Chapter 4
Some time later, I was summoned to the Tenth Knight Order's office.
I was seated in a corner of the strategy room next to the one I'd visited last time.
Rays-sama, Glantz-sama, and Rapilia-sama were there, along with all the unit commanders of the Tenth Knight Order.
All ten unit commanders sat silently in the room. Every one of them wore an expression full of confidence and pride, making no effort to hide their competence.
And then there was me. I was obviously out of place. If I had to put it into words, I was a single mouse in a cage full of ferocious beasts.
The captains all looked at me suspiciously. Just as I wondered whether they were waiting for Rays-sama to explain, the youngest-looking captain spoke up. "Who is this man?"
Rays-sama narrowed his eyes slightly, as though he had been waiting to see who would ask first.
"This man is a civil official named Roa. He was the one who pointed out what our army had failed to recognize during the operation to suppress the bandits in Eren's village. I want every unit to make sure none of its soldiers take this lightly."
"I understand that we shouldn't take this lightly, but... you mean our subordinates as well?"
"Exactly, Frain. Roa will be accompanying us on this campaign."
"Accompanying us? Roa, if you don't mind my asking, have you ever accompanied a military expedition?"
"Er... no, I don't... Of course not..." The captain was probably bewildered too, but I was even more bewildered than he was. If anything, I wanted the captains to object so that, if I was lucky, I could leave right then and there.
My hopes went unanswered. Instead, Rays-sama called out to me. "Roa."
"When we spoke the other day, I told you to memorize a map of Eren's village. Did you do so?"
"Ah... yes. More or less." That much had been easy enough.
"Good. Then..." Rays-sama spread out a map on the table that was considerably larger and far more detailed than the one I had seen in the records room.
"Roa, answer however you like. If we were to deploy our forces somewhere on this map, where would it be?"
"Rays-sama, what are you—" Frain began, but Rays stopped him with a hand gesture and continued.
"Roa, I had you investigated a little. I hear that you enjoy collecting records of battles throughout history. Apparently, you're quite well known among the civil officials."
"Ah... yes. But I only collect them as a hobby..."
"Your answer need only be based on that hobby. Show us where we should deploy our forces."
It seemed that no matter what happened, I had to propose a deployment. If my memories were correct, Rays-sama had sent the second force to suppress the bandits out in small numbers as well, lulling the enemy into complacency. After the lord confirmed the army's presence, he went to consult with the bandits, and a separate detachment struck him.
"How about splitting a small force into two detachments, using one as a decoy to create a diversion? The lord will likely panic and go consult with the bandits, so why not have the other detachment ambush him when he goes to meet them?"
Rays-sama shook his head at my suggestion.
"It's not a bad idea, but it's weak given the circumstances. We don't even know whether the lord will meet with the bandits. As a first move, would it work? Would he take the bait, or might it merely put him on guard?"
"I see..." As I said that, a nagging question began to form in my mind.
The person who devised this operation was Rays-sama himself, according to my memories. That meant that if a different plan were adopted here... wouldn't that count as changing one part of history?
No, my own plan didn't have to be chosen. Any plan other than the one in my memories would do. This might be the perfect opportunity to test whether I could change the history of the destruction that lay ahead.
Once I saw it that way, my mind suddenly cleared. At this very moment, I might be able to change history, even if only slightly.
With everyone's eyes focused on me, I called to mind the various battle records I knew.
Then I pointed to a certain location.
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Even after Roa had left, everyone except him remained in the strategy room.
"What do you think?" Rays asked them.
"I see... I understand why you're concerned, Rays-sama. However, isn't this merely armchair theory?" the oldest captain said uneasily. "I find it intriguing. I believe we have a good chance of victory," another captain replied.
Amid this, Frain raised his hand and asked with a grave expression, "Rays-sama, may I ask something?" Then he continued, "Could it be that you intend to bring that man into the Tenth Knight Order...?"
"Yes. I intend to have him join us. Of course, that depends on how he performs and conducts himself during this operation," Rays answered, cutting him off.
"No way! I can't imagine him surviving on the battlefield! He has no battlefield experience to begin with..."
"Now, now. Everyone starts without battlefield experience. You did too, didn't you, Frain?"
That left Frain at a loss for words.
"But why all of a sudden?" asked a captain with a well-groomed beard.
"Well... I suppose it was just a feeling."
"Just a feeling...? That does sound like you, Rays-sama." Rays usually preferred to rely on reason, but every so often he acted on a sudden whim like this.
Such sudden inspiration sometimes led to unexpected successes on the battlefield. Thus, although the captains wore expressions that seemed to say, "Again?", they also looked somewhat convinced.
"Besides, even if Roa's plan fails, I'll have further moves ready, so you needn't worry."
"I'm not worried about that. However, judging by appearances, that man won't be able to fight. He could even die, you know?"
"If that happens, then it happens," Rays said matter-of-factly.
And so, unbeknownst to Roa, the arrangements proceeded apace.