Chapter Eighty-Two: Promotion on the Frontlines

Chapter Eighty-Two: Promotion on the Front Lines

Seeing that the pale-faced youth finally shut his mouth, Shaya smiled with satisfaction and moved the dagger two steps away. He glanced at the wall where a set of extravagant armor hung. Walking over, he took it down—the armor looked ornate and complex, yet felt surprisingly light in his hand, which caught him off guard. With a heavy toss, he threw the armor in front of Bonfrett. “Put on the armor, Sir! Hmph, from now on, I’ll be your personal ‘protector.’ Please, Sir, put it on immediately; you’ll need to restore morale yourself!”

A moment later, Shaya and Bonfrett stepped out of the tent together. Bonfrett had hurriedly scrubbed at the milk-white cream on his face, leaving splotches of white and blue. He had managed to don the armor, though clearly he hadn’t time for the leather undercoat, exposing his snow-white skin. Shaya kept close, his eyes fierce, and shoved the knight forward, shouting loudly, “The Inspector has arrived!!”

Outside, Bonfrett’s attendants from the imperial capital had already been subdued, sprawled on the ground. Sharba and Kato stood at the entrance, Sharba holding a spiked mace.

Seeing his attendants overpowered, Bonfrett’s face was painted with despair. He shot a venomous look at Shaya, only to be cowed by a fierce glare in return.

“See? I told you this boy’s got guts! Hahaha!” Sharba thumped Kato, whose wounds hadn’t healed; he only held a dagger. The blow made his shoulder sag, but he squinted and grinned. “Not bad, not bad. This kid really is bold. Heh… Don’t you think he’s got a bit of Vea’s spirit?”

At the mention of “Vea,” Sharba shuddered and lowered his voice. “Ah, don’t bring up that name. You know how the general is…”

“What’s there to fear? The general can’t hear us now. Hmph, if Vea were here, things wouldn’t be this chaotic…”

Shaya, spotting Sharba and Kato, paused for a second. The three exchanged glances, then together “escorted” Bonfrett toward the camp gates.

At the entrance, the battalion officer had already gathered the soldiers. Officers from the logistics and auxiliary units had heard the news and assembled as well. By now, the area was swarming with routed soldiers returning in disarray. Seeing their miserable state, Bonfrett’s legs went weak. Shaya, standing behind, gave him a discreet but firm kick that sent him stumbling forward.

Shaya seized the moment, shouting, “Inspector, please issue your orders!!”

If Bonfrett had his way, the order he most wanted to give was to flee immediately, mount the fastest horse, and ride straight to the imperial heartland. But he was no fool; to have won the crown prince’s favor in the capital, he must have some cunning. He knew that if he dared utter such an order, the fierce brute at his side would probably stab him on the spot…

He coughed and, trembling, said, “Yes, um… Order, I will give the order…”

He glanced at Shaya, who wore a cold smile. Bonfrett quickly cleared his throat. “Pass my command! The whole army, the entire army is to… to be on alert! Also… send out scouts to search for the enemy, gather the stragglers, take a headcount… and… and…”

In truth, Shaya had prompted him with several points while they were dressing inside, but fear had made Bonfrett forget most of them. Still, he had some presence of mind left. Realizing that if he stalled any longer the brute’s expression would only worsen, he had a sudden inspiration. Pointing at Shaya, he announced loudly, “I appoint him as my special military advisor, with authority to issue orders in my stead! That is… what he says shall be as if I said it myself…”

With that, Bonfrett shivered in the cold wind, casting a pitiful look at Shaya.

Shaya felt both amused and exasperated, but with all eyes on him, he straightened his back and accepted the role with a show of formality.

After all, the main battle flag regiment had already marched north; those in the camp were all auxiliary or logistics troops from the Thirteenth Legion. As the general’s personal guard, Shaya’s status was already high. Moreover, his recent heroic exploits and injuries had spread through the camp, thanks to Kato and others, so everyone expected his imminent promotion. Thus, his sudden authority caused no stir.

He sighed inwardly, forcing himself to remain calm. Raising his voice, he declared, “Very well! Since Sir Bonfrett is unwell, I will act as his military advisor for now…”

He pointed at the battalion officer. “Uh… Slater? Yes, your name is Slater, correct?”

The officer smiled and nodded.

“Good, Slater, my friend. You’re in charge of gathering every combat-capable soldier in the camp! Assemble all men from the transport, logistics, and auxiliary units—draw at least a thousand to form a fighting force. The more we can muster without sacrificing effectiveness, the better. Equip them as infantry. Sharba!”

Sharba straightened. “Here!”

“Sharba, your task is to select a hundred men who can ride. I believe the supply unit still has over a hundred horses, right?”

“If you count the mules pulling carts, we can scrape together two hundred.”

“Excellent! Gather two hundred men. We need cavalry—for patrols, and as a shock force when needed, they’re indispensable. Kato! I know you’re still not fully recovered, but I need you to take charge of logistics and supplies for now! It’s a heavy duty, and you’ll also need to tend to the wounded and organize the strengthening of our defenses. Check the quartermaster’s stores—bring out anything we can use!”

Shaya then rattled off four or five more orders in quick succession. It was his first time taking charge like this, and he felt a bit anxious, but he hardened his resolve. After all, the old general’s books had covered these things, and as he issued commands, he began to sound convincing.

Though the forces left behind were not the main battle units, they were still of the Thirteenth Legion—disciplined and efficient. Orders were followed without question, and everyone hurried off to their tasks.

Shaya pulled Kato aside and whispered, “This self-important knight is your responsibility. Keep a close eye on him—don’t let him escape. We can’t afford to have him run; if he does, our legion brothers might remain steady, but the routed soldiers will surely fall into chaos…”

Kato nodded, glaring fiercely at Bonfrett. “Don’t worry. I’ll watch him like a hawk.”

The Thirteenth Legion truly deserved its reputation as the empire’s iron army. Once set in motion, their efficiency was formidable.

In less than two hours, the mustering was complete. The original camp guard, combined with men drawn from various departments, produced fifteen hundred combat troops, over two hundred of them archers. Sharba managed to collect nearly three hundred horses from the transport teams, though only a third were true warhorses. Cavalry was not a problem; the Thirteenth Legion was a cavalry unit, and even auxiliaries were skilled riders. Sharba soon had over two hundred cavalrymen ready.

Kato took over the quartermaster’s stores, turning out all available supplies. They found more than three hundred sets of heavy infantry armor and sixty sets for heavy cavalry. After a moment’s thought, Shaya ordered the cavalry armor to be stripped and issued to the infantry, thus mustering four hundred heavy infantry.

This decision puzzled Sharba. The burly man had hoped to lead a unit of heavy cavalry, even if only sixty strong. But Shaya’s explanation convinced him at once.

“Heavy cavalry is powerful, but without sufficient numbers, a few dozen can’t deliver a proper group charge. Better not to bother! Let’s give the heavy armor to the infantry. Our cavalry is too few—they’ll be used mostly for scouting and harassment. The armor would just slow them down.”

Sharba nodded in agreement, clapping Kato on the back and laughing loudly. “See? Didn’t I say so? This lad really is a bit like Vea!”

“Shut up, you big oaf! Have you forgotten the general’s orders?!”

Shaya was intrigued. He looked at his two companions. “Hmm… This is the second time I’ve heard the name Vea. The first was when the general mentioned him… Was he one of us in the Thirteenth Legion? Why have I never seen him?”

Sharba and Kato exchanged glances, then both fell silent, turning their heads away.

After a while, Kato turned back and said with a wry smile, “Best not ask about that… The name Vea is a taboo in our guard. The general forbids it—every time it’s mentioned, he gets furious.”

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