When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 122

Episode 122

The 5th Legion guards the eastern frontline fortress city of Novalis in the Tashman Kingdom. The Commander of the 5th Legion is Raja Raj. Among the legion commanders, he is the youngest, aside from the royal legion commanders like Leo from the 1st Legion and René from the 7th Legion.

Typically, becoming a legion commander requires both skill and achievements. It is common for those who meet both criteria to be in their 40s, and many historical legion commanders have been in their late 30s to mid-40s. Among the current legion commanders, Finn Morgan of the 8th Legion, the late Elliott Crane of the 9th Legion, and Gerald Norman of the 2nd Legion are all in their mid-40s. Serena Castillo of the 10th Legion, though in her early 30s, is the young head of the aristocratic Castillo family and a cousin of René Tashman.

Serena is one of the strongest figures in the Tashman Kingdom, and her position as a legion commander is exceptional, similar to Leo and René. Maria Valenti, the newly appointed commander of the 9th Legion, is only 30 years old and is a contemporary of Raja.

Raja Raj has been a legion commander for about three years. In other words, he rose to the position of commander in his late 20s through sheer talent, without any particular family background. He also graduated from the Royal Academy and was a schoolmate of Leo Tashman. Originally from the eastern region, Raja passed the general entrance exam to the Royal Academy solely on his abilities.

At the academy, he initially spent his time in conflicts with the royal and noble factions led by Leo. But by the latter half of his second year, he became one of Leo’s closest friends. His fearless personality, fair attitude toward everyone, and martial prowess allowed him to understand the feelings of those from lower social standings, as he himself was from a commoner’s family. It was somewhat unexpected for Raja to become the de facto No. 2 of Leo’s faction.

During long breaks from school, Raja returned to his hometown and participated in adventurer activities. The eastern region, unlike the north and south, was active with adventurers, providing Raja with ample practical combat experience. After honing his skills in school, he joined the local 5th Legion after graduating from the Royal Academy.

Although the previous 5th Legion commander was relatively old, Raja’s rise from an ordinary commoner to a legion commander in just about seven years was a clear demonstration of his talent. He has skillfully managed his duties since taking command.

The eastern frontline is said to be relatively peaceful compared to the northern battle zones or the recent major conflicts in the south. However, it’s important to remember that only two legions are assigned to the eastern frontline. The capital has the Royal Guard Legion, the 1st Legion, and the mobile 10th Legion. The north is covered by the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Legions, and the south by the 7th, 8th, and 9th Legions. The eastern frontline has only the 5th and 6th Legions. Despite being positioned conveniently for support from the capital, defending with only two legions is quite challenging.

Raja Raj, the commander of the 5th Legion, is responsible for this crucial position.

・　・　・

Three days had already passed since they departed from the eastern frontline fortress city of Novalis. They were nearing the point where the ancient ruins should come into view. Over the past three days, they had encountered several hordes of monsters, which were all crushed in a single charge by the cavalry.

Raja himself had only gone to the front line once to get used to the situation; otherwise, he had left it to his subordinates. The guests from the capital seemed to be managing fine. Although they had initially complained about the troublesome situation they brought with them when they arrived in Novalis, it was understandable given the circumstances.

The letter from the king was effectively a royal command. It was indeed serious that Princess René was missing. Additionally, there was concern about the group that attacked the capital. While it was only a guess, the eastern route seemed the most likely for any potential infiltration by demons or monsters into the Tashman Kingdom.

This was partly related to the fact that adventurers frequently traveled to uncharted territories, which also had a few inhabited villages. Given this background, Raja had felt the need for a broad reconnaissance, making this situation somewhat fortuitous.

However, he kept a personal thought to himself: if he said it out loud, Leo would definitely reprimand him. He thought it might be politically more advantageous if Princess René remained missing for now.

Until about a year ago, no one would have doubted that Leo would be the next king. Even though King Ramses was still in his 50s and in good health, rumors had been circulating about his abdication within a few years.

However, the situation changed drastically over the past six months. Princess René suddenly emerged as a candidate for succession. Her achievements in the Southern Uprising, her leadership, and her martial prowess were impressive to everyone, including Raja. He felt proud as a fellow legion commander.

But Princess René was not just a legion commander; she was royalty, which complicated the situation. Additionally, the René faction had prominent figures such as Erin Saylor, the daughter of the current Prime Minister, and Lilly Johnson of the Johnson Duke family. They were already significant political forces, regardless of their personal awareness.

The involvement of the Norman family further complicated matters. Raja was most surprised by Jez Norman’s appearance on the political stage. Despite being four years younger, Raja had heard about Jez from Leo’s juniors at the Royal Academy, although they were not in the same academic year.

Jez Norman, adopted by the Norman family, had shown little interest in politics or advancement. Even with his skills, he had no interest in becoming a military officer, eventually choosing a career as a civil servant after graduation. To see him now as Princess René’s deputy was frustrating for Raja. He couldn’t help but think, “Is he underestimating us?”

Furthermore, Raja was aware of Victor Alchemis due to monitoring Jez Norman. Thus, when he heard from Erin and the Saintess Lucretia that Victor was in the ancient ruins, he thought to himself, “Jez and Victor. The two biggest troublemakers from the Royal Academy have really caused a mess.”

With these thoughts in mind, Raja Raj gave orders to his entire army.

“All units, assume combat readiness!!!!!!”

At the very moment Raja and his forces spotted the ancient ruins, they also detected a large-scale deployment of monster armies defending the ruins.

Their number: approximately 50,000.