Chapter 35
We marched on foot and also took boats along waterways as we headed towards Uterngard, the city where General Gerhart's corps was stationed.
Although the unit wasn't properly prepared yet and we're not carrying weapons, so it hardly feels like a corps.
Even during the march, which could be boring and tiring enough to break morale, these soldiers didn't lose their spirit.
Maybe it's because those who followed this far have nowhere to go back to and have clear desires.
I can't know exactly if there are other reasons.
Still.
"Immortal Legion, isn't it cool?"
"You'll get cursed like that. General, how about the Invincible Legion!"
"Hmm..."
Exchanging opinions among soldiers having heated discussions about what to name the corps, and,
"General."
"Yes."
"General."
"Hmm."
"General."
"...Stop it."
"Hehe."
As I talk about various things with Anna, who has become my adjutant again and maintained a strangely close distance.
It feels like even the last bit of anxiety disappears, naturally lightening my steps.
...These people have handed their lives over to me, so I should return an equivalent reward.
***
When we arrived at Uterngard, Gerhart, wearing splendid armor, came out opening the city gates with his officers to greet me.
"Welcome. I'm Gerhart Weissilt, commander of the 10th Corps."
"I'm Viktor, commander of the 1st Provisional Corps."
He approached with a faint smile and extended his right hand.
"I've heard many rumors. Of course, I don't believe all the rumors, but I trust Her Majesty's judgment in appointing you as a corps commander."
Although his hair was graying and his face was wrinkled as he was well over 60 years old, the strength I felt when grasping his hand reminded me of active-duty soldiers.
"I'd like to talk with you right away, but the soldiers must be tired from the long march. I've prepared places in the barracks, so let them rest first and then we'll talk again."
"Understood."
Perhaps because I came as reinforcements carrying the Empress' order, Gerhart approached me quite amicably.
I also treated him politely with courtesy, as the more friendly I am with him, the more advantageous it is for me to voice my opinions.
"General Klaus. Please guide Corps Commander Viktor."
"Yes."
After shaking hands a few times, he assigned a young general standing beside him to me and left.
"I'm Klaus Schultz, commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade. Please come this way."
Klaus introduced himself as a brigade commander.
In the empire's organization, brigade commanders are right below corps commanders, so Gerhart assigning a brigade commander as a guide can be seen as properly treating me as a corps commander.
It's a good sign.
After placing the soldiers in the barracks, I headed to the corps headquarters where General Gerhart was, following Klaus's guidance along with Anna.
-Knock knock.
"Corps Commander Gerhart. Corps Commander Viktor has arrived."
Klaus knocked on the door of the corps commander's office, stated the business, and then stepped aside,
-Click.
"Welcome, Corps Commander Viktor. Come in."
"Yes."
Surprisingly, Gerhart personally opened the door and greeted me.
Whether he had given notice in advance, there was no one else in the corps commander's office, just him alone.
"Sit wherever you're comfortable. Would you like a cup of tea as well?"
"...Thank you."
Gerhart, showing a teapot, prepared tea with leisurely movements.
...Even considering that he's of the imperial faction, it feels like the favor is a bit excessive.
Usually, this means he wants something from me, so I sat down slightly tensed.
Anna quietly followed in and stood behind me.
-Clank.
"Are you interested in tea?"
"It's closer to enjoying it in advance. Once we depart for the battlefield, there won't be leisure to brew tea leisurely in a teapot. Don't you think so?"
"...I suppose so."
"Hmm."
He put down the teacup and sat across from me, taking a sip of tea.
"I heard rumors calling you a devil or monster, but seeing your face in person, I don't understand why such rumors circulated."
"I think they might have been distorted as the rumors spread."
"Is that so? Well, even my daughter living in the north mentioned you. She said when her granddaughter cries and throws a tantrum, just mentioning your name is enough to surprise her into stopping."
"Haha..."
Although Gerhart opened with personal stories, I remained tense, concerned about the fact that he was waiting alone in the corps commander's office.
He's talking about his granddaughter, which he could comfortably bring up even to me whom he's meeting for the first time, so usually there's no need to specifically send out even the adjutant who would be with him.
"I wanted to meet you once, this worked out well."
"Rather, I'm more honored to meet Corps Commander Gerhart, whose name I could see even in textbooks during military academy days."
"Is that so? Hahaha!"
After several minutes of light, or to put it negatively, insubstantial conversation,
"My staff often look up records of the battles you've fought. Not just tactics, but they highly praise your unit operation abilities."
The corners of his mouth, which had been smiling consistently, slightly dropped with this question.
Feeling like the reason he called me here was about to come out, I carefully chose my answer.
"It's just that my subordinates followed my words well."
"Subordinates. Subordinates. Hmm..."
After pondering for a moment, stroking his chin upon hearing my answer, Gerhart,
"Is that your adjutant behind you?"
"Yes."
As if about to get to the main point, he leaned forward slightly and hardened his expression.
"Is she someone trustworthy?"
"Of course."
"Hmm... Then it should be fine."
"I looked into some information in advance. What kind of person you are, and what kind of people the soldiers you're bringing are."
As it took quite some time to come to Uterngard and we passed through several cities, it wasn't strange for Gerhart to have information about us.
And, I could guess what he was trying to say.
"As I said earlier, I don't deny Her Majesty's discernment. I don't want to doubt your abilities either, and it's welcome that a capable person has joined under Her Majesty. However, the soldiers you've brought are a different story."
"..."
"You said they're defected prisoners. Although they've directly experienced war, and among them are those who decided to follow you until the end, so they might be different."
Pushing aside the teacup he had placed in front of him,
"Weren't they fighting against the empire until just recently? Many are concerned whether your soldiers can properly cooperate with the empire's soldiers."
He carefully spoke about the main point.
From Gerhart's perspective, it's a situation where some general who was rolling around in a frontier enemy country came with defeated soldiers saying he'd provide support, so it was a reasonable question.
Naturally, the generals and soldiers under him would also harbor suspicions.
Rather, his very polite attitude considering the matter revealed Gerhart's excellent character.
It wouldn't be strange to ask directly what could be done with just 5,000 conscript-origin soldiers, but he's speaking in terms of concerns about cooperation.
I picked up the teacup placed in front of me, took a light sip, and put it down.
"Since your forces arrived today, the entire unit will conduct joint training within a few days."
He slightly frowned while mentioning the period.
"I know it's difficult, but show the capabilities your soldiers possess in the joint training."
"May I take that to mean proof is needed?"
"If your corps shows an excellent appearance in the training, the suspicious gazes will subside."
Gerhart used expressions like many are concerned, separating himself from them, and seemed displeased that the preparation period given to my corps was short.
Although I couldn't know the exact reason, he wanted my corps to demonstrate its abilities to everyone.
"Understood."
Although it's been a long time since my corps received regular training, they've already been through actual combat under my command.
I also have the tactical map, so if I just revive their senses, we should be able to get through joint training without problems.
"I'd like you to think that I have great expectations for you. I hope you understand."
"Of course."
"I'm sorry for bringing up heavy talk as soon as you arrived. I'll soon deliver the training schedule, so rest well today and relieve your fatigue."
"Yes."
Receiving Gerhart's gaze that seemed to worry about me, Anna and I left the corps commander's office.
***
After receiving the empire's army training methods, my soldiers and I immediately plunged into training.
My corps was composed of 32 spear infantry companies, 6 sword infantry companies, and 12 archer companies.
As most of those who followed me had spent a long time on the battlefield, despite being mostly conscripts, the ratio of sword infantry and archers, who could be considered elite soldiers, was high.
We organized the soldiers in the same way when we were in the Rus Kingdom, and since we had already formed the companies before departing from Josef's garrison, there was no confusion.
I left the basic training at the soldier level to the company commanders, who were veterans among veterans, and,
"1st Infantry Company, 100 men, assembly complete!"
"Good."
I personally took charge of preparing for joint training.
"My instructions are always based on the direction of the unit's advance. You know this, right?"
"Yes!"
In fact, no great preparation was needed.
We're not going straight into actual combat, and the corps' scale is small enough for me to command at the company level.
It's enough to remind those gathered in one company unit of my instruction method and finish training to maintain formation even while moving.
Of course, it's not easy to unify the direction of advance and always maintain formation, but since this is training they originally did, they should be able to follow without much difficulty.
Once movement at the company level is well established like that, there's no need to conduct separate large-scale formation training.
Since it's joint training, the overall movement of troops like large-scale troop movement, coordination between units, and formation changes will be important.
This is the area I'm most confident in, as I can grasp variables with the mini-map and utilize the tactical map for command.
"Move at a walking pace towards 12 o'clock!"
"Move!"
The soldiers, perhaps recalling previous training and actual combat, quickly and familiarly carried out my requirements.
Just this much should be enough to show a good appearance in joint training.
It might be difficult to call this my corps' ability, but it doesn't matter if it's not discovered.
Lacking parts can be refined later.