NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9
“Everyone’s faces are dark. I can understand that. You probably think you’re going through unnecessary hardship because of a strange emperor, right?”
“No!”
What do you mean, “No”? It’s written all over their faces.
Seeing the soldiers’ frustrated faces from the unexpected visit of the military commander… no, I mean, the emperor, I deliberately smiled and spoke.
“I know you think that the newly crowned emperor is just being difficult for no reason. I don’t plan on punishing you, so there’s no need to deny it.”
“……”
“But really, I’m not doing this to torment you for no reason.”
I leaned on my sword and adopted a more solemn attitude.
“A war will break out soon.”
And the following words were enough to scare the soldiers.
Even though there were no demonic beasts, a tense silence began to settle over the forest.
I twirled the sword I was leaning on to draw their attention and continued.
“Whether you like it or not, a war will inevitably happen.”
It didn’t matter whether the enemy was external or internal.
“The important thing is that you survive the war.”
I didn’t say anything about winning the war; that would be a conventional, outdated sentiment. For soldiers, survival was what mattered—victory came after that.
Seeing the soldiers’ faces finally become a bit more serious, I drew my sword from its scabbard.
With a sharp sound, the well-forged blade exuded a menacing aura.
“I won’t be a wise emperor. It’s not that I’m foolish, but I’m not good at persuading my enemies with speeches or good deeds.”
Intelligence, reason, and logic alone do not solve every problem.
Such things aren’t even possible in modern democratic countries.
Let alone in a barbaric medieval fantasy world.
“But I swear by this sword, I will never send you to the battlefield just to die.”
I didn’t say everyone would survive.
Some would die.
Some would survive.
Ultimately, it was the luck of the battlefield that would decide.
But there are things that can be decided by human will, not fate.
That is to inspire courage to fight, even in the face of certain death.
It’s actually quite traditional for a ruler to share the hardships with his soldiers.
“Until you’re ready, I’ll share the suffering with you.”
I’ll eat the same food, train the same way, and sleep in the same harsh places as you.
“If necessary, I might even stand on the battlefield alongside you.”
“The only thing I can promise you is that. Even so, I have high expectations of you. I believe that, through your efforts, the empire will overcome its crisis.”
Whether those expectations will be met is up to you.
With those final words, I ended my speech.
How would they take my words?
Crack.
As soon as I had such doubts…
Crack, crack, crack.
The soldiers, whose appearances were still shabby, had a change in their eyes.
Without anyone commanding them, the soldiers began to align their scattered ranks.
The sound of their footsteps aligning seemed to be their answer.
“It seems they’re ready, Your Majesty.”
“Looks like it.”
It felt like we were about to take the first step.
***
“Do you understand? The training method is very simple.”
Training will be like battle, and battle will be like training.
Although it’s a phrase I’ve heard so many times that it might give me PTSD, the principle itself isn’t wrong.
“In the forest, you’ll attack me and the Imperial Guard, assuming we’re the enemy! If you land a valid attack, you pass!”
However, just the words alone can feel hollow.
If you want the training to be like real combat, the training must be highly effective and appropriate.
“For those who succeed in their attacks, rewards will be given according to merit!”
A mere whip is not enough to motivate people. Naturally, I offer some carrots as well.
The soldiers, eager for rewards, showed interest in my proposal.
“As I said, this is definitely an opportunity for you.”
Wearing tattered clothes that I didn’t mind getting dirty, I spoke the words they didn’t want to hear.
“This is your only legitimate chance to hit the emperor.”
Some soldiers chuckled at the joke I threw without a signal, though the knights showed discomfort, quickly turning serious.
Meanwhile, I smiled with a childlike innocence and continued.
“Especially if you catch me, your reward will be your salary for an entire year. Isn’t that a win-win? You can legally hit your annoying master and earn money too! Isn’t that right?”
“Ooohhh!”
This time, their reaction was wildly enthusiastic. So these guys really wanted to hit me, huh?
Of course, I wouldn’t go down that easily, so it was all just empty wind I was feeding them, but for these soldiers whose hardships were about to begin, hope was necessary.
“Your Majesty, isn’t the reward a bit excessive?”
The Guard Captain, who had a somewhat rigid disposition, seemed to be weak in this regard and expressed his concerns.
I shrugged my shoulders and, with exaggerated gestures, replied to him.
“If you’re worried, then just make sure no one gets caught. The rewards for the soldiers will be deducted from the salaries of those who give the attacks permission.”
In other words, if you don’t want your salary cut, stay sharp.
“I was thinking of going easy on them, but I guess I’ll have to go all out.”
Surprisingly, even the stern Guard Captain showed a bit of humor.
Yeah, no one can stand having their salary cut.
***
“AAAAAHHHH!”
“Over there! Over there!”
“Don’t miss it!”
“Ugh, help me!”
The hunting grounds were quite vast, but the human screams spread farther than expected, and as soon as the training began, we could hear voices echoing from different parts of the forest.
“They’re all quite enthusiastic. There’s nothing more effective than financial therapy, after all.”
“…I don’t know what financial therapy is, but it’s certainly a brilliant idea for a training method.”
Of course, it’s a given. With a large sum of money on the line, who wouldn’t be motivated?
But the concerning issue was that there was a significant gap in the levels between the Imperial Guard and the standing army.
Naturally, there had to be a balance, but deliberately holding back could undermine the meaning of the training.
“It’s not just the soldiers, the knights of the Empire are also a problem. If they could just lead well, the soldiers would have a chance of victory.”
Knights are often valued solely for their bravery, but as someone who understands the concept of non-commissioned officers and officers, I found this lacking.
No matter how strong a single knight is in this world, bravery alone is often insufficient.
It was necessary to cultivate those who could command the soldiers more effectively.
I needed talented individuals, and fortunately, I had someone in mind who could spot talent.
“Hunting groundsman, is your name Jack Forest?”
“That’s correct, Your Majesty. But how do you know my humble name?”
The hunting groundsman who had been with me since I arrived looked at me curiously.
Instead of answering, I took in his impressive stats.
[Name: Jack Forest]
[Position: Imperial Hunting Groundsman]
[Traits: Tactical, Methodical, Calm, Loyal]
[Specialties: Ambush, Tracking, Stealth, Sniping, Survival Skills, Swordsmanship, Animal Affinity]
The more I looked, the more fascinating it was.
This was no ordinary hunting groundsman.
“If I want to know something, being the emperor, how could I not? But honestly, you don’t seem like an ordinary hunting groundsman to me.”
While hearing the noises of training from all around, I walked with him through the bushes and spoke.
Even without looking at the status screen, his appearance, demeanor, his swift footsteps, and subtly visible well-trained muscles all indicated he was far from ordinary.
“I was a Helmart Ranger. I served in the western part of the empire.”
“It wasn’t exactly a secret, but…”
“Helmart Rangers? They’re the ones who remained in the north and west, right?”
“Yes, they are the unit that’s been around since the days of the Helmart Kingdom.”
It was a patrol unit with traditions that had been integrated into the Empire after the kingdom’s fall long ago.
“Then why did you become a hunting groundsman?”
It didn’t seem like he was at an age to retire yet.
“…I had personal reasons.”
“I see. Well, I won’t pry into that.”
There was no need to delve into his personal history.
But I couldn’t shake off the thought of bringing him into service.
“From what I can see, you’re too skilled to be just a hunting groundsman. Would you consider joining the Imperial army?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m not sure how helpful someone like me could be.”
Jack spoke humbly, but having seen his stats, I had no doubt he could be a valuable asset.
“I’m not asking you to return to being a soldier. But there may be another way, if you don’t mind. I’d like you to take on training the Imperial army.”
“But don’t the Empire’s knights already train them?”
“I’m not belittling the knights, but I don’t think they’re capable of teaching the soldiers tactics.”
I continued, still hearing the shouts from all around the forest.
My reasoning didn’t require much explanation.
The mock battles happening throughout the forest at that very moment were proof enough of my argument.
“Do you think the soldiers could win just by practicing swordsmanship and physical training?”
“…I don’t think they could.”
“Exactly. But fighting isn’t all about strength. Those who can use tactics have the advantage.”
Although physical strength plays a significant role in the training, the rules I set favored the soldiers overwhelmingly.
If they used those rules to move tactically, even if they couldn’t win the entire battle, they could still win some skirmishes due to their numerical superiority.
“And I’m sure you have tactical knowledge to teach them, don’t you?”
“That’s correct.”
He didn’t deny it, perhaps because I had pierced through his thoughts.
“If Your Majesty truly wants to use me, I have no intention of refusing.”
It seemed he hadn’t been entirely opposed from the beginning.
In fact, he appeared to have a sense of pride about it.
“However, it won’t be easy to turn them into Rangers with just me.”
He added, showing clear pride, stating that the soldiers would need proper training alongside other Rangers.
“I’m not asking for that much, but please do what you can.”
What I truly wanted wasn’t to create soldiers who simply fought well.
I wanted soldiers who could make decisions, or knights who could command them effectively.
Soldiers who fight only by following orders are common.
But those who understand combat and can think tactically are far rarer.
Typically, those who take on such roles are non-commissioned officers.
With the current soldiers, it’s hard to expect them to perform professional NCO duties.
However, by bringing Jack into the fold and having him train them, things could change.
They could learn the tactics of Rangers, such as how to track enemies or how to hide.
“Anyway, it seems like they’re nearby.”
At that moment, it seemed like a group of soldiers had found us.
“I see. Then, Jack, show your skills. Give them some preliminary training.”
Without hesitation, the captain, who had been silently standing by my side, followed Jack’s orders and set up an ambush nearby.