Ten days later, Claude appeared in Skri's office and reported what he had heard in detail.
"It's said that the corps at the frontlines have lost their will to fight. None of them are willing to attack Canas. Even the officers have gathered to discuss a truce.
"I borrowed Captain Durioro's garrison's hawk from Squirrel Village and sent a secret letter to frontline command to report on our situation and request for reinforcements and supplies. However, I only received a reply three days later. The higher-ups said that they're aware of the situation and want us to persist. The rear will make adjustments and provide us with guidance and support. The reply is here."
Claude placed the reply letter on the table. Skri picked it up and saw that it was exactly as Claude said. When he looked at the signature, he, who knew the ins and outs of the frontline command, said dispiritedly, "This is useless. Look at the bottom of the letter. It's signed by the frontline staff. This means that no one took your report seriously and there wasn't a specific department in charge at all.
The reply only says that the staff is aware of your situation. As for how to solve the problem, it's up to their superiors to decide.
That's the most common way to stall for time. They don't know when their superiors will give their orders anyway. As staff officers, they've already considered your situation and reported it to their superiors. That means they're not derelict in their duties.
The problem is that the first prince isn't at frontline command. He's back in the royal capital.
Our tribe is under the direct jurisdiction of frontline command. This will require the first prince's approval or an official order from frontline command.
I don't even know which file the report was placed in. I don't even know if it was seen by Prince Hansbach's commanding officer at the frontline command … "
Skri was furious, but there was nothing he could do about it.
If 1st Ranger Tribe was stationed at Squirrel Village, it wouldn't matter if they waited for a while. It would be their turn eventually.
But 1st Ranger Tribe was currently surrounded by the enemy and had less than half a month's worth of food. Asking them to persist was the same as asking them to commit suicide.
If they insisted on staying in the castle, Skri believed that everyone would be starving to death by the time the frontline command recalled them.
If they were still in the middle of war, 1st Ranger Tribe's situation would have received a response from the frontline command very quickly. Should they fight or retreat?
But according to Claude's report, the frontline officers and commanders were all focused on the truce talks and neglected 1st Ranger Tribe's situation.
In their reply, they even reprimanded 1st Ranger Tribe for not reporting the reason for their loss of contact. Even if they were being suppressed by the golden eagles, they should have sent men through the enemy lines to report to the frontline command.
Frontline command had sent five harriers to 1st Ranger Tribe but not a single one had returned. Frontline command believed that 1st Ranger Tribe had been wiped out just like Bluefeather who was ambushed on the plains.
Major Skri held his head in his hands and could only smile bitterly. Now he understood why the First Prince had always disliked the boastful people in the front line command. Many of them were recognized as outstanding talents and were hailed as the rising stars of the army.
However, the first prince wasn't willing to promote them. Instead, people like Lieutenant-Colonel Ledefonk and Claude, who were usually quiet and focused on their work, were easily favored by the first prince.
It turned out that a discussion at the rear and a battle at the frontline were two completely different things. It was no wonder the first prince liked to talk to the lower ranked officers and veterans. That way, he could grasp the truth of the situation.
The staff officers of frontline command reprimanded them in the letter. It was easier said than done.
They were surrounded by the enemy and fighting fiercely. Yet, the higher-ups wanted them to send elite veterans to report why there was no news of them. Was that even possible?
"Are they really negotiating for a truce?" Major Skri muttered.
Claude didn't know if Skri was asking him that. It seemed more like he was talking to himself.
However, he still replied, "Yes. That's what Captain Durioro said.
He said that Prince Hansbach rushed back to the royal capital to tell His Majesty to reject the peace talks. He wanted His Majesty to mobilize troops to attack Canas and take revenge for the ambush of three corps and the loss of Bluefeather.
However, His Majesty summoned the prime minister, Duke Cryus, to the palace. After a night of discussion with the first prince, the first prince claimed to be ill and refused to come out.
"The kingdom then started peace talks with the envoys from Nasri and Canas.
"It's said that all the frontline corps heard about the peace talks and are waiting for the announcement of the end of the war.
"The soldiers have lost their will to fight and morale is low. Even the royal guard's request to send soldiers to scout the plains was rejected.
"The soldiers said that the war is ending anyway, so what's the point of scouting the enemy?
None of them are willing to send themselves to their deaths. They almost caused a mutiny. "
Major Skri could only shake his head and sigh at Claude. First, they suffered a great defeat. They could have used revenge to boost their morale, but then came the news of a truce. Once their morale fell, it would be difficult to raise it again.
Additionally, the war had been going on for more than four years and the soldiers were getting tired of it. None of them didn't want to see their families again and the peace talks were the best news for them.
Skri now understood why Claude only brought Myjack, Gum, and the other two back and left the rest of the elite soldiers with Moriad.
He was worried that the veterans would spread the news of the truce. That way, the soldiers in 1st Ranger Tribe would lose the will to fight and the resolve to defend their fort.
"So we're the only ones still fighting on the frontlines?" Skri asked with a bitter smile.
Claude nodded.
"We only have 13 days' worth of rations," Skri said, "No matter how much we save, we won't be able to survive the rainy season in March.
The rear won't be able to provide us with any reinforcements or supplies in such a short period of time. "
Skri waved the letter in his hand and looked at Claude solemnly. "Are you sure that route of retreat is safe?"
"I can guarantee it," Claude said.
Skri nodded and made up his mind. "We'll defend for another week and prepare for retreat. We'll use the rest of the rations for the rest of the week as rations for the rest of the journey. Expand the range of our defense against enemy scouts. Don't let them find out that we're about to break out."
Claude didn't know how difficult it was for Major Skri to make such a decision and how much it would affect him.
Claude was only carrying out his superior's orders as a subordinate. "Yes, Sir."
There were many things to do and Claude was extremely busy. More than 200 urns containing the ashes of dead soldiers and more than a hundred wounded had to be brought back.
Claude had no choice but to negotiate with Major Skri to have Mazik and his men set off three days in advance. Under Myjack and Gum's lead, they would set up camp at the entrance of the mountains so that they could receive the injured and the urns of ashes that would arrive later.
After another four days, Captain Kurdwick led the remaining soldiers of the 4th and 2nd Brigade, escorting the logisticians and medical personnel of the medical center as well as some necessary supplies, and departed through the night under the guidance of a guide.
Skri's 3rd Band, Claude's 1st Band, and a company of cannons remained in the castle.
They had to stand guard for another day before retreating after dark.
Night passed and day arrived. Claude personally led Dyavid's Band to launch a probing attack on the village. They used their aubass mark 3 muskets to accurately aim and fire at the scouts and sentries in the village, causing the enemy to panic and think that 1st Ranger Tribe was about to attack them. They had no choice but to deploy a large number of sentries during the night.
During that time, 1st Ranger Tribe used a side door to sneak out of the castle that they had been guarding for nearly eight months, leaving behind an empty house. Under the cover of night, they marched towards the mountains.
Major Skri was the last to leave the castle. He opened his notebook and wrote a line of words: Year 581 of the Holy Light Calendar, 11th of February, 1 am. Due to exhaustion of rations, evacuate Count Krilaus' castle …
The enemy only noticed the anomaly at noon the next day. A few braver soldiers approached the castle and spent more than an hour to confirm that 1st Ranger Tribe had retreated from the castle.
So, the enemy sent out a small group of scouts to follow the tracks in the snow in an attempt to confirm where 1st Ranger Tribe had retreated to.
However, when the small group of enemy scouts tracked them to the entrance of the mountain, they were ambushed by Dyavid's men. Fortunately, two of them managed to escape with injuries, and by the time they returned with the rest of their men, it was already evening. All that was left for them was an empty temporary camp.
The enemy commander looked up at the sky, then at the snow-covered mountain forest. He could only sigh and order his troops to retreat.
He was certain that the enemy had found a way back in the mountains. Otherwise, they wouldn't have retreated so easily.
February was the melting season, but the melting of the snow in the mountains would take longer than the snow on the plains.
1st Ranger Tribe advanced along the path Claude and the others had opened up in the mountains. From time to time, they would have to cut down logs to build bridges for the transport of goods.
After seven days and seven nights of torment, they finally arrived at the entrance of the mountain path where Moriad's platoon was camped. There were many injured, but no one died.
"Give us something to eat first. We're starving to death."
The first thing Claude and Moriad said when they met was food. All the food had been finished a day ago and Claude and the rest had to climb the last part of the mountain on empty stomachs.
Moriad had long sent his men to receive them and brought a large amount of food with them. However, the food was all snatched away by the men in front. Claude and the rest had to destroy the temporary path they had set up, so they could only travel on empty stomachs.
Moriad was prepared for that. He first downed a big bowl of steaming meat soup to warm him up. Then, he ate two bowls of meat porridge and a large piece of steak before falling asleep on Moriad's camp bed. He didn't even bother to clean himself up. Now, he could finally have a good night's sleep.
He slept for nearly ten hours before getting out of bed feeling refreshed. Just as he was about to find some hot water to wipe himself down, Myjack came in to report that Skri had something to discuss with him.
Because Claude was sleeping so soundly, Skri had waited until now.
Claude walked out of the tent and grabbed a handful of snow to wipe his face as if he had just washed his face. At the same time, he felt a little more awake.
When he arrived at Skri's tent, he found Captain Kordwak there.
After a salute, Skri said that he was going to set off immediately with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Bands to Rosha, where 1st Ranger Tribe used to be stationed.
He had already asked around and found out that the original camp there was still empty. It was suitable for 1st Ranger Tribe to spend the March rainy season there.
Claude's 1st Band would be stationed at Squirrel Village to assist Captain Durioro in guarding the mountain path to prevent the Canasian nobles from invading Squirrel Village again.
If the entire tribe were to retreat, Moriad's band would have to give up on the mountain path. The camp there wasn't suitable for the rainy season and there was no longer a need for them to stay there.
Claude knew that Skri was helping him out by having him guard Squirrel Village. Many people knew that he had a huntress girl as his girlfriend in Squirrel Village.
It was Skri's good intentions and there was no need to reject him. Claude happily obeyed the order.
However, the camp next to Squirrel Village was already occupied by the local guard tribe and Claude wasn't in the mood to take it back.
Squirrel Village was huge and Claude didn't hesitate to use some of the houses in the village. He also made use of the two weeks before the rainy season arrived to build many simple houses and canopies in the village. He didn't ask for much as long as they could survive the rainy season in March.
It rained heavily for the rest of the time. Claude would either stay in his room to read the books he borrowed from Sheerah or go to Witch Grove to have a rendezvous with Sheerah when the rain lessened. His days were free and easy.
When April came, good news arrived. Aueras, Nasri, and Canas had signed a peace treaty. The war that had lasted four and a half years and destroyed three duchies in the eastern part of the continent had finally come to an end.
The soldiers were cheering, whether they were from the Garrison Barracks or the First Brigade, they were all hugging and cheering. They kept throwing their hats into the sky.
As Claude watched the joyous scene with a smile, he saw the local guard tribe's commander, Durioro, rush over with some unbelievably bad news. "The commander of 1st Ranger Tribe, Major Skri, has been arrested. He's accused of desertion and abandoning the kingdom's territory."
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