Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

Kiaran’s office.

Edmund entered, glancing at Kiaran as he spoke.

“Commander, Captain Vincent is here.”

“Vincent? What brings Vincent here all of a sudden?”

“Didn’t you ask me to look into a soldier named Damian last time? I tasked Captain Vincent with that job.”

“...So you passed it off to him?”

“Passed it off? I assigned it to the most suitable person, if you please.”

Edmund couldn’t hide his incredulous expression.

And then...

“Besides, Captain Vincent mentioned he had something to discuss with you directly, so he came in person.”

“...Even so, I am the Corps Commander. Shouldn’t he at least schedule an appointment first?”

“I manage all of your schedules, Commander. And you’re taking a break right now, aren’t you?”

“...Let him in.”

There was no beating this snake of a man with words.

Suppressing the sigh rising from deep within, Kiaran muttered quietly.

Soon, Vincent entered the office.

“Glory to the Kingdom!”

“Yeah, yeah. So, what’s brought you all the way here? Your unit must be pretty free, huh?”

At Kiaran’s question, Vincent smiled faintly.

“We’re quite busy. The training schedules for the soldiers are tight, and we’re working hard to carry out your directives.”

“You seem pretty relaxed for someone doing their best... Anyway, have a seat.”

Vincent took the offered seat, and Kiaran continued.

“If you’ve got something to say, spill it.”

“I’ll start with what you asked about Sergeant Damian.”

Vincent then detailed Damian’s current situation in the Makstri unit.

The first month of his assignment, Damian had recaptured the gold mine base just three days before it was completely lost to the Iren Kingdom.

And then, he immediately abandoned the base and returned to the unit.

Kiaran frowned as she listened.

“What’s that supposed to mean? He recaptured the base only to abandon it?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Why?”

At that question, Vincent’s face brightened slightly.

Kiaran was notorious in the military for her wild temperament, but her subordinates respected her for exactly this reason.

Vincent relayed what he had been told.

And as Kiaran listened to Vincent’s report...

“Hahaha... That guy’s nuts, isn’t he?”

Unable to hold the base or train there, Damian had chosen to abandon it.

While it could be seen as abandoning the recaptured base based on a sergeant’s personal judgment...

“It’s a valid decision. Better to train properly and take it for good than to fight half-assed.”

“Yes, exactly.”

Kiaran assessed the situation with cold logic.

She didn’t care for excuses or formalities.

All that mattered was finding the solution closest to her goal.

“But isn’t Makstri a den of criminals? How can you possibly train those convicts?”

“Ordinarily, it would be deemed impossible. There was an attempt to train them in the past, but it only led to backlash and conflicts with the regular army.”

Kiaran’s eyes sparkled at Vincent’s words.

“And yet, that sergeant is managing it? On his own?”

“...Yes, judging by the current situation, that seems accurate.”

“Hahaha, I guess your instincts haven’t dulled. I thought you were losing your touch as you got older.”

“...I’m only 36, ma’am.”

“Haha, just a figure of speech.”

Kiaran waved her hand dismissively, but her eyes flashed sharply as she thought of Damian.

She was curious to see what Damian would show next.

“And you mentioned you had something else to tell me?”

“Yes, it’s about a letter we received from Sergeant Damian.”

“A letter?”

“Yes. It contains a proposal addressed to you, Commander.”

Kiaran’s expression twisted slightly.

“A mere sergeant had the nerve to send me a proposal?”

“Well... it’s not something we can handle ourselves. It’s far beyond the ordinary.”

“...?”

What kind of proposal could make Vincent back off like this?

Kiaran glanced at Edmund, but he shook his head, equally clueless.

“...What?”

“I’m preparing for war.”

Diel was visibly shocked by Damian’s response.

Though this was a conflict zone, she hadn’t expected him to be planning a war.

“Is it a war that you’re fighting on your own?”

“Yes, in a way. I’m the commander, after all.”

“....”

Diel’s expression turned to one of disbelief.

This was a man who hadn’t even been enlisted for two years.

And yet he was talking about being a commander?

Seeing her bewilderment, Damian explained.

“You know what Makstri is like.”

“...I know it’s a conflict zone. But the kingdom isn’t actively trying to take control of this place.”

Damian smirked.

As expected of Diel.

She understood Makstri and the kingdom’s stance perfectly.

“That’s right. The kingdom isn’t interested in spending significant resources to secure the gold mine here. It’s been a prolonged conflict, and the returns aren’t worth the investment.”

Furthermore, the drawn-out fight was simply a means of controlling the prisoners involved.

Diel asked, puzzled.

“Then why...?”

“But I have my reasons for needing to end this war.”

From Kiaran’s perspective, who had sent him here, this was just a small game.

If Damian succeeded, he would prove his worth. If he failed, nothing of value would be lost.

So he had to succeed.

It wasn’t just about passing her test; it was a challenge Damian had set for himself.

‘If I can’t manage this... all my future plans will be meaningless.’

What was the point of grand plans without the ability to execute them?

The battle in Makstri was as much a test for Damian himself as it was for anyone else.

Seeing the intense resolve in Damian’s eyes, Diel watched him in silence.

And then, finally...

“I’ll do everything I can to help.”

“Thank you, that’s reassuring.”

At Damian’s words, Diel pulled out some documents from her bag.

“While I’m here, let me brief you on what’s been happening in Erkal. Quite a lot has happened since you left.”

“All right.”

As Diel began her report, Damian and she delved into work-related discussions for quite some time.

* * *

Another month passed.

Now, only one month remained before the gold mine’s ownership would be fully transferred to the Iren Kingdom.

Within that time, they would have to face another battle against the enemy.

And now, the soldiers of the Makstri unit looked vastly different from a month ago.

“Run! Faster!”

“Aaaahhhh!”

“Haaaargh!”

Around fifty soldiers at the front raised their shields high, charging at the enemy and crashing into them with force.

Bam!

With a thunderous noise, the group on the opposing side staggered.

The Makstri unit’s charge was more intense than expected. However...

“How dare these criminals!”

“Haargh!”

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

Under the intense assault on their shields, the Makstri soldier holding the shield began to shrink back.

The group that the Makstri unit was currently facing off against?

None other than the regular army stationed on the outskirts.

Seorael watched the ongoing training with disbelief.

“...Ha ha ha ha ha.”

He let out a bewildered laugh.

Two months—no, three months.

In that short span, these once-criminals had been trained to the point where they could push back segments of the regular army.

Seorael turned to Damian and asked.

“Are you a mage or something? What kind of magic did you use?”

Damian responded with a faint smile.

A month ago, Damian had received the response to the proposal he’d submitted to the Corps Commander through Captain Vincent.

And that response had led to the transformation they were witnessing now.

“It’s all about motivation.”

Damian quietly recalled the Corps Commander’s reply.