"Good, that's a fine idea. The troops encountered a flash flood—it wasn't a defeat in battle. We were already on the verge of success, but man proposes while Heaven disposes." Burled praised.
"Commander-in-Chief, should we put this plan into action?" Chalvis asked.
Burled waved a hand. "Go, hurry. Wipe out those natives today. As for the rest of our men, make them behave and not try any clever tricks."
"Right away!" With his orders in hand, Chalvis vanished from before Burled in a flash and began carrying out the plan.
That same day, the auxiliary army was disbanded. At the same time, Chalvis ordered the Portuguese soldiers to drive the indigenous auxiliary troops into the Kingdom of Malawi. Anyone unwilling to leave was rewarded with a bullet.
"Remember this: if anyone asks, say you encountered a flash flood. That is the only way we can return safely. If anyone dares tell the truth, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"Reporting to Governor, Commander-in-Chief Burled of the Kingdom of Portugal's Kalavi expeditionary force requests an audience."
"Good. Very spirited," the Governor of Mozambique said.
"Mr. Burled, why have so few men returned? And where are the three thousand natives who set out with you? Since you have returned, does that not mean the Kingdom of Malawi has not been conquered?" a young official beside the Governor asked.
The others merely watched coldly. Young people these days really were like tigers. Still, it would do him good to learn a lesson. Couldn't he see that no one else had spoken, yet he had jumped in?
"Who are you? I don't know you," Burled said in surprise.
"He is Major Chakov, newly assigned by the Kingdom. He comes from Portugal's Nigran region," the Governor explained first.
So he was a country bumpkin