Mentaske, on the other hand, held Claude's hand and chatted nonstop. After two days of interaction, Mentaske had come to view Claude as a close friend. For example, his idea of making grooves on the shell to allow the shell to explode and injure the enemy was nothing short of genius. It perfectly solved the problem of not having enough explosive power.
Looking at the departing figures of the royal guard, Claude sighed deeply.
He was a little worried about Welikro. It was just like last night when he persuaded Welikro to bring the maid who was massaging him to the side room to relax. However, he came back an hour later looking as though he had lost a battle and was completely exhausted.
Mentaske wasn't like him at all, who came back full of energy and bragged nonstop after having sex with two women in a row.
There weren't any psychologists in this world. If Welikro really had that battle syndrome, he would have to walk out of it himself.
Claude felt that Welikro was too tense and wasn't able to relax. Perhaps he hadn't learned how to adjust himself and it was easy for him to have mental problems if he was constantly on edge.
But there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was remind Welikro to find a way to relax his mind on his own.
In the following day, Claude brought Myjack and Gum on a shopping spree in Pacathia. As they bought too many things, they ended up buying a carriage.
Fortunately, the mountain path between the three prefectures and Squirrel Village had been repaired by the captives under Claude's orders. It was now wide enough for the carriage to pass through.
Claude decided to sell the carriage to the village elder of Squirrel Village. It just so happened that he needed a large carriage that could transport goods.
Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk drank a little too much when he returned. However, he seemed to be in high spirits and kept muttering the name of a woman named Alegsia.
Before Claude could hear what it was, Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk was dragged into his tent by his adjutant.
He was too embarrassed to enter and returned to his own tent.
The next day, Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk's jaw dropped at the sight of Myjack and Gum's fully loaded four-wheeled carriage.
"Claude, did you spend all your winnings from the last victory?"
Liedefonk estimated that such a large carriage would cost at least thirty to forty crowns to carry.
If there were more luxurious items, the price might double.
"Something like that."
Claude didn't keep track of it. Myjack was the one who paid the bills. He seemed to recall that it cost around fifty crowns the night before.
"You're still young. You should be frugal with your money. You can't be extravagant and buy everything you see.
It was also luck that I defeated you last time. There were no accidents.
You should save up such a large sum of money, it will be very expensive to start a family in the future … "Lieutenant Colonel Ledefonk earnestly advised.
Claude knew that he was being kind. Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk was born a commoner and he saved most of his salary. It was said that he also had to pay for his parents and siblings' living expenses.
So, he nodded. "I won't spend money recklessly in the future. Thank you for your advice.
By the way, Sir, how's your marriage going? Has it been decided yet? "
With the topic successfully changed, Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk forgot about the four-wheeled carriage Claude bought and started talking about the woman he met at the ball.
According to his description, the woman, Yali, was actually a widow with a four-year-old daughter. She was 27 years old this year.
Her husband died in a shipwreck two years after they were married and Yali was about to give birth.
Her husband spent a large sum of money to get the ship to sail through the night so that he could watch the birth of his daughter by her side. Unexpectedly, the ship sailed too fast and collided with the night warship. Her husband fell overboard because he was standing at the bow of the ship.
Yali was devastated by her husband's death, but she persevered for the sake of her newborn daughter and took over the family business her husband left her.
However, without her husband to shelter her from the wind and rain and her large fortune attracted many greedy gazes, she didn't have a good time in the past few years.
One of her relatives forced her to attend the ball. She didn't think she would meet Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk and the two of them got along well.
Claude asked curiously, "You don't mind her identity?
Oh, I mean, she has a little daughter with her. "
Ledefonk didn't understand what Claude was getting at, but Claude realized it himself and slapped his forehead.
This world wasn't like his previous world, where a single man marrying a widow for the first time wouldn't face much gossip.
That was a very common occurrence in this world. Taking Aueras for example, every war would create a large number of widows. Soldiers had to serve in the army for 15 years before they could retire, so it wasn't uncommon for soldiers in their thirties to marry widows when they returned to their hometowns.
"Her daughter is really cute, just like an angel. I'd be more than happy to be her stepfather," Ledefonk said with a smile. He was more than willing to take on the role.
"Then I can only wish you all the best," Claude said with a smile.
The return journey took a day longer than the journey, mainly due to the delay caused by the four-wheeled carriage. However, Claude still managed to reach Squirrel Village two days before the new year's eve.
A third of the goods on the carriage were bought for Claude's little lover, magus Sheila.
Even though she was a magus, she was still a woman. She couldn't contain her joy when she saw the beautiful clothes and accessories Claude had bought for her, allowing him to enjoy quite a few romantic and passionate nights.
Year 579 of the Sacred Light Calendar passed just like that. The fires of war were still raging in the eastern part of Freia.
Claude spent the new year's eve in Squirrel Village with his little lover, magus Sheila, and a large group of soldiers.
He won a battle that year and was promoted to captain and received a Knight's Medal.
Following that, he stayed in Squirrel Village for half a year. If possible, he hoped to stay there for the next year and enjoy a peaceful life.
Ledefonk's hunch was right. Less than a week after the new year, the battalion headquarters sent him a messenger pigeon requesting him to head there immediately.
Ledefonk would be leaving his position as battalion commander of 1st Ranger Tribe for a better job.
However, Claude didn't become the acting battalion commander. Instead, another officer was assigned to the position. Claude went there to get to know the new battalion commander and accept his new mission.
Claude really didn't want Ledefonk to leave 1st Ranger Tribe. Having a good superior was hard to come by. Ever since Ledefonk became the battalion commander of 1st Ranger Tribe, it had been the most comfortable period of his military career.
But now that he was leaving, Claude couldn't stop him. After all, a battalion was the smallest independent unit in the army. Even if Lieutenant-Colonel Edfangke could be promoted to a higher rank, staying on as the chief officer of 1st Ranger Tribe wouldn't be very suitable for him.
Claude didn't think that the new commander of 1st Ranger Tribe would be someone he knew. It was Captain Skri, the former inspector of the joint investigators.
Claude had heard from Ledefonk that Skri was Prince Hansbach's most trusted aide. He didn't think that he would be assigned to 1st Ranger Tribe as a battalion commander.
"Sir, where will you be assigned to next?"
Seeing the joy on Ledefonk's face, Claude guessed that the place he would be assigned to wouldn't be too bad.
"I'm going to Pacathia City. His Highness has established a joint military industry supervision office and is preparing to unify all the military industries in the three southern counties. I'm going to be the deputy director." Lieutenant Colonel Ledefonk said with a smile.
It wasn't a bad assignment. Claude immediately understood why Ledefonk was so happy. "Congratulations, Sir. I believe the day you get to bring home the beauty will be here soon."
The reason he was so happy was because he would be able to marry the beautiful widow once he got back to Pacathia. Looks like he's forgetting about his friends, Claude thought bitterly.
"Greetings, Captain Claude. It's a pleasure to meet you," said Skri as he saluted Claude and extended his hand.
Even though he was a battalion commander, the two of them had the same rank. So, Skri's salute didn't mean that he was inferior to Claude.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I forgot to greet you," Claude hurriedly returned the salute and shook his hand.
Claude hurriedly returned the gesture and shook his hand. "Captain Skri, it's my honor to work with you. But why were you sent here? Isn't it better to stay by His Highness' side?"
Skri smiled bitterly. "It's good to stay by His Highness's side, but my promotion is too slow."
He nodded at Lieutenant Colonel Liedefonk. "I was also provoked by this guy. Two years ago, he was the same as me, holding the rank of captain.
But look at him now. He's been promoted twice since he arrived in Ranger Tribe while I'm still stuck at the same spot.
Even now, I have to salute him when I see him and call him Sir.
That's why I asked His Highness to join the army and he said that he would find me someone who would be promoted the fastest. So, he sent me here. "
Skri's frankness left a good impression on Claude. Ledefonk went over and hugged Skri's shoulder. "His Highness is right. If you want to be promoted, you're right to come here.
You just have to do two things. Trust Claude and take care of his logistics. Then, you can sit back and wait for your promotion.
Of course, there's also a prerequisite. You have to receive a combat mission from the higher-ups. Otherwise, you won't be able to get promoted. "
Ledefonk was still hung up on the fact that frontline command didn't give 1st Ranger Tribe any combat missions. He didn't forget to teach them a lesson before he left.
Skri was one of the prince's trusted aides. If he were to react in front of the prince, the strategists at frontline command would be in for a hard time.
"I'll do it."
Skri nodded at Claude. "Actually, I'm here with a mission."
"Alright, the two of you can discuss it. I won't be listening. After all, I'm no longer a member of 1st Ranger Tribe." Ledefonk left without further ado.
"It's like this." Skri walked to the map hanging on the wall and found the Great Plains of Canas. "The situation at the frontlines has stabilized. The hundreds of thousands of anti-Auerian forces in Rimodra have been pincered by the royal army. Askilin's capital, Braveso, has also been surrounded by us. It'll probably be conquered after the rainy season. That leaves Canas and Nasri as enemies.
Canas is a grassland and produces light cavalry.
"His Highness believes that Canas has been providing light cavalry to the anti-Auerian forces ever since the war broke out.
"Nasri has two light cavalry corps at the moment and Canas has close to a hundred thousand light cavalry soldiers trapped in Rimodra. Including the ones we wiped out, the total number is around three hundred thousand.
Frontline command believes that the three hundred thousand light cavalry soldiers from Canas are the best they can provide. They must be quite weak internally.
"However, the other corps of the kingdom are currently on missions and can't send troops to Canas.
"So, His Highness has decided to send the four ranger battalions into the plains to test out Canas' strength."
Send troops to Canas?
Claude thought about it for a moment. Now that the other duchies were settled, Nasri would definitely be the last in line. Canas wouldn't be able to escape their next target.
Four of the ranger battalions were sent into the plains to probe Canas' strength. They were the most suitable vanguard unit for the expedition.
"Where do we set off from?" Claude asked.
"Our first battalion will enter the Great Plains from the mountain path. The exit will be the territories of a few nobles in Canas. We can sweep through those territories to test out the enemy's strength.
"If the enemy gathers a large force to surround us, we'll have to find a place to defend and wait for reinforcements.
"If there aren't too many of them, we'll defeat them and continue to scout the surroundings.
As for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions, they will head towards Canas from the eastern border of Askilin. They will split into three groups to scout out the situation on the plains and prepare for our conquest of Canas.
"His Highness believes that we're coming into contact with the plains for the first time, so it's up to us to decide whether to advance or retreat," Skri explained.
Claude looked at the map and thought for a moment. "I understand. But before we set off, I'll need some equipment."
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