36D Plan

While Murphy was returning to Cadman City with the spoils of war and the survivors, the ripples caused by that successful interception were subtly changing many things.

In a pioneering fortress in East Prussia, adjacent to Transia, a commander dressed in the uniform of a Plantagenet Kingdom major strode toward the office of the frontline commander. He held a document in one hand and reached out to straighten his appearance.

Only after confirming everything was in order did he knock on the closed door.

This was not merely a matter of good upbringing and personal habit. The major was about to meet General Loren, a commander who demanded strictness in every matter.

From the after-action review of every military operation to the patrol routes of the military police within the fortress, even something as trivial as the seating arrangement at the officers' occasional dinners.

If the commanders of the Pioneer Legion, from the highest to the lowest, and even the rank and file, did not want to be scolded or punished by the stern general, then doing their jobs to the best of their ability was undoubtedly the right attitude.

General Loren had a famous saying: "Death is always kind to those who are faithful to their duty." That gave some insight into his character.

"Come in!"

A low voice sounded from within the office.

The major opened the door, briskly saluted the general seated behind his desk, who was studying a map, and reported loudly:

"Reporting, General! The frontline special duty report has arrived. There's an encrypted message that requires your immediate attention!"

Then the major lowered his voice and said:

"It concerns that batch of 'cargo.'"

"Hmm?"

The general, who had been studying the military map, looked up, revealing a man in his prime with sharply defined features.

He was not exactly handsome, but the chiseled features on his face, his classic square jaw, and his perfectly groomed beard gave him a rugged, old-fashioned, stern, and imposing air.

He tossed aside the drafting pen in his hand, stroked his most prized beard, and hopped down from his chair. Then he straightened his general's collar insignia and strode over to the major.

Finally, the general looked up at him.

Now, everyone said that General Loren Frederick had courage and strength beyond what his height would suggest. That was not entirely empty flattery and praise.

It was also a statement of fact.

The Plantagenet Kingdom's top commander, King Louis's most trusted officer, a rising star of war who had come up through the old Guards, the absolute pride of the Grenny Legion—General Loren had built the Pioneer Legion from nothing during the Ten-Year War and trained it into the kingdom's largest army.

And he was a half-dwarf!

He was half Silver Dwarf.

As a result, although the general stood head and shoulders above other dwarves, he was still an undeniable runt beside the 1.93-meter-tall major.

But no one would dare underestimate General Loren because of that!

Just as no one would dare underestimate a dwarf's deadly battle-axe.

Anyone foolish enough to insult him over his height probably wouldn't live to see the next day. Besides, there was an unwritten rule in the Pioneer Legion: both in official business and private conversations, everyone was to avoid saying the word "short" as much as possible.

Please note: this was not a request!

Although the general had announced before all the soldiers on the very first day the legion was formed that he did not mind them discussing his height, the half-dwarven blood in General Loren's veins was always quietly and stubbornly at work.

And everyone knew dwarves across the continent were notorious for being petty.

In the legion's third month, after a certain brave acting captain was sent to the front lines for drunkenly running his mouth and calling the enemy as lacking in courage as short rats, everyone understood where the general drew the line.

Though that acting captain had the good fortune to survive four brutal battles and rise through the ranks to become a colonel, it was still a sad story.

Now, in the office, General Loren stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring up at the exceptionally tall major before him. The man's height annoyed him, but his work was excellent and his connections were formidable. The major held his military posture and looked straight ahead, giving the general nothing to criticize as disrespectful.

So General Loren asked in a low voice:

"What happened to my cargo? According to the schedule, it should have reached the Andmar Hills by now."

"The convoy was ambushed, General."

The major strode over to the military map of Transia on the wall, picked up a red pin, and planted it precisely beside the Filthy Swamp.

Pointing to the location, he told the frowning general:

"It happened last night, at around 21:00. Sixty elite Blood Eagle Midnight Hunters and their armed blood thralls attacked the convoy just after it left the Filthy Swamp. The convoy's psychic mage put up a determined defense and ordered the Wolfsbane Clan warriors guarding the cargo to leave first.

"But the cunning vampires had set up an interception at the far end of Smuggler's Grove. Our brave soldiers were ultimately defeated, and the cargo has been confirmed lost."

"Then how did this report reach us?"

General Loren did not dwell on the fact that the expensive goods he had purchased had been stolen. Instead, he asked:

"So the entire convoy wasn't wiped out? If anyone survived, why did they send me such a miserable report? Who commanded the enemy's interception? And who was the last vampire to come into contact with the cargo?

"Most importantly, what happened during the battle?

"Did they think they could brush it off with the words 'put up a determined defense'?

"The convoy had 240 guards alone!

"They were veterans who had fought in at least three major wars. I even sent the finest Witch Hunters of the White Oak Warband to reinforce them, along with high-ranking psychics from the Tower of Rings to provide magical support.

"That kind of force could stand against 1,000 armed blood thralls on the battlefield! Yet they couldn't even stop 60 vampires?

"Something must have gone wrong with the command!

"The convoy's commander had better really be dead. Otherwise, I'll send him before a court-martial!"

"Regarding that..."

The major was already used to the general's strictness about such details. He glanced at the document in his hand and reported:

"Only three psychic mages from the convoy survived. All the other soldiers were killed, but they wiped out every invading vampire and blood thrall. Sir Finok, the White Oak Warband commander, arrived in support at the last moment and confirmed this.

"Everyone on the enemy side was killed except their commander. We can also confirm that our attackers were the Blood Eagle Clan's most elite Midnight Hunters."

"They wiped out all 60 Midnight Hunters in one go? That's like taking out two whole elite Night Assault Companies of Salokdar's in a single battle? Excellent!"

The general raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"Just what I'd expect from my soldiers! Well done!

"Record the names of those soldiers and submit their merits to the War Department. Apply for 'Hero' compensation for their families. If their children want to enlist, send them to the Heir's Academy. Then, in the Pioneer Legion's name, pay their families an additional death benefit equal to three months' wages.

"I'll cover ninety percent, and the commanders of all the directly subordinate units will cover the other ten.

"You'll handle this personally.

"Also, why was old Finok at the Filthy Swamp? Wasn't he supposed to be directing his Witch Hunters to carry out a tactical blockade along the line from the Andmar Hills to Cadman City?"

"It was a rescue mission, General. During an earlier encounter in Morland Village, several veteran Witch Hunters were captured by vampires. Sir Finok went to free them."

The major immediately explained:

"According to the intelligence Sir Finok sent back, the convoy spotted the vampires' ambush in advance because those prisoners broke free despite facing certain death and risked their lives to set fire to the vampires' rear camp. The flames alerted the convoy and kept it from being ambushed in the dark.

"The surviving psychic mages stressed in their report that the attack was possible because information had been leaked. The vampires knew exactly when and where the convoy would be.

"That proves they have an inside source in the Pioneer Legion.

"After an assessment, the general staff believes this threat is real, General."

"We're fighting on vampire territory. The Blood Eagle Clan has been entrenched in Transia for over 400 years. Isn't it perfectly normal for them to have cultivated a few human traitors?"

General Loren waved a hand dismissively.

"Sniffing out and executing traitors isn't something frontline soldiers like us need to worry about. The Military Justice Department will take it from here. Did their report mention where the cargo ended up?"

"No, General. Sir Finok is currently escorting seven wounded soldiers back to East Prussia. The White Oak Warband has also completed its tactical blockade and reconnaissance."

The major replied:

"The Witch Hunters took some heavy losses, but if you insist on recovering the cargo, I'm sure they'd be willing to risk another pursuit. It's three days from the Filthy Swamp to Cadman City. At their speed, the Witch Hunters could get there in time to..."

"No. Let it go."

General Loren considered it for a moment, then decisively shook his head.

"If this had happened before, I would never have let it go. But the situation has changed. Fraser, if I remember correctly, you've been at the front for three years now. Do you miss home?

"Do you miss the fiancée you've never even met?"

The general's sudden change of subject left the major momentarily stunned.

He rarely heard the general talk about personal matters in the military camp. After a second's thought, he replied:

"It's my duty to serve for King Louis's victory and the glory of the Plantagenet Kingdom, General. My family supports me, so..."

"Don't give me that scripted nonsense!"

The general glared at him, then shook his head.

"Write your family a letter. In half a month at most, you'll be able to go home and reunite with them."

"Huh?"

The major was genuinely surprised this time, but he quickly blurted out:

"General, you mean the war is about to end? But—but we haven't even invaded Transia! We've only just finished gathering intelligence on the Blood Eagle Clan!

"The new recruits have only a month of training left. Once everything is ready, we can launch a decisive and devastating attack at any moment. The corrupt, superstitious people of Transia won't be able to withstand our forces!

"We spent ten years fighting our way here, General!

"This is the final step in annexing the Bosia Confederacy for His Majesty the King. How can we give up now?

"There must be traitors around the king and in the Grand Council!"

The young major shouted in righteous indignation:

"How can those people enjoying peace at the rear end the war just as we're about to win? No! Those fat-headed fools have betrayed and sold us out!"

"Shut up!"

Hearing one of his officers go too far, General Loren barked at him. He took a dwarf pipe from his pocket and rolled it in his hand. After looking at his subordinate, he drew out his words:

"Longing for war is a young man's nature. Mastering war is a commander's duty. Enjoying war is a veteran's privilege. But looking forward to war without considering the consequences... well, that's sheer stupidity.

"The whole country has been at war for ten years. The king's efforts to reform this young nation have been held back far too long.

"This wretched, muddy war ending now is just right.

"As for the reason, it's not what you think, Fraser."

General Loren sighed, lit his tobacco, and, through the billowing smoke, handed the half-finished military map on his desk to the major.

The major took it in both hands and glanced at it. His eyes widened.

He cried out:

"This! The Kingdom of Nordtov has sent troops?"

"Yes. On the eastern front of the Bosia Confederacy, right as you and I are speaking, the most elite Winterwolf Legion under that young but fierce 'Wolf Queen' has crossed the military buffer zone between Ice Bay and Transia.

"They'll strike this decaying giant hard from behind. This is the treaty between King Louis and the Wolf Queen. It was signed two months ago, just after the Third Battle of Saxony."

The general enjoyed his tobacco as he explained leisurely:

"The Pioneer Legion doesn't need to advance any farther. We just need to remain in place and maintain the kingdom's occupation of East Prussia, Saxony, and the Kato region. The rest can be left to those barbaric but battle-hardened northerners.

"They'll help us crush the Bosia Confederacy's last resistance. Of course, in return for throwing them a piece of meat, the Ice Bay region and the Kavhoka Great Plains will be theirs after the war.

"The Bosia Confederacy will become history after this battle.

"As for Transia..."

The short general turned to look at the map hanging on the wall.

Transia's territory was long and narrow, bordering Ice Bay to the north and the Dark Mountains to the south. Situated in the middle of the continent, it was like a "natural barrier," separating the Plantagenet Kingdom's newly conquered territory from the two powerful human nations on either side.

General Loren stroked his beard and sneered:

"The territories of two lions mustn't border each other directly. That would only lead to even fiercer conflict. But neither side is ready for another war yet.

"So Transia will be carved out as an autonomous territory, or maybe even a duchy. Who knows?

"The next war will be fought at the negotiating table by politicians, using their tongues and the pens in their hands to decide the outcome.

"But, Fraser, the war for us soldiers is over."

The major silently listened to the general's explanation.

He knew General Loren wanted him to spread the news among the middle ranks of the Pioneer Legion, in order to calm down the commanders who were eager for war and hungry for military achievements.

He was actually quite satisfied with the outcome himself.

After all these years of fighting, he was tired of war too.

When the war began, he had been a student studying in Chardo Port. Now he was old enough to marry and start a family. Most absurd of all, his family had chosen a fiancée for him who was supposedly wonderful in every way, but they had barely consulted him about the marriage at all.

He'd had no say in it whatsoever!

But in public, the major still protested indignantly:

"But are we just going to let them go, General? Those damned vampires just stole your property and trampled on the dignity of the entire Pioneer Legion. The soldiers won't be satisfied if it ends like this.

"Just as you taught us, a warrior's honor comes before everything else!

"We can lose our heads, but we can't lose our knees!"

"Of course we won't let them get away with it so easily. I only said that the two kings intend to dismember the Bosia Confederacy. I didn't say we'd let those vampires continue to rule this isolated backwater to their heart's content."

General Loren gave a cold smile, picked up a pen from the desk and toyed with it, then flicked his wrist. With a bang, the pen flew like a throwing knife and embedded itself in the map.

It landed squarely on Cadman City.

He said:

"Major Fraser, contact the psychic mages stationed with the Tower of Rings and the chief of the Wolfsbane Clan. I'm launching Plan D!

"We may not be able to enter Cadman City as victors, but I'll make sure those lawless vampires know their time is over.

"My legion will be the one to end it!"