Aah, Siesta, don’t add oil instead of water to a burning fire.
Saito started denying even though he knew it was pointless.
“I did no such thing.”
“You say that, but you were looking at Chii-neesama as well.”
“Just a bit.”
“After all you deserve treatment worse than a dog’s.”
A useless politeness. Already, the atmosphere he was in meant he couldn’t make any objections. That said, Saito was very tired because he had used so much of the Gandálfr power. One could say, Saito knew perfectly well that he couldn’t make any objections no matter what.
With his ears caught, Saito was pulled into the carriage.
“Miss! Calm down! Miss Vallière!”
“It’s fine. Everything will be over soon. How should I say it~, it’s definitely fate. That’s what I think.”
Saito smiled and vanished inside.
Saito rolled down onto the floor. Louise came upon him.
“First off, everything you and I said in that boat earlier was a mistake.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“From today on, I think a brake is necessary. And you?”
“Being told only that, I’m thankful.”
However, the brake never came.
Saito’s screams could be heard for a long time in the La Vallière’s territory.
As she was watching the coach that was disappearing in the distance, Cattleya smiled. After that she suddenly started coughing violently. She had exhausted her physical strength with the “Alchemy” incantation she used earlier.
In her field of vision she could see the drawbridge in the distance. Because she used the incantation from such a great distance, quite a bit of her Willpower was used up.
Inside the room a thrush was singing.
It was the small wounded bird that she had picked up and bandaged a while back. She gazed at the thrush inside the cage for a while and then Cattleya gave a kind smile.
She opened the cage’s lid and put her hand inside. The thrush jumped into her hand. After she took it out from inside, she unfastened the bandages.
She stretched her hand out through the window. The thrush that was on it peered into Cattleya’s face and inclined its head to the side in doubt. As if she was questioning her.
“It’s fine. Now it’s fine.”
The thrush stared at the sky. And then it flapped its wings.
Cattleya looked at the thrush that was flying about in the sky.
Quietly, for a long time, Cattleya gazed at it.
Chapter Four: Commanding Officer Guiche and Officer Cadet Malicorne
Each student who applied for the royal army through the recruiting official, who came to the magic academy, received training for around two months and then was assigned into various forces.
Tristain’s army was split into three branches.
First, the “Royal Army” that is directly under command of the current king. The noble generals and officers belonging to the monarchy command the mercenaries assembled through money. The student officers like Guiche are primarily assigned to this royal army or the later mentioned Sky Navy.
Next is the “National Army,” where the greater nobles in various places would recruit the people in their territory. This organization is also called the “Marquis Army.” The nobles that received land from the king would follow their pledge and organize an army. This is what the Cardinal requested Louise’s father, Duke of La Vallière, to organize.
Because the soldiers were originally farmers, the national army is considerably inferior to the mercenary-composed Royal Army. It isn’t suitable for campaigns, but the royal army by itself was lacking in number, so they ended up being brought along. There were many nobles, like Louise’s father, Duke of La Vallière, who opposed the war and refused to contribute soldiers too.
Also, because this war is a campaign, half of the national army are wagons… meaning that it ended up being used as a supply unit.
The last is the “Sky Navy.”
It was the branch that operated the ships that floated in the sky or the sea.
With the captain at the peak, this branch was most certainly a miniature version of the feudal system. Below the captain, who had absolute authority in the warships, were noble officers that directed the sailors. Though they were called sailors, everyone was some kind of specialist to operate the ship. Unlike the army, which was a branch that was fine as long as the number of people were gathered, experience and habitual training were stressed above all else.
Guiche, being assigned as a reserve officer to the Royal Army, arrived at the Champs de Mars Training Facility in the capital city Tristania on the day after Louise and the others returned home.
Rosha Regiment, Lashene Regiment, Navarre Regiment… The regiment colors that waved in the gardens of the regimental commanders’ mansions were, today, assembling at the Champs de Mars Training Facility.
With a letter of introduction written by a drill officer in one hand, Guiche walked around the training facility, where the twelve regiments of the Royal Army, twenty thousand soldiers had amassed. The group he had ended up being attached to was the De Vineuil Independent Battalion of the Royal Army. He had never heard of it before, but Guiche was excited about his first battle.
Just recently, he had met with his father, the Marshal of the Royal Army.
Because a Marshal is a job for the ones at the end of their life, his father, having retired from military services, was the Marshal. His senile father was very frustrated that he couldn’t participate in this war and encouraged Guiche.
“Don’t value life, but value name,” his natural-born soldier of a father said, sending Guiche out. All three of his brothers were departing too. His first brother is in charge of de Gramont family’s army. The second brother was the captain of the air forces. His third brother was an officer of the royal army.
And he himself… was participating as an officer of the De Vineuil Independent Battalion. However, he couldn’t find that essential battalion. He couldn’t find the battalion flag drawn on the letter of invitation anywhere.
Reluctantly, he questioned a scary-looking bearded officer.
“Um, where is the De Vineuil Independent Battalion?”
That officer began to preach to Guiche about how he didn’t know the way home.
When Guiche said “This is my attachment from today,” he looked at Guiche's head to the tip of his foot, and asked “A student officer?”
“Y-Yes! That's correct!” When he saluted with the military language he remembered, his head was hit.
“Listen, student. On the battlefield, even if you say that you don't know where your battalion is, no one will tell you.”
Then the officer said, “There,” and pointed to a corner of the training facility.
It was right beside the lodging house, and little sunshine hit the area.
The soldiers were leaning on the wall of the lodging house, staring at the sky dully. Guiche was shocked to see that there were people drinking sake too.
Looking carefully, he realized that most people there were old men and unmotivated people. The group seemed to be a washout already.
“D-Don't tell me, this is...” Flustered, he asked one soldier.
“H-Hey, soldier.”
“What is it?”
An old mercenary carrying a heavy lance stood up.
“Is this the De Vineuil Independent Battalion?”
“Yes.”
Guiche stood petrified to the spot, as if he had been hit by something on the head.
It was his glorious first campaign, yet the group he was assigned to were old men or delinquent soldiers that clearly looked unmotivated. In other words, it was just a scum battalion for fitting numbers.