Chương 100: Chapter 98 - Command Under Strain

"Maintain the formation… Shields upright." My voice echoed across the empty training field as I forced myself to breathe between words, mana vibrating through each command. Sweat ran down from my temples and down my neck. The ground beneath my boots was dry and cracked, marked with old footprints and scuffed lines from countless drills. There was no squad in front of me. Only Lieutenant Cicero stood there, arms crossed, watching me.

Then he shook his head in disappointment, making it clear he was not satisfied with my delivery. It had been almost a week since I had begun training under Lieutenant Cicero. He did not seem to have any immediate objections to how I was running my squad. At least, he had not commented on it. When Peter returned to my squad still looking agitated and did not pass along any orders from the lieutenant, I assumed Cicero would address my approach during the training exercises.

I had expected pushback, criticism, or outright orders to change my methods. None of that came. But it did not end there. His training methods kept proving that I should never make assumptions about him. As a healing lieutenant in charge of the fort infirmary, I had expected healing related instruction, or lectures on the importance of a soldier's life. Perhaps lessons on leadership theory, class progression, or command manuals. Maybe a few books, some advice, and then dismissal. Instead, everything was practical.

He did give me books, but only to read on my own time. During training hours, there was nothing but the practical application of the theory contained within them.

"Regulate your mana," Cicero said calmly.

"It should be an even output. If you need to take a breath between sentences, it should not be visible." I swallowed and nodded.

"You are a leader," he continued.

"Not a messenger." It was easier said than done. By the time we reached this exercise, it was already evening. I had spent the day training with my squad, followed by wall duty. After that, Cicero had me run laps around the training yard until my legs burned and I had nearly run out of mana. Only then did he order me to speak. To infuse mana into my voice and issue commands as if I were addressing a squad in combat. My chest felt tight. My breathing was uneven.

Infusing mana into my voice required concentration, fine control, and steady output through [Mana Manipulation]. Doing it while exhausted felt like trying to thread a needle with shaking hands. My voice cracked mid-command. That was when I finally spoke up.

"Sir," I said, catching my breath, "I do not understand why we are doing this." He looked at me without expression.

"I understand analyzing squad drills," I continued.

"Studying fort defenses. Even understanding proper speech and command presence. But I do not understand why you require me to be exhausted while doing it." He did not answer immediately. That had been the pattern all week. On the first day, he had reviewed multiple squad training plans with me. We had walked the fort together, observing drills, identifying flaws and strengths. At night, he handed me a thin manual on fortification principles. Fifty pages.

The second day, instead of asking me questions about what I had read in the manual, he took me outside the fort. He told me to spread my mana and analyze the fort's fortifications. He pointed out flaws in my assessment, and even flaws in the fortifications themselves. By the end of the day, my skill [Siege Rigging (C)] had advanced to [Fortification Planner (UC)]. The night ended the same way, with another manual, roughly the same size, this one focused on logistical mapping.

The following day, we repeated the pattern. We worked through hypothetical situations, discussing how supply routes would be planned during active combat. We analyzed maps to identify optimal locations for supply hubs, and even broke down cities and towns based on their supply routes. Once again, by the end of the training, my [Map Reading (C)] advanced to [Logistics Routecraft (UC)]. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

For a while, I thought he already knew my skills and was training me for some specific purpose. The next day proved me wrong once more. We discussed morale. How to maintain it. How to react when squad members died. How to address survivors without empty reassurance or false promises. When I asked why I needed to know all this, he answered simply.

"These are basics that everyone in a leadership position should know." That had brought me to today. To speaking. Cicero finally answered my question.

"As I said," he began, his tone calm, almost instructional, "you are a leader. The way you speak matters." He paced slowly in front of me.

"Infusing mana into your voice allows it to carry without damaging your throat. It allows clarity without shouting." He stopped and looked at me directly.

"As for why you must be tired." He folded his hands behind his back.

"First, the battlefield does not care about your fatigue. You may be commanding after twelve hours of combat or ten hours of marching. Your unit must never hear exhaustion in your voice." I clenched my jaw.

"Second," he continued, "your role is not limited to speaking to your squad. You will speak to superiors. You will discuss strategy. You may one day present plans of your own." He tapped his temple lightly.

"The mental pressure of such meetings is comparable to physical exertion. Questions, scrutiny, opposition. It pushes your thinking to its limits, just like intense exercise." He turned back toward me.

"This training builds the habit of controlled speech under stress. Perfect delivery even when your body and mind are strained." The first part was something I had expected, but the second ignited ambition in me, only for it to be replaced by memories of the confrontation with Varric and the others days earlier. I had not planned my words then. I had relied entirely on instinct.

If I replaced their faces with high tier individuals, like the captain or a council of lieutenants scrutinizing my every word, I might not have been able to speak at all. Understanding settled in. I straightened my posture. Regulated my breathing. And began again. This time, with full focus. I would speak for five minutes, then run for fifteen. After two more hours of practice, the lieutenant finally seemed satisfied and called for a break.

Once I was done, I checked my progress to see if I had gained anything today. [Mana Manipulation (UC)] – Level 18 → 20 My [Mana Manipulation] had increased by two levels. Just the effort of infusing mana into my voice, with an already tired body and depleted reserves, had required an intense level of focus. The level up did not come as a surprise.

Over the course of the last week, my other skills also improved, with the most noticeable gains being: [Memory Recall (UC)] – Level 40 → 47 [Applied Military Theory (UC)] – Level 45 → 50 I also took this time to check my new skills. [Map Reading (C)] → [Logistics Routecraft (UC)] [Logistics Routecraft (UC)] Type: Operational Planning / Supply Analysis Associated Attributes: Intelligence An evolved logistical skill developed through repeated practical analysis of terrain and movement rather than abstract theory.

The user begins to understand how supplies naturally flow across land, learning to trace, predict, and adjust routes using simple, repeatable principles instead of complex calculations. Effects: Allows the user to quickly identify viable supply routes by evaluating terrain, distance, and accessibility, even without detailed maps. Highlights obvious choke points, vulnerable stretches, and sections of a route likely to fail under sustained pressure.

Enables intuitive selection of locations for temporary supply points, caches, and rest hubs based on accessibility, concealment, and terrain stability. Reduces wasted movement and logistical inefficiencies by prioritizing stable, repeatable routes over risky shortcuts. Improves the user's ability to adapt supply routes in response to changing conditions such as terrain damage, enemy interference, or manpower loss.

[Siege Rigging (C)] → [Fortification Planner (UC)] [Fortification Planner (UC)] Type: Defensive Planning / Battlefield Preparation Associated Attributes: Intelligence An evolved defensive skill developed through repeated observation and mana-assisted evaluation rather than formal construction knowledge. The user learns to understand fortifications the way a soldier does, by seeing how people, beasts, and pressure naturally move through defensive spaces.

Effects: Allows the user to spread mana to gain a clear, practical understanding of how a fortification functions during combat, revealing obvious weak points and areas likely to fail under pressure. Highlights poor wall placement, exposed approaches, inefficient tower spacing, and defensive gaps that could be exploited by beasts or enemy forces. Enables straightforward planning of layered defenses by identifying where defenders can fall back, regroup, or block advances without becoming trapped.

Improves placement of temporary fortifications such as trenches, barricades, and field defenses by focusing on how they control movement rather than how strong they are. Helps prioritize which sections of a fortification are worth reinforcing, reducing wasted effort on areas that provide little defensive value. Improves coordination between defenses and troop positioning, ensuring fortifications support formations, patrol routes, and emergency movement during battle.

After checking, I looked up to see the lieutenant waiting for me.

"How is your squad coordination training going?" he asked. I took a deep breath. It looked like he had finally decided to address my method of leading a death squad.