Royal Road of the Extra Scribe

63

The next morning.

I donned my gray armor and started walking through the camp with the Helian Duke.

The soldiers who saw us began to show signs of excitement.

“He’s here…! He finally arrived! Mercenary Wade!”

“We believed in you, Casper!”

“You’re the pride of our cadets!”

“Let’s seek General Duna’s revenge together!”

Since Casper had deserted and was absent from the camp, everyone seemed to mistake me for Casper.

Upon hearing this cheer, the Helian Duke, seeming to have a headache, shook his head and whispered to me.

“For that part, let’s just overlook it for now. It seems unnecessarily complicated.”

“I don’t particularly mind.”

Rather, I was tired of dealing with each and every one.

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Apart from Casper, there were easily more than ten individuals continent-wide impersonating Wade. From my perspective, Casper was just one of them.

Moreover, since the morale boost was already effective, I decided to just let it be.

Intentionally, for the morale of the army, I circled the camp once before heading to the main barracks.

The top officers of the army were standing in the main barracks, visibly tense.

Whether the story had been relayed to them by the Helian Duke in advance or not, their eyes showed wariness and fear as they looked at me.

“Wade, have a seat over here.”

The Helian Duke seated me on the dais and took a seat right beside me as if to advise.

Perhaps because it was a dais, the chair felt unusually comfortable.

“Let’s begin the military council.”

I spoke with a voice deliberately altered and scratchy.

The officers may have suspected that the Helian Duke had brought in a fake as a temporary measure, but seeing me guarding his back and exuding the aura of Eonia, they swallowed nervously.

Like me, Eo, who had his face covered with a gray helmet, was holding back laughter at the situation of being performed solo.

“Let’s start by reviewing the last battle.”

After tossing the pre- and post-battle reports given by the Helian Duke onto the command table, I said.

“This was truly a foolish plan. So, where is the military officer named Gates who proposed this stupid plan to Dunan?”

“I, I am Gates.”

“You shamelessly returned. You are demoted by ten ranks. Start again from junior officer.”

“What…!?”

“Furthermore… According to the report, there was an officer who advised to stay put and not march out. Who was that?”

The officers hesitated, exchanging glances.

Then, one officer spoke decisively.

“He was Infantry Sergeant Alz Illine. He opposed the march.”

“Fine, except for you, everyone else is demoted by three ranks.”

This time, the officers seemed unwilling to accept it and attempted to argue with me.

That’s when…

“Shut your mouths!”

The Helian Duke’s shout silenced them.

“You. You incompetent lot killed Dunan! If it were up to me, I would have thrown all of you in prison according to military law, but I am refraining due to the circumstances!”

“…!”

“If you have complaints, tell me! I will have your uniforms stripped off right away!”

The barracks fell silent as a tomb.

I shrugged and continued speaking.

“So, where is this Alz Illine located?”

“He… He was granted leave to the rear supply depot, exclusively for promising officer candidates. He volunteered to move to the rear after being injured in the last battle. Currently, he must be undergoing treatment for his injuries.”

“Return? Is it possible?”

“Currently, all officers are stationed at the main base for the treatment of the severely wounded, so there are no officers at the rear supply depot. If you wish, we can bring him back to the main base for immediate treatment.”

“No need for that. I was just curious about the one who came up with the only proper plan. Well, we can reward him handsomely later.”

As Helian glared at me with a look that said ‘That’s different from what we discussed,’ I cleared my throat and changed the subject.

“Also, I will promote the ranks of the officers who opened the way in the Sanji Battle: Ferge Illine, Felix Derran, and Stina Balstine. Handle it accordingly.”

—Oh!

Ugh! Is this what they call abuse of power?

I could have promoted my own rank at this point, but since it had already been excessively promoted, I decided not to raise it further.

“Shall we now examine the current situation?”

I closely observed the intelligence officer’s briefing.

“The situation has changed.”

It was completely different from the early stages of the war.

For one, the Tonkai army no longer concealed their main camp. There was no longer a need for it.

They had deployed a 50,000-strong army at the forefront as if they were ready to attack at any moment.

“Furthermore, thanks to General Dunan, we have secured high-quality terrain.”

It was a topographical map drawn by intelligence troops scouting the enemy’s main camp under Dunan’s command.

Each significant point was marked on the towering trees, allowing us to speculate on the landscape layout.

“The elevation on the left flank seems slightly higher.”

It went without saying, but the elevation on the left was about 30 meters higher. As a result, there was a gentle slope from the left to the right of the formation.

“….”

“How about it, Wade? From what I see, sticking to the plan seems to be the right move. Given the circumstances, you know.”

The Helian Duke was an elite from a military academy background.

Until he entered the political sphere, he served in the military as a first-class officer assisting the general.

It meant he was more than capable of holding his ground here.

“No, it’s not. Holding on in the current situation isn’t a solution. At best, it might be a temporary fix.”

The morale of our troops was low, and the enemy had a formidable force like a monster.

If that beast wreaked havoc on our camp, there was a chance that tactics and plans wouldn’t work properly.

While Anton could tie the guy down, once Anton was deployed to fend off the enemy’s attacks, the direction of our tactics would passively shift.

“But it’s not easy to just charge out in this situation. Do you have any strategies in mind?”

“Well, for now.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“But first… I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

This battle was unlike any faced with Madon or during the Three-Four War.

The risks of strategies were too high.

Leaving the meeting room behind, I returned to my quarters, avoiding prying eyes, and took out two books I had kept for military study.

They were tactical books on mountain warfare.

“The key to mountain warfare lies in seizing the high ground first…”

These were the military texts I had diligently studied from modern times.

While I was confident in quick thinking, my memory for details was not the best, so I made a habit of writing down crucial information.

From the time I first entered Alz’s body, I had been compiling key military texts to refer to when needed.

The military strategy books read by Percy in my room were part of them.

Altogether, there were about 13 modern military strategy books in my collection.

In addition to those, I had over 70 military texts collected from this world in my library.

Though I had read them all, I would occasionally revisit them when in doubt.

Reading through the books, I simulated and strategized.

“Utilizing the terrain sufficiently seems possible, but… there’s too much preparation needed.”

This was a risky strategy that could backfire if the enemy caught on.

Would the enemy be able to decipher my plan?

That was a gamble, but a calculated one.

Kraus Forkner.

He was a general who led wars not by the book but with his cunning tactics.

His eye for military strategy wasn’t exceptional. I didn’t expect him to read this far into my plan.

If by chance my intentions were revealed, I would have to resort to Plan B.

“Alright, let’s give it a shot.”

Leaving my quarters, I first gathered my aides.

“Anton, I’ll give you a tactical manual. Gather only trusted officers and educate them on the contents. They must be prepared to execute the plan by the set deadline. Understood?”

“Yes, I’ll remember that!”

The officers from Caliper’s side were hard to trust. There was a possibility of a spy from Tunkai.

Given the sensitivity of the operation, I decided to involve Anton and other officers from Crossing.

“Next. Yumir.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I hope you’ve gathered these. As many as possible.”

I showed him what I had randomly collected from this mountainous area.

Yumir, upon seeing it, perked up! She twitched her animal-like ears, then nodded without a hint of nausea.

“Understood.”

“You need to prepare within two days. Can you manage?”

“I’ll finish it in a day.”

“You’re reliable. Still, I feel a bit uneasy sending you alone…”

With Tunkai’s elite troops around, there was a slight worry about a rare mishap.

“Gaspar, you’ll escort her.”

“Alright. But, what if I help gather these as well? Yumir might find it challenging alone.”

“hahahaha, let’s discuss that between the two of us.”

“Fine… I understand.”

Gaspar, with a cool expression, began discussing with Yumir.

Now, only the tedious manual labor remained, and I was about to ask Ferzi for help, but…

It was hard to ignore Eo, who was eagerly asking for work with sparkling eyes.

“Do you really want to take on this task?”

“Please! I can’t fall behind that guy!”

Whether instinctively aware of Anton’s promotion, Eo was fueling her competitive spirit.

As she appeared, shedding her pure white armor and donning gray armor instead, armed not with a sword and shield but with a spear, she seemed determined to settle the score with that monstrous opponent from the last encounter.

“Alright then. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Yes, please leave it to me!”

“Eo, from now on, lead the Caliper soldiers…”

Eo, expecting a grand mission, was full of anticipation. But her expression changed drastically at the following words.

“Cut down all the trees in this area.”

***

The news of the mercenary Wade’s appearance had reached Tunkai’s camp.

“So, he’s shown up…”

Krauss smirked ominously.

Having killed Dunan, now the opportunity to capture the mercenary Wade had presented itself.

It felt like the value of his own life was increasing.

“Mercenary Wade? Who’s that?”

Grandis, unfamiliar with the name, asked.

“It seems the rumors haven’t reached the West. He’s a mercenary commander who surfaced about two years ago. Quite renowned, but in reality, he’s full of hot air.”

Wade gained fame for defeating Kaien in the Triad War, but at that time, Als’ army directly faced off against the Bekabian forces.

While he did deceive Kaien with a clever move, it was actually Juras’s merit in disrupting intelligence that played a bigger role.

Defeating Julian Craig in the war with Madon was commendable, but Julian, despite being a general, was no match for the 20 military heroes.

“A mere braggart who talks about defeating Bekabia and Madon won’t be my opponent. hahahaha!”

“Hmm, indeed. The scheme for this ambush was excellent. It seems like General Krauss has grown a step further. She would be pleased if she saw this.”

“Ha, hahahahat. I-Is that so?”

“Why not go meet her once? I’m sure she would be delighted too.”

“M-More than that!”

Krauss quickly changed the subject.

Pointing to the man standing behind Grandis, he spoke.

“Did you say Lexite? Quite a formidable warrior. Despite being exhausted, to defeat that Du’nan in just 30 moves is quite something.”

“It’s only natural. He is one of the Three Great Generals our lord boasts about.”

“Three Great Generals…?”

Unknowingly, Krauss furrowed his brow.

‘Back when I was with the lord, there was no mention of Three Great Generals… Damn it, are there two or more monsters like this? Indeed, the lord’s power knows no bounds…’

Once this matter was over, Krauss decided to seek asylum in a distant place to keep as much distance from the lord as possible.

“Leader!”

Soldiers from Tonkai, entering the tent with urgency.

“What’s the matter?”

“The enemy has started showing peculiar movements!”

“Peculiar movements? What are they up to?”

“They… are indiscriminately cutting down trees!”

“…?”

Even after hearing the explanation, Krauss couldn’t grasp the situation and had to personally head towards the front to witness the spectacle unfolding by Caliper’s troops.

Chop! Chop! Zzeoeeok! Trees continuously falling.

Caliper’s troops were not only cutting down trees within their camp but also around, turning the mountain into a bare hill.

With over ten thousand soldiers chopping trees, the mountain was soon to reveal its white bones.

“This is… unbelievable.”

Krauss, unable to decipher Alz’s intentions, narrowed his eyes.

Apart from the spectacle, this was a foolish act.

By cutting down the trees, the army’s camp became clearly visible, losing the cover of trees and becoming vulnerable to arrows.

“Oh, you’re no ordinary general, it seems.”

“Grandis…?”

“Krauss, even with peculiar tactics, following logic will often lead to answers. Abandoning the advantages of defense can only mean one thing – they plan to launch an attack.”

“Even if that’s the case, there’s no reason to cut down trees.”

In fact, having trees makes it easier to attack.

There’s less worry about enemy arrows, and it’s easier to conceal the number of attacking soldiers and their formation.

Grandis continued, “However, by removing the trees, it’s easier to concentrate the force of the troops. Removing hindrances in forming a formation since the trees are gone. Of course, that might not be the true intention.”

“The true intention… What is it?”

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Grandis smiled, lifting the corners of her mouth.

“The true intention of the enemy. It’s pyromancy.”

“Pyromancy!?”

“Don’t you sense it? By cutting down the trees, the wind direction has started to shift towards us.”

“Oops…!”

Krauss was taken aback by the petals flying towards him.

“Attempting geomancy to change the terrain, huh. Mercenary Wade. Quite an interesting lad.”

“….”

Krauss shuddered.

Not only was he surprised by the hidden intention behind the actions, but what was even more frightening was Grandis’ ability to read it in an instant.

“Cover the trees ahead thoroughly. Be prepared to ignite. Just that alone will render the enemy’s schemes futile.”

Grandis’ flawless foresight.

Indeed, he lived up to his reputation as a master strategist.

Shwirl! Watching the Tonkai soldiers watering the trees from afar, Alse chuckled.

“Couldn’t read it after all. Well, what can you do, ignorance leads to consequences.”

Alse muttered to himself as he proceeded with the operation preparations.