I am the Monarch Chapter 27 : Merits awards (1)

“Tro, troop commander!”
“Troop commander Sedek!”

The orcs and goblins that were facing Karon and the soldiers were half astounded at the death of Sedek.

“Now! Attack! Kill!”

Karon didn't miss the opportunity.
The 200 soldiers pushed the orcs and goblins to one side fiercely.

Cheng! Checheng! Cheng! Slash. Stab.

Metal clashing and explosive sounds hit the ears.
Roan looked at the downstream of Prely river.

'It seems like the three troops crossed the river safely.'

The three troops had already crossed through it without being late.
They didn't follow Sedek's back and were pushing back the goblins and orcs that were protecting the place.

Fluuush.

The rough stream of the water was heard.

'Even so, quite many survived.'

Even after having been swept by the rough water, there was a number of monsters that wasn't that small lining up on a battle formation.

“Damn! Despicable humans!”
“Chwee! Chwee!”
“Kuooong!”

They couldn't even cross the river because of the rough stream and just let out cries.
Meanwhile, the three troops took care of the remaining monsters.

“Squad commander Roan. It's a huge victory. A huge one.”

Karon approached and laughed hysterically.
Roan tied Sedek's head on the saddle and nodded.

“It's great that it turned out as it was planned.”

A not excessive humility.
Karon grabbed Roan's shoulders.

“Squad commander Roan. If it wasn't for you, the three troops were going to be annihilated. This merit is so big that it can't even be compared to the slave merchants.”

The voice gets bigger slowly.
Roan smiled instead of replying and looked at the three troops that were approaching.

'I do know that it is a big merit. That's why i'm happy but worried at the same time.'

The words he gulps down inwardly.
It was certain that he was going to climb to the highest seat on the merits awards.
And it was obvious that jealousy and envy was going to follow back on that process.

'If it's something like that, I have gone through that plenty of times for the past 20 years.'

Because of the stupid choices he made on the past life, even after having rendered some merits there were many cases where he got punished.

'This time, it won't turn out that way.'

Roan gripped the spear and shut his mouth tightly.
A firm determination shone on his eyes.

*****

“Huh? It's the ghost of the battlefield.”
“This time, he was truly excellent.”
“Because of the ghost of the battlefield the three troops could avoid annihilation.”
“It's not only that. He crushed the monster army that amounted to ten thousand with the inundation tactic.”
“And recently, the activity of the ghost squad is no joke.”
“They really fight like some ghost.”

Voices filled with dread and admiration.
The soldiers of the rose troop applauded towards Roan and the 42nd squad that passed in front of them.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

“Because of you, we could save our lives!”
“One friend that's on the ramsey troop told me to send you his gratitude!”
“Squad commander Roan! Thank you!”

Roan slightly bent and didn't show that big of a reaction.
But rather, the shoulders of Austin and the other members of the 42nd squad rose.

'Kugh! I certainly did well on staying on the 42nd squad.'
'Those guys that returned back then should be regretting it, right?'
'Hua. It really feels good!'

A smile kept coming out.
Actually, he was betraying his emotions, but one corner of the heart of Roan felt proud.

'This life is quite fine.'

He was a little bit perplexed when the battle didn't happen as what he remembered.
But the decision he made with his 20 years of experience was followed with good results.

'Even if a future different to my memories happen, there's no need to be scared. Because even if that happens, my memories don't.'

A faint smile appears on his mouth.
And then, a familiar voice was heard.

“Oh! Roan!”

The person that was extending both of his arms and smiling brightly was Gale.
Roan moved slowly and made a salute.

“I came through your calling.”

Behind him, the members of the 42nd squad lined up firmly.
Gale walked towards him and grabbed Roan's shoulders.

“Roan. You rendered a really big merit. And because of you, it's obvious for us, but the other three troops could also escape annihilation.”
“I just did what I had to.”
“Hahahaha! You are even humble!”

Gale laughed hysterically and looked towards Keniss.

“Kennis. Report the big merits Roan has rendered.”
“Yes. Understood.”

Kennis, that was one of the adjutants lined up next to Gale, made one step to the front and unrolled a big piece of paper.
And he slowly started to read down the things he did like investigating Ale gorge, capturing the slave merchants, and the things that happened on Pedian's plain.

“Lastly, he has slain the neck of Sedek in the inundation tactic. That's all.”
“Oho. Now that you group it all, it really is amazing.”

Gale gasped of amazement.
He returned to his original place and looked at Roan with a gratified expression.

“Now that the merits are this outstanding, I will have to give you a reward according to it. But before that……..”

Eyes filled with curiosity.

“They say that the tactic you used to lure Sedek was astonishing…..Roan, how did you know that truth?”

Roan slowly lifted his head and looked at Gale's two eyes.

'The question I expected.'

He couldn't actually say that it was something that was discovered a few years later on the process of inquiring Sedek.
Roan already had an answer he had thought of.

“I'm from a little town on Grain's mountain range. Because of that, I could hear the rumours about the monster commanders without stop.”
“Aha!”

Gale hit his knees after letting out a low sigh of amazement.

“So you also heard that Sedek doesn't have a dick at your hometown?”
“Yes. That's right.”

Roan smiled brightly and nodded.
Gale nodded as if the question he had had been answered and clapped.

Clap.

“Good. Then, should we genuinely start the conference?”

He made eye signs to Kennis.
Kennis slightly nodded and ordered some soldiers to bring small leather bags.

“First, I will be giving rewards to the members of the 42nd squad that rendered a distinguished merit.”

At those words, Austin and the others glanced at each other with surprised expressions.

'We? It's us?'

Expressions as if they are asking themselves that.
Kennis coughed as no one moved even after he had finished speaking.

“Ahem. Vice squad commander Austin, come and get your reward first.”
“Ah?! Yes.”

Only then did Austin take back that absent minded face and move his step to stand in front of gale.

“You have done well.”

Gale lent one bag and hit his shoulder.

“Thank you.”

Austin bent down and received the pocket with his two hands.

'For not only the squad commander, but for also us to receive prizes.'

A really unexpected award.

'This is all because of squad commander Roan.'

Thankfulness and admiration rushed down their hearts.
After that, the soldiers including Pierce and Glenn all received their own rewards.
Thankfulness and admiration also show on their faces.

“Now! Is it now the turn of Roan?”

At those words, the faces of some adjutants stiffen.
Keniss looked at them and luahged bitterly.
It's because he knew the reason they were putting that face.

“Roan. First, I will also give you a reward.”
“Thank you.”

Roan received the bag and bent down.
It was a little bigger than the ones the squad members received.
However, the rewards didn't end with that.

“And I will rearrange the 42nd squad to the 12th one and appoint Roan as a class 5 adjutant.”

At that instant, it was obvious for the 42nd squad, but even Roan put on a surprised expression.

'Class 5 adjutant?'

Roan turned to look at Gale and Kennis as if he wondered if he had heard wrong.
Kennis smiled gratified and slightly nodded.

'I'm an adjutant?'

He was only an 18 year old greenhorn spearman.
He did render some great merits, but he hadn't thought that he would be able to climb to the seat of adjutant this quickly.
Taking into account that Kennis was a grade 2 adjutant, it was a really outstanding promotion.

“Roan's rank will be a class 5 adjutant, and will work below adjutant Jack that leads the current spearmen squad.”

Kennis's voice was kind.
Gale looked at Roan's absent minded expression and asked as if he was whispering.

“How is it? Do you think that this much will be enough to what you have done until now?”

Only then did Roan take a hold of himself and nodded.

“It's a prize more than I deserve.”

At those words, Gale shook his head.

“There are still some points lacking for me.”

That was the truth.
Roan was about to reply something but he ended up lowering his head.
Because the sights of the adjutants next to Gale was really fierce.

'The reason why the expressions of the adjutants isn't good is because of that.'

Especially Jack's face, that had to split the spearmen with him, was a mess.
Then, Gale's voice was heard again.

“How is it that you aren't saying anything? I'm not saying this for being pretentious.”

Roan raised his head and looked at Gale.

“If you have something to ask me, tell me. Because if it's something beyond my reach, I will grant it to you.”

An unexpected opportunity.

'If it was before, I would have just say no and fell back.'

But now, he wasn't like that.
And after looking at Jack's sharp eyes, he became more that way.
Roan slightly bent down and replied.

“Then, give me one duel right.”
“Ah! A duel right!”

Gale smiled brightly and hit his knees.
This dueling right was a piece of paper that could challenge someone without caring about ranks.
But the limits were also clear.
You could only use the duel right given by troop commander Gale inside the rose troop.
And of course, excluding Gale.

“Hahaha! Are you planning to battle with Kennis?”

You wouldn't get a promotion or some rewards if you won the battle.
Only, the victor will get the recognition of the squad members and at the same time, a rather big reputation.
Roan saved his words.
Gale nodded with a really funny expression and shook his hands.
Then, one soldier brought a yellow and stiff piece of paper, the size of a palm.

Write.

Below the short phrase, a signature is written.

“Here, it's the duel right. Use it wisely.”
“Thank you.”

Roan received the duel right and after putting it in his chest, he bent down again.
Gale clapped his hands with a proud expression.

Clap.

“With this, the prizes I will give will come to an end. But……”

He paused for a moment and continued to say.

“It seems like the commander of the 7th corps Aaron Tate will also be doing a merits award.”

At those words, Roan looked at Gale's two eyes fixedly.
A little surprised expression.
Gale smiled and nodded.

“Right. It seems like the commander will directly bestow you the rewards.”

Again, an unexpected thing.
Kennis continued to say.

“The merits reward by the commander will be done after you go back to your respective head quarters, so keep it in mind.”
“Yes. Understood.”

Roan replied with the calmest expression possible.
However, he was so happy inwardly he wanted to jump.

'If it's the headquarters of the 7th corps, it will be Ipen castle. on that place…….'

His eyes shine with a colour.
He thinks up of the shape of the castle in his memories.
The military city Ipen located at the eastern parts of Rinse kingdom.

'There's Brant's library on Ipen's castle.'

Roan unconsciously rolled his fingers.
One memory roams in his head.
The case that will make the eastern parts of Rinse kingdom noisy.

'I have to get in there. But the problem is that only nobles can get inside.'

But it didn't mean that he didn't have any methods.
He still had the merits awards of the commander.

'I have to get a permission to get inside Brant library at the merits award.'

A faint smile appears on Roan's mouth.
His fingers become itchy.

< Merits awards (1) > End

Translator's note:

Thanks for reading!

Translator : Subak

Chapter end