The Impoverished Earldom (1)
The Impoverished Earldom (1)
"I caught that smell while I was sleeping, and I tossed and turned all night."
Rebecca's eyes smile, and her hands keep correcting my posture.
Probably because she's a Bow Master, once she teaches me something, she instantly finds a more optimal posture than I do.
"Piel? You're thinking about other things again?"
"I'm sorry."
"Hmm, no need to be sorry. I just want to eat samgyeopsal at a reasonable price."
"We decided to have a samgyeopsal dinner with the Luna Unit every week, so please come too, Commander Rebecca-nim."
"Thank you. Would 10 gold coins be enough for the meal?"
Even though I haven't lost the modern person's sensitivity that drives me crazy for gold, my conscience wasn't so exploded that I'd charge 6.5 million won per samgyeopsal meal.
"You've already paid for years' worth of meals with the beef brisket combat rations. And you're helping with my training. Please just enjoy the samgyeopsal comfortably."
Rebecca is a great northern magnate and marchioness, so I should stay friendly with her. How much is a bit of samgyeopsal anyway?
"Don't refuse and just accept it."
"It's really okay..."
"I'm doing it because I want to give it. I'm not like Hildea who can just casually hand out rank insignia to Piel. That thing Piel wants most."
"..."
"I think I can eat comfortably only if you accept at least gold coins. Hmm?"
"...Then I'll accept it with sincere gratitude. Actually, I was waiting for the right timing to bring up the invitation for the samgyeopsal dinner to Commander Rebecca-nim."
"Thank you. I'll trust you for it."
"It's true."
"Yes, I said I'll trust you for it."
The difference between 'I'll believe you' and 'I'll trust you for your sake', just adding or removing one letter makes such a huge nuance difference.
"Then shall we continue with shooting training?"
Rebecca smiled happily and touched my posture here and there again.
"By any chance, does my assertiveness make you uncomfortable, Piel?"
"I haven't thought that at all."
If you keep the radiantly shining 5-star rank insignia in your mind, you become steadfast even against the flirting of a mid-170cm glamorous slender female archer.
"It's the table education I received from my mother. It's a survival technique for surviving in the North."
"Survival technique?"
"Yes, she taught me that if you meet a good man, don't worry about what others think, don't weigh the circumstances, don't care about face, and just seize him."
"..."
"Piel was a bastard, right? Don't worry. Even Piel's children born from other women, I'll be their godmother and raise them well."
Is this northern-style flirting?
I'm a bit dizzy.
***
Including Luna, 202 knights of the 1st Army stood at attention in front of me.
A frail physique with much lost muscle from the aftereffects of imprisonment.
But their eyes were full of strength.
'For the time being, I need to feed them a high-protein diet and restore their physiques first.'
The blood oath of the Sword of Subordination.
A unit that must only follow me, pledging irreversible loyalty.
I should generously and vigorously raise them.
"You all, from today, will spend your days with training that rivals actual combat."
Heh, 'you all'...
To think I would be able to use this word with such pomposity.
"First, I will issue new uniforms."
I issued each person 2 sets of field uniforms and 2 sets of activewear.
Everyone changed into them on the spot.
I had Luna go into the official residence separately to change and come out.
Even though I gave her the smallest female soldier size, the clothes were too big and hung loose.
'Right, that field uniform manufacturer probably didn't account for a female soldier under 160cm...'
"The clothes are big. Unit Commander Luna, are you alright?"
"No problem! I will adjust myself to the clothes!"
A spirited answer, very good.
She looks like a child who stole an adult's clothes, which is also cute.
"If your field uniforms get damaged, report it at any time. Walking around in worn clothes is a discipline violation. If your combat boots break, report it..."
Watching everyone's eyes sparkle, desperate not to miss a single word, I felt a crazy addictiveness.
There was a reason commanders were so talkative.
"I will issue weapons."
【Requesting supply of 202 Ontario Machete 56cm (New Model).】
Luna is a mage, but I gave her one for uniformity.
Everyone received their machetes with honored expressions and checked the blades.
I feel proud of them all.
"Good. Then from now, we will conduct training and outer perimeter reconnaissance of the barracks."
Everyone, now we're going to eat.
Today's lunch is chicken— no, samgyetang.
***
Private Bertenhal (formerly Brigadier General).
He examined the machete with shining eyes.
The other knights also couldn't take their eyes off the issued machetes.
'This is the famous sword of the Marshall family, made from the divine metal, orichalcum...!'
The more I look at it, the more amazing this sword is.
Its smooth luster, as if made of silver, constantly captures the gaze.
'They say the short blade is because it was made assuming a Sword Master would use it.'
The reason for issuing such a renowned blade?
Isn't it the wish that each and every one of them would become a Sword Master?
Bertenhal caressed his field uniform.
The mysterious and complex pattern (digital) seen for the first time was receiving much envy from other knights and soldiers.
The combat boots, boasting a rugged coolness, were also amazing.
Overall, it was very comfortable to move in.
Without any exaggeration...
'It's so light and sleek, as if I'm not wearing clothes at all. How could there be such a military uniform?'
They even gave two sets to wash and wear alternately.
Having a unified uniform makes the sense of belonging and loyalty feel more ripe.
Piel, who had left the barracks, went behind a low hill that wasn't visible from the watchtower.
"Hmm, this is good. This spot will do."
Luna, Bertenhal, and the knights tensed up.
'Finally, the first training.'
Piel began pulling out a large amount of something again from his subspace bracelet (supply cheat).
A large pot, a large kerosene burner, a large water container.
And vacuum-packed frozen raw chickens, salt, vegetables, and the like fell with a thud.
"Oh, now even the PX sells cooking ginseng."
"...?"
Bertenhal was confused by the incomprehensible muttering.
The knights were bewildered at the sight of the piled-up frozen raw chickens.
"What are you doing? Move quickly. Fill the pots with water."
"Y-yes, executing!"
The knights moved quickly.
Following Piel's directions, they poured bottled water into the large pot, fixed the pot onto the large kerosene burner, lit the fire, and boiled the water.
"Put the chicken, vegetables, seasoning— no, spices into the pot."
Thus, a quasi-samgyetang for hundreds was made.
At the delicious smell wafting out, the knights' Adam's apples bobbed ceaselessly.
"It's an order. Eat 10 chickens per person."
Only then did the knights fish out the chickens with bare hands and began tearing into them frantically.
The broth was hot, but everyone wolfed it down without care.
After Bertenhal also devoured his share of 10 chickens, a languid fullness washed over him.
But he sat upright in perfect posture to not show any slackness.
"For the time being, until you recover your former physique and stamina, lunch will be like this every day. Take note."
A blunt and cold tone.
But the warm quasi-samgyetang broth that filled their stomachs granted a magic that made his voice sound kind.
***
After I gave the knights bottled water and dishwashing tools and left them to clean up.
I brought Luna out separately.
"Luna, it's dessert. There isn't much, but I hope this satisfies..."
"I will eat well!"
Last time I gave her a whole round cake, but this time I bought a single slice of cake from the PX and gave it to her.
'A talent that reached 7th Class at age 24... She'll probably achieve Archmage someday, right?'
She even carries the alias Wind Mage.
Isn't that a class that would be perfect for the Air Force?
'Hildea is the Army tank, Rebecca is the ground-to-air missile, Luna is the Air Force fighter...'
"Now, Luna. Let's talk about what kind of magic you're good at."
"My specialty is the wind category. I'm specialized in widely or accurately spreading the attack spells of fire and ice mages..."
The more I hear, the more my heart cools.
'This doesn't mesh with mortars at all?'
She could use wind to make shells fly farther, but what use is that?
We're already annihilating the enemy within medium range anyway.
Sensing my expression, I saw Luna's face turn pale.
So I quickly put on a smile.
"Using wind to detect the enemy's presence is very excellent. It will be a great help in combat operations."
"I won't disappoint you, Lieutenant Colonel-nim!"
When I forced myself to find something to praise and encouraged her, Luna finally relaxed and laughed brightly.
'Are the battle mages here really useless except for cooking?'
Until their lost muscles come back, I need to slowly think about how to establish the identity of the penal unit.
'An assault unit armed with machine guns? An artillery unit armed with mortars?'
A wicked thought suddenly rears its head.
'Or... a special operations unit specialized in dealing with human units?'
Because it seems the existing 3rd and 4th Armies are enough to deal with the elf legions.
Should I set the identity of the Luna Unit as a human-specialized unit?
'Because the enemy isn't only in front, but also behind.'
In a sense, the enemy behind is more lethal.
Because they wear the mask of allies.
'To issue weapons, I need next month's budget to come in, so let's think slowly until then.'
***
Five days had passed since I became Lieutenant Colonel.
As the first samgyeopsal dinner approached, Hildea couldn't sit still.
Rebecca also pretended not to be, but subtly hinted, 'Two days left, huh?'
There were also battles.
After the rock golem legion was repelled, the elves who had been quiet for a while suddenly began attacking every day.
The types were varied.
Ancient Tree legion, wyvern legion, rock golem legion, large wolf legion, etc.
They attacked every single day without rest.
There were even days when they raided twice, morning and evening.
But we repelled them all without any damage.
When they pushed in numbers, we handled them with a combination of mortars and Rebecca's aerial explosions.
Powerful single entities were dealt with by Rebecca's anti-materiel sniper rifle.
There was no need to even deploy Hildea's 105mm cannon.
"It would take something like that giant rock golem from last time for Commander Hildea-nim to step in. She's our Ainshuvan Army's ultimate weapon."
"I know. A Sword Master doesn't draw her cannon recklessly."
Hildea was proud that the situation was being handled 'at Rebecca's level' without her even needing to step in.
In fact, I calmed down Hildea who wanted to fire the cannon to save the ammunition budget.
"But lately, those elf bastards are strange. To attack every single day without missing a day like this."
"Are they rushing in with the desperation of hitting a rock with an egg? Or do they have something else up their sleeves?"
"The attack frequency is high but the quality is terrible. They can't not know they'll be crushed instantly at that scale."
It's suspicious that they keep sending trivial mobs that can't compete every day.
"Usually, this is a tactic used when they want to hold our attention and strike somewhere else."
"We should expand our vigilance further."
"I think we should."
But whatever they're plotting, our alert posture will be flawless.
'Northern Front all clear.'
***
Brent Barkos.
He was the third son of the Barkos Trading Company, and regularly visited the North to distribute necessary goods.
His main trading areas were the Carlton Marquis territory and Count Balckenhardt territory.
The main items he handled were foodstuffs like rye, oats, and sorghum, as well as military supplies.
With the money earned, he would mainly buy iron ingots from the Carlton Marquis territory, and from the Count Balckenhardt territory...
He bought nothing. Because there was nothing to buy.
The county that had originally been royal land and became Hildea's territory was poor.
It was a county in name only, smaller and shabbier than most viscounties.
On top of that, squeezed by the long war, the entire territory had become gaunt.
But the atmosphere of the county he visited after a long while had completely changed.
To the point he suspected he might have come to the wrong place.
"Official residence construction! Official residence construction! Line up here! We're departing shortly!"
"Recruiting workers for building a new type of barracks! First 200 people!"
"No, ma'am. I said 500 baskets. This is 490?"
"Oh, please understand. We all worked through the night for days, but the materials ran out..."
"I'll take off 10 worth of cornmeal."
It seemed like soldiers were requisitioning, but the male residents were all signing up with fervent eyes.
Women carrying baskets, clothing, shoes, tableware, and other living necessities were lined up in front of the soldiers.
An atmosphere where a vitality he had never felt before was bubbling up like a furnace.
Brent Barkos rubbed his eyes.
"What in the world is happening in the county?"
***
Brent Barkos, who met Butler Andrea at the count's castle, heard news like a bolt from the blue.
Seeing the food loaded on the cart, Butler Andrea said with a very embarrassed expression.
"We told you we no longer buy rye, so bring mainly iron and lumber. What is the meaning of this?"
"What? You don't need rye, sir?"
"I clearly said it during the last trade. From next time, bring mainly iron, lumber, and construction materials."