temporary military scrip?"
"Major-promotee-nim, military scrip, you say. I'm in big trouble."
Corporal Baren frantically defended himself.
"That's absolutely not what it is! I wrote something like a certificate promising that when Major-promotee-nim returns, they will be responsibly given the back-dated flour compensation!"
"That ultimately is a type of military scrip."
"No! That's not it! I'm in big trouble!"
Corporal Baren had handled things flexibly so that work wouldn't be interrupted.
I moved to the farmland being reclaimed and held a roll call of the farm soldiers.
"I will collect all the military scrip temporarily issued by Corporal Baren today, and pay the back-dated flour."
"Ma-Major-nim! It's not military scrip, I tell you!"
"This was an unfortunate incident caused by my prolonged external operation, so none of you need to worry."
"We trusted you, Nari!"
"We said we didn't need such scraps of paper, but Corporal Baren insisted on giving them to us."
And the most important announcement.
"I intend to receive 1,300 more recruits. It doesn't matter if they are farm soldiers, labor soldiers, or combat soldiers. If you have acquaintances who want to enlist, bring them tomorrow. However, they must be healthy adult bodies."
"Understood!"
Actually, land reclamation isn't important to me.
It could help a little with improving food supply, but the reason I increased the number of soldiers in the first place was to secure Supply Cheat budgets.
'In the long term, it would be better to supply the produce to the territory, not the unit.'
In this medieval fantasy setting, how well you feed your troops ultimately determines combat power.
Since they are mana users, calories exchange even more directly into combat power.
Hildea's 3rd Army is about 20,000 strong.
In normal non-combat training situations, supplying 10,000 kilocalories per day is sufficient.
'If I feed them corn soup, I can cover it cheaply at a budget of 22,000 per day. That's a budget of 660,000 per month.'
Adding 10,000 kilocalories daily allows them to do harsh mana training to their heart's content.
It creates a caloric foundation for growing into powerful elite troops.
The Ainshuvan Front becomes extremely solid.
'With 1,500 men, the monthly base budget is 6,000,000. Plus a Major's special strategy budget of 1,000,000 per month, total 7,000,000.'
By spending only 9.4% of the budget, I can feed the entire Hildea army to bursting and forge them into strong soldiers.
'But wouldn't military merit like this warrant another special promotion?'
***
As soon as she heard my words, Hildea jumped up.
"What! You can supply corn combat soup, three meals a day, to every single soldier?"
"Yes. As a gift celebrating my promotion to Major, my maternal family has decided to increase their support."
"This is unbelievable.... If what you say, Lieutenant—no, Major—comes true, this is an obvious case for special promotion! Even a 2-rank special promotion would be insufficient!"
As expected of Hildea, my Commander-in-Chief.
I trusted you. I knew you'd respond like that.
Shing!
But why are you suddenly drawing your sword?
Hildea's eyes looking at me were blazing fiercely.
"I promise. The day your swordsmanship reaches the level of a low-tier knight, I, the Commander-in-Chief, will take responsibility and grant you a special promotion to Colonel."
And so I was worked to death in the training grounds.
"You don't need to go into dangerous battles! You just need to know how to infuse mana aura into your sword! Then you become a knight, become an official Major, and a special promotion to Colonel will be quick!"
I was worked so hard I couldn't even scream.
I knew this was all a whip of affection, so I couldn't resent anyone.
'Damn it, which bastard made the rule that field grade officers and above can only start from knights?'
Of course, it's a rational promotion condition, but now that it's my problem, the curses come out.
***
Hildea worked Piel in the training grounds all afternoon.
Rebecca, who hadn't returned yet, was watching openly from one side.
"Commander-in-Chief Hildea gakha. Just a moment."
"What is it, 4th Army Commander?"
"In my view, our Piel seems to have no talent at all for swordsmanship."
"Who gave you the right to say 'our Piel'? Major Piel is strictly my direct subordinate."
"Anyway. The goal is to become a knight, so it doesn't necessarily have to be a sword, right?"
"...Are you suggesting teaching him the bow?"
"Who knows, maybe he unexpectedly has a talent for the bow?"
"...."
"I'm just saying we should test it. For Piel's sake."
"...Fine."
For Piel's sake.
Hildea bit her lip and agreed to those words.
Rebecca came into the training grounds grinning, carrying a beginner's bow.
"You even prepared a bow in advance?"
"Yeah, as a Bow Master, I felt it from the first moment I saw Piel. I knew this man would definitely have talent for the bow."
Hildea suddenly recalled the image of Piel firing the 'assault rifle' wildly.
A magical device that seemed like the ultimate evolution of the bow, Piel had handled it extremely skillfully.
Anxiety crept over her.
'No, Piel.... Please, please.'
If it had to be, she wished he would become a knight with the sword, just like herself.
With earnest anxiety, Hildea watched Rebecca instruct Piel.
"4th Army Commander, is it really necessary to stick so close as if embracing him to adjust his posture?"
"Of course. Since he's a beginner, I have to teach him in detail, step by step. Here, Piel. Try holding it like this."
"Is this correct?"
"Oh, you're good at this? See, I told you hot archer blood flows in Piel's veins."
Rebecca pressed her voluptuous chest firmly against Piel's back, her upper body pressed close.
The sight was so unpleasant that Hildea's insides boiled for no reason.
'Daring to seduce and steal away innocent Piel!'
Since those intentions were plainly visible, even more killing intent filled her gaze toward Rebecca.
"That's right, now release the bowstring naturally while holding your breath."
Piyoong!
The arrow flew and stuck into the target 10 meters away.
Rebecca's eyes widened and she patted Piel's shoulder wildly.
"Wow, Piel? You're good? You have talent!"
"Do I?"
"This is really the first time you've held a bow in your life, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"This is truly incredible talent. I'm absolutely not just saying this. Did you have a Bow Master among your direct ancestors?"
"Twenty generations above me, there was a supreme master archer who captivated an era with a single bow."
"Ahh, as I thought. That bloodline doesn't go anywhere."
Rebecca was excited and continued teaching archery.
"You're good at this?"
"Piel, you just need to keep building your strength. Archery is ultimately a contest of strength."
"There's no need to mention your sense for archery. You were born with it."
"Piel! You were born to be an archer!"
"We can become a wonderful Bow Master couple!"
The more Rebecca's praise continued, and the more the arrows clustered toward the center of the target.
Hildea just kept shrinking bit by bit.
***
The Jeonju Lee clan bloodline doesn't go anywhere.
Mid-range shooting was difficult due to lack of strength, but shooting the bow was fun.
It felt like if I just shot roughly like this, the arrow would ride the wind well and fly to hit the target.
'I should try getting a large-caliber sniper rifle supplied later and practice. The Barrett M107 model would be good, right?'
In return for helping with training, Rebecca was also going to eat together at the official residence.
Come to think of it, where did she sleep yesterday?
As I was about to prepare a meal in the simple kitchen of the official residence, I sensed someone behind me.
"Commander-in-Chief-nim?"
"Major Piel, was archery more enjoyable than swordsmanship?"
"First, it seems to suit my hands better. And it seemed easier to earn knighthood through archery."
"Is that so...."
She looked very subdued.
Her blue eyes staring at me were eerily calm.
"Then shall I issue you a temporary assignment to the 4th Army so you can learn archery from Carlton Marquis?"
"No. It's fine."
Where did that dangerous talk come from?
Do you know how much effort I've put in to dominate your mouth and tongue all this time? I can't leave my post now.
I absolutely cannot let go of the Commander-in-Chief's duty officer position.
"Our 3rd Army also has many archery officers, so I can learn from them."
"But Carlton Marquis is a Bow Master?"
"I'll be satisfied just earning knighthood. I have no intention of training archery beyond that."
Why would I go through such hardship when I have guns and portable rockets? Later I'll even get a mobile missile launch platform.
"Do you not wish for success either? You could rise higher if you become a Bow Master."
Of course, becoming a Bow Master would help with promotion.
But the effort cost-effectiveness is too poor.
"To be honest, I hope you, Commander-in-Chief-nim, advance all the way to Marshal for the first time in the kingdom's history. Under such a Commander-in-Chief-nim, I want to get promoted faster than anyone else."
Rebecca is 2-Star.
But Hildea is 3-Star. Even though she's a commoner and younger.
This is the dignity of the youngest Sword Master.
Isn't it too obvious who I should flatter to achieve faster promotions?
"I see. It is indeed I, who earned three stars at age 20, who can lead your promotion faster than anyone."
The somewhat gloomy energy that had been cast over Hildea's face disappeared as if it were a lie.
Smiling brightly like when she first tasted Geisha coffee, she spoke as if pretending to scold.
"But why do you call me Commander-in-Chief? While you call Carlton Marquis, Rebecca Commander."
"That's...."
"From now on, call me Hildea Commander. This is an order."
Not just Hildea's face, but even her collarbones slightly visible between her collar had turned bright red.
"If you want to get promoted quickly, it means you must continue to follow this Commander's orders well."
"Understood, Commander-in-Chief-nim."
"Are you committing insubordination right now?"
"...Hildea Commander-nim."