Chapter – 111
Flap!
A three-eyed hawk landed on the window of Helen’s office.
“Ah.”
Helen, who had been busy with administrative work, immediately recognized the hawk as Hugin and turned her gaze toward it.
“Good work.”
“Coo-coo.”
Helen rewarded Hugin with some water and dried jerky, then untied the note attached to its leg.
Hmm… a large enemy force, huh. That’s good intel. Their return might be delayed, though.
As soon as Helen read the note, she immediately went to find the battalion commander, Kravel.
“It’s already been three days. When on earth are they going to bring that damn brat back?”
Kravel scolded Helen the moment he saw her.
“…Hoo.”
A long sigh escaped Helen’s lips. Over the past three days, Kravel had nagged her so much that she was openly fed up.
Any news?
How long do I have to wait?
This damn it! How long do they intend to keep me waiting?
Kravel kept coming to Helen at all hours or summoning her to ask about Carlisle. So much so that Helen would sigh before answering his questions.
“A report just came in from Sergeant Marder, who was involved in the operation to capture Private Carlisle.”
“Really?!”
“They’ve secured Carlisle’s custody, and it seems they’ve reached an agreement for him to return to the unit.”
“Oh! That’s wonderful news! What a relief!”
Kravel’s smile stretched ear to ear.
“So they’re coming back right now?”
“You’ll have to wait a little longer.”
“Hmm?”
“Take a look at this.”
Helen pointed to the large map spread out on the table.
“Reports indicate that a large enemy force is currently moving through this area.”
“Hmm?”
“So the plan is to wait until this large enemy force passes before returning.”
“A large enemy force… how big are we talking?”
“They said over a thousand.”
“…!”
Kravel was shocked.
The blood-soaked land of Kuberin was a mix of dense primeval forests and rugged mountains, which severely limited the deployment of large forces. And yet, over a thousand?
It was clear the barbarians intended to fully control a specific area.
“This is no ordinary problem. Listen here.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Kravel gave orders to his subordinates.
“Immediately halt all mining operations and order all troops to return to the base.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And send a messenger to instruct that damn brat and the 3rd company reconnaissance team to hold their positions until it’s safe.”
Kravel instructed Helen.
“Dispatch the 1st and 2nd company recon units to conduct reconnaissance, then share the collected intelligence. You will relay that to your subordinates.”
“Understood.”
“Do we know the exact location of that brat?”
“Here.”
Kravel’s eyes bore into the map like a hawk’s.
“It seems things have seriously gone awry.”
“What do you mean?”
“The location of that brat.”
“Yes?”
“This place can’t possibly be a strategic point. It’s an open area, offering no terrain advantages. Naturally, it’s vulnerable to attack.”
“I’ve reached the same conclusion.”
“But from here to here…”
Kravel’s finger traced the map from the area the barbarians occupied to the location where Carlisle and his group were hiding, namely Antiros’ laboratory.
“The barbarians are using this open space as an advanced base to attack our fortresses, so it does have some utility.”
“But as you said, the terrain is vulnerable, isn’t it?”
“Being vulnerable can be compensated by deploying a large force. That must not be overlooked.”
“…!”
Helen flinched at Kravel’s sharp insight. It was something even she hadn’t considered, catching her completely off guard.
“Listen, 3rd Company Commander.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re competent, even if I don’t like it. Of course, there’s still much you haven’t mastered.”
“I apologize, sir.”
“No need to apologize. The Kuberin region’s harsh terrain and environment leave little room for considering large-scale troop deployment. It’s not unusual that you overlooked it. You haven’t served here continuously, after all.”
Kravel was indeed a highly capable commander. Like Helen, he had risen from a low-ranking soldier to a knight and then to battalion commander. While his personal character might be questionable, his advice was valuable.
“I will remember your guidance, sir.”
“Good. But…”
Kravel closed his eyes, clearly imagining a horrifying scenario.
“It seems things are fucked. The enemy is likely to establish a base right where that damn brat is hiding.”
“That… is—”
“That’s right. Your subordinates are trapped right in the middle of enemy fortifications.”
Helen’s face turned pale.
After confirming that the barbarians were setting up fortifications, the atmosphere inside the laboratory became grim.
“Are we… screwed now?”
“Something like that.”
Bergman answered Kylale’s question.
“Damn barbarians! Of all places, they had to set up here!”
Bergman raged, but there was nothing they could do.
“We should wait until night falls and the barbarians are asleep, then sneak out quietly,” suggested Kudo, and everyone agreed.
However, Kudo’s suggestion was shattered in less than an hour.
Thunk! Thud!
“Damn heavy!”
“Move it, you lazy bastards!”
The barbarians had piled bricks, stones, and logs at the lab entrance, leaving them trapped.
“….”
Carlisle’s group was speechless at the sight of the barricade.
“Then let’s escape through the vent… ha…”
Kudo proposed another plan, but that was impossible too.
The lab had five vents. Three were large enough for humans to pass, but the barbarians had turned them into toilets. The remaining two were only big enough for small animals. Escape was impossible.
“U-uh… for now…”
Lieutenant Melvin cautiously spoke up.
“Maybe we should quietly hide until the enemy removes the materials at the entrance?”
“Well, that’s the only option,” Carlisle nodded. As a commanding officer, he couldn’t ignore Melvin’s suggestion.
“Let’s wait a day or two. There’s no way out right now.”
“Alright,” Bergman agreed and turned to Marder.
“When Hugin returns, report the current situation to Lady Helen.”
“Yes, sir,” Marder nodded.
“The butler’s luck is awful, huh? My life…”
“I’m annoyed too, so stay put,” Carlisle said curtly.
“Just for a day or two. Once they remove the materials, we can slip out unnoticed.”
“Ugh, it’s frustrating!”
“Who isn’t frustrated? Bear with it.”
Carlisle spoke decisively and headed back to the bedroom. With nothing else to do, he planned to lie down and rest.
“I’m coming too!”
Beatrice followed him like a shadow.
“Ah.”
Helen sighed as soon as she received Marder’s second note.
Hearing that Carlisle and his team were trapped in Antiros’ laboratory made her uneasy—understandably so. After all, she had been the one to allow them to stay there.
I have to get them out. It’s my poor judgment that put them there.
With that in mind, Helen reported the situation to the battalion commander, Kravel.
“So it has come to this. My prediction was correct.”
“Yes, sir.”
“At least there’s a safeguard now.”
“Eh…?”
“Now that this has happened, if anything goes wrong, we’ll treat your subordinates as having been isolated during the mission.”
“Are you seriously thinking of shirking responsibility while their lives are at risk?”
“That’s not against the rules, is it? I have to survive too.”
Helen was exasperated. He was thinking about his own safety in the middle of this mess.
“Your subordinates are in danger, and I have to think of my own survival. Why get so worked up? Did I say I wouldn’t save them?”
“No, sir, but…”
“Don’t assume too much. That brat and the recon team are my subordinates first and foremost.”
“Is that so?”
“Tell them to stay hidden for now. According to the 2nd and 3rd company recon reports, the enemy numbers around 1,500. Our battalion alone cannot rescue them.”
“Then…”
“I’ll request reinforcements from the higher command. Just wait. Don’t whine like a child.”
Helen was dumbfounded. He’s been nagging me for three days straight.
However, Kravel seemed oblivious to his past behavior.
“And as you know, the season of war is approaching. The upper command won’t take this incident lightly either.”
The “season of war” referred to the northern autumn. Northern winters brought frequent heavy snow and extreme cold, making battles almost impossible. Moving troops carelessly risked being trapped by snow, so winter combat was rare.
Thus, the frontlines usually saw a temporary “truce” until the snow melted.
Autumn naturally became the main season for battles. Both barbarians and Dekaron would attempt to expand territory and secure magic stone mining before winter.
Right now was exactly that time, making Kuberin one of the most dangerous areas in this world. Both sides were deploying large forces, even transferring elite fighters from other regions to Kuberin.
“Of course, I can’t guarantee anything. Even higher command might not have the resources to send reinforcements if fighting is ongoing elsewhere.”
“…?”
“Why the surprise? It’s not unusual to be short on troops during the season of war.”
Kravel frowned.
“If reinforcements from higher command don’t arrive, what will happen to my subordinates—or rather, your subordinates?”
“You ask the obvious. In that case, they’ll have to escape on their own.”
Kravel answered as if the question didn’t even warrant a response.
