Chapter 73
The chase of Istel kingdom continued persistently.
As the retreating route was inside Istel kingdom’s territory, the pursuers increased as more time passed.
The 7th corps broke through Istel kingdom line that came running from the sides and the front and moved towards the west.
“Pant. Pant. Pant.”
The soldiers were clearly exhausted.
Their armor was covered in blood.
The soldiers that amounted to 4,000 were now 2,000.
Already, half of the soldiers have left the world.
“A little bit more.”
Aaron encouraged the soldiers.
He also was in a situation where he could also collapse at any moment, but he ground his teeth and endured.
He moved faster than anyone and at everyone’s front.
Step. Step.
When the back of his foot swept the ground, white dust rose up.
When he moved three or four more steps.
Puuuuuu.
The sound of a horn trumpet was heard.
It was the sound they had heard the past few days that made them feel the creeps.
The faces of Aaron and the soldiers turned pale.
“Is it the end……”
In the end, a half giving up sound was also heard from Aaron’s mouth.
Roan, who was leading the infantry of rose troop at the back, stood to the front.
“We will stop them.”
He spoke in a daring and composed voice.
Roan also had an exhausted look but his situation was better than the other commanders.
And that was also the same for the infantry of rose troop.
They, who had trained with the latest training methods of 20 years from now on, had more stamina than the other soldiers.
On top of that, because of the repeated troop strategy training, the waste of their energy was low.
Roan stood at the front and gripped his spear.
‘There’s not much until we leave the territory.’
If they won this skirmish, they’d be able to get into friendly territory.
‘Let’s endure it one more time.’
Roan bit his lower lip.
His sight moved over the hill.
Puuuu.
The sound of horn trumpet rang in his ear.
Dudududu.
Followed by that, horse clops were heard.
Flock!
At the same time, a sharp flag appeared over the hill.
“Ah……”
At that moment, a low exclamation came out of Roan’s mouth.
The magnificent troop flag waved in the wind, which the cavalrymen at the front were holding.
That flag was familiar for his eyes.
Roan turned to look at Aaron and yelled.
“They aren’t of the Istel kingdom. They’re friendlies!”
In that instant, the faces of Aaron and the soldiers turned to become that of relief and surprise.
Roan’s voice was heard.
“It’s Count Lancephil!”
*****
It was fate that he met Lancephil’s army.
The army was patrolling the eastern region and annihilating Istel kingdom’s army.
Meanwhile, they had met with the 7th corps.
“Baron Tate. You’ve done well.”
“No, Count Lancephil. We could keep our lives because of you.”
Aaron bowed.
Io looked at that and smiled.
‘I thought that the movements of the enemy had become more hesitant, but it was that the 7th corps were attacking the supply lines.’
They were rendering such great merits they couldn’t even think of.
Io was astounded.
His sight naturally moved over to the one next to him.
‘Roan.’
Roan was standing next to Aaron.
A vice troop commander was next to him instead of the other troop commanders.
And that was because of Aaron’s consideration and Io’s petition.
Following Aaron’s report, most of the merits they have rendered was because of Roan.
‘Even at this retreat, they were in charge of the rear and rendered a distinguished merit.’
It was a merit that became more surprising the more you heard of it.
Only that not him, nor anyone of Lancephil’s territory knew that he was learning mana.
And that was because of Aaron’s consideration.
He thought that it may somehow affect Roan and sent the order of never revealing it outside before Roan revealed it himself.
And the soldiers of the 7th corps, who could keep their lives because of Roan, kept that promise thoroughly.
“For now, rest for a couple days.”
“Thank you.”
At Io’s words, Aaron bowed once again.
And Roan also did the same.
Below their heads, a sigh of relief flowed out.
Although they had lost half of their forces, thinking about it differently, they had rescued half of their forces.
‘Although we suffered a big blow because we fell into their trap……..’
They couldn’t stop like this.
‘In war, it’s normal for there to be mistakes and defeat.’
One couldn’t always win a perfect victory.
‘It’s enough if you learn from the mistakes and defeats.’
Looking at it from another point of view, there was also a part where he unconsciously became careless just because he returned to the past.
‘In the past, in the present, and in the future, war is still war.’
It was normal that lives were lost.
He always had to think and act prudently.
It was the first time Roan experienced a bad thing since he returned to the past.
‘In the first place, I’m not a strategist.’
In his past life he was merely a spearmen squad commander.’
Roan clenched his fists.
‘Istel bastards. Although you would be laughing right now……’
Fire appeared in his eyes.
‘I will make you shed tears of blood next time.’
He returned as much as he received.
No, he would certainly return it with interest.
That was the rule of a war.
After Io left his tent, he went to the camp of the 7th corps that was located at the rear.
After he crossed over two entrances and was about to enter the camp.
Aaron, who was walking in front of him, abruptly stopped.
“Mmm.”
A low exclamation flowed out of him.
Roan stayed close and looked in front.
‘Ah……’
He barely gulped down the exclamation that was about to come out.
He looked at the ground in front of him.
Troop commander Richard of the special troops and his soldiers were over there.
They had tied their bodies with a tight rope and were kneeling.
It was the look of sinners.
They discovered Aaron and then bowed towards the ground.
Aaron moved and stood in front of Richard.
Soldiers of other troops gathered over to the surroundings.
“Richard. What are you doing?”
At Aaron’s words, Richard replied while not being able to raise his head.
“Because of me, more than 2,000 soldiers had died.”
He replied in a serious voice.
His shoulders trembled.
“Cut off my head. Only, save my underlings as they solely acted at my orders.”
“Richard…….”
Aaron bit his lower lip.
If there was a merit reward, there would also be a punishment for when you made a mistake.
Especially in this case, you had to punish Richard who had the most responsibility in a public showing.
“Whew.”
A long sigh flowed from Aaron’s mouth.
Then Roan, who was looking at the situation from the back, kneeled down between Aaron and Richard.
“The one that proposed to attack the enemy’s supply line and storage in their territory was me. The cause of all this was me. Rather, punish me and save troop commander Richard’s life.”
They had lost more than 2,000 lives.
In this situation, they couldn’t kill the best troop in the 7th corps.
On top of that, although Richard had made a mistake in this battle, the merits he had accumulated couldn’t be seen lightly.
If you slew a commander for only one mistake, who would stand at the front and face the enemies?
Roan bowed towards the ground.
Then, a loud voice was heard.
“If that’s the case, it’s also difficult for me not to receive the punishment.”
The owner of the voice was Gale.
He passed over the soldiers and kneeled down next to Roan.
“It’s also a big sin not having taken care of troop commander well.”
Kennis and the adjutants of rose troop, followed his back.
“We will also receive the punishment.”
The soldiers of rose troop that were looking, kneeled down next to the special troop’s soldiers.
“We will also receive it.”
“We didn’t fare that much better.”
These were the 2,000 soldiers that had survived.
They struggled desperately and became more persistent and firm.
Soon, all the adjutants and soldiers kneeled down.
The only person standing in the camp was Aaron.
He looked at the soldiers of the 7th corps and slowly kneeled down.
“I also became careless and made a mistake, so I must also receive a punishment.”
Aaron bowed.
At that look, Richard and the troop commanders yelled in one voice.
“Corps commander!”
A strong heat flowed out from them.
Aaron raised his head once again and looked at everyone.
“We all made a big mistake. And because of that, many of our allies have died.”
There was a strong resonance in his voice.
“We will fight by carrying the names of the friends that left first.”
He stood up and unsheathed his sword.
A sharp sound hit their ears.
Slash!
Aaron sliced the tight rope that was tying Richard.
“This isn’t the place for us to die.”
He raised up the soldiers and yelled.
“We are dying on the battlefield! Raise some merits and be exempt from the punishment!”
His voice became louder.
“Let’s tribute the heads of the enemies to the ones that left ahead of us!”
Roan and the other soldiers stood up.
Chuk!
They saluted.
“Sir!”
They lost half of their force.
But they wouldn’t forget.
They would carry the names of their comrades and fight.
It’s not like they would be fighting alone.
The 7th corps was reborn.
No, it evolved.
******
Rarely enough, there was a shaman in the camp of Count Lancephil.
The injured ones of the 7th corps could receive treatment from the shaman because of Io’s consideration.
The other troops of the 7th corps heard the news that they fell into the ambush of the fake storage and started to regroup one by one.
Because of that, the number increased to 6,000 again, and the morale became so high it was about to sunder the sky.
Aaron controlled the troops that were annihilated or suffered losses and reorganized them.
As this was the middle of a war, they put the formal promotions for later on, but Roan was named as troop commander.
They made a 2nd rose troop by gathering the infantry that originally received strategy training and some cavalrymen of other troops.
As Gale recently became Aaron’s staff officer, his role was transferred to Roan.
“When the war ends, I will formally give you a troop.”
After that, some more good news was heard.
And one of them was that the capital of Miller dispatched the elite troops that amounted more than 50,000 to face the Byron kingdom.
On top of that, as they had joined hands with the Dies kingdom, the 40,000 soldiers that were in the south were moving towards the east to help them.
Because Roan knew the future, the army of the central and southern region could depart before they got their eastern region taken.
The situation was becoming better as time passed.
Aaron and the commanders of the 7th corps didn’t pass the day negligently.
They gathered in the tent of the corps commander everyday and reviewed the battle of the fake storage.
Richard, the troop commanders that got attacked, and the ones that weren’t with them were carefully reviewing to see what went wrong that time.
“Now that I see it, the movement of the wagons were certainly strange.”
“On top of that, even if we were in a hurry, we had to first grasp the number of the soldiers in the storage.”
“Rather than going inside, it would have been better to fire arrows and set it on fire.”
Several opinions came and went.
Now the troop commander, no, Roan was being treated as the most senior among troop commanders because of the merits he had accumulated until now, organized the contents and was filling in the lacking points.
‘I can’t make the same mistake.’
Roan’s strongest point and virtue was his endless effort.
He recognized the points he lacked in and knew how to fill them.
Then, the doors opened up and one soldier showed up.
“Corps commander. Count Lancephil is looking for you. He says that troop commander also has to assist.”
“Understood.”
Aaron wasn’t perplexed at the sudden meeting.
‘Even so, I wanted to go and find him once……..’
He had rested plentily.
And had reviewed his mistakes enough.
Now was the time to move.
Aaron and Roan went to Io’s tent.
Excluding Io, you could see Kali Owells, the leader of the mages Tairon Bess, Perry Wison who was the leader of the territory’s army, and other important people.
Their expressions were kind of flushed.
“Corps commander Tate. Come sit over here.”
Io brightly smiled and sat in the empty seat.
He also had a flustered face.
Aaron slightly tilted his head.
On the other side, Roan’s interest was in a weird place.
He looked at the youth standing alone at the other side of the table.
The youth that seemed to have three or four years over than him seemed quite familiar.
‘Who was he?’
He had a tickling feeling that he was on the tip of his tongue.
Then, Io’s voice was heard.
“The name of that youth is Oren. He’s someone sent from the Phillip’s family.”
At that moment, Roan opened his eyes roundly.
‘Oren Part……’
His tickling feeling was refreshed. .
The moment he heard the name, he could remember.
‘The vice director of the agency.’
One of the existences that helped Chris lead the agency was Oren.
If Chris was Ian’s right hand, then Oren was Chris’s right hand.
Oren bowed deeply and said in a composed voice.
“Hello. I’m called Oren and i’m serving Sir Ian Phillips. I’m the one responsible for the information agency Sir Phillip’s has established in his plans.”
“If it’s Ian Phillips, he’s an existence shaking the kingdom nowadays.”
Io nodded with a gratified expression.
Oren continued speaking.
“I received Sir Phillip’s order and focused on grasping the movements of Istel kingdom in the eastern region through the agents. And we finally succeeded in obtaining the information you wanted.”
Io continued saying.
He looked at Aaron and Roan and said.
“They have found the location of the supply storage of Istel kingdom.”
“Ah……”
Aaron let out a low exclamation.
And that was the same for Roan.
But the meaning of the impression was different.
Different from Aaron, who was surprised at the fact that they had found the supply storage, Roan was more impressed at the truth that Ian Phillips made an information agency and operated it more quickly than what he had thought.
‘On top of that, to have already have found Oren……..’
In his past life Chris discovered Oren while he was gathering information and chose him as his right hand man.
It was a famous thing that in that process, Chris found Oren more than 10 times enough to have convinced him.
That was the start of the agency.
‘How did Ian meet Oren and find him? Would he have convinced him more than ten times like Chris?’
He had many questions.
No, he was amazed one more time at Ian’s abilities ahead of his questions.
‘To use the information agency running in the capital of Miller and find more information in the territory and faster than us………’
A genius was a genius.
But of course, he would have to check if that information was true or not.
Then, Io’s voice was heard.
“Originally, it seems like he went to the eastern army first, but it seems like commander Doyle wasn’t that interested.”
He just said that he wasn’t interested, but it actually meant that he was ignorant.
If it wasn’t for the name of Count Phillips, he wouldn’t even have been able to meet him.
As Io gave the signal, Oren took out two pieces of paper from his chest and gave it to Aaron and Roan.
Quite a well drawn could be seen with a some information.
“In the case of the 7th corps, as they went through the fake storage, I wondered if you would act together with us.”
“Hhm.”
At those words, the head of the knights, Kali Owells, showed a blatantly displeased look.
And Io also knew that, but he just feigned ignorance.
He couldn’t refute his retainer in a place like this.
“Will we be able to do so?”
Aaron asked.
Io faintly smiled and shook his head.
“In the first place, it was the 7th corps that had attacked the supply lines and was cutting it off. If we see it in another way, it’s just like snatching away the merits of the 7th corps.”
At those words, Aaron looked at Roan.
Roan was still checking the contents on the paper.
‘It’s information that’s organized really well.’
He thought that it certainly was Ian.
‘However, this could also be another trap of the enemy.’
He felt Aaron’s gaze late and slightly shook his head.
Aaron realized Roan’s meaning in an instant.
They had clearly grasped their mistakes while reviewing the attack that they had suffered last time in the fake storage.
Whether this information was true or not, they couldn’t just bite it.
“For now, we will have to investigate thoroughly if this information is true or not.”
“Right. As there’s also what happened last time……..”
Io nodded.
He looked at Aaron’s eyes fixedly and said.
“Will the 7th corps take care of that?”
At those words Aaron wasn’t modest anymore.
“If you give us the opportunity, we would like to.”
The decision was set.
He grabbed the opportunity to take revenge on the Istel bastards.
He wanted the 7th corps to start that.
Io brightly smiled and nodded.
“Good. I’ll believe in you and entrust it to you.”
“Thank you.”
Aaron replied shortly afterwards and stood up.
Although he felt Kali’s hot gaze, he forcefully ignored it.
“Then. We will leave.”
Aaron and Roan bowed towards Io and then got out of the tent.
The moment they did, that stuffy feeling cleared up in a moment.
The steps returning to their camp was light.
“For now, we’ll have to gather the troop commanders.”
At Aaron’s words, Roan nodded.
“I will send the gathering order.”
“I’ll be troubling you.”
Aaron hit Roan’s back once and then returned to his own tent.
Roan moved inside the camp to gather the troop commanders.
Then, a familiar faced man approached quickly.
‘Pens?’
He was the one responsible for the information troop Roan created and was a staff member of Chris’s agency.
He ran with a really excited expression.
“You seem really bright.”
At Roan’s words, Pens nodded and took out a piece of paper in his chest.
“We finally found the location of the storage supply.”
“Ah…….”
Roan let out a low exclamation.
He received the paper Pens was giving him.
‘Chris’s agency doesn’t fall back at all.’
He had a proud and satisfied feeling.
A smile appeared on his mouth.
But the moment he checked the contents of the paper, his smile completely disappeared.
He had a stiff face.
Perplexed eyes.
Roan took in a deep breath and ground his teeth.
‘The location is different.’
< Danger inside the danger (4) > End
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