The Rural Officer Who Was Once a General

Part 1, Chapter 12

In just one day, the aftermath of all the recent events had been dealt with.

The bodies of the fallen soldiers were all recovered, and compensation was paid to their bereaved families.

Tryaev’s scribe must have been quite competent, as the reports on the captured supplies, the detailed number of defeated enemies, and all the merits were completed within a single day.

‘Damn, I really want to have an administrator of my own.’

Fade thought so as he took a large spoonful of the soup served for breakfast and put it in his mouth.

It felt like all the fatigue of the past few days was washing away.

Gulp.

Fade swallowed the soup vigorously and looked around.

Whether it was the lingering effects of battle or sorrow over the loss of comrades, most of the soldiers looked dejected.

“It’s inevitable. The atmosphere among the officers wasn’t much different.”

A perceptive officer sat next to Fade and tore off a piece of bread.

It must have been quite hard bread, as his face twisted with effort, but his expression remained smiling.

“Hm, what was your name again?”

Fade asked while soaking the remaining piece of bread thoroughly in the soup.

“I’m Daos. Among the officers here, I joined right after you Officer Fade. You could say I’ve just escaped being the youngest.”

Daos grinned as he tossed the soup into his mouth in one go.

“Whew, that clears away the fatigue. Anyway, the officer is asking for you.”

“Are you talking about Officer Tryaev?”

Fade shoved the rest of the food into his mouth.

“Yes, he said to come to the office once you finish your meal.”

“Ah, I’ve just finished.”

Fade immediately stood and walked toward the office.

“Calling for me already?”

He said as he stood in front of the mid-level officers’ desk.

"That's right, our scribe is quite efficient."

Tryaev smiled as he rose from his seat.

“Then let’s go right away.”

Tryaev continued as he picked up the keys to the stables.

“To the Eastern Front’s command base, where the Supreme Commander resides.”

“Phew, I never dreamed it would be this fast.”

It was true that he had requested a meeting with the supreme commander.

And he had also asked for it to happen as soon as possible.

But was he saying that permission had been granted in just a single day?

The perceived importance of having an administrator was rising rapidly in Fade’s mind.

***

Supreme Commander’s Office at the Command Base.

Pippin Syros, Grand General commanding the Eastern Front and one of the Hundred Generals, skimmed through a stack of documents and set them on the table.

“Impressive. Even if we search through history, there’s hardly a precedent for such merit from a recently assigned low-ranking officer.”

With a look of astonishment, Pippin turned his gaze to Fade and Tryaev, who sat across from him.

“I heard you wanted to meet me, but to be honest, with achievements like this, I would’ve called for you myself before long.”

Pippin raised his teacup and took a long sip.

“Truly an extraordinary accomplishment, no doubt about it.”

He set the teacup down with genuine admiration.

‘And he’s a commoner, too.’

While it wasn’t unheard of for officers to distinguish themselves, they were all nobles.

Those born with status — followers, treatment, and access to information — all set them apart.

But the young man before him was different from those privileged elites.

A genuine talent who had proven himself through skill alone.

‘I must bring him to my side.’

Pippin himself had once been a commoner, and most of his followers were either commoners or fallen nobles.

So, what if he could bring this young hero of common birth into his faction?

His prestige would inevitably rise.

And the achievements? Not just any.

He had outwitted Rakula, whose name was known across the continent, and rendered her axe, Turg, incapable of fighting.

If the report was accurate and the poison had secretly been introduced into the supply lines?

The very thought was chilling.

Yet Fade had turned that dire situation around.

His tactics had inflicted significant losses on the enemy, and he had even seized a military map crucial to the Eastern Front.

Clearly, he was someone to secure — both for his skill and political value.

‘For now, I’ll wait.’

Though he disliked the nobles’ tendency for long-winded introductions, Pippin decided to continue the conversation while searching for a way to persuade him.

“So then, what was your reason for wanting to see me?”

“I came with a request.”

Fade wet his throat with tea to prepare himself and continued.

"I would like to receive support in terms of troops and supplies."

“Well now, that’s sudden and straight to the point.”

Seeing the directness so characteristic of commoners, Pippin smiled.

To that smile, Fade responded with a faint one of his own.

‘He’s not showing any signs of being flustered. As expected of a heavyweight entrusted with command of the Eastern Front.’

Since he had benefited from Fade’s tactics, he wouldn’t dismiss this proposal lightly either.

‘How far should I push for him to accept?’

Fade didn’t even consider the possibility of receiving no support.

Once he explained the situation, there would be no way they could leave things unguarded.

As Fade remained silent for a moment, Pippin broke the stillness.

“I’d like to hear your reasoning.”

Pippin chose once again to listen attentively.

‘He must have a reason.’

Fade wasn’t just skilled in combat — his greatest achievements had all been strategic.

He would no doubt present a compelling argument, and Pippin was more than willing to offer his support.

If Fade, whom he hoped to eventually bring to his side, could achieve even greater feats, and Pippin himself was the one who enabled them — recruitment would become that much easier.

Having taken a step back, Pippin waited as Fade opened his mouth and began to explain.

“As stated in the report, during our retreat we leaked the crossing point through the swamp, and Turg followed us through it.”

Pippin nodded lightly.

“Rakula will use that same route to invade again. The path to strike us from the rear has been opened…”

“Her pride’s on the line, after all.”

This time, it was Fade who nodded.

Though a brilliant commander should know better, people are often bound by their sunk costs.

If Rakula weren’t that kind of person, she wouldn’t have sent Turg in the first place.

“Besides, she’ll want to make use of the swamp crossing. It’s actually a viable option.”

What was once a route navigable only by a small, elite force was now passable by a larger army.

There had been only 150 last time but who knew what scale would come next?

“They won’t come immediately. Moving a large force takes time and money. They’ll likely deal with nearby fronts first, and then start mobilizing.”

“Hm, I understand what you’re saying.”

Pippin had, in fact, considered that very possibility.

“So, what kind of support are you asking for?”

There was no need to debate whether or not support should be given.

Neither of them entertained such thoughts — and such bickering would only offend Fade.

‘What matters is trust. He needs to feel that this faction is built on loyalty and trust, not cold calculations.’

With that thought, Pippin raised his teacup again, signaling he had no more to say.

"First, I need troops and support to block Rakula’s forces."

Pippin didn’t immediately answer, he simply continued sipping his tea.

So Fade continued.

“Around two hundred men. I’d prefer veterans, within the range of what's available. Including twenty archers, thirty cavalry, and ten rangers.”

“……”

Pippin quickly calculated in his head.

‘Two hundred is doable.’

Maybe not a perfect elite force, but he could send seasoned veterans.

The Eastern Front was a massive battlefield with tens of thousands of troops. Two hundred idle soldiers were manageable.

‘Cavalry and rangers are also possible.’

Though not as renowned as the Khanate, the Hecate Empire still had a good number of cavalry.

Since this was a front line fought across wide-open plains, there were twice as many cavalry units compared to other fronts.

The case was the opposite for rangers.

Because the terrain was flat plains, rangers were underutilized on the Eastern Front, there was plenty to spare.

‘Twenty archers…’

Slightly tricky, but not impossible.

“Very well. I’ll gladly support you.”

Pippin decided this was the right time to show his generosity.

“Thank you. And—”

‘And?’

He had more to ask?

“I also need guards stationed near the swamp. We’ll need to build watchtowers and traps.”

“…So? What exactly are you asking for now?”

“Engineers and rangers. Make the ranger unit a top-rank team of five. They’ll need to be able to escape and report even after encountering Rakula—only then can they do their job properly.”

Fade finished with a sly grin.

‘Engineers and rangers shouldn't be a problem.’

Both units were currently surplus, so pulling a few wouldn’t cause any issues.

And in this kind of situation, giving a bit extra was a perfect way to show one’s generosity.

“Good. I’ll promote both Officer Tryaev and Officer Fade to centurion so they can command the entire force.”

Oh, now that was good.

A promotion without even needing to ask—there was no reason to refuse.

“Thank you!”

“Much appreciated, General.”

“Heh. Now then, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

Though Pippin used a plural form that could have addressed both Fade and Triaef, it was clear they both understood he was speaking to Fade.

“You mean me?”

Fade asked, playing dumb. Pippin nodded.

“That’s right. If this operation also succeeds, you’ll receive recognition and rewards afterward. When that time comes, would you accompany me?”

‘Heh. Look at this guy.’

It was a clear invitation to publicly declare himself part of Pippin’s faction.

Taken another way, it meant Pippin intended to pull him not just into battle but also into politics.

Some might scoff—just a centurion? But by then, Fade wouldn’t be just a centurion anymore.

‘Well, I’ll gladly accept.’

If a commoner wanted to rise higher, they needed powerful backing, and a Grand General was exactly that kind of power.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll let myself be used.’

Once he recruited an administrator to manage his affairs, he’d delegate everything under him. As for what happened above his head, he’d leave that to Pippin.

It was necessary to get involved in politics for his goals but putting his own face on it would be a poor move.

But if he worked through someone like the already well-known Pippin, he could shake up the political scene from the shadows—without attracting retaliation or checks.

He had planned to dive into politics eventually, so this was truly a helpful offer.

“Gladly. That’s only natural. If achievements are made, they’ll all belong to you, General.”

“Haha, is that so? Don’t worry about the support. I’ll take care of it as quickly as possible.”

And with that, the two—excluding the clueless Triaef—shook hands, both wearing much bigger smiles on the inside.