Road to the Crown

Chapter 305: Cheerio's looming arrival

8th October 1574

"While I knew that it was to be expected but to see the city reduced to such a state"

As if with a touch of magical wand, once my soldiers disposed of the entire Ostros family, the remaining survivors of the place nearly instantly dropped their weapons. If only I could share this information, it could easily serve as an additional way of confirming that our enemy was finally dead, but doing so would ultimately bring way too much attention to me.

"Thinking about this, who managed to kill the Ostros? Ah, don't worry!"

As soon as I asked the question, I could see the uneasiness appearing on the face of my officers. For a commoner to kill a noble, no matter the situation, meant a death penalty. And those officers of mine actually thought that after ordering them to do so, I would still hold it against them?

"Don't worry guys. The deaths of those sons of bitches fall all on my shoulder. So, who did it and how, because I need to decide on the reward."

Recalling the way in which I learned about the death of those first and hopefully the last opponents that I would face on my road to dominating the entire country, there was a strange bit that I just couldn't understand. Only by asking those responsible for the death of those fuckers directly could I learn about this one element that kept puzzling me.

"Ah, yes sir!"

Only now reflecting on how their behaviour might look like to others, the officers gathered around me nearly jumped on their feet, bringing their right hands towards their foreheads in the salute. 

Seeing this, I couldn't stop my smile from appearing on my face. This kind of thing was one of the basic requests that any officer candidate had to fulfil. For example, when an officer of the lower rank commanded over his direct subordinates, then the higher-ranking officer had to support him. What happened later, how big of a scolding the lower-ranking man would receive in the private didn't matter. In front of the soldiers, a high ranking officer could never undermine the authority of his own subordinate!

That's why what my officers just did could be considered a gross failure to follow the proper procedures Yet right after winning the battle, with how the topic was quite tense, I decided that following with the normal procedures of punishing them would simply take away a huge part of the happiness that my soldiers were currently filled with.

"Sir! Urgent message!"

Right as I was about to dismiss my officers in order to ascertain them that I wouldn't punish them for their silly yet important mistake, a new man entered the area, instantly attracting my attention. 

And the attention of the nearby officers.

Instantly dropkicking him to the ground, before that man could get within five meters away from me, he was already tackled to the ground, held by the three of the nearest soldiers.

"Who are you?!"

Speaking of procedures, there was a specific one that detailed how one was supposed to bring the news both to the field commanders and to the general staff. Running into someone else like that was a big no-no. Allowing this kind of thing would quickly result in my instant death due to the very first assassination attempt that would come my way!

"Sir, I'm sorry for the lack of protocols but we have reports of Cheerio family approaching our back camp in full force!"

That was indeed a strange situation. While our unofficial alliance was just as its name - unofficial, I already expected Cheerio family to intervene in the situation a bit. After all, I was no one but a small noble that only recently entered the table where the real game was going on, so it would be strange to think that Cheerio would allow me suddenly come into possession of the entire wealth, although nibbled away by the military effort, of Ostros household!

But as much as I expected their envoys, maybe a slightly bigger detachment aimed at proving their strength and kindly asking for some stuff that they would take anyway, to think that they were appearing in their full force? What even was that full force that the messenger spoke off?

"How many?"

As a simple way of measuring someone's commitment, the number of the troops they would bring was still valid to a certain extend. Just like I experienced it firsthand during the campaign, moving troops around on the map was simple only in strategy games.

From the matter of supplies, through the problem of actually moving them from their comfy houses into the unforgiving weather of central Europe, all the way to preventing them from dying out due to the natural occurrences and accidents 

While it was something that I read in a typical adventure novel instead of historical tract, there was this saying that for every single soldier that laid his head on the battlefield, four more would die in the following days. 

Some, due to their injuries making them unable to suffer through the forced march that commanders often liked to treat as natural marching speed. Some would succumb to the infections, other to the food poisoning Just the memory of the Napoleonic wars was enough to recall this one moment when this otherwise great commander lost nearly a third of his force due to dysentery! That historically accurate moment was so funny to my teacher back in the school, that he didn't forget the mention that French, or rather, allied forces started modifying their own uniforms as to add another hole in order to be able to march!

Listening to that part of the history made me realise, that as valuable as the profession of the hunter was, both in the civil and military life, with the stinky trail left by the French army of that time, most of the military scouts had to give up their roles and join the force as your everyday soldiers!

"Over two thousand, sir. I saw them personally, so instead of taking the detailed count, I rushed all the way back while ignoring all the procedures. I admit to being at fault here, but if such a huge force descends down on our unprepared camp, this campaign will be all but over!"

Listening to the man, I inevitably bit at my lower lip. From one side, bringing back such important information in time was of the utmost priority But if I continued to pardon every single transgression that soldiers made against the set of the rules that I prepared for them, what would be their use in their first place?

What would happen if all the messengers started rushing back to the camp to report that a squirrel on the tree they were tasked to guard suddenly popped? If headquarters were to be swarmed with reports like that, then even if someone managed to actually report something of real importance, that vital message would simply drown in the sea of useless shit!

"I get it, let him up. For bringing this information, I genuinely thank you."

As I said those words, I didn't miss the opportunity to lower my head to that soldier, still nailed to the ground by the combined weight of several officers of mine. If I didn't introduce the change even in the simplest of the daily occurrences, then how could I expect the people to adopt it down the line? 

History was full of examples of great ideas that didn't work because they were forced on others with the ringleaders behind them conveniently moving around all the limitations and rules. Even if I wanted to introduce a set of laws that would bring the commoners and merchants up to the level of nobility, without proving that this kind of system could work myself, no one would dare to test it out themselves.

"Sadly, it goes without saying that you broke several rules of the regime that I gave to you guys. That means, I still have to punish you somehow."

Twisting my head to the side form where the Cheerio was coming from, I could feel a huge wrinkle appearing on my forehead as my brows furrowed. 

"I still have to punish you but given the situation, it seems that I don't really have the time for that. In your free time, you will take four rounds of latrine clearing duty. Dismissed!"

Ignoring the bow of the man whose eyes were filled with both an intense grief and extreme relief at the same time, I simply snapped at the entire unit of my personal guards lurking nearby. With their company, I mounted one of the light carriages before setting off for the back camp of mine.

Located right beside the temporary train station, it used to be perfectly organised for the sake of unimpeded logistic. But right now, it was a complete mess. 

With a huge army of Cheerios already appearing in the direct line of sight despite all of the houses, farms and mills blocking one's vision, it was given that my people, mostly defenceless, would panic!

"Half of the group, remain in the camp, calm everyone down and pack them on the train. Worst case scenario, we will have to use it to move them outside of the harm's way. Also, send someone to the city to start mounting up the relief force. We can delay them with a single carriage for only so long."

Watching how the potentially enemy forces started to descend the last hill that separated them from the perfectly flat plain, so generous for the cavalry charges, I realised that once Cheerios were set on attacking, then only disaster awaited. Even if I could somehow pull out a part of my troops, all the losses that mounted up during the entire anti-Ostros campaign would be just a drop of blood in the sea of crimson that would be spilt once I would have to fight against those two thousand damned veterans!

"Yep, there is no other way. Stop the train from leaving, everyone but the driver, stay behind. I have to go and talk with them."