Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Operation Snare (4)
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Having received the report, Lance looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked,
"Judging by the crest on the armor, you seem like that guy Hans's squire... but your voice is awfully deep for your age... could it be..."
I pushed down my fear of being found out and answered calmly.
"I'm at that age now where I'm starting to become a man."
"I see..."
After pondering for a long while, Lance patted my shoulder and said,
"Well, I saw Hans often enough, but I never really dealt with his squires. Must've been a mistake on my part. Sorry about that. So, what's the situation outside like?"
Rather than lying here and risking suspicion, it would be better for breaking the enemy's morale and protecting my own life to just tell him the facts as I saw them...
So I spoke plainly.
"The soldiers' morale is holding steady enough, but the citizens', especially the refugees', is at rock bottom. Among the refugees, some are saying, 'If it's come to this, surrendering to Baron Kroitel might be the way to survive.'"
Lance sighed at that and said,
"Hmm... the situation's worse than I thought. Well, with the food rations including those for the refugees, we won't last even a month now..."
At that moment, I couldn't hold back the laugh that bubbled up unbidden.
Luckily, with my helmet on, he couldn't see my face, but if he had, he'd definitely suspect me of being a spy...
So, to match Lance's despairing mood, I recalled the most irritating moment of my life.
Yeah, that wicked bastard Mant, who came in with me and got lucky by capturing a squire in the last war, promoting him to corporal—that smug look on his face... those words...
"Hey, Private Short... no salute? I'm a corporal now, and you're still just a private..."
Rage boiled up, frustration and despair surging from my heart.
So, after trembling for a moment, I replied in a quivering voice.
"That's serious... so, how can I help?"
Hearing that, Lance seemed impressed by this young squire much his junior offering to assist, so he forced a smile through his gloom, patted my shoulder, and said,
"Until Count Helsman returns, we can't open the gates and fight. If the enemy had committed looting, rape, or murder, we could rally them and arm them... but since they haven't killed a single serf, even if we armed them, they'd just half-ass it and open the gates for them."
"Then...?"
Lance gave me a suspicious look, then shook his head as if dismissing the thought, and said,
"You're awfully curious, aren't you? Don't act like that in front of other knights. They might suspect you're a spy. We'll assign some citizens and guards to suppress the 'serfs' if they revolt by force."
I nodded and feigned deep admiration in my response.
"Excellent insight. Once His Excellency Helsman defeats Count Nant and returns, we'll have a huge advantage."
Hearing that, Lance waved his hand dismissively in front of me and said,
"You think so? Well, my head is a bit sharper than the other knights'. Anyway, off you go—Hans will be looking for you."
"Yes, sir."
Then, like the knights do, I gave a slight bow to my superior and withdrew from Lance's presence naturally.
Whew, I thought my heart was going to explode.
What kind of guts made me approach the enemy garrison commander to dig up this vital intel?
Still, if I get back safely, I might even get promoted to sergeant...
Wait for me, Corporal Mant... I'll abuse my rank on you all day.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After slipping out of the lord's castle being used as the garrison headquarters, I ran into a few enemy knights.
Most just exchanged greetings, and I said I was off to find Sir Hans.
But one knight lurking alone in a dark corner—I silenced him with a hand over his mouth and stabbed him through the heart from behind with a dagger.
Then I took his sword with the crest embedded in it and his head, proof of his knightly status.
Once I reached a spot very close to the walls, I tossed the noisy armor into some hidden nook out of sight to descend the walls.
Pretending to be a regular soldier, I crept up to the ramparts as quietly as possible... searching for a soldier standing watch 'alone.'
After scouting around for about ten minutes, I spotted a guy holding a torch alone, heading off to the toilet on the wall.
Before he could meet up with other soldiers, I dashed up the stairs leading to the ramparts.
Once up the stairs, I naturally came face-to-face with the soldier.
Spotting me, he waved and said,
"Newbie? You're a bit early for the shift change here... wrong spot?"
"Haha, yeah. They told me West Gate Tower 5... where's this?"
The veteran soldier laughed at my words and said,
"What's with that 'this'? Your discipline's shot! But since I got caught sneaking to the john on duty, I'll let it slide. It's the other way. Run to the opposite side, and you won't be late."
"Thank you."
I brushed past him, and the moment I did, I clamped my hand over his mouth from behind, drove my dagger deep into his throat to silence him, then leisurely tied a rope to the rampart tower like I'd trained and rappelled down.
The instant my feet hit the moat, I sprinted with every ounce of strength, fearing enemy sentries, straight to Baron Kroitel's army camp.
Upon arriving at the camp, a sentry eyed me suspiciously and barked,
"Password! Hardtack!!"
"Withdraw!"
"Good! You're clear."
Finally... I'm alive...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Up to now, we haven't spotted any soldiers from Count Helsman's territory within a day or two's march coming this way."
"Good work, Captain."
"Not at all, Your Excellency."
Though he said that, exhaustion was plain on the captain's face.
He must've gone out on recon himself to ensure a solid report...
"That's enough. Even back in our mercenary days, Helmut praised you as the veteran merc who always volunteered for scouting. Keeping up those good habits—I'm proud."
The noble lord himself, a man from the clouds, calling a mere commoner like him something to be proud of—it touched the captain deeply; he was fighting back tears.
"Everyone knows scouting's vital, but I know it best. I'll consider your promotion soon. Dismissed."
"Yes, thank you."
Having finished, the captain hurried out, not wanting to cry in front of me.
And soon after, I heard a man in his forties sobbing in overwhelming emotion.
"Mother, Mother... if you'd lived just ten more years, you could've seen your son rise to captain and earn a title!!!"
Encounters like this always remind me how different this world is from the modern one.
What we take for granted as 'promotion by merit' is here an unimaginable stroke of luck and grace, no matter your skill.
Good, then I should note this in 'Captain Sandman''s personnel file...
As I planned to add a glowing review to his record, the sergeant guarding my tent entered and said,
"Your Excellency, there's a scout named Short who insists on reporting directly to you. What should we do?"
"I get he worked hard on recon, but shouldn't he follow the chain of command?"
"He knows that, but he's stubborn: 'It's a matter for Your Excellency to decide after hearing my report!!' Plus, he's got what looks like an enemy knight's head on his belt..."
Even for a soldier, bringing back a 'knight's head' warrants a hearing.
Even if the intel's worthless, in this lopsided war, killing one knight is a huge boost.
Enemy morale will plummet the moment they learn of a knight's death, even without battle.
"Send him in."
With that, a mud-caked scout in rags entered and saluted me.
"Private Short of the Recon Unit, here to report directly to Baron Kroitel, Your Excellency."
"Good work. First, let's see that knight's head."
Short opened a blood-soaked cloth pouch on my desk.
Inside was a man's head, fresh from recent death.
"And this is the sword he carried. The crest is engraved on the hilt and pommel."
Only knights carry swords with crests on hilt and pommel...
Other gear might be questionable, but knights never hand off crested swords—so it's definitely a knight he killed.
"Well done. Now, start your report."
Urged to speak, the soldier gestured wildly as he recounted his findings.
Most info matched what other scouts brought, so his is likely true too.
Then...
"Is that true? You killed Hans's squire, took his armor, approached Commander Lance, and told him the citizens' morale is so low they should use 'garrison troops' to watch the refugees?"
"Yes. Proof: the seal ring with his family crest that the squire of Sir Hans carried."
Checking the ring, its center bore an unfamiliar crest—seems genuine.
An unexpected windfall rolled into my lap.
Grateful for the luck, I couldn't help laughing heartily in front of the 'soldier,' forgetting decorum.
"Haha, unbelievable luck. Truly impressive!! So, what's your rank?"
"Private."
"Go on. We don't usually give field promotions, but yours I'll review quickly and pass through your CO!"
"Private Short! Thank you!!"
With that, Short bolted from my tent.
That day, I got the recon captain's report on Short.
The next day, I assembled all the troops and announced Short's promotion before them.
"Private Short, for infiltrating Helsman Castle, extracting weaknesses directly from garrison commander Sir Lance, killing 'one enemy knight and one squire' in the process, and for prior achievements, I hereby promote you two ranks. Also awarding 20 gold coins."
A lavish reward, but considering the morale drop from the knight he killed during recon and the intel's value...
This is only fair.
Now, once we build the fortress, I can stretch out and sleep easy for a while.