Chapter 8 Mediale Kingdom Swordsmanship (3)
A moment later.
After finishing their breakfast and packing all their personal military gear, the 2nd Transport Unit began to retrace the path they had come, pulling the transport wagons.
The transport wagons were loaded with the minimum amount of supplies for returning to the unit, along with patients and prisoners.
For that reason, the load was heavier, if anything, not lighter.
But even so, the soldiers' expressions were generally relaxed and bright.
Because even if the Imperial Army cavalry were to regroup, they would not engage in guerrilla warfare to target prisoners and patients.
It was only natural, as the strategic advantage was not very great compared to targeting supplies.
For that reason, the risk of an ambush was low, and so the atmosphere couldn't help but be good.
Roden was also able to take in the surrounding scenery with a much more relaxed face.
‘It's peaceful. So much so that it's hard to believe we're in the middle of a war.’
Listening to the chirping of the birds and the sound of the bushes swaying in the wind, he thought it was a relief to be alive again.
It was that peaceful.
In fact, in the previous operation, he had been too busy to feel this atmosphere at all.
Before clashing with the Imperial Army cavalry, he was under the pressure of not knowing when he would be ambushed,
and after winning the battle, he had to suffer from the aftereffects of the brutality of war.
But now, the situation allowed for much more leisure.
Perhaps because of that, the surrounding scenery also came into his eyes much more clearly.
Of course, this was possible because Roden was on horseback.
The ordinary soldiers were suffering much more than Roden had thought.
It was not for nothing that there was a saying that the hardest thing in the military was walking.
‘It's a good thing Ernst knows how to ride a horse.’
Roden thought this as he looked at the exhausted faces of the soldiers during a ten-minute break.
He had come to realize what a great privilege it was to ride a horse.
Should it be called natural?
Roden did not know how to ride a horse properly in his past life.
For the most part, he was cooped up in the Penitudo Mage Tower for magic research, and even when he needed to move, he used a carriage.
As a result, he could count on his fingers the number of times he had ridden a horse himself.
In fact, it would be more accurate to say that he had been placed on a horse by someone else rather than having ridden it.
On the other hand, in Ernst's case, he was naturally a good rider.
Because he was of the bloodline of the renowned swordsmanship family, the Glockner family.
Not only that, but he was also a very good rider, as if he had quite a bit of talent in it.
The reason Roden was riding a horse without difficulty now was also thanks to Ernst's horsemanship talent that remained in this body.
‘I only felt a brief psychological awkwardness when I first stood in front of the horse.’
After that, he had been able to easily step on the stirrup, get on the saddle, and ride the horse with a sense of stability.
‘Right. No matter what, being possessed in this body is not such a bad thing. If things had gone wrong, I might have been possessed by an ordinary soldier. No, I might have been possessed by one of the prisoners of war currently loaded on the wagon.’
Roden had experienced a fall in his past life, so he knew the hardships of a bottom-feeder's life better than anyone.
For that reason, he was able to think of the current situation optimistically.
Roden's original personality was also a bit optimistic.
Above all, even when viewed objectively, Roden's situation was good.
As a child of a renowned swordsmanship family, he rode a horse during marches,
thanks to his idiot image, he was placed in the rear where fights rarely broke out, and the possibility of being embroiled in the succession war was low,
and what's more, he might even have a special ability now.
That was right.
Roden was currently placing great weight on this hypothesis, on the idea that he had a special ability.
His conviction had grown after performing the entire Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship in the moonlit clearing last night.
However, whether this was truly a special ability.
And so, what the activation conditions were.
These parts needed a little more confirmation.
That was the reason why Roden had told Chevalier this morning that he wanted to do personal training.
However, the break time in the middle of the march was too short at 10 minutes.
So much so that he couldn't even bring himself to suggest personal training to Chevalier.
Chevalier was also on horseback, so he had some stamina to spare, but
10 minutes, to exaggerate a little, was enough time to just get off the horse, find a suitable spot, and draw his sword.
For that reason, Roden also did not press Chevalier and replenished his stamina by chewing on hard jerky, bread, dried fruit, and the like.
‘Anyway, after walking for a full half-day, a relatively long lunch break will come.’
And how many times had they repeated walking and resting like that?
Finally, lunchtime arrived.
Even though it was lunchtime, there was no grand meal distribution like in the morning.
It was all just eating combat rations like jerky, bread, and fruit, just the same.
The reason the break was 30 minutes long was to replenish the stamina to walk for the remaining half-day.
In fact, it could be said to be a break time for the ordinary soldiers who could not ride horses.
For that reason, Roden was also able to suggest personal training to Chevalier with a light heart.
“Deputy Platoon Leader. About what I said earlier. Do you have time?”
“Yes. I'm fine. Shall we move?”
“Let's.”
Chevalier took the lead, as if he had already found a suitable place.
Thanks to that, a moment later, the two were able to find a spot in a rather spacious clearing.
However, it was a place a bit close to where the ordinary soldiers were resting, so it seemed anyone could watch the personal training process if they just put their mind to it.
‘Hmm.’
Roden briefly considered suggesting to Chevalier that they move to a deeper place.
But he soon shook his head.
If both the platoon leader and the deputy platoon leader left their posts, who would manage the platoon?
Rather, from the perspective of platoon management, it was rational to find a place like this that was clearly visible.
‘And anyway, it's just a place to check the proficiency of the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship I learned yesterday.’
That was right.
This was Roden's purpose.
Roden wanted to have Chevalier confirm how high his proficiency in the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship was.
He had certainly performed the movements not badly by himself last night.
But was that possible because Ernst originally had a talent for swordsmanship?
Or had he really learned the entire Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship through experiencing a strange phenomenon? He lacked the basis for an objective judgment.
From that point of view, there was no better way than to receive an evaluation from Chevalier, who had seriously learned the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship and achieved the level of 1-star.
‘I wonder how it will be.’
It was when Roden was organizing his thoughts.
Chevalier asked.
“What can I help you with?”
Roden finished his thoughts and answered Chevalier's words.
“Ah. I want to work up a sweat, so could you possibly help me with a spar?”
“…A spar?”
“Yeah. It's not just a spar, I've been practicing the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship separately. And I was curious about what its proficiency would be objectively.”
“I see.”
“Yeah. In that respect, I think the Deputy Platoon Leader, who has been consistently practicing the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship and teaches it directly to the 3rd Platoon, would be able to evaluate my skills well. Could I possibly ask you for this favor?”
“……”
Roden had said this simply in the hope that Chevalier would really evaluate his proficiency objectively.
However, contrary to his intention, Roden's words were very grating to Chevalier's ears.
Because learning the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship and teaching it to the platoon members was not just the duty of the deputy platoon leader.
Strictly speaking, it was originally Roden's job.
But now, after dumping it all on him, he was asking him to evaluate his Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship.
What kind of mentality was this?
‘Is he making fun of me?’
Chevalier, who seriously had this thought, hardened his lips and spoke.
“Very well. I will evaluate you properly.”
Clang.
And so, Chevalier drew his sword with a disciplined motion.
Clang.
Roden also smiled with satisfaction and held his sword in his hand.
***
“What are you looking at?”
Someone among the soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Platoon asked the 1st Squad Leader, Zailo, this.
Zailo answered with a broad smile.
“Our Deputy Platoon Leader's anger.”
“Anger?”
“Yes. Our Platoon Leader requested personal training from the Deputy Platoon Leader. And in a spar, without even knowing his place.”
“Huh? Really?”
The entire 3rd Infantry Platoon reacted to Zailo's story.
It couldn't be helped.
The fact that the idiot Ernst, who was always soaked in alcohol and did not even participate in regular training, was doing something called personal training was surprising in itself.
What's more, a spar between the platoon leader and the deputy platoon leader.
“Who will win?”
“What are you asking? Of course, the Deputy Platoon Leader.”
“I guess so, right? No matter how much he's of the bloodline of a renowned swordsmanship
family, he won't be a match for the Deputy Platoon Leader, right?”
“Of course. He'll be knocked down in one blow.”
The saying that the most interesting things in the world are watching a fire and a fight.
As if to prove those words, everyone raised their voices in excitement.
And for good reason, as it was the 'first' time the entire 3rd Infantry Platoon had seen the platoon leader and the deputy platoon leader face off.
In the first place, it was only natural, as the 3rd Infantry Platoon had never even seen Ernst swing a sword.
On the other hand, everyone rated Chevalier's skills very highly.
As befitting the 3rd Infantry Platoon, where troublemakers were gathered, there was no end to incidents and accidents, and it was Chevalier who had handled them all.
On top of that, there were many opportunities to get a glimpse of Chevalier's skills during regular training.
The fact that the 3rd Infantry Platoon even had the appearance of a military unit on the outside could be said to be Chevalier's accomplishment.
“I don't know what he's so confident about. To suddenly request a spar with the Deputy Platoon Leader when he's never swung a sword in his life.”
“It means our Platoon Leader's head is even more in the clouds than we can imagine. What's more, the Platoon Leader said he would use the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship.”
“What? Not the Glockner Swordsmanship?”
“Yes.”
“Hah.”
At Zailo's words, one of the soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Platoon let out a breath as if he was dumbfounded.
It was the same for the others.
Everyone was convinced of Ernst's utter defeat.
Because with a sword, even if you miss training for just one day, your skills get very rusty.
Everyone present here had survived for several months in the middle of a war, so they knew this fact better than anyone.
But to say he would use the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship, which he had almost never used, instead of his familiar swordsmanship.
This was no different from saying he would show them a losing performance in a spar.
“So let's watch. How our Deputy Platoon Leader will crush the Platoon Leader who has been dumping all his work on him until now.”
And so, when Zailo, who had the highest friendliness among the soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Platoon, said this, everyone's gazes turned to Ernst and Chevalier.
In the meantime, the two of them drew their swords in turn and finally began to clash.
And a moment later.
“What, what is this?”
“Why is he fighting well?”
Everyone couldn't help but say this in bewilderment.
What's more, the one who was surprised was also Zailo.
Zailo muttered to himself.
‘Our idiot platoon leader can perform the Mediale Kingdom swordsmanship so perfectly?’