Chapter 16

### Chapter 16: Maidens of the Battlefield

The soldiers of the 6th Special Operations Brigade set up their tents in the courtyard of Zeffer Castle and finally settled down.

"Adviser, the camp is set up," Hanna, a sergeant, reported to my tent and saluted sharply.

Then she said,

"By the way, the garrison soldiers are all men..."

"Of course they are."

In the Empire, young men are chronically in short supply, but female soldiers are still quite rare.

"I might be a bit too much of a stimulus for the garrison soldiers. If you feel in danger or encounter any unpleasant situations, don't hesitate to report to me or the brigade commander."

"Oh, thank you!"

Hanna saluted again with a relieved expression.

Even Hanna, who is tall enough to make the average male soldier look up to her, seems to find men intimidating. The men in this world are rough, so it's no wonder. By the standards of my previous life, they are somewhat barbaric.

I couldn't help but mutter,

"The men in this world think it's manly to beat their wives and lovers. It's so ridiculous I can't even comment."

"Is that... true?"

Why does she look so surprised?

In my previous life, I heard that such things were common several decades ago. "Common sense" changes rapidly.

"The brigade commander and I will protect you. If anyone is rude to you, don't hesitate to speak up. We'll lodge a protest with their division commander, asking if this division can't even show proper respect to the allied forces they came to help."

"Yes, Adviser!"

Hanna, with a smile, inched a bit closer to my desk.

"Adviser, you're a bit of a mystery. You don't seem like a commoner, but you don't seem like a noble either."

"I hear that a lot. Maybe it's because I grew up on the streets."

I deflected the question, but as a reincarnated person, it's natural for my values to be different.

Hanna looked like she wanted to say more, but then Colonel Altsae entered.

"There you are, Second Lieutenant."

"Sir."

I stood up and saluted with Hanna.

The colonel looked at Hanna and gave an order.

"Hanna, I'm sorry, but I need you to take care of the squad's meals. Also, we've arranged for the laundry facilities, so make sure the soldiers take turns doing their laundry. Needless to say, hang the undergarments in a hidden place. This is not the brigade headquarters."

I added a bit more.

"Also, ensure that the soldiers always act in groups. Especially when going to the latrine, it's best to have a guard with a loaded gun outside. Never unbutton your uniform outside the tent."

"R-right, understood. Let me... take notes, please wait a moment!"

Hanna saluted sharply and ran out after taking notes. The sergeant is like a mother to the soldiers.

After that, the colonel turned to me and spoke in a low voice.

"Have you seen the inside of the castle?"

"I have. It's more like a museum or an antique shop."

It's in bad shape.

"I knew from the exterior that this was a castle from the era of bows and slings."

I pointed to the castle walls visible through the tent's gap.

"The high walls are designed to block infantry and stone projectiles, not cannons. A strong, direct hit would easily bring them down."

The colonel crossed his arms and nodded slightly.

"From what I understand, this was originally the local lord's castle. It served as a base for bandit suppression and road patrols."

It's not only outdated but also not designed for war. We shouldn't expect much in terms of defense.

"Second Lieutenant, can you devise a strategy for any possible situation here?"

To the colonel's question, I tried to sound cool in my response.

"Of course. The staff insignia isn't just for show."

There's not much we can do with this dilapidated castle, so I need to prepare a plan to retreat. It's safer to run.

I'll send a message to the third platoon, which is on standby at headquarters.

While thinking about this, I glanced to the side and saw the colonel smiling at me.

"You're truly reliable, Second Lieutenant."

"I'm flattered."

"We don't know the battlefield, so it's reassuring to have an experienced officer like you."

Being praised by a beautiful superior is a good feeling. It never happened in my previous life.

I'll try not to disappoint the colonel's expectations.

Just then, the colonel seemed to think of something.

"Second Lieutenant, I need you to brief the soldiers on the situation and give a lecture on defensive tactics. I want them to think for themselves. The content is up to you."

"Understood."

It's good to have high expectations, but he's asking a lot...

＊ ＊

I gathered everyone and started the lecture as ordered by the colonel.

"Zeffer Castle is a satellite fortress of Godo Fortress. Can you see that fortress?"

To the west of the castle, on the mountain's peak, stands the imposing border guard post. Even from here, it's intimidating.

"Zeffer Castle is responsible for guarding the road that leads to the fortress. As long as this castle stands, the enemy cannot completely surround the fortress. This allows for the passage of reinforcements and supplies."

If the enemy surrounds both the castle and the fortress, the encirclement will be long and thin, making it easier to break.

Regardless of how the enemy attacks the fortress, Zeffer Castle will be a thorn in their side.

One of the soldiers raised his hand.

"Adviser?"

"What is it?"

"If the enemy attacks here before Godo Fortress, what happens?"

He looks worried.

I responded with a smile.

"In that case, the enemy will be hit by intense artillery fire from Godo Fortress. Furthermore, reinforcements will arrive from the road, and the enemy will be surrounded by the fortress and the reinforcements."

In other words, if the fortress falls, this place is finished, but I'll keep that to myself. After all, the garrison soldiers are watching. This is awkward.

"The artillery company of the 3rd Division is stationed here at Zeffer Castle. They have six small cannons and about thirty infantrymen for protection. The rest are artillerymen and support personnel. We were sent here to make up for the lack of infantry."

I don't expect a firefight to break out here...

"Godo Fortress has several satellite fortresses, and Zeffer Castle will only be attacked after most of the others have fallen. When we are needed, it means there's no room for error."

The Duke of Retrau apparently sent the 6th Special Operations Brigade here for "political reasons," so I don't think there will be a battle.

I don't think there will be. I hope there won't be.

I'm starting to feel uneasy. I should prepare myself.

Even in the worst-case scenario, there should be some time to react. If not, I don't care.

"Make sure to check your equipment and familiarize yourself with the castle's structure. Once that's done, you're on standby. Take turns resting."

We don't know when the battle will start, so it's important to conserve energy.

I left the rest to the sergeants and decided to inspect the surroundings of Zeffer Castle.

＊ ＊ ＊

### Whispers of the Battle Maidens

"Finally, we can rest..."

"Still, it's just a tent."

"It's better than sleeping outdoors. I'm too scared to sleep."

The girls of the 6th Special Operations Brigade chatted while cleaning their guns. Chitchat is one of their few forms of entertainment.

"Hey, is there a place to wash up here?"

"Probably not. We'll have to fetch water and wipe ourselves down with a cloth."

"Ew..."

The topic eventually turned to the new adviser.

"By the way, Adviser Chrombertz is always so clean."

"Yeah, he doesn't have that typical male smell. In fact, he has no body odor at all."

Schweidlers rarely bathe, but Japanese people have a daily bathing habit.

Chrombertz cleans himself even on days when he can't bathe, making him stand out among the strong-smelling Schweidlers.

"Being clean is good, but I find it a bit lacking."

"I hate that male smell, so I like the adviser."

"He's handsome, kind, and never gets angry."

"Compared to the garrison soldiers here, he's a rare catch. Should I go for it?"

A soldier cleaning her gun said, and the soldier next to her shook her head.

"There are many rivals. Captain Hanna seems to be after him too."

"Really!? Oh, I have no chance."

The young female soldier looked up at the sky, gripping her cleaning rod.

"The adviser didn't even flinch when he saw Hanna, and he doesn't tease her for being tall."

"Yeah, he's completely different from the previous advisers."

But the female soldier clenched her fist and said firmly.

"But the adviser gets to choose who he wants! I still have a chance!"

"I hope so."

＊ ＊ ＊