Interested in the One-Eyed Female General So I Joined the White Wolf Knight Order, but It Turned int

Chapter 54

Lunch was served without delay. Mina is busy serving the meals. Luxurious-looking food were placed neatly on the table, quite pleasing to the eye. The food seemed to have been made to look delicious and colorful. As if it’s not cooking but a work of art instead. It also cemented Mina’s position as the caretaker of the White Wolf Knights.

“Morale lies in food.” This is the motto of she’s been holding on. That was something generals of old used to say. It’s better to eat a delicious meal once than having bad meals every single day. It’s also good for the common soldier’s morale.

However, despite such luxurious meals on the table, everyone ate rather silently.

An overwhelmingly awkward air dominated the table. The very reason was Ortashia who sat in the middle chair. She looked considerably unpleasant as she spent most of the time groaning.

Shingen who sat next to her was painfully aware of this and he hadn’t stopped sweating since then. Cold sweat still ran down his spine. He tried taking a peek at Ortashia but she frowned when she noticed him and proceeded to continue eating.

(――――――She is absolutely angry…..isn’t she?)

While his shoulders trembled in fear, he sent a look toward Riru. The girl who was the cause of these mishap. Apparently she’s having a terrible hangover, making one wonder how much did she drink. Mina mindfully offered her a glass of water, which Riru immediately gulped.

Her face distorted, seemingly under a lot of suffering.

[Aa…..my head hurts….]

[Riru too. Why did you drink like this? With a battle almost on our doorstep even.]

[Ahaha…no, come on, one should drink when one can, isn’t that right?]

[I don’t care anymore.]

Being chided like that by someone who had survived many battlefields alongside her, Riru could only smile bitterly.

[….N~aaー, by the way, what did I do yesterday….? I only remember that I was drinking in my room….]

It seemed that Riru didn’t have any recollection about what happened. That’s why it’s no wonder if she had no idea why Ortashia was in a bad mood.

However, there were times when Riru sensed that Ortashia is glaring at her with a hint of jealousy. She couldn’t help but feel uneasy, wondering if it will cause trouble. So she whispered to Elize who was sitting next to her.

[Hey, did I perhaps……do something awful….?]

Elize who was eating silently shook her head a little.

[…..no idea.]

[I-I see….]

Thinking about it, Riru thought about asking Ortashia herself, but the thought itself scares her that she finally decided not to. Suppose it’s better to leave her alone for now. Things might get worse after all. Having thought so, Riru took the pitcher and poured herself a cup.

In the end, Ortashia’s mood remained bad until the end of lunch and everyone scattered since they had things they needed to do.

=====

Ortashia went out of the town of York alongside Randall. After seeing the Terraheim plains which is across the town and the mountain that lies nearby, she opened up the map and looked at it. Randall also did the same.

There was a red marker on her map. Randall inspected it carefully. Since he’s been told about the strategy by Ortashia, he couldn’t help but to leak out a voice of admiration upon understanding the meaning behind the red mark more precisely.

After Ortashia finished consulting with the map, she motioned the two behind to come in. As soon as they arrived next to her, she pointed at the red mark on the map and let the two saw it.

[――――――build it right here. Also some pavement at the end of this path.]

The two Ortashia had invited in were the captain and subordinate who were responsible for military facilities and bases for campaign. The captain listened to Ortashia’s instructions, but she didn’t actually tell him where to build all those. When he saw the red mark on the map, he could only smile bitterly.

From his point of view, her request was stupid and didn’t make any sense. A wasteful effort. He also knew that on most of her victories, Ortashia always relied on Maruto for strategy-related matters so he thought that this plan coming from Ortashia was insane.

[Do you really want me to build here? Also, in a single day?]

[That’s right.]

One of the subordinates, unable to remain silent, said to Ortashia.

[Hold on a second. I think that’s an unreasonable order. We’ll need three months to build it at the very least.]

She replied to the construction worker who couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

[Maruto had told me that back in his country, it was possible to build it overnight. Are you saying it’s impossible to do in this country?]

While suspecting the truth behind that story, the worker looked away. The captain responded with a wry face.

[It’s not impossible….but the defense will be impaired.]

They aren’t regular soldiers. They are military craftsmen. Therefore, they have their pride as craftsmen. It’s impossible for them to say they can’t do it when other countries are capable of doing so.

However, from their point of view, their pride won’t easily let them to build a defective building deliberately. So far, the requests coming to them were always to build a perfect building. This time it’s totally different.

[….it’s okay if it’s only for a few instances. But even so, will it be alright?]

[Doesn’t matter. Indeed this is an unusual request. I do not care how tough the building is.If it’s able to draw the enemy’s attention, then it will suffice.]

The construction team, who didn’t really understand why she had requested for something like that, showed a bad expression. Even more so from what Ortashia told them when they were about to cut the timber for the construction.

[The wood cutters from the town of York had already processed the timbers needed for the base. You people only need to assemble it.]

Isn’t that too easy? In addition to that, since it’s an already ongoing work, there is no avoiding it. Since he couldn’t afford to go against the princess, the captain can only accept with an unconvinced face.

[I, I understand. Then we’ll work on it immediately.]

[Nn, please do.]

After the construction team bowed to Ortashia, they immediately returned to the town to fetch their tools. Randall who witnessed everything from the side bowed and asked Ortashia.

[Will it work?]

[Fuh. It’s a strategy Maruto had thought of when he’s still alive. Naturally, it will work.]

Maruto was mostly self taught when it comes to military matters. He would gather together the opinions of others about, for example, the effectiveness of infantry, archers and cavalry along with their formations

In addition to the organized arrangement, he would also consider the condition where their army was inferior in number than the enemy and thought out a strategy to counter that very situation. Frankly, Maruto never failed to surprise Ortashia when it came to that matter.

However, it’s all in memory now. The time when the two of them laughed together. Randall let out a knowing smile.

[I never thought that his strategy will still be usable in this kind of situation. I imagine he’d raise his nose high up while boasting proudly: “How about it? My strategy is amazing, right?” or something like that.]

[Hahaha. Indeed you are right. Maruto was too proud of himself at times.]

Ortashia put her hand on the solid shoulder.

[Randall. A few cavalrymen. I leave it to you.]

[Gahahaha! Let’s try to catch them off-guard and scatter them! Better yet, let’s claim the head of their general.