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It has already been three days since Lily stayed at the Lion Heart Count Family under the pretext of giving an opportunity. During that time, Gilbert pondered how to utilize the opportunity she had granted.

However, the phrase “giving an opportunity” was vague. What exactly did it mean to give a chance to make up for a mistake?

Healing the trauma she carried might have been part of it, but that was by no means an easy task. Treating trauma required psychiatric care, and mental illnesses were often ambiguous in terms of a complete cure. Even if one thought they had improved, relapses were common.

Moreover, Gilbert himself was dealing with his own mental struggles. In such a situation, the idea of healing someone else seemed absurd. At best, he could offer empathy.

Gilbert laughed self-deprecatingly.

Ultimately, he decided to put off thinking about a solution for now. His current priority was clearing the Main Scenario.

He felt a bit guilty toward Lily, but this Main Scenario, “The Sigurdian Raid,” was one that could drastically change depending on the player’s actions. Unlike scenarios that led to a game over if not cleared, this one didn’t directly harm the player if left unattended.

However, if ignored, the war between the Empire and the Sigurdians would result in massive casualties, especially in Bismarck, which would be nearly destroyed and take a long time to recover.

In Tactical Combat, as a game, there were times when multiple routes had to be taken, and sometimes the “Sigurdian Raid” had to be left unattended. Gilbert himself had chosen to ignore it after intervening to clear all achievements.

But this wasn’t a game. Whether it was another world or something else, this was reality for Gilbert. Knowing what would happen here, he couldn’t just let it slide.

Even if the world had changed and his body was different, he was still a former soldier who had fought alongside comrades to protect his country.

Having been officially entrusted with full operational authority by the Count of Lithuania, Gilbert’s first action was to strengthen the defenses. The Sigurdians’ attack was inevitable, but the timing was uncertain.

Though the Sigurdians valued honor and would usually declare war, their current situation was so dire that they might abandon even that honor. Moreover, the Empire and the Sigurdians were technically in a truce, meaning war could break out at any time without a formal declaration.

The Count of Lithuania was preparing for war, and Gilbert shared the same mindset, further reinforcing the defenses and reducing the rotation periods for patrols to deploy more units. He also formed search parties with Rangers, as relying solely on patrols was too passive.

Gilbert expected the Sigurdians to notice the increased patrols. They were not the uncivilized barbarians the Empire often claimed them to be—they were specialists in combat, and underestimating them was a grave mistake.

To cover any blind spots the patrols might have missed, Gilbert had the Rangers thoroughly search the surrounding areas.

This was what Gilbert had been doing since returning to the estate. Initially, there was some resistance when he suddenly took over operational command, but in the military, rank was everything. Once the Count of Lithuania, the supreme commander, gave his orders, the subordinates had no choice but to follow Gilbert’s lead.

However, that resistance was short-lived. Gilbert’s orders were sound and justified, and the vassals participating in the war gradually began to trust him.

There was one decisive reason why they followed his orders without question: he led by example.

The Lion Heart Count Family wasn’t big on authority, but Gilbert took it a step further. He participated in the grueling physical training meant for new recruits without missing a single day, surprising everyone. Even the toughest recruits were left gasping, but Gilbert endured the same training alongside them.

With the supreme commander setting such an example, the rest had no choice but to follow suit. What started as a temporary effort soon became a routine, and the morale of the troops soared. Brotherhood naturally formed when everyone trained together.

In a way, Gilbert had effortlessly solidified the unity of the army through his unwavering commitment to physical training.

Those who had doubted his abilities had no choice but to change their minds. He had proven himself through results.

However, his hands-on approach sometimes backfired. There was one person who consistently tried to stop him from taking unnecessary risks.

“Lord Gilbert! How many times must I tell you? In what army does the commander join the search party?”

“Fermon, I’ve told you just as many times. I need to see things with my own eyes.”

“And I’ve told you just as many times that it’s not acceptable!”

Gilbert was currently in a heated argument with Fermon, his deputy and a vassal of the Lion Heart Count Family. The reason was Gilbert’s insistence on joining the search party.

As Gilbert’s deputy and a vassal responsible for his safety, Fermon was at his wit’s end. If something were to happen to Gilbert during the search, the consequences would be catastrophic.

“Lord Gilbert, you must understand your position. Leading by example is admirable, but you are the commander of an upcoming war. If something happens to you during the search, it will have a devastating impact on the entire army’s morale.”

Fermon’s words were entirely reasonable. A commander leading by example was excellent for morale, but joining a dangerous search mission was a double-edged sword. Even if it ended safely, the potential fallout from failure was unpredictable.

Moreover, a search mission wasn’t just about wandering around. It involved finding traces left by the enemy and scouting the terrain—tasks best left to highly trained Rangers. Even with his knight title, Gilbert was no match for them in this field.

“Even with your knight title, Lord Gilbert, search missions are a different beast. You know that.”

“I do.”

“Then you won’t join the search party?”

Fermon smiled in relief and turned to issue the delayed search orders.

“Wait. I didn’t say I wouldn’t join.”

“Lord Gilbert!”

Fermon swiftly turned back, glaring at Gilbert. If Fermon had been a commoner or a minor noble, this would have been overstepping, but he was a trusted vassal of the Count of Lithuania.

Normally, Gilbert should have addressed him with respect, but his stubborn nature remained intact. At best, he had compromised by not being as dismissive as before. It seemed that speaking formally to Fermon would be impossible unless there was a significant status gap.

Perhaps it was a penalty imposed by the system to enforce certain settings, given that Gilbert could use game-like elements.

“As your commander, this is an order. I won’t accept any further objections.”

“What exactly is your reason for joining the search party? You must know you won’t be of much help.”

“That’s true. Compared to professionally trained Rangers, my tracking skills are lacking.”

While Gilbert could use mana for detection, it was unsuitable for the stealth required in search missions. Thus, he relied solely on his tracking abilities.

Though Gilbert was a former soldier and a highly trained pilot, his expertise lay in fighter piloting. In comparison to trained Rangers, his tracking skills were far inferior.

Yet, Gilbert still intended to join the search.

“I need to see the terrain with my own eyes. Especially if it’s an area being searched by trained Rangers.”

Gilbert’s eyes gleamed. This wasn’t stubbornness—it was something he absolutely had to do.

As Gilbert looked past Fermon, his gaze fell on the upper left corner of the air, where the mini-map from Tactical Combat was now active.

He hadn’t expected the mini-map to have unlock conditions.

Gilbert shook his head slightly, feeling a mix of exasperation and relief.

The mini-map had unlocked when he was officially granted full operational authority by the Count of Lithuania. A sudden system message had announced its availability, revealing that the condition for unlocking it was obtaining command over a certain scale of military forces.

He had thought the mini-map’s absence was due to this world being closer to reality, but it had simply been locked until now.

Regardless, Gilbert was highly motivated. The difference between having and not having a mini-map was significant.

Of course, the mini-map in Tactical Combat wasn’t an all-seeing tool like in other games. It only worked within a certain range of areas the player had explored during combat.

But being able to see the surroundings in the heat of battle was a tremendous advantage. That’s why players of Tactical Combat always performed what was known as “map clearing.”

Gilbert’s desire to join the search party was precisely for this purpose.

However, unable to explain this to anyone, convincing Fermon was no easy task.

“Is there a reason you must do this? Without a valid reason, even an order can be disobeyed. The Count of Lithuania has allowed this.”

So it came to this.

Gilbert sighed deeply as Fermon played his final card.

The Count of Lithuania had chosen Fermon as a brake to prevent Gilbert from going off the rails. As a result, Fermon had the official authority to override Gilbert’s orders.

While frustrating for Gilbert, it was an objectively sound measure. He had no choice but to convince Fermon.

“As a commander, if I don’t know the terrain where the battle will take place, I can’t issue proper orders. You agree with that, don’t you?”

“That’s why I’m here to assist you.”

Fermon’s unwavering response was met with equal resolve from Gilbert.

“I know. But coordinating with you in the heat of battle is risky. Besides, you’re in charge of divided forces, aren’t you?”

“That’s…”

Fermon was momentarily speechless. The plan to divide the forces had been his idea.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be going on night reconnaissance. This one search will suffice.”

“Sigh…”

Fermon finally raised his hands in surrender. Continuing this pointless argument was futile as long as Gilbert refused to back down.

“Fine. But I’ll increase the number of search teams.”

“That’s fine.”

With this dramatic compromise, the two moved to issue the delayed search orders.

Thirty minutes after their argument, the search mission finally began.

 

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