Idle Asides, No. 6, Cercis’ Perspective — The First Cavalry Company’s Moment to Shine?

✦✦✦Idle Asides, No. 6, Cercis’ Perspective — The First Cavalry Company’s Moment to Shine?✦✦✦

Several days after the deployment ceremony:

The First Cavalry Company was summoned to the tent currently being used as a command center. They would have had no idea what I had called them there for, but they obediently showed up nonetheless.

“I’ll leave the specifics to you, Commander Fisalis.”

“Yes, sir,” I replied.

To start with, the head general who outranked me in the Chivalric Order went before the First Company. I watched from the shadows as I awaited my turn. I was next.

“You may have only just arrived, but you are receiving your orders now. We have decided that the First Cavalry Company will spearhead this attack. Do you have any objections?” the head general asked them solemnly.

“No, sir. It would be our honor!” the company commander immediately replied on behalf of the entire company before saluting.

Being the vanguard is a dangerous role, but an honorable one. You could say it’s ‘high risk, high reward.’ Should they succeed, promotions surely await them as well as a good number of medals. They’d be hailed as heroes when they returned home and would be even more popular with the ladies than they were now!

The head general appeared satisfied as he gazed sternly at the company commander.

“Special Ops Commander Fisalis will now provide you with the details of the operation.”

“Yes, sir!” the company commander briskly replied.

“Gah?! ...Was that a joke...” whispered the other soldiers behind him, however, at the mention of my name. Oh ho, I’ll give you something to talk about!

“What’s with the chatter? Is there something you’d like to say?”

“No, sir! Nothing, sir!” the soldiers replied with a bow when their commander turned to them in suspicion.

Looks like no one’s clued in the company commander on what happened at the rally. Sorry your subordinates’ behavior put you in a dangerous position.

Once the commotion had settled, I stepped out in front of the company. I found it hard to remain completely expressionless, and eventually I couldn’t hold back a grin. The soldiers’ expressions turned strained at the sight of my smile. That’s right—you understand precisely what this smile means.

When I looked over the company commander’s shoulder at my own subordinates, though, they weren’t making a peep. I could practically hear them thinking: ‘What is he smiling for?’ ‘That’s not a friendly smile, is it?’ ‘His smile scares me!’ ‘Does anyone else feel chilly all of a sudden?’ ‘So this poor guy is gonna be on the front lines out here and has no idea what went down at the rally?’ et cetera, et cetera.

Pretending not to see all this, I said, “Yes, my apologies for the short notice, but you men have been chosen to execute the operation I’m about to describe. It will be difficult, but I believe you will prevail. It would be no exaggeration to say that our kingdom’s hope of victory lies in your hands. Prepare yourselves to get to work immediately.”

I imparted the details of their ‘somewhat difficult’ [That’s an understatement! -Corydalis] mission to them thusly.

When I turned back to the company at the end of my explanation, every one of them looked petrified. Heh, well... my own unit did say my strategy was ‘evil’! I left the tent feeling as if a weight had been lifted from my chest.

“Seriously, what’s he thinking with that plan?”

“It’s fiendish, is what it is.”

“He’s gotta be some sort of closet sadist!”

“He sure looked like he was getting a kick out of it, didn’t he?”

“I thought my ears were deceiving me, but they weren’t!”

“Same.”

I could hear them muttering as I walked out.

What fools you lot are. You don’t actually think I gave a serious role like vanguard to a worthless company like you, even after what you did to Viola? My selecting you and whatever skills you can possibly offer was more or less for my own benefit. If you hadn’t harassed Viola, you’d probably never have been selected. You’re going to work like dogs to redeem yourselves—in more than one way.