"Boss, I really can't take it anymore. These fellows aren't fit to be soldiers at all. I can't teach them no matter how hard I try. It's been more than a week and they can't even walk in formation properly, let alone move left or right.
Every time I shout a command, at least two or three of them will bump into each other … "Berklin rushed into the wooden hut and took off his military cap before throwing it on the ground.
Another month passed and Claude was able to get out of bed and walk around. However, Perunt didn't allow him to do any strenuous exercise to prevent his wounds that had just healed from reopening.
However, the fact that he could recover so quickly was out of Perunt's expectations. He thought that Claude would have to stay in bed for another month and didn't think that he would be able to get out of bed and walk around on his own. He was quite envious of Claude's physique and felt that it was the main reason for his quick recovery.
Claude didn't mention his injuries at all in his letter to Maria. Instead, he emphasized the fact that he got first place during the recruit training and was highly regarded by the higher-ups. They even made an exception to promote him to sergeant major.
At the same time, he stated that he would be in charge of setting up the guard squad and stretcher squad for the voluntary infirmary and that he wouldn't disappoint the higher-ups' trust in him.
All letters from soldiers had to be examined by the officers in charge of receiving them. The higher-ups were quite satisfied with the contents of Claude's letter to Maria. So, on the day the training ended, Claude, who was still recuperating on his sickbed, was given his epaulets. That meant that Claude had officially become a sergeant major of Bluefeather. At the same time, the epaulets of the other four nobles were also given to him.
Due to the official end of officer training, the tents at the side of the training field were going to be used for other purposes. So, the seven new NCOs brought Claude and the others some personal belongings in the cupboard of the tent.
They would also leave this place and head to the army's main camp, where they would be assigned to various new recruit teams to serve as basic officers.
Since Claude's order was to set up the guard squad and stretcher squad for the infirmary, he didn't hesitate to use the two wooden huts near the infirmary as temporary lodgings for himself and the four nobles.
Perunt was more than happy to see that and asked Claude to help him form a medical team.
When Perunt brought him the list of members of the medical team, Claude realized that he had inherited a huge mess.
Generally speaking, it was standard for a battle battalion to have a small medical team. During times of war, there might be additional pharmacists and medics. During times of peace, a chief physician, a pharmacist, and six medics were already the minimum. However, Perunt was the only physician in charge of this medical center. There were no pharmacists, and there were only four medics.
"I'm too lazy to deal with those bureaucrats. I can handle it if there are only a few of them, but if there are too many of them, I won't be able to handle them when I'm busy.
In any case, I can still take care of the wounded and sick in the barracks, so I didn't ask the higher-ups for more manpower. "
Perunt shrugged and said without the slightest hint of embarrassment, "You can get out of bed and walk around now. We have plenty of time anyway. Since you can write a reply, help me negotiate with the higher-ups. Write a few more reports and ask them to provide us with more medics and herbalists.
I want smart, honest, and capable medics. Don't give me those lazy bastards with dirty hands. "
Perunt's request was rather difficult to fulfill. Where was he supposed to find those smart, honest, and capable medics?
Knowing that war would break out in a few months, no commanding officer would be willing to hand over the medics of their barracks to someone else.
Claude sent quite a few reports to the higher-ups, but to no avail. In the end, he steeled his resolve and wrote another report in Perunt's name, saying that the medics had to be assigned by the higher-ups and that the medics were to be picked from the new recruits for training. That was how the report was approved.
Claude tossed the approved report to Perunt and told him to go to the recruitment office to pick out suitable medics for the training.
As for the guard squad and stretcher squad he was in charge of, they didn't have the right to pick new recruits and would have to wait for the higher-ups to assign them.
A squad consisted of twelve men and two squads made up a total of twenty-four. Since he and four other nobles were already there, he thought that the higher-ups would send nineteen new recruits to make up two full squads.
However, he didn't think that the higher-ups would actually send him 27 new recruits.
When Claude received the report, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. When he asked the corporal who sent the new recruits, he said that was the order from the higher-ups and that he was only following orders.
Claude had no choice but to ask Berklin to find Gilp at the recruitment office and find out what was going on.
In the end, Berklin came back and told Claude that it was fine. Gilp said that the soldiers would be under Claude's supervision and training for now. After some time, those who weren't suited to be soldiers would be eliminated. Arrangements could be made after that.
Claude had Berklin, who had already recovered, go to the logistics office to collect tents and other supplies. He arranged for the camp and training grounds to be set up in the courtyard behind the infirmary. That place used to be used for drying blankets, herbs, and bandages, so there was more than enough space to train the new recruits.
Claude then took a look at the personal files of the new recruits and realized that the 27 new recruits weren't new recruits. Even the shortest time they had been in the army was a month or so and they were only eliminated during the new recruit training.
The instructors believed that they weren't suited to be soldiers of Bluefeather. Even if they were healthy, the best place for them to go would be to do hard labor in the logistics department.
So this place is where the trash gathers … Claude smiled bitterly. Looking at the comments on the new recruits' files, he realized what kind of job he had accepted.
No wonder the higher-ups were so generous, sending him so many people at once. Second Lieutenant Gilp had even said that it was fine. They would train for a period of time before being eliminated. It seemed like he knew what kind of trash these recruits were.
Claude picked out two of the 27 that stood out from the rest. The comments on the first one were: gluttonous, lazy, unwilling to move, would hit people if he didn't get what he wanted, slow reflexes, and slow.
Claude called Berklin over and told him to bring the new recruit to him.
Soon, a two-meter-tall man appeared before him. He was at least 2.20-30 meters tall, taller than the basketball players in his previous life. Claude had no choice but to raise his head to look at him.
"You're Glemet Opus?
21 years old? "Claude asked.
"I don't know," the big man replied in a muffled voice. "The people in the city used to call me Gemi or Da Zhuang. They wrote me this name because they wanted me to join the army. I'm illiterate, so I don't know what they wrote on it …"
"Alright, then I'll call you Gemi too."
Claude continued, "Why did you join the army? Did you have no choice but to join because of the conscription order?"
The big man scratched his head. "What conscription order? I don't know. Sir Biecko told me that I could eat my fill if I joined the army. That's why I signed up.
I didn't think they'd lie to me. When I went to eat, they wouldn't give me anything to eat. They even said that everyone has a quota and I can't go over it. So, I went to steal other people's food and beat up those who didn't give me anything. "
"You joined the army just to eat?" Claude asked curiously, "Then what about at home?
What did you do before? "
"Home?
I don't have a home. I helped people carry things in the city in exchange for some bread. I slept in the tavern's stable at night and helped feed their horses. I couldn't get enough to eat and was always hungry. That's why I joined the army. "
Claude flipped through the training records and saw that he had been locked up a few times. It was all because he stole food from others in the canteen and was beaten up if they didn't give him anything. After that, he was locked up and robbed food even more fiercely after he was released.
At the same time, he moved slowly during training and didn't want to train with the others. The instructor had no choice but to kick him out.
But what was with the big man's laziness, unwillingness to move, and slow reflexes? His answers were logical and there didn't seem to be any problems.
Claude pointed at the file and asked, "Your personal evaluation says lazy, slow reflexes, and unwillingness to move. What's with that?"
"They don't let me eat my fill, so I don't want to train with them. I'll get hungry quickly.
I used to find a place to lie down when I wasn't working in the city. That way, I wouldn't get hungry so easily. "
Claude understood. "Alright, you can eat your fill every day here. But you have to listen to my orders. Otherwise, you won't get any food.
Now, go out. "
"Really? Can I really eat my fill?
What if they don't let me eat? "The big man looked at Claude with a hint of surprise and doubt.
"Really, it's fine. I'll pay for you no matter how much you eat. Don't worry about that."
How much could the food in the canteen be worth? Claude sometimes suspected that the food of a squad wasn't even worth a riyas. No matter how much the big man ate, how much could he eat? At most, Claude would just have to use his allowance to pay for the canteen. It wasn't like he didn't have money.
Once one was settled, there was no need to worry about the second one.
The new recruit wasn't of age yet. He was only 16 and was a homeless orphan.
The place he came from took him in to make up for the quota. Since no one was willing to stand up for him, he ended up in the army.
Because he was too young, he was eliminated during training and had been hanging around in the army. That was why he was sent to Claude's place.
After all, he wasn't of age and hadn't fully matured yet. He wasn't even as tall as a flintlock, so it was only natural that he wouldn't be able to keep up with the training.
Let's just run errands for now, thought Claude with a sigh. He called the youth in for a chat and felt that he was rather honest. So, he got himself a guard who could also act as a messenger.
That night, Berklin brought the new recruits to the canteen for dinner. When he returned, he smiled bitterly at Claude. "Boss, you're going to lose your salary. That big guy called Gum ate enough food for eight people and said he was only 70% full. I don't even know where he ate all that food. He's such a glutton."
As Claude still couldn't move around, he had no choice but to let Berklin lead the new recruits into formation training.
After a week or so, Berklin's gleeful demeanor as a drill instructor turned into a crestfallen one. He would complain every day when he returned.
He described the new recruits in his own words, "Apart from eating, sleeping, and resting, they all turn into idiots during training.
It'd be easier for him to train a bunch of pigs than these guys. At the very least, the pigs would know where to run. "
Claude was rather calm. "It's fine. I've been observing them for the past few days. I know how to train them.
Just endure it for a few more days. I'll be able to leave the room for some recovery training soon. I'll teach you how to train them then. "
"It's the new year and I'll be quite busy these few days. There'll be a lot of festivities to celebrate the new year. Even though I don't drink, I still have to go.
After all, the new year means a family reunion. So, I can only do my best to update once a day. I'll update when I have time.
Also, I wish everyone a happy new year and good luck!