Chapter 31: Peter Yaeger, Soaring High (1)
At the laboratory of Professor Padre von Hausenburk, the senior professor of the 4th-year students at the academy.
Normally, only the assistant professors and other faculty members of different subjects under him would often enter this place, but today, a special guest entered his laboratory.
A man, who seemed to take tremendous pride in his rank as a ‘Lieutenant Colonel’, entered and saluted the professor. Only officers of the rank of lieutenant colonel or above were allowed to wear golden epaulets, the Iron Knight’s Cross hung around their neck, and a cavalry saber, symbolizing the authority of a commander.
“Loyalty! I am Lieutenant Colonel Pommel von Hendrik, Battalion Commander of the 4th Regiment of the Constanz Division!”
The professor, who was seated inside the lab, loosely acknowledged his greeting and gestured toward the sofa in front of him.
“It seems we will have a long discussion. Please, take a seat.”
“Yes, understood.”
Following the direction of the senior professor in front of him, the Lieutenant Colonel sat down, and Padre spoke with a sour expression.
“You may already know this, but His Highness the Crown Prince holds the lieutenant, who was chosen as the third-ranked honorary officer at the Raintlant front, in high regard. How much does he value him, you ask? I’ve heard whispers from the informants in the personnel department of the General Staff Headquarters, suggesting, ‘If Lieutenant Yaeger performs well in this mock battle, he should be given a promotion to Major.’ “
Hearing this, Lieutenant Colonel Pommel looked shocked, unwittingly widened his eyes, and pinched his thigh. To people like him and other prestigious nobles, being promoted to lieutenant at 28 was considered fast.
But to think of someone not even 20 by next year being promoted to ‘Major’ was even harder to believe.
“Is that true? Becoming a major at 20 is the sort of promotion speed reserved for the other Princes who just experienced military service.”
“Yes, but what can we do? It’s officially being publicized that the conquest of Regensburg was due to the outstanding tactical abilities of Division Commander Stefan and His Highness the Crown Prince. However, after the General Staff Headquarters reviewed the internal records, they believed that without Lieutenant Yaeger, Weinberg Castle would have fallen in no time. There’s clear evidence, so it’s impossible to object to it indiscreetly.”
“I was promoted to major at 35, and I was the fifth fastest among the 250 men in our batch. If a 20-year-old major appears, it’ll completely dishearten the other noble officers.”
Both were outwardly discussing concerns about early promotions and the potential decline in morale among other officers. However, beneath that were two major feelings: first was resentment and envy for an orphan achieving honors they hadn’t yet obtained, and the other was a worry about the increased standards set by Peter Yaeger for their favored Third Prince, who was already struggling to prove his worth for succession.
The discussion continued, focusing on ensuring Lieutenant Yaeger’s defeat in the upcoming mock battle to undermine his leadership credibility and, subsequently, his rapid promotion.
The Lieutenant Colonel’s face crumpled as he imagined that he was dishonorably discharged, the reputation of his family falling to the ground, and his children being ignored by other nobles.
“However, if successful, you should receive favorable results in this second promotion assessment for Major. Naturally, you should be promoted for defeating someone who, even as a student platoon leader, has received the ‘Silver Knight’s Sword’, which is rarely awarded to commanders below the rank of Colonel. Let’s observe the mock battle then.”
Professor Hausenburk stopped there and dismissed the Lieutenant Colonel, who hurriedly left the office.
Left alone in the laboratory, Padre, grinding his teeth, muttered,
“That damn Lieutenant Yaeger ruined my son Mike’s future. Despite his efforts and even killing an enemy platoon leader at the Raintlant front, he failed to get promoted to Captain, thanks to Yaeger’s prominence among the student platoon leaders. Damn it, let him taste failure too.”
On the day of the mock battle, in the region of Mt. Pelerein.
In the wide plains at the center, my battalion and Lieutenant Colonel Pommel’s battalion were facing each other, armed and glaring.
I understood they were cautious because I was a war hero, but it seemed a bit excessive to bring a lieutenant colonel, albeit of the same battalion rank, to capture a temporary lieutenant (acting) battalion commander. But even if it were unfair, I must win with my abilities.
On the surrounding hills were seats prepared not just for students and professors of the academy but also for officers and nobles who had come to watch the mock battle.
On my way here, I heard that mock battles at the battalion level near the capital were rare. Maybe because in this medieval-like fantasy world, entertainment was scarce?
Before the official start of the match, I looked around, and all the available seats and viewing spaces provided by the academy were densely packed with spectators. The people were talking about the lieutenant colonel and me, but I couldn’t hear them due to the distance.
Soon, an officer in splendid plate armor appeared and explained the rules. The explanation was complicated, but to summarize it, we were instructed to fight fairly and avoid potentially fatal attacks.
This condition was quite unfavorable for us. The knights, although dismounted, were still a formidable threat in their plate armor.
The overseeing officer signaled, and the trumpet sounded. Then he loudly commanded,
“Lieutenant Yaeger and Lieutenant Colonel Pommel, instruct your battalions to assemble!”
Upon this command, we drew our swords and raised them to the sky, as we had previously agreed upon. The soldiers assembled as trained.
Lieutenant Colonel Pommel’s battalion, like the Reich Imperial Army at the Raintlant front, formed a long rectangular formation, and archers prepared to face us in the front. On the other hand, following my instructions, our battalion formed a rectangle in the center but positioned 25 crossbowmen at the corners and 100 soldiers with polearms at the back.
After all the formations were set, the overseeing officer signaled for us to wait. I recalled the training I had given to my soldiers. I had made cloth with a new loom, sold it, and bought helmets, armor, and various weapons for the soldiers with the money I earned. I had nourished them, and they had grown noticeably taller and bulkier.
Knowing the strategies of an unknown era, I made the formations and tactics, and I had completed all the preparation necessary for me to win. So, I spoke loudly to boost the soldiers’ morale.
“Lieutenant Colonel Pommel, thank you for giving me an opportunity to learn a lot! I will do my best to face you.”
To this, Pommel replied with an angry voice,
“Let me show a brat who doesn’t know how high the sky is that there are always bigger fishes!”
As he finished, the trumpet sound announcing the start of the battle resounded across the plains.
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