Chapter 132: The Counts Heir Submits (1/2)

While Berengar was engaging in Operation Trident, and Otto was laying siege to Vienna to liberate its population from Lothar's tyranny. Linde was resting in Kufstein presiding over Berengar's reforms. Through the conquest of Schwaz and Innsbruck, she had begun incorporating it into Kufstein's jurisdiction, and though she did not allow for conscription of the people in the region yet. Infrastructure projects and agricultural overhauls were underway; the sooner she got them under construction, the sooner the profits would show themself.

The people of Kufstein enjoyed their lives during this time of chaos as they were well insulated from the violence and the bloodshed that was appearing across the German world at this time. However, many young men decided to fulfill their patriotic duty and volunteered for military service. Of course, the volunteers were only a small percentage of the troops being raised to not only aid in Berengar's campaign but ensure the defense and stability of the entirety of Tyrol, which Berengar would soon conquer. As such, thousands of young men were currently undergoing basic training, where they would then enter specialized training in the field they were most suited for.

After receiving the first batch of conscripts in Innsbruck, Berengar instructed Linde to continue specialized training. With infantry being the main focus, followed by artillery, and then the Cavalry. Berengar currently had an entire Cavalry Battalion under his command and because the unit had suffered limited casualties during the war; it was more than enough to deter the cavalry forces of any potential army that he would come across for the time being.

At the moment, the newest batch of recruits had begun their basic training and were going through basic PT to get them into fighting shape quickly. Pushups, Sit-ups, Pull-ups, runs, etc., became a daily exercise for the men who had been forced into service. Basic marches and formations were also drilled into their heads. They also practiced how to operate their weapons efficiently, as a set of drills were created to quickly instill the loading procedure of the muskets into the muscle memory of the men who wielded them.

As such, the Military bases used to house and train recruits were overflowing with thousands of young men who had just entered the armed forces. Some of them had been here for weeks and would soon ship out to their stations across Tyrol, whether that was in the form of a field army or acting as a garrison.

As for the Officers, the surviving knights and noblemen of the captured regions were incorporated into Berengar's army and were effectively trained to fulfill the position of his Officer Class. Seeing as how they went from being Lords and Knights to Officers, there was an initial degree of defiance by the Cadets. Still, when they came to realize how effectively organized Berengar's semi-modern army was, they quickly changed their tune.

There was a degree of civility and respect afforded to Officers much like that of a Knight or Noblemen, and as such, they quickly found themselves at home within the Officer Class. Granted, it was a meritocratic force, and they would not be afforded the position due to their birth; they would still have to graduate from the so-called ”Military Academy” and climbed through the ranks through a display of competency. Yet, at the moment, there were few if any commoners among the Officer class, so for the time being it had essentially been turned into a position held by the nobility within Berengar's military hierarchy. After all, few commoners were educated enough to lead soldiers into battle properly.

While the conscripts continued their training, Linde was reading the news she had received from Adela about their fathers' battle in Vienna. The likelihood of her father surviving the siege was slim, but there was a chance the weasel could escape and return to Innsbruck. While she was reading the letter in Berengar's office, the door opened to reveal her brother Liutbert who she had not seen since the awkward family reunion they had a few days prior. After appearing in her office, Liutbert noticed the look on his little Sister's face and began to question what she was reading.

”Is the letter important?”

After realizing that she had been smiling wickedly, Linde placed down the letter for Liutbert to read.

”Father is trapped in Vienna, and Berengar has begun to lay siege to the key centers of resistance within Southern Tyrol. It is only a matter of time Before Father loses the war; I suggest you find out where your loyalties lie before it is over. After all, Berengar is ruthless when it comes to dealing with his enemies...”

Seeing the letters Linde had provided Liutbert, which contained great intelligence about the ongoing war efforts, Liutbert could not comprehend why Linde would allow him to see such valuable information and voiced his concerns aloud.

”Why did you allow me to read this?”