Chapter 44

Ten days after the conference with the messenger from Arkland, a report arrived saying that the royal army has moved to the border and has repeated armed conflicts with the Arkland army .

Hundreds of units of troops are intermittently fighting . The pioneer villages around the border have already been given orders to take shelter, and the peddlers in the south are all waiting on standby in the streets . Since the border line is wide, places other than along the highway are also experiencing skirmishes .

「The national army and the invading enemy army are fighting each other equally, there has been no territory taken yet . 」

Hoover tells the king in the same manner as the messenger . However, in this place there is nobody, Hoover himself probably doesn’t think that they are fighting on equal terms either . The reason that the enemy does not instantly invade is because our large army is in the middle of preparations, and the skirmishes at the border are only attempting to disturb us .

And perhaps, we will not defeat the enemy even after we suffer half the damage we have taken here .

「A full-scale invasion will come soon . 」

「There is no mistake . 」

The king’s words synchronized with Erich’s . Regarding that, Hoover has no objections .

「How is the central army’s preparations coming along?」

「We are already prepared for battle, if you give the order we can sortie in two days . 」

The total troops of the central army amount to 15,000, if we move with a number like this, Arkland should send its main force . What we need is a single victory in a large battle . That would greatly influence the entire state of battle .

「Lord Radhalde, I believe in you . You must definitely bring home victory!」

「With all my strength!」

Erich stands up and leaves his seat . The discussion on the table is over . All that’s left is to decide things on the battlefield .

「Marquess Hoover! The royal army is also needed to reinforce the central army, so the remaining squads – have them all sent out to the front . Get ready!」

「I understand!」

I really wanted to object but it wasn’t the right moment . The air inside the royal palace was wrapped with a strange sense of excitement from the fact that there hasn’t been a war in several decades .

「Lord Hardlett, is everything done perfectly?」

「Yeah, I’ve made my preparations . All that’s left is to rest my soldiers for a whole day . Training has been continuing after all . 」

「I don’t mind that . In any case, it takes one day to load the food and water . 」

My adjutant, Agor, has already told my battalion that from tonight till tomorrow, they will get a day’s rest . The other squads are similarly given rest, so tonight the bars and brothels around the capital will be fully booked . But it is not the unconditional happiness that the soldiers will get on their usual days off like drinking alcohol or enjoying women . There was a story that was told to the common soldiers, as well as kids in the town, when war was approaching .

「Agor, Carl, you guys also get one day of complete rest . If necessary, shall I get some prostitutes ready?」

「No thanks…I have something else in mind…」

「Rather than prostitutes, I would prefer it more if I won the town’s girls by persuading them myself . 」

I asked later, but it seems that Agor has a certain widow that calls for him periodically to drop by . Carl on the other hand seems to make girls cry in various places . There were two scars on his back caused my