Becoming a Swordmast Chapter 96 : Chapter 96

Chapter 96. Another Operation (3)

The reason Roden returned to Vinchih.

There were two main reasons.

First, it was to earn money.

Nothing was as important as money in operating a military unit.

In fact, there was a saying that war was essentially fought with money.

For that reason, if Roden could earn and send money, it would inevitably be easier for the Allied Forces to operate their troops.

This was even more so because the financial pressure was gradually increasing as the war dragged on.

Moreover, the money Roden earned and sent wasn't just any money.

It was war funds that were originally supposed to flow to the Imperial Army.

Therefore, if Roden earned money in Vinchih and sent it, the Allied Forces could achieve two goals with one stone.

Weakening the enemy's strength while strengthening their own.

‘Furthermore, for Alexis, who now intends to personally command the army and attack Kroxen Castle, receiving war funds from the Special Task Force Company, which he thought was not much of a help to his forces, would be nothing short of reassuring.’

In fact, it was an operation that Alexis had no reason to refuse.

However, Roden didn't return to Vinchih simply chasing money.

The second reason Roden returned to Vinchih was to operate an intelligence organization centered here.

Information was also essential in war.

It was natural, as the outco of a war was greatly influenced by the quality of information one possessed.

And Roden had already conducted excellent intelligence activities during the process of capturing Velia Castle.

So, based on this, he made a request to Alexis.

To pull out so mbers of the Special Task Force Company to conduct intelligence activities in Vinchih.

To think they would voluntarily take risks and conduct intelligence activities in enemy territory without being ordered to do so.

This too was a proposal that Alexis had no reason to refuse.

Above all, conducting intelligence activities wasn't just about gathering and sending information.

It was a concept that encompassed acts of obstructing and confusing the Imperial Army by using an information advantage.

‘So, for Alexis, when he heard that the Special Task Force Company was going to Vinchih, he must have felt his eyes light up.’

Why didn't I think of this way to utilize the Special Task Force Company sooner?

He probably had such thoughts.

Thus, Roden arrived in Vinchih with a clear purpose.

And to achieve this purpose, he imdiately went to the Strutzen Inn and jumped into the atball business.

Hansen, who had been eagerly waiting for this day, actively helped Roden with his business and spoke.

“I was a little worried because all the faces of the Billem Caravan have changed except for the Caravan Leader, but everyone's cooking skills are no joke! Soone like

can't even compare!”

Certainly, it could have been a bit unsettling from Hansen's perspective.

This was because it was the Archery Platoon, not the Infantry Platoon, that arrived in Vinchih with Roden this ti.

Moreover, the Archery Platoon did not have the reliable head chef, Terne.

However, since the Archery Platoon was also part of the Special Task Force Company, there was no problem in making Billem atballs.

It was a given, as they had to make dozens of atballs every ti it was their turn for cooking duty.

If it doesn't work, make it work.

They were the ones who had learned the atball recipe with this kind of military spirit.

And so, Roden and the Archery Platoon smoothly finished their preparations and began selling Billem atballs again.

[The Original Billem atball is Back!]

The promotional effect of this single sentence in the Vinchih market was overwhelming.

Perhaps because of that, people imdiately flocked to the stall that had resud sales.

And,

“That's right! This was the taste!”

“Ah, how long has it been since I had a Billem atball….”

“Don't go anywhere now! I've missed this taste so much all this ti!”

The people who tasted the Billem atballs all exclaid in admiration.

It was a mont that showed just how many people had missed the Billem atballs.

‘When it cos to food, it's rare for soone to be able to perfectly replicate a recipe even if you tell them exactly what it is.’

For that reason, the only ones who could replicate the recipe developed by Terne were the Special Task Force Company, ard with military spirit.

The fact that nurous imitations had appeared and disappeared in this market even after a considerable ti had passed since Roden's party left Vinchih was proof of that.

If soone had been able to perfectly replicate the taste of the Billem atball, people would have settled on one stall.

In this way, the Billem atball once again heated up the entire Vinchih region.

However, the sales volu was not yet satisfactory.

To secure a significant amount of money, more atballs needed to be sold.

Moreover, to achieve this goal, there was one mountain that absolutely had to be crossed.

That was the garrison of Vinchih.

***

“What? The Billem Caravan has started business again?”

The garrison commander, who was leisurely patrolling the streets of Vinchih as if on a stroll, was startled to hear his subordinate's story.

It was only natural.

After Velia Castle fell, the whereabouts of most of the bards, actors, acrobats, and cooks who were conscripted at that ti were unknown.

The Imperial Army generally reported that these individuals had either died or defected to the Allied Forces.

Otherwise, it didn't make sense for their whereabouts to be so unknown.

But the Billem Caravan had returned.

To the garrison commander, this news could only be surprising.

At the sa ti, he was suspicious of the Billem Caravan.

He couldn't understand how they could have returned alive from there.

“Let's go. I need to check for myself.”

Thus, the garrison commander led his troops and arrived at the Vinchih market.

Sure enough.

In the Vinchih market, Billem atballs were being sold with great success at a stall.

There were so many people wanting to eat Billem atballs that the line seed endless.

“The Billem atball is back!”

“It's the original, the original!”

The garrison commander was intently observing this scene when he spotted Roden, who was hawking next to the stall.

He then approached threateningly with his troops.

Sensing the unusual atmosphere, everyone present fell silent.

Roden also noticed the garrison commander belatedly.

The garrison commander opened his mouth towards Roden.

“So you really were alive.”

Roughly translated, it felt as if he was asking, ‘Why are you alive?’

However, Roden was not flustered.

He thought, what was to co has co, and answered calmly.

“Yes. I was lucky to survive.”

But the garrison commander, as if displeased with Roden's attitude, did not withdraw his suspicious gaze.

“Lucky to survive? Do you think that makes sense? You're the only one who ca back alive from there.”

“That's why I'm telling you I was lucky. Because I was the only one who survived from there. Take a look.”

“At what?”

“If there are any familiar faces among the friends working here.”

Roden pointed to the stall, and the garrison commander scanned the faces of the Archery Platoon.

Then, as if he had realized sothing, he replied in a much softer tone.

“……There's no one. No one I recognize.”

“What do you think that ans?”

“……Are you saying they all really died there?”

Although he was only following the orders of his superiors, the garrison commander was also human.

So, upon hearing the news that Roden's party, whom he had forcibly conscripted, had lost their lives, he couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt.

This guilt played a large part in why he had rushed over in one go to see if the Billem Caravan had really resud their business.

Thus, the garrison commander was greatly shaken by Roden's words, which implied the deaths of everyone except himself.

Roden hamred the final nail in.

“Even now, the voices of the caravan family mbers who died unfairly echo in my dreams every night. That's why even after barely escaping Velia Castle and luckily saving my life, I thought, what can I do, having survived alone, and tried to end my life several tis.”

“……”

“But even taking my own life was not sothing I could do as I wished. I kept surviving, and then one day, my caravan family mbers ca to

in my dreams with clean faces and spoke to . They told

to get up now. Not to just sit there and shed tears. To share the Billem atballs we developed together with people again.”

“……”

“That is why I have returned to Vinchih. But is that so kind of sin? Please tell . If it is, I too will abandon my attachnts and try to end my life once more.”

A long, detailed story.

The gazes of the surrounding people who heard this story turned to the garrison commander.

And the atmosphere changed drastically.

It was an atmosphere where a riot might break out if the garrison commander pressured Roden any further.

That's how much sadness everyone present felt after hearing Roden's story.

This was even more so because they were people who had lost friends, relatives, or family mbers, at least once removed, in the ongoing war.

But should I call it fortunate?

It wasn't just the citizens of Vinchih present who felt sorrow at Roden's story.

The garrison commander also seed to feel great sadness as he spoke, his eyes moist.

“No. It's not. You did well to return. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have suspected you….”

In the end, the garrison commander couldn't hold back and shed a single tear.

But Roden, with a sad expression, handed a atball to the garrison commander.

“It was a situation where you could have been suspicious. But please, eat this. After eating this atball, you will be able to feel the warm comfort of my family.”

The garrison commander carefully accepted the Billem atball Roden offered.

Then he took a bite and nodded his head.

“It's delicious. And warm.”

At the sa ti, soone among the people watching raised their voice.

“Long live Billem atballs!”

“Long live the Ingens Empire!”

Following this, other citizens also shouted their cheers.

“Hooray!”

“Hooray, hooray!”

It was the mont a heart-wrenching story was added to the Billem atball, which had

been special for its taste alone.

It was the beginning of a legend.