What Happened That Day (2)
The atmosphere at the garrison was better than ever.
All three battles had ended in overwhelming victories—what more was there to say?
In fact, if one counted the great victory at the spirit stone quarry, it was four consecutive wins.
The war had only just resud, and not much ti had passed,
but the North's veterans were excited, calling it an unprecedented military situation.
Rumors filled with exaggerated hope also circulated, saying the war might end by this year.
'The rise in combat ability among the officers led to fewer casualties, and the wounded recovered quickly from eating my rice porridge.'
Thus, our morale soared sky-high, and all the credit was going to the cook platoon.
'It's honestly embarrassing.'
Of course, it was true that my cooking significantly boosted our unit's combat strength and endurance.
But I knew that excessive spotlight could sotis be poison.
I emphasized to my three increasingly arrogant platoon mbers, —"All the more reason to serve even more perfect food at tis like this! Understood?!"
I almost told them not to lose their original intention,
but honestly, their "original intention" was "I don't want to be a cook!" anyway.
I left the kitchen, hoping my subordinates would keep up their work as they were,
and now, I was continuing sparring at the makeshift training ground in the open field, where soldiers gathered after dinner.
Unfortunately, Ralph was not my sparring partner.
"Are you not focusing?"
I landed a low kick to the back of the special operations corporal's knee.
Maybe I'd hit too hard by accident, because he groaned and rolled on the ground in pain.
"Uuugh!"
At the sa ti, my eyes drifted to soone else, as if following an ex-girlfriend.
The big-jaw fellow was clinging to soone else, not .
'Ralph is busy again today, huh.'
After witnessing my and Schutmann's skills,
Ralph had stopped sparring with entirely.
Big-jaw hyung focused on his own growth rather than training his subordinates.
'In a way, that's just like Ralph.'
With Ralph were Lantz and Hank.
These three company commanders took turns sparring and giving each other feedback.
Today was no different.
"Don't you think you hit a bit too hard, platoon leader?"
The voice of the fallen special operations corporal snapped back to reality.
Watching him hobble up, I figured I must have really hit hard.
I felt suddenly guilty.
"Co to the kitchen after training. Next!"
The corporal retreated with a smile now,
and imdiately, another special operations corporal took his place before .
"I'd like to learn from you."
Without a word, I signaled him in with a tilt of Black Vein.
Tatadat, cheng!
Abandoned by Ralph, I had to turn my attention to nurturing the special operations forces.
The battalion commander had nagged after my spar with Schutmann.
-「By the way, how are you handling your role as acting special investigator?」
I couldn't help but be impressed by the old man's capacity for exploitation.
I had to mind Schutmann, still cook, and now fill in as the acting special investigator?
'Damn. I'm busy to death here.'
Anyway, I was distracted by the fun with the other guys in Ralph's absence
when suddenly, the battalion commander's lion's roar rang out.
"All company commanders and the cook platoon leader, to the operations room!"
It was a call for an operations eting.
***
I entered the battalion commander's spacious tent.
As usual, there was the table with the situation board laid out,
and the battalion commander, seated at the head, greeted .
"You're the first to arrive today. Hoho."
So that wasn't a welco, but more of an admonishnt—damn it.
'It's not like I want to be late all the ti, you know.'
It was because he always called when I was busy feeding everyone and cleaning up after, wasn't it?
I rendered a Loyalty shines upon you salute, took my usual seat, and asked, "It's a rather late call today."
"Hoho. There was urgent intelligence."
Listening to his excuse, I glanced at Schutmann standing in the corner.
He knew I was looking, but
he just leaned on the tent pole, arms folded, eyes closed.
Ever since our duel, the guy had been completely ignoring .
'I didn't expect I'd start missing that Brain Voice of his.'
Thinking about this, the battalion commander's voice ca through.
「It's not good to be so obviously conscious of him, you know.」
Damn. Had I been unconsciously showing my nerves?
'I guess the stress from that bastard's been building up.'
Even as the atmosphere and morale of our unit soared, my mind had been deteriorating.
After losing to Schutmann so emptily,
I'd been more on edge, wondering what and when he might try sothing.
It was to the point that I'd been waking up at dawn these days from nerves.
'Still, don't let it show. Get a grip, Ian.'
Where I lack talent, I make up for in Swordsmanship.
Resolving not to stumble in my acting, I started minding my thoughts,
when the three company commanders entered the tent at the sa ti.
"Loyalty shines upon you!"
The three saluted; they looked pretty worn out.
I could only watch them with mixed feelings.
Spending all your stamina every day was worriso, but, 'If by so miracle, they advanced to 4th-rank, the entire balance would shift.'
Not that I expected much from the stagnated talent of Ralph,
but with the young Lantz and Hank already at 4th-rank, who knows?
Although, even if they were geniuses, it was a bit too soon for them to reach 4th-rank.
Lost in these thoughts, the company commanders each sat down,
and Lantz asked in a worried tone, "What was the reason for calling us?"
No one, including , could have predicted an operations eting at this hour.
The most recent battle had only been yesterday,
and the tide was overwhelmingly in our favor.
No one would welco a summons from the battalion commander in such circumstances.
'Not with Schutmann bugging already, too.'
So what was this urgent intelligence the battalion commander ntioned?
But the answer to Lantz's question didn't co from the old man, but Schutmann.
"There's been unusual activity from the Heroni bunch."
All eyes—including mine and the three company commanders—turned to Schutmann across the table.
He opened his eyes and walked over to the table, continuing, "They're preparing to withdraw from the garrison, apparently."
I felt my eyes widen.
Since the battalion commander had called us in urgently, I'd expected bad news,
but this was surprisingly good news.
However—
'That's odd. The war barely resud and already they're retreating?'
Sure, they'd taken heavy losses at the spirit stone quarry,
and suffered consecutive defeats along this frontline.
But according to special operations intelligence, they'd borrowed a great number of troops from the beastkin king, Arundel.
Our opponent hadn't even seriously deployed their forces yet.
Why would they fold right after raising the stakes? Doesn't that seem odd?
'A couple initial defeats and they just give up and withdraw?'
I couldn't easily believe Schutmann's report.
It seed the other company commanders agreed.
"Schutmann, is this information reliable?"
As expected, Lantz was the first to ask.
"It's cross-verified. Not only from special operations, but also from a White Fang apprentice knight."
At Schutmann's answer, the three company commanders' faces instantly brightened.
anwhile, I had to keep up the act of looking pleased,
though my brain was racing.
'Damn. The situation's shifting too fast, and it's strange.'
The company commanders didn't know that White Fang was also an enemy of Granfen.
So it was natural news of an enemy retreat would delight them.
But not or the battalion commander.
And the fact that a White Fang apprentice knight confird the intelligence made it even creepier for .
'Would've been better if it was only confird by special operations.'
Eventually, I dampened the mood with a question:
"It just occurs to —could their withdrawal possibly be a trap?"
I addressed the battalion commander, not Schutmann,
but the answer ca from Hank.
"Hey! Didn't you hear what Schutmann just said? Confirmation ca from both special operations and an apprentice knight!"
Yeah, I heard. That's exactly the problem, idiot.
I ignored Hank and looked at the battalion commander.
"Hoho. Hank."
At the ntion of his na, Hank hurriedly bowed his head.
"Yes, battalion commander."
"I've always told you, haven't I? You need to develop the habit of thinking deeply."
There was a note of subtle annoyance in the battalion commander's voice.
I couldn't see Hank's face from my angle,
but seeing those jaw muscles tighten up was oddly satisfying.
"Lantz. What do I always say on the frontline?"
Lantz imdiately answered, ignoring Hank's feelings.
"There are no absolutes on the battlefield. We must calculate every possibility and be prepared for anything. ...that's what you've always said, sir."
"Hohoho. That's right. Said it just a few days ago, too. Hank, did you already forget?"
Hank slowly raised his bowed head and replied, "Sorry, sir. I'll keep it in mind."
His slightly bloodshot eyes glanced at .
Amazingly, I could read this bastard's mind as if I had telepathy.
'He probably thinks the battalion commander's taking my side again.'
Ever since returning from Grey Fortress and my duel with Pab,
Hank hadn't tried to harm , but was always like this,
always giving jealous looks.
Not that I liked him either, so it didn't matter.
But this wasn't what was important.
'What mattered was that the battalion commander supported my opinion.'
Despite the special operations and White Fang intelligence saying the enemy was retreating,
the commander kept open the possibility that it might be a trap.
If so—
"What action will you take, sir?"
My question wiped the smile off the commander's face.
Everything would turn on what he said next.
"......"
But he didn't answer hastily.
Instead, the old man lit his pipe and exhaled smoke, saying, "I'd like to hear what you all think."
He was asking us, not laying out a plan—unexpected.
Hank replied first, firm-voiced, "It's our turn to attack now, sir."
He sounded unusually serious, and then Lantz agreed.
"I think so, too."
Lantz's pupils shimred.
Reflected in his eyes was the battalion commander,
but what he really saw was the hope for "the end of war."
"Hohoho. Didn't expect both of you to share an opinion. Why is that?"
Hank answered first, "Even though you always tell us to consider every possibility, since the enemy's retreat has been confird by both special operations and White Fang, the chance of a trap is extrely low."
Lantz was quick to add, "I agree with Hank, but even if by so chance it is a trap, we'd be fine. Right now, our combat strength surpasses theirs. Whatever their trap is, we won't fall for it. Unless it's soone like Heroni's Soul Drinker, we can overco it all."
I still thought Lantz was more useful than Hank.
At least, until he said this:
"And besides, if it cos to that, we have Schutmann as well, don't we?"
His words jolted awake.
Without realizing, I'd almost been persuaded we could launch an attack.
'As long as Schutmann is with us, we can't advance.'
We were carrying the worst kind of variable.
It was impossible to handle more variables in this situation.
It was ti to play it safe.
Having finished my thoughts, I stated, "I disagree."
Lantz and Hank both looked at .
Their subtle hostility and disregard were obvious, but I continued, "I believe that, even if the information was cross-verified with the knight order, this is a trap."
Eventually, Ralph looked at as if to say, 'What the heck are you talking about?'
Don't look at like an idiot, Ralph.
I'm doing this to save your collective asses.
"Hoho. Is that so? Why?"
Just as he'd asked Lantz and Hank, the commander now asked for my reasons.
I could tell—he appreciated my view.
'We've t secretly enough tis that I can read his feelings from his voice now.'
It was almost funny for a mont,
but steadying myself, I spoke:
"This war has dragged on for years. The rift between us runs deep, and neither side has considered backing down. That's why they even raided the spirit stone quarry, and reinforced with troops from Arundel. What are the odds they'd already decide to retreat?"
Lantz's eyes flickered at my reasoning,
but not Hank.
"Who made you an expert on war?!"
Bang!
Hank slamd his fist on the table.
Even though he hadn't channeled mana, the table cracked with a loud *chok*.
Unable to restrain himself, he appealed to the commander, "Please, sir, don't listen to the outsider! It's all nonsense! Peace is right in front of us—the very thing we've all longed for!!"
His voice was desperate, his gaze pleading.
But the battalion commander didn't even look at Hank and turned to Ralph.
"What does Company Commander Ralph think?"
Hank cast an anxious glance Ralph's way.
But Ralph, while lacking talent in swordsmanship, wasn't spineless.
On the contrary, he was a stubborn stick-in-the-mud.
No matter what looks Hank gave him, he'd answer according to his own judgnt.
So what would Ralph say?
Damn.
I was nervous just looking at his indecisive face.
Lantz and Hank, who didn't know about Schutmann or White Fang, were eager to attack.
Ralph didn't know either,
so chances were, he would side with the other two company commanders.
"I think..."
Finally, Ralph made up his mind and opened his big chin.
"I think attacking would be premature."
Damn it. Knew I could count on you, Ralph!
"Hoho. Why?"
"I'll be honest, sir."
"Please do."
"While I do think attacking sounds good, I've decided to trust Platoon Leader Ian's judgnt."
His words made my heart drop with a thud.
'Yes. I really raised you well.'
Proud as could be,
the battalion commander spoke expressionlessly.
"So that's how it is. Good. Hohoho. Schutmann also said we must 'absolutely' not attack."
At that, chills ran down my spine,
and I turned towards Schutmann, the masked swordsman with his usual fake-friendly smile.
"That's a relief, isn't it, Schutmann? Hohoho."
Why?
'What are you scheming, huh?'
If not to attack,
why did White Fang's apprentice knight tip us off about Heroni's retreat?
'What's really going on?'
I didn't have to wait long to get the answer.
*
*Bwoooooooo—*
Early the next morning,
before I even started preparing breakfast, the sound of horns woke .
"All troops, prepare for battle!!"
"Prepare for battle!!"
It was an early morning raid by the Heroni forces.
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