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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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After interviewing the somewhat(?) unique platoon leaders, I met the soldiers under my command. I’d worried she’d assembled a company of oddballs, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
They were mostly soldiers who’d served on the northern and southern front lines, all physically and mentally sound. If the company commander was the head and the platoon leaders the spine and nerves, the soldiers were the hands and feet in battle.
If they had problems too, this unit should be called Sony Zeppelin’s Heart-Pounding Mental Reform Brigade, not the Assault Magic Infantry Battalion. As the name suggested, this unit was created with combined magic and infantry operations in mind.
‘Assault’ implied utilizing the magic troops’ mobility to rapidly deploy infantry, providing overwhelming fire support and devastating the enemy rear. That wouldn’t be possible if both the commanders and soldiers were unfit for duty.
‘Well, whatever our actual role, Sony Zeppelin’s concept is a tactic ahead of its time.’
The concept of airborne troops relied on the development of airships. Currently, even the Reinhardt Empire, known for its advanced airship technology, only had prototypes. It was surprising that a soldier from the small Ukrainian Principality came up with such an idea.
She was an Archmage for a reason. Though I still wasn’t sure if she was someone I could trust, follow, and respect.
“Phew!”
I placed the empty beer mug on the table and called the waiter.
“Another beer and a plate of assorted sausages, please!”
“Coming right up!”
Life in the 8th Assault Magic Battalion wasn’t entirely worse than in the 3rd Magic Battalion. One advantage was the unit’s proximity to a civilian village.
The quiet rural village of Stout. While not comparable to Cherno City or the capital, Kayef, it had everything a rural village needed: two taverns, a general store, a herbalist, a tailor, and a cobbler. Of course, there was a reason for the unit’s unusual location.
‘Why is a secret unit stationed so close to a village?’
‘Well, duh! We have no supplies.’
‘What?’
‘How can a unit that isn’t even formally established receive supplies and logistics? It was hard enough assembling the troops in secret; there’s no way we could do the same for logistics.’
‘S-So you’re saying we’re supposed to get supplies from the village? Using our own money?’
‘I’ll cover the basic equipment with my own funds, but for food, yes.’
You’re… truly amazing.
A secret unit that couldn’t officially request supplies from Army Command, intentionally stationed near a village to rely on civilian resources. It was a downgraded version of North Korean army tactics.
While the circumstances were different, it was essentially self-sufficiency. But it wasn’t entirely illogical. Since the unit was created because Sony and the King didn’t trust the existing military, security was paramount.
And Stout happened to be Sony Zeppelin’s hometown. With her, the village’s pride, insisting on secrecy, there was no need to worry about rumors of the unit’s presence spreading.
‘The real problem would be collusion, not leaks…’ I shook my head.
“Here’s another beer and assorted sausages.”
“Thank you.”
The waiter quickly brought the beer and food. I handed him three silver coins and looked at Sergeant Claude, sitting across from me.
“Here you go, Sergeant.”
“Thanks.”
He popped a sausage into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed it whole like a bear with a salmon.
“I’ve always wanted to have a drink with you. This is a good opportunity.” I raised my glass.
Claude clinked his against mine without a word. Clink. The cheerful sound of glass meeting glass echoed.
“You’re a better drinker than I expected.”
“I was known as a heavy drinker in my past life.”
“Past life?”
“Ah, no… I meant before I enlisted.”
“Hmm, you didn’t seem like that type at first.” Claude Rain narrowed his eyes at my hasty correction.
“…Never mind that. Why did you call me?”
“Is it wrong for a company commander to have a drink and chat with his platoon leader?”
“Not exactly, but…”
“No particular reason. Just wanted to have a drink and… well, you know, look forward to working together.” I gulped down the fresh beer.
Perhaps it was due to the proximity to the Reinhardt Empire, but the beer was excellent for a local tavern. I hadn’t frequented the tavern in my previous unit because the beer wasn’t to my liking. I suspected I’d be a regular here.
Besides, a company commander should be drowning in alcohol. Being stuck in the middle between the platoon leaders and the battalion commander, there were a lot more people to take care of compared to being a platoon leader.
“How’s your body?”
“Perfect. Working out with you, Sergeant, really helped.”
“Good to hear.”
Claude was still blunt and curt, but the initial hostility had faded considerably. Perhaps he’d grown fond of me after all.
“I have a question, Sergeant.”
“What is it?”
“You mentioned Azov before, in relation to the Quernen War.” I broached the topic carefully.
While Claude seemed to have come to terms with his past, he was sometimes overly sensitive about it. Just a few months ago, he and Bell Meyer had a heated argument about the Quernen War. I had to tread carefully.
“…The Quernen War. Because of what the 4th Platoon Leader said today?”
“Yes.”
Thankfully, he didn’t react negatively. If he was truly bothered, his yellow eyes would have narrowed, and he would have growled like a wild animal.
“You know there’s an archipelago called Azov, south of Ukraine.”
“You mean the Red Sea.”
“Yes.”
The Red Sea.
Ukraine wasn’t landlocked. It bordered the ‘Red Sea,’ an inland sea. The name came from the widespread red coral formations along the coastline. The Azov Archipelago was a group of eight islands rising from its center.
“There was a war there just ten years ago. Between the islanders and the southern regions bordering the Red Sea, especially the Quernen territory.”
A part of Ukraine’s history I didn’t know. It predated the setting of Hearts of General.
“I was twenty then, and I fought in that war as a soldier. It was a brutal battlefield. The Azov bastards never took prisoners alive.”
“…War crimes?”
“No, it was beyond war crimes. It was barbaric, something you’d see in ancient wars fought with swords and spears. They impaled corpses on spikes, desecrating the dead. The captured Ukrainian women… suffered fates worse than death.”
I winced. Even hearing about it made my stomach churn. Savages.
“We won the war, but the scars remain, especially in the south. Do you think they can forget, after just ten years, the sight of their sisters being raped and their parents slaughtered before their eyes?”
Absolutely not. Humans held onto bad memories longer than good ones. Trauma worked that way. It was the same with Belle Meyer and Lumia Blyue.
They had both suffered terrible things… Witnessing the brutal murder and defilement of family and friends wasn’t something one could easily forget.
“Most people in southern Ukraine still harbor resentment towards the Azov Archipelago. Sergeant Hilton Calia must be one of them.”
Claude drained his beer in one gulp, the remaining foam bubbling on the rim of the glass.
“As am I.”
“I shouldn’t have asked. I apologize. I was fifteen at the time, oblivious to the world’s affairs.”
“I understand. There are many like you.”
Claude’s eyes were on me, but his gaze seemed distant.
“Revenge is the most powerful driving force for humans. Even the harshest training won’t break her will.”
The eyes of the seasoned veteran gleamed.
“If nurtured properly, she will become your sharpest sword, Company Commander Enoch.”
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Two weeks had passed since the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion was fully assembled. Sony Zeppelin and the battalion and staff headquarters stocked up on supplies according to their training plan.
The combat company personnel, including myself, conducted individual training or went out to the village, fostering camaraderie among the company and platoon members. While it was uncertain how many would remain after the formal selection, such bonding was essential for unit cohesion.
“Roxana, are you alright?”
“Yes, Company Commander. I’m fully prepared!”
Due to her rank as sergeant and her Mana Heart Disease, Roxana Elim, like Lumia Blyue, was assigned to my direct command at company headquarters.
She was the Company Administration and Supply Officer, though ‘administration’ and ‘supply’ were practically non-existent at the company level.
Sergeant Erwin Luce and Sergeant Hilton Calia, the 3rd and 4th Platoon Leaders, whose first impressions were rather… memorable, had surprisingly built good relationships with their platoon members.
Erwin’s cheerful and easygoing personality, and Hilton’s shy and kind nature in her downtime, seemed to resonate with the soldiers. It was similar for Belle Meyer, and Claude… perhaps due to his status as a war hero, the morale and loyalty of his platoon members were sky-high, even without him saying much.
‘The ‘Charisma’ trait isn’t just for show.’
Among the numerous traits in Hearts of General, charisma was considered top-tier for unit management and wartime control. With him in command, it was no wonder his platoon had such high morale.
“So… is everyone here? You’ve all been enjoying yourselves and training individually for the past two weeks.” Sony Zeppelin, standing on the platform, addressed the assembled troops.
Her eyes met mine briefly before moving on.
“You’ve had two weeks of leisure. Now it’s time for two weeks in hell.”
Her voice was playful as usual, but there was an underlying weight to it.
“I expect you’ll be injured, and some of you might even face death in this training. But if you return safely, I promise, on my honor as an Archmage, I will turn you into Ukraine’s most elite unit.” She paused for a moment, then her demeanor shifted dramatically.
“…Survive!!! No matter what!!! And you will become heroes of this era, bringing glory to Ukraine—!!!”
A jolt, like being struck by lightning, ran through me. The assembled troops shuddered.
“Glory to the Motherland!! Glory to the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion!!”
Following Sony Zeppelin’s lead, the unit members responded in unison, their voices booming.
“Glory!!!”
The cries of the young soldiers echoed towards the sky. It was the starting signal for the changes Ukraine would undergo amidst the approaching waves of war that would engulf the world.
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