War Heroes Gathering in the North (1)
War Heroes Gathering in the North (1)
"Major Piel, we have won. No one died or was injured."
Hildea at the vanguard spoke with a dignified stride.
The Mortar & Machete knights behind Hildea were also standing at attention, their eyes gleaming.
It looked as if I were the commander-in-chief receiving a victory report, but that's not the case.
"Th-then, a special meal to celebrate the victory...!"
Hildea, her face slightly flushed, spoke as if voicing everyone's feelings.
'I have to save the budget as much as possible, but I can't be stingy when celebrating a victory.'
They won against that colossal golem legion without a single soldier dying.
Everyone's morale is at an all-time high.
A day like this absolutely calls for a special meal.
"Very well. Regardless of rank, 5 Chil-do Jumbo noodles per person!"
"Uwaaaaaah!"
Among Hildea's troops, there were far more who had never even laid eyes on the Chil-do Jumbo Lunch Box oversized cup ramen.
All victims who had only been subjected to others bragging under the guise of sharing information.
I decided to generously treat everyone.
To say the shells, Hildea, and the knights did all the fighting and leave out just the soldiers?
With that kind of character, you can never become a respected supply officer.
"It is the order of Count Hildea, Commander-in-Chief of Ainshuvan's Eastern Forces! The 4th Army shall enjoy it together! Who will deliver this joyful news and special meal to the 4th Army! Volunteers, step forward!"
"I will go!"
"I will go!"
"Please send me!"
Soldiers vied to volunteer....
No, why are the knight-nims saying 'I will go!' to me? Anyone watching would think I'm the superior officer.
"Sir Rodiel, since the volume is so large, I request a Storage Warehouse magic."
"Hmm, no problem. The mages have had nothing to do lately, so their stamina is overflowing."
I pulled out 100,000 Chil-do Jumbo Lunch Boxes to send to the 4th Army.
The mages cast the one-time subspace, Storage Warehouse magic on them.
The volunteers picked up the supply boxes enchanted with Storage Warehouse magic and headed to the 4th Army, laughing joyfully.
"You 4th Army hicks! We're coming to purify your tongues right now!"
"Hehehe! We'll show you the taste of heaven!"
"Your unit won't have anything like this! Eat your fill while you have the chance!"
I thought they were volunteering out of heartwarming camaraderie.
But they were all full of desire to tease the folks from the next territory over.
Rebecca also shrugged her shoulders, chuckling.
"Our kids didn't do anything, but thanks. Their morale will rise thanks to this."
"We are all the same Ainshuvan Eastern Army. If we enjoy it alone, what will the 4th Army soldiers think of Commander Rebecca?"
"You don't have to worry about that. Piel is just too kind."
Hildea stepped forward, as if swaggering.
"That's right. Major Piel is truly very kind. Even when I woke him up saying I was hungry, he didn't get annoyed and gave me a Marshall Bur... Anyway, he's very kind."
"Marshall Bur, what? Commander-in-Chief, what were you about to say just now?"
"Now, now! It's a special meal! It's a victory party hosted by Lieutenant Colonel (Temp) Piel, so enjoy yourselves to the fullest! An opportunity like this is rare!"
"Uwaaaaa! Major Piel-nim, thank you!"
"We will eat well!"
"Commander-in-Chief? What's a Marshall Bur?"
The lights turned on in the cookhouse.
Everyone lined up in order and received hot water for their 5 jumbo cup ramens.
For our command staff's portion, Sir Rodiel (Brigadier General) specially used magic to boil the water. It was convenient not having to use the field kerosene burner.
"Sir Rodiel, I could boil the water with the burner...."
"No. I must practice occasionally so I don't forget the sense of cooking. There's no guarantee you'll always be with us on the battlefield, is there?"
The veteran mage unit leader's smile, full of years of experience, struck a chord in my heart.
Why does he look so forlorn?
Everyone is eating the mere budget-1 Chil-do Jumbo Lunch Box like it's the most delicious thing ever.
Back in my active service days, even when the unit commander threw a beef party, they didn't seem to enjoy it this much.
My conscience feels unnecessarily heavy.
'On days like this, it would be nice to hold a grilled chicken skewer party.'
I have self-imposed restrictions on the types of special meals to avoid rapidly raising the soldiers' taste thresholds.
But seeing them so happy over just cup ramen,
my heart feels heavy as the image of myself grilling a Hanwoo steak with canola oil and grumbling about why there's no olive oil overlaps with this scene.
'Hold it in, Piel. If I casually start handing out things like chicken skewers as regular meals, the budget will be ruined. If I can't give it often, it's better they don't know the taste at all.'
If I suddenly cut off Hildea's burgers one day, she'd probably go mad.
I can't do that to the soldiers, so I must never recklessly raise their taste thresholds.
'Someday, I will definitely hold a direct-fire grilled chicken and lamb skewer party for everyone.'
***
The number one contributor to today's victory, Hildea, was unusually excited.
"The feel of the 105mm? Hoo, this really. It's such a shame that this officer's literary level is insufficient to properly express it."
"Commander-in-Chief, the recoil must be tremendous. How did you not move from your spot at all?"
"It's thanks to Feather Step. It's a technique exclusive to Sword Masters."
"Ah! Feather Step!"
"If you put on Aura Armor, does your body really feel no impact?"
"Of course. I guarantee even a pregnant woman could safely do it."
"Co-Commander-in-Chief...!"
In that instant, Vice-commander Basel unconsciously glanced at Piel and cried out internally.
'Commander-in-Chief, that remark just now was far too dangerous... Huh? Piel has no particular reaction?'
Basel reflected on himself for thinking it was a 'politically motivated remark' by Hildea to subtly hint at an established firm relationship with Piel.
Hildea, without any thought, was simply boasting that Aura Armor's protection was that safe.
Watching the Commander-in-Chief enthusiastically ramble on about the hot and tough feel of the 105mm Magical Cannon, Basel chuckled internally.
He got up for a moment to look around at the soldiers.
Vice-commander Dvil quietly followed.
"The Marshall family's financial power truly is unfathomable. To generously provide this precious noodle soup to a force exceeding 40,000... ."
"Is it just financial power? They're also loaded with offensive magical devices whose manufacturing methods we can't even begin to guess."
Basel refrained from saying, 'It's power that could even overthrow the kingdom.'
However, Dvil persistently dug into that point.
"Is the Marshall family's goal really just to become a free Frontier Count of Ainshuvan? With enough power to establish a nation and more... ."
"Lord Deville, didn't we all promise not to wag our tongues carelessly regarding the Marshall family?"
Basel scolded sternly.
Whatever ambitions Piel and the Marshalls harbored in their hearts, it no longer mattered at all.
The 1st and 2nd Armies had already collapsed.
The 3rd and 4th Armies were about to follow the same path, but thanks to Piel's existence, they are not just holding out but easily parrying the elf offensives.
"Piel Marshall is the hope and lifeblood of our Ainshuvan! Recklessly making impure speculations...."
"I would rather the Marshall family harbored very great ambitions!"
Dvil glared back defiantly.
"I hope they don't settle for being a mere Frontier Count with that mighty power! If Piel is just hiding a great ambition for now, what will you do, Brigadier General?"
Basel lightly ground his teeth and roughly grabbed Dvil's shoulder.
"I am also a man of Ainshuvan! I will never forget the grace Piel and the Marshall family have bestowed upon this place! I merely do not wish to be careless with my words and actions!"
A faint smile appeared in Dvil's eyes as he looked at Basel.
"I was careless."
"Be careful from now on. Especially pay more attention to managing the soldiers' tongues."
"The soldiers are also people from Count Balckenhardt's territory, same as us. Their families are indirectly receiving the benefit of the flour that Major Piel releases to the county under the pretext of farming."
Just as Basel snorted and turned his head.
A soldier was seen running urgently from the other side.
"Vice-commander-nim! Vice-commander-nim! Urgent report!"
He knew without listening.
Far away, thousands of knights and soldiers who had gone out to search for the 2nd Army stragglers were returning in a dignified manner.
The 1,400-liter sacks they had carried on their backs were well-tied to their waists.
All the food they had taken with them had been excellently consumed during the mission.
As proof of that, behind them followed the 2nd Army knights and soldiers, who had been left behind, looking emaciated.
Colonel Renbolk, the first 2nd Army straggler who had found his way to the 3rd Army, threw away even the last remaining broth in his lunchbox cup and ran out.
"Everyone was alive! Alive!"
"Colonel Renbolk-nim!"
Colonel Renbolk embraced the knights who were once in the same 2nd Army, rejoicing in their survival and reunion.
"Salute! Returned after completing the 2nd Army search and rally mission!"
"Everyone, good work."
Basel looked around proudly at the knights filled with pride.
The 2nd Army forces, looking shabby and numbering well over 20,000.
They were entering the barracks, having not abandoned their weapons even while lost to the end.
Dvil grinned slyly.
"Aigoo, how many are there? Major Piel will be very busy today."
"The 1st Army was annihilated, but if we can absorb the entire 2nd Army's strength intact, it wouldn't be impossible to block even the western front."
"What are you worried about? We have the solid supply support of the Marshall family, don't we?"
Basel murmured with an expression mixed with joy and worry.
"But... even for the Marshall family, can they feed and sustain a force of 70,000 soldiers, combining the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Armies, until the end?"
The roll call revealed that not a single 2nd Army straggler who had abandoned their unit under the commander's order failed to rejoin the 3rd Army.
The Ainshuvan Eastern Army under Commander-in-Chief Hildea exceeded 70,000.
***
If someone gave me the rank of lieutenant colonel 'right now',
I would give them a special meal of Chil-do Jumbo Lunch Box once a week.
If it's a colonel's insignia, I'd give it every evening.
If it's a brigadier general's insignia, I'd throw a Samgyeopsal party immediately right now.
With the full integration of the 2nd Army stragglers, the Ainshuvan Eastern Army surpassed 70,000.
【Lieutenant Colonel: 2,000】
【Colonel: 6,000】
【Brigadier General: 10,000】
【Major General: 15,000】
【Lieutenant General: 60,000】
Thinking about the future, it seems I need to start preparing for not just my own promotion, but Hildea's as well.
Before that, I can't not celebrate the integration of the 2nd Army forces.
I calmly looked around at the 2nd Army knights, who were shabby and emaciated but whose eyes alone were the very essence of a killing machine.
"Commander Hildea, please give me an order."
"Major Piel? What order do you mean?"
"Please give the order to serve whiskey immediately to the newly joined 2nd Army officers."
My fingers are trembling from trying to save the budget, so I absolutely cannot do it of my own will.
Therefore, I need an order from Hildea that I cannot disobey.
Hildea beamed and patted my shoulder.
"Major Piel, quickly comfort their stomachs with hot whiskey and direct-fire grilled chicken skewers!"
I didn't tell her to order chicken skewers too.
But my will was already joyfully firing off order requests to the supply cheat.
***
A dark solitary cell.
Inside a prison made entirely of cold, hard stone, Luna had been ceaselessly still, unable to perceive the passage of time.
She didn't know how much time had passed.
She didn't know what happened to her hometown, comrades, or subordinates.
She only remembered the tears the King showed before she was confined here.
-Sir Luna, thank you. I will never forget your loyalty and resolve....
The King said he would definitely get her out.
But Luna answered that rather than the King wasting strength to quell the Noble Council's opposition, it would be better to squeeze out more requisitions to support the North.
The western front collapsed, what became of the east?
How much supplies did the southern nobles actually hand over?
She really should have split Count Anbelrum's face in half.
As she spent her days chewing on all sorts of worries and regrets, the prison door finally opened.
'An execution?'
Luna staggered and followed the guard's lead out of the prison.
The guard's attitude towards her was extremely respectful.
But that was merely proof the guard was a royalist, not that she wasn't heading to the execution grounds now.
She saw the faces of the roughly 200 1st Army knights who were imprisoned with her for the first time in a long while.
Everyone silently exchanged powerless glances as they staggered, following the escort detail.
The destination was not the execution ground, but the royal palace training yard.
At that moment, Luna and the knights realized the punishment they would receive, and the tension that had been pulled taut in their hearts slackened all at once.
As the nobles watched with fierce, glaring eyes.
The King, looking down at the kneeling Luna and knights, opened his mouth with a deliberately stern voice.
"Luna and the 1st Army deserters, listen. For harboring complaints about rear support and daring to cause a disturbance in the royal palace, your crimes will now be judged."
Some nobles furrowed their brows.
They were likely subtly expressing displeasure at the King deliberately pinning it as a disturbance, not treason.
But right now, the King's speaking power was stronger than ever.
"You are ordered to move to Ainshuvan immediately. The criminals shall never leave that place for life, until death. By royal decree, die at the border defending it."
Luna bowed her head.
"Bestowing upon the traitors the punishment of dying in their homeland, Your Majesty's grace pierces to the bone."
The penal unit, led by Luna, departed for the North that very day.
Accompanied by the Military Inspector General carrying their rank insignia and appointment papers.