Illusion Sword Master

＜Western Front Abnormalities (2)﹥

Umbraria, the stronghold city.

This city, the base camp of the 6th Legion, which took charge of the frontline against the orcs, was filled with a dull, gloomy atmosphere.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of hammering on metal echoed along the street, making my ears ache. The blacksmiths, exhausted from overwork, all had bloodshot eyes.

Memories of the past came flooding back.

“I asked to fix a broken sword, and I got scolded by my parents for three hours.”

It wasn’t a good memory.

“Ugh! Damn it! Five crates are missing!”

The supply officers were crying out in front of the enormous warehouse, where supplies were piled up like a mountain.

“We’ll get screwed from top to bottom.”

In a situation where the empire was in disarray, it was rare for supplies sent from the central government to arrive safely at the front lines.

The supply officers were responsible for dealing with the aftermath.

“Can you even handle the orc’s intensity? Even if the goblin grandma comes, you’ll get crushed! 17th stance, 100 times!”

“Ahk!”

The cries of pain from the new recruits continued in the training grounds. They were being transformed from humans to meat shields through the empire’s combat training.

Everyone was busy, but today’s efforts wouldn’t necessarily lead to a better tomorrow in this absurd place.

“I got sold to this crappy 6th Legion twice.”

It was the military.

“Ugh. Do I have to live in a place like this?”

“Damn it. It’s worse than I thought. Is our quarters okay, at least?”

Among the students who got off the carriage and headed towards the fortress, anxiety and discontent erupted.

Even though they were elite soldiers, most of the students had not experienced real war and were like flowers in a greenhouse.

It was their first time experiencing the concept of a “harsh environment” with their own skin.

“Kids. You’ll be shocked when you get to the front lines.”

At least, the situation in Umbraria was relatively better.

Compared to the independent unit I was stationed at on the front lines, this place was like a resort.

The 427th class of the Magic Academy, who had arrived at the fortress, completed their temporary transfer report to the legion commander.

“Welcome. I hope you gain valuable experience and become stronger here.”

The 6th Legion commander was a person without political ambition. He didn’t have any desire to interact with the powerful noble families, and he cleanly parted ways with them.

After the transfer report, the legion’s chief of staff came out to guide us through the subsequent schedule.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Bellmont, the chief of staff of the 6th Legion. Personally, I’m the second son of the Ober family.”

“The Ober family? I’ve never heard of it.”

“Ah, our family is a junior noble family.”

“What? You’re a half-bred noble?”

Belmont was about ten years older than the cadets and held a relatively high official position.

As a staff officer, his rank was between that of a battalion commander and a regimental commander.

However, the cadets, who had confirmed that Belmont’s background was inferior to their own, looked down on him with disdain.

“…… You will be reorganized into teams of four and deployed to each key location of the 6th Legion.”

As a seasoned imperial army officer, Belmont should have felt humiliated by the cadets’ scorn, but he didn’t show it and continued speaking.

“The current western front is in a state of relative calm. The death of the great tribe leader has led to internal conflicts among the orcs.”

Orcs are simple and stupid creatures.

Their behavioral patterns at the tribal level are also simple, which I have categorized into two periods: active and inactive.

During the active period, orcs under the tribe leader’s command charge fiercely into battle every day.

As long as the tribe leader exists, other orcs will follow his orders unconditionally, making them a loyal and brave army.

They lack the intelligence to judge whether the upper-level commands are reasonable, making them a formidable force.

On the other hand, when the tribe leader is absent, the orcs split into smaller tribes and fight each other.

This is what I call the inactive period.

At this time, the orcs don’t have the luxury of invading the empire, and only small, weak tribes occasionally launch raids.

Fortunately, it’s currently the inactive period.

I was worried that my cruel fate would lead me to another trial, but it seems things are going better than expected.

“That’s right. If I’m dragged back to this dump, it’s enough.”

I listened to Belmont’s story with a slightly lighter heart.

“You will develop your combat sense by intercepting small-scale orc raids. Your instructors will pay special attention to your safety, but……”

As he spoke, he occasionally glanced at me, and I smiled back at him each time.

“Actual situations often exceed expectations, so please make sure to follow the rules I’m about to explain from now on.”

The cadets’ reactions remained lukewarm even after Belmont’s briefing.

They seemed to be thinking, “Who do you think you are, telling us what to do?”

“Take a short break, and then your instructors will guide you to your designated teams.”

Belmont finished his briefing, still smiling, despite the cold gazes.

He’ll probably go somewhere quiet, smoke a cigarette, and curse those idiots.

It’s exhausting to try to please these kids. I need to get discharged quickly.

I know this because I have a certain connection with Belmont.

As I followed him, passing by the cadets who were forming their teams, I found him smoking a cigarette in a corner, just as I expected.

“It’s ridiculous how those high-ranking kids have no manners. I just want to get discharged quickly and get away from this dirty place.”

“Major. Long time no see. Can I have a cigarette too? It’s been a while since I’ve had a taste of officer-grade tobacco.”

When I pretended to know him, he dropped his cigarette in surprise.

“Eh…? Did I really just see…? Is that really Ethan?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

Belmont was my battalion commander during my time in the military.

He had caught me when I tried to desert without fulfilling my military service period and had let me off with a deal, making me a corporal.

I wasn’t sure whether to consider him a benefactor or an enemy, but seeing him now, I felt genuinely happy.

“What? How did you become a wizard? You used to wield a sword every day, causing a ruckus.”

He seemed unaware of the details, having transferred to the staff officer department about a year before I entered the war college.

“That’s right. It turns out I had a talent for magic.”

“Huh… Do you believe that? No way. I saw it with my own eyes, so I can’t help but believe it. You never know what life’s got in store for you.”

“What’s the point of even trying?”

After that, we had a casual chat while smoking.

“How did you spend your time lately?”

“There was an incident like that in the past…”

“Our commander is still quite chubby, and all that…”

Among people who knew me as a hero, a loyal subject, or a genius, having a conversation with someone who knew my genuine past was a rare treat.

It was nice to reminisce about old stories, but I had a different goal in mind.

“How’s the situation at the front lines? I heard it’s the perfect time to take a break.”

“If it weren’t for that, I would’ve stopped the magic academy students from coming when they said they would. If even one of them messed up here, their family would complain.”

As Belmont lit a cigarette, he said, “These days, the smoking rate has increased, and military life has gotten longer.”

“It’s been about 10 years since the most peaceful time. The orc tribe leaders haven’t shown up in three months. The powerful tribe leaders must’ve settled their scores and disappeared.”

“That’s a relief. Those orc brats, they didn’t do that when I was around.”

“Yeah, when you were around, it was really tough. I even wrote my will and carried it with me.”

“Anyway, so, in the commander’s opinion, where do you think I should go to feel more at ease?”

Having grasped the situation, I brought up the main topic. It was convenient to talk to someone who knew me, as I didn’t need to beat around the bush.

“Kid, it’s a habit. Let’s see… Among the deployment sites for the academy students, the 7th Battalion is the best.”

“I’m asking seriously, so don’t joke around.”

The 7th Battalion was a distant, war-torn area, far from peaceful. It was also where Belmont and I had served.

“Tsk, you’re talking nonsense. These days, it’s a honey pot. There haven’t been any attacks in six months, so you can just play that weird ball game all day.”

“Futsal, not a weird ball game.”

“Right, that’s it. Anyway, since I’m going to be the on-site commander, if you want, I can put you under my supervision.”

“Hmm…”

I thought for a moment and made a decision. I could trust Belmont. He was someone who pursued his own safety as much as I did.

“Yes, then please put in a good word for me in the report. We should look out for each other, comrades.”

“I have a favor to ask too. If there’s a student from a wealthy family among the ones coming with us, could you please put in a good word for me? This is a chance to build some connections.”

“Hahaha!”

“Hahaha!”

The two trashy empire soldiers, devoid of loyalty and sense of duty, let out a sigh of relief.

#

Including me, there were five of us, including Belmont, on the carriage headed to the 7th Battalion.

“Ethan, do you look a bit better today? You’re not getting motion sickness, are you?”

One of my teammates, of course, was Roem.

“Motion sickness? Ah, yeah. I’m fine now.”

I had a good sleep yesterday, and since Belmont, who knew the situation well, assured me that things were going well, my tension was relieved.

“But why did Seria Zephyr come with us if she’s going to act like that?”

On the other side, Seria was sitting next to Menca, gossiping about me and Roem.

“It would be better if those two kept their distance and came to me.”

She seemed to have noticed Roem’s piercing gaze and looked back at us.

“Why? We can’t just send Menca to a place with only two men, can we? What do you think they’d do?”

“Does Edan and I doing something ridiculous mean anything? From the start, all trainees are the same. The distinction between men and women is meaningless.”

“Hey, can you stop? If we get into an accident while moving in a carriage, it’s game over.”

The two of them were still bickering, so I had no choice but to intervene.

“… What’s that? Are you trying to do business or something?”

Sera, who had discovered my luggage, asked.

Knowing the situation here, I had brought all sorts of items.

Eight swords, a set of preserved rations, spare clothes, medicine, and materials to make a simple tent in case of an emergency.

“It’s common for supplies to be scarce on the battlefield, so it’s better to be prepared.”

“Hmm, you’re more cautious than I thought.”

Sera was still picking on me, but I think she’s starting to realize I’m on her side.

“This time, we have a lot of time together, so I’ll make sure to talk to you. I heard that the Zephyr family owns an island, so I’ll ask them to make a place for you.”

Coming back to the battlefield, I felt even more strongly that this was no place to be. While planning to retreat to the rear, I casually glanced at her luggage.

It seemed that she had packed just as much as I had. Her bag was so full that it wouldn’t close.

“Is that a doll?”

A bundle of cloth poked out from the gap in her bag.

“This… is necessary to maintain the best condition.”

No, I didn’t say anything.

She seemed to know she was embarrassed, as she looked down at her feet.

“Edan.”

Belmont, sitting next to me, poked my side.

“Why?”

“Ah, no… I didn’t say that the young lady of the Zephyr family and the eldest son of the Carlren family were acquainted.”

Belmont, who remembered my past, seemed to have no high expectations for my colleagues.

He, who had been paired with me without any preparation, looked visibly nervous.

“Are you trying to make connections with the influential families? I’ll set the stage for you, so do your best.”

I introduced Belmont to my colleagues.

“Ah. Commander Belmont, who is in charge of guidance, has a close relationship with me. When he was a field commander, the Orcs would tremble at the mere mention of his name.”

“It’s an honor to guide the students who will become the mainstays of the Empire’s army.”

Roem smiled and extended his hand.

“If Edan says so, then you must be an exemplary officer. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Ah, no. That’s not it. I’m not even worthy of the Carlren family’s attention. I just do my best with the role given to me.”

Sera seemed to be wary of my acquaintances, but then she became interested and added more to the conversation.

She still thought I was a close aide to the Three Princes, so if I vouched for someone, they must be an extraordinary person.

“When we have time, shall we have a cup of tea together? I think I need to teach you how to choose your friends.”

“If the young lady of the Zephyr family is willing to spare the time, then I’ll make time even if I don’t have it.”

Aga’s flattery was top-notch. Come to think of it, I learned half of my social skills from this person.

Menka also showed interest.

“Can you fight well?”

“Uh… a little?”

No, this isn’t good.

Clang!

The carriage, which had been heading towards the 7th post station with a light atmosphere, suddenly came to a halt.

“Heeheehee!”

“Kkeureok!”

Cries of alarm from outside, sounding like the horse and coachman, were heard.

“What’s going on?”

Bellmont hastily opened the carriage door and jumped out. I and the other companions followed him.

The horses with broken legs were writhing in agony.

The coachman, who had been shocked and thrown off, had a broken neck. He was dead on the spot.

In the midst of this chaotic situation, Bellmont, who was checking the ground, said:

“It’s a trap. It was set up not long ago. Some bastard set this trap on the carriage path…”

Someone had set a trap here.

It couldn’t be a hunter.

This was a transportation route managed by the 6th Legion, after all.

Sigh…

A sense of unease and goosebumps arose together.

Unfortunately, this sense of unease often proved to be accurate.

I drew my sword, looking at the orcs emerging from the surrounding bushes.

“Damn it. You said it was safe. You said it was okay because the Great Leader wasn’t here.”

“No… I’m also frustrated. Why are these orc bastards showing up here?”

This was what I wanted to ask.

＜ Western Front Abnormality (2) ﹥ End