novelraw Chapter 118 : Chapter 118
Chapter 118 : Chapter 118
Chapter 118
When I entered the tent with Trimia, Mogul, who was waiting, checked our expressions.
“Seems it didn’t go well.”
When I shrugged my shoulders instead of answering, Trimia asked with a troubled smile.
“Did everyone already know about this?”
Could they really not have known until now?
Lina and Mogul who were present, and even Calua and the squirrels in charge of guiding, nodded their heads.
“Hahaha, this is embarrassing. I didn't want to get caught being an idiot who can't even handle the army in my own hands properly.”
I spoke bluntly to Trimia, who was speaking while scratching the back of his head.
“It’s a miracle to achieve this much with a ragtag group of different origins and masters.”
It was surprising in itself that Trimia, who had absolutely no proper command experience, was achieving victories leading a haphazardly mixed army.
Mogul and Lina nodded simultaneously.
“Indeed. Handling soldiers of different origins and masters so excellently is a remarkable feat.”
“But…….”
The moment I was about to say something, the Count spoke first.
“However, soldiers and knights are different. Especially if it's a knight from a high-ranking noble family.”
I nodded at Mogul's words.
Because a knight who swore his sword acknowledges no one but his master.
Even with the Lord's command, it is difficult to handle a knight.
To the point where one might think it's better to use them as discardable pawns than to persuade them.
“You’ll figure it out, but appeasing knights is difficult.”
Trimia nodded silently.
“And dangerous for allies who have to stand on the same battlefield.”
That was the reason I intervened today.
Even though two weeks had already passed, the knights of the Marquess's family still hadn't come to their senses.
To the point of troubling the commander, Trimia, with personal feelings on the battlefield.
“That is…….”
Before Trimia could say anything, I spoke firmly.
“They were late by one hour for every meeting. Those bastards intentionally did so knowing that we engage in battle every day.”
I trust Trimia.
Because Trimia was the commander I liked the most in the game.
If it's him, he can definitely embrace the knights.
He might even create a legion as strong as my army, which gathered a ragtag group and mastered the ‘Resistance Army Secret Art Verse’.
But the process is the problem.
“They might have thought it was just one hour. But that one hour is the time we are separated from the main force. The time when not just my army, but all of us are most vulnerable.”
It was the most dangerous time, with no guides even for each army.
“Let me say this on this occasion, one of my soldiers is more important to me than the entire knight order of the Marquess's family.”
I spoke calmly, but clearly.
“I’m letting it pass for now, but if the day comes when I lose soldiers because of them. I will absolutely not let it pass then.”
It doesn't matter if the Marquess really ordered them to interfere with our mission.
Soldiers who do not follow orders are more dangerous than any enemy, and threats are cut off before they sprout.
This was a strategy Trimia taught me.
* * *
“Now, let’s stop the serious talk here. Count Mogul, please take charge of returning this week.”
The Count's face crumpled instantly.
“I am still fine.”
“Who said you wouldn’t be fine? It’s natural for a master to be fine.”
“…Send the Prince’s army. They are the ones needing rest.”
When I glanced at Trimia at Mogul's words, Trimia, who had returned to his usual face before I knew it, said grinning.
“I am fine. Since our army lacks experience the most, shouldn't I remain?”
“My soldiers were beggars just a few months ago.”
“Since you have an outstanding commander, would experience matter?”
“Would I be as good as the Prince who made the soldiers of those unlucky nobles look plausible?”
At this point, even Trimia's face, which was overflowing with composure, showed a hint of trouble.
“No, Count, you are a master though……?”
At the gaze asking why he was trying to send him when anyone could see he was the one needing more combat experience, Mogul spoke confidently.
“I don’t want to go back.”
* * *
If he goes back, he has to switch roles with Sven.
In other words, while Sven is playing happily in the forest, he has to guard the fortress and handle the fortress's work.
Mogul didn't forget Bain's earnest request before coming to the meeting hall.
‘Count! You must absolutely never lose, no matter what. Front Hold's workload is over three times that of Central Hold!’
Even that determined face Bain showed while chuckling half-jokingly.
‘If I end up handling the fortress work alone, I will desert no matter what.’
A resignation letter can be torn up, but desertion was troublesome.
So he intended to worry about it after filling the maximum period of one month decided with Sven.
“……?”
Towards the guys looking at him pitifully, the Count said clearly once again.
“I don’t want to go back.”
Saying he doesn't want to go back because he doesn't want to work.
* * *
Looking pitifully at the two people throwing a tantrum saying they don't want to go, Lina looked at me.
“The Black Noble Troop stays.”
The Black Noble Troop, who had trained for a relatively long time and even possessed traits, needed experience more than rest.
What was more incomprehensible were the two people in front of me.
‘Trimia and his army must be totally exhausted, and the Count’s army, which had no combat experience, must be crawling by now…….’
- Human! Let’s go! Us!
Calua shouted excitedly on the table, but even if the other three units combined, they couldn't produce results as good as the Special Mission Unit.
Since killing enemy numbers is as important as training, the Special Mission Unit cannot be left out.
‘Hmm…….’
I didn't want to leave either.
Can’t be helped.
There are things I need to do soon anyway.
“Then I will handle the return this time. Instead, I’ll take the Count’s troops.”
The Count’s central army, which had zero combat experience, needed rest.
The Count must know that too.
“Ugh… You mean I should take charge of your squad in the meantime?”
“Yes. Well, the Special Mission Unit will do fine on their own.”
Thinking the Count wouldn't be particularly needed, I shrugged my shoulders and turned my head.
“Trimia, also pull out about 5 people from each family.”
Trimia, who narrowed his eyebrows for a moment, soon answered without asking the reason.
“Hmm. I will.”
“Good. Instead, I’ll attach healthy kids from the central army or the Special Mission Unit.”
“No, no need for that. I’ll consider it training for when numbers decrease.”
After nodding to Trimia, I checked the data the three had prepared.
“The magic stones collected over two weeks are 5,000.”
In other words, it means 5,000 Orcs were hunted in two weeks.
Considering there was not a single casualty in the four units, it was just an amazing achievement.
Though it fell far short of expectations.
“Since everyone seems to have gotten used to combat now, let’s aim for bigger targets.”
Until now, each squad targeted only isolated small groups of Orcs.
Naturally, there were frequent cases where travel time was longer than hunting time.
“For the remaining two weeks, try to fight larger scale enemies if possible. I will convey this to the guides.”
“Enemies of a larger scale than now?”
“Because we have to reduce at least 25,000 more during the remaining time.”
Suddenly, the Count's gaze turned to Trimia.
Although he didn't say it, it meant it would be too much for Trimia's squad.
“It’s fine. I will speak considering that too. Besides, Trimia can identify battlefields that shouldn't be fought.”
“What nonsense about gilding, he’s just cowardly.”
Trimia, who smirked meeting the Count's gaze, spoke self-deprecatingly, but Trimia's judgment is as good as a trait.
“Now, please be aware of that for now, and I will return with the central army today.”
“So soon?”
“Because the central army can rest even after going to the fortress.”
It was an inevitable choice to minimize the time a squad is empty.
“Then I’ll see everyone at the next meeting.”
* * *
“Marquess, urgent report.”
The Marquess, wrestling with a pile of documents like a mountain with dark circles deep under his eyes, accepted the report handed by the head chamberlain.
[Urgent - Moner Trend Report]
The report from the kingdom's spies whose identities were still undiscovered and the vice-generals stationed at the three Count families was short.
“Tsk, still nothing changed?”
Because nothing had changed from last week.
Four squads entered the forest for practical training, and at the fortress, training and construction for war are in full swing.
If there is a peculiarity, it is that not a single monster appeared at the fortress after the practical training began.
“I still don’t know if it’s a bad move or a brilliant move.”
Although he said that, the Marquess's feeling was different.
Thoroughly ignoring the nobles demanding the return of the Second Prince's army was a bad move not even worth looking at.
Entering the forest under the pretext of training wasn't a bad scheme, but the result was bad.
‘Rumors are spreading that the fortress is safe.’
As news spread that not a single monster attacked the fortress for over ten days, the rumor that ‘there is no enemy targeting Moner’ gained more and more weight.
To the point where even the nobles who kept their silence until now are getting restless.
‘The anxiety of the nobles who already gave troops has reached its limit. The impatient ones must have already headed to the three Count families.’
As the King, who didn't miss this opportunity, constantly mentioned the kingdom's army stationed at the three Count families, the trembling nobles would have headed to the three Count families.
And to prove they are unrelated to treason, they will use the kingdom's army as witnesses and demand from Moner.
‘Show us the enemy, or return the soldiers.’
There are no Orcs to show.
And they can't return the soldiers either.
‘Moner will have no choice but to ignore them again.’
Then the King will bring up ‘treason’ and surround Moner watertight.
Until either Moner or the Orcs die.
“Is this really the right choice…….”
The Count, who pondered for a moment, soon stood up with a determined expression.
‘I should go myself.’
If it's his word, a royalist, other nobles will understand.
‘No need to step forward directly. I have no intention of incurring the King's wrath for Moner either.’
The best picture he wanted was Moner and the Orcs destroying each other.
Then there would be no unnecessary blood of the people shed.
‘If it’s moving just that much…….’
The Marquess, having organized his thoughts again, stood up and looked for the butler.
As a noble leading a family, he couldn't make the best choice, but as a subject of the kingdom, to avoid the worst case.
* * *
“…So, as you said, nobles are gathering at Obsol.”
I tilted my head at Lilia's report.
“Do they really think they can move Moner with public opinion warfare?”
“Not public opinion, but to gain a justification to surround Moner.”
Probably so.
Though it's genuinely surprising that they thought Moner would stay still even after being surrounded.
“If it were me, I would turn the army around without thinking twice.”
Lilia laughed as if she heard an interesting joke.
‘It’s not a joke.’
I'm only staying because I know that even if I give up Moner, the two Counts and most of Moner's people won't give up.
If the kingdom's army surrounds Moner, I intended to move the entire army even by force.
Even if it means confining the two Counts or kidnapping all of Moner's people.
“The south is nice. The land is fertile, farming goes well, and resources are abundant.”
Just comparing the value of the domains, there is an unapproachable difference.
“Of course you would. If it’s the Duke, you would surely be able to ignore the monsters of the forest coveting the continent.”
Lilia answered with a bright smile, but seeing her eyes curved like crescent moons and her voice full of mockery, she didn't seem to believe it at all.
“It’s true. I am a person who is very dissatisfied that our family is taking all the blame alone.”
“Yes, yes, I heard the Margrave of the South lives saying similar things.”
That human is a knight to the bone.
A picture-perfect knight who considers being born in the Margrave's family to protect the kingdom's territory an honor.
‘I’m grateful you think well of me, but…….’
I am not that kind of person.
After moving my lips a few times, I changed the subject.
Because trying to prove that I'm bad is funny too.
“You said the Marquess moved earlier?”
“Yes. He said he would move through the Imperial Palace’s gate, so he should arrive by tomorrow.”
“Okay. Tell him as soon as the Marquess arrives. That we will grant the nobles' demands.”
The bastards want to see the enemy, and I happen to have 5,000 Orc heads.
“Our investors want to see Orc heads, so I should show them to their heart’s content.”
Of course, I had no intention of showing them for free.