Chapter 125 : Chapter 125
Chapter 125. In Other Fronts (1)
As per Alexis's command, Roden succeeded in capturing Harschu, Beihan, and Elmorim.
Although the capture of Harschu took some time, he quickly captured Beihan and Elmorim, so the overall time it took to carry out the operation was not very long.
On the contrary, he had carried out the operation at a very fast pace.
Moreover, in this process, dealing with the March of the Other Shore, which had been a great threat to the 3rd Corps, was also a great achievement.
Because other fronts had suffered great damage from the magic artifact unit, that achievement could only shine brighter.
"I hear that the 2nd Corps has had two of its companies, and the 1st Corps has had one of its battalions annihilated. It seems that this has put a brake on the momentum of our army, which had been pushing the Empire with overwhelming force."
"Not to mention the 1st Corps, the damage to the 2nd Corps is also considerable."
"Since our Transport Unit 1 also suffered damage, it's not an exaggeration to say that two of our battalions have collapsed."
"That's right. It could be seen that way."
"For now, it seems they will come up with a countermeasure to deal with the magic artifact unit somehow. After all, if we can't deal with the magic artifact unit, the damage will continue to accumulate."
"Yes. That's right. By the way, Staff Officer."
Michael, who had been listening intently to Roden's call, responded.
"Yes?"
"We've also dealt with the March of the Other Shore, so aren't you going back to the main force?"
Thus, Roden asked what he had been curious about all along.
However, Michael looked at Roden for a moment and then said something else.
"...Perhaps, in my opinion, they will create a separate unit to deal with the magic artifact unit."
"I get that, but aren't you going back to your unit?"
"But for now, they will try to solve the problem internally before that. The 1st and 2nd Corps won't want to share the merits they've painstakingly built up with other corps."
"I get it, so wouldn't it be better for you to go back?"
"Most importantly, our brothers won't tolerate this. They have to produce results somehow to please the head of the family. However, the problem is when they fail to solve the problem internally."
"Why don't you go back? Huh?"
"The most likely possibility is that they will request support from our corps, which has a relatively relaxed schedule. As the distance between the fronts has become closer, it has become much easier for the corps to send support to each other."
"No, just go!"
In the end, Roden couldn't stand it and raised his voice.
And only then did Michael look at Roden and answer.
"Don't rush me. I was going to go anyway."
"When?"
"As soon as the other corps have dealt with all the magic artifact units."
"What? Are you kidding me?"
"Even if I go back to the main force, there's nothing I can do. Nanbalt Castle will do its best not to repeat the mistakes of Velia Castle and Kroxen Castle. In fact, the capture of Nanbalt Castle will be a long way off until all the resources inside the castle run out or they succeed in destroying the walls with catapults. Accordingly, there is no need for a separate military strategy, so there is no need for me to be there, is there?"
"But our main battalion doesn't need you either, Staff Officer."
Roden hit Michael's bone with his words.
Michael was at a loss for words for a moment, then cleared his throat and continued.
"Ahem. I'm sure I can find something to do. My personal military strength alone is at the level of a 6-star, so how can I not be of some help? Most importantly, there is another reason why I have remained here."
"What is it?"
Roden asked with an indifferent expression.
He didn't seem curious about Michael's reason at all.
Michael inwardly disliked that for some reason, but he continued to speak.
"If a request for support comes to our corps, there is a high probability that the main battalion will move. This is because the main battalion has already faced and won against a magic artifact unit once."
"That's probably true."
"And that's the opportunity. For you to gain an advantage over the other brothers in the succession war. The fact that they couldn't deal with the magic artifact unit within the corps will be seen as incompetence by the head of the family. On the other hand, if the main battalion deals with it, it will be seen as a great achievement."
"Yes. I had thought of that much myself."
"I would like to move with you at that time."
"In other words, you want to share the merits, is that what you're saying?"
"Yes."
Michael affirmed Roden's words and nodded his head.
He looked so shameless.
But fortunately, Michael's story did not end here.
Michael added.
"Of course, I'm not just saying we should share the merits. If you promise to share the merits, I will also give you a suitable reward."
"What kind of reward?"
At the question, Michael looked at Roden as if to pierce him for a moment and then answered.
"The Glockner Swordsmanship. I will pass on the secret techniques of the Glockner Swordsmanship that you have not yet had access to."
At the same time as he heard those words, Roden's eyes naturally widened.
***
Roden, who had captured all three cities, received an additional order from Alexis and cleared the surrounding villages.
Originally, this mission had been assigned to another unit belonging to the vanguard battalion, but as that unit was annihilated by the March of the Other Shore, the mission was passed on to Roden.
However, there was no need for Roden to move personally to carry out this mission.
He could handle this matter just by giving orders to Heinrich, Günter, and Otto from his seat.
For that reason, Roden stopped by Vinchih for a while and took care of the overdue work related to the Billem Caravan.
It was to meet with Abtal, the lords, and the treasurers.
Thus, Roden, who had finished all the overdue work and returned from Vinchih, watched the training process of the main battalion.
Fortunately, the new training method seemed to have properly taken root in the main battalion.
The fact that the Special Task Force Company was conducting training with the main battalion without any sense of disharmony was proof of that.
"Not only did you pass on all the secret methods of the Superior Swordsmanship, but you even shared the secret techniques... Isn't that too dangerous?"
Michael, who was watching the training process of the main battalion with Roden, asked Roden.
For reference, Roden had decided to accept Michael's proposal.
This was because he desperately wanted to learn the secret techniques of the Glockner Swordsmanship.
It turned out that Ernst had not properly learned the secret techniques of the Glockner Swordsmanship in the first place.
All he had received was the basics and some very basic secret techniques.
On the other hand, in Michael's case, his skills had been recognized before the war, and he had been able to learn the 'core secret techniques' of the Glockner Swordsmanship.
Of course, he had not learned all of them.
According to Michael, it seemed that the types of core secret techniques that could be learned were different for each level.
And none of the heirs of the Glockner family had yet been passed down all the core secret techniques.
Even the eldest, Leon, who was known to have the highest level, had not learned the core secret techniques from the 8-star and above because his level before the war was only a 7-star.
Thus, because there was no way to learn the core secret techniques even if one's level increased during the war, one had to receive help from someone else to learn them.
Roden had no choice but to accept Michael's proposal because he had realized this fact during their conversation.
Anyway, since Alexis's order to support the other corps had not yet been given, the transmission of the core secret techniques had not yet begun.
And Michael was still staying with the main battalion, waiting for this order to be given.
That was why he could ask questions like the one he had just asked.
"Dangerous? What? Are you worried that the secret methods and secret techniques of the Superior Swordsmanship that I passed on might be passed on to the enemy through betrayal? Or are you worried that the social class balance will be broken if commoners learn the Superior Swordsmanship, which is the exclusive property of the nobility?"
"Both."
"There's nothing to worry about. Even if the secret methods and secret techniques of the Superior Swordsmanship are passed on, the enemy's strength will not suddenly become stronger."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Swordsmanship is something that takes a long time to produce results, even for those with talent. And even if they start training late, it will take them a long time to catch up to the main battalion. The main battalion won't just be playing around either."
"Hmm. Now that I hear it, that makes sense."
"Also, there's no need to worry about commoners learning aura and becoming knights."
"Why? Did you suddenly open your eyes to egalitarianism while fighting the war?"
"No. That's not it. I just don't think it's the mark of a true noble to worry about someone else rising to their position."
"Then?"
"To cultivate the skills befitting a true noble, regardless of who rises up. How can you call someone who is less skilled than a commoner a noble?"
At Roden's answer, Michael, who was a staunch elitist, had a dazed expression as if he had been hit on the head with a hammer.
However, Roden did not pay attention to this side of Michael.
After all, no matter what Michael said, he intended to stick to his current method.
It was only natural, as he had been able to survive and rise to his current position thanks to this method.
'Most importantly, the main battalion needs to become stronger for the sake of the future.'
It turned out that the March of the Other Shore was the weakest among the magic artifact units organized by the Imperial Army.
It seemed they had sent the weakest unit because the situation on the 3rd Corps' front was the best before Kroxen Castle was captured.
On the other hand, the situation on the other fronts, where more powerful magic artifact units were rampant, was not very good.
The fact that bad news was being heard day after day from the 1st and 2nd Corps, which were trying to solve this problem internally somehow, was proof of that.
'Perhaps a support order will be issued soon.'
And sure enough.
A few days later, Alexis's order came down.
It was an order to eliminate the magic artifact unit that was wreaking havoc on the 1st Corps' front.