Chapter 10 (2/2)

“Understood!”

After dazedly seeing off Schera, who left while humming, they both spontaneous looked at each other, and agreed that they had a problematic superior officer.

“……Quite outside the norm for heroes I guess. I… know another person a lot like her.”

“My view towards heroes is different, so no need to go into detail.”

“Even if you begged, I wouldn’t.”

“Well that’s a relief. Still, she’s a lot different from what I imagined. I thought she would be more, how do I put it…”

Vander crossed his arms, turned his back to the chair, and sat down. It seemed he was worn out from standing so long.

“……However, I think the rumors are true. I really thought I was going to get killed.”

“From a conversation I heard earlier, apparently she half killed a military police officer. It seems that’s somehow true too… It was probably punishment for interrupting the Major’s dignified meal.”

“However, as an ally, there’s no one more reliable.”

Katarina pushed up her glasses and immersed herself in thinking about this very interesting state of affairs. To be able to bear witness to a hero from up close was her dream.

Vander shook his head, and feeling shocked, muttered, ‘I can’t keep up.’

—-Next day

The Fourth Army commander General David who had finally arrived immediately assembled the commissioned officers.

Separated into many units, the reinforcing soldiers number 40,000. Together with the residuals of the Third Army, they were 80,000 in total.

The soldiers dispersed to and were stationed at each fortress in a radius around Belta.

General David was impatient for merit, deciding to eliminate the Rebel Army by any means necessary. David was a contender to be the next Field Marshal, but he was losing to the brave and celebrated Yalder, and this would be his greatest chance to turn things around. If he obtained the achievement of destroying the Rebel Army, it would not be an exaggeration to say the cat was in the bag.

En route to Belta, he had dropped by the Royal Capital, where Field Marshal Sharov had strictly ordered him to “absolutely do not let them cross Alucia River.”

But like he would preoccupy himself with that. The one entrusted with command of strategy was him, David. He was born of high class nobility with ties to the family lineage that established the royal family. His connection to the current King was also deep.

For someone of such high pride like him, it was exceedingly aggravating to be ordered around by a normal class upstart like the Bazarov family.

“Gentlemen, I am David, the commander of the Fourth Army. Now that I am here, there’s no longer need for worry. We will immediately execute the rebels, and I promise you that victory and stability will be bought about here in the Central Border Zone.”

“I am honored to meet you for the first time, Your Excellency David. I am Sidamo, the Chief Staff Officer of the Third Army. I have compiled all the reports about the Rebel Army and notices about the reorganization plan for your perusal.”

David took a glance at the documents Sidamo handed over, and with a simple, “unnecessary,” he threw them away.

“I don’t need compiled information from a defeated Staff Officer. You guys have sullied the history of the glorious Kingdom. How dare you unabashedly live on. Do you not know the meaning of shame?”

Sidamo lowered his head at David’s abuse. The civil officials on standby nearby also looked down on him in disdain. They had been gathered as persons of good lineage, and they could aptly be thought of as David’s clique.

“……Pardon me.”

“What Chief Staff Officer. It would be better if you were a miserable food manager. The Staff Officers of our Fourth Army can think of strategy. You go think about tomorrow’s food menu.”

“Really, that you could even show that face of at this assembly. You have no pride it seems.”

“After all, he came from a fallen nobility. All he has ever known is shame.”

At one Staff Officer’s denunciation, the other commissioned officers unanimously voiced their agreement. For someone of humble birth to obtain achievement was irritating and unbearable. Yalder may have been frivolous, but he did not discriminate based only on pedigree. Sidamo’s shoulders shook in humiliation.

Sounds that broke the mood spread through the room. It was crunching, like something was being broken. The one making the noise was Schera. Tentatively a field officer, Schera while unwilling was participating in this war council. Because of the sudden convening of the war council, Schera had missed out on eating breakfast and was immensely vexed.

The room fell silent, wondering what that was, but as Schera had quickly chewed and swallowed, no one was any the wiser.

A giant man next to her gave her a fleeting glimpse, but she was playing dumb: she absolutely didn’t know what happened.

“……Well whatever. The clean up of the Third Army, Staff Officer Sidamo, you will do it. If you work well, maybe you won’t be completely useless.”

“Sir- I will devote everything.”

“—-Hmph. By the way, where’s the respected hero that’s become common talk recently. Hasn’t he played a very active role in the cowardly Third Army? Dunno if that’s true or false though.”

When David viewed the faces of the commissioned officers, he stopped at one point, on a small-statured girl wearing conspicuous black armor, on the seat of that imbalanced person.

“Is it you? The officer given the alias of Death God by the enemy?”

“Sir-, I do not know about Death God, but I am Major Schera.”

When Schera gave a salute, snarky laughs could be heard from the surroundings. After stroking his own beard, David gave a deep sigh.

“……It seems Yalder has also surprisingly gone senile. To even be able to bow his head to one showing such an unsightly, shameful sight. Moreover, to exercise his own political influence and allow someone of such humble birth to succeed the name of nobility. Rank of Major she says? The army isn’t a children’s playground.”

“Jesus. He also bent over and got done in by the Rebel Army. What kind of leadership is this?”

“—-Affirmative. As it is, his Steel Division thing was also after all a decoration wouldn’t you say? To be demolished by one blow, they were nothing more than plain papier mache. Mere show.”

“To forcibly make this lass out to be a hero was probably to raise morale maybe. Kukuh-, is not this actually a tear-jerking endeavour?

In an amazed manner, they collectively ridiculed Schera. Sniggers and scorns were included, and if it was a veteran with pride, he probably would have been indignant. However, the one actually the target of ridicule did not mind at all.

“……In the next battle, if you don’t accrue appropriate merit, I will strip you of your rank. It gives me the chills to think a layman little girl like you would stand shoulder to shoulder with us high-prided nobility. I want to instantly drop you to Private by all rights.”

“—-Sir-, I, Major Schera, understand.”

With a unpleasant ‘Hmph’ from his nose, David continued in addition.

“This will probably be the last time you will be able to speak with me. Jeez, what a truly absurd story. That fool Yalder.”

“Your Excellency David. it is about time—-”

David’s adjutant warned. David’s schedule was completely packed. After the war council, he had a business meeting with the influential men of Belta. Furthermore, a welcome ceremony was held for him. To make his own power known, and to solidify Belta’s strongholds, industrious work was necessary. There was absolutely no time to worry about stray dogs.

“Ahh, that’s enough. Just the commanders of the Third Army, you all leave. We will decide what happens next. At the most, you guys should just sharpen our swords.”

Waving them away, David urged them to leave with hate from the very depths of his heart shown on his face.

A commissioned officer oh so helpfully opened the door to the council room and beckoned with his head. Hurry up and leave, he was implying. The members of the Third Army, helplessly trickled out. People who had lost their chief were after all just treated like this. No one said a single word of complaint, and with heavy footsteps, they reflected on their own misfortune.

—-Though, only Schera was full of smiles, and with light footsteps, she cut in front of the leader and left.

Finally that shitty talk was over, and she could finally get her long-awaited, delectable meal. It was inconceivable that she would complain.

Barracks Dining Hall.

Schera in good humor was having breakfast. Next to her was Adjutant Katarina. She was silently eating. Together with her superior officer, and slowly. Vander had headed out to check on the training of the cavalry unit.

After the meal was finally over, Schera let out a huge exhale. Thanks to the stupidly long talk, her mood wasn’t quite good.

“Have you finished with your meal sir?”

“Yeah. It was really good. I can still eat more, but that’s enough for today.”

Just how much do you want to eat? Katarina furrowed her brows. Her glasses then slid a bit, and she hurriedly fixed it with a finger.

“……How was the war council? It seems you left midway through though.”

“Ahh, the bearded idiot told us to. If we don’t play an active role next time, he said something like I’ll drop to a Private.”

“Ma-Major! If someone else heard you, you could be put in jail for defamation of a superior officer! He’s the highest commander here at Belta.”

She covered her mouth with her hand, and gestured to lower their volumes. But the voice of that very person was the loudest.

“If I get put in, then it’s fine if I just break out. Right?”

“Please put in effort to avoid that in the first place!”

“I guess. You’re correct. Well do you best then, Second Lieutenant Katarina.”

Schera smiled and patted her shoulder, and then stood up and left with a, ‘farewell.’ Left behind her was an adjutant who let out an even deeper exhale than her superior officer.