Chapter 38
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"Even though I asked you to value your lives, why did you volunteer in a scouting mission of all places!" Edelweiss raised her hip while pouting. She was visibly displeased at our actions.
"My apologies Lord Edelweiss. We merely followed the exact same order. To reduce casualties to the fort as much as possible, we opted to send the best fighter we have!" Joseph and Lhorne knelt at once. Lily followed suit as she felt the odd one out if she didn't kneel.
Edelweiss, her words thrown back at her, sighed in exasperation. She then said. "Lily, if we lose you, then we will lose a magic blessing. The ten stones you filled were precious."
While Edelweiss was raving about it, I cocked my head. Sure we can fill feystones faster than ordinary people. But all the mages could also fill feystones to some extent, right? Are we really that valuable that she had to explicitly say it?
"We apologized."
"No, your judgment was ultimately correct as you are able to come back despite being ambushed. I can expect your impromptu scouting party will be summoned again. However, please value your lives above all else. Especially you, Lily!" she sighed and then left. Apparently, she was in the middle of recovering her mana after filling feystones all night. Miss Edelweiss, that was not good, you know. You were pulling all-nighters and now sleeping at noon.
"I expect that you will not trouble Saint Edelweiss no further." Her servant admonished us. "She requires rest after her arduous task of healing the soldiers, and you brought her another injured."
"Stop it, Nain. Other scouting parties usually brought corpses or amputated soldiers. They only brought a single wounded on the shoulder. This is far better." Edelweiss replied.
We then retired for today. Back at the cafeteria, we dined together once again. At the same time, Lhorne, Joseph, and Rhander gave us an emergency lesson about leading the troops.
"So, the smallest group is known as a party or team, then we have a squad which consists of 2 or 3 teams, then a platoon which had 2 or three squads, then a company, then a regiment. I will skip regiments as it is currently no concern of us." Joseph explained while Lhorne stuffed his mouth with salads. They took turns eating and presenting lessons.
"So, their leader was aces for teams, legionnaire for squads, decarion for a platoon, then captains for company. There are multiple captains in a company as it would be difficult to organize such a large amount of people alone. And thus, that's where you fit in." Lhorne continued. While Joseph is the one that is stuffing his mouth with bread.
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"By the way, Joseph, Lhorne, and I are decarion, but even decarion has rank if they were assigned to the same company. By the way, captains also had ranks between them, but we will figure it out later." Rhander then butted in while Lhorne and Joseph ate. They spoke in a perfect rotation that made it comical. The reason for this attitude is the somewhat abstract rule that only an official academy may teach military strategies and formations. However, talking to fellow soldiers and the wars are allowed, and thus, Lhorne and Joseph tried to exploit this loophole to guide us.
First, we make it seems like we just dined together. Then, by speaking in perfect rotation like this, we made it looks like we were discussing military strategies with fellow teammates. What made it funny is that these elves were not used to breaking the rules, and thus their attempt was somewhat comical. Despite the blatant attempts, nobody reprimanded us. Maybe they knew that I needed them for their own survival.
"Thank you. So, in regards to that, how about we split Rhander as a ranged unit with LHorne as a center guard while Joseph as an assault unit?" Lily parroted my advice.
"One of the standards, huh? Not bad, actually. Okay, we will follow your order. And so, how should we react to your orders?" Rhander said. Just specifying their behavior is not enough. We also need to determine their actions when the captains are giving orders.
"Hmm… Lhorne can do whatever he sees fit as a center guard unless I order him directly. Joseph will run to the enemy, and Rhander will bombard the enemy with spells when I said charge. How does that sound?" Lily gave a suggestion.
"Very well. Pretty basic, but that's the best we can do now. Please remember that your rank is beneath Edelweiss. She is the top captain in our company." Lhorne replied, finalizing the lesson and the meal for today.
"Greetings, Lord Lily and her party." An elf summoned us the next day.
"What order may you give us today, Lord Streiss?" Joseph said. This lord Streiss was in charge of this fort, and thus, military speaking, he had the highest position here.
"your scouting party yesterday was a massive boon to us. Now that we know how close the corruption is and have a glimpse of their army, we can plan ahead. However, I must trouble you again for the coming task ahead to scout the southern part of the fortress."
"Ah, I see. We accept." Joseph nodded.
"What's in there?" Lily asked
"Be silent. It is the human country, of course!" Lhorne whispered, but his voice was heard by the elves' sharp pointed ears regardless.
"We survived the attack and thus are fit once again. However, we must know when humans will attack. And thus, I had to ask you to scout our southern border and, if possible, scout fort Sall. Just peeking a little will do though we will not complain if you burn them like the previous city." He said while smiling.
"Yes, sir." Joseph saluted, and Lily followed suit.
"Any question?"
"Yes, sir! How is corruption? I heard it was advancing! Should we attack the undeath?" Joseph said boldly.
"That is not for you to decide. Going in would halve our strength if we wanted to attack it. We need to bring Saint Edelweiss. Will you risk The Saint to be in such a vulnerable position?" Streiss glared at Joseph.
"I am sorry, sir."
"It has been fifty years, but we are still not brave enough to risk it. If only those apes were extinguished, even I would gladly put my life to regain Northlangard. You know why right?"
"Yes, sir. We will now scout those apes!" We then left with the same team except for Rick. He was replaced by a dwarf, Jona.