Chapter 334 - Episode 1: Beowulf
The Sertorian Kingdom Army Sixth Corps is based on the one thousand troops of the Eastern Plains Corps led by the King's brother Roberts, who is highly reputed as the strongest in the Kingdom Army. Along with the garrison forces of Nakanohara and the Western Plains, it has a military strength of two thousand. Compared to the Central Army stationed in the Royal Capital, they were also called the local garrison forces. Among them, the Nakanohara garrison has a fixed capacity of five hundred, but those who can be called soldiers number around four hundred and twenty. The remaining eighty are rear personnel such as those in charge of the medical clinic, horses and baggage, and clerks for paying salaries.
The four hundred and twenty soldiers are generally divided into six groups of seventy, and their duty hours are assigned in three shifts a day. This is common to all Kingdom Armies. Of course, most are asleep in the middle of the night. In short, it's gatekeeping and sentry duty.
The night shift has duty hours from midnight until breakfast the next morning, and Beowulf makes it a habit to spend the morning after the night shift in the practice field. Since most of her colleagues will have two consecutive holidays starting the next day, they take naps. However, for her, who has already been selected for the Central Army in the Royal Capital and is waiting for her assignment, daily training is a duty as one who has been selected.
When she first joined the army, her weight already exceeded that of the average male, but by the time she reached twenty years of age, five years later, it had increased further to the point where she was no different from a male heavy infantryman.
Her most proficient combat technique is a charge while holding a shield, and bashing the opponent with the shield in her left hand.
In the case of heavy infantry, they usually use a short spear or sword held in their right hand as a weapon, but in her case, she uses the weapon for feints and bashes the opponent with the shield in her left hand. Originally, there is an impossibility in swinging around a large, heavy metal shield held by heavy infantry with one hand. Usually, one protects the entire body by lowering one's posture. Even in dense combat, when used to counter attacks from above by enemy archers, cavalry, or jumping infantry, they hold it over their heads with both hands. In that case, the people in the front row stand the shields in a line on the ground and create a defensive formation by placing them on the edges.
Having a combat technique like swinging a shield around to bash the opponent's face is a technique of light infantry who have a small shield strapped to their left arm. It is unique to Beowulf, who possesses a Lindwurm shield that combines sufficient strength and lightness.
On top of that, if that unexpected first strike is dodged, the weapon held in her right hand will attack the opponent's left side, which has become wide open.
Equipped with Eleanor's armor and helmet, which have high magic resistance, and solidifying her defense with the holy magic Shield and Defend double-cast before charging at the enemy, her combat technique of suddenly bashing with the shield and entering a suppression all at once was said to be such that a first-timer would likely never win.
With that technique, during the war, she ambushed three powerful foes who had given her allies a hard time, as if breaking through from the rear of her allies, overwhelmed them, took them prisoner, and won a medal and a recommendation for the Central Army.
That Beowulf is sweating in the practice field as usual after the night shift.
She is facing wooden dolls; one holds a two-handed weapon, and the other holds a large shield like a heavy infantryman. Since weights are fitted inside the logs of the torso parts, they are heavier than an average heavy infantryman wearing armor and a helmet. She crashes into that heavy doll while holding her shield and pushes the opponent back 'zulu-zulu'. Every time she pushes them down, the soil of the ground is gouged. Perhaps because she fills them in and changes locations, the color has changed and become a striped pattern with many lines.
Against the doll holding a two-handed weapon, she also practices charging as if thrusting up from below while holding a leather-covered shield adjusted to the same size and weight as the Lindwurm shield, and then bashing the opponent's face with the shield.
The wooden dolls were made by a craftsman at the Kingdom Army workshop after she asked Matilda at the Town Guard workshop to make models. Although she is dissatisfied with the opponent's lack of movement, she can repeat the movement of delivering the first strike until her body remembers it, and as such, it was well-received within the unit.
While she was performing several strikes, she was called out.
"Yo, Beowulf! You're working hard."
She saw it was the adjutant.
"Adjutant! Thank you for your hard work!"
She straightened her posture and saluted.
"Are you going to continue until lunchtime as usual?"
"Yes. That is the plan, but did you have some urgent business?"
It's not urgent, the adjutant said, and approached.
"The captain wants to talk to you. He said lunchtime is fine. You'll surely be treated to the special meal for officers. After you finish practice and pour water over yourself to wash off the sweat, change and go to the captain's office. Since it's outside duty hours, plain clothes are fine."
"Understood."
Beowulf saw off the adjutant as he left, saying "See ya," and tried to return to practice, but her head became full of being called to the captain's office. She won't be able to practice if she lacks concentration. She decided to take a break.
It's not often that a unit commander calls a single soldier to the captain's office. Beowulf felt a sense of incongruity in the adjutant's instructions.
If there's something to talk about, it's likely a personnel transfer.
In the Sertorian Kingdom, those who aim to be soldiers are first assigned to a town or village guard. During the subsequent three-year guard duty period, those with good grades are recommended for the Kingdom Army. Once they become Kingdom Army soldiers, they may move between various duty stations thereafter. Among them, there were those who didn't like moving and refused the recommendation to stay in the guard. A typical example is Hans of the Nakanohara Town Guard.
On the other hand, for those who receive a recommendation, their first duty station is prioritized by their place of origin. Those from the countryside are incorporated into the garrison forces, and those from the Royal Capital are assigned to the Central Army Royal Capital Area Defense Unit. After assignment, they are assigned to various units of the Central Army in order of good grades.
The Nakanohara garrison, which welcomed newcomers in July, was still below its fixed capacity due to the effects of the war. Normally, Beowulf would have been assigned to the Central Army in July, but it was put on hold. There shouldn't be any large-scale personnel changes until next July, and it was expected that if there were any, it would be on the scale of a few people. The newcomers who were recommended from the guard and assigned in July have been there for four months and are getting used to garrison duty. It wouldn't be strange if they were called in order of good grades.
However, the time Beowulf was called was outside of duty hours. Normally, she would be instructed by the squad leader to go to the unit commander's office during the briefing before starting duty.
The adjutant specifically came to tell her directly outside of duty hours. That was what was bothering her.
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After going to Northern Gram and appeasing Eowyn-sama's mood, when I returned to Sertoria, it had become November. Late autumn.
In the fields of our farm in the Flatlands, the only noticeable things were where turnips were planted; otherwise, it was almost all brown.
It was just the beginning of the wheat sowing, and the bandits riding in the bowls were scattering them 'bara-bara'.
As for the differences, among the seven fields, the number of trees in the part that had become a residential area increased. We newly increased the number of flowering trees to the north and west of the residential area. What we planted to the north was rowan. The leaves are bright red now, but white flowers bloom in summer and honey can be collected. In autumn, red berries can be collected and made into jam. Since they grow large, they will likely protect the residential area from the north wind in winter.
The rowans were in the woods of the Flatlands, but because they were in a tree relocation target area when making the overall field plan for the Flatlands, I talked to Adolf-san and bought them. I moved them with the help of Serena and the others, who like jam.
As a side note, I consulted with Serena and had her move a ten-year-old oak tree to the backyard of the Ghost Mansion, keeping the height the same but making the trunk thicker, and had her plant another oak that had undergone the same treatment at the farm and connect them. Only the eight members of the Class of 175 and the spirits can use it, but since those who are with us can also use it at the same time, we became able to move without specifically using the Teleportation Circle installed at the Marcelo Company. With this, Marcelo-san can escape from the annoyance of reporting every time we move, at least.
And we increased the bees by four swarms to double it to eight swarms. Alex also cooperated, saying we could increase the production of mead.
We also increased the number of piglets we buy in spring because Serena's sawtooth oaks bear large acorns. It's because we became able to harvest enough acorns that there's no need to release them into the forest for the number of head we keep. We moved the acorn trees just like the rowans. We also increased things like cherries, so trees are growing like an avenue to the west of the residential area.
Since we also moved the plaza used for the banquet hall, the flower beds, the beehives, and the wintering huts to the west of the woods, it's just right as a screen. Of course, the entire residential area is covered like a fortress with stone walls and Matilda's board fences.
By the way, the huts where the bandits sleep are on the west side of the banquet hall. In the residential area, we also made a stone-baked bath by drawing water from the waterway newly dug in the Flatlands. We also made one near the bandits' huts and made it available for free use, so it seems to have been well-received.
In the Flatlands, the highway between the southern plains has already been completed, and the mining of silica has begun in earnest.
Along with that, at a place not so far from our farm, a station was built, and houses and shops for the people doing the crushing work were lined up, and it has become a bit of a village center.
In spring, a Town Guard station will be installed, and an inn will apparently be built too. The reclamation of the Flatlands is beginning in earnest.
During a banquet, we all consulted about whether it was time to open the fourth Class of 175 Shop.
"The problem is who to make the manager, right?"
Beatrix brought it up, but there was no one who made a proposal.
Fundamentally, there is a shortage of human resources.
Beowulf is a Kingdom Army soldier.
Beatrix has the village where she is the landlord and monster extermination. In October, five households newly joined, reaching the goal of twenty households. With the increase in people, there are various things to do and she is busy.
I have various plans to go to places, not to mention monster extermination. Will's location is not fixed as she is directly under Eleanor-sama.
Lyudmila, as an agricultural researcher, has to look around various fields together with Flora. Bonnie has apparently been asked by the royal palace to be my guard.
Mary is busy with trade. Matilda holds the job at the Town Guard workshop and the manager of the main store concurrently. And Fiona is training and a clerk at the main store. Everyone is busy.
"It's about time we gotta hire people."
It's just as Matilda, who runs the shop, says, but this is also difficult.
After all, behind the shop, we are having banquets with members we can't talk to others about. It's bad if it's found out.
"If it's someone I know, shall I introduce them?"
It was Magdalena-sama. Perhaps because the war ended and things settled down, she recently started participating in the banquets together with Henry-sama and the others. Well, Henry-sama and the others, Harris-sama, and even Captain Lewis have become regulars before I knew it, and since the royal palace group doesn't come during winter, November should be fine. Only the King's complaints are a worry.
"By any chance, a lady-in-waiting?"
"No, not a lady-in-waiting. It's my daughter."
"...................."
Everyone in the Class of 175 froze. No, there is no surprise in Mary's expression. And Beowulf straightened her posture. She might have known beforehand.
To us who were speechless, Magdalena-sama spoke about Princess Miana, the eldest daughter and the one with the first right of succession to the throne at this point.
Apparently, she has a shy nature and is not good at standing out in places where many people gather. She doesn't like standing above people, and it seems she prefers to stay one step back and be reserved.
Her hobbies are cooking, making sweets, home gardening, and blending herbal teas and medicinal herbs. She also likes embroidery and making accessories. Her dream for the future is apparently to have a girls' shop like the third Class of 175 Shop in the Royal Capital.
"If she has the first right of succession at this point, does that mean she'll become the Queen in the future?"
Beatrix asked.
"That is what will happen. However, as you all know, there is also the example of my sister-in-law Anne-sama, so it is not certain."
Come to think of it, Jennifer-sensei was also the former holder of the first right of succession.
Even so, she seems quite different from Saxburg.
"But can a shy girl do customer service?"
Beatrix asked again.
"Mary, what do you think?"
Magdalena-sama asked Mary for some reason.
"She is serving as a clerk at the third shop without any problems. She says she's fine even with first-timers if she wears the uniform. Since most of our shop's customers are young women but men also occasionally come, I think there would be no problem at the fourth shop either."
She answered with a composed face.
Wait a minute. When on earth did you hire a princess?
"I requested it of Mary. Since she said she wants to have a shop in the future, I thought she should actually try working."
Personnel costs are practically free except for food and necessary expenses, and the money is apparently donated to the orphanage in the Royal Capital via Princess Miana. Usually, she stays on the second floor of the third shop and only returns on her days off.
"Eventually, I plan to leave the management of the measures for people in poverty and measures for infectious diseases that I am in charge of to her, but since she must also participate in meetings and dinner parties, I am thinking she must gain more experience."
Come to think of it, in Finis and Northern Gram, the princesses are doing trade and such. It wouldn't be strange if she did it.
Even so, what does a meeting or dinner party have to do with being a shopkeeper in a reclaimed land?
No matter how you think about it, wouldn't it only serve as experience for the shop she desires?
The Class of 175 gathered.
"What do you think?"
The one running things is Beatrix, as always.
"We can leave the shop business to her. Personnel costs are practically free. We can put it toward measures for people in poverty."
Mary has likely already given her consent.
"But she'll be the manager all of a sudden."
"It doesn't have to be the manager. It wouldn't be a problem to have Lyudmila be the nominal manager and hire her as a clerk."
"As for public order and security, there's no problem, right? The Light Infantry Corps is here, and her aunt, Jennifer-sensei, is here too."
Will and Bonnie turned to support.
Lewis-san was nodding with a serious face. He had been quiet since the opening toast, but apparently, he had been ordered.
"We are thinking of managing a canteen and a pub near this farm to serve as a cover. Since it's strange to have no female clerks at all, several people from the Kingdom Army are scheduled to come concurrently. On the surface, it's a monitoring mission for the Flatlands, and at this point, only a few people have been informed about Princess Miana. Furthermore, the person herself does not know what I just said. Please keep quiet about it."
She will apparently be a staff member of the agricultural testing station concurrently. Well, in terms of numbers, it won't be that different. Even now, more than ten people should be inside, including those watching the bell tower and the underground Teleport.
When I looked at the group hanging around eating and drinking, everyone winked at me. Maybe a special allowance will be paid.
"Whichever's fine. If she says she wants to do it, just let her do it."
Matilda said something casual, but Lyudmila was also nodding.
"What about Beowulf?"
When I asked, she was in favor.
"My new assignment has been decided."
"Where is it? The Central Army in the Royal Capital?"
"No, here. I've been placed directly under Princess Miana. The person herself is also aware, for now."
I see. So it was completely set up.
"I look forward to working with you. Since I have obtained the approval of Adolf-dono and Catherine-sama, if possible, within the year. How about a one-year contract for now?"
Magdalena-sama smiled sweetly.
In this situation, there's no way to refuse.
"She is my granddaughter. I'm counting on you."
"Except for the year-end and New Year holidays, I'll come to play once a month to see how Miana is doing."
It wouldn't be any different even now.
There were some carefree royals too.
As a result, by Flora's proposal, some of the Alraunes in the Goblin's nest were to move to our farm as support. The provisional manager is Lyudmila. The clerks are Princess Miana, two Alraunes (female) who look like Flora so they are set as triplets, Beowulf as a full-time clerk and guard, and several bandits as surrounding clerks and guards.
As for that Princess Miana, it seems I will be meeting her soon at the earliest.
"We are holding the third meeting in Primordia, and I am thinking of letting her meet Aira and Saxburg too."
Before that, she apparently wants to have an introduction with us.
"Jeanne will be dispatched as a formal envoy along with me. And Will will accompany me as before, and Mary and Bonnie will participate along with the trade officials."
As for the security of the entire facility, several scouts including Hughes-sama... the actual number including those already infiltrated as surface figures is unknown... will apparently be mixed in.
"Miana will also participate in the send-off dinner party, so Beowulf, please accompany us."
"Understood!"
She answered with straightened posture, but the person herself, who missed out on entering the Central Army, must be very disappointed.