The French hussars only halted their pursuit when it became too dark to see anything. Tired and poorly equipped, they were forced to turn back while the Prussians crossed the Saale to regroup in Leipzig. There, they would grasp the full extent of their disaster.

Of the twenty-two thousand men they had, half were dead, wounded, or prisoners. Many had fled to save their lives and would never return to continue the fight. Their generals had been captured, their precious artillery seized, along with their banners.

Their defeat was complete.

Fortunately for them, a handful of senior officers survived and managed to rally in Leipzig. On November 7th, it was the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and General Keith; and on the 8th, it was the brave Seydlitz’s turn. At least what was left of him. This great cavalryman had lost a hand in battle and had received several other injuries!

As for the French, the Imperials, and the few Austrians who had survived Seydlitz’s wrath, they spent the night in various villages around the battlefield before escorting the prisoners to Naumburg. By November 6th, the Franco-Imperial army had set off in pursuit of the remnants of the enemy army, who had taken care to burn the bridges after crossing. They had no choice but to build a new one strong enough to allow them to cross the wide and powerful river, swollen by recent rains.

There were some exchanges of fire between the two groups that day, as the Prussians had forgotten some of their comrades in their rout. These were either eliminated or captured.

Then, on the morning of the 9th, all the prisoners were sent under heavy guard to Erfurt to avoid any risk.

The atmosphere in the Allied camps was excellent, and it remained so even when it was learned that the enemy had retreated to Leipzig. With so many men and artillery, this city could not hold out.

“What happened next?"

"We chased them like terrified hares to the Saale River! Some were still on the bridge when they began setting it on fire! Those who didn’t have time to cross looked at us, then at the flames, and chose to take their chances! Fools! Others tried to swim across, but the current was so strong they were quickly swept away!"

"Did any of them try to fight?"

"Very few! Most of those we caught had abandoned their muskets to run faster, haha! Others had no more powder or lead balls to reload their weapons. What could they do but surrender?"

"We came across a small group on foot. There were, what, four or five of them? Anyway, they had taken refuge in a farmhouse to the north, somewhere between here and Merseburg. Well, believe it or not, they refused to surrender, even when we threatened to burn the farmhouse down with them inside! They shot at us for almost an hour! There were twenty of us, and we couldn’t approach without risking getting shot, as there was no cover. They managed to take down two of our men before we got to them."

"What did you do?"

"We did what we said. We blocked the door and set the place on fire. When they started jumping out of the windows to escape the flames, we shot them like rabbits!"

"Ahahah! Bravo! That’s how it’s done!”

Adam passed by several groups having such cheerful conversations about what they had done and heard in recent days. It was the same throughout the Allied camp in Naumburg. It was vast and somewhat disorganized, though care was taken to make it easy to navigate. Much of the equipment there originally belonged to the Prussians, but they had no choice but to abandon it after their defeat.

Laughter echoed everywhere, though their situation was far from perfect. A large army meant large needs. Here, the main problem was food. What they had found in Frederick II’s camp and the nearby villages provided a welcome respite, but the issue remained unresolved.

The best course of action was to divide the army to spread the pressure over the territory. If they hadn’t done so yet, it was partly because the officers needed time to reorganize and partly because the risk of a Prussian counterattack hadn’t yet been ruled out.

Adam approached a group of soldiers chatting cheerfully near a brazier and was welcomed like a star.

“Ah! Here he is! The hero of our company!"

"Of our regiment, even! Come sit next to me, François! We were just telling these gentlemen from the Royal Lorraine regiment what we’ve been up to since the start of this campaign, and we were just getting to the last battle, how you enabled the capture of the king and the prince! Come on, come on! We’ve got wine!”

Adam smiled faintly and settled between Jean and Louis, who had moved aside to make a little space for him.

“So, he’s the one who captured the King of Prussia and his brother?” asked an ordinary-looking man except for his particularly large and protruding chin.

"Yes! Well, he wasn’t alone, you know! Jean said proudly, with a faux modest air. We were there too! The whole company formed a wall in front of the king and the prince, who were trying to flee! So it’s thanks to us too!"

"That’s true, confirmed P’tit Pol with a smile, but it was he who unmasked him. Without him, he might have managed to escape."

"He unmasked him? How? What did he look like?"

"Well, Jean replied proudly as if this success had only been possible thanks to him, let me tell you, our young friend here learned their language! Yes, gentlemen! And in just a few months! It’s very impressive, you’ll see! Hey, François, go on! Say something in Prussian! Anything!”

In Prussian? I don’t even know if you can call it Prussian. I just tried to speak German.

“Alright. Let’s see. Jean is a big lump of muscle with the intelligence of a ten-year-old child."

"You see! You see! Impressive, right?"

"Oh, the soldiers said, impressed. And what does that mean?"

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Ahem! I said that Jean is the strongest and bravest of them all."

"Bwahaha, that’s true!”

Everyone smiled as the big fellow burst out laughing, striking an odd pose that highlighted his impressive musculature, even while wearing that large white-grey coat that had turned brown at the bottom. Jules, sharper than the others, subtly smiled, suspecting that his friend hadn’t said exactly what he claimed.

Adam noticed and gave him a wink, which was caught by Charles, Louis, and Hippolyte.

At that moment, Sergeant Dupuy arrived, his face very serious.

"Sergeant Dupuy? What’s going on?" asked Charles, standing up.

"Everything is fine, it’s just that Colonel de Bréhant wishes to see François. Please follow me."

Everyone had stopped joking due to the sergeant’s seriousness. François, or rather Adam, got up and closely followed his superior into the town of Naumburg. After all, it was normal for officers to have the right to reside in solid buildings.

The streets, narrow but carefully paved for the residents’ benefit, were dotted with puddles from a violent downpour that had struck them a few hours earlier. They were also particularly lively, as the presence of such a large army implied the presence of many officers, all from the French, Imperial, and Austrian nobility. It was also an opportunity for trade, because even though the population was hostile to most of these people, they had needs and wanted to profit from the situation.

"It’s here," said the sergeant finally, in front of a beautiful house that could even be called a manor.

The building had three levels and was pierced with numerous tall windows behind which some furtive movements could be seen. The roof, particularly steep, had aged somewhat, with moss growing in some places. A few slates were missing, and bird nests could be spotted in certain areas, sheltered from the weather.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

An officer from the Picardy regiment, with the rank of captain, appeared at the door, looking surly and sporting a bulldog-like face. After a brief introduction, the sergeant and the soldier following him entered the building. The captain, as broad as a wardrobe, led them to a parlor whose walls were covered with carefully organized and categorized books. In one corner, a globe caught the young soldier’s attention.

Huh? This globe is huge! It’s really well made, it’s incredible! Did they know what the continents looked like back then? Without Google?

Colonel de Bréhant was conversing with his major in the presence of his lieutenant colonel, while others whispered at the far end of the room. They all looked extremely serious.

Since it was unthinkable to interrupt the colonel, they waited silently near the entrance until he finished. It only took a few minutes.

"Colonel, here is the soldier you requested to see."

"Ah, yes. Very well. Thank you, Sergeant. Follow me to the next room. We’ll be more at ease to talk there."

"At your orders!"

The colonel ignored the rigid salutes and led them to a room accessed through a door in the corner of the previous room, just to the right of the globe. Adam gave it a quick glance but didn’t notice that on this globe, Australia wasn’t fully represented, only the west coast, nor was North America, as Alaska was missing.

The adjacent room was styled similarly to the previous one and seemed designed for isolating oneself and reading in peace. A few plants occupied a significant part of the space, giving it some life and freshness. Near the windows, where there was a long, almost red wooden table, majestically stood some very beautiful flowers, though they were visibly in poor health.

"Alright," said the colonel, picking up a sheet of paper. "Soldier François Boucher, born April 28th, 1737, in Corbie. You enlisted last year, on May 26th, 1756, as a fusilier in my Picardy regiment, then based in Saint-Omer. Is that correct?"

"O-yes, Colonel."

I was born on April 28th? I mean, François was born on April 28th! That’s new! I have to remember that!

"You departed with the entire regiment this March under my command and were gravely injured in the shoulder by a Hanoverian bullet and in the head by a fall at the Battle of Hastenbeck on July 26th, but did not stay in the hospital to continue serving in His Majesty’s armies. You have shown immense dedication in your daily duties and have not neglected your training. You have also shown initiative and contributed to maintaining order in the regiment and other regiments in the army commanded by the Duke of Richelieu. These have resumed their training seriously and put in more effort to better serve the King’s interests. This helped persuade the enemy commander to quickly sign a convention at Kloster-Zeven. For all this, you were rewarded by being advanced to the eighth rank within your company."

Adam nodded softly, seeing the Marquis de Bréhant raise his head to better observe the young man standing before him.

"During this campaign, you have eliminated several enemies, but more importantly, obtained highly valuable information by approaching the enemy headquarters. This enabled His Grace the Duke to capture the fortress of Magdeburg, which the Court wanted to see fall, and to save the French and Imperial armies at Rossbach. For this, you will be promoted to the rank of anspessade."

Oh my god! I’m promoted! AHAHAH! I’m promoted!

"Thank you, Colonel!"

Adam was genuinely overjoyed. It was as if this had been his deepest desire all along.

"I’m not finished," continued the Marquis de Bréhant, his face serious and slightly irritated.

"O-oh, I apologize."

"Hmm, it has come to our attention that during the battle you once again distinguished yourself by identifying His Majesty Frederick of Prussia and his brother, Prince Henry, as they tried to flee the battlefield. Sergeant Dupuy, here present, stated in his report that without you, they might have escaped. For this, after discussion with His Grace the Duke, you will be promoted to the rank of corporal. A ransom demand will likely be made. You will receive a portion of the ransom for the king and the prince, but understand that no agreement has been signed yet. It is up to the War Ministry to handle this matter. You will be informed of the amount later, which may take several weeks, and will likely receive your share in the coming months."

"I-I… I don’t know what to say, Colonel! I’m so happy! Thank you so much!"

"However, do not expect to receive a colossal fortune. The amount you will receive will only be a tiny fraction of the ransom the kingdom will obtain for the release of these noble prisoners. Naturally, His Majesty will receive the largest share, and His Grace the Duke of Richelieu the second-largest. Do you have any questions?"

"Hmm, no," replied Adam hesitantly, his brain having ceased to function properly.

"Hmm, forgive me, Colonel, but I have a question."

"Speak freely, Sergeant."

"Our company is at full strength. There’s no available corporal position for François."

"That’s correct. I forgot to explain this part. Mr. Boucher, a corporal in the fourth company commanded by Mr. Gilbert in the second battalion was killed during the Battle of Rossbach. His position has not yet been filled. You will go to that company to take on this role. Once again, congratulations!"

I… I’m going to change companies?!

It was like a cold shower. All his excitement seemed to evaporate.

And… and my friends?

Even though he wasn’t really François, though sometimes he doubted it, he had grown very attached to these people and truly considered them his friends.

"I-I really can’t stay in my company?" Adam asked in a slightly trembling voice.

"Young man," replied the colonel a bit sharply, "don’t forget that you have only a little over a year of service. That you hold this rank is already a great achievement. Convincing the general was not easy, do you understand? From a soldier ranked eighth to a corporal, all at once? It’s a remarkable rise that was only possible because we fought for you. So accept this promotion and be grateful."

"I… understand. Thank you, Colonel," said the young corporal, bowing respectfully.