MBD | Chapter 24

Not only that, but Everhart’s company was the only one doing strange training, and they even turned an unused warehouse into a kitchen, all of which was overlooked.

He didn’t know what Everhart wanted to do, but he thought that if he let him do whatever he wanted, at least he wouldn’t say he wanted to go to the battlefield.

However, Alexander and Erik had differing opinions here. Surprisingly, Alexander said that Everhart wasn’t just some crazy guy and that he would definitely want to go to the battlefield.

“I know. Well, I’m grateful for that matter.”

Everhart bowed his head sincerely. He wasn’t a fool, so he knew how much he was overstepping his bounds.

‘It’s true that it was hard to watch with open eyes.’

He thought he might have to find another way if it didn’t work out, but he was surprised that Erik didn’t say anything.

In the original story, how much did the protagonist fight just to reorganize a platoon? Thinking about that, it was clear that having the name of a powerful person’s son was quite beneficial.

“Please let me go to the battlefield.”

He had expected it, but honestly, Everhart didn’t expect that he wouldn’t be sent into battle even once, even though it had been over five months since he was commissioned, so he was secretly anxious.

Colonel Erik Reichenbach was quite successful among the graduates of the 3rd Military Academy.

“…So the prize for winning is just going to the battlefield?”

“Yes.”

It’s not just that, if he hadn’t done this much, they wouldn’t have let him go to the battlefield. Anyway, he had created a justification.

Erik looked at him several times, finding it hard to believe. He seemed to have a lot on his mind, judging by his face.

“Alright. Go ahead.”

There was no further conversation. Everhart stood up, saluted, and ended the private meeting.

When he announced the news of going to the battlefield, the King Kong-like guys, already fired up from winning, shouted and boosted their morale.

“We’re finally going!”

“Uwooooo! We’ll show those cowards the fear of Everhart’s company!”

“You idiot, we’re the 1st company! Don’t call the company commander’s name recklessly!”

Everhart shook his head inwardly. Foolish guys.

He couldn’t blame them. In the military society, the number of times a unit went to battle signified its capability. It might be hard to understand by modern standards, but they were definitely thirsty for battle.

‘It strangely reminds me of that Karl Heinrich guy.’

Though Karl Heinrich, who was suppressed by revenge and anger, was a bit different.

‘More than that, it’s strangely quiet. I thought he’d say something with all this commotion.’

Well, it’s none of my business now. I’ll deal with future matters later. Complicated thoughts are for after going to the battlefield.

࿐⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆

A week later, Everhart’s unit was reorganized for battle. Although Everhart had requested it, an incident occurred that made it inevitable.

“You look good.”

“Of course.”

“You could have just gone to the colonel from the start and said you wanted to go to the battlefield.”

Even Erik would have met him at least once if he used the Friedrich family name.

But Everhart never sought out Erik first until his unit won the battle training and had a proper justification.

Karl Heinrich thought Everhart’s actions were foolish.

“I didn’t want to be recognized as the young master of the Friedrich family.”

It’s true that power is convenient. It’s also true that he could easily come to Fortress Feldburg thanks to his family’s influence.

But at least internally, he had to prove his worth with his own strength.

The power of the Five Great Nobles wouldn’t last even ten more years.

So before that, he had to increase the things he could be recognized for as Everhart, not as the Friedrich family.

That’s why he completely liquidated his shares related to Adelheid as soon as EberTech started making profits.

“Our hoobae-nim is really strange.”

Everhart flinched at the title from their military academy days. Although he was being polite, Everhart didn’t feel that Karl Heinrich respected him. Especially because of that unusual gaze.

“Other nobles are desperate to use their family’s power, but you, First Lieutenant, seem to be distancing yourself from your family as if…”

“…”

“As if you think it wouldn’t be strange if the Five Great Nobles fell at any time.”

Everhart felt a chill down his spine. He swallowed hard. He tried to avoid suspicious behavior as much as possible, but it seemed he couldn’t completely escape Karl Heinrich’s eyes.

No wonder it was quiet.

“What nonsense is that? Besides, who in the world would want their family to fall?”

“Isn’t it?”

“Of course not. And you, don’t make such dangerous remarks next time.”

Everhart warned Karl Heinrich while handling it slyly. In this outdated Eisenwald, there was still the absurd law of noble defamation.

It wasn’t used much recently due to bad public opinion from being abused to eliminate political rivals, but still.

“Anyway, the times have changed a lot. Criticizing nobles in front of nobles, really.”

Everhart smirked crookedly, genuinely finding it absurd, and walked slowly around him. Karl Heinrich just laughed lightly without saying much.

It was quite an insolent attitude, but it was hard to grasp his true intentions.

‘Does he know about acting? No way, right?’

Everhart clicked his tongue briefly in his mind and headed to the operations command with Karl Heinrich.

“We’ll drive out the rebels who occupied Helmstradt.”

Helmstradt was one of the strategic points leading to the Norderian District. Recently, both the upper echelons and the Free Union were showing unusual movements.

It was likely because they were convinced that the scale of the magic stone mine was significant.

The Eisenwald government and military were also aware of this fact. Within the Free Union, the radicals were more dominant, and intelligence suggested they were preparing for war.

It was concluded that it would be better to secure Helmstradt before things escalated further.

“The 7th Battalion will support from the rear, and the 2nd Battalion will enter the city. The 1st Company will cover, and the 2nd Company will directly occupy the government building. A kill order has been issued for the self-defense force commander, Rudolf Becker, so there’s no need to hesitate.”

Karl Heinrich’s unit would enter Helmstradt first, with Everhart’s tank unit providing rear support.

Everhart kept glancing at Karl Heinrich throughout the meeting. He didn’t say it directly, but it seemed like a pretty dangerous operation, yet Karl Heinrich didn’t seem to mind much.

“Isn’t it better to go around…”

“An hour is enough.”

Karl Heinrich cut off Everhart’s words and suggested a faster route. It seemed impossible, but listening to him made it seem doable.

‘A monster is a monster.’

Everhart didn’t pick on Karl Heinrich’s words or offer any opinions anymore.

Even if it was a reckless entry, he knew Karl Heinrich would succeed.

The operation meeting continued for about half a day.

And the next day, the battle to occupy Helmstradt began. The soldiers advanced, surrounding Helmstradt.

“Wipe them out!”

“Damn Eisenwald! This is a violation of the agreement!”

“You guys broke the agreement first!”

Boom!

Boom!

Eisenwald’s pride, the Panther tanks, appeared and fired their cannons. The shells flew and mercilessly destroyed the buildings of Helmstradt.

“Kahahaha! How do you like the taste of shells!”

“Do those bastards have so much magic power that they shoot so well?”

Currently, Eisenwald’s tanks still used magic power to fire their cannons.

A skilled gunner was a gunner with a lot of magic power. Everhart, who had Kang Woojin, didn’t bring unconditional modern tactics. This world was too unique for that.

‘Uh, I’m not a gunner, though?’

‘Do you have magic power or not?’

‘I do.’

‘Then just shoot! Learn, you punk!’

If one gunner’s magic power ran out, they couldn’t fire? What kind of nonsense is that? If magic power runs out, just use the magic power of the guy next to you.

Thanks to that, Everhart’s company showed overwhelming firepower compared to the neighboring company.

Eventually, Everhart’s tank company entered the interior of Helmstradt.

Boom!

Boom!

But Helmstradt wasn’t an easy city. They weren’t fools, so they had anticipated that the Eisenwald army would invade.

Soldiers appeared along with hidden tanks.

Bullets started raining down, hitting the tank’s deck.

Boom!

“Huh? What’s going on?”

“How does the self-defense force have tanks?”

“That doesn’t look like a tank! What is that? Get out of the way!”

“Aaaah!”

Artillery¹ placed on building rooftops rained down. The artillery using non-linear magic stones had much smaller sizes and were easier to make compared to tanks.

The Graupfeld Free Union had far fewer magicians than the Eisenwald army. To use non-magicians as troops, they had no choice but to apply magic stone tech in practice.

“Don’t be scared, just shoot! It’s fine, just shoot!!”