Chapter 13: Resting at the Fortress
After completing the night raid, we returned to the fortress.
As promised with the soldiers, including Centis, we held a small feast. However, perhaps due to exhaustion, it quickly ended, and everyone went to bed.
As for me, I was sitting on a chair, unable to move, while being scolded by an angry Alekthem.
"Are you listening, Lord Milimos?"
"I understand perfectly well. Even if there is a feasible strategy, I shouldn't try to do everything on my own. I should consult someone else."
"What kind of way of speaking is that! You are not reflecting enough!"
Alekthem became angry again, and I felt like looking up at the sky, wondering what I should do.
In the end, the lecture lasted for about thirty minutes, based on my perception.
Alekthem, appearing tired of anger, took the staff I had retrieved into his hand.
"So, there's no doubt that this is an Imperial staff?"
"No doubt about it. However, there's one peculiar thing about it."
"What would that be?"
"This staff seems older than the one the soldier who died in our recent battle with the Knight Kingdom had. It has a worn-out look to it."
As the room brightened due to the rising sun, I could clearly see the aged condition of the staff.
The metallic staff had a well-worn appearance. Although it had magical decorations in various places, some parts were damaged due to deterioration.
"It certainly appears so when you wave it. But what does that matter?"
Since Alekthem didn't seem to understand it well, I decided to explain the reason behind the Mendashium Kingdom's invasion, which I had anticipated.
"You see, I thought that the Empire was pulling the strings behind the Mendashium Kingdom's invasion this time. Their objective is the mines of Nonette. They want to quickly recover the resources depleted during the battle with the Knight Kingdom."
"By supplying the staff to the Mendashium Kingdom, if they manage to conquer our country, they can undertake large-scale mining development. Rather than the Empire directly invading, they can prevent the Holy Knight Kingdom from interfering by having the Mendashium Kingdom, which has been our enemy for many years, carry out the attack. It makes sense, doesn't it?"
I had a slight objection to Alekthem's viewpoint.
"Isn't it because the Empire doesn't have direct access to Nonette that they can't invade directly? What do you mean by making it an issue for the Knight Kingdom to interfere?"
"Lord Milimos, are you unaware? The Holy Knight Kingdom's national policy is to 'act righteously.' If there is a country that tries to invade without just cause, no matter how far geographically apart it may be, they will dispatch their forces and annihilate the enemy soldiers of that country."
"What's that? It's scary."
Why would someone do something like that if they're not some kind of righteous hero?
I mean, can they actually intervene in a war in a distant country?
"Come to think of it, with a few units of the knights and soldiers from that country, they could easily crush the small country's army."
"That's right. Thanks to the nature of the Holy Knight Kingdom, our country manages to maintain peace despite being surrounded by small nations."
"I see. So, there must be a proper reason for the Kingdom of Mendashium to invade the Kingdom of Nonette."
If there isn't a proper reason, then the Knight Kingdom wouldn't get involved.
Alectem answered my question.
"This is a hidden history. The Kingdom of Nonette was originally a part of the Kingdom of Mendashium. It was a remote mountainous land where unwanted citizens—those deemed unnecessary by Mendashium—were isolated."
"And the abandoned citizens became angry with their treatment, revolted, and declared independence. So, the Nonette royal family is the leader of the rebellion?"
"That's not the case. The Nonette royal family originally ruled the Kingdom of Mendashium. They were stripped of their noble name and exiled to this land after losing in a political struggle."
My family had a troublesome background.
But now, that information doesn't matter.
"Let's get back to the topic. If the Empire is really pulling the strings behind the scenes, the age of this staff raises questions. Wouldn't it increase the chances of success to provide a new one instead?"
"It could also be that they're using surplus stock from when the equipment was renewed... But by giving them surplus stock, it means they don't have high expectations."
Exactly. Even if the Empire is involved, I think they have a loose interest in whether the Kingdom of Mendashium can completely overthrow the Kingdom of Nonette. Alternatively, they might have sold used goods to their subordinate country to cover the cost of war."
"Either way, the Kingdom of Mendashium obtained imperial-made weapons, even if they're secondhand, and got carried away, leading to this invasion plan."
"We don't know where the truth lies, but it's safe to say that there won't be any more support from the Empire to Mendashium."
It's a hopeful speculation, but it feels quite accurate.
Alectem seemed to think the same.
"Then, as usual, I will intercept them. It seems that Milimos-sama has burned and destroyed the troublesome Empire's staff, so we don't have to be afraid anymore."
"Don't let your guard down. There might be some staff left burning. I want you to plan the operation, anticipating that the fortress walls will be breached."
"Hahaha, no need to worry. An operation is designed in such a way that even if one plan doesn't work out, we have two or three alternative strategies to patch any holes that may appear."
With Alektem's reassuring words, I relaxed and let go of the tension in my shoulders.
"Well then, maybe I should take a nap too. I mean, a twelve-year-old shouldn't stay up all night, right?"
"I recall that it was Milimos-sama herself who volunteered for the surprise attack unit."
"Yes, I was wrong."
After apologizing sincerely, I decided to sleep soundly in the private quarters reserved for superiors.
When I woke up from my nap, I was extremely hungry.
Checking the position of the sun, it was lunchtime.
As I headed towards the cafeteria, I could hear the sound of knives hitting cutting boards, indicating that the cooks were in the middle of preparing meals.
"Maybe I arrived a little early. I should wait inside the cafeteria."
As I entered the cafeteria, I saw several soldiers sitting at tables, clearly unable to wait for their meals.
Looking at their faces, I noticed someone who shouldn't be here.
I approached and tapped the shoulder of the person who shouldn't be here.
"Hey, Hones and the two others from your class. Weren't you supposed to be on guard duty at the royal castle?"
With a cheerful smile, I addressed them, and all three of them turned their surprised faces towards me.
And when they realized it was me, Hones showed a relieved yet apologetic expression, while the two who had previously tried to hit me had half-smiles on their faces.
"We were indeed given the order to guard the royal castle..."
"Sentis-san thought it would be a good thing for you to experience the atmosphere of the battlefield, so he secretly brought us here!"
"He said he had obtained permission from our superiors. It's not your place to say anything."
The soldiers around us looked surprised at their words and turned to look at us.
They seemed to be shocked that a new recruit was speaking so informally to a marshal, or perhaps they misunderstood and thought I had given permission to bring the new recruits to the fortress, blaming me.
I was curious about which it was, but there was someone else I needed to talk to.
"Is that so? Then let's go ask Sentis. He's just about to leave the cafeteria with an 'oh shit' expression."
I rushed to the entrance of the cafeteria and tackled Sentis around the waist as he tried to escape, unable to reach his collar.
"Hey, Centis. I wonder why those three people are inside the fortress. I wonder who the boss is that gave permission to let the new recruits into the fortress."
"Gugh. Don't squeeze my stomach with your arm. It's more dangerous for my bladder, which was already full when I woke up, to be compressed."
"If you answer my question, I'll let you go. Or maybe if you have an accident in front of the cafeteria, it might relieve my frustration."
"Stop it, really. I'll talk, I'll talk, so let me go."
"No, that won't do. Tell me the situation first, and then I'll release your arm."
According to the desperate Centis, he was the only one who planned to bring the three new recruits into the fortress. The boss who gave permission was someone who Centis owed a favor in a gambling game, and it seems that the reason the report was not made to me, the marshal, was because that boss had stopped it.
"Surely, someone must have secretly placed the documents on the desk after you left."
"Well, that's quite lax regulation. Well, I'll release you since it's a promise."
When I released my grip on Centis' arm, he bent forward and headed towards the direction of the restroom.
I called out to his back.
"While it can't be helped that you brought them here, make sure Centis takes care of those three. It would be troublesome if they wander around in strange places while there's an attack from the Mendashium country."
"I got it! Don't worry, I'll handle that part well."
I watched as Centis hurriedly ran into the restroom, and then I returned to the cafeteria.
Because of the exercise, I became even hungrier.
Ignoring the three new recruits who were looking at me with curiosity after Centis left, I leaned over the cafeteria counter and called out to a soldier who was cooking.
"How soon will it be ready?"
"It's already done. Look, it's piping hot."
What was presented to me was a wooden bowl-like dish.
Inside were three steamed tubers resembling taro and a large amount of beans and a small amount of meat in a dark red broth.
"So it's a dish of potatoes and beans after all..."
"Yes, when it comes to military meals in the Nonette country, this dish is the one!"
The words had similar sounds, but they had completely opposite meanings between me and the soldier who cooked the food.
It seems that this soldier really likes this dish, probably because it reminds him of the taste of his hometown.
While pretending to laugh it off, I thanked him and took the bowl, sat down on a chair, and began to eat.
Eating the potatoes as the main dish and the beans as a side dish.
Both had a mushy texture, so they weren't particularly interesting to eat.
I accepted it as a source of nutrition and consumed the bowlful of bean dish, filling my stomach.