Chapter 526 - Backyard of the Stray Priest 20
Roberts and Gladys finished their exploration of the Earth Dragon's cave and returned to the Royal Capital for the time being. It was to report to his brother, the King, along with his parents.
Normally, when Roberts meets his brother, he goes to the waiting room of the Audience Chamber. There is the attendant most trusted by the royal family, and when one of the usual companions enters, he contacts the King.
This time, since it was to be a formal report along with his parents, he entered the waiting room for audience-seekers. If they wait there, the guiding attendant will tell them as soon as the King's preparations are complete.
Roberts ordered a beer as usual and sat down on the sofa. Gladys, who ordered wine, sat next to him. Opposite them sat his father and mother, who ordered beer just like their son.
The four of them toasted while appreciating each other's efforts.
They successfully completed the mission to explore an uncharted cave, and moreover, they were able to establish a friendship with the Earth Dragon. In terms of the security of the Kingdom of Sertoria, they produced an impeccable result.
"Roberts, Gladys. How is the proficiency of the Eastern Plains Corps lately?"
After talking for a while about the events in the Earth Dragon's cave, Eleanor asked Roberts.
The Eastern Plains Corps is officially named the Kingdom of Sertoria Army Sixth Corps Eastern Plains Garrison Unit. The Sixth Corps includes local garrison armies, and is also stationed in Nakanohara and the Western Plains. The Eastern Plains Garrison Unit is the core unit of those, and its members numbered a thousand.
Since Roberts took office as commander, he has been actively proceeding with the subjugation of monsters in the Northeastern Forest by teaming up with Elves and hiring mercenaries.
The Northeastern Forest is an area where powerful monsters roam compared to other forest areas due to the magic eruption accident caused by the Elves... though this was only discovered in recent years and the cause was unknown until then... and during the Demon Lord's resurrection, it became one of the bases for the Demon Lord's army. Because of that, the practical combat experience of the Eastern Plains Corps is incomparable to other units, and because the elite Paratroop Jaeger Unit does not officially exist and the current hero Roberts is commanding it, its reputation as the strongest in Sertoria is high.
"Since a secret pact was established with the remnants of the Demon Lord's army, aren't you only doing monster hunting?"
The many battles with monsters in the forest areas are extremely fierce. However, lately, it has become quite easy because a method of driving monsters into a specific place and attacking them all at once in cooperation with the Black Dragon Child has been established.
"That's right. Since we are achieving certain results without as much hardship as before, it's easy, if you call it easy."
"I see, I see."
Eleanor, who heard Roberts' reply, chuckled.
"Mother, do you intend to train our soldiers in the Earth Dragon's cave?"
"You're quick to catch on. That's right."
Hearing that, Gladys almost burst out laughing and hurriedly stifled it. Even if they established a friendship with the Earth Dragon, to have him cooperate in military training would be unimaginable in other countries.
Looking at Roberts, he doesn't seem particularly surprised. Isn't even that fact surprising to other countries? Gladys thought so.
"I think compensation would be necessary to request the Earth Dragon, but can we really satisfy the Earth Dragon, who must have been hoarding gold since ancient times?"
"I think alcohol will be fine."
The Earth Dragon preferred Jeanne's mead over high-quality continental wine or strong Finis alcohol. Eleanor said that wine and fruit wine made on the White Island, or cheap mead brewed by former church priests and sold to the general public, would be sufficient. For snacks to go with the alcohol, Highway Cookies or the kinds of sweets the Class of 175 obtains through trade with various places should be enough.
"Besides, he also seemed to be looking forward to someone using that Labyrinth. I think it's enough to dispatch several soldiers, have them drink alcohol together, and have them engage in small talk while betting on whether they can win against the monsters the Earth Dragon made."
Hearing that, Roberts remembered the time he met the Earth Dragon.
While the Earth Dragon said his hobbies were contemplation, napping, and debate, he didn't engage in much of a debate with debaters like Eleanor or Wilson, and was listening with interest to stories about the war with the Demon Lord's army and the Demon Lord subjugation battle. That appearance, combined with his outward appearance, was like an old man listening intently to stories of achievements made on the battlefield by local youths.
In short, he probably needs small pleasures just like an elderly person living alone.
"Besides, there is also a lore that proud dragons delight in having their strength and greatness mentioned by humans. I think it's good to stimulate that well."
Roberts thought it wouldn't be that simple. However, Eleanor seems to have a plan. What will she do? When he asked, she replied that she would do this and that. Roberts and Gladys burst out laughing when they heard it, but they agreed, saying it sounded interesting.
"Mother, wouldn't the Paratroop Jaegers be better than us?"
"Why?"
"How should I say, our soldiers have bad manners, or rather, I can't imagine them staying quiet in the Earth Dragon's cave. They might start a drinking contest, get dead drunk, and show disgraceful behavior. In that regard, the Paratroop Jaegers are reassuring."
Henry and Gladys started laughing. They must have a memory of it. After all, the commander Roberts himself frequently engages in drinking contests and has a hangover the next morning.
"As a soldier of the Kingdom's army, it's out of the question to be overcome by alcohol. Try to value discipline a bit more."
Eleanor glares at them, and Henry and Gladys become quiet.
"My apologies. I will do my best to improve."
Because Roberts obediently bowed his head, the severity in Eleanor's gaze softened. Seeing that, Henry and Gladys looked at each other.
After that, through private interactions with the King, Roberts' words were adopted, and it was chosen to make the Nakanohara Light Infantry Corps and the Eastern Plains Paratroop Jaeger Unit, who usually frequent the Class of 175's farm and participate in banquets with various spirits and monsters, the first training targets. After that, they just have to increase the targets by utilizing personnel transfers between Paratroop Jaeger units in various places. Of course, as befits Paratroop Jaegers, it is a top-secret mission.
Actually, within the current Kingdom's army, both armies were the most free. It's because the burden of monster extermination, which is their original mission, in the Northeastern Forest and Northern Nakanohara has become significantly lighter.
For the Eastern Plains Paratroop Jaeger Unit, a secret pact with the surviving Demon Race in the Northeastern Forest has been established, and battles with the remnants of the Demon Lord's army are not occurring.
That's also because the recovery of the Northeastern Forest includes the northern part, which is the habitat of monsters, according to Renata's wishes. That will save the remnants of the Demon Lord's army, who are falling into food shortages due to the poor ecosystem that has turned into monsters. If they were to cross swords with humans poorly, the recovery work would be put on hold.
In addition, in the magic beast extermination in cooperation with the Black Dragon Child, the driving up of magic beasts to the north is also done periodically. This also contributes greatly to the food security of the remnants of the Demon Lord's army, but if a conflict occurs, it will of course be abolished.
Regarding these two points, it has already been communicated to the Cait Sith, who is an influential unit leader of the remnants of the Demon Lord's army, and it must have reached the ears of the Demon Race commander. The Demon Race probably wants to say that human-like things are laughable, but they can't be choosers. Therefore, it was expected that there would be no problem until the Demon Lord is resurrected.
Regarding the Nakanohara Light Infantry Corps, they were deployed not only for intelligence activities toward Engrio, but also in preparation for monsters invading from the Demon Realm in Northern Nakanohara. That, by aiming for cooperation with various spirits and monsters, succeeded in the containment of monsters living in the Demon Realm. In addition, in the Flatlands in eastern Nakanohara, a tacit understanding was reached with the pack of stray Orcs living in the northern part, and the sturdy stone fort has now become a useless object. The current main mission is to assist in the reclamation work in the Flatlands, and that is also being reduced by the meticulous guidance of the Class of 175 to the former serfs who are familiar with farm work.
In short, they became free.
"Then, can I leave this matter to Father and Mother?"
"Understood. If contact with Gnome is achieved, we will go to the Earth Dragon's place once. Let's try asking him then."
At the King's words, Eleanor replied and the policy was decided.
After that, after passing the winter and with spring just around the corner in March, they successfully achieved contact with Gnome along with Jeanne and the others. The Henry Party, accompanied by the captains of the Paratroop Jaeger units from the Royal Capital area, the Western Plains, and the Eastern Plains, including Lewis, the Nakanohara Light Infantry Corps commander who is incorporated into the Paratroop Jaegers, visited the Earth Dragon under the pretext of returning the Gnome Detection Stick.
"What, you've brought a plain lot this time."
Even though they are the most elite of the Kingdom of Sertoria Army, they are inferior in terms of flashiness compared to the hero who subjugated the Demon Lord or the light magic-user who subdues extremely rare monsters. The Earth Dragon seemed disappointed, but he cheered up at the fact that each Paratroop Jaeger came carrying a barrel of fruit wine on his back, and a banquet immediately began.
"Actually, I'd like you to train these people in your labyrinth."
After eating and drinking for a while, Eleanor brought it up.
"These four?"
One can tell they are soldiers at a glance. However, they seem too old and high in rank to be retrained.
"That's right. To be precise, I'd like to request you to create a Labyrinth based on the explanations of these four, and have those who belong to the unit called Paratroop Jaegers in our country come in order."
"Paratroop Jaegers?"
"Yes. It's a unit involved in missions to infiltrate enemy territory using Flight Magic and scouting techniques, and to conduct reconnaissance and attack enemy forts and logistics collection points."
"Hmm. Is it a difficult mission? So, how many are there? A hundred? Two hundred? Surely you don't mean five hundred."
"Actually, there are about a thousand Paratroop Jaegers."
"A thousand? You're telling me to train that many soldiers? Have humans do that among themselves. First of all, scouting techniques, tactics, I don't understand them."
At first, he showed signs of dislike due to the large number, but he became keen after seeing what Eleanor took out from her bosom.
What Eleanor showed the Earth Dragon was something like a medal. It's a design of the Earth Dragon in his dragon form holding a drawn sword in his mouth, and the material is silver. According to Eleanor, it's a custom-made item she requested the Elves to produce.
"We will make the breakthrough of your labyrinth a test, and give this badge to those who pass as a sign of being elite. Of course, their treatment within the Kingdom's army will also improve."
"Hoho. Elite, you say?"
"Of course. After all, they cleared the Earth Dragon's trial. The soldiers who obtained this badge will proudly wear it on their chests in official settings. And they will surely pass down your greatness along with their gratitude toward the Earth Dragon. While showing this off to those around them."
"I see, I see. That's a good idea."
"Have a drink," Captain Lewis pours a drink for the Earth Dragon.
The Earth Dragon accepted it in high spirits and took a sip.
"Then, is it okay if only a very small number are granted that sign?"
The Earth Dragon, perhaps already motivated, began to ask in-depth questions.
"That's the difficult part. If the test is too difficult, no one will challenge it. That said, granting it for an easy test is out of the question."
"Well, that's true. I can't give it easily."
"I see, I see. Then, how about this? Our country has a total of eleven thousand soldiers, including the thousand Paratroop Jaegers who officially do not exist. There are a thousand Paratroop Jaegers, which is roughly one in ten. If we further select a hundred from those thousand, that is, one in a hundred, and treat them as elite."
Hearing one in a hundred, the Earth Dragon didn't look very pleased. He thought it was too many for being elite.
"Shouldn't we narrow it down a bit more?"
However, this was within Eleanor's expected range. A relatively large village as a whole has a population of three hundred. If it's one in a hundred, in terms of proportion, there would be three in every village. That would lack value.
"Actually, there is also something like this."
She took out another one from her bosom. The design is the same, but it's one size larger. The material was silver.
"The silver badge from before is for one in a hundred. Those are the ones who pass. Among them, we will select those who achieved particularly excellent results as the true elite. The guideline will be one in ten among those who pass, which is one in a thousand overall."
When it comes to one in a thousand, there wouldn't even be one in a village. For example, the population of the entire Nakanohara district is about fifty thousand, but there would only be fifty eligible people. If limited to only soldiers, since the Nakanohara Garrison Army and the Light Infantry Corps together are about eight hundred people, it would be less than one person. Even including all the Paratroop Jaegers, it's only one person. In the entire Kingdom of Sertoria Army, it's eleven people. It would be suitable for the most elite.
"Hmm. That should be fine."
The moment the Earth Dragon was convinced, it was decided that the selection test for Paratroop Jaegers would be held in the Earth Dragon's labyrinth.
"These people are the captains of the Paratroop Jaeger units from various places. These people will convey the training content according to the selection criteria I mentioned earlier, so I think it's possible for them to state their opinions in deciding the difficulty of the labyrinth."
"Yes. Then, from me. My name is Lewis, the Nakanohara Light Infantry Corps commander. From our mission and the content of our usual training..."
When Lewis began his explanation, the Earth Dragon listened intently, "Humu humu."