Chapter 80: Unprepared Disaster (1)

Kingdom of Hector.

Once, they were a powerful nation that could rival the Chronos Empire.

Based on their formidable national defense, they rapidly grew, but after a devastating defeat in the war against Valhalla, which emerged from the barren jungle, they plummeted into the abyss.

Currently, their situation is no different from that of the Kingdom of Cairo.

They have become one of the six kingdoms on the continent, where any decision must be made with the empire's approval.

In such a state,

they were holding a secret meeting in the palace, away from the prying eyes of the outside world.

A man with a scarred face.

Jackson, the commander of the Ranger unit, knelt before King Hector and reported the information he had gathered.

"Over the past year, the Ranger unit has inspected the southern front of the Kingdom of Cairo 48 times. The southern front consists of five defensive lines, and they are so preoccupied with defending the western front against the Chronos Empire that they have completely neglected the southern front. The guards are typically rotated every four hours, but due to the belief that the Kingdom of Hector maintains a peaceful relationship, both the number of guards and their vigilance have significantly declined. I can confidently say that capturing the southern front would not be a difficult task."

Indeed,

it was a situation where a bloodless entry was possible.

When he secretly hid in the bushes to inspect the walls, he couldn't help but laugh at the guards who were dozing off or drinking.

In the old days,

when the Kingdom of Hector was still called a powerful nation, such complacency in the Kingdom of Cairo would not have been tolerated.

Back then, they guarded the borders with the same tension as the western front.

However, as time passed and the Kingdom of Hector lost its strength, the Kingdom of Cairo began to see Hector as similar to themselves.

Another minor kingdom.

A place that dared not think of invasion, trembling daily at the prospect of foreign aggression.

"Father, may I speak?"

In the palace, there was another man besides King Hector and Jackson.

A man with red hair.

Edwin Hector, the only son of King Hector.

"Speak."

"In the past five years, the Kingdom of Hector has experienced unprecedented crop failures. The land has dried up due to drought, and on the rare days when it seemed it might rain, strong winds swept away all the crops. The money borrowed from the Golden Bank to solve these problems has become a massive burden with its interest, suffocating us. The Kingdom of Hector can no longer endure. The treasury has been empty for a long time, and if things continue as they are, the kingdom will lose its meaning."

"…I am well aware of this fact."

King Hector showed a desolate expression.

The previous king.

They started the war to achieve grand dreams, but the consequences of defeat had to be borne by their descendants.

King Hector was a perfect victim.

When he ascended to the throne, the Kingdom of Hector was already in poor condition, and despite his desperate efforts to manage the state, problems eventually erupted.

People said,

the heavens were angry.

Seeing people collapse and weep on the dried and twisted land, the time for a decision had come.

Edwin said,

"After the defeat in the war against the Valhalla Empire, the history of the Kingdom of Hector has been marked by a determination to avoid repeating the same mistakes, steering clear of war. But that is not the case now. We are living in the present, and for the sake of our people who are now in despair, we must do whatever it takes. The defeat that history speaks of is not something we have experienced. We have prepared a lot over the past year, and our opponent is not the Valhalla Empire but the Kingdom of Cairo. For the sake of the kingdom, a decision must be made now."

War.

A word that could not be uttered lightly.

King Hector, known for his weakness, also showed a cautious nature.

That's why it took a year.

When the issue of war was raised, it required a lot of time to seriously discuss it.

'Is this man really my son?'

Edwin Hector.

He did not resemble his father.

He was strong and had inherited the bloodline of the once powerful Hector royal family.

Seeing the burning determination in his son's eyes,

King Hector cautiously spoke.

"…Are you confident?"

"Yes. If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have brought it up in the first place."

"Understood."

Thud.

He rose from his throne.

The Kingdom of Hector was at the brink.

As the saying goes, heroes are born in turbulent times, and he believed that Edwin's growth was an inevitable destiny.

"I will entrust all the authority related to this war to you, Edwin Hector."

"Thank you, Father."

Finally,

the Kingdom of Hector made its decision.

* * *

At that time,

the southern training camp had completed a three-week training program.

Facing hundreds of trainees, Viscount Vale was tasked with delivering the tedious farewell speech.

"You have all worked hard. The southern front is different from the western front, where battles occur almost daily. After being assigned to the reserve forces, you will likely experience a more boring life than you might expect, but you must not forget that you are soldiers dedicated to protecting the Kingdom of Cairo. Complacency invites disaster. I hope your time on the southern front will be remembered as peaceful days."

A speech he repeated like a parrot.

Viscount Vale concluded the farewell speech with words he didn't truly mean.

Immediately after the speech,

he called out Roman separately.

Just like their first meeting, he brought sweet coffee into the command room and spoke with a kind smile.

"From today, you will be assigned to the reserve forces of the 5th defensive line. You've probably heard what other nobles say. It's a paradise that all nobles entering the southern training camp hope to be assigned to, and it's the most comfortable life you can lead as a soldier. And… ahem, I used my connections to have you assigned to the 5th defensive line."

He had heard the rumors.

In the shadows,

nobles sang praises of the 5th defensive line.

Being the most comfortable place on the southern front, it was difficult to be assigned there without connections.

Viscount Vale usually exerted his influence for a special favor.

But this time, he needed to make a good impression first, and he felt a sense of satisfaction in revealing his goodwill.

"Thank you."

"Between us, there's no need for thanks. I did what was natural. As I said before, I don't ask for much. I just hope that you will lead a comfortable life at the southern training camp and, when you become one of Lord Benedict's men, you will remember that there was a 'Viscount Vale Frank.' That's all I ask. If you need anything while you're on the southern front, feel free to contact me. As the commander of the southern training camp, I can help with many things."

Viscount Vale laughed playfully.

Roman nodded, concluding the meeting he didn't truly enjoy.

* * *

Leaving the command room,

there was one more person looking for Roman.

MacBurney.

The overall instructor of the southern training camp, he spoke to Roman with an expression different from his usual demeanor.

"…Thank you for everything. In fact, no noble has shown as much enthusiasm for training as Lord Roman Dmitri. Thanks to you, I realized what I am working for, and I believe I will be able to teach the trainees with even more passion in the future. And this… I prepared it thinking it might be helpful, though it's a small thing."

The item MacBurney handed over.

A worn book and a map.

When Roman looked at him with a questioning gaze, MacBurney added,

"It contains information and topography of the southern front. If, by any chance, a war breaks out on the southern front, this information will be useful. Of course, the best scenario would be to spend the next two years in peace. I also hope that Lord Roman Dmitri will return home safely."

"Thank you."

In response to the other's goodwill,

Roman accepted it with a smile.

For a moment, MacBurney's heart raced.

He wanted to follow Roman.

As a former warrior, Roman Dmitri was someone worth dedicating his life to.

But,

'I would only be a hindrance.'

A one-armed cripple.

His left hand was incapable of even wielding a sword properly.

Roman Dmitri was destined for greatness and already had outstanding talents like Chris and Kevin under him.

He had no place.

If he couldn't contribute, he would only be a hindrance, so he thought it was right to stay at the southern training camp where he could actively use his abilities.

Thus,

their conversation ended.

Roman moved on.

It was time to go to the 5th defensive line's reserve forces, and as MacBurney grew distant, Roman took something out of his coat.

'This is what Lucas struggled to obtain.'

It was a map.

A map of the southern front, very similar to the one MacBurney had given him.

In fact,

Roman already possessed the map MacBurney had given him.

He had gathered information before coming to the southern front, and it wasn't a particularly necessary gift.

Yet, he smiled.

As if truly grateful.

He carefully kept it with him, just like the existing map.

There was no special reason.

Because of MacBurney's sincerity.

Roman believed that pure goodwill deserved respect in itself.

* * *

The troop assignments were complete.

On the way to their respective units, Henry showed a slow, weak gait.

'I have to move on my own feet. At the very least, shouldn't they provide a carriage for the nobles?'

His feet ached.

Soft feet that had never known hardship.

Trying to move a long distance with feet that had no calluses, he was already sweating and feeling thirsty.

However, he couldn't throw a tantrum and demand a carriage.

Using Viscount Vale's connections, it might be possible