Chapter 30 - Entrance to Purgatory
Due to my father's decision, my position in the knightly household was determined.
When I returned home, I had hoped to be of some use, but never did I expect to face the very crisis threatening our family's survival. Had I not studied at the Magic Academy, I could easily imagine that, as the youngest son, newly grown into adulthood and quite ordinary, I would have been nothing more than a bystander to the situation.
I possessed count-level internal mana. Considering the immense benefit this brought to the knightly family, I could only admit that the harsh fate given to me by this so-called "god" was not entirely wrong.
Being reincarnated into this world to punish a soul that had lived without purpose was, in essence, a command to do something with that purposeless life. If it were truly the will of god, one could call it a divine revelation. However, the command was exceedingly vague, a vast and incomprehensible thing.
The internal mana and Skills granted to me by God had no meaning if I lived aimlessly. I, who had lived swept away by the harsh realities of life, had to become someone capable of confronting the harsh realities of this present world.
Compared to my past life, the present world was far more unforgiving. To survive, one had to continue to put in tireless effort. Unlike before, non-human threats to life now existed close to human habitation, constantly threatening the peace of daily life. Anyone who did not take action, simply letting things unfold, would have their very right to live swiftly stripped away.
If one lived carelessly, survival in this world would still be possible, but the outcome would inevitably be more tragic than in the past. If one neglected constant effort, the Demonic Forest would encroach upon human territories, and the peace and happiness of the people would quickly be replaced by chaos, grief, and regret.
---
In the frontier, there is a phrase spoken with fear.
To sink into the Demon Forest.
The origins of the monsters and magical beasts are not well understood. The sheer number of them cannot be explained by normal reproduction alone. In forests that are not the Demonic Forest, where humans have cultivated, no such creatures appear. Humans are at the top of the food chain. Though wild beasts exist, they are few, and serve as sustenance for hunters. The balance of nature is maintained, in other words.
The Demonic Forest is different. In it, monsters and magical beasts exist in numbers far exceeding what the forest can sustain. While the law of survival of the fittest is always in effect, it is especially pronounced in the Demonic Forest. Moreover, the strength of the creatures there far surpasses that of ordinary wild beasts, with some even wielding magic.
The plants that should serve as food within the forest fluctuate depending on the weather and other conditions. And if an insufficient number of fruits are produced... the "Demonic Forest" will resemble a purgatory.
Weak monsters and magical beasts become prey to the stronger ones.
The forest is divided into shallow, middle, and deep layers. The deeper you go, the stronger the creatures become, so strong that they barely resemble living beings. Conversely, the number of creatures decreases as one goes deeper, due to their consumption of each other. If the forest's resources are scarce, the monsters and magical beasts in the deep layers will venture into the middle layer to feed... and then into the shallow layer.
--- What happens then?
Yes, large and medium-sized monsters from the middle layer advance into the shallow layer, causing the smaller and medium-sized monsters in the shallow layer to fall into a panic, and they swarm out of the Demonic Forest into human settlements. This is what is called the Stampede.
To sink into the Demonic Forest means that the rampaging monsters destroy human settlements, and regions once inhabited by people become again part of the Demonic Forest. In fact, entire nations have been destroyed. Therefore, places on the frontier near the Demonic Forest fear the Stampede above all.
As such, there was a need to establish military forces to monitor the movements of the monsters and magical beasts.
―――
In our knightly household, a similar process unfolded, and the vassals formed military units. We created three main divisions: the guerilla unit, the main force, and the garrison, each with specific duties.
The guerilla unit's task was to scout within the forest.
The main force unit was for direct engagement.
The garrison was responsible for the protection of the people of the town, villages, and settlements, as well as evacuation in emergencies, and for supporting the supply lines of the guerilla unit and main force.
I had requested from Father to be appointed as the commander of the guerilla unit.
Eldest Brother, determined to protect this homeland, was placed as the commander of the garrison, a role requiring more intellect than strength.
Second Brother, due to his Skills, became the commander of the main force unit, leading the elite knights of our knightly house and ensuring the peace of the territory.
Within the knightly house, it seemed only natural that "I," the third son, the one with the quickest reflexes, became the commander of the guerilla unit and served as the vanguard.
It was a bold decision for a mere youngster, freshly grown into adulthood, to be appointed as the commander of the guerilla unit. But because I had studied military affairs in the royal capital, that seemed to ease the concerns. My role was to scout the forest, identify dangers before they escalated, and report back. To do that, I needed to be exceptionally attuned to the raw information coming from villages bordering the forest.
--- The guerilla unit I was entrusted with was one such force.
---
Until recently, the unit had been commanded by Second Brother. Their primary task was to receive reports of monster and magical beast sightings, then carry out reconnaissance to assess the situation accurately. It was like a special operations force, not comparable to the kingdom's military in scale but undeniably essential to the survival of the frontier.
The death toll was high, and over ten years, half the unit would be replaced.
With the recent major restructuring, the number of soldiers assigned to the guerilla unit had drastically changed. Second Brother had always been dedicated to training the soldiers, maintaining an elite force worthy of their mission. As a result, the unit had earned the respect of neighboring knightly houses, being composed of many capable and courageous individuals. But due to the recent turmoil, many of those soldiers were reassigned to the main force, leaving the guerilla unit with mostly new recruits.
Given that the main force was currently handling most of the operations of the guerilla unit, my role had become focused on getting the guerilla unit ready for real combat. To that end, Second Brother had already prepared a plan.
He left behind the key personnel for the guerilla unit—seasoned warriors, equivalent to five-year veterans. They were formidable individuals capable of independently eliminating and returning from encounters with small magical beasts during reconnaissance-in-force missions. The new recruits, on the other hand, were young people from the frontier, ranging in age from as young as twelve to as old as twenty.
While they were much younger than the average soldier in the royal army, they had impressive physical abilities as citizens of the frontier. Moreover, each of them had been endowed with "martial system" Skills, showing the potential to surpass the strength and prowess of the kingdom's regular soldiers. Still, from the perspective of the seasoned veterans left behind by Second Brother, they were still far from being anything worth looking at.
I was assigned an old soldier as my adjutant, personally chosen by Eldest Brother. This was a pleasant surprise. The wisdom of old soldiers was often compared to jewels that captivated even the noble ladies. Their rule of thumb and ability to read the flow of battle are things that cannot be acquired overnight, no matter how diligently one might try to learn them.
There was another reason for my relief.
"Young Master, the basic training is progressing smoothly. Some recruits have already caught the eye of the training officers. It seems they might be able to be made ready for actual battles sooner than expected."
"Old Man, I must say, having you as my adjutant is an unexpected joy. But be warned, optimism can be a death sentence. True, they’ve improved. By the kingdom’s standards, some could already be promoted to mid-level soldiers. But considering the types of operations the guerilla unit will undertake, I think they need a bit more training."
"Oh? And what’s the basis for that?"
"Second Brother... I mean, the warriors Second Elder Brother left me with are first-class warriors. They are capable of carrying out reconnaissance in force or raid missions on their own. But to train the soldiers to that level would take more time than we have. Considering the inevitable attrition, the thought alone makes my chest tighten."
"That’s indeed true. However, it’s part of what joining a knightly family’s army means. Those who weigh the risk to their lives against the safety of the people wouldn’t volunteer for military conscription in the first place."
"I understand your point. But, Old Man, I worry that soldiers who have been trained and grown might casually throw away their lives. How much wealth is spent to create a soldier of that caliber? A soldier grows, develops their abilities—it’s a magnificent thing. But to send them into certain death is another matter. As a commander, it’s my duty to think about ways to increase their chances of survival. And, Old Man, I’m considering increasing the number of soldiers who can conduct long-range reconnaissance."
"...That's... It will be difficult. Long-range reconnaissance requires individuals with a substantial amount of internal mana to use extensive Search Magic. It might be a bit much to expect that from common folk who have almost no internal mana. It’s crucial to deal with it step by step."
"I... have a plan, Old Man. Gather everyone in the afternoon."
"......Understood."
--- Yes, I had a plan.
For this plan, I had no qualms about using the wealth I had earned in the royal capital to fund it.
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