“Today’s training ends here.”
As soon as Keisha gave his order, Elia sat down in her place.
“Ah…”
She was breathing hard, wiping her face with her hand.
Sweat was pouring off her like rain.
She looked around, noticing that most of the boys had long since fallen unconscious.
Today's training was terrible too.
She frowned and looked at the scarecrow in front of her.
“Hit the scarecrow with your wooden sword until it falls!”
This was Keisha's order.
The scarecrow in front of her was an old, rickety scarecrow meant for fencing training.
At first glance, the training seemed not difficult at all, but Illya gritted her teeth.
'What kind of human puts a defensive barrier on a mere scarecrow like that?!'
Rather, it was an advanced defensive barrier placed on the front lines to prevent the incursion of monsters.
For this barrier, which could barely be broken even if attacked by super-powerful monsters with an all-out attack, to be put through training with only a wooden sword!
The boys kept hitting the barrier with the wooden sword for hours, and ended up fainting as usual.
The only ones who held their teeth until the order to end training were her, Axion, and Yusar.
As she gathered her strength and was about to enter the wing attached to the palace, which was their barracks, Keisha called her name.
“Unit Commander, come.”
Illya quickly rushed over with a tense face.
What's up?
Keisha had never called her in private after training before.
“Did you call me?!”
Keisha looked at Elijah with a satisfied face and informed her.
“We will leave tomorrow for field training for 5 days and 4 nights.
The location is Mount Kenya.
Departure at 5 in the morning.”
“Field training, is that what you mean?”
When Elijah asked again with a confused face, Keisha answered coldly.
“Is there any problem?”
“Oh, no, there isn’t.”
Illya answered hurriedly and lowered her head.
‘Ah… field training announcement just the day before.’
Unlike in-unit training where everything is prepared, field training requires a lot of preparation.
Even in her previous military career, it would have been obvious to announce this at least a week in advance.
To deliver this ad like this, as if he was scheduling a daily cleaning shift.
'This is really annoying!'
But the army is a place where orders from above are implemented without discussion.
While she was secretly cursing, Keisha added sternly.
“During the training period, assume responsibility for leading unit personnel as a commander.”
Illya answered loudly, contrary to what she was feeling inside.
"present!"
•
"Wow, field training!
It's going to be fun!"
“It's just like going camping.
It'll be a change of scenery after a while!”
The boys were chattering in the dining hall in excited voices.
Elia saw that sight and snorted contemptuously.
‘These bastards’ heads are surprisingly full of flowers.’
Field training, otherwise known as combat maneuver training, is the most hellish training in the military.
First, they must march carrying military equipment weighing approximately 20 kilograms to reach the training site.
Once there, training outdoors overnight is key.
They do not get proper meals and cannot sleep.
The unit's grueling training seemed like heaven in comparison.
'Even in my previous life's army, soldiers would groan as if they were dying when they were told that they were going for maneuver training.'
After finishing the intense suffering and returning from maneuver training, the officers would treat the ordinary soldiers more kindly than usual for a few days.
Then Lennox approached her and shouted in an excited voice.
"Elle, doesn't this sound really fun?
I love campfires so much."
Here is another baby whose head is full of flowers!
This time, Yusar suggested, his eyes sparkling.
“If it's a field training, we won't be able to eat properly, wouldn't it be better if we prepared our own food and sold it?
Should we bring all the salted meat and bread left over from our last sale?”
At those words, Illya sighed.
'This too, is still a young master.'
It seemed like a realistic suggestion, but coming from someone who knew absolutely nothing about field training.
Elia said sternly.
“No.
Baggage must be reduced at all costs.
If your military equipment is heavy, you will never be able to reach the training site.
Instead, bring fitness recovery medicine to distribute to the unit members.”
The most important thing in field training is that they can first walk safely and reach the training site.
Illya remembered Keisha's order to take charge of leading the unit's personnel.
Because she knew the original story, she was well aware that if they couldn't reach the training site properly, there would be hellish things waiting for them.
Keisha considered field training, aimed at actual combat practice, more important than anything else.
But in the original story, of course, the unit personnel, with the exception of Axion, were unable to reach the training site properly, and as a result,
‘For three months straight, they were forced to march with their military equipment through all the rugged mountains in the entire empire…’
Just imagining it was horrifying.
If they couldn't reach the training site properly this time as well, she would obviously do the crazy thing, so she had to do the impossible to make the unit members reach the training site safely.
But how?
Mount Kenya is at least 100 kilometers away from here.
In addition to physical fitness, the crucial reason the unit's members in the original story abandoned the march was unbearable physical pain.
If they walked that distance carrying heavy military equipment and wearing hard military boots, the unit's shoulders and feet would become so blistered that they could not walk.
Then, they experience pain so intense that they may wish they could cut off their own limbs.
A monster like Axion might endure that pain and keep going, but most boys couldn't.
‘Of course, after three months of crazy mountain climbing, calluses as hard as steel will form on their shoulders and feet, which solves the problem…’
But not now.
Ilya pondered quietly.
'There is one way, but…'
It seemed like she could apply a method she had used effectively during field training in her previous military life.
'Especially if you can obtain that thing that only exists in this world…'
If they got a little help from Yusar's fitness recovery medicine, they would be able to safely carry their military equipment and reach the training site even with their weak shoulders and feet.
But the problem was time.
Leaving for training will be tomorrow morning.
'Can I have this before then?'
Still, she had to try.
Illya said to Leosar and Lennox, who were next to her.
“Lennox, Yusar.
Can you prepare enough of these things to last until tomorrow dawn?”
She held out a small piece of paper to them.
Their eyes widened when they saw the note.
“Ask us to bring this?”
“Why the hell do you need this?”
When they asked again, Elia answered.
“It's a very necessary item.
You'll find out why later.”
Then Yusar said as if worried.
“This is in plentiful supply even in the surrounding villages, so getting it is not difficult.
The problem is getting it by tomorrow dawn.
If we only had a few extra days, it would be possible.”
As expected.
Why the hell would Kesha announce training just one day before!
If he had informed at least a few days earlier, they would have made all the preparations already.
The more she thought about it again, the angrier she got, but it wouldn't change anything.
At a time like this, she had to find a way out anyway.
Then, Elijah's eyes widened.
'Just a moment, if that person…'
Illya looked at Lennox.
“Lennox, can we ask the military doctor?”
“Who is Mr.
Theo?”
When Lennox asked, Elia nodded.
“Yes.
The military doctor may be able to bring him to us.
Since he is an officer, he can go outside as well.”
At those words, Lennox looked at her with worried eyes.
“But would it be okay?
Even if I asked Master Theo?”
Lennox's reaction was not unusual.
In the army, it is unreasonable for a subordinate to ask for a favor from his commander.
Especially since Theo is a person whose spirit of military discipline and blind obedience to orders is more permeated than anyone else.
Even if his commander issued a ridiculous order, he carried it out completely with superhuman ability without the slightest objection.
'That's why he's been working under this crazy Keisha for over ten years.'
In return, he was equally strict with his subordinates.
He does not practice violent bullying, but he has zero tolerance for subordinates overstepping their bounds.
But he is a military doctor who treats soldiers.
If it was him, he would definitely accept this request.
"It'll be fine.
Just trust me, Lennox.
Master Theo will understand why this is needed."
When I asked him, Lennox answered seriously, as if he had made up his mind.
“Well, since it was Elle's request and no one else's… I'll try.”
•
“Claude, are you ordering me now?”
Theo sat at his desk in the medical clinic, questioning Lennox standing in front of him in a sharp voice.
“Military doctor, that is not the case...”
“If this isn't something, then what is?”