Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Selecting Knight Order Talents
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Nations prioritize different concepts depending on the era. What they emphasize changes with the times.
Humanism, capitalism, democracy, equality and freedom.
These are the most important concepts shaping modern Earth, but they aren't immutable truths passed down through thousands of years.
They are merely words that define an era, fragments destined to become part of history as time passes.
There were times when women obsessed over being "virtuous wives and wise mothers," and men over "honor."
Times when no amount of money could bridge class divides.
Times when everything beneath the land belonged to the king.
The point is, no nation has absolute values that must be respected in every era. All concepts are fluid, their importance shifting with circumstances and times.
I'm going to completely overhaul this country. It will become one where the people exist for the army, not the other way around.
In this nation doomed to apocalypse, soldiers deserve the utmost respect. In exchange for claiming the best rewards, every soldier will handle the harshest tasks in the toughest places.
They'll raise walls, conscript and train troops, forge weapons, hammer out armor, breed horses, and stockpile provisions.
"The knight order training is the issue."
Soldiers are different. Knights and mages don't pop out like spoiled milk turning sour in the gut.
They require time, budget, and talent.
In that sense, it was surprisingly fortunate that Jang Tae-seok was the first to claim the throne.
Thanks to the first king, Jang Tae-seok, Seonheon fundamentally established a tradition of valuing military might.
"Lee Se-eun, Choi Yeoreum, Han Sang-ah, Jeong Oh-hoon..."
No matter who else sat on that first throne, they couldn't have produced the same results as Jang Tae-seok. There's a saying that brute ignorance can sometimes be a boon, but I never thought it was true.
I figured other hunters would clean up Jang Tae-seok's messes, but it turned out the opposite. Without the knight traditions stemming from warriors and the culture favoring soldiers, things would be far more hopeless now.
If the culture prioritized art or philosophy amid repelling Gon-sal-ok's invasion, the problems would multiply in complexity.
"Your Majesty, it's time to head to Ilwoljeong Pavilion."
At those words, I rose from my seat. The knight commander, injected with a dose of motivation, had swiftly arranged meetings with the talents he recommended.
I made my way to Ilwoljeong Pavilion, prepared for the king's leisurely archery practice.
"Knight Commander."
"Your Majesty, I hope you've been well."
I replied with a hearty laugh.
"We're seeing each other since this morning—what do you mean 'well'? Can't you tell from my face?"
With that, I looked past him at those bowing deeply behind.
"So, these are the talents handpicked by the knight commander? I'm quite looking forward to this."
"We pay respects to the master of Seonheon."
As if on cue, all seven bowed in unison.
"Yes, yes. Raise your heads, all of you."
As I extended my hand, a waiting court lady handed me a bow. With practiced motions, I checked the bowstring and grip.
"Though I summoned you to my hobby spot for archery..."
I nocked an arrow and loosed it immediately. It struck dead center on the target 130 meters away.
The onlookers let out soft gasps of admiration, and the knight commander stared in astonishment.
The effective kill range of Seonheon bows is typically 150 meters. Hitting the bullseye at 130 meters was like a Korean soldier nailing a headshot at 500 meters.
No wonder they were shocked. I examined the bow casually as I spoke.
"I'm not here just to play. I seek talents to uphold my nation and lead it to glory."
From that moment, my expression turned icy.
"Think carefully before you speak. Just because this is a place for my amusement doesn't mean I'll jest here."
The air was so still, you could hear them swallowing hard.
"We shall heed and remember, Your Majesty."
The tension among them spiked visibly. I nocked another arrow.
"I don't demand greatness from you. The beauty of a dewdrop-laden bud lies in the anticipation of the flower waiting to bloom within."
The arrow whistled through the air, cleaving the previous one in half before embedding in the target.
"Not because the bloomed flower is beautiful. That's how I see you all."
Even if immature now, with proper nurturing, they could blossom. But to do that, I needed to gauge the potential hidden inside.
The knight commander's recommendations still gawked at the distant target in disbelief.
"Why the shock? Is it so surprising for Seonheon's king to excel at archery?"
I leaned the bow against a pillar and approached the table, unrolling the prepared map.
"Examine this and share your thoughts. Oh, and I'm curious about your opinion too, Commander—come take a look."
At my words, they all hurried from the target to the table.
"This is..."
As the knight commander started to speak, I shook my head with a smile.
"First, I'd like the young ones' views. Wait a moment."
He nodded. The map was an operational chart, symbols marking unit positions.
It was based on my memory of the most wretched battle I'd endured.
A test to gauge the knight commander's recommended talents.
"Discuss freely. In this scenario, can you claim victory?"
Then came the waiting.
"Looks tough. We're right in the lion's mouth."
"Narrow, treacherous paths, enemies closing from front and rear. Any way to divert forces?"
As they conferred, one spoke up.
"Your Majesty, may I presume to ask a question?"
I nodded.
"Are reinforcements coming? The deployments suggest the forces plan to hold."
"Yes. They'll arrive in about five days."
"And their approach route?"
I smiled and marked the map.
"This..."
Even with reinforcements, the situation seemed unchanged. They couldn't just defend well; more was needed.
"Staying put won't work."
"What season is it?"
"Late autumn."
The first questioner pressed on actively. Some queries were pointless, but most were key to future operations.
"We need to divert some forces somehow to link with reinforcements... Apologies, but no matter how I look..."
After much deliberation, they concluded it impossible. Most said so, including the first.
But "similar" wasn't "identical."
"We can hold three days. Beyond that, no paths visible."
"Three days, huh. How, exactly? I'm curious."
He promptly laid out his reasoning. Some ideas raised question marks in my mind, but others intrigued.
"The terrain is rugged. If we can't hold till reinforcements amid encirclement, we're dead anyway. So pick one side—front or rear—and collapse a cliff to block it."
"That's insane..."
One listener muttered. No reinforcements, all die. Block one path with a cliff, focus on the other.
Others were stunned, but I found it plausible. His assessment rang true, and holding five days was mandatory.
If there's any chance, try it. Not bad.
"...May I offer an opinion too?"
Another spoke—the silent one till now.
"Go ahead."
After a brief pause, he began.
"I agree on collapsing cliffs. But I'd do both."
"Elaborate."
He seemed to have a plan. Let's see how far.
"Lure the enemy in deep, then collapse both cliffs, trapping them with us."
Onlookers' faces hardened. Simple: mutual destruction.
"Trapped troops die for sure. But if enemies can't scale the cliffs, they're effectively surrounded. And reinforcements are coming."
He pointed to the map.
"Their route puts them atop the collapsed cliffs. What they'll see is..."
"Enemies struggling to breach one blocked pass."
He nodded.
"Reinforcements attack from above, us below trapped. Our forces annihilated, but enemies too. Reinforcements seize the area."
He added one caveat.
"Of course, only if the gains from occupying the region outweigh the losses in this operation."
"What's the most critical loss?"
"The commander's loss of trust."
Using own troops as bait, trapping with enemy. Reinforcements finish off. Ruthless—even commanders would recoil. Rumors spread, troops won't obey henceforth.
"The commander must brace for dishonorable discharge. Or perhaps punishment, not discharge."
Natural outcome. No organization tolerates such means, even if necessary.
Executing this seizes the area—but at the cost of the commander's career.
I regarded him steadily.
"Apologies. Not fitting for a commander."
I said nothing. But compared to the three-day holder, I was more drawn to this one.
What he just said...
Reminded me of my deeds in another world. And as he noted, I left the military after that operation.