Becoming a Swordmaster by Reading Chapter 44

“Move out!”

A few days after Roden reached the level of a 3-star.

Transport Unit 2 left the camp to carry out a supply operation.

It had been quite some time since the 3rd Corps had secured a favorable position on the Aequor Plains, but the war between the Allied Forces and the Imperial Army was still fierce.

Neither side had gained a complete advantage, and they were exchanging meaningless skirmishes several times a day.

When the Imperial Army had briefly pulled its front line far back on the Aequor Plains.

The 1st and 2nd Corps had raised their momentum at the Plumen River and the Yugum Mountains and briefly seemed to be pushing back the Imperial Army, but that was all.

They quickly returned to their previous state.

It was in this atmosphere that the 3rd Infantry Platoon set out on its third supply operation as part of Transport Unit 2.

Not long after Transport Unit 2 left the camp.

“I hope nothing happens during this operation.”

Someone said this as they rode their horse towards Roden.

When he turned his head, the person there was Havier.

Roden took Havier's words.

“I agree. For some reason, it feels like we’re the only ones who keep getting caught up in incidents and accidents. It’s just a feeling, right?”

“No, not necessarily. This time, Transport Unit 1 and Transport Unit 3 avoided the 25% probability and were not attacked by the Imperial Army.”

“……That’s good news.”

“It is good news. The kind that also brings a sense of unease.”

As mentioned last time, the recent success rate of the Transport Battalion's supply operations was 75%.

For that reason, the fact that Transport Unit 1 and Transport Unit 3 had succeeded in their supply operations meant that the probability of Transport Unit 2 being attacked by the Imperial Army this time was over 50%.

The fact that Transport Unit 1 and Transport Unit 3 had carried out their supply operations without any trouble was indeed good news, but this was the reason Havier had added that one remark.

However, this was just a matter of probability.

The Imperial Army was not stupid, and it was unlikely they would carry out an attack just to adhere to this probability.

Rather, it was normal for them to realize that their attack pattern had been read and attack in a different way.

“Still, just in case, I plan to strengthen the alert earlier than usual.”

“I also think that would be for the best.”

After hearing Roden's answer, Havier nodded his head and then glanced at the 3rd Infantry Platoon.

Then he opened his mouth.

“The appearance of the 3rd Infantry Platoon as they embark on this operation is not what it used to be. It has improved a lot.”

Certainly, the 3rd Infantry Platoon was no longer the disorganized rabble it used to be.

Not only was there confidence in their steps, but a sense of unity could be felt in the way they constantly encouraged each other.

It was to the point where one would doubt if they had really experienced a bad incident recently.

On the other hand, in the case of the 1st Archery Platoon, which had been inevitably shaken by Prat's incident in a similar way, the atmosphere still felt somewhat chaotic.

As a result, the change in the 3rd Infantry Platoon was bound to appear even more dramatic.

“It seems that deciding to conduct separate training to protect you has actually turned out to be a benefit.”

In fact, Havier had been a little worried about this part.

The fact that all the units that were not on a supply operation gathered in the training ground for regular training also had the meaning of watching each other and being stimulated.

But it was impossible for the 3rd Infantry Platoon, which was using a new training ground they had made separately, to receive this kind of stimulation.

Rather than being stimulated, it seemed natural for their morale to drop, feeling that they had received unfair treatment.

‘But contrary to my expectations, their morale has risen and their military discipline has become strict……. Is there some secret method?’

Because of this concern, Havier had visited the 3rd Infantry Platoon several times after the last operation.

And what he discovered each time was the sight of the 3rd Infantry Platoon in a better mood than he had thought.

As a result, Havier couldn't help but be curious every time.

How Roden had managed to get a grip on the atmosphere of the 3rd Infantry Platoon.

Furthermore, Havier had received a report from Jamie that Roden was facing backlash from the 3rd Infantry Platoon with his strange training methods.

As such, Jamie, as the Deputy Company Commander, was in charge of grasping the detailed news of the infantry companies and reporting it to Havier.

For that reason, Havier was grasping the various news of the company rather keenly,

but since a result contrary to that report always appeared before his eyes, he couldn't help but have questions.

In conclusion, Havier did not think at all that the new training method Roden had devised would be effective.

Roden answered this Havier.

“Rather, I think being isolated separately gave the soldiers a great stimulus. It seems they are thinking of repaying the past disregard with their skills.”

There was not a single lie mixed in Roden's answer.

But this was not the whole story.

After all, the reason the 3rd Infantry Platoon was able to become motivated was because the soldiers had confirmed the effects of the new training method.

However, Roden did not bother to mention this story.

Not only would the explanation be cumbersome, but it was also difficult to make them believe it unless they experienced the change directly, even if he talked about the effects of the new training method.

Therefore, Havier also accepted Roden's answer from the given information without realizing that there was a missing story.

“Certainly… this change could have worked in that way. Seeing things like this, it’s really not easy to handle soldiers. I don't know where they'll bounce. In this case, it's a relief that the result is positive.”

“That’s right. It is a relief.”

“Anyway, the alert level will be raised starting in a few days, so be aware of this. Then I'll see you in the evening.”

“Yes. I’ll see you later.”

Just like that, Havier, who had heard all the answers he wanted from Roden, moved towards the 1st Archery Platoon.

It seemed he was trying to check the condition of the 1st Archery Platoon after the 3rd Infantry Platoon.

***

After the supply operation began.

The expression of the 1st Archery Platoon Leader, Gallant Husel, had not been good at all.

‘Damn it. I feel bad.’

In fact, it had been like this since the last operation.

Gallant had been in a bad mood ever since Prat's incident occurred.

It was only natural, as not only was a soldier from his unit a spy for the Imperial Army, but he had also tampered with the supplies.

‘Hoo……. Those vile Imperial Army bastards. So this is how they trip me up.’

That was right.

Prat was currently known to the public as a spy for the Imperial Army.

The reason it was known this way was none other than this.

It was much more advantageous in preventing chaos in the Allied Forces.

Certainly, to someone who did not have a concrete picture of the Glockner family's succession war in their head, this incident could only be seen as the work of an Imperial Army spy.

For that reason, not many people knew that the real person behind Prat was someone from the Glockner family.

And among them, Michael.

The only people in the transport battalion who knew this were Adriel, Havier, and Roden.

They did not even inform Lucas, Jamie, and Chevalier, who were the Deputy Battalion Commander, Deputy Company Commander, and Deputy Platoon Leader respectively, of this fact in case of an emergency.

Because a secret was originally more likely to be kept the fewer people who knew it.

Just like that, because Prat was known as a spy for the Imperial Army, the chaos of internal strife could be prevented.

But for the 1st Archery Platoon, this fact was actually poison.

Because the fact that they had not realized there was an Imperial Army spy in their own unit was seen as incompetence.

‘How am I supposed to know he’s an Imperial Army spy when the bastard is determined to deceive us!’

In fact, Gallant was in a state of being held responsible in relation to this.

As Gallant thought, it was something that couldn't be helped that he hadn't realized his subordinate was a spy.

But letting a spy run rampant in the middle of the night was indeed Gallant's mistake in terms of soldier management.

Therefore, Gallant's salary for one week was docked.

However, Adriel ended this problem by only giving a disadvantage to Gallant.

He did not hold the Deputy Company Commander of the 1st Archery Platoon, let alone the squad leader of the squad Prat belonged to, responsible.

This was because if he imposed joint responsibility like this, the unit's morale could be greatly dampened.

Certainly, this was generally the right choice.

But for Gallant, it was different.

‘To give only me this kind of humiliation……. I didn’t even know who Prat was!’

Gallant was dissatisfied with the fact that he was the only one who received a disadvantage.

It wasn't just because he was sad about his salary for one week being docked.

As someone from a wealthy noble family, a week's salary was nothing.

It was just that his pride was hurt by the fact that he was the only one who had been treated this way.

And this dissatisfaction naturally turned towards the 1st Archery Platoon.

“Why are you training like that? Are you a spy too? Huh?”

“Everyone, keep your eyes peeled and watch each other! So that even if there’s a spy, they can’t be active!”

“For the week that I was docked pay, don’t let the other guys use supplies either! Especially the 2nd Squad that Prat belonged to!”

In fact, this was the reason why the atmosphere in the 1st Archery Platoon had been chaotic until now, even though their disadvantage was less than that of the 3rd Infantry Platoon.

Gallant was so preoccupied with venting his own feelings that he couldn't lighten the soldiers' mood.

Furthermore,

“As a fellow noble, I am not unaware of the point on which you are angry.”

“……”

“But let’s stop here. At the very least, we shouldn’t cause harm to the other units that are on this mission with us.”

To have even heard this from Havier on the first day of the supply operation, his pride was bound to be hurt even more.

‘He’s the one taking out his anger on me, saying the 3rd Infantry Platoon suffered a greater disadvantage, and what’s he talking about?’

As the saying goes, what you see is what you get.

Gallant did not acknowledge that Havier had offered his advice with a sincere heart for the success of this mission.

And that was not all.

He looked at the 3rd Infantry Platoon, who were walking right next to the supply wagons, and thought.

‘Just you wait. We’ll see which unit becomes a nuisance when a real battle breaks out.’

***

A short while later.

“Kill them!”

“Leave no one behind!”

A battle really did break out due to a surprise attack by the Imperial Army.