Chapter 15 Fortress Of The Border
About a hundred female infantry soldiers from the 6th Special Task Brigade arrived at the border region facing the Dukedom of Brugge without incident.
Corporal Hannah, the leader of the first platoon, smiled brightly.
"I was worried we might run into bandits since we're all girls... but it turned out safer than expected," she said with a laugh.
"That's because you're armed girls," I replied calmly.
Honestly, it was hard to imagine anyone foolish enough to attack a hundred soldiers carrying muskets. If someone did, I might even respect their courage... right before we gunned them down.
I pointed toward the rear of our column.
"Actually, our march has brought a sense of safety. Pilgrims and merchants have been following us in droves," I said.
Thanks to that, our supply line stayed healthy. We could buy whatever we needed with Lieutenant Colonel Althea's personal funds. The wealth of the Five Royal Houses really was something else.
But even so... I was currently facing a different kind of problem.
"This isn't what we agreed upon, Captain Dumble," Lieutenant Colonel Althea said sharply at the gates of Zephyr Fortress, her voice cutting through the tension.
"Reinforcement for this fortress was assigned to the 6th Special Task Brigade."
"We received orders about internal troop realignment from the Third Division..." the older officer replied.
Captain Dumble was clearly experienced, but dealing with a noble officer three ranks above must have been stressful. Still, he held actual command over the fortress. And since this was Third Division territory, forcing our way in wasn't going to be simple. Lieutenant Colonel Althea was likely weighing that factor carefully.
After several rounds of back-and-forth, she turned to me with a faint, mischievous smile.
"They said we could camp outside the fortress if we preferred. But what do you think? Want to try another one?" she asked.
"Absolutely not," I replied without hesitation.
I had a decent idea of how the Imperial Army worked. In situations like this, the right move was to push forward, not back down.
I could pull rank using the Medelin Family name, or call in a favor from Duke Litreille, or even leverage Lieutenant Colonel Althea's status. But if that were enough, she wouldn't be passing the situation to me.
Feeling the fortress commander's gaze, I confirmed her intention.
"Are you requesting a tactful, reasonable solution?" I asked.
"Not requesting," Althea said calmly. "Ordering."
"Understood. I'll carry it out," I replied.
This sort of display was part of the image I wanted to project to Captain Dumble. He might now see me as the Lieutenant Colonel's reliable aide. Not bad for someone holding just the rank of Second Lieutenant.
Now, how to proceed?
As I stepped forward, I organized my thoughts in that brief instant.
They probably looked down on the 6th Special Task Brigade—an all-female unit—as little more than decoration. A ceremonial force that couldn't handle real battle. If I were him, I might feel uneasy too.
Let's clear up that misunderstanding first.
I gave him a respectful bow.
"Excuse me. I'm Euner Krombelts, Staff Officer, Second Lieutenant. Previously, I served as an Infantry Platoon Leader in the Fifth Division," I said.
"...Huh?" the captain muttered, puzzled.
Still, my uniform and insignia seemed to make him reconsider.
"Do you need something, Second Lieutenant?" he asked.
I lowered my voice.
"Are you worried the soldiers of the 6th Special Task Brigade are here just for show?" I asked quietly.
His eyes flicked toward Lieutenant Colonel Althea before he replied in a low tone.
"I'm responsible for this fortress. I can't afford dead weight. Of course, I believe the 6th Brigade is an elite force," he said.
A nice-sounding excuse, but it wasn't hard to read his true concerns.
Still, that left room to negotiate.
"The soldiers here have been trained under my supervision. They're more capable than most regulars," I said firmly.
"Is that so?" he asked.
"If you have doubts, allow me to demonstrate. First Platoon—form up! Two lines, close formation!" I called out.
At my command, the First Platoon moved swiftly. The front row knelt. The second row stepped into the gaps behind them.
"We'll now conduct a mock combat drill. First Platoon, prepare to attack. Second Platoon, standby for support!" I ordered.
Corporal Hannah snapped to attention and saluted.
"Repeat after me! We will now conduct combat drills! First Platoon, ready!" she shouted.
Fifty rifles were raised in perfect sync, barrels aimed forward.
Soldiers from Zephyr Fortress began peeking out from behind buildings and battlements, murmuring, "What's happening?" But I ignored them and moved to the rear.
The girls of the First Platoon smoothly transitioned into their shooting stance, dry-firing and mimicking reloads. All standard training... at first.
Then I began issuing combat simulation results.
"Mian, hit in the left eye. Judina, injured left shoulder. Rekka, killed in action," I called out.
The named girls immediately reacted—pressing their "wounds" and collapsing into the grass.
Corporal Midona, leader of the Second Platoon, shouted without hesitation.
"Initiate rescue!"
Second Platoon soldiers rushed forward, dragging the "wounded" to the rear. They filled in the front lines seamlessly, maintaining the line of fire.
I continued the simulation.
"Euiren, weapon malfunction. Kyujiro, right foot injury. Sadire, KIA. Carla, KIA," I added.
"Use this!" someone shouted, handing Euiren a replacement weapon—the rifle from one of the fallen.
"Time's up. End the drill," I declared.
"Training complete! Training complete!" came the report.
In the end, nearly the entire First Platoon had fallen back, with Second Platoon covering their positions. The rear was now full of "casualties," and the line remained unbroken.
I turned to Captain Dumble.
"As you can see, our unit trains to function even when comrades fall. We don't break formation even if someone beside us goes down. I understand your concern—our unit is all women, and none have seen real battle..." I said steadily.
Captain Dumble sighed and removed his cap, scratching his head.
"I see. I get it now. If you've gone that far, I can't say anything else. I'll assign your unit to the fortress' gun positions. Welcome aboard, Second Lieutenant Krombelts. From now on, we're comrades," he said, extending his hand.
"Would've been easier to just pull rank. Why go through all this?" he asked.
I took his hand and replied, "Because misunderstandings only fester if you don't clear them up."
The military is a gathering of people—each with egos and pride. Annoying things happen daily. Especially on the front lines, where even a stray bullet can end a life, subtle tension becomes dangerous.
Lieutenant Colonel Althea likely understood that. That's why she left it to me—to follow local customs, not just orders.
For now, the matter was resolved. Two platoons from the 6th Special Task Brigade were officially stationed inside the fortress.
As we walked through the gate, Althea spoke quietly beside me.
"The Third Division is the army of House Milder. My own family has no sway here. I'm relieved," she said.
"It's all part of the job. Leave it to me," I replied with a small smile.
"As you know, fortress commanders are granted broad authority. If they believe something threatens the fortress' defense, they can ignore official orders without consequence," I added.
Althea gave a wry smile and shrugged.
"Like the textbook says: a general on the battlefield may ignore even royal orders," she said.
"Exactly. We should be careful. These people can do whatever they want. Small things get covered up all the time," I replied.
Once a story is buried by an entire unit, no one will ever find the truth. All it takes is one order from the top to rewrite what's considered "fact." Even Captain Dumble wouldn't dare cross someone three ranks above him—and nobility at that. But if we got arrogant, we'd pay the price.
Looking up at the towering fortress gates, Althea murmured, "We spend far more time facing our comrades than the enemy. Naturally, we must be mindful of them. Don't you agree, Second Lieutenant?"
"Yes, Your Excellency," I replied.
We exchanged glances. Then, sharing a quiet, knowing smile, we stepped into the fortress together.
Notes:
• Brugge - A neighboring territory with mountain troops that pose a threat to the border. The enemy's strength and intentions are unknown, but they are the primary target of the brigade's deployment. The border with Brugge is a contested area where hundreds of lives are lost for minor territorial gains.
• Hannah - Hannah Heiden. Female. A Corporal in the 6th Special Task Brigade. Her appearance is tall with broad shoulders and a reverse triangle athletic build. She has a confident and assertive demeanor. Her relationship with Second Lieutenant Krombelts is initially formal but becomes more respectful after recognizing his rank. She is strong and capable, easily carrying heavy luggage.
• Althea - Colonel Althea Medelin. Female. Brigade Commander of the 6th Special Task Brigade. Young woman in her twenties with long black hair. Noble from the Medelin family, a rival to the Litreille clan. Professional and disciplined, yet approachable. Holds a high rank despite her age, indicating exceptional ability. Relationship: Superior to Euner Krombelts, welcomes him to the brigade.
• Zephyr Fort - A rear outlying castle located in the border region. It is part of a network of fortresses designed to prevent enemy encirclement. The brigade is deployed here to reinforce its defenses. Securing a 'hotel' for accommodation was a significant achievement, given the challenges of field camping.
• Dumble - Male. Garrison commander of Zephyr Fortress. Experienced and cautious. Wears standard officer attire. Initially skeptical of the 6th Special Task Brigade but is persuaded by Euner's demonstration. Becomes more cooperative afterward.
• Duke Litreille - Female. Politician from the Litreille family, not a soldier. Beautiful woman around 20, wearing military uniform with a family crest. Described as suspicious and of high caution. Relationship: Rival noble family to the Medelin clan, encountered by Euner on his journey.
• Euner Krombelts - The protagonist. A military officer with a commoner background. His appearance is that of a disciplined soldier with a stern expression. He is pragmatic and resentful of the nobility's influence in the military. He is reassigned as an advisor to the Sixth Special Brigade, a position he views with skepticism. His combat style is frontline-focused, but he possesses strong operational planning skills.
• Midona - Female. A platoon leader and former servant of the Medelin Family. Her appearance is modest, with a quiet and observant demeanor. She has a history with Althea, which adds a layer of familiarity to their interactions. She is curious and eager to learn, as shown by her questions during the briefing.
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