Chapter 72 - A Letter to the Royal Guard Staff Officer
As I gaze at the large map on the wall, lost in thought, a knock echoes at the door. I quickly grant permission to enter. The youngest female soldier, a shooter, steps inside. She’s the one who was promoted to squad leader of the first shooter squad at such a young age. With a tense expression, she salutes by placing her fist against her temple and begins to speak.
“The first squad has returned from the scout mission.”
“Good work. Let’s hear the report.”
“Reporting. We conducted an investigation into the sighting of a magical beast reported by the large village and assessed its threat level. Based on our search, it was determined to be threat level 2 magical beasts. It was a pack of small-sized magical beasts—Saber Wolves. We deemed elimination appropriate, Sir! With infantry support, we drove them into the hunting grounds and eliminated them using slingshots. We’ve also completed our explanation to the village chief, Sir!”
“Good. How many were there?”
“Eight in total. Six of them were cubs. It was the season for them to leave the nest, so they could also be considered young wolves. We judged it to be a dangerous period. Based on their territory, we believe the main pack is deeper in the forest. However, leaving them unchecked would have significantly increased the danger to the large village. Since this is a basic matter for hunters, the decision was straightforward!”
“Hmm, good judgment. Well done. …By the way, may I ask you something?”
“Yes, Sir! Anything! If it’s something I can answer!”
“Relax, no need to be so tense. From a hunter’s perspective, where would you assume a person might hide?”
“Yes, Sir! Huh? A… ‘person,’ Sir?”
My sudden question leaves her visibly confused. Her expression shifts rapidly, making her bewilderment clear. She must be quite perplexed. For the Guerilla Unit, the only people to search for are usually those lost in the forest or hunters who’ve sent distress signals. Tracking down someone intentionally hiding is the job of the Garrison. So, my question must have caught her off guard.
“Yes, a person. Don’t hunters sometimes join manhunts to track down criminals? In such cases, how would you go about finding someone who’s particularly difficult to locate?”
“…Well, the most troublesome situation is when they blend in with other people. Even during a manhunt, tracking a specific individual in the wilderness or forest isn’t too difficult. You just follow their tracks. However, if they escape to a settlement or town and hide, it becomes much harder. In the mountains, forests, or wilderness, tracks are always left behind, so you can follow them carefully. But once they enter a town, those traces disappear. If the target has distinctive features, the most practical approach is to conduct a thorough search based on those features… Sir.”
“A manpower-intensive strategy, then. If it’s a person, they’d hide in a town. If you equip those who know the target’s features with tools to identify them, it would be even more effective.”
“Yes, Sir. For a specific individual, it would be best to use something only that person possesses. Um… are you hunting someone, sir?”
“You could say that. Anyway, I’ll take your advice into consideration. You’ve provided valuable insight. Good work on the report. You’re granted three days of rest. Recover your strength and prepare for the next mission.”
“Yes, Sir! Thank you very much!! I’ll take my leave now, Sir!!”
Her energetic voice fills the office. She’s grown into a straightforward and capable shooter-scout. She’s the right person to lead the first squad. I’ve assigned her a seasoned spotter as her deputy. He’s likely guiding her well as a good second-in-command. That’s why I’ve delegated some decision-making to her. The goal is to encourage independent thinking and prevent reliance on others. I’ve trained the troops to communicate and act on their own. Those who’ve adapted well to this training are now the squad leaders. Maintaining the unit’s strength requires emphasizing individuality. This is a significant difference from the military training manuals of the royal army.
In special missions like those of the Guerilla Unit, waiting for orders isn’t an option. If we can act preemptively, we must—otherwise, the entire unit, and by extension, the entire territory of the knightly house, could be in danger. While this approach is frowned upon at the capital’s Military Academy, the Demonic Forest is a unique place where such methods are not only allowed but necessary. Without them, survival would be impossible.
Our battlefield is that precarious.
After the shooter left, I wrote two letters. One was a report to the Prime Minister on the recent developments in the Demonic Forest. The other was a response to the Royal Guard Staff Officer, answering his question. I also included five old-model leather helmets equipped with scouting magitech tools that were issued to the mobile strike force. I expect they’ll be useful. My Friend is also someone who aspires to master magical craftsmanship. He’s the type who prefers creating civilian goods over weapons.
If it’s something familiar, he’ll likely craft it using a magic battery so the scouting magitech tools should react to it. As for who will act as the hound, that’s up to that guy. I can picture the faces of a few men—My Friend’s attendants. They must still be hoping for My Friend’s return to the high comital house. I’m sure that guy’s already made contact with them. Anticipating this, I’ve also included a message in the letter.
“Please relay this message to the man who prioritized his own beliefs. Your three cartloads of personal belongings are ready for pickup anytime, my friend. And one more thing—apologies. I was the one who put the noble’s collar and leash on you.”
――― § ―――
In the western region of the Demonic Forest within the knightly house’s territory, the construction of main paths in the Shallow Forest is progressing. The large villages at the edge of the forest have already been equipped with magic communication devices. If anything unusual occurs, the Fortress’s communication room is notified immediately. So far, there haven’t been many urgent reports from the western region. The Guerilla Unit has only deployed patrol units there.
Currently, the Guerilla Unit operates with a basic structure of eighteen infantry squads. Additionally, there are nine shooter units. Two infantry squads are stationed at the Fortress, three in the eastern Shallow Forest, and three in the western Shallow Forest, with rotations in place. The shooter units, due to the nature of their equipment, excel in emergency response and patrols. The ten squads not on active duty split their time between rest and training.
With Second Brother having left the knightly house, I’ve also taken on the responsibility of training new recruits for both the Main Force Unit and the Guerilla Unit. I’ve entrusted the training of new soldiers to the squads already undergoing drills. Since they’ll eventually fight side by side as comrades, I ensured the training was thorough. That’s what I emphasized.
As for the Main Force Unit, the eldest son of the knightly house’s branch family, who was appointed assistant commander by Second Brother, is serving as the temporary commander, handling critical tasks. However, he can’t manage everything alone, so some duties have been reassigned to the Guerilla Unit by order of the Lord Heir.
When it comes to military affairs, I must carefully reconsider our unit formations. The responsibility of managing the Demonic Forest, once shared among us three brothers, now rests entirely on my shoulders. Because of that, the establishment of a magic communication network is nothing short of an urgent priority.
Eldest Brother has entrusted me with matters related to the Demonic Forest. While the traditional knightly house practice of the commander leading from the front isn’t feasible, he has assured me that the Knightly House Main Force Unit, which he commands in emergencies, will deploy wherever I request.
I’m deeply grateful for this. I’ve vowed to expand the surveillance system in the Shallow Forest to ensure the peace and security of our territory.
Our knightly house’s approach to the Demonic Forest has evolved through these circumstances. During dinner, my father mentioned that neighboring knightly houses have finally begun to strengthen their surveillance systems within their own territories’ Shallow Forests. However, they haven’t yet deployed scouting magitech tools. It seems they’re facing significant difficulties and have requested my father’s assistance.
One evening, this topic came up during dinner.
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