Chapter 21: Interlude 2 – Forthcoming of a Legend

After a week from the incident at Urganschoft and with the evidence presented, The Imperial High Office did not find the Czuch Union as the perpetrator for the incident despite the obvious involvement, racial composition, and location where the incident took place.

All this was due to the goblin army not carrying anything that could identify them as soldiers of the Czuch Union.

In short, On paper the Czuch Union isn't responsible ... But in reality everyone full-well knew that they were the perpetrators yet they couldn't prove it due to the lack of evidence.

But it wasn't like it was a loss ... The Czuch Union, could not take Michal Kratochvil back despite the torture that had been done to him ... Lest they want to make the Deutsche Empery their enemy.

Because technically he was not from the Czuch Union.

Through several sessions, The 'interrogation' performed on the Ogre Knight Michal Kratochvil, produced many excellent results. Almost all the vital information about the country of the Czuch Union was inside his head.

In short, It was like a gold mine, Both figuratively and literally.

The Imperial High Office could not do anything directly with the sensitive information because they weren't at war with the Czuch Union, Instead they sold the information to the Polski Confederacy for a price of Yuleas numbering in the billions ... As well as somewhat of a significant rise of the friendship between the two countries for some reason ...

All in all, It could be said that the incident at Urganschoft was a tactical victory ... However because of the fact that a thousand innocent civilians were slaughtered mercilessly to gain the tactical victory, The Imperial High Office feared a slight amount of civil unrest from it's citizens due to the Army potentially being seen as 'incapable' of defending their borders against monsters.

Therefore the Imperial High Office ordered for the incident at Urganschoft to be put under the carpet, and nobody should ever speak of it again.

---

Almost 1 month after the interrogation of Michal Kratochvil and the battle at Urganschoft ...

Liutenant Colonel, Gunter von Strobel, Russiva Imperial Year 782 Month 4, Day 3, Berilian Officer Academy, Deutsche Imperial Army

Inside the Berlian Officer Academy, Where it was only about two weeks until the next semester starts for rising new staff of the Empery ... Many high-level officials were gathered in the auditorium for a candidate selection process ...

On the stage of it, In the full brunt of everyone's sights ... a foreman wearing a bright green fedora stood out, standing on top of a wooden crate.

The foreman opened the crate with a crowbar, And from it he took out a strange contraption.

It was a weird contraption indeed, It looked to be some sort of bow, But it had some strange parts to it ...

For one there was a thing that looked like a metal horse stirrup on the very front. And instead of being vertical, the bow was placed horizontally on a piece of wood which looked like a stock of a rather sizable figure, and below the wooden stock was what looked like deformed narrow piece of metal.

"This is a new weapon that is being developed by the Blohm Company ... A weapon which seeks to be 'The new foothold for ranged warfare in the near future'."

A few personnel couldn't help but laugh at that statement.

'The new foothold for ranged warfare' was indeed quite a daring statement, Especially for a human to say it.

It would have been taken more seriously if it were an Elf. Who had the natural affinity for using a bow, Or maybe a Dwarf, Who were known to be at the forefront for the expansion of siege projectile weapons.

"Ohohoho, Gentlemen you my laugh now but wait until the demonstration!" The foreman said while tipping his green fedora.

It wasn't unnatural for the people to laugh ... It was just too unnatural. They thought it was a joke, However by the look on the foreman's face it looked like he was dead-serious despite the smile and that green fedora of his.

'This will be good ...' Gunter watched the weapon with great interest.

The foreman put the contraption down, with the bow facing the floor, as he put his foot on the stirrup and grabbed the string, cocking the short arrow as he let go of it after cocking while the weapon was left in a constantly 'drawn' state.

*gruuuuung* It was then that a bullseye that was on a wagon was dragged to the center of the stage by two soldiers, And after tipping his fedora the two soldiers saluted and went back.

There was nothing unnatural about the bullseye, It was a bit large but it was normal. Layers upon layers of red circles with the tiny red dot on the center.

The foreman took aim with only a single hand, and then ...

*Fwoosh!*

The short arrow darted through the air as it hit the target with a speed incomparable to that of a bow.

*Fwack!*

It hit the target in the far off corner, It was not a shot to be proud of since he missed the circle completely, However what the foreman was trying to present was not his skill with the weapon, But instead the weapon itself.

It was then that everybody realized ...

'... This is!?' Gunter couldn't help but almost gasp.

It was easy, Too easy to shoot.

Pulling back the string with both of your arms and even your leg instead of just a single arm would reduce the average quality of strength needed to use a ranged weapon. Not only that, but you need to only pull the string once and put it behind a ledge and the machine would continue pulling back the string for you, so you could increase your focus on aiming. And all it took to release the projectile was the mere squeezing of a few fingers.

'So this is what he meant by the new foothold!'

Countries over the continent have spent decades, and even centuries improving their craft.

Improving the bowstring's elasticity, the bow's flexibility and mana affinity, elves from the north and dwarves from the east spent their lives as hermits improving their craft.

'Improving the offensive capabilites of the bow, refining it to perfection.'

However over the course of the years, practitioners of the bow experience a huge wall they can't cross time and time again.

The bow requires too much effort, It can't be easily used.

However the new bow-like weapon was versatile, effective, and easy to use ... It's has more power than a bow, more speed than a bow, and it only took a steady aim and fast squeezing movement to release the projectile, unlike using a bow which required immense effort to master.

Of course, Since it wasn't a new weapon you couldn't apply any magic that could make it go faster, But people who could actually bow-related martial arts and magic were almost as rare as attack mages.

'Using a bow requires talent.'

Talent for keeping your arms stabilized for more than just a few minutes, Talent for making sure that the hand holding the bow doesn't drip down while aiming, and talent for making sure that the arrow would actually hit the target.

But with the new weapon, Even novices who had never held such a weapon would have more success in hitting the target than a person who had been practicing the bow for a week.

"The idea behind the Armbrust (Crossbow), is efficiency."

"Efficiency ... you say?"

"Exactly ..."

'The Blohm Company ... how did they get the idea behind such an ingenious perspective?' It was nothing short of innovative.

Gunther could do nothing but praise the Blohm Company for proving themselves once again as the top company that Empery directs its research funds, as well as arms funds to.

"Question."

A rough hand was raised into the air.

"I am just as thrilled as all of you to learn that we will be on the forefront of developing new doctrines that could potentially outshine the archer divisions. However isn't this supposed to be the selection of new outstanding candidates for Officer School? Why was this topic brought here? Shouldn't it be brought to the Imperial Arms Division?"

The man who raised his hand was Colonel Miena von Sora, A rising noble who travelled all the way from a country in the great East called Kyuushu with his father who searched for a nation that would accept the doctrine of his sword style. His father found success as a general and an Earl, and Miena himself went on to become the official aide of the Grand Knight, Heinz von Schaber.

A well-respected figure among the nobles who gained their titles through merits alone, And a role model for many soldiers in the front-lines.

'He's right, Just a minute ago we were talking about the prominent candidates suitable for the best education the Empery could offer ... But why the news? Why now?' Gunter was wondering what brought the news to such an inappropriate place such as the summit for the selection of Officer School scholars ...

"That, Gentlemen ... Is what exactly what I came here to discuss ..." The foreman answered, as if he had already predicted that the question would eventually arise.

The foreman looked as if he wanted to brag, making exaggerated hand gestures while tipping his fedora yet again.

"Herr soldaten, You may now open your sealed envelopes!"

'Sealed envelopes?' Gunter was confused at first, but then seeing as there was indeed a sealed envelope just in front of him he picked it up and unsealed it.

*swish*

*crhiik*

*sUwUsh*

Sounds of paper ripping resounded throughout the auditorium, and with it the gasps of many officials.

"This fraulein? (Young Miss)"

"Yes ... Fraulein Reichel Schwertspinne, is currently at the forefront of all the new projects at the Blohm Company!"

Completed the crash course studies for Group D applicants within a mere 15 days, Gained enough merit to justify a promotion of four ranks within her first month of serving, Recommended for a Bronze Cross Medal by multiple officials, Captured an enemy commander an entire three levels higher than herself, Guided an army of fresh recruits into open warfare while minimalizing losses using her own strength and martial prowess ... Up to 96 confirmed kills and 12 assists, Nicknamed 'Schwarzer Engel' (Black Angel), War Hero of No Man's Land ...

Second Liutenant Reichel Schwertspinne, Level 5, 17 years old, and a bonafide commoner war orphan.

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'Prodigy ... There's no better word.'  Gunter couldn't help but laugh like it was all an incredibly ridiculous joke.

There was nobody of the objective officials within the capital who didn't know of the name Reichel Schwertspinne, The girl was akin to a legend in the making.

In all his years of military service Gunter had seen many young geniuses who had went on to grow and become the backbone of the Empery. However, He had never seen so much accomplishments and well-done feats done within such a short amount of time.

Reported to at least be able to speak every major language in the continent, Well-versed in mathematics and other scholarly subjects,  No problems with military personnel officials, Gurantees confidentiality, Excellent patriotism reported by her squadmates. Excellent recommendations from multiple frontline troopers for her outgoing personality as a soldier ...

'She's perfect ...'

Although she was a commoner, Nobody in the room could question her merits, All of them were investigated by the Imperial Intelligence Department themselves. There was no stain on her record.

If the candidate were the child of a great aristocrat, or an influential commoner, it made sense to worry about the prospects of bias and favouritism for her reviewing. And even if she was the real thing, As long as she had a parent who was within the ranks of nobility they could even downplay the effect of her achievements! Such cases of favouritism among the aristocratic ... yet meritocratic staff of the Empery were uncommon, But not unheard of.

But the candidate in question however, Was the oprhan of the owner of an apothecary out in the far borders of the country not even worth mentioning.

'There shouldn't be any question about whether her history is tainted with favouritism or not ...'

However there was one thing that Gunter couldn't make sense of no matter how much he tried.

*fwish*

"Question."

Gunter's hand moved up in the air with a swift motion, Voicing his curiosity to understand the information he can't piece together.

"She is a candidate whose qualities stand above all the rest, However there is one thing I fail to understand ..."

"And what may that be Lieutenant Colonel von Strobel?"

"Although she is without a doubt, A great fighter ... the merits that are presented on this paper are not enough for her to pass the rank of 1st Sergeant ... However why is her rank at Second Lieutenant currently?"

Second Lieutenant, A rank that required years if passive service if one hoped to achieve it through non-situational merits alone. And even if Reichel had been nicknamed 'Black Angel' as an ace with almost 100 confirmed kills, the capture of a commander, and the tacticit to lead an army temporarily ... Gunter found those achievements alone inadequate to warrant multiple rank skips from Lance Corporal up to Second Liutenant.

Although the prospect of being the inventor of a crossbow was certainly nothing to laugh at, That was the achievement of an inventor, not a soldier. Therefore it did not count as military merit.

"Right! That's exactly right!"

"Why was she promoted all the way to Second Liutenant in one jump? I find this hard to understand."

Several officials voiced their dissatisfactions, If it was ever found out that Reichel had the support of a third party and was promoted through bribery or some other form of illegal placement, The people here would have enough authority to remove her from service due to her activities.

The voice of dissatisfactions continued, Until ...

"Lehre No.126" The foreman of the Blohm Company said.

And with those few words, Everybody was silenced.

"Hey ... What did you say just now?" Colonel Miena von Sora asked with a scowl on his face.

Lehre No.126, Nicknamed 'The Doctrine Of Strategic Suffering', A thesis dedicated the concept of 'Legal-Torture'.

It suddenly appeared in the archives of the General Staff just a month ago, And it saved thousands of potential losses.

Although it could not be applied to the Francais Republic soldiers because just from their uniform alone, They can already be identified as affiliated to the Francais Republic ... That did not apply for spies and potential traitors.

Gag them with a cloth before they could even try to identify themselves and torture them until you get them to write down the sensitive information ... and you had yourself a done-deal.

It made sense now, the High Office accepted ideas from scholars all over the nation, And with those scholars over the nation are unexpected policy-makers from the rank-and-file soldiers.

The system was like a suggestion box, If there was a policy that could be implemented you could simply write down its details on paper and the High Office would sort through it and decide if it was something that was legally and logistically possible.

You could get the benefits even through anonymity as well. Weirdly, some people preferred to stay hidden while receiving the benefits, Which actually wasn't all that weird since the Personnel Department, Arms Department, and even the Logistics Division go crazy for these type of people ...

'Hidden gems.' They call them, And the people from these departments have been trying to abolish the anomysity system without avail.

"Second Liutenant Reichel Schwertspinne is the author of Lehre No.126, Submitted through the hands of Lieutenant Colonel Maurius von Radnitzer on Imperial Year 782 Month 3 Day 11 ..." The foreman replied with a smile on his face.

The first victi--Errr, 'Subject' of Lehre No.126 was a member of the Ogre Knights named 'Michal Kratochvil'. A series of sessions involving of what looked like unorthodox torture sessions revealed information about an astounding 90% of the mineral deposits, hidden villages, military bases, fortified cities, and even food storages surrounding the capital of the Czuch Union on the map.

The Empery, With no way to use this information for it's direct benefit sold the sensitive information to the Polski Confederacy, And the dwarves responded with a sum of money gathering in the billions, 70% of which have been budgeted straight into the military.

'The Blohm Company!' Many nobles and military officials including Gunter cursed their lack of insight, They had let a girl with so much potential get away from their grasp.

"Question."

Colonel Miena von Sora once again raised his hand, With a confused look on his face.

"I think we can all agree that the fraulein is qualified ... overqualified even ... Yet why does she want to admit herself to Officer School when she can focus building her career on the frontlines?"

It didn't make sense, It's already clear that Reichel is already well educated in anything related to war since she was well-versed in it enough to search for a loophole in the International Laws of War, However it is clear that she is already overqualified for a position considering she was already Second Lieutenant.

"It is not the fraulein's decision herself, Yet of herr Blohm ... Who is known as Reichel's legal guardian."

Everybody went silent at those words ...

"Herr Blohm thinks that Reichel is too immature, and with one year still left until fraulein Reichel turns into a legal adult he hopes that he can draw away Reichel from military service until that time comes."

"Herr Blohm is a loving guardian, He even offered to take her as one of his legal children but Reichel promptly refused."

'Refused? The girl was offered to be a part of a house of high aristocracy even though she had no initial worth as an orphan before she enlisted?' Gunter was confused. Commoners would literally kill for a noble title, Yet the girl shoved it aside as if it was nothing.

What was more important is that Blohm wasn't just any noble house, It's head has a respectable rank of Duke, And although they have no territory it is no small matter to say that the name 'Blohm' carries more weight than almost every other prominent uprising noble house.

Gunter was curious as to why she would do that, However he had something more important to ask yet again.

"Question."

Gunter raised his hand without restraint.

"What is the reason for herr Blohm's unnatural affection towards Reichel?"

That was even more weird, Why would one of the most wealthiest and most prominent nobles suddenly offer affection like that of a caring father towards a war orphan? Could it be that Blohm already knew of Reichel's value before she even decided to volunteer as a soldier?

"I do not know the details, However in the past ... Reichel's father was a good friend to herr Blohm, He helped herr Blohm rise through the ranks of nobility, supporting his career."

"Herr Blohm had always felt a sense of debt towards Bastian Schwertspinne ... He offered him coffers of gold only for him to reject, Herr Blohm had always been trying to repay the favour to Reichel's father for years only to have the despicable Francais take his life as a collateral, Herr Blohm was even more heartbroken when Reichel refused him when he tried to take her under his wing was instead replaced with a request for 'A recommendation for Group D and good food' so herr Blohm now only wants to treat the girl as if she was his own daughter."

"Very well then ..." An abrupt silence spread out across the room.

The foreman tipped his green fedora to the side, as if saying 'My job here is done.'

Gunter sighed as he resigned himself, It made sense now.

They now knew how was the person who recommended Reichel for Group D, And they now knew the reason for Reichel's reason for enlisting in the army ... obsessing over it to the point where she would rather take a recommendation from Group D than have a title of nobility.

Almost everyone admired the girl's sense of duty to serve her country and avenge her father, Yet they also felt broken about such a loss that the girl had to suffer.

The headmaster, Who was leading the candidate selection suddenly spoke up ... It appeared that he had already made a decision regarding the girl's admission.

"The admission of Second Lieutenant Reichel Schwertspinne into Officer School for a maturity course ..."

Of course in the room already knew what that decision was going to be ... The Empery prided itself for fairness even greater than the countries surrounding it acknowledging the amount of work an individual has done for it.

Although it was not exactly a pure meritocracy due to it's aristocratic society ... It was impossibly close.

If they did not approve Reichel's admission here even though she was already overqualified ... It meant that they would have to reject the admission of every other new student this semester.

*bhank!* The sound of a stamp bearing the crest of the Imperial High Office resounded in the room, as it made contact with the paper containing Reichel's credentials.

In the heart of the Empery ...

"Is hereby approved!"

A legend is in the making ...