NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 50
Papa, papa-pa, papa-ra-pa~! Papa-papa!!!
The immensely loud trumpet sound resonates in my ears; damn it… I’ve been hearing this noise from Croilet Count’s army for nearly two years now…
I simply cannot adapt to this dreadful sound that gets on my nerves.
If only I could wake up without having to hear that annoying trumpet sound, I would have no other wishes…
However, even though the trumpet sound woke me up, I intentionally kept my eyes closed.
Because, inside the military tent, the private and the rookie are all from a different rank than I am…
“Hans, hurry up!! There’s not much time left until roll call!!”
“No matter how little attack duty we have, the enemy is nearby!! You fools!! If you’re late for roll call, you’ll get chewed out by the lieutenant!! No, in the battlefield, it’s corporal punishment!!”
“Private Jon!! I can see your hands!!!”
“Private Jon, I’ll correct that!!!”
Hmm… I guess it’s about time to get up so I can make it to roll call on time.
So, I leisurely, really leisurely, donned the dignity of a sergeant and ‘confidently’ got up, slowly changing into my clothes.
And I also tidied up my own spot to match their pace.
“Is there still some time before roll call?”
“Yes, that’s right!!”
“Let’s hurry, starting now, except for days when we’re on guard duty, we can play soccer or take naps as taught by Count Croilet, but if we’re late for roll call… You know what that means?”
Hearing those words, Sands, our squad’s sub-leader, gulped nervously and replied.
“Yes, Sergeant Sand.”
**
Our squad finished packing up the barracks and quickly walked to ensure we wouldn’t be late for roll call.
On the way, I occasionally saw the rear support guys placing flat stones on a campfire, starting a fire…
Looks like they’re going to catch a cow today.
Yesterday, our company was on guard duty, and I was only able to eat a few pieces of cold beef along with the usual bread mixed with wheat and barley…
Thinking about that, as I approached the company roll call location, I saw other squads had already arrived and were lining up.
As I took my squad to my position, Sten, the squad leader of another squad next to me, smiled and spoke to me.
“Hey, this time your squad and our squad are going out…”
“Right.”
“I feel like we’re going to lose…”
“Why?”
“Uh….”
Just as Sten was about to continue speaking, the booming voice of the company commander echoed.
“All company, attention!!!”
With that command, everyone, including me and Sergeant Sten, instantly stopped their chatter and turned to look at the company commander.
Then, the commander lifted his helmet and said,
“Today, our company has been commanded by Count to rest!!”
At that announcement, I and all the soldiers cheered at the thought of not having to take turns on guard duty like yesterday.
“Hooray!!!”
“Long live Count Croilet!!”
“Finally, we get to rest!!”
And the commander looked at us with a smile and said,
“I, the company commander, also prefer resting like this over duty. It’s better to take a nap and play soccer than to be on edge during guard duty, don’t you think?”
“That’s right!!!!!”
Then, the commander’s expression turned serious as he continued speaking.
“However, don’t disappoint me like you did three days ago. No, if you all want to eat beef, you absolutely must win. You must win…”
A few days ago, the count suddenly declared that since the fortress was completed and the enemy’s food situation was poor, we should enjoy a feast.
They grouped the eight companies into teams, giving a whole cow to the first-place company, half a cow to the second-place company, a quarter cow to the third and fourth, and pigs and chickens to the fifth to seventh companies, while the eighth-placed company…
“Think about it; we lost to the reservist company led by Captain Beastman last time, while other soldiers feasted on meat and white bread. What did we eat? Right, wasn’t it the hardtack broken into slop with some salted meat? Do we want to eat that again?”
We resolved together as one.
“No, we don’t!!!”
“Then we must win. Sten, Sergeant Sand!! We must win.”
**
Thus, while others were enjoying beef and pork for a luxurious meal, we were determined that we absolutely would not eat ‘slop made from hardtack’ and ran our hearts out.
“Private Hans!!! Run!!!”
“Private Hans!!”
“Private, Hans!! Thank you for passing the ball this way, sergeant!”
“No, Hans, you received it well!! Thanks to you, we won 1-0!”
“Indeed, Sergeant, you’re different from the others, I can barely see your feet when playing soccer.”
“No, that’s not true, Sergeant.”
“You brat, good words. In the next game, I’ll play defense, so you take the lead in the attack.”
I always got the best roles when playing games inside the company, but here, we absolutely had to win…
Because I really wanted to eat beef, delicious bread, and beer… I cooperated, giving way to others.
As a result, we finally made it to the finals… the position to determine the first place.
Before the game started, the company commander came over, gave everyone a pat on the shoulder, and said,
“I’m proud of you all. Now it’s the final.”
“Thank you.”
Speaking those words, the commander looked at us with a smile and said,
“If you win today, I’ll allow unlimited beer as the company commander. Moreover, with my authority, I’ll let you reduce your duties tomorrow as well…”
“Don’t tell me…”
“I’ll change the duty to my barracks. If you drink your fill and sleep in my barracks tomorrow, I won’t say anything!! But if you lose, every one of you will have the duty tomorrow. I trust you understand why I’m being so serious.”
Ah… come to think of it, our final opponent today is Captain Brian’s company.
And they have been close since their mercenary days, but if they lose in this game, they’ll tease us for a ‘week’…
So, losing in this match means we’d be tormented for a ‘week’…
“I will win and return.”
“I have high expectations from the commander.”
**
When the game started, we managed to seize the ball first and successfully scored…
But shortly after that, back-and-forth action ensued, and we were tied, with each side scoring.
If we couldn’t score in this attack, it would end in a draw.
I sprinted towards the enemy with the intent to successfully make our final attack.
After I took the ball and fended off the enemy’s advances, I faced a defender.
“Sorry, you can’t get past here…”
“Get out of the way, newbie!!”
“Since you’re from another company anyway, what’s it to you?”
“‘What’s it to you?’ Did you just say ‘what’s it to you?’”
“Well, then what’s ‘what’s it to you’ about, mister!!”
Thus, there was a brief psychological battle between me and the defender in front of me, as I pretended to go right and passed the ball to the left.
“Private Mark, run!”
“Private Mark, understood!!”
Mark, who received the ball, grinned at me before happily sprinting off.
He skillfully dodged two defenders in front and kicked the ball toward the goal with his left foot.
The defender standing in front of the opponent’s goal dived to block it with great effort, but…
“It’s in!!!”
“We won!!!”
In the end, the ball hit by Mark floated slightly above that defender and went into the goal.
We survived; if we had lost here, the commander might have acted strange afterward and caused a fuss about duty after the guard was over…
Soon after, the commander came rushing towards us and said,
“Gather up!!”
Hearing this, the soldiers who played soccer with me quickly dashed towards the commander.
Upon gathering, the commander looked at us with a nostalgic gaze and spoke just one word.
“I’m proud of you all. Today, drink as much beer as you want; you all have duty.”
**
As dinner time came, flat stones had been placed over campfires by various squads.
Next, the beef that had been prepared for us by the other soldiers was brought out on a large wooden platter.
The bright red meat studded with white fat like eyes… When combined with the white bread made from wheat and beer…
“Wow, it looks delicious. Hey, Private Max. Put the meat on quickly.”
“Private, Max, understood!”
“Corporal, Jack! I’ll bring beer and bread!!”
With those words, Max placed the splendid beef on the hot griddle.
As the beef sizzled on the griddle, it released a delicious aroma into the air.
That smell made everyone in our squad naturally gulp down their saliva.
“I’m going crazy here, Sergeant.”
“…. Indeed.”
As the short time while the meat was grilling felt overwhelmingly tedious and difficult, the beef that had been glowing red gradually turned brown.
It was fully cooked.
Thus, I, as the senior member and squad leader, grabbed a beer in one hand and a skewer in the other before anyone else.
And after poking the meat with the skewer and taking a bite, washing it down with the bitter yet savory beer…
I felt like there was nothing to envy in heaven.
Then, I shouted to everyone.
“Everyone eat your fill. It’s a whole cow, so even if our company eats their hearts out, we won’t finish it all!! However, our squad must not commit the sin of leaving any leftover meat!! Everyone must eat at least a kilo!! Go!!!”
At my slightly coercive command, the squad members laughed and echoed.
“Go!!!!”
**
Feeling that the morale might drop due to the tedious siege warfare, and since the remaining food would spoil anyway, we decided to host a feast…
The effect was great; according to Balt, our unity had increased tremendously compared to before…
Seriously, once we return to Count’s territory, should we create leagues at the ‘company level’ and hold tournaments divided by platoon?
If we offer some small rewards and meat as prizes, I feel like the effect would be incredible…
As I entertained these happy thoughts while eating the grilled meat with Ela, a messenger came in to report to me.
“I report! Helzman Castle’s defense commander, Lance, wishes to speak directly with the count!!!”
…. Good. It’s about to drop soon.