Claude's head was still throbbing when he woke up. It was the after-effects of his hangover.
Last night, he, Welikro and Captain Mentasque drank a crate of good wine and all of them were pretty drunk. Mentasque was the first to faint, but Welikro seemed to be quite sober before Claude lost consciousness.
That fellow's alcohol tolerance seems to have improved.
"What time is it?" Claude asked.
The tent still reeked of alcohol. It was probably due to the lack of ventilation in the tent.
Myjack and Gum didn't open the windows or curtains for ventilation out of fear that he would catch a cold. That was why the smell of alcohol was so strong that it started to stink.
"It's already four in the afternoon," Myjack replied.
He brought Claude a bowl of hangover soup. It was made with orange peel and some other herbs. It tasted rather strange, but it was very effective in treating hangovers.
"By the way, Sir, Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk came in the morning. He left when he saw you sleeping. However, he told me to tell you that he's going back the day after tomorrow because he has to visit an important friend," Myjack said.
Claude recalled seeing Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk with a woman before he left the ball. It seemed that Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk had found someone to marry. He was probably going to visit the woman's house the next day.
Since that was the case, he decided to go back together the day after tomorrow. It was fine as long as he could make it in time for the freshmen's welcome party.
Since he had some free time the next day, he could buy some things to bring back.
"Open the windows and curtains to ventilate the air."
Claude took the towel Myjack handed him and wiped his face. "Is there a bathroom in the city?
I'll take a bath tonight. "
"Yes, Sir. It's not far from the camp. There's a good one two streets away, but I heard it's a little expensive." Myjack opened the window and rolled up the curtains.
The fresh, cold air caused Claude to shiver uncontrollably and he felt much more awake.
He took his uniform from the bedside and put it on as he said, "It's fine if it's expensive. It's fine as long as it's comfortable. It's better than taking a cold bath in the camp."
There was a bathhouse in the camp, but it wasn't for bathing but for washing.
Although the bathwater was not ice, it was still cold and warm for a while. There was no need to think about a hot bath, but it was still possible to just wash it.
In the end, he decided to take a bath. At the very least, it would make his body feel more comfortable.
"By the way, Myjack, tell Big Gum to go to the royal guard's campsite and look for Captain Welikro and Captain Mentasque. Tell them that I'm treating them to dinner and that I'll invite them to a bath after dinner. I believe they should be awake by now," Claude instructed.
There was no curfew in the city tonight, so they could play a little late and return to camp.
About an hour later, Welikro and Captain Mentaske arrived.
Welikro was still in high spirits and didn't look drunk at all.
Captain Mentasque, on the other hand, was pale and swaying as he walked. He held his head in his hands and said that he had drunk too much the night before and that his head seemed heavy.
However, his mind was still very clear. "I'm sorry, I've already made you spend money last night. Let me treat you tonight.
But let's make it clear that we're not allowed to drink during this dinner. "
"Myjack, get Captain Mentasque a bowl of soup to sober up," said Claude.
"Yes, sir. It'll be ready soon. Please wait a moment." Myjack left.
Welikro laughed. "Don't worry, let him treat me. He's a rich man and has plenty of money on him.
It's rare for me to meet him, so I'll definitely make him pay. "
Huh? How did Welikro know that I'm rich?
Claude remembered that Welikro had already left Whitestag for the royal capital with his father and sister before he started earning money through real estate in town.
Welikro seemed to know what Claude was thinking. "Boa told me that he received a letter from his father and learned that you earned a lot of money by buying land in town.
He was really upset and said that he shouldn't have left town so early. Otherwise, he would have been able to make a fortune working with you. "
I see. Claude chuckled. "You can't say for sure. Perhaps it's because he joined the Bangilia garrison that he can defend the rear.
If he had stayed in Whitestag, he might have been conscripted into the second line like our classmates and his safety wouldn't have been guaranteed.
It's a win-win situation, I suppose. "
Myjack quickly brought over a bowl of hangover soup. After thanking him, Mentaske blew on it and drank it while it was still warm.
Then he grumbled, "As expected of an orderly like you who's smart and diligent. You guys don't know this, but the orderly assigned to me by the camp is extremely lazy. He resolutely refuses to do anything that isn't told to him. Even if he's told to do something, he's always forgetful and half-hearted.
I'll often find out when I run out of clothes to wear. He hides all the clothes I change out of so that I won't urge him to wash them.
He's also a glutton and often eats my side dishes when I go to get food for him. Once, he only left two pieces of bread for me and lied to me that the canteen didn't prepare any side dishes today. I'm so pissed off.
He doesn't change no matter what and even the whip doesn't work on him. He's so thick-skinned and stubborn.
I asked the battalion to give me a new one, but they said that he wasn't suited to be a soldier in the first place. That's why he became my orderly.
I believe they'll be able to give me a new one when we get back. "
Claude smiled bitterly. That was only to be expected. The army would often send the unsuitable recruits to work as orderlies for the officers.
Back in Bluefeather, Claude's infirmary and garrison unit took in those disqualified recruits.
In other corps, they would just be doing manual labor in the army. Mentaske's orderlies weren't rare. Many officers didn't want orderlies at all and would take care of the miscellaneous chores themselves.
"I'm just lucky. Myjack wasn't old enough when he was recruited, so he was assigned to me.
When I became a second lieutenant, I recruited him to be my orderly. Now, he doesn't want to leave even if he stays with me for too long.
If I can be promoted to major in the future, I'll let him be my adjutant, "Claude said humbly," By the way, Wero, do you have any orderlies or guards? "
"No."
Welikro shook his head. "I'm used to doing everything myself. I don't like people touching my personal belongings.
I don't have any guards either, but I do have an adjutant when I'm on the battlefield. He has good eyesight and marksmanship, so he didn't come with me this time. "
Actually, Myjack was already a non-commissioned officer. Previously, Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk asked him if he was willing to become a squad leader in another platoon, but he said he would rather stay by Claude's side as an orderly. He was used to being together and didn't want to be separated.
However, Claude had already been promoted to lieutenant. If he became the acting battalion commander, he would be able to have a squad of guards by his side and Myjack could be the squad leader.
The three chatted for a while before Myjack came in to report that the best hotel in Pacathia, Blue Glacial Sea, had sent a carriage to pick up the guests.
Claude had Gum invite Welikro and Mentaske to a banquet. After receiving confirmation, he had Myjack take the carriage to Blue Glacial Sea and reserve a private room.
Now that it was about time, Blue Glacial Sea sent a carriage to receive them. Their service was rather decent.
Myjack followed Claude into the carriage while Gemi sat beside the coachman.
When they arrived at the Blue Ice Sea, Claude, Welikro, and Mentaske went to a private room on the second floor. Myjack and Gum were seated at a table downstairs. Claude wouldn't forget to treat the two of them, so Gum was in for a treat tonight.
The three of them chatted as they ate and for some reason, they ended up talking about the weapons and equipment of the kingdom's army.
Mentaske grumbled a lot about it. He felt that the kingdom had taken a huge detour in military research in the past and that it was fortunate that things had changed.
He was referring to the emergence of the aubass mark 3 matchlock. In the past, the kingdom's research was focused on how to fire longer, cover more area of effect and make the barrel more durable. They completely ignored the needs of frontline soldiers.
It was the same for cannon research. They only knew how to make cannons that could fire larger and heavier shells and destroy enemy defences in one shot. Yet, they forgot to reduce the weight of the cannons.
In order to be able to withstand a larger amount of gunpowder explosion, the cannon barrels became thicker and thicker, and the cannons became less and less mobile. The current siege cannons were indeed very powerful, but because they were too heavy, their movement speed was very slow. It required 16 strong horses to pull them, and at most, they could only move seven to eight li a day. Furthermore, they had to travel on flat ground, and they also needed several groups of horses to pull them.
Mentaske grumbled, "Why can't we think of something about cannonballs? Can't we make a cannonball that can explode apart from live bullets and shrapnel?"
If cannonballs could explode, the power of cannons would increase exponentially. Sieges would become much easier and there wouldn't be a need to sacrifice the lives of soldiers in order to take down enemy positions.
Claude didn't understand how the world's firearms research went astray.
Guns had always been used as ignition devices and the research focused on firing the furthest and neglected accurate shooting.
Cannons, on the other hand, were focused on firing heavy and solid pellets, but they forgot to focus on cannonballs.
Captain Mentasque said that he had written two letters to the kingdom's artillery research department. In the letters, he explained his ideas, hoping to create an explosive shell.
But he didn't get a reply. It was very likely that his letters were thrown into a trash can.
It's a pity I don't know how to research it. Otherwise, I'd spend my own money to come up with a cannonball that could explode, Mentaske said hatefully. He had no choice but to create a simple catapult to throw a barrel of gunpowder. He had to light the match on the barrel and toss it out.
He didn't think he would get a knighthood because of that.
Due to the close proximity of the enemy, his men suffered heavy casualties every time they attacked. Whenever he thought about those casualties, he found it hard to wear the knighthood on his chest with a clear conscience.
Perhaps due to the monopoly of knowledge, Claude thought of the two basic subjects that weren't available in middle school, physics and chemistry.
Even if people had ideas in their heads, they wouldn't be able to turn them into reality because they didn't understand the basic principles behind them.
Mentaske, for example, wanted to create a cannonball that could explode, but he didn't have the relevant knowledge and couldn't research it.
I have an idea now … Captain Mentasque said that if we change the solid shell into a hollow shell, fill it with cannons, expose a match, light the match first, stuff it into the barrel, and fire it. Then, I wonder if it will explode when it hits the target …
That's not a bad idea. Perhaps that's how the explosive cannonball was invented. Claude's mind was filled with countless cannons from his past life, but this world was still filled with muzzle-loading cannons. No one would believe him even if he told them it could be loaded from the back, let alone rocket launchers. People might even take him for a lunatic if he said too much.
However, Claude didn't know how the cannonballs in his past life were made. He didn't look it up on Baidu and no one would tell him how to make one that was up to standard.
He knew that Mentaske was right, but he didn't understand the principles behind the explosive cannonball. He didn't know where to start even if he wanted to research it.
However, he encouraged Mentaske to do more research when he returned. It was said that many scientific inventions in his past life were related to war and that it was war that pushed humanity's technology forward.
After spending two hours to finish their meal, Claude brought Welikro and Mentaske to the rather expensive bathroom for a bath.
Soon, he understood why this bathroom was so expensive. When you soaked in the steaming hot bath, there would be beautiful maids dressed in skimpy clothes who would help you clean and massage you. They would also serve you all kinds of fruits, snacks, and wine.
If you wanted to relax, you could even bring the maidservants you liked to a small room on the side to rest. Of course, you would have to settle the bill with the maidservants.
Claude refused the maidservants' offer to bring him to a small room to rest. Mentaske, on the other hand, couldn't resist the temptation and brought two maidservants to the small room.
Welikro, on the other hand, laid down in the bath with his arms open and allowed the maidservants to massage him.
"Aren't you going to rest?" Claude asked.
"Nah," Welikro replied in a muffled voice.
"It's nothing. Before I go to bed, all I can think about is women. After shivering, I feel empty and regretful. I can't lift my spirits and it's easy for me to make mistakes when I shoot. It takes me two to three days to adjust. That's why I didn't like to touch women before I went to the battlefield."
"I noticed that you've changed a lot. You've become a little cold and stern. It's as if you don't like talking much compared to when you were young," said Claude.
"I can't help it. You don't know this, but if you find it easier to shoot an enemy than to hunt a pheasant when you were young, you'll become like this too.
The enemy I'm aiming at now is just a moving target in my eyes. I don't think he's a living person like us.
Four hundred enemies is just one of the numbers I've killed. "
Welikro's words made the maidservant who was massaging him chuckle. Perhaps she thought Welikro was just bragging. How could someone so young kill four hundred enemies?
"You're too nervous. I think you should go and relax. It's already the end of the year. You don't need to go to the battlefield." Claude shook his head slightly. He felt that Welikro was suffering from the so-called battlefield syndrome.
Welikro didn't reply. After a while, he said, "Claude, we'll be returning tomorrow. The higher-ups have ordered all the royal guard officers to return to camp at nine in the morning."
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m.