Chapter 42: If You’ve Boasted, You Must Also Brag (1)
Even when a small unit conducts a quick surprise operation, they normally have to stay in the area for a while after the attack. This was to determine whether the surprise attack was successful or not, which would then help them determine how to retreat. If the surprise attack was successful, simply evading the enemy’s pursuit was enough. However, if it failed, the enemy could counterattack and inflict serious damage even on the main forces.
But the surprise operation we conducted targeted only one unit, and although we only killed a few enemies, all the attackers successfully retreated on horseback. Hence, worrying about the various situations mentioned before wasn’t needed.
Thus, I asked loudly while driving the horses through the forest,
“Is everyone following well?”
Then the officers nearby answered with a laugh,
“We are following well by watching the battalion commander!”
“Running in a forest like this is as easy as eating cold soup, isn’t it?”
“No one will be left behind for just this much.”
Around twenty voices answered my question, meaning nobody had died or deserted during the surprise operation. We had run for about two hours at full speed and saw no pursuing troops, signifying a successful escape. However, the enemy commander, who had tasted the power of my special unit, would increase surveillance, and if we dawdled, we could be captured.
“Alright, let’s run as fast as we can today to distance ourselves from the enemy! Once back to the unit, I’ll buy a whole merchant carriage just for the special unit to rest. Let’s go!”
We rode horses covering a distance of around 100km that day and successfully shook off the enemy’s pursuit.
The next morning, after joining the Crown Prince’s army, a rest command was issued to prepare for an operation based on the information we had gathered, so everyone except me, who had to write reports overnight, was resting.
I approached the main headquarters, where the Crown Prince was.
“I am Battalion Commander Peter Yaeger. May I enter?”
“Loyalty, please enter.”
Inside, instead of a serious meeting, the generals were actively presenting their opinions and debating. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince was sitting quietly in a higher seat, watching them. They were all discussing military strategies and logistic issues.
As I watched this scene, I imagined myself becoming a general in the future, which was a dream for my current self. Everyone was proposing, refuting, and supplementing various tactics and strategies after receiving reports and reviewing all kinds of information brought by the subordinates…
Together, they sought the best course of action.
While watching them, I was about to go to the corner where the other lieutenant colonels were sitting when a lieutenant approached me and whispered,
“Since the lieutenant colonel has arrived, the report from the reconnaissance unit will soon begin. Please be ready.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.”
Although the lieutenant should have left, instead, he whispered in my ear,
“This is a message from Count Benner. The generals here are all nobles belonging to the Crown Prince’s faction, but they are divided into those who oppose and those who support Lieutenant Colonel Yaeger. Please be especially cautious.”
I nodded and thought while heading to my seat.
Had I become an eyesore to the higher-ups because I was doing too well?
Damn, surely someone here would nitpick the fact that I arranged a separate operation with a special unit outside of the reconnaissance battalion.
It was a relief that I had some time to prepare mentally and think about counterarguments before reporting on the reconnaissance.
However, time wasn’t on my side, and other reconnaissance units had already started reporting one by one.
“…The enemy is gathering their forces at the rear to prepare for a decisive battle with us…”
About an hour and a half later, a high-ranking individual called my name directly,
“Battalion Commander Peter Yaeger of the Advance Reconnaissance Battalion, report the information you have obtained from enemy territory and the events that occurred during the process.”
Following his order, I walked up to the desk where the high-ranking individuals were seated, started my report, and praised Lieutenant Marco, who created the detailed map based on my advice.
“The map you see was created by Lieutenant Marco, who was the battalion commander, while I was in the field, organizing and leading a special unit conducting other operations.”
Then the generals stared at me dumbfounded when I mentioned breaking up the battalion to form a special unit in enemy territory.
“Including me, twenty one members of the special unit directly scouted the enemy’s large army coming from the end of the Bisochea region. The enemy’s number is around 50,000, which is more than us. However, Chekovia’s army has been weakened due to the lack of supplies and morale near the border areas…”
A general asked incredulously,
“It’s good news that the enemy’s morale is down and their combat power is weakened, but it sounds as if this was the result of your special unit’s work.”
I smiled and replied,
“Yes, we had obtained these achievements by utilizing the discretionary power granted by His Highness, the Crown Prince, to the fullest extent while my special unit was on reconnaissance.”
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