Royal Road of the Extra Scribe

11

The officer candidates who joined the army practiced in the field every day, moving from one unit to another.

They received education on the role and importance of administrative units, the operation methods of reconnaissance units, weapon management, and more, which they could learn in the field.

At the end of each session, there were several tests where blatant favoritism was being displayed.

“When moving a large number of horses, the first thing to do is scout for pastures. Otherwise, there’s a risk of soldiers having to feed the horses, which can lead to mistakes.”

Joshua, the supply unit officer, looked around at our officer candidates and then pointed to Bannings next to me.

“So, you there. What terrain do you think is the most challenging for moving horses?”

“Um… Since you mentioned pastures, would it be the barren wilderness where grass doesn’t grow?”

“Don’t think in such a one-dimensional way. When moving through such terrain, of course, you would prepare food for the horses. Besides, the wilderness is a good terrain for horses to run, so it’s easy to escape in case of emergency. Next, you. Give me an answer.”

Joshua directed questions only to noble officer candidates as if commoner candidates were invisible. When the atmosphere seemed to be getting intense, he pointed to Casper Millias.

Casper responded as if he had been waiting.

“Swamp!”

“Correct. Swamps are more challenging for horses to move through than deserts or mountains. Horses often get stuck in swamps, and there are plenty of edible plants, but if you let them eat freely, they might get sick. Hygiene deteriorates easily, leading to contagious diseases among horses. There are also many predators and insects attacking horses in the area. Therefore, when moving horses through swamps, extra care is needed. You answered very well. Indeed, worthy of being called Millias’ protege.”

Then he started writing something on the score sheet. It was a blatant show to highlight Casper, but even the other candidates who missed this easy question were quite something.

Every practical session was in this format. Except for Casper, everyone else was lagging behind. I was no different, but today was a different story.

“And… You’re Yulia’s younger brother, right? Yulia would be proud of this. It’s a small piece of advice, but it’s better not to interact with the Third Administrative Unit. There are a lot of guys there who prey on girls. You might get eaten up.”

“Ahahahaha…”

“Okay. Then, would you tell me the precautions to take during the expeditionary supply operation?”

Thanks to my connections with Sergeant Fergus and Sister Julia, I was able to receive a decent evaluation.

It was when the obvious end of the routine training was approaching.

The military camp suddenly began to bustle.

Some officers started running around with grim expressions, and the soldiers seemed to pick up on the atmosphere, their faces stiff.

“…No way.”

In order to leave this place, where I was organizing the equipment, I hurriedly headed towards the location where Master Ilya was.

Even the master seemed to sense the unrest as he gazed towards the headquarters tent.

Soon, a soldier ran from that direction and saluted in front of the master.

“Reporting! Albad’s 1st and 2nd Divisions are launching a surprise attack on the northwest front! They are advancing rapidly!”

“Is that so? The 1st and 2nd Divisions have moved… “

Even the master, to the point of swallowing dry saliva, knew that Albad’s 1st and 2nd Divisions were elite forces.

Their surprise attack on the northwest front was no trivial matter.

“The General has decided to hold the camp meeting, scheduled for tomorrow, in one hour from now! All officers of the 5th Infantry Division are requested to attend!”

“Understood.”

The master accepted it calmly, but the other officers did not.

“W-What is going on? The 1st and 2nd Divisions have attacked…! It means they’re going for a full-scale war!”

“Is a real war breaking out!?”

Despite maintaining a hostile relationship with Albad, there had been no full-scale war for nearly 20 years.

There were small localized skirmishes, but no major invasions.

Therefore, many officers did not think that the conflict on the western front would escalate into a full-scale war.

My mind was in turmoil.

‘Surely this won’t be the fuse that ignites a continent-wide war.’

Even in the game, I couldn’t understand why the flames of war had spread for some reason.

An abrupt full-scale war.

All I could feel was a sense of fate.

* * *

Over a hundred officers gathered at the headquarters tent.

At the center were Vice Commander Ironheart and General Morgan Lotz, the 3rd General of Calipher.

“Those arrogant Albad bastards really dared to come at us…!”

Morgan grumbled constantly, eyeing the situation.

To him, who had two years left until retirement, this war was an unpleasant affair.

He shook the chubby cheeks sticking to his face as he assessed the situation.

“General, what should we do?”

“What can we do!”

When Vice Commander Ironheart asked, Morgan yelled out abruptly.

“We must defend!”

The northwest front was about 60km away from here.

If they decided to send reinforcements, they could dispatch them immediately. With a forced march, they could arrive within a day.

“Shouldn’t we send reinforcements? If Albad’s 1st and 2nd Divisions both launched surprise attacks, even General Dunan himself wouldn’t be able to hold them off.”

“In the military, they must have been considering the enemy’s flanking operation. And besides, there hasn’t been any request for reinforcements yet!”

“Well, we were caught off guard! There was no chance!”

“Regardless, there hasn’t been a request for reinforcements! Unless I receive orders for support from the general headquarters, I will not move!”

The two were arguing.

The officers watched in silence, like mute spectators.

“We can’t afford to wait for orders from the general headquarters! We must send reinforcements immediately!”

“No! Our support wouldn’t make a difference in the first place! The Northwestern Front is facing off in the plains with a much larger force! Even if we send around 3,000 troops, it won’t change the situation significantly!”

“You won’t know until you try! If we can infiltrate the enemy’s rear or flank, we could certainly impact the situation!”

“Sending 3,000 troops head-on against tens of thousands? We can’t carry out such a risky operation without orders from the general headquarters!”

Morgan vehemently refused to send reinforcements.

His argument had its merits.

“Above all, we can’t afford to send reinforcements from our army, which is already evenly matched with the enemy! The moment we send support, it’s obvious the enemy will launch an attack!”

“We have the advantage in terrain! With 7,000 troops, we can easily tie down the 10,000 enemy forces! So, we must urgently dispatch 3,000 troops to the Northwestern Front!”

“Ugh…!”

It seemed Morgan was wary of a tactical showdown with General Yussis, the opposing commander.

He didn’t want to fight in a situation where his forces were outnumbered.

“Morgan’s choice is tactically sound.”

It was the essence of all tactics.

Preparing more troops than the enemy. Holding higher ground. Defending a stronger position.

Morgan was determined to uphold at least the first of these three elements.

He wasn’t a general devoid of strategic concepts.

But war isn’t just about winning battles. Even if you win a battle, you might lose the war.

“No! The decision is final. Without a request from headquarters, there will be no support for the Northwestern Front. Let’s now discuss our future strategies!”

“Sigh…!”

Ironheart sighed.

Morgan stubbornly refused to send reinforcements and moved on to the next agenda item.

Setting aside the issue of reinforcements, the question now was: what next?

At that moment, Ilya’s mentor raised his hand and spoke.

“What about launching an attack?”

The barracks buzzed at the mention of an attack.

“The enemy who invades the Northwestern Front simultaneously won’t have the resources to send reinforcements this way. If we crush the enemy in front of us with the same 10,000 troops, they will be pushed into a corner.”

Ironheart accepted the mentor’s words.

“Are you suggesting a full-frontal assault against Yussis Goldray?”

“Yes.”

“Though risky, it’s what Ilya…”

Even Ironheart found it hard to accept such a aggressive choice.

“A showdown with equal numbers… We can’t even predict how many of our men will die.”

“Hmph, afraid of death, yet you want to wage war?”

“W-Well, that’s true. But isn’t it foolish to confront an opponent who is thoroughly prepared, like Yussis Goldray? It’s incredibly foolish to clash head-on with an opponent who is so well-prepared. Isn’t that right, Captain Ilya?”

This time, General Morgan seemed to agree with Ironheart, nodding vigorously in accord.

Unlike Ironheart who worries about the lives of his subordinates, this side was concerned about its own security.

Morgan soon shouted loudly, “Your Grace! Your Grace! Don’t be so reckless about the mercenary issue from the start!”

“Hmm. Understood.”

The master, crossing his arms as if he knew that, closed his mouth as if to say, “Deal with it yourself.”

Then, Yulia, who was standing next to him, muttered in a low voice, “That pigheaded child, disrespecting Lady Illya again.”

As she glanced at me, she winked.

“Youngster? Why the long face?”

I couldn’t take my eyes off the battlefield map.

Unlike the makeshift map of the master’s unit, the headquarters map depicted the unit’s movements in a sophisticated manner.

The guerrilla movements of the Ulysses unit three days ago, and our unit’s response to it. Even the intentions of the enemy who launched a surprise attack on the northwest front.

Interpreting the map, I could grasp the enemy’s true strategy.

‘This is…’

With this movement, the enemy has a separate objective.

I tried to raise my hand to speak, but Thupp! Phurji brother grabbed my hand.

“Stay put, Al. Speaking now will only hurt your pride. Besides, they won’t give you a chance to speak. If you really have something to say, tell Vice Commander Ironheart after the meeting. He’s someone who listens.”

“…Understood.”

Phurji brother was right.

Even in this situation, I just waited for the military council meeting to end, where Lord Milias’ opinions as the Marquis of Heraldo and Lord Dong’s views would be discussed, without any meaningful contribution.

—

Vice Commander Ironheart, hearing my thoughts, chuckled and said, “hahahaha, did I make you worry? The fact that an academy cadet took it so seriously. But don’t worry. If the enemy unit moved like that, reports would have come in.”

“No, the fallback line may have been compromised during the guerrilla operation the enemy conducted three days ago.”

“Sorry. I don’t have the luxury to listen to every word you say. We’re about to have a second military council with key officers. This is the real military council. Anyway, I understand your concerns. It’s late, so go rest now.”

“…Yes. Understood.”

I decided not to say anything more. There was a good chance I was wrong, and most importantly, I knew my words wouldn’t be heard.

As I returned to the unit, I quietly began personal maintenance. The academy cadets were scheduled to leave the camp tomorrow afternoon in case of combat.

At that moment, the master entered my tent and asked, “What did you say over there?”

“I told him not to worry, but he didn’t listen at all. I decided to do the same.”

“Hmm. Then, at least tell me in detail.”

“Yes?”

“Al, I trust you. I haven’t seen anyone as exceptional as you in the past three years. Not just among your peers but also among adults. You are special to me.”

“Master…”

“I won’t ignore your opinion. In fact, I’m inclined to follow it actively.”

“You will follow it…?”

“Our mercenary unit has a certain degree of autonomy. If you tell me in advance, we can make some preparations at least.”

Despite that, the master smiled as he spoke when I hesitated.

“I carry the lives of the mercenaries who follow me. I must do my best to ensure their lives are not lost in vain. I have determined that listening to your thoughts is the best course of action. So, please share your thoughts.”

“If that’s the case….”

I conveyed to my mentor the significance of the recent movements shown by the unit and its ultimate purpose.

Without saying much, the mentor nodded and immediately began reorganizing the unit.

In essence, it meant that the mentor’s unit was now under my command.

With the help of the mentor, I indirectly gained control of the mercenary unit, feeling a tension that gripped my chest.

This was different from the martial arts sparring I usually did.

Lives were at stake. Not just one, but over 20,000 lives in total.

Therefore, not even the slightest detail could be overlooked. I continued to simulate the situation, looking out at the field from the mentor’s tent.

As I was doing so, Ferge, the sergeant, received a call and swiftly entered the tent.

“Ilya, you called for me.”

“Well, come in, Sergeant Ferge. Alz, explain.”

“Alz…? Why are you in Ilya’s tent at this hour?”

I explained to the puzzled Ferge about the operation this time.

Initially frowning, Ferge soon nodded.

“If that’s the case, I’ll cooperate. But Alz, remember this. I didn’t cooperate because I blindly believed you. It’s just because there’s a possibility. Just because I joined forces doesn’t mean I trust you unconditionally. We need to be prepared for any outcome without causing harm to the unit.”

Ferge seemed concerned that I would be overjoyed.

“Yes, I understand. That’s enough.”

“Good. From now on, my infantry unit will operate under Commander Ilya Anfey until the next general’s orders. And… there are two more unit commanders who are friendly with me. It would be good to persuade them as well. If things unfold as you say, it could be a big problem.”

Saying so, Ferge promptly called two unit commanders to the mentor’s tent.

One was Joshua, a quartermaster known to me, and the other was Felix, a infantry captain.

Joshua commanded the supply & archery unit, while Felix was the captain of the heavy infantry unit.

Both were colleagues of Ferge from the officer training.

“What’s this sudden talk about, Ferge, at this hour? I’m tired because of the second camp meeting.”

“Sorry. I thought something unavoidable might happen.”

“Something unavoidable?”

“Explanations are over here… My brother will handle it.”

As if stating that he would take full responsibility for the actions, Ferge entrusted me with the task.

I pointed to the overall situation and explained.

The reactions of the two were different.

“There’s a possibility, isn’t there?”

Joshua seemed skeptical but acknowledged the possibility.

“Darn, is this another nonsense from the kid.”

Felix clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Why do you call it nonsense? Captain Felix?”

“Hmph, well. There might be a possibility as Joshua says. So what? Wake up all the soldiers in the dead of night because of a kid’s pessimistic delusion?”

Felix scoffed.

I made up my mind.

“No, it’s not a delusion. The opponent will definitely do that. Otherwise, this tactical move cannot be explained.”

As I had taken responsibility, I decided not to back down in case I was wrong.

“Oh, you have confidence, but… this side, you see. We’ve been toyed with by the likes of Milias’s prodigy or Herald Viscount’s eldest son.”

Felix, a commoner, seemed uncomfortable hearing lectures from a noble brat about the situation.

“If your words are wrong, how do you plan to make amends, brat?”

If he thought intimidating me would work, he picked the wrong opponent. I met his gaze squarely and replied.

“You are not mistaken. So, kindly come under my command.”

“….”

After a moment of holding his breath, Felix spoke.

“hahahahaha! Quite an amusing brat. Pherge, is this lad truly the genius from the Illayne lineage you mentioned?”

What nonsense. Was my usually gruff brother, Pherge, really giving me such an assessment?

Avoiding my eyes, Pherge spoke coolly.

“Stop there, Felix. I’ll buy you a hefty drink later, so come obediently under Illya’s command.”

“Fine. This brat may be second-rate, but Illya Anfei is trustworthy. Get the troops ready.”

“While at it, can’t you persuade Vice Commander Ironheart?”

“Impossible. Not only do I dislike following the brat’s uncertain plans, but to go and persuade Ironheart? I’d rather bite my tongue off and die.”

“Unavoidable.”

The prepared total forces numbered 2,000, about a fifth of the unit.

Since I, a cadet, couldn’t command them, I decided to use Wade, a mercenary I had used in Gransell.

Officially, Wade was the quartermaster of the Illayne Anfei Mercenary Battalion.

Donning a helmet in front of all junior officers, I explained the plan’s outline and made one thing clear.

“If the enemy has decided to move, the time for the final showdown is set. Tomorrow’s dawn… No, it’s past midnight now, so it will be this morning.”

Morning. It was evident that the attack would come as soon as dawn broke.