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Gilbert felt puzzled as he suddenly saw Layla enthusiastically heading out for a search. She had been sternly commanding the unit members, but after exchanging a few words, her face lit up with joy, and she became overflowing with motivation.

Come to think of it, Layla’s appearance was also different from what he remembered.

In Tactical Combat, she appeared as the team leader of a ranger unit with an eye patch. The backstory was that she had lost her family to a beast-level monster in her childhood and injured her left eye while seeking revenge.

He couldn’t recall all the detailed settings, but he hadn’t forgotten that her father was a famous hunter, and Layla, inheriting his bloodline, had top-notch tracking skills.

On the community forums, there were opinions that if she hadn’t lost her eye and had grown up intact, she would have become the best ranger in Tactical Combat.

In reality, Layla, who hadn’t lost her eye, was now the unit leader of the Lion Heart Count Family, which possessed the Empire’s best ranger unit.

From what he gathered, she had graduated top of her class from the Ranger Officer Academy.

Indeed, Layla’s growth rate without any missing organs was beyond imagination.

However, he was curious why such a setting change had occurred. While not everything in the game would be the same, he wanted to know what had acted as the variable.

Ironically, the answer was related to Gilbert, the custom character.

He never imagined that a trashy scoundrel like him would ever help someone.

Gilbert genuinely thought so as he recalled the previous ‘Gilbert.’

The memory deeply ingrained in his mind was this:

Right after Layla lost her family, the previous ‘Gilbert,’ upon hearing news of a beast-level monster appearing, became interested and immediately ordered its extermination.

The order wasn’t for the safety of the territory’s people. It was purely out of interest and a personal desire to taxidermy the beast-level monster.

But that personal act inadvertently prevented Layla’s injury. Since the beast-level monster was exterminated before she could seek revenge, she didn’t lose her eye as fate had originally intended.

After that, she entered the Ranger Officer Academy and joined the Lion Heart Count Family as usual, but having both eyes intact completely changed her future.

The possibility of becoming the Empire’s best ranger, as imagined by users, was now open.

“Lord Gilbert, I think you need to come over here for a moment.”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Gilbert quickly moved to where Layla was calling him urgently.

She was examining footprints hidden among the bushes.

“Did you find something?”

“They tried to cleverly erase their tracks, but I found them. It seems the Sigurdians have approached this area.”

“…”

Gilbert turned on the mini-map and gauged the distance between Bismarck and this location.

It was roughly 6-7 kilometers away, quite close.

The fact that they had approached this far without being detected by the search party suggested that there was someone skilled in infiltration among the Sigurdians.

“Fermon.”

“On our way back, I’ll ensure the war preparations are completed.”

The competent Fermon accurately grasped what Gilbert wanted.

The Sigurdians coming this far was proof that the attack was imminent.

“Unit Leader Layla.”

“Yes!”

“As of now, the search party operations are suspended. Instead, select twenty swift rangers to form pairs and continue the search.”

“Messenger role?”

“Correct. If the search party encounters the enemy vanguard, they could be annihilated. With the increased danger, we need members who can retreat at any moment.”

“I will follow your orders.”

Layla bowed her head. In her mind, a list of twenty senior rangers, including Johnson and Roel, surfaced.

“Are we heading back now?”

At Fermon’s question, Gilbert remained silent for a moment. Glancing at the mini-map, there were still too many unexplored areas.

But time-wise, uncovering the entire map was impossible.

The situation was such that a Sigurdian attack could happen at any moment. Running around trying to uncover the entire map now was too risky.

Gilbert made a decision.

“Have we checked all the places where the Sigurdians could infiltrate?”

“One place remains. It’s a valley, so it’s not easily visible from the watchtower.”

“Then we’ll check that place and withdraw.”

“Understood!”

Layla called Johnson and Roel to guide them to the valley.

Perhaps because they knew the enemy was close, the march was unusually silent. Even the usually rowdy Johnson and Roel guided the way with serious expressions.

After about two hours, they finally reached the target valley.

Gilbert again called Layla to search the surroundings.

But perhaps because it was a valley, no significant traces were found. Following the stream, any traces might have been washed away, making further search pointless.

“Let’s head back.”

As soon as Gilbert confirmed the map around the valley was revealed, he ordered a retreat. The search party members were visibly tired from the long march, but resting here would only be detrimental.

On the way back to Bismarck, no one spoke.

Finally, as the gates of Bismarck came into view, sighs of relief erupted from all around.

“Damn, I was so tense I almost shit myself.”

“Idiot. The stench of your shit would’ve reached here.”

“What the hell, man?”

Johnson and Roel, at the front, started bickering again.

The search party members finally felt they were in a safe zone.

“These bastards! Stop embarrassing the unit and shut the hell up!”

Seeing the two causing a scene in front of Gilbert, Layla was furious. Wanting to show only the best in front of him, she vowed to tear their mouths apart once they returned.

But realizing she had also used harsh language in front of Gilbert, she flinched and checked his reaction. No matter how brash she was, she wanted to act like a gentle lamb in front of him.

She knew it didn’t suit her, but in front of someone she admired, anyone would want to show their best side.

But Gilbert found a strange nostalgia in that behavior.

He could see traces of a comrade who had died long ago in her.

That comrade, like Layla, had quite a sharp tongue. She wouldn’t hesitate to throw punches at those who crossed the line with their pranks.

But she cared for her comrades more than anyone.

Though now a faded memory, Gilbert, recalling it after so long, smiled faintly.

Watching the three bicker, Gilbert returned to the mansion with Fermon and began discussing the search results. The most notable point from this search was that their scouts had come as close as the vicinity of Bismarck.

“Fermon.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“In your opinion, when do you think the Sigurdians will attack?”

The fact that they had risked coming this far meant they were about to take action. While it was hard to pinpoint the exact timing, they needed a rough estimate.

“Considering their situation and today’s search results, I think it could be as soon as tomorrow or within this week.”

“I see.”

Gilbert shared Fermon’s opinion. Considering the reasons the Sigurdians had decided to go to war, an immediate attack wouldn’t be surprising.

However, they weren’t attacking recklessly because they had staked the survival of their tribe union on this war.

For the Sigurdians, defeat would mean the destruction of their tribe union.

Facing defeat while completely breaking away from the Empire would lead to not only food shortages but also the Empire’s wrath, resulting in the worst possible scenario.

And at the end of that path lay annihilation.

“The one elected as the chieftain is likely from the Vanir tribe, known to be the strongest in the Sigurd Tribe Union.”

“Have you been gathering information?”

“It was necessary.”

Fermon was momentarily speechless. He had deeply felt Gilbert’s change since becoming the supreme commander.

His frivolous behavior had become more befitting of a noble family’s young master, which was one thing.

But seeing him take the lead in training that even knights avoided was astonishing.

However, the most surprising aspect was his sharp insight and preparedness, as seen just now. Fermon didn’t believe people could change, but he didn’t rule out the possibility.

He just hadn’t seen such a specimen before, but somewhere, such a person might exist.

But this was different. The sharp insight and war preparations Gilbert occasionally displayed felt like watching a seasoned soldier.

While his ability to formulate strategies might have some shortcomings, wasn’t that why Fermon himself existed?

Ultimately, the decisions were up to Gilbert, the supreme commander, but so far, he hadn’t made a wrong one.

Although there had been a clash of opinions regarding the search party’s participation, Gilbert’s argument had merit. It was just a difference in opinion.

And now, Fermon was once again surprised by Gilbert. His accurate grasp of the Sigurdians’ power structure was enough to astonish him.

At the same time, he understood why Gilbert had requested full authority over this war. Regardless of how much information he had gathered, Gilbert likely knew more about the Sigurdians than anyone in the Lion Heart Count Family.

“Then let me ask you this. When do you think the Sigurd Tribe Union will attack?”

“Two days from now.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Call it intuition.”

Fermon felt that the eldest son of the Lion Heart Count Family knew something more but didn’t press further.

Instead, he only judged the information Gilbert had revealed.

“We’ll prepare for two days from now.”

“Understood.”

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

As Fermon left, Gilbert let out a breath he had been holding.

He wiped his face with both hands and glared at the notification message that had popped up during his conversation with Fermon.

[Main Scenario: Sigurdian Attack begins in two days.]

The countdown to war had begun.

 

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