I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 171
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 171
【Since the city wall repairs have been completed perfectly, I believe there are no problems, but we need support to make things a bit more certain.】
“So you’re saying it’s slightly dangerous.”
【That’s correct.】
The Emperor began calculating in his head.
‘Supporting Adman Castle is the current priority.’
While Rimircastle had high value, giving even one fortress to the Adits Empire was absolutely unacceptable.
Then, if left in the current state, the place that would definitely lose was Adman Castle.
Determining the priority wasn’t a particularly difficult problem.
“We’ll make plans to send troop support to Rimircastle as well, but let’s send them to Adman Castle first.”
“Yes! I’ll hurry to make plans and start the movement this afternoon.”
“For Rimircastle, first assess the enemy’s scale, then consider the direction of pushing against Belzium Castle.”
Since it was efficient to handle things when the sword was drawn.
The Emperor thought this opportunity must not be missed.
“Major General Gadus.”
【Yes!】
“Your role is important. Succeed in defending the fortress once more.”
【I will stake everything and achieve victory!】
A voice emanating from strong determination.
Its source naturally came from the calculation that the enemy’s maximum scale was 40,000.
* * *
“Section Chief, we’ve loaded all the emergency supplies. But the carriages…”
“Transportation! Why aren’t these carriages being sent! Contact them.”
“Yes!”
“There’s no time to spare if we want to arrive at Adman Castle on time. These guys, really.”
Since the situation was urgent, irritation surged up without me realizing it.
“Loyalty! Sorry! We’re swamped with troop transport right now.”
After waiting a moment, carriages came rushing over hastily.
“Well… never mind. Let’s load quickly.”
“Yes!!”
Knowing that the transportation side was also frantically busy, I suppressed my irritation.
“These are emergency supplies. They need to arrive even a little bit faster. You know what I mean?”
“Yes! I’ll drive as fast as possible.”
“Okay. Depart.”
After loading everything onto the carriages, I sent them off, and sent more off. And sent more off.
Naturally, this was just one of many tasks.
“Section Chief, please quickly review the supply distribution.”
“Section Chief…”
Documents flying in endlessly.
My vision flickered momentarily from dizziness before my mind returned.
‘Shit, this is really dangerous.’
Managing two departments, I hadn’t slept a wink for two days now.
“Just put it over there and go. I’ll check and process it as quickly as possible.”
“Yes!!”
As soon as the words ended, documents from the Planning Department and Logistics Department were placed on the desk.
Naturally, the Logistics Department documents were now almost three times more than the Planning Department’s.
‘Lieutenant Colonel Cotton, I miss you.’
Why did I curse at him?
He was such a necessary talent for the Support Unit.
“I was stupid. So stupid.”
What was so important about some sense of justice and getting cursed at?
I regret it hundreds of times a day.
“Section Chief! The Commander wants an emergency meeting this afternoon…”
“Ah.”
At Captain Dennis’s words, I unconsciously banged my head on the desk.
“Are you alright?”
“Just kill me.”
“But we’re almost at the final stage, aren’t we? Please hang in there a little longer.”
“Phew, right. I have to.”
The reason I’m busy now is because of supply distribution.
And the current work is in its final stages.
Once full-scale combat begins, work will be relatively more relaxed.
“What will you do about lunch?”
“Decide on a menu you want and tell me. I’ll have it delivered.”
At a time like this, there was no time to go out and eat lunch.
“Well, there are many opinions that we want to eat pizza.”
“Pizza? Do you know any good places?”
“Uh… I’ll look that up right away.”
“No. I know a good restaurant, so let’s order from there. Just call a delivery person.”
“Understood.”
Since there are no cell phones, remote ordering is impossible, so it’s a system where you send someone to buy and bring it back.
‘Wouldn’t it be more accurate to call them errand boys rather than delivery people?’
Well anyway, as long as it arrives, that’s all that matters.
“The Logistics Department, Planning Department, and Warehouse Management Team combined – is that about 80 people?”
“Yes, that’s about right.”
“I’m treating today, so tell them not to prepare lunch separately.”
“Oh! Yes! Understood! We’ll eat gratefully!”
“Good, don’t collapse from excitement.”
If they get me out of this hell even one second faster, what’s pizza?
I could even treat them to steak.
“But where is this restaurant? I also love pizza, so I know all the places around here.”
“It’s called Cheese Pizza House in District 4.”
An order for 80 pizzas thrown at the pizza shop run by Besinia.
Ah, I’m already excited.
“Oh, I know that place too. It’s a hidden gem that’s hardly known despite the taste. How do you know about it?”
“Just, well, by chance.”
I couldn’t say I had business with Besinia and went there, so I brushed it off vaguely.
“I’ll call a delivery person and place the order myself.”
“Alright, I’m counting on you.”
Thinking of Besinia who would have to work hard, my rock-bottom mood improved just slightly.
But that was only momentary.
Everything plummeting to the worst happened in an instant.
* * *
“Sh…shit, what the hell is that.”
Sergeant Beiul, who was standing guard on the walls of Rimircastle, cursed at the situation unfolding before his eyes.
Trembling
At the same time, his legs shook instinctively.
He wasn’t the only one reacting this way.
“Sergeant Beiul, how… how many are there exactly?”
Black dots so overwhelming just to look at.
Private Dersys asked, but Sergeant Beiul’s mental state was already gone.
“I don’t… don’t know, we’re screwed.”
Thud.
Sergeant Beiul collapsed weakly.
And he wasn’t the only one losing his mind.
Bang!
“What… what kind of nonsense is this! How many did you say?!”
“From visual confirmation, the enemy numbers appear to be at least 70,000.”
“At maximum?”
“Considering the follow-up forces extending behind them, we should consider up to 100,000 as possible…”
Bang!
Major General Gadus, whose mental state had not just snapped but was struggling to maintain his sanity, slammed the desk once more.
“How could we not know that a force of 100,000 was approaching right up to the fortress!”
“That… that is…”
Colonel Beston, who was in charge of enemy movements and reconnaissance, couldn’t easily speak in the chaotic situation.
‘Surely… it wasn’t that many people.’
Even if they couldn’t grasp details due to tight security, estimates were possible from traces left behind and the width of movement routes.
The data from there clearly showed a maximum of 40,000.
It was incomprehensible, but what could be done about not understanding?
There were 70,000 spread out before their eyes.
“Issue Alpha alert, and since we don’t know when the enemy will start attacking, pour all our forces into defending the walls.”
“Yes!!”
A great army of 70,000.
Compared to them, their only advantage was the fortress walls.
Major General Gadus was certain that the moment those were breached, stopping the great army pouring in would be impossible even if they brought the hero Hamus.
* * *
“Is what I just heard true?”
“Yes… a great army of at least 70,000 is currently gathered in front of Rimircastle preparing to attack.”
“Where on earth did they get such forces?”
70,000 troops.
Forces equivalent to what was deployed when simultaneously attacking Yalc Island and Hasmon Fortress had now gathered to capture Rimircastle alone.
“With that many troops, there must have been a huge gap created somewhere. Didn’t the Intelligence Agency pick up on it?”
“I… I’m truly sorry to say this, but from what we’ve determined, there were no major movements in the surrounding areas.”
The Emperor’s office where the ministers had gathered.
Right now, the person going most insane here wasn’t the Emperor or the Supreme Commander, but General Calren, the commander of Intelligence Command.
‘Wh… where exactly did this gap come from?’
70,000 troops.
For such a large army to move without being caught in Intelligence Command’s network.
This was a gap so significant that Intelligence Command’s very existence could be considered meaningless.
‘Did I ruin everything?’
35 years of service in Intelligence Command.
Had he ever felt such helplessness in his military career before?
Just making eye contact with the Emperor and Supreme Commander felt overwhelming.
“We missed it.”
“I’m… I’m sorry.”
General Calren bowed his head toward the Emperor once again.
“If we leave it like this, we won’t be able to stop them.”
“Yes, no tactical strategy can overcome this level of troop difference. And the one leading them is Count Seto.”
Even if the enemy commander were a fool, 70,000 troops would be more than enough to capture the fortress.
But the commander was none other than Count Seto, the brain of the Adits Empire?
They had to worry about the next step beyond Rimircastle.
“Huu.”
The Emperor, unable to contain the heat boiling within him, let out a deep breath.
At the same time, a heavy silence fell over the office.
It was a situation where no one could easily speak up.
The one to break that silence was Supreme Commander Bast, who held the position of responsibility.
Thud!
“Your Majesty!”
Bast stepped out from his chair and knelt on the floor.
“We must abandon Adman Castle! And everything is my oversight. I will step down from the position of Supreme Commander and accept any punishment willingly.”
Bast’s voice was mixed with responsibility and guilt.
The Emperor looked down at Bast and rubbed his face with his hand.
“Hah, we have to abandon Adman Castle. Then can we stop them?”
“If the enemy attacks right now, we’ll have to give up Rimircastle as well. However, what’s important is what comes next.”
Bast turned his head to look at the map.
“Only by concentrating our forces can we prevent the enemy’s large army from crossing Rimircastle and heading to Dembad. If we don’t do that and Dembad gets occupied…”
Everyone knew without him having to say it.
They would completely lose the Western Front.
“It’s not like abandoning Adman Castle would allow us to defend Rimircastle either – we have to abandon both places.”
He had clearly thought the war was moving toward a victorious atmosphere, so what on earth was happening?
Tap! Tap!
The Emperor squeezed his eyes shut and tapped the desk with his fingers.
‘Everything has fallen apart.’
Where did it start going wrong?
There was definitely something foreign interfering, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Are the enemy’s 70,000 troops actually real? Not scarecrows or something?”
“Yes… they said they confirmed everything through telescopes.”
“Ha.”
He kept thinking there might be something if he looked for it.
But there was no time for that.
“Supreme Commander.”
After long deliberation, the Emperor turned his head to look down at Bast, who was kneeling.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“We abandon Adman Castle. Retreat while preserving as many troops as possible, and defend Rimircastle even if you have to pour all resources into it.”
An army of 70,000.
Telling them to hold against that might sound cruel, but the Emperor’s calculation was that there would be no answer if they gave up Rimircastle too.
“And the sins of you and Intelligence Command will be judged after this battle ends. So wash away your mistakes, even if it’s late.”
“I will follow Your Majesty’s command!!”
Bast and General Calren answered resoundingly as if this were their last chance.
As soon as the direction was decided, the Empire’s military began moving swiftly.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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