"Let me go! You lowly bastard, where are you putting your hands! Do you know who I am!"
"Oh my, did this young man eat boiled pig's throat? I can't hear well, so speak quietly."
"I said untie this! It's an order, an order! Do you know what family I'm from? If my father finds out about this, you'll all just-"
"In all my long life, I've never seen such trash as this young man. There, look at our frail young man over there and learn something. Even just speaking nicely might make you look much better in character."
"Aaaahhh! You stupid old fool!"
"Indeed. Thank you."
-Clang!
Valter struck the head of the former commander who was tied up tight, now just a worthless brat.
Now let's see, where should he put this young man?
His Highness had ordered confinement, but having never lived in the military, how could he know where to lock him up?
Well now.
Valter clicked his tongue for no reason while walking around and discovered something.
It was a makeshift toilet that had been barely erected after the commanders made a fuss that they couldn't face their inferiors while doing their business.
But to Valter's unknowing eyes, it just looked like a perfect solitary cell for confining one person.
Valter grinned and threw open the door of the solitary cell-toilet.
Though he should have found the strange smell rising from below suspicious,
Valter didn't think deeply, delighted at finding a place to confine this young man.
After shoving the knight inside, Valter happily brushed off his hands.
He had tied this fellow up very securely, so he probably couldn't even think of getting out by himself.
"Oh ho? There's even a hole here to put food through. Good, very good."
Valter looked with satisfaction at the hole that had been made for ventilation purposes and hurried back to the tent.
He had to report that he had completed his task.
* * *
Commanders of all 7 banners had gathered.
Five Banneret Knights including Yurik, who had newly become commander of the 3rd and 4th banners.
Dardin, standing quietly behind Yurik, observed the Banneret Knights and their attendants with sharp eyes.
Originally, nobles and the royal family were not on intimate terms. When royal power weakened, nobles gained influence, and when nobles weakened, the royal family's dominance strengthened.
According to this absolute law of power distribution,
Aquilonia's nobles and royal family also maintained the balance of scales by alternating between conflict and friendship.
The knights who had obtained command authority in this place were either firmly attached to the Queen's side,
Or were people who maintained neutrality while unable to ignore the scraps falling from above.
Was there anyone among them purely worried about the kingdom's survival?
Was there anyone who had come to carry out orders from the royal castle with simple loyalty truly present here?
While Dardin questioned himself, breaking the uncomfortable atmosphere, the Banneret Knight of the 1st banner spoke up.
Seeing that he sat inside next to Yurik, he seemed to be in a position that tacitly led the other Banneret Knights.
"We regret the unfortunate incident that occurred with the 3rd and 4th banners. Your Highness. However, the affiliated Banneret Knight is also closely connected to our side, so it would have been smoother if you had given us advance notice first."
"Closely connected, you say?"
"That's right. Your Highness has never come to the battlefield, so you wouldn't know well, but,"
The 1st banner's knight shrugged. It was a tone that openly looked down on Yurik.
"The coordination of commanders is just as, just as important as the coordination of soldiers. That's why we who had been coordinating with the previous commander couldn't help but be flustered."
"Continue speaking. I'm listening."
"Moreover, isn't this a situation where we're frantic because of demons crawling from the wasteland? So considering the circumstances, how about restoring the previous commander?"
"I see. So once the previous commander is restored, then we'll be able to subjugate the wasteland demons?"
"That's right. Your Highness. With our unity, we'll sweep the wasteland clean. The soldiers who can't move aren't much of a problem. We can just conscript more from nearby villages."
"You've even thought of means to supplement soldiers."
"We're well-versed in such situations. How about Your Highness remaining at the command post to supervise the wartime situation instead of commanding the 3rd and 4th banners? War will only tarnish Your Highness's nobility."
"There must be quite a few terrible things happening."
"That's right, Your Highness. For us, well, it's what we always see, but for Your Highness it would be gruesome scenes. If we keep a noble person in such a harsh place, how could we face Her Majesty the Queen later? Hahaha."
The Banneret Knight of the 1st banner laughed heartily.
He was confident that he could easily manipulate the 3rd Prince, who was much younger than himself.
What could a brat who had just arrived know?
He would just put on some airs, pretend to let him play an active role, then give him some applause.
Then he'd feel good and return to the royal castle on his own, and wouldn't he tell good stories to the Queen too?
In the commanders' eyes, Yurik appeared to be smiling gently.
They didn't doubt that Yurik, smiling with a soft face, would soon give up the commander position himself.
But the reality was completely opposite.
Yurik was now thinking about how he could burn these humans alive.
While spouting nonsense about not being able to show gruesome scenes to a noble member of the royal family,
They weren't even trying to hide that they were colluding among themselves.
How had humans' heads become like this over the generations?
Or did they think he was too stupid to even notice that?
It was a moment when he was genuinely worried about humanity's future.
Yurik hid his sick disgust with a smile and answered in a smooth, pleasant voice.
"There would be nothing better than if I could rest comfortably too. How nice it would be if I could trust you all and withdraw to the rear."
"As expected, Your Highness being a man as well, we communicate well. Then we'll bring back the previous commander-"
"But you know."
Yurik extended his hand.
Dardin put documents in his hand as if he had been waiting.
Watching his long fingers turn the pages one by one, the Banneret Knights cast puzzled glances.
"Your Highness? Is there some problem?"
"Until coming here, I was sincerely thinking it would be fine to just subjugate the wasteland demons and return immediately."
"Yes?"
"But having actually come, I can't possibly do that."
"What do you mean?"
"Why are things like premium distilled liquor, antler dice, and silver-worked forks mixed in with the soldiers' supplies?"
Yurik threw the report Dardin had given him on the floor.
This caused the pages to turn, and the knights could see what was written there.
[...Command post box distribution. According to an anonymous supply soldier, among the boxes were 3 sets of beef tallow mixed with fragrant oil for maintaining knights' dignity, antler dice and 2 sets of entertainment cards, 4 bottles of southern distilled liquor including...]
Sentences written in Dardin's neat handwriting.
Yurik watched the knights' expressions change and spoke slowly.
"You must be curious how I found out about this."
"......"
"I neither tortured nor threatened anyone. My adjutant just went and asked the supply soldiers. Whether the supply distribution records were accurate. Yet they spilled everything like this."
"Your Highness, this is a false accusation!"
"False accusation? What false accusation? Who to whom? Just moments ago you were saying that getting along well among yourselves was unity, but now you're planning to claim you're being falsely accused by others?"
"We have never used such luxury items! Your Highness, there seems to be some misunderstanding."
"Was there a problem with the items?"
"That's right. It's just testimony from supply soldiers, isn't it? We need to examine in detail whether we ever ordered such items!"
That's right, Your Highness. We're wronged. Who on earth reported such lies! We never did such things!
The Banneret Knights each cried out.
Watching them protest with red faces while spitting, Yurik said.
"So you want a proper determination of right and wrong?"
"That's right, Your Highness! Bring those who gave this testimony immediately and make them swear!"
"No, there's no need for that. Since you claim to be so wronged, I'll conduct a proper investigation. I'll personally question the supply soldiers too."
"Oh, Your Highness! You are indeed wise."
The commanders smiled broadly.
"And I'll have to search your tents too. I'll have to examine every detail of the supplies you received. Now I see you're truly disloyal subjects. Making me this busy."
"Y-Your Highness?"
Yurik cursed inwardly. Stupid fools.
Fortunately, he had learned to smile well so as not to reveal obvious contempt even when dealing with stupid humans.
"During the investigation, your duties are temporarily suspended, and I temporarily hold full authority. You know that unauthorized actions during wartime are punishable by immediate execution, don't you?"
The commanders somehow felt their minds had gone elsewhere.
They clearly had things they wanted to say but nothing came out.
What was happening right now?
Walking past the gaze of the knights sitting in bewilderment, Yurik added as if remembering.
"Everyone return to your own tents and stay put quietly. Unless you want to be beheaded in the wasteland."
Having instantly made all the Banneret Knights subjects of investigation, Yurik walked outside and breathed in the fresh air.
Belated screams and shouts burst out from inside the tent, but it didn't matter.
Walking back to his tent with Dardin following behind, Yurik suddenly asked.
"Is it false?"
"Yes. But I don't think it's entirely wrong. The number of supply boxes is real."
"I could tell just by looking at the state of the tent I ended up using."
Dardin recalled the gambling dice and gaming tools he had found when organizing Yurik's tent.
Moreover, liquor bottles were brazenly rolling around, and there were various luxury items unsuitable for wartime.
If it were just this, it could be considered the personal fault of the 3rd and 4th banner commanders.
But how shocking it was when he realized that out of 23 supply boxes, a total of 9 boxes had been distributed to the command post.
What were the hundreds of soldiers out in the wasteland supposed to eat? Dardin sighed deeply inwardly.
"I'll deliver news to the garrison soldiers and main force. That messenger from earlier was fast on his feet."
"Do so."
When Yurik and Dardin returned to the tent, a massive muscle mass was guarding the entrance.
"Oh! You've finally come! I've completed my mission!"
"Elder, why aren't you inside when it's cold? Where did you put that fellow?"
"I happened to see a very good place on the way, so I put him there. I tied him up tight, so he won't be able to get out."
"Really? Where exactly?"
"Well, you see."
Just as Valter was about to give a detailed explanation,
A whitish figure was running from the distance where dusk was beginning to fall.
Though she must have come on horseback, Cellinne, whose entire body was soaked with sweat, panted and shouted.
"It's too far between here and the main force!"
"Cellinne, is there some urgent matter?"
"Eva asked if there's anything to eat."
"Something to eat? Food?"
Cellinne, who had been wiping sweat dripping from her forearms, nodded.
"The main force side is a complete mess. Dardin would have fainted if he'd seen it. Everyone's lying down and not moving at all. Eva said, uh, what was it? That they seemed to have suffered psychological damage?"
"It's what we expected. They'll get better once they're out of the wasteland's sphere of influence. Yesung predicted as much."
"But unless we're going to carry the soldiers one by one, we need to make them walk on their own feet somehow."
"That's right."
"Before treatment, she did a light examination first, and it seems people haven't eaten for quite a while."
"Haven't eaten?"
"What, young folks haven't eaten? What kind of talk is that?"
Valter asked full of concern.
"Exactly that, Grandfather. There are cooking utensils, but all the food is in terrible condition. Either gnawed by bugs or moldy. No one seemed to think of cooking. There's nothing edible. Even if we tried to boil thin soup, there's nothing but water."
"Nothing intact?"
"Right, there wasn't much food to begin with anyway. Eva was really angry."
Dardin rubbed his face dry. The situation he had been worried about was happening this quickly.
The soldiers' psychological problems were already expected.
But the commanders' excessive embezzlement of supplies beyond limits, and the collective malnutrition caused by it.
Valter said seriously.
"When you're hungry, you become depressed. When you're depressed, you easily have strange thoughts. You become more sensitive and sharp. Think about spending several days in the wasteland in that state. If it were me, I would have already risen up."
"It's adding insult to injury. Your Highness, I'll go check the remaining supplies."
Would there be anything left? It would be good if there was something for the soldiers lying down without energy to eat.
Just as Dardin was about to move, Valter said resolutely.
"I'll go to the main force first."
"Pardon? You, Elder?"
"Young people with bright futures are going hungry. I absolutely can't stand to see it. A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body."
"I know that, but what will you do by going, Elder? Don't you have nothing with you?"
"Bah. Why would I have nothing?"
Valter went into Yurik's tent. Then after a moment, he came out carrying heavy luggage with thumping footsteps.
The grandfather with the mission to feed all the young people shouted vigorously.
"Let's go, to the poor young people suffering from hunger!"
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