Chapter 163 - The Beekeeper's Alliance
Ernest rode tirelessly westward with the Logistics Corps.
Before long, he arrived once again at the 5th Division Headquarters.
The last time he'd been here, he had come looking like a beggar, treated as a criminal under suspicion of killing his superior officer.
This time, however, he returned in impeccable shape—and was treated by some as though he were half a hero.
Still, the 5th Division Headquarters treated Ernest with considerable caution because of the letter from Ferdinand.
Before anyone could develop hard feelings, he was quickly sent to the 2nd Corps Headquarters.
Ernest had intended to keep a low profile at the 5th Division Headquarters and leave quietly, but on a sudden whim, he carefully sought someone out—and upon hearing of this, the person in question summoned Ernest without delay.
"I came unannounced because I wanted to personally thank you, Regimental Commander."
"Hahahaha!"
Upon hearing Ernest's words, Colonel Philippe Christensen, Commander of the 5th Division Cavalry Regiment, burst into hearty laughter.
"Young man, you have excellent character!"
With a big laugh, Philippe shook Ernest's hand.
"I've been hearing a lot about you from Neumann ever since you came here two years ago for Field Training. He said you're an outstanding rider! And you've won the Silver Horseshoe Tournament twice, haven't you?"
"I was just lucky."
"Luck only comes to those who deserve the chance. Have you ever thought about joining the cavalry? The 5th Division Cavalry Regiment only opens its doors to real men. If you're interested, I'd be happy to put in a good word for you"
Whether it was because of Ernest's major and character, or because of Sebastian Neumann's two years of persistent persuasion, Philippe seemed very interested in recruiting Ernest. Ernest gave a wry smile.
"If I had graduated from the Military Academy under normal circumstances, I definitely would have applied to the 5th Division Cavalry Regiment. But right now, I have no choice but to decline. I can't just leave my friends behind in the 1st Battalion of the 13th Regiment for a different unit."
If he hadn't failed to become a Beowatcher after graduating from the Military Academy, Ernest truly would have applied to the 5th Division Cavalry Regiment, and the regiment would surely have welcomed him with open arms.
In other words, if he had managed to escape the clutches of Captain Thomas Kohler, Senior Instructor at the Imperial Military Academy, things would have gone that way.
But now, Ernest had no intention of transferring anywhere other than the 1st Battalion of the 13th Regiment, where his friends were.
He had even turned down an opportunity to be assigned to a safe rear area for that very reason, so there was no way he'd suddenly say he wanted to join the cavalry now.
"Ha! What a shame! But if that's your answer, there's nothing I can do."
Though Philippe was clearly disappointed, he still seemed quite pleased by the bold response from this young man.
"Take care of yourself, and let's meet again. Next time, maybe somewhere a bit closer."
Philippe, who would become a brigadier general with just one more promotion, flashed a grin at Ernest, who needed only one more step to become a field grade officer.
Advancing to brigadier general and getting promoted to major were both no easy feats.
But relatively speaking, a brigadier general's promotion was far harder.
That's why Philippe praised Ernest, saying he'd probably be promoted to major sooner than Philippe himself would make brigadier general—that Ernest was that exceptional a soldier.
Philippe was expressing his confidence that by the next time they met, Ernest would have proven himself and been promoted to major.
Of course, no matter what, it's impossible for Ernest to be promoted to major already.
He would need to build at least three more years of experience.
Still, just hearing those words made him feel recognized for his abilities, which was nice.
"I think we'll most likely meet again someplace even farther away," Ernest replied with a smile, saying that Philippe would probably reach brigadier general sooner.
It was proof that this young man, who once only said what was expected, had grown—if only a little—through all he'd been through. …Though, in truth, maybe he just didn't want to be promoted all that badly.
"Hahahaha! Yes! That could be true!" Philippe let out a big, hearty laugh, shaking Ernest's hand firmly in his good-natured way.
Even though Ernest had been cleared of all charges, the fact remained that he'd been sent back under suspicion of murdering his superior officer—a stain that could have followed him for a long time. But this generous and good-natured colonel didn't let such trivial matters bother him at all.
This actually had a very positive effect on Ernest's reputation within the 5th Division.
Ernest already had the support of Big Hartmann, the 2nd Corps Chief of Staff.
And on top of that, he had received a perfect acquittal—a verdict so rare, even the protection of the 2nd Corps Chief of Staff alone wouldn't usually be enough to get it.
The investigation by the 2nd Corps had concluded decisively that Ernest was completely innocent.
Then, Colonel Philippe Christensen, commander of the Cavalry Regiment, had even been seen laughing and chatting openly with Ernest.
Now, no one would dare whisper about Ernest's so-called murder charge.
Anyone who tried would only earn cold stares in return.
In the first place, there was hardly anyone left who still harbored doubts.
Ernest left the 5th Division headquarters and headed west once again.
According to what he'd heard, the 13th Regiment was still stationed in Lanosel after having taken the town. Since the 1st Battalion had been practically wiped out, they were waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
With the war effectively over and even Bertrand having retreated, the 13th Regiment would have no trouble defeating the enemy even without the 1st Battalion.
Still, the cautious Levin had chosen safety over making a name for himself.
Thanks to him, the officers of the 13th Regiment were likely sulking, while the soldiers could finally breathe easy.
As he rode west, Ernest gazed at the Bertebras Mountains towering to the south, and the forest beneath them. It was a familiar landscape. And the moment he saw it, the horrific memories from the time he spent in those woods flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt.
If only I had followed the regimental commander's orders...
Ernest muttered to himself, recalling Bailey, whose blunder would go down as one of the top ten acts of sheer idiocy in the records of this war.
If they'd only listened to Levin's cautious advice, the 13th Regiment could have avoided any casualties and stopped Bertrand's strategy. And Georg wouldn't have needed to die, either.
As he drew closer to Lanosel, Ernest felt as if he were being pulled into a swamp.
Though the battle here had long since ended, he still couldn't escape those memories.
Yeah, I'm suffering right now. I'm in pain.
He didn't turn away from his own pain.
He didn't force himself to stay strong no matter what, like he used to. He admitted it and accepted it. He was still young and fragile.
I miss my friends.
He wanted to see his friends. He had lost so much, but he wanted to see those he'd managed to protect—to confirm with his own eyes that he had saved and guarded someone, not just killed or lost everything.
Cowardice or talk of pride didn't matter to him right now; all he wanted was to do just that.
It was okay to be a little cowardly and weak. After all, Ernest was still nothing more than a seventeen-year-old greenhorn.
The vehicle kept moving, and at last, he arrived in Lanosel. Ernest passed through the wide-open city gates, glancing out the window at the castle wall still ruined by the 13th Regiment's artillery. Although there was an undercurrent of unease in Lanosel, the citizens were going about their daily lives.
"We've arrived."
"Thank you for everything along the way."
"It was an honor to serve you, Captain."
Getting out in front of the Lord's Hall—which now served as the 13th Regiment's headquarters—Ernest exchanged farewells with the Driver and entered the building.
Crowds of people milled about, busy collecting supplies and provisions.
"Captain Krieger!"
As soon as Ernest entered the Lord's Hall, a sergeant dashed over from the far side of the lobby, calling his name.
"I'm sorry, sir. I should have met you right away, but things have been so busy."
"It's all right. What's going on?"
"The Regimental Commander asked for you to come see him as soon as you arrived. This way, please."
"Yes."
"Feel free to speak comfortably with me."
"I already am."
Ernest politely replied and followed the sergeant, who was about the same age as his father, Haires, and older than Gustav, up the stairs.
"Could you tell me a bit about what's going on with the 1st Battalion?"
Ernest asked the sergeant about the situation with the 1st Battalion. The sergeant replied with a bitter look.
"It seems things are a bit chaotic because the Battalion Commander hasn't been assigned yet. We've had some reinforcements come in, but since the battalion took such heavy losses in the last battle, most of them are new recruits, so we're busy with training every day."
"..."
"Still, it's not all bad. Morale is surprisingly high considering what everyone's been through, and discipline is being maintained very well."
The sergeant walking ahead turned to look at Ernest and grinned.
"There are even stories about Captain Fox being passed around like legends."
"...Pardon?"
"The stories have spread so much that they're turning into myths rather than legends at this point, which is honestly a little scary—but it's great for morale."
Ernest realized that something had gone seriously wrong.
"Well then, I'll be going now."
Leaving the bewildered Ernest behind, the sergeant turned on his heel and departed.
Rubbing his forehead to ease his headache, Ernest finally knocked on the door of the room now serving as the Acting Regimental Commander's Office.
"This is Captain Ernest Krieger, 2nd Company Commander of the 1st Battalion."
"Come in."
When the familiar voice gave permission, Ernest opened the door and stepped inside. Levin was sitting behind a meticulously organized desk, looking at Ernest over neatly stacked papers. He stood and walked around to the front of the desk.
Snap!
Ernest saluted Levin, and Levin returned the salute.
He could've just remained seated and offered a casual acknowledgment, but he insisted on managing things by the book.
"Captain Ernest Krieger, 2nd Company Commander of the 1st Battalion, reporting for duty."
"You've done well."
The formal report was delivered without fanfare, and Levin received it just as flatly.
Despite everything that had happened, neither of them said anything more.
After a moment, Levin studied Ernest with a curious expression before blinking slowly as if the fatigue was catching up to him.
"There are some rather exaggerated stories about Captain Krieger circulating within the 13th Regiment right now."
At Levin's words, Ernest suddenly felt a wave of real fear. Just what kind of crazy rumors were going around that Levin had summoned him the moment he returned, sounding so serious?
"Since so many eyes are on you, make sure to uphold your dignity as an officer. For the details, speak with Acting 1st Battalion Commander, Captain Hans Schum."
"Yes, sir."
Considering he'd summoned him separately, Levin's warning was surprisingly brief.
Ernest saluted Levin, and after returning the salute, Levin sat back down at his desk, where paperwork was once again piling up like a mountain. Deep fatigue was etched into creases on his forehead.
Ernest quietly left the room, and after asking the people hurrying by, made his way to the 1st Battalion. The 1st Battalion was in the barracks, but on his way there, Ernest had to experience something rather unsettling.
"It's the Fox. The Fox."
"Him? Seriously?"
"Yeah! Seriously!"
"Wow, I thought he was just a rumor. He's so young though."
"Of course he is. He's only seventeen."
"I'd only heard the stories—I thought he'd be at least thirty."
Soldiers who recognized Ernest started whispering and pointing at him, and before he knew it, people had stopped whatever they were doing, staring at him from a distance and talking amongst themselves.
'What on earth is going on….'
Ernest felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of what kind of rumors must be circulating for so many people to be whispering about him like this as he passed by.
"Company Commander!"
"What! Oh—Company Commander!"
When he arrived in front of the barracks where the 1st Battalion was staying, the soldiers who spotted Ernest were visibly startled and rushed toward him.
"Are you alright? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
"I'm fine, really."
The soldiers who had survived the forest incident were deeply worried about him.
When they saw Ernest looking healthy and uninjured, they let out a collective sigh of relief and smiled.
But then something even more overwhelming happened—the entire group of 1st Battalion members who had survived the ordeal suddenly surged over, forming a crowd around him.
Unfamiliar faces, the new recruits who had recently joined, hung back a bit and watched Ernest from a distance, whispering among themselves. With over a hundred people acting this way, Ernest desperately wanted to run away on the spot.
"Ernest! Ernest!"
Just as Ernest tried to wave off the soldiers and move past them, a desperate voice called out from somewhere in the crowd. Pushing and squeezing his way through the crush of people, Robert appeared—his eyes red and rimmed with dark circles, his face gaunt as he anxiously scanned the faces around him.
The moment he spotted Ernest, however, he broke into a wide smile.
"Robert"
Ernest also smiled as he greeted his best friend….
"This is the current roster for our company, this one's for supplies, and we need to draft the training plan, got it? Plus, the Section Chief said you should go to him the moment you arrived. Welcome back. I was really relieved when I heard you'd been cleared of all charges. Man, what a relief. Good job."
After rapidly shoving a stack of documents into Ernest's hands, Robert gave his safely returned friend a big hug, smiled, and then dashed off at full speed.
"…What the heck."
Ernest could only stare blankly at Robert's retreating back, holding all the paperwork that, as Company Commander, he was originally supposed to be handling anyway—and which he had been assigned the moment he returned.
Although Ernest had been taken away for investigation, there were only allegations, so his position remained.
They couldn't appoint a new 2nd Company Commander, so Robert, as both 1st Platoon Leader and Deputy Company Commander, had ended up covering as Acting Company Commander and taking care of all the administrative work.
Billim and Simon did their best to help, but even the three of them together hadn't matched what Ernest could do alone.
"Hey! Supplies are your responsibility!"
Snapping out of his daze, Ernest yelled after Robert, but Robert was already gone.
He'd run away so fast that Ernest thought if he could move that quickly in combat, even the Rangers would be impressed.
"Company Commander! You're back!"
A moment later, Billim arrived and warmly greeted Ernest, his eyes growing red with emotion.
"Madsen, I need to go see the Section Chief right now, so I'll leave this with you."
"What?"
Without hesitation, Ernest handed the documents over to Billim. Then, signaling the crowd of soldiers to make way, he slipped through and escaped even more swiftly than Robert had.
"…Wait, what?"
"Madsen, do you know where the Company Commander is?"
As Billim stood there, looking lost with the documents in hand, Simon approached, glancing around.
Snapping back to his senses, Billim handed the papers to Simon, who took them, looking puzzled.
"I'm counting on you, Bergman."
Billim spoke seriously, then made his own escape through the crowd of soldiers.
Simon checked the documents in his hand and scowled in frustration.
"Where's the 1st Platoon Leader?"
"H-he just went inside."
"Got it."
Holding the paperwork, Simon set off in pursuit of Robert.
This was supposed to be Ernest's duty as Company Commander.
When Ernest is absent, the Deputy Company Commander, Robert, must handle things in his place.
Strictly speaking, under normal circumstances, Billim, the 2nd Platoon Leader, or Simon, the 3rd Platoon Leader, do not have the authority to manage these tasks.
Before even considering responsibility, they simply lack the official authority.
Therefore, with Ernest having returned but now away again, this job falls entirely to Robert, the Deputy Company Commander.
Robert would have to deal with the paperwork that kept coming back to him, no matter how much he tried to escape it.
When Ernest went to see Hans, he found him talking with Andersen, looking as pale as a fish cured in salt.
"Ah, 2nd Company Commander! You're finally here!"
Andersen, spotting Ernest first, twisted his already fierce face into something even more intimidating and raised his hand as if about to strike—but it was his way of giving Ernest a hearty welcome.
"Oh, 2nd Company Commander. I'm glad to see you alive again."
Hans, too, seemed happy to see Ernest, but he was so drained he couldn't muster much more than a weary smile.
Since returning from the forest, Hans hadn't been able to rest.
With the 1st Battalion Commander's seat now vacant, he'd had to serve as acting Battalion Commander and take care of every kind of work.
The 1st Battalion was in shambles, and with nothing running smoothly, there wasn't a moment's reprieve.
"Yes, it's good to see you again. What did you want to see me about?"
"Hahaha, you haven't changed much, even after all that hellish mess."
Seeing that Ernest was much the same as before, Andersen laughed heartily. He'd seen the bare face of the army for what it truly was. Even Andersen, who was pushing thirty, felt thoroughly infuriated; for someone as young as Ernest, keeping so cool couldn't have been easy.
"Well, at least the immediate problem is solved for now, and it's not like there's anything else we can actually do."
Ernest spoke calmly.
He sounded unruffled, but his words were edged with a cold, uncompromising sharpness that made both Hans and Andersen exchange uneasy glances.
What if things weren't resolved—what if there really was something he could do? What on earth would he be planning to pull? If anyone else had said it, they could have brushed it off as a joke—but coming from Ernest, the words sent chills right down their spines.
'Only the Emperor's death will put an end to this madness.'
In truth, Ernest believed that the death of the Emperor was the only way to put a stop to all this insanity. Since there was no telling when that might happen, he figured that if he just put a lump of lead through the Emperor's skull, everything would end right away. In the Empire, where First-Class Baltrachers could read memories and manipulate minds, even harboring that kind of thought was enough to get you executed.
"Anyway, the reason I called you over so quickly was to give you a more detailed report on the state of the unit and to hear how things unfolded from your perspective."
Hans was quick to steer the conversation away from dangerously sensitive topics. He spoke in a much gentler tone than before.
"The details—I'll leave that to the 3rd Company Commander, since he's here."
"What? Section Chief, you want me to do it?"
"Well, you think I have time for it? If you've got a problem with it, how about you take over as acting Battalion Commander?"
"..."
Andersen let out a sigh and shrugged his shoulders.
Whatever else might be said, Hans was still the Section Chief, and outranked him, so he had no choice but to do as he was told.
"So, what happened?"
At Hans's question, Ernest gave a long sigh.
So much had happened.
But he couldn't tell them everything.
He left out what needed to be hidden from his accomplices and gave a brief rundown of the situation.
He was honest only about Big Hartmann Heinz, Middle Hartmann Mark, and Biho, but had to conceal almost everything else.
In the end, since it was thanks to Heinz and Mark that they'd gotten out safely, it didn't really matter.
"I should've befriended someone more important—a firstborn son or the eldest grandson of some high-ranking official—if I was going to make friends at all."
"You think it's easy being friends with that impossibly stubborn Ferdinand?"
"Seems to me that being friends with the 2nd Company Commander isn't exactly a walk in the park either. Just think of all the effort I put in to keep things running smoothly with both of you."
"That's fair enough."
"Go ahead, argue with me. Don't you think I come off as the bad guy here?"
"I suppose you do."
"If I had even a tenth of your silver tongue when it came to navigating social situations, life would be a lot easier, wouldn't it?"
"..."
Ernest tried to get the better of Andersen, but then Andersen's reply hit him square in the chest like a hammer, and he was left speechless.
"Well, in any case, I'm glad things worked out. I'll leave the rest to the 3rd Company Commander. Oh, and as for you, 2nd Company Commander, send up the personnel status, supply reports, and the training plan. I assigned it to Second Lieutenant Jimman, so he should have most of it done by now."
"Yes, I'll tidy it up and bring it over right away."
Ernest was well aware that the work Robert had just dumped on him was now making its way back to Robert again. By now, he was probably frowning miserably as he soldiered through the task.
Andersen left the pitiful Hans behind and walked out of the room with Ernest as he spoke.
"In any case, we already finished refilling the ranks for the soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and junior officers. Now that the 2nd Company Commander who ran off has come back, the only position left to fill is the new Battalion Commander."
"Is there any news about the Battalion Commander?"
"Not yet. Seems the higher-ups are being pretty careful with their decision. Well, except for the fact that training in Lanosel keeps piling extra work on the Section Chief, there's nothing urgent, so the vacancy doesn't really concern me for now."
"But you are interested to know who's coming, aren't you?"
"I should be asking you that—have you heard anything?"
Andersen lowered his voice as he asked. Ernest let out a deep sigh.
"The Chief of Staff said he'd send someone carefully chosen. But I have no idea who that'll be."
"Well, after all the mess last time, surely they won't send the same person again."
"Yes, but…"
Ernest ran a tired hand over his face.
"What kind of rumors are going around?"
"Oh, that."
Andersen looked at Ernest with an enigmatic smile, lifted his right index finger, and pointed it straight at him.
"They've already spread as far as they can go. Just enjoy it."
"…No, seriously, what rumors are you talking about?"
"Oh, don't ask me—ask the soldiers. How much do you think an officer like me knows about the rumors floating around among the troops?"
"But you just said they've spread everywhere. That means you know."
"Hahaha, and what can the 2nd Company Commander do even if I don't tell you? Go meet up with your friends."
"You should at least update me on the detailed status of the unit."
"Ask your friend about that too. The 1st Company Commander did a truly excellent job. Unlike a certain someone, his knack for navigating the political landscape hasn't completely fallen apart."
With a grin, Andersen shrugged his broad shoulders, gave an exaggeratedly nauseating wink, and nimbly darted away. Should a nearly thirty-year-old Captain, who missed his Major promotion because of the war, really have to spell out every little thing to a seventeen-year-old junior? Of course not—it's time to ditch responsibility and make a run for it.
"…So what are these rumors, anyway…"
Ernest muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead. It really feels like something's gone horribly wrong here, but I don't have a clue what's happening or how things ended up like this.