Chapter 141
"... What did you just say?"
Mikhail's jaw dropped.
When Erich gathered the executive officers and revealed the plan he had in mind, everyone there was startled.
Not only the officers under Erich, but also the fortress commanders who had joined the main force with Erich here—Grant, Hern, Richter, and even Günter.
Grant spoke up.
"Lord Commander, that's a plan I simply cannot agree with."
"For the head of the main force to infiltrate the enemy headquarters himself is simply... unthinkable."
Richter, who met eyes with Grant, also narrowed his eyes. Given what had happened before, Richter was usually the sort to trust whatever Erich said.
But even to him, this plan did not sound good.
And with good reason—for what Erich was proposing here was that he himself would infiltrate that place.
So that he could personally eliminate the lich controlling the enemy.
'Well, it's not entirely my own idea, though.'
Originally, this was something Shadow's leader, King, had requested of Erich.
King had argued that if just the lich were killed, the rebels could be easily dispersed, and asked to be sent in himself.
However, Erich thought that plan was unrealistic.
No matter how strong each of the Shadows were—including King—if they faced the lich head-on, there was no chance of victory.
But as for Erich?
Not only assassination, but even facing the lich directly, he could handle it alone.
Therefore, if someone were to infiltrate the enemy lines to kill the lich, it was not the Shadows who should go, but Erich himself.
'... But the problem is.'
"I do not think it's right, Lord Commander."
"I feel the same way."
However,
Most members of the Watch who listened to Erich's words responded negatively.
For the commander of the main force to choose the dangerous path of infiltration, as well as the fact that their forces already outnumbered the enemy—many thought there was no reason to take such a risk.
But Erich's perspective was a bit different.
'If we get bogged down in a battle of attrition like this, there's no telling what might pop up.'
There was a lich in the enemy camp. And the army the lich was preparing would grow larger as time went on.
Time was the most important factor right now.
Erich looked around the room and spoke.
"Even if we lead the main force, there's no way to break through the dozens, even hundreds, of enemy outposts within the proper time."
"But our forces already surpass theirs. Commander, there's really no need for such a dangerous adventure."
Erich slowly shook his head. He understood their worries, but there was something even more important to him.
"The enemy lines are gathering many of the dead. And they are even arming them. The longer we wait, the more their numbers will increase."
"I know. That's why I'm saying this. It would be better to push straight into the enemy headquarters."
Grant replied calmly. As the commander of the 1st Fortress, his words carried the most weight among them.
Erich, however, pointed at the large map hanging on the wall. Marked on it were the enemy outposts they had cleared and new ones springing up.
"Daren and Burton are pretty competent strategists. As are all the fortress commanders here. The enemy is clearly employing a delaying action. If the main force launches an all-out offensive now, the scattered outposts will likely encircle us."
"We just need to break through that. Our forces can handle it."
"Is that so? But what if, after a bloody battle with them, we immediately have to face Ungrim's army? Would you still feel the same?"
Grant quietly pondered Erich's words. Erich was not simply focused on crushing the rebellion.
As the other fortress commanders had said, it might be faster to gather the main force and strike at the enemy, but the sacrifice would be immense.
Nobody was unaware of that.
But what Erich feared was whether they would have any strength left to face Ungrim's army afterward.
'This fight is not the end. In fact, it's just the beginning.'
After suppressing this rebellion, they would have to fight Ungrim's army, and even prepare for the final showdown against the dead.
The enemies still had Albrecht alive, and the Lord of the Dead as well.
While supplies could be somehow replenished from the main force, manpower could not.
If too many troops were lost, not only would the next battle be impossible, they might be pushed back to the Great Wall once again.
"... Hmm, that's true."
"But for the commander to take the field himself, that's a bit..."
Hern and Richter met eyes and muttered. Erich answered them.
"There are not many who can infiltrate over there from here. At the very least, one must be of master-level skill. Otherwise, you would be turned into an ice chunk by the lich before you even got close."
The fortress commanders and executive officers exchanged glances.
The danger posed by the frost that surrounded the dead was slowly spreading among the troops.
If the lich possessed power even greater than any monster they had faced so far, then the power of the frost would be all the more formidable.
At that moment, Mikhail spoke.
"Then I'll go, commander. If we're gambling, it's only right to play our best card."
"No, chief Mikhail. Do you know how many among the rebels recognize your face?"
At Erich's words, Mikhail narrowed his eyes. Indeed, not only Daren and Burton, but many of their subordinates did not recognize Erich's face.
Although he became commander, until then he had been a man known only to a few.
They might know his name, but remembering his face was another story.
So, Erich was taking advantage of that very point. The plan was to secretly slip in while the enemy was unaware and kill only the lich with precision.
If Mikhail were to go, it would almost certainly turn into a full-scale confrontation.
Inside the Watch, even if many did not know Erich, everyone knew Mikhail.
Then, Hrung-ga, who had been translating their Imperial speech, considered Erich's words and spoke up.
[Then what about me?]
[... Look in the mirror, Hrung-ga.]
Hrung-ga blinked.
[... Ah, I see.]
Hrung-ga was a barbarian. Even if his face wasn't known, just being a barbarian made him an enemy.
Over there, there were simply too many folks who would attack on sight, let alone infiltration.
"That's why, for this operation, it has to be someone whose face is not known."
"... Then whom do you plan to take?"
At that, Erich quickly called out a few names—those who met the necessary minimum power for the infiltration team, whose faces were not known, and who would follow Erich's orders.
"I intend to go with Barnes, and my subordinates."
"Barnes?"
Hern repeated and glanced around. Standing motionless where everyone's eyes turned was Barnes.
Truthfully, Barnes too was little known.
Frederick twitched his lips.
"... Not many know me either, right?"
"You are... far more famous than necessary."
"Is... is that so?"
Frederick crossed his arms with an embarrassed look.
It wasn't fame in a good sense, but he was far too well-known for infiltration.
If you mentioned 'Frederick the Mutineer', quite a few people would get chills.
'If we add in the Shadows as well, we'll have a force not to be underestimated.'
At that moment, Milon, who had been quietly listening, rattled his armor and said,
"My lord! I too will do my utmost to serve you."
"You're out too."
"... Pardon?"
Milon blinked in surprise, and Erich answered offhandedly.
"You obviously don't look like a Watchman, so no."
"Th-there's no way...!"
"Save your glory for later. I'll give you a chance someday."
Milon stepped back with a look of regret. The fortress commanders eyed each other, and then Grant was the first to speak.
"... Then what should the main force do in the meantime, commander?"
"For the main force, I want Sir Grant, commander of the 1st Fortress, to act as the substitute commander and take charge. Continue to raid the enemy outposts to keep them in chaos. And..."
"And if we press the main force up close to the enemy's lines, it will add more tension."
Erich smiled faintly. Grant really was someone who could be put to any use. As a seasoned commander, he quickly grasped Erich's intentions.
With a nod, Erich looked around at the others. Their eyes were filled with apprehension.
But Erich himself was full of confidence.
He didn't know exactly what August expected by putting him in the commander's seat, but Erich thought what August was aiming for was 'unpredictability'.
'All the fortress commanders here are capable. But for him to appoint someone like me with little experience or history...'
It meant, Erich thought, that August wanted a result a step further than what anyone else would have decided.
At least, that's what Erich believed.
In that sense, this operation would guarantee a result at least one step ahead.
As could be seen from the rain of objections, no one expected Erich himself to step forward.
Not even the enemy would expect it.
Erich was so certain because the way these people looked at him overlapped with something before his regression.
The Watch had been driven to near annihilation.
In that crisis, he remembered all too well the frightened gazes directed at Erich, newly appointed as commander.
It had taken a long time to overcome that fear and restore the Great Wall...
–Kkwoouk.
Erich's fist clenched. The lich might turn out to be a formidable foe for Erich now.
But this was something he simply had to accomplish.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
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