The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 36 – Part 1.
On the way back to Rainpol.
I had given a separate carriage to Rutger and his daughter so they could spend some quality time together, and I was with my close vassals.
“Phew! It’s nice to be able to take off the mask. Wearing a mask in everyday life is such a hassle.”
My throat was sore from constantly modulating my voice.
“You’ve worked hard, Lord Ars. I’ll prepare some tea to soothe your throat.”
Eo was about to make my favorite honey water tea, but.
“Eonia. What are you doing right now?”
“…Gasp!”
When Yumir spoke softly, Eo hurriedly switched to a healthier tea.
“Geez. How much scolding did you get?”
“This wouldn’t be an issue if you didn’t have such a picky diet, young master.”
“Ugh…”
Yumir was about talking about future meal plans, but that’s when it happened.
Flap! Anton, who was at the coachman’s seat, received a carrier pigeon on his forearm and removed the letter tied to its leg.
After examining the contents, Anton briefly stopped the carriage and handed me the letter.
“Lord Ars. It seems the Calliper army has begun its march.”
“So quickly… They’re truly serious about going to war.”
“Yes, it seems they intend to occupy all the lands near the border at the very least. They’ve even brought along surveyors to measure the border.”
“Counting their chickens before they hatch… What about Alvard’s response?”
That was the important part.
Objectively, the situation favors Calliper. This war is also a burden for Alvard.
So there was a possibility they might avoid war by ceding some nearby lands.
“According to intelligence, a regular army of 50,000 has been organized under the leadership of General Kaien.”
“They haven’t conscripted ordinary citizens.”
“Yes. It seems that way.”
It’s probably because it’s the busy farming season, so Alvard hasn’t conscripted its citizens either. If they did, it could ruin the year’s harvest.
“In that case, there’s a clear possibility that a battle might not occur, but…”
Something felt uneasy.
Above all, it was because this war wasn’t in my memories.
‘All I know is the Chimera War. This war was never mentioned in the game.’
As such, there was a high chance it could end anticlimactically without any battles, but I wondered if it would really turn out that way.
It didn’t seem likely that Alvard Kingdom would just let go of the Saleon faction’s army with the fake Wade as their commander-in-chief.
“Please continue to monitor the situation.”
“Yes, sir!”
***
The war between Calliper and Alvard, which announced the outbreak of hostilities.
The Calliper army would cross the border with overwhelming momentum and invade Alvard’s territory.
Despite the outbreak of a major war, Rainpol was relaxed, unlike the war-torn areas.
It was located on the opposite side of the western region where the war was taking place, and since there was no conscription, ordinary citizens didn’t feel the impact of the war.
Even at the Academy I returned to, the atmosphere remained carefree.
“That monster is back.”
“Ugh, we have to smell that horrible stench again.”
“Why won’t she just quit the Academy?”
The whispering students. Estelle gripped my sleeve tightly.
Until now, she would have hung her head in despair at such slander, but now that a treatment method had been discovered, she seemed determined not to give in and was looking straight ahead.
The Academy teacher, who appeared belatedly, sighed at the unchanged classroom atmosphere and said, “As announced, there will be a joint training session hosted by Crossing this afternoon. This is an event that regular students must also participate in, so I expect everyone to attend without fail.”
Since even regular students had to undergo basic officer training after becoming adults, they would also participate in this joint training session.
Even so, the main participants would still be the officer cadets.
“And Elaine, Theodore, Helman, Lifton, Gillisiam. As officer cadets, you should be prepared in case you need to participate in a martial arts competition.”
At the mention of a martial arts competition, Estelle’s expression darkened.
Then she said to me, “Ars. It’ll be… Alright. I’ve asked someone I know for help.”
“Someone you know? Is it a famous person?”
“I think they might be famous. I can’t tell you their name, but…”
“Haha, then I’ll look forward to it. Still, they said not everyone will participate in the martial arts competition, so maybe nothing will happen.”
However, Hubert, the guy who had been beaten by me before, spoke up as if he had been waiting for this moment, seemingly not hearing what I said.
“Heh! That won’t happen! The martial arts competition is where superiors designate their subordinates, you know. Have you heard of the Ten Heroes of Rainpol? My brother is ranked fifth among them!”
“I wonder what’s for lunch today.”
“Hey! Don’t ignore me!”
I decided to ignore him.
* * *
The joint training of Calliper and Crossing cadets was held at the Academy training ground.
This training was an opportunity for the cadets to showcase their tactics and individual skills to the city’s influential figures and ordinary students.
The training was conducted on a fairly large scale, with 300 regular troops from Crossing stationed in Rainpol mobilized.
It was like a kind of military parade, you could say.
Therefore, observing the martial arts skills of the cadets who would become officers in the future was the highlight of this training.
As soon as the marching and demonstration of the troops ended, a sparring arena was prepared.
The rules were simple. A senior officer in active duty would designate a junior for a sparring match and teach them a lesson.
‘I’ll win moderately and end it.’
There was no need to win spectacularly and show off. This was a trivial matter that didn’t even require that.
‘They said he was the fifth of the Rainpol Ten Heroes or whatever, so he must be a senior in his own right?’
I thought so, but the one standing in the center of the training ground was not him, but someone else.
“…”
A slender man wearing a navy blue helmet.
Behind him stood Hubert’s brother and the officers of Crossing, standing like wooden dolls at attention. They must be the Rainpol Ten Heroes that Hubert mentioned.
‘One, two, three… nine. Ten including the guy standing in the training ground.’
This must have been what Anton said he would take care of. He had changed my opponent from Hubert’s brother to another safer person.
Even if he did just that, he would adjust accordingly, so there would be no danger.
I glanced at Anton in the audience, and he was intensely staring at the man in the training ground with narrowed eyes.
“Hey, Elaine. He’s pointing at you. Go out quickly.”
The man was gesturing towards me silently.
“Anyway.”
Still, it should be enough for a warm-up. If he is a senior officer, I could move my body freely too. If he didn’t use Aura, I should be able to match him to some extent.
“Both sides, fight honorably with your honor at stake! Ready!”
I lowered my stance and pointed my spear at the opponent. The opponent had drawn his sword and lowered it to the ground.
I had never heard or seen a martial art that takes such a preparatory stance.
‘Is he looking down on me? Hah, anyway, where does this confidence come from, this guy or that guy.’
Although it was hard to see because of the helmet, it seemed like the opponent was mocking me.
‘Let’s see how long you can keep that composure.’
As the match was about to start, the audience, who had been bored all along, showed interest.
The Academy class students were also present. Not only my class, but also the students from the lower classes were all there.
Estelle was clasping her hands as if in prayer, and Rutger was also there with Yumir, saying let’s see the face of this guy called Ars, guarding Estelle’s side.
In contrast, Hubert was expressing frustration, wondering why his brother didn’t come out.
“Begin!”
Tat! I dashed with a single step. I immediately brought the opponent within the range of my spear.
Swae-aek! The spear tip aimed at the opponent’s sword. The opponent smoothly withdrew his hand and avoided it.
‘I don’t particularly want to draw blood, but…’
I decided to thrust once, avoiding vital points.
“Haah!”
Whisk whisk whisk whisk! A rapid 7-hit combo. This was my top speed without body enhancement through Aura. It was still far from my master who could thrust 13 times without Aura, but this level should be surprising as well.
I thought the opponent would allow a few attacks or step back, but swish! He avoided them all on the spot.
“Oh…?”
He avoided my top speed?
‘Does this mean simple thrusts won’t work? He’s quite good.’
If that’s the case, I have no choice but to use techniques.
I took one more step closer and whisk! I shot my spear at the opponent’s head. When he avoided that, I used my grip strength to swing it down.
‘Chester-style secret technique! Dark Moon!’
The spear tip also has an edge. Although the range of that edge is very narrow compared to a sword, if wielded well, it can sufficiently cut down the opponent.
Dark Moon was a technique that thrusts the spear towards the head, and when the opponent avoids it, it uses grip strength alone to swing the spear tip to secretly cut the opponent’s carotid artery.
However, since I couldn’t cut the neck now, I decided to cut the shoulder instead.
‘It’s over.’
But chomp! The opponent grabbed the spear shaft with his left hand before I could swing it.
“What!?”
The weapon was caught. I immediately tried to retrieve the spear, but the opponent’s strength was so brutish that the spear didn’t even budge.
‘He’s not using Aura, but…?’
Despite having a similar build to mine, how could there be such a difference in strength.
“Haah!”
I approached the opponent in the opposite direction.
Using the fact that the opponent was holding the spear, I tried to pull the spear and use that force to quickly approach with my left fist to strike the opponent’s solar plexus.
However. Kwoong! The opponent swung the spear he was holding.
‘I can’t let go of the spear…!’
TL NOTE:
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