Chapter 51: CH 45

Translator: Nisarah    Editor: Nisarah

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800 infantry and 200 knights surrounded 5000 refugees. The number of infantries and knights accompanying us today is only half of its original intended amount. Most of the kingdom’s military personnel are deployed to protect the aqueduct construction site.

The army is only half of its intended amount, but the amount of food needed is still enormous. Not to mention, the whole army is dressed in full armor as a deterrent so the refugees won’t cause any chaos.

But this army suffered a problem unique to an army that escorted refugees.

“As expected, our movement is quite slow.”

“We have normal people along with us, so what else can we do?”

Even considering the fact that there are women, children, and elderlies that were formerly normal townspeople, our pace is still quite slow. This must be what they call ‘walking at a snail’s pace.’ 

Even the horses look bored.

“No need to force yourself, but as we still need to make some progress on our journey don’t slack off either.”

“The sick can get into the carriages. But the number of our carriages is limited. Make sure that you all use the carriages only when you really can’t walk.”

These are what the soldiers told the refugees. But in this place where all kinds of people gathered, the kind that loudly complained saying ‘we are the victim! You should help us more!’ did exist.

These kinds of people might desert us and become thieves later on so we need to be careful. As such, in the name of persuading them, the soldiers surround them while threatening them. What? That’s an infringement of their human rights? As I’ve said before, stuff like human rights didn’t exist here.

In the first place, who will want to follow the selfishness of the minority in a situation where we might get attacked by demons at any time? This is the kind of time when the kingdom needs to show its might. Yup. I really have become used to this world.

“It seems like the Duke’s decision is correct.”

“Well, is that what they call the elderly’s wisdom? Sir Frank seems to be quite troubled though.”

Feeling full of pity, I replied to Max. I recalled the predicament suffered by Frank Pablo Knap, the younger brother of the deceased Oliver Heinrich Knap, and the current Marquis Knap. 

Actually, there were nobles among the refugees but they were all left in the Marquisate Knap because they are the so-called ‘important sources of information regarding Triot’s situation’

‘The kingdom needs to give them a treatment that won’t cause any inconvenience in their daily lives’ is also another reason that was brought out for leaving them in the marquisate but the truth is they are abandoned there because they kept complaining while they were still traveling with us. The new Marquis must be having a headache now.

By the way, several units of soldiers and knights totaling 50 people were also left in the marquisate. They are people that came from houses that have some kind of relationship with the Knap house, like its relatives. They stayed in the marquisate as a reinforcement.

Before Max could reply to my words, a flute sound resounded and everyone became tense but we still didn’t stop. Not long after, a soldier turned back and walked toward me.

“Report! We discovered 2 Gluttony Bats and 1 Tusk Worm, both were exterminated by the party, Iron Hammer.”

“Got it. Continue to stay alert.”

“Understood!”

As the soldier returned to his rank, I breathed out in relief and Max grinned.

“It seems like the plan worked out well.”

“Yeah, I’m really glad.”

Usually, in an escort mission, people will take a defensive stance. But I choose the opposite. I picked the offensive stance by letting scouts search our surroundings for any demonic beast or demons and had the adventurers kill them on sight.

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From what I know, this plan isn’t some novel thing in my previous life. It’s no different than U-boat, surveillance aircraft, and minesweepers used in world war. It is just the U-boat becomes demons, surveillance aircraft become scouts, mercenaries and adventurers become minesweepers and destroyers.(1)

(Note:U-boat is the German submarines used in the world war, minesweepers are warships used to remove naval mines, and destroyers are warships used to escort and protect larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or battle group.)

As for our current formation, it’s like this. The refugees are surrounded by normal soldiers from all sides, the adventurers and mercenaries surround the normal soldiers so they can immediately kill any enemies that come before they reach the soldiers, and the scouts are keeping watch on the outermost side of our formation.

If the scouts discover any demonic beasts or demons they will blow the flute and the closest adventurers or mercenaries parties will go to kill the demonic beasts or demons and then return to their position. That’s the basic job division.

There will be additional money on top of the daily salaries if the adventurers or the mercenaries kill demonic beasts or demons and they get to keep all the body parts. Steal kill is forbidden, and if anyone broke this rule they will be put on the night watch for 2 days straight. Since it’s an exhausting punishment up until now no one has broken the rule.

Once in a while complaints like ‘why use adventurers and mercenaries even though there are knights here!?’ popped up but we shut those complaints by saying we lack manpower because of the aqueduct construction project.

The adventurers, mercenaries, and scouts are officially part of Zeavert’s army since no nobles want them to become part of their army. It’s the problem of pride. The military houses are especially headstrong regarding protecting their pride.

For me, it’s a good thing since I don’t have to bother to explain the details to others. I’m actually surprised that the Duke approved this plan. Well thanks to this plan, the actual Zeaverts army soldiers and knights are fewer than others though.

As I was thinking, a cavalryman came to me and said, “Message from the Duke. We will be camping tonight at no 36.”

“Ok.”

No 36 is one of the suitable grounds for camping on this highway. It’s unexpectedly hard to find places suitable to camp so the kingdoms have noted which place is suitable to camp beforehand. As there are several places and it’s a hassle to name each of them a number code is given. Tonight, we will be camping on no 36 according to the plan.

(Info dump warning! Here to skip. Summary:

You need to think about water sources, space to sleep, and ways to handle excrement in order to decide if a place is suitable to make a camp, that’s where the military engineers’ role comes into play. There are 2 groups of military engineers. Group 1 traveled with the vanguard. Their role is to set up the camp by dividing it into a sleeping area, kitchen, headquarters, and toilets as well as to decide where to build fences. They are also responsible for checking and managing the road in case of rain and checking the bridge if the army needs to cross the bridge. Military engineers with surveying ability. This group of military engineers is often the first target in a war because they can also survey a place suitable for making a trap or making an ambush.

Group 2 traveled with the main army. Their job is to create fences, and toilets, set up the headquarters, create a place to throw trash, and create canals, and an earthen wall. Canals and earthen walls also act as deterrents for future deserters.

If there is no suitable place to camp, then they have no choice but to camp randomly but that puts a burden on the soldiers, that’s why maps and knowledge of the surrounding area are important. This time the army is traveling on a familiar highway so problems like this probably won’t happen)

The night camp for a group in this world isn’t exactly comfortable. Water sources, spaces to sleep, and ways to handle excrement are among the problems that need to be considered when deciding to camp. Especially excrement. Poorly handled excrement might become a source of diseases.

Ironically for a group like mine that’s not an army in the middle of a long battle voyage, whether the palace is easy to defend isn’t included in the consideration of is the place suitable for a camp. That’s why for defense purposes we still need to create simple fences and canals. You never know when the demon will attack us.

That’s where the military engineers come to play. They are divided into 2 groups. One group is traveling along with the army’s vanguard. This group’s role is to set up the camp including dividing the regions into the headquarters, kitchen, toilet, and sleeping ground. They also need to decide where the sturdy ground is suitable to build fences. Because of these roles, military engineers with surveying abilities are placed in this group.

In the case of rain, this group also has a duty to check and maintain the road in front of the army, and if the army needs to cross a bridge they also need to check if the bridge is strong enough. They have important responsibilities. In this world where there are no modern weapons, this group of engineers is often being targeted first in a war. It will be trouble for the enemies if this group can find a suitable place to make a trap or to make an ambush after all.

When we arrived at no 36, the first group of military engineers had just finished dividing the camp so the second group of military engineers that were traveling with us led the soldiers to dig the ground to create canals and used the piled-up soil to create a simple earth wall. They then continue to set up the tent for the headquarters, dig up the ground from throwing trash, and for the toilets.

The fences and canals are not only a defense mechanism but also a deterrent for potential deserters so it’s important to create them properly.

It takes more than an hour to build even the simplest camp and usually it takes a little less than 3 hours. An hour is all we need to just build the fences but we also need to think about countermeasures in case a fire happens.

We need to complete the camp before sunset. So the hassle of being deployed in an army isn’t only the journey but also stuff like this.

I guess war in the Sengoku era that was depicted in the media in my previous life was always over in a flash because the producer didn’t understand the time needed to build the camp. Frankly, the speed of the army and the distance it has crossed isn’t that important.

If there isn’t any suitable place for camping, then we need to camp in random places long before our stamina is depleted. In reality, the calculation about the speed of the army and the distance we have crossed is nothing more than a prediction. Not to mention the distance we managed to travel also depends on the day’s weather.

That’s why a map and knowledge of the surrounding area are important in this kind of march with a group. Without them, the army will end up forcing the additional burden of making a camp in an unsuitable place for the soldiers. The soldier might not be able to get any sleep at night if this happened and it will cause big trouble.

This time we only traveled inside the kingdom’s territory so problems like that probably won’t occur. The highway is a road often used by the people of Marquisate Knap so the kingdom is very familiar with it.

[Info dump end]

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