19
Chapter 19
"Any objections?"
"Even if they're an academy cadet, serving a child with no combat experience as a superior is..."
"Are you saying you'll disobey my orders?"
As Dian released her bloodlust, Paul and Hugo, facing the Sword Master's killing intent head-on, couldn't withstand the pressure and answered while shivering.
"I-I'll obey."
"Charles is exceptionally talented, coming in second only to Princess Leonia in the mock battle exams. Do not underestimate him just because he is young."
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
The two answered, but honestly, I was a bit suspicious. They would pretend to obey while Dian was around, but they'd likely ignore me the moment she left.
If that were the case, I'd need a plan.
-----
"Follow us. I'll lead you to the barracks where you'll be staying."
Paul and Hugo spoke. I followed behind them, and as we approached the barracks, Paul spoke again.
"You said you're a student at Arcadia Academy, right?"
"I am. And?"
"We've had students from Arcadia Academy visit a few times before. They all had one thing in common: they were desperate to earn some credit. Apparently, doing something impressive on the battlefield earns you extra points? Ridiculous."
Why on earth was he telling me that "ridiculous" story to my face?
"Just so you know, people unfamiliar with the military think scouts are weak, but our Reconnaissance Battalion is made up of the finest elite soldiers, handpicked from the best. That means we already have our own established way of doing things. Regardless of what you learned at the academy, you'll do just fine as long as you stay quiet and don't cause trouble. Don't try to fight just because you see an enemy, and don't do anything useless to be 'helpful.' Just observe. Quietly."
Wow... the lack of trust is incredible. He's treating me like a total liability. And I haven't even done anything yet.
A set of options appears before me.
[1. Just stay quiet since it's a hassle.]
[2. Accept any fight that comes my way.]
What should I do? I didn't have to think long.
[2. Accept any fight that comes my way.]
"Is that any way to speak to your superior?"
"What?"
"Excuse me?"
"No matter how young I am or that I'm a student, I am your superior in rank. I doubt the army can function properly in wartime if the chain of command is this loose. Should I report this to my teacher?"
Caught off guard by the sudden name-dropping, the two men were left speechless, their mouths hanging open.
"Apologize."
"A... what?"
He's slow on the uptake. Is it his age?
"An apology. If you apologize and tell me you're sorry, I'll let it slide this once."
"..."
"Otherwise, I can go to Professor Dian de Valboa right now and report everything."
"..."
After a long silence and some thought, Hugo was the first to speak.
"I'm sorry."
Paul looked at Hugo in disbelief, but Hugo nudged his arm, urging him to apologize quickly. And then...
"My apologies."
It was a bit lacking for an apology to a superior, but Paul apologized nonetheless. Fine. I managed to stop them from gaining the upper hand.
"I accept your apologies. But I expect this will not happen again."
It probably will. These men are deeply authoritarian, so they'll likely try to undermine me again soon. I'll have to push back. Damn, it's a chore making sure people don't look down on me just because I'm young.
Then, as we stepped into the barracks.
"What should I start with?"
Their rebellion began instantly.
Paul and Hugo exchanged glances, and then Paul responded.
"I wonder why you're asking us... regardless of your age or status as a student, you are our superior. Isn't it only natural for a capable superior to give orders to their subordinates?"
"Assuming you're actually qualified enough to be our superior, that is."
Paul and Hugo each chimed in. They've only just apologized and they're already acting up... This is driving me crazy.
Now, I can't use the 'superior' card again. I could have framed the last incident as a personal insult, but if these two coordinate their stories this time, I'll just look like a fool and the whole thing will be brushed aside. In that case...
"In principle, you're correct."
My admission made them puff out their chests.
"Now you've realized—"
"But you've served here for a long time, and I'm just a newcomer, aren't I? There must be a specific way of doing things here, so wouldn't it be inefficient to tell me to just figure it all out on my own?"
That's right. I chose a frontal breakthrough. Once I spoke the plain truth, the two of them were left speechless.
"That's..."
See? Stymied.
When Paul couldn't find the words, Hugo spoke up in his place.
"Then please draft the Reconnaissance Operation Plan. That's what the previous Strategist did. Since you're the new Strategist, you should follow in those footsteps, right?"
In other words, he was warning me that they'd mock me if I was less capable than my predecessor.
'I really can't stand these guys...'
It's like they're some disorganized mob. Just you wait. You're both dead meat.
-----
A few hours later, after completing the Reconnaissance Operation Plan, I immediately summoned Paul and Hugo.
"Why did you call us? Are you bored? Should we play a game of dice or something...?"
Hugo snickered at Paul's provocation. I ignored them both and held out the documents.
"This is the Reconnaissance Operation Plan. Read it."
"Ha! Already? You clearly don't understand; a Reconnaissance Operation Plan isn't something you just whip up. There are set formats and templates..."
But the moment Paul opened the plan, his hand suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
Hugo stepped over to look, and he, too, froze in place.
It was only natural. The plan was surprisingly well-executed. Since Arcadia Academy trains students to become officers in the Imperial Army, they teach how to draft military documents. Though few people actually memorize it since it doesn't carry many points.
"Who wrote this for you?"
Hugo asked. He didn't even consider that I might have written it.
"How rude. I wrote it myself. If there are no issues with the plan, shall we proceed?"
Paul and Hugo were left speechless, unable to utter a word.
"Shall we proceed!"
When I bellowed this time, they gave a small, subdued affirmation.
"You may leave."
At that, Paul and Hugo grumbled as they headed back to their own barracks.
But the two—no, three—of them didn't know. Dian de Valboa had been eavesdropping on their conversation from behind the barracks.
"Not bad."
A crow in a tree cawed in response to Dian's mutterings.
-----
The next day.
General Dian de Valboa immediately approved the Reconnaissance Operation Plan Charles submitted, and he set out on patrol leading a group of cavalry.
It was uncommon for a Strategist to participate in reconnaissance, but Charles had insisted on it. He argued that he needed to understand the field to issue proper orders from above.
Going to the front lines was certainly dangerous for a Strategist. However, he felt it would be fine as long as Glacia was with him. She was, after all, the third-best swordsman in the world.
Trusting Glacia, I joined the Valboa army's reconnaissance unit. Contrary to public perception, Paul and Hugo were right about them being elite soldiers. Their equipment was top-notch, their horsemanship was superb, and their overall martial skill was very high.
While patrolling with such riders, Charles's physical abilities were slightly lacking. I got the feeling the other scouts were being considerate, adjusting their pace so I could keep up. I felt like I needed to start exercising.
Contrary to the common belief that riding is just sitting on a horse and going, it is an exhausting activity. It's completely different from driving a car. To keep up with their operations, I'd need to build my stamina and practice my riding.
'I'll just work out during the break before I come back.'
With that thought, Charles followed the unit. They traversed various areas based on the map, recording the terrain. This data would eventually be compiled into reports for me.
'So I scout the surroundings personally to observe changes in terrain and determine the best path for the army to advance.'
I learned a lot about the battlefield by following them. I realized how complex the procedures were in reality compared to the single click it took in a game.
'As expected, war in reality is quite different from war in a game.'
While war in games is thrilling and fast-paced, real war requires an immense amount of preparation. It was almost tedious.
And the person responsible for that preparation is the staff officer—the Strategist.
While I was lost in these thoughts, the reconnaissance officer leading the unit, a man named Gabriel, spoke to me.
"I thought you were just a nepotism hire because you're an academy cadet, but your stamina is better than expected. In two weeks, you'll be a perfectly capable scout."
That's thanks to being beaten to a pulp by Glacia for a month while learning the sword.
"It's thanks to my dedication to my studies."
"Hehe, I wish my son were half as talented as you. We plan to rest in a nearby village tonight. What do you think, Strategist?"
"Do you mean Ballen Village?"
"Huh? How did you know? Did you live here?"
"Not at all. I just memorized the surrounding terrain from the map earlier."
The reconnaissance officer looked genuinely surprised.
"Oho... Your memory for terrain is impressive, but knowing exactly where we're headed is a great talent for a scout. Most just follow along without knowing where they are. You'd be pulling your weight even if you joined the unit right now."
Why flatter me so much? He's a far cry from Paul or Hugo.
We chatted for a while and arrived at Ballen Village, but the villagers' faces looked strange; their cheeks were sunken as if they'd been starving for days.