CH209 Opinions before Departure
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The next morning marked the planned departure time of Alex’s Taskforce Army.
The bulk of the troops drafted into the Exercitus Alexii had already been stationed in a temporary camp outside the fort since the early hours of dawn.
Because of this, rumours about the unit’s mission — and the identity of its highest General — had already spread among the ranks.
Reactions were mixed. Alex was, after all, a young noble with no record of manding soldiers in a proper war. But every soldier here had served under Earl Drake or his most trusted generals, and they trusted that neither would assign an such a seemingly unfit mander without reason.
Besides, the rumours surrounding the Earl’s heir were... promising.
Leading a platoon of raw Beginner-ranked recruits to defeat an Elite-ranked Armoured Troll and wipe out a goblin village several times their number — then going on to slay an Armoured Earth Drake single-handedly...
And that was on top of the dominant presence he displayed when claiming his position as heir against his siblings, followed by his decisive humiliating defeat of the representatives of the now-defunct Family Council.
Each story made the troops more willing to give their new general the benefit of the doubt.
This was no ordinary force — these were the true elites of the Fury Army. The weakest among them stood at the extreme peak of the Intermediate rank, while most of the rank-and-file were already Elites.
Although many of them technically surpassed Alex in cultivation rank, they were disciplined enough to follow orders... at least until he made a serious mistake.
At that point, they might rebel — and with the rebellious streak running through the Fury Army, it wouldn’t even have to be the mon soldiers. The higher-ranked officers themselves might strip Alex of mand if they decided he couldn’t hold authority.
As for now, Alex and the officers were still inside the fort, finalising matters before the unit set off.
In the presence of Earl Drake, Lord Marshall Lawson issued the marching orders to the officers: four manders and twelve Majors.
Each mander would lead one of the Division’s four Regiments — Infantry, Cavalry, Ranged, and Magi — while each Major would be responsible for a battalion of roughly three hundred troops, depending on the regiment type.
Only the manders could actively participate in the briefing with the Fury Family Head and the Lord Marshall; the Majors were there to observe and take notes.
Alex scanned the officers, surprised to find no trace of visible displeasure toward him.
The Majors were easy to read — curious, but nothing more. The manders were seasoned enough to hide their thoughts, but Alex’s Spirit Sight Lv.2 laid their emotions bare.
There was no resentment. Not even mild irritation at being placed under the mand of a fifteen-year-old boy — a child who, in their eyes, might have been in diapers when they were already seasoned warriors.
’Got to hand it to the Fury Army for their discipline,’ Alex mused. ’Or... is this just normal in this world?’
Alex wasn’t entirely sure if it was discipline or simply the norm in this world. Either way, he had no intention of forcing his authority over the manders. Unless absolutely necessary, he would let them draw on their own experience to lead the army.
There were few better opportunities to gain first-hand experience in manding troops — and to learn directly from seasoned veterans — than this.
"Young Master Alex, do you have anything to say?" Lord Marshall Lawson suddenly asked, turning his gaze on him.
Alex felt every pair of eyes shift in his direction. This was his chance to shape the officers’ impression of him. Backing down now would leave the wrong message.
He met Lord Marshall Lawson’s gaze, gave a slight nod, and stepped forward.
"I have little to add to Lord Lawson’s words," Alex began, his voice steady. "But I will say this — while I am the General of the Exercitus Alexii and the highest authority in this operation, I will be relying heavily on the experience and input of each and every one of you.
"There’s no point sugarcoating it. I am not only the weakest person here in cultivation, I am also the least experienced in military matters. Frankly speaking, if not for the Family Head’s direct order, I would never have accepted this position.
"That being said, now that I am here, I will depend on your collective strength — not for my sake, but for the soldiers under your mand, for the lands we have sworn to protect, and perhaps most importantly, for yourselves.
"For most parts of this operation, I will lend my ear and defer to your judgement. In return, I ask that you lend me yours as well. Whatever bias you may hold about my age or rank, I ask you to set it aside and listen when I speak.
"As you will see things I cannot, I will also see things you cannot. I am not someone who speaks without thought. So when I do speak, I want you to understand the weight of my words. Every word I give carries meaning — I hope you never forget that."
"With your full cooperation, I believe that by the end of this campaign, we will be raising our cups to another victory — one more to the glory of the Fury Army."
Alex’s tone was calm and posed — neither submissive nor arrogant.
Even without invoking the concepts of his fused Bloodline, he managed to project dignity and mand presence. The subtle shift in the officers’ expressions told him their acceptance of him had already grown.
Inwardly, Alex released a silent sigh of relief and concluded his speech.
"Ex Furore Victoria..." he declared.
Thump!
The Fury soldiers’ boots stomped in unison as they instinctively came to attention.
"...Sanguine Honorem, Virtute Furor!" they pleted the House Fury motto in a resounding chorus.
Earl Drake’s lips twitched. He barely suppressed a smile, concealing it behind the hand resting under his chin in a show of practiced nonchalance.
Lord Marshall Lawson gave Alex an approving nod before reclaiming the officers’ attention.
"There you have it. I trust your unit will return in victory.
"May Providence guide your march." He dismissed the meeting with a wave.
Alex was preparing to leave when Jared appeared behind him.
"Please e with me, Young Master Alex," the man said.
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