37-118

EP.118 War Preparations (4) 

While Eliza and Lichtenauer were whipping the knights into shape, Yuno also visited the soldiers’ training grounds to inspect their condition. 

Unlike the knights, whose discipline had fallen apart, the soldiers perhaps expecting Yuno’s visit were lined up in orderly formations under their centurions’ command, and their equipment was well maintained. 

“How is it? The army’s training is perfectly prepared,” Viscount Leberkin said confidently, looking at Yuno, but Yuno only smiled enigmatically. 

“Hm… Perfect, you say? Then can I run a few tests?” 

“Yes! Of course. The soldiers have been trained to form any formation instantly.” 

“Good. Then let’s go to the training field where the soldiers have been practicing. Lead the way. Have all the soldiers follow as well.” 

Next to the parade ground where the soldiers were assembled was a huge plain, large enough for 20,000 soldiers to train at once. 

“Whew~ Impressive. With a place like this, we can train on a much bigger scale than I thought.” 

“You can put them through as much as you want. It’s barren land where crops can’t grow big enough for 50,000 men to train.” 

“All right! Then let’s start right away! Sis, put a voice amplification spell on me.” 

“Okay!” 

“Attention, all units. As of today, I am your new supreme commander: Yuno Alexander Windrage von Balkan.” 

The soldiers, having already heard the news, showed little reaction to the high-ranking visitor. 

“I hear Viscount Leberkin here has put you through some pretty tough training. I trust Viscount Toys, so I believe you can handle formations and tactics similar to the imperial army.” 

The soldiers, who had worried that a young royal would be appointed commander and start giving them all sorts of annoying orders, breathed a sigh of relief. 

“But are you confident?” 

At Yuno’s sudden question, all 20,000 soldiers looked puzzled. 

“Are you confident you can survive against the imperial army that will soon be upon us?” 

Since the army was made up of private soldiers brought by eastern nobles, and they’d sometimes seen the imperial army fighting the Leon Kingdom on the eastern front, they knew just how strong the imperial army was. 

So, when Yuno emphasized they’d be facing the imperial army, the soldiers sighed. 

“Your Highness!! If you say that now, you’ll kill morale…” 

Viscount Leberkin tried to intervene, but Yuno ignored him and continued. 

“Of course, you’ve all trained hard and raised your level. But the army I lead Yuno’s army must not be just on par with the enemy. You must be much stronger! As your supreme commander, I order you: not a single one of you is to fall. You must all survive to the end! Understood?!” 

“Yes, sir!!” 

The shouts of 20,000 soldiers rang out across the plain, and a satisfied smile appeared on Yuno’s face. 

“Good! Of course, I don’t think you’ll get stronger just because I tell you to survive. I’ll do everything I can to help you get stronger! All troops, remove your equipment and lay it on the ground!” 

Though surprised by the sudden order to disarm, the soldiers obeyed as it was a direct order from the supreme commander. 

“From now, you’ll start running. Run in a large circle around this plain. The distance you run will be displayed above your heads in meters.” 

As Yuno had requested in advance, Isabella cast a distance-measuring spell on all the troops. 

It was such a basic spell that even with 20,000 troops, Isabella showed no signs of fatigue. 

“Commander! How far do we have to run?” 

“I’ll decide that! Run until I say stop! But! If the last soldier is overtaken by the leader, that soldier immediately stops running and is marked as dropped out.” 

“If we drop out… do we just leave the formation and rest?” 

Hoping they could rest if they dropped out, some soldiers asked, but Yuno dashed their hopes. 

“A dropped-out soldier must put on all his equipment and keep walking until the number above his head reaches 20 km. Until then, no return, no food!” 

“Of course, there are rewards for those who pass~” 

Suddenly, a clear female voice rang out from behind Yuno, drawing all eyes. 

“Hehe, we maids of Lord Yuno have prepared special meals. Those who meet Lord Yuno’s standards will get the special meal; those who don’t will get some grilled meat and bread. Those who drop out get nothing, but we’ll at least give you the usual rations so you don’t starve~” 

Kurimu, Miruku, and Mari, all spirit users, had prepared special meals on par with what Yuno usually ate. 

Isabella projected images of these meals in the air for all the soldiers to see, and Mari used wind spirits to waft the aroma to them, leaving the soldiers entranced. 

The sight and smell of food fit for royalty made the soldiers’ mouths water. 

“Damn! If I drop out, I’ll never taste food like that in my life!” 

“I’d rather starve than eat that slop! Let’s do our best and taste that special meal!” 

“Just how delicious must food made by such beautiful maids be… Wait, are those elves?” 

At some point, a soldier noticed Kurimu and Miruku’s ears, and word spread through the army. 

“W-we get to eat food made by elves!!” 

“And it looks insanely delicious!!” 

“I’m running no matter what! Even if I die, I’m running!” 

Seeing the soldiers’ motivation, Yuno couldn’t stop smiling. 

‘Good… very good… nothing motivates soldiers like good food. But how many of you will actually get to eat the special meal… hehehe.’ 

“Did everyone see the reward I prepared?” 

“Yes, sir!!” 

“All right. Let’s see how many of you can eat the meals those lovely elf ladies made! Begin!!” 

At Yuno’s command, the soldiers surged forward. Yuno stripped off his shirt and ran at the front, matching their pace. 

The lead runners started at a measured pace, unsure how far they’d have to go, but as Yuno pushed them, they picked up speed. 

“What are you doing! Is this the best you can do?” 

“Hehe, so you all thought you were tough after training, but this is all you’ve got? Maybe you should cut off what’s hanging down below!” 

Even Isabella and Mari, in workout clothes, joined in, taunting the soldiers as they ran, pushing them to grit their teeth and run harder. 

“Damn!!! Aaaaargh!!” 

“Why are the princess and the spirit user so fast?!” 

‘Hehe, the stamina we built being dragged out every morning by Yuno isn’t going anywhere.’ 

‘I hated exercising just to stay with my brother, but it helps me last longer in bed with him, so it’s worth it. Hehehe.’ 

After more than seven years of morning training with Yuno, Isabella and Mari’s running speed and stamina were in another league. 

By about a third of the way 7 km soldiers at the back began to be overtaken by Yuno and the front runners. 

“Dropped out!!” 

“Those who dropped out, please step aside~!!” 

The numbers above the heads of those who dropped out turned red, and they trudged over to their equipment, put it on, and began walking across the plain. 

“Now! I’ll increase the pace! Run faster!!” 

When Yuno slightly increased the speed, more soldiers dropped out. 

That day, Yuno ran 20 km in an hour and a half. It was more than twice as slow as his usual pace, but many soldiers dropped out, and only about 1,000 finished within 10 minutes of Yuno and got the special meal. 

“Everyone! Well done! Those who passed have a blue light above their heads enjoy your special meal!” 

“Thank you, sir!!” 

“Those who didn’t pass, don’t be too disappointed! Work hard tomorrow and you can eat the special meal too! There’s still meat and bread, so it’s better than usual.” 

Those who didn’t make Yuno’s 1 hour 40 minute cutoff but finished without dropping out saw a yellow light above their heads and sighed. 

It was still much better than the slop they usually ate, so they ate with some satisfaction, though they couldn’t hide their envy of those getting special meals from the beautiful elf maids. 

Still, they were far better off than those who dropped out. 

“Aaaagh!! I thought I’d die!!” 

“Damn… 20 km in full gear… huff, huff…” 

The dropouts, reeking of sweat and still in full gear, returned to the barracks, eating their usual rations and glaring at the successful ones, vowing never to drop out again. 

Yuno, who had planned all this, watched the soldiers with Viscount Leberkin and the other nobles under Prinz. 

“Your Highness, is this really meaningful? If you keep giving such high-quality food to so many soldiers, the budget…” 

“Heh~ My brother entrusted this to me, so don’t complain. If the budget’s short, just lower the nobles’ food to the soldiers’ level.” 

“But how can we nobles eat the same food as the soldiers…” 

“Come on. Is your mouth any different? Will you die if you eat what the soldiers eat?” 

“Well… no, but…” 

“Those soldiers are the ones risking their lives for you, my brother, and me! If you can’t even give them good food, how can you talk about restoring justice to the empire?!” 

“!!!” 

“And it’s actually pretty good… Sis, Mari, you like it too, right?” 

Yuno took the barracks rations the dropouts were eating and, in front of the nobles, ate with Isabella and Mari, leaving the nobles dumbfounded. 

“Well, after running and eating, it’s tasty.” 

“Everything tastes good when you’re hungry.” 

At Isabella and Mari’s reactions, Yuno looked at Leberkin and the nobles as if to say, “See?” 

Clap!! 

“That’s it!” 

Yuno suddenly clapped his hands, and Leberkin asked, confused, 

“Yes? What do you mean?” 

“You all should run with us from tomorrow! You’ll get hungry, so everything will taste good, and the food budget will go down!” 

“Y-your Highness! We have our own duties…” 

“Hey! How long does it take to run? As your supreme commander, this is an order! From tomorrow at 3 p.m., unless you have external duties, all nobles will come here and train with the soldiers!” 

Under imperial law, refusing a military order could mean execution, so the nobles’ faces turned pale. 

From the next day, the nobles had to run with the soldiers, and the soldiers, eager to see the high-and-mighty fail, ran even faster. 

Thus, Yuno’s soldiers grew stronger quickly. 

Yuno kept increasing the running speed, and eventually had them run in full gear. The number of those who passed didn’t increase much, but by the last day of training a month later, not a single one of the 20,000 soldiers dropped out.