Things started like this. Second Lieutenant Most, who was temporarily in charge of the defense of the Odin Mountain Range, received a notice from the battalion headquarters to bring the platoon of the Chaniaral Legion and nearly a hundred captured deserters to the legion's main camp in Kafreizit Prefecture's Gourneygada City.
Strangely, the notice didn't mention Claude's squad stationed at the entrance of the mountain path. Left with no choice, he went to Amis to ask the 11th Battalion about it.
However, the reply he received was that everything would continue as usual. That meant that while the 11th Battalion would be packing up and leaving Amis to return to the main camp in Kafreizit to regroup, the infirmary and the medical squad would have to stay in Amis for a while longer.
The reason for that was that too many injured soldiers had returned from the siege and they had to stay in Amis for treatment.
As for the infirmary and garrison platoon, they would continue to guard the mountain path.
So, Claude returned to the entrance of the mountain path and continued his days of stargazing and napping.
However, his days in the next two months weren't dull at all. The kingdom of Aueras constantly sent troops to Amis to transport supplies and supplies. There was a constant flow of people and carriages day and night.
As the garrison platoon stationed at the entrance of the mountain path, they managed to get some extra benefits from the transports.
For example, some of the transports would smuggle in extra alcohol and other goods to be sold at a high price at the frontlines. When the garrison platoon came to inspect the mountain path, they would offer some benefits to get through.
In the end, Claude realized that the entrance to the mountain path guarded by the garrison had become a lucrative passageway. He estimated that he would be able to earn a crown a month, and that was after the income of the rest of the garrison was taken into account.
But two months later, Claude saw Perunt leading his medical squad and a large group of injured soldiers back to Kafreizit. He asked if he wanted to go with them.
Perunt replied with a rather awkward expression, "You're not in the order. I'm only to bring the medical squad and the injured soldiers back. However, there's a notice for you to report to the newly formed garrison platoon in Amis. You can collect your supplies there as well."
He still didn't know that Bluefeather had given up on him, but there was nothing he could do about it.
The Bluefeather Regiment had been ordered to reorganize and reorganize, and the Garrison Squadron was not part of the official establishment, or it could be said to be a temporary combat unit.
Now that the 11th Field Battalion was going to be rebuilt, there was no longer a need for this temporary combat establishment. It could either be converted to an official establishment, or disbanded and rearranged.
Back when Bluefeather was expanding, they gave all the troublesome and unqualified soldiers to Claude so that he could form a garrison and stretcher team for the infirmary. In the end, the 11th Battalion they were in went to protect Prince Wedrick and didn't go to the frontlines. They stayed comfortably in Amis until the end of the campaign.
None of the officers who were familiar with the band were willing to take it over. On the other hand, Claude's backer was too powerful and no one could afford to offend him. So, after some discussion, they decided to transfer the hot potato to the newly formed Amis garrison.
Claude was rather stunned. What's going on? Did I transfer from the ace corps to a local unit?
That doesn't make sense. I've only heard of people transferring from local units to Bluefeather. Since when was there a case of Bluefeather transferring to a local unit?
Perunt, who told Claude the news, was rather embarrassed as well. He could pretty much guess what the higher-ups were thinking.
However, he knew that he couldn't say it too clearly and could only try to persuade Claude from another angle. "Actually, this isn't a bad thing. Bluefeather will still have to go to the battlefield after it's reorganized.
You, on the other hand, will only need to stay at the back and guard the mountain path. You won't have to worry about the battlefield in front of you and your own safety will be guaranteed. "
Claude thought about it and nodded to Perunt before bringing Berklin and Moriad to Amis in a carriage.
Amis garrison headquarters was located in a two-storey building next to the original city lord's mansion. Claude went there to ask and found out that as the garrison had just been formed, they only had one brigade. Four platoons were sent to guard the four city gates and his own platoon was assigned to guard the mountain path.
The person in charge of the garrison was a captain named Wardlov. He didn't hold back when he saw Claude and asked him to give him the name list of the garrison. At the same time, he was prepared to send someone to take over the garrison. After all, Claude was only a sergeant major for a platoon jarl. Not to mention, the number of people in the garrison exceeded the norm and he had to transfer another squad out.
Claude didn't really care about being the acting jarl of the garrison. The only thing he was worried about was the fact that the squad that mastered accurate marksmanship would be scattered. He had heard many examples of Bluefeather breaking out of an encirclement. Rows of soldiers would march neatly towards the enemy's formation and open fire while braving the bullets and cannons. Then, they would charge into melee combat to take over the enemy's formation. Less than a third of them would survive the whole process.
However, that was the most common sight in war in this era. Be it in defense or offense, lining up and firing at the same time, charging with bayonets, and deciding the outcome of a melee combat were the main reasons why both sides suffered heavy casualties.
After a battle, the soldiers would not boast about their bravery. They would only thank the gods for their blessings because they were lucky enough to survive the battle.
Claude had Berklin take out the list of the garrison members and their personal files from his bag. Perunt had given them to him.
After taking them, Claude understood that Bluefeather had indeed given up on his garrison.
After handing it to Wardlov, the loud captain flipped through the files and his expression darkened. In the end, he threw the files on the ground and asked, "What's going on with your garrison? Are these files real?"
Written on their files was the evaluation the instructor gave them during the recruit training. Almost every single one of the sentinel's files had the stamp that they were unfit to be soldiers. Only Claude, the four nobles, and Most, along with three corporals and a sergeant who were transferred to the sentinel later on, had relatively normal files.
Claude smiled bitterly. It was his fault for accepting such an unreliable training mission back then. In the end, he ended up in Sidins Principality. His garrison, which was made up of unqualified soldiers, remained unscathed in Amis all this time, while the other proper combat units suffered four-fifths of their casualties. It was rather ironic to think about it.
"You've seen it for yourself. My company is made up of unqualified soldiers. They only know how to load ammunition, fire, stand guard and patrol. They don't know anything else. They don't even know how to line up, let alone fire at the same time.
That's why Bluefeather's 11th battalion sent us to guard the entrance.
But they're still better off. There's also a stretcher squad made up of idiots and lunatics. "
"You're right. I know that stretcher squad," Wardlov interrupted.
Wardlov interrupted. "They're working as laborers in the warehouse. They even caused quite a ruckus yesterday. They were fighting for food and destroyed the stacks of supplies. Two of them were crushed to death."
"Ugh …" Claude was speechless. It was no wonder he didn't find any traces of the stretcher squad when Perunt led the medical team back to Kafreizit.
It turned out that Bluefeather didn't just give up on his garrison squad. They even abandoned the stretcher squad in Amis.
It made sense. Those idiots and lunatics were a burden to them and it was a good opportunity to get rid of them.
It turned out that during the recruitment process, those idiots and lunatics were sent over by the places where they were recruited. They couldn't just ignore them for the sake of their reputation.
Now that Bluefeather had gone through such a huge battle and suffered such heavy losses, they could be treated as casualties on the battlefield with a single stroke of the name list.
Naturally, they had to seize the opportunity. They were all idiots and wouldn't complain to their superiors.
Claude didn't have the heart to care about those idiots and lunatics. He wasn't someone with a heart of stone, nor was he a saint. Since Wardlov said that they were working as coolies in the warehouse, he probably wouldn't leave them to die.
In any case, he was wondering if he could return to Bluefeather if Wardlov sent someone to take over the garrison.
Wardlov cursed the 11th battalion commander, Major Jebson, in front of Claude and the others. He scolded him for taking two bottles of good wine from him and saying that he was going to send a strong company to be the backbone of the garrison. Yet, he ended up giving him such a crappy company instead. What the hell was this?
Claude, Berklin and Moriad's faces turned uglier and uglier as they listened. It turned out that their garrison was only worth two bottles of good wine.
After half a day of cursing, Wardlov was tired. He looked at the three awkwardly and said, "You're Claude?
"How about this, you'll still be acting as the Garrison Captain and continue to lead the Garrison Squadron to guard the entrance to the Odin Mountain Range.
I'll send someone else to inform you if there are any other changes in personnel in the future. "
Claude straightened and said, "Sir, I'd still like you to send someone else to take over this position. I want to return to Bluefeather."
"No way."
Wardlov said firmly, "I traded two bottles of good wine for you. Don't even think about leaving just like that and leaving the mess to me.
Since the files say that you're good at training these unqualified recruits, you'll have to manage this garrison well and don't cause trouble for me! "
"Sir, I object to your words!"
Claude was furious. Who the hell did you trade two bottles of wine for? I get more than two bottles of good wine every day when I'm guarding the entrance.
"Objection overruled!"
Wardlov glared at Claude. "Claude, tell me, what's a soldier's duty?
Louder! "
"Sir, it's obedience!
Obedience!
Obedience! "
"Good. Since you know how to obey, you'll have to listen to my orders and take over as the acting jarl.
You should know that I have your file with me. You're my subordinate, so it's impossible for you to return to the Bluefeather Legion without my permission. "Captain Wardlov smacked his fist on the stack of personal files on the table proudly.
"Also, take off the blue feathers on your hats and the two blue ribbons you're wearing.
You're no longer soldiers of Bluefeather, but members of Amis' garrison.
Our garrison soldiers don't need such fancy clothes. It's not like you're some sissy, so why dress like a bluetail sparrow in heat? "
In the end, Claude and the other two were blasted out of Wardlov's office in a daze. The blue feathers and ribbons on their bodies were gone and their uniforms were no different from those of the second-line corps.
"Boss, what should we do now?" Berklin and Moriad looked at Claude helplessly.
"What should we do?
Nothing! "
Claude snapped out of his daze and decided that it was best not to get on Wardlov's bad side. The man had a fiery temper and Claude didn't understand how he managed to become the person in charge of Amis' garrison.
"Let's go to the logistics department to collect our troops' allowance and supplies for this month. Then, we'll return to the entrance to continue our mission," Claude said after some thought.
"Alright, Boss. Can we go back later? Maude and I want to go to the tavern for a bit," Berklin pleaded.
"Go ahead."
Claude shook his head. "Just go back before night. Don't spend the night at the tavern and don't cause any trouble, got it?"
"Got it, Boss. We'll be back on time."