Chapter 103
Chapter 103
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Seizing Command of the Fifth Legion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The officers, bound with ropes, were dragged away, leaving only the Red Dragon Legion and the battered remnants of the Fifth Legion behind.
"I'm sorry."
Axel, his face etched with despair, bowed his head deeply. But his apology, little more than that of a marionette, meant nothing.
It simply laid bare the profound helplessness he felt.
"Deputy Legion Commander Axel Lübeck. This disaster unfolded due to the insubordination of Kai Shuh and the other officers. However, it's undeniable that you lost control of the legion."
"...You're right."
Axel's face hardened at Victor's pointed remark, and he bit his lip.
"The enemy has retreated, but the battle isn't over yet. In your current state, the Fifth Legion can't withstand another assault."
Victor stared straight at him.
"Deputy Legion Commander Axel. Can you restore order to the Fifth Legion?"
"..."
Axel moved his lips, and the surrounding officers watched his mouth intently.
In the end, he offered no reply.
"For the efficient execution of His Majesty's orders and on-site recovery, I will temporarily assume command of the Fifth Legion."
Victor scanned the officers around him and declared firmly.
"Do you consent?"
Axel clenched his fists tightly.
"...I consent."
His voice trembled faintly, but Victor ignored it even as he noticed.
The remaining Fifth Legion officers, recalling the sight of their dragged-away comrades, silently accepted the situation.
"Clear the battlefield. Once the wounded are evacuated, we retreat immediately."
"...Understood."
"Yes, sir."
At Victor's orders, the soldiers began salvaging what they could from the defeat.
From the moment conflict first arose, I hadn't been impressed with the Fifth Legion's officers.
Still, given that they commanded over ten thousand troops, I'd moved with some respect for their opinions.
"The 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments have been annihilated. The survivors are too gravely wounded to fight in the next battle."
"Cavalry losses are severe as well. Fewer than five hundred can still maneuver properly."
"...The support forces are in poor shape too. Total available troops number around five thousand."
And that was the result.
An elite force of over ten thousand had been reduced to five thousand ragged stragglers in an instant.
"What's the current situation?"
"We've all fallen back to the original positions for now. The Fifth Legion troops are awaiting reorganization."
I frowned as I listened to the report, but I didn't feel any particular rage.
It might look like righteous anger was expected, but what I truly felt was closer to regret or disappointment.
"Then we'll hold a court-martial. Kai Shuh and the officers who actively participated in the mutiny will face judgment."
Separate from that.
There was no longer any need to waste more time and effort on them.
To swiftly bring the Fifth Legion under control, as soon as battlefield cleanup was nearly done, I brought up the court-martial.
"That's..."
"If you have objections, speak them."
"...No, I don't."
Axel flinched but lowered his head again, averting his gaze.
A bit disappointing, but unavoidable.
He might have been competent as a deputy, but he wasn't cut out to lead a legion.
The other officers simply nodded in agreement, so I prepared a summary trial without delay.
I set up a makeshift courtroom in an open area visible to the troops,
"...Insubordination on the battlefield is a grave crime, punishable by summary execution depending on the severity, as stipulated in the military code."
"Execution? What...!"
and proceeded without hesitation.
There were brief testimonies, defenses, and fact-checking, but their guilt was all too clear.
The verdict came quickly.
"Kai Shuh and eleven others ignored Deputy Legion Commander Axel Lübeck's orders and pressed an reckless assault, resulting in over four thousand soldier deaths. This borders on outright rebellion."
"..."
"For this blatant violation, ringleaders Kai Shuh, Kurt Bröhner, Wolf Rippen, and Max Prahl will be executed. The remaining officers will face demotion and forced labor based on the severity of their involvement."
"This is unjust!"
"Deputy Commander! Execution? This can't be right!"
"Say something!"
"..."
Kai and the officers protested the decision, but Axel remained silent,
"It was our own decision? Till, Moritz..."
"Th-those bastards deserve to die!"
and the watching soldiers even showed open hostility.
"The executions will now proceed."
"..."
Citing the urgent circumstances, I carried them out the same day the sentences were handed down.
Glancing at the surrounding soldiers, I saw tension etched on their faces.
Normally, I'd delegate to them, but considering the impact on their morale,
"...General?"
it was better for me to get blood on my hands than force it on them.
A few more stains wouldn't change much anyway.
I retrieved the pistol Dominic had gifted me, loaded it with bullets and powder, and approached the condemned officers bound at the center of the improvised execution ground.
"Kai Shuh. You led this collective mutiny and actively defied Deputy Commander Axel's directives. You refused to acknowledge your errors and attempted to inflict even greater losses by forcing a march in an impossible situation."
"..."
I chambered a round and pressed the pistol to the back of his kneeling head.
"Do you admit your guilt?"
"I-I admit it! Please, spare my life..."
The cold metal made him tremble violently as he begged.
"...What?"
"The legion commander...?"
Ignoring the murmurs from the other officers,
-Bang! Thud.
I pulled the trigger, and Kai collapsed.
The onlookers fell silent.
"..."
"Next. Wolf Rippen."
"Eek..."
In the ensuing hush, broken only by the whimpers of the condemned, I reloaded and continued the executions.
Each gunshot felled another officer,
"...Kurt Bröhner."
until only Kurt Bröhner remained—the one who had stayed utterly silent throughout.
I walked up to him where he sat motionless.
"..."
For a moment, I lifted my head and scanned the crowd again.
Some looked sickened, others had turned away, and a few radiated visible fury toward the prisoners.
But none dared speak.
-Clink.
"...Oops."
"Gasp..."
A bullet slipped from my grasp by accident and rolled across Kurt's body.
I fished another from my pocket and slid it into the pistol.
-Click.
"Kurt Bröhner. You disobeyed Axel Lübeck's orders and, as an infantry officer of the Fifth Legion, failed in your duties by joining Kai in battle."
"..."
"You claim you were swayed by Kai Shuh's arguments, but as a senior officer duty-bound to prevent mutiny, your participation is a serious crime. Do you admit it?"
"...Yes. I admit it."
He answered calmly, but his pupils shook wildly as he met my gaze.
I could understand his feelings, which made my hand tremble slightly as I aimed,
but right now, I needed to embody the ruthless yet authoritative 'Legion Commander Victor, executor of the Emperor's will.'
-Bang!
I squeezed my eyes shut briefly and pulled the heavy trigger.
-Thud.
"Henceforth, any who break discipline will be dealt with severely. Dismissed."
The Fifth Legion soldiers who had witnessed it all nodded dazedly.
I shoved the still-warm pistol roughly into my pocket and returned to my tent.
"General..."
"We'll proceed with reorganizing the Fifth Legion."
"...Understood."
With the enemy glaring from right before us, there was much to do.
I focused on preparations for the next battle.
Meanwhile.
The mood in the Kingdom Army's command tent was entirely different.
"...In summary, enemy casualties are estimated at around seven thousand. Cavalry losses alone exceed one thousand."
"Excellent."
"Heh heh..."
The officers couldn't hide their elation at the report, breaking into satisfied grins.
"That's double our losses."
"And most of ours were mercenaries. Cavalry took a hit too, but crippling their cavalry makes it a net gain, doesn't it?"
"Haha! Exactly!"
Kingdom Army casualties totaled around four thousand.
The cavalry that clashed before the enemy medium cavalry's momentum broke had suffered, but the regular infantry and most light cavalry remained intact.
"I'd heard Gonzalez's strategies were brilliant, but I didn't expect this level."
"The pocket maneuver was especially crucial. Even the Red Dragon Legion couldn't track our movements properly."
"The forces we sent to support couldn't even budge until we let them go!"
The officers who'd witnessed Sancho's pocket trap firsthand buzzed with excitement, turning the tent into a festive hall.
"The Red Dragon Legion took no losses, but the Fifth Legion fighting alongside them is effectively shattered. If we strike before they regroup, that would be ideal."
Sancho added his piece, igniting the officers' battle lust.
"Precisely, Your Excellency!"
"What's the next plan? Tell us!"
"..."
Sancho paused briefly.
"The enemy's main force, the Red Dragon Legion, is still unscathed. Starting tomorrow, I'll form small raiding parties to test their reactions."
"..."
"If they're as vulnerable as we suspect, this place becomes their grave."
"Reconnaissance in force..."
"...Sounds good!"
"I trust only in Your Excellency!"
A few foreign officers, expecting an immediate assault, showed subtle disappointment before masking it with smiles.
Sancho didn't miss the shift.
"We're in a strong position, but against the Red Dragon Legion, we must always stay cautious. They're formidable."
"...Understood."
Even so, Alfredo and a few officers' expressions remained clouded.
"..."
Sancho's mind grew complicated.