Debra Bennett’s proposal was simple.
The platoon evaluation generally assigned each squad one situation to see how well they could handle it.
There were five situations typically given during the evaluation:
– Main force attack and breakthrough.
– Long-range artillery support.
– Close-range artillery support.
– Defense against enemy cavalry/infantry.
– Defense against enemy magic knights.
Debra Bennett proposed that the Fifth Squad should be responsible for “defense against enemy magic knights.”
– Defending against enemy magic knights simply involves deploying a magic barrier, making it the simplest of the five situations. The evaluation score would also be the lowest. Testing defensive magic is just about understanding the structure of the barrier, not actually casting spells, right? But if we actually cast spells and block them beautifully?
– I understand the impact you’re talking about.
– That’s correct!
Debra Bennett’s voice accompanied a sly smile that lingered in front of my eyes.
– So I’ll tell Captain Arrendt to assign the special anti-magic combat situation to the Fifth Squad. You also need to make a strong appeal to Sergeant Enok, got it?
Even though an evaluator would be dispatched, the assignment of situations to each squad was entirely up to Captain Arrendt Schultz, the battalion commander.
In essence, the evaluation itself was merely for show.
It was eerily similar to a scenario where a superior unit in some Eastern nation would announce in advance when they were coming and what they would be focusing on, making a surprise inspection pointless.
The more I thought about it, the more it reminded me of K-Army… It was both heartwarming and bitter.
I knew exactly what fate this kind of army would face.
That’s why I’m here.
To save a country on the brink of destruction at the moment of war and survive until the end.
That’s the goal of Haozhe Gao, and the destination of Enok Revendale’s journey as the new squad leader.
And… Why refuse a free improvement of the magic barrier?
Though I knew Debra Bennett was proposing it, I couldn’t easily reject her for bringing additional dishes herself. It’s time to paddle when the water rises.
Thanks to this, my Fifth Squad and I could focus purely on preparation for the evaluation, shooting magic spells at an empty field for days.
I had gradually mastered the method of handling my mana core. Basic spells like Fireball could now be used effortlessly, with just the right amount of power.
Unlike last time, when practicing indoors might accidentally destroy a wall, there was no risk of a mana surge unless something went terribly wrong.
Also, thanks to the “dedicated” help from Sergeant Bella Meyer and Lieutenant Roxanna Elrim, who have healing magic expertise and abundant mana reserves, respectively, the rapid accumulation of physical fatigue and excessive mana loss were mitigated.
“Everything’s fine, Squad Leader. I want to help the squad in any way I can!”
“There’s nothing difficult about healing magic.”
Since they offered to help first, there was no need to bring it up. Their willingness to help meant that proactive, excessive concern could be counterproductive.
Yes, exactly.
Moreover, Lumina and even Sergeant Claude participated well in training. Given the sudden news of the evaluation, things were progressing quite smoothly.
And so, day after day, I diligently continued my routine.
“Squad Leader Enok, Battalion Commander wants to see you.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Finally, the long-awaited day was approaching.
“Glory to the Motherland!”
“Glory.”
The battalion commander received the salute casually, already smiling widely. He seemed unable to contain his laughter when he saw me.
Oh no, I don’t like men.
“Why did I call you? Do you think it’s about going to the capital?”
“Yes, it’s tomorrow, isn’t it? Chernov City has stabilized, and Major Lannister will return as well.”
It seemed they planned to travel in formation with the military police to the capital. That would be safer in many ways.
Given the ongoing investigation into the artifact’s background by Captain Lamur and the risk involved in sending only me and my squad members, it seemed too dangerous.
They were the ones who brazenly stole military secrets from the garrison and rallied spies from the Soviev Empire and bandits near the border to launch an assault on the fortress.
A minor magic squad wouldn’t matter much to them.
“I can’t attend due to unavoidable circumstances, but please pass on my message to His Excellency King Orlando Rus.”
“Don’t worry. Without the full support of Major Lockhart, capturing Lamur would have been impossible.”
“Is that so? Haha! Our squad leader is indeed reliable. You’re a lucky man!”
He really is a simple-minded man.
“I’ve ordered a new uniform for the trip. You’ll receive it when you get to the capital.”
“You did all that…?”
“Of course. As someone meeting the head of state and the military commander, would such attire be appropriate?”
Lockhart said, stroking his mustache. I turned to check the condition of the uniform. Hmm, except for a few loose threads, it didn’t look dirty.
Seeing my puzzled expression, the battalion commander snapped his fingers.
“Just wait and see. New lieutenants and regular non-commissioned officers rarely wear formal uniforms. While the uniforms in Okhraine are decent, once you see a formal one, you’ll be counting the days until you can wear it.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Just remember, I truly value you, Enok Revendale.”
“But won’t the platoon evaluation schedule clash with this?”
“The official schedule is two nights and three days. Including travel time, it’s four nights and five days. We won’t be late for the evaluation schedule.”
Four nights and five days, with only two nights and three days staying. This means spending two whole nights traveling.
It’s definitely far.
Suddenly, I realized this was truly the front line. Despite the lack of proper transportation, it still required an overnight journey, indicating it wasn’t close.
“Oh, I almost forgot to mention something.”
“What is it?”
“Due to the limited capacity of the escort carriage, only three squad members, including you, can go.”
“Excuse me?”
“Of course, the rewards will be shared equally among the rest of the squad members. But having five people meet the king is another matter.”
“So, how should we handle the personnel?”
“That’s your responsibility. Since the departure is tomorrow, you can discuss it with the squad members today.”
Colonel Lockhart carelessly dumped the responsibility onto me. With five people, excluding myself, only two squad members could actually go.
Hmm.
This complicates things.
“Understood,”
“…”
“Hmm.”
When I informed Bella Meyer and Lumina that not everyone could go to the capital, their expressions tightened slightly.
Breaking the awkward silence, Claude spoke up.
“I don’t care. You can exclude me.”
“Are you sure?”
“The capital, Kaerph, is noisy and chaotic. I hate that.”
Well, considering his aversion to crowded places, it made sense.
Moreover, meeting the king would involve various formalities. A sergeant might find that quite burdensome.
I imagined him not wanting to attend parties or events, showing no interest, just like during the previous war’s commendations.
‘Sergeant Claude won’t go.’
I looked at the remaining members, Lumina, Bella, and Roxanna.
“Let’s take Sergeant Lumina with us.”
“Thank you!”
Lumina couldn’t hide her excitement. She seemed genuinely eager to go and had worked hard as a deputy squad leader, so it was better to take her along.
Now, only Bella Meyer and Roxanna remained…
“What about the two of you—”
“Bella, you should go.”
“Huh? What?”
“If I go too far from the battalion, it’s dangerous.”
Before Roxanna finished speaking, I replied.
“Really. If something happens to me in the capital, it would cause trouble for Squad Leader and others.”
Roxanna calmly gave up. Although she could have asked for a little more consideration, it seemed too mature for her age.
However, Roxanna’s argument wasn’t unreasonable. Honestly, not knowing exactly what Mindheart Disorder was, I lacked confidence in dealing with any issues with her health.
“I’m sorry, Lieutenant Roxanna.”
“It’s okay! Don’t worry, have fun. After all, Sergeant Claude is there in the unit! Right?”
“Huh…”
Roxanna turned to look at Claude. Though he sighed reluctantly, he grudgingly agreed. It felt like an uncle temporarily looking after a troublesome cousin.
‘He’s not a bad person at all.’
“Alright. Then the two of you will join the National Guard and head to the capital tomorrow. Pack your bags early today.”
In the end, Bella Meyer and Lumina Blüe were chosen as participants.
Both were relatively manageable, so we could assume there wouldn’t be any unexpected situations during the schedule.
“Then we’ll end here for today. Please finish your preparations by 8 PM at the latest.”
“Got it!”
“Good. Dismissed!”
I clapped my hands and dismissed the squad members.
