We had reached the halfway point of our journey to the northern border, and a month had passed since our departure.
It was a distance we could have covered much faster with fewer people, but this was a military expedition—a group movement. We couldn't spend half the day traveling, and fatigue accumulated as time passed. Even slight delays caused the vanguard and rearguard to arrive at different locations. Naturally, this placed additional burdens everywhere and dispersed our attention.
"Are there any injuries?"
I had risen in the dim early morning because I received a report of a small fire nearby. The location was the tent of the laborers gathered around the supplies my unit was transporting. They hadn't set up camp properly either; it seemed sparks from the dinner campfire had flown to the edge of the tent, which had been largely rolled up by the wind, causing a small fire.
"If there are no injuries, that's good. So, what about the damage? Can the tent still be used?"
As I asked while heading over, Helkov, who had already been handling the situation, answered.
"Just one tent got scorched. However, there's a hole in it, so it needs repairs."
That means we'll have to go request the Engineering Corps. But I doubt the kind of people who would do this can repair it properly. Which would be better—doing it ourselves or having them do it?
As I was thinking this, the sound of many footsteps approached, and voices rose.
"Where is the fire!?"
Looking over, it was General Wageris, leading soldiers carrying buckets and bags of sand.
"Who reported this?"
"They heard the commotion and asked what happened after we'd extinguished the fire. So I told them it was just a small fire and already put out, but..."
With ears pricked like a bear's, Helkov watched General Wageris asking loudly about the fire's origin.
Having grabbed someone nearby, General Wageris finally heard that it was a small fire already extinguished and began to grow angry.
"Why was a fire lit in such a place in the first place!? Who is the person responsible!?"
A laborer who just happened to be nearby was frightened by the shouting. He was just someone transporting the supplies I had prepared, essentially a civilian following the army. Is it appropriate for a general—the leader of an army—to shout abuse at such a person? Besides, if they don't light fires, won't they go without meals? This is too much even for a false accusation.
"If asked who is responsible here, no one but me would step forward, would they?"
I responded deliberately as if it were nothing and stepped forward. General Wageris was surprised—he apparently hadn't expected me to be here. I might as well voice my complaints directly while I'm at it. However, we still have several months of association ahead of us. It wouldn't do to simply make waves, so first I'll see how he responds.
"...Your Highness, please return to your tent. This is a matter of practical affairs."
General Wageris said this with annoyance after his surprise. So I'm in the way of practical matters?
"You called for the person responsible so casually, yet you say that? Moreover, this concerns my unit. What problem is there with my presence?"
He doesn't just seem annoyed—he completely thinks I'm a child who can't understand the conversation.
"So the fool who made a fuss calling a mere small fire a disaster is Your Highness? That's not it—I don't call someone who cannot take responsibility the person responsible."
His attempt to cover up was crude, and Helkov closed the distance with a sudden step.
"Hey, Lock. I told the patrol it was already extinguished. If that's the problem, then it's the patrolling soldier's fault for relaying the message."
"What? Are you saying it's our fault, Herry?"
Oh, it seems Helkov and he are acquainted. He calls him the same way Molly does.
"Acting high and mighty. Besides, that was a fire in an irregular location outside the patrol route. To light a fire there without permission..."
"Wait."
This time, Werel raised his voice to General Wageris. Yes, he said something I couldn't quite let slip by either.
"This place is not on the patrol route. In other words, are you saying it is outside the camp?"
"Hah, you don't even understand something so obvious? Inside that fence is the camp. We patrol areas somewhat further away, but this isn't on the route. Besides, why is the prince in such a place..."
At General Wageris's words, the laborers and military officers finally began to stir. I've caught him in an unexpected admission. I thought his handling of things was sloppy, but shall I take advantage of this sloppiness to extract another admission?
"The arrangement of tents within the camp should all be under General Wageris's command and approval, correct?"
"Exactly, which is why it's unforgivable to pile luggage in such a place without permission, let alone cause a small fire."
"We have submitted requests for improvement regarding the current situation. And it was the General who said to leave it as is."
He flinched slightly—probably because he didn't expect me to know about that. Well, he can think that the military officer who went to complain heard about it. He was speaking loudly, after all. People who work with their bodies tend to be like that, don't they?
"I certainly said that. Difficulty sleeping, wind—such things are only natural. This isn't a palace. No matter how selfishly you complain, it won't change. That's what military group action is."
At General Wageris's words, I was taken aback.
"Your Highness Asha?"
Ikuto called out to me with concern at my uncharacteristic reaction.
"Ah, yes. It's the first time I've been called selfish."
My attendants understood, but General Wageris and those around him turned pale.
"Limited supplies, schedules, and supervisors to oversee them. The army moves through such planning and management. If you can't even understand that you're trying to force unreasonable demands through selfishness, then shut up and..."
"Hey, it's getting bright out—don't you notice?"
I had no obligation to listen to such misguided lecturing, so I interrupted and spoke.
The surroundings were dimly lit. Where only the shadows of objects had been visible, colors and shapes were becoming discernible.
"According to the tent encampment plan approved by General Wageris, my unit should be within one hundred paces of my tent. Is that not correct?"
In meters, one hundred paces is about one hundred and forty meters. My allocation would be an area of roughly two hundred meters around one large tent.
"Hmph, if you're saying you knowingly disrupted discipline..."
It was off the mark again, so I simply pointed in silence.
The morning sun illuminated the tents forming the camp. And the flags indicating affiliation fluttering above the tents. I actually have a standard as a prince. It is a black lion on a blue field, and of course, it was flying from my tent.
"Wh-why is it in such a place?"
Confirming the standard illuminated by the morning sun, General Wageris panicked.
"Those are my words, and we should have been requesting improvements from the beginning, shouldn't we?"
"Huh? No, it was about difficulty sleeping, such foolishness..."
"It should have been about the poor location and the careless setup. It would naturally lead to the conclusion that it's hard to sleep, but why did you ignore everything except that point?"
Pointing out his misconception, I confirmed once more.
"General Wageris, you said this situation was acceptable as it is. Yet you ask why we would light a fire in such a place. In other words, under your command, is my unit not even permitted to light fires to prepare meals or compensate for the darkness of night?"
The Engineering Corps sets up camp before arriving. Of course, I wouldn't move to such a place, and if I did, it would attract attention and be reported.
"It seems General Wageris is the type to spare even the basic effort of seeing with his own eyes or sending trusted men to confirm the situation. In that case, how about taking this opportunity to see for yourself?"
Ikuto suggested, with barbed words, that I should also show him the state of the tent that was all appearance.
"He seems angry that I was labeled selfish."
"Oi, this way. Take a look with your own eyes and try spouting off again."
Helkov grabbed the thick arm of General Wageris, who still hadn't caught up with the situation, with the familiarity of an old acquaintance and half-dragged him along.
"What the—what is this!?"
General Wageris shouted as soon as he opened his mouth.
Of course, what he was looking at was merely form—an utterly shabby excuse for a tent with its edges rolled up by the wind.
Having been shown the reality, General Wageris and his subordinates seemed unable to close their open mouths.
"General Wageris, I recommend you not neglect confirmation so carelessly next time."
At my advice, General Wageris ground his teeth but no longer shouted at us.
"Send someone to the Engineering—no, I'm going now! Herry! Don't touch anything, maintain the status quo!"
"I won't! Hurry up and fix it!"
It's good that he's dealing with this immediately, but shouldn't he leave at least one person here to confirm things?
Also, is shouting normal for him? Hmm, he wasn't the type you'd find in the palace.
As Sephira said, he seems to be a general who lacks a bit of perspicacity.
Regular update
Next: March and the General 5
This looks good. I maintained the paragraph structure, kept the names consistent, and preserved the narrative voice. The tone is appropriate for a wuxia/xianxia style novel with a clever protagonist confronting a incompetent military officer. We had reached the halfway point of our journey to the northern border, and a month had passed since our departure.
It was a distance we could have covered much faster with fewer people, but this was a military expedition—a group movement. We couldn't spend half the day just traveling, and fatigue accumulated as time passed. Even slight delays caused the vanguard and rearguard to arrive at different locations. Naturally, this placed additional burdens everywhere and dispersed our attention.
"Are there any injuries?"
I had risen in the dim early morning because I received a report of a small fire nearby. The location was the tent of the laborers gathered around the supplies my unit was transporting. They hadn't set up camp properly either; it seemed sparks from the dinner campfire had flown to the edge of the tent, which had been largely rolled up by the wind, causing a small fire.
"If there are no injuries, that's good. So, what about the damage? Can the tent still be used?"
As I asked while heading over, Helkov, who had already been handling the situation, answered.
"Just one tent got scorched. However, there's a hole in it, so it needs repairs."
That means we'll have to go request the Engineering Corps. But I doubt the kind of people who would do this can repair it properly. Which would be better—doing it ourselves or having them do it?
As I was thinking this, the sound of many footsteps approached, and voices rose.
"Where is the fire!?"
Looking over, it was General Wageris, leading soldiers carrying buckets and bags of sand.
"Who reported this?"
"They heard the commotion and asked what happened after we'd extinguished the fire. So I told them it was just a small fire and already put out, but..."
With ears pricked like a bear's, Helkov watched General Wageris asking loudly about the fire's origin.
Having grabbed someone nearby, General Wageris finally heard that it was a small fire already extinguished and began to grow angry.
"Why was a fire lit in such a place in the first place!? Who is the person responsible!?"
A laborer who just happened to be nearby was frightened by the shouting. He was just someone transporting the supplies I had prepared, essentially a civilian following the army. Is it appropriate for a general—the leader of an army—to shout abuse at such a person? Besides, if they don't light fires, won't they go without meals? This is too much even for a false accusation.
"If asked who is responsible here, no one but me would step forward, would they?"
I responded deliberately as if it were nothing and stepped forward. General Wageris was surprised—he apparently hadn't expected me to be here. I might as well voice my complaints directly while I'm at it. However, we still have several months of association ahead of us. It wouldn't do to simply make waves, so first I'll see how he responds.
"...Your Highness, please return to your tent. This is a matter of practical affairs."
General Wageris said this with annoyance after his surprise. So I'm in the way of practical matters?
"You called for the person responsible so casually, yet you say that? Moreover, this concerns my unit. What problem is there with my presence?"
He doesn't just seem annoyed—he completely thinks I'm a child who can't understand the conversation.
"So the fool who made a fuss calling a mere small fire a disaster is Your Highness? That's not it—I don't call someone who cannot take responsibility the person responsible."
His attempt to cover up was crude, and Helkov closed the distance with a sudden step.
"Hey, Lock. I told the patrol it was already extinguished. If that's the problem, then it's the patrolling soldier's fault for relaying the message."
"What? Are you saying it's our fault, Herry?"
Oh, it seems Helkov and he are acquainted. He calls him the same way Molly does.
"Acting high and mighty. Besides, that was a fire in an irregular location outside the patrol route. To light a fire there without permission..."
"Wait."
This time, Werel raised his voice to General Wageris. Yes, he said something I couldn't quite let slip by either.
"This place is not on the patrol route. In other words, are you saying it is outside the camp?"
"Hah, you don't even understand something so obvious? Inside that fence is the camp. We patrol areas somewhat further away, but this isn't on the route. Besides, why is the prince in such a place..."
At General Wageris's words, the laborers and military officers finally began to stir. I've caught him in an unexpected admission. I thought his handling of things was sloppy, but shall I take advantage of this sloppiness to extract another admission?
"The arrangement of tents within the camp should all be under General Wageris's command and approval, correct?"
"Exactly, which is why it's unforgivable to pile luggage in such a place without permission, let alone cause a small fire."
"We have submitted requests for improvement regarding the current situation. And it was the General who said to leave it as is."
He flinched slightly—probably because he didn't expect me to know about that. Well, he can think that the military officer who went to complain heard about it. He was speaking loudly, after all. People who work with their bodies tend to be like that, don't they?
"I certainly said that. Difficulty sleeping, wind—such things are only natural. This isn't a palace. No matter how selfishly you complain, it won't change. That's what military group action is."
At General Wageris's words, I was taken aback.
"Your Highness Asha?"
Ikuto called out to me with concern at my uncharacteristic reaction.
"Ah, yes. It's the first time I've been called selfish."
My attendants understood, but General Wageris and those around him turned pale.
"Limited supplies, schedules, and supervisors to oversee them. The army moves through such planning and management. If you can't even understand that you're trying to force unreasonable demands through selfishness, then shut up and..."
"Hey, it's getting bright out—don't you notice?"
I had no obligation to listen to such misguided lecturing, so I interrupted and spoke.
The surroundings were dimly lit. Where only the shadows of objects had been visible, colors and shapes were becoming discernible.
"According to the tent encampment plan approved by General Wageris, my unit should be within one hundred paces of my tent. Is that not correct?"
In meters, one hundred paces is about one hundred and forty meters. My allocation would be an area of roughly two hundred meters around one large tent.
"Hmph, if you're saying you knowingly disrupted discipline..."
It was off the mark again, so I simply pointed in silence.
The morning sun illuminated the tents forming the camp. And the flags indicating affiliation fluttering above the tents. I actually have a standard as a prince. It is a black lion on a blue field, and of course, it was flying from my tent.
"Wh-why is it in such a place?"
Confirming the standard illuminated by the morning sun, General Wageris panicked.
"Those are my words, and we should have been requesting improvements from the beginning, shouldn't we?"
"Huh? No, it was about difficulty sleeping, such foolishness..."
"It should have been about the poor location and the careless setup. It would naturally lead to the conclusion that it's hard to sleep, but why did you ignore everything except that point?"
Pointing out his misconception, I confirmed once more.
"General Wageris, you said this situation was acceptable as it is. Yet you ask why we would light a fire in such a place. In other words, under your command, is my unit not even permitted to light fires to prepare meals or compensate for the darkness of night?"
The Engineering Corps sets up camp before arriving. Of course, I wouldn't move to such a place, and if I did, it would attract attention and be reported.
"It seems General Wageris is the type to spare even the basic effort of seeing with his own eyes or sending trusted men to confirm the situation. In that case, how about taking this opportunity to see for yourself?"
Ikuto suggested, with barbed words, that I should also show him the state of the tent that was all appearance.
"He seems angry that I was labeled selfish."
"Oi, this way. Take a look with your own eyes and try spouting off again."
Helkov grabbed the thick arm of General Wageris, who still hadn't caught up with the situation, with the familiarity of an old acquaintance and half-dragged him along.
"What the—what is this!?"
General Wageris shouted as soon as he opened his mouth.
Of course, what he was looking at was merely form—an utterly shabby excuse for a tent with its edges rolled up by the wind.
Having been shown the reality, General Wageris and his subordinates seemed unable to close their open mouths.
"General Wageris, I recommend you not neglect confirmation so carelessly next time."
At my advice, General Wageris ground his teeth but no longer shouted at us.
"Send someone to the Engineering—no, I'm going now! Herry! Don't touch anything, maintain the status quo!"
"I won't! Hurry up and fix it!"
It's good that he's dealing with this immediately, but shouldn't he leave at least one person here to confirm things?
Also, is shouting normal for him? Hmm, he wasn't the type you'd find in the palace.
As Sephira said, he seems to be a general who lacks a bit of perspicacity.
Regular update
Next: March and the General 5