Our Family Has Fallen

Lance planned to develop at this pace, expanding the army to at least one thousand men, divided into ten battalions.

Only then could Hamlet ensure its own safety and have the capacity to expand outward.

In his vision, to fully recover the entire Hamlet Region would require an army of at least 10,000 men.

But those were all distant goals; what he needed more now was to focus on the present.

「Hamlet, training camp.」

The soldiers with minor injuries were now unhampered, and even those with serious injuries could get out of bed. Nevertheless, Lance still granted them plenty of leave to rest well and recover fully as soon as possible.

Today, training for the reservists on the training ground within the camp had been halted, and the veterans had gathered here.

However, what set this occasion apart was that the soldiers were not wearing their previous simple, almost casual attire with Iron Breastplates thrown over it.

Instead, they donned brand-new gray military uniforms, while those of the officers were black.

When worn, these uniforms gave off a crisp and sharp appearance, and the addition of belts and caps added a touch of austerity.

Everyone stood upright, chests out, heads up. Coupled with their solemn faces and gazes, they looked even more majestic.

This set of uniforms was a work that transcended eras, leaping directly from the feudal to the near-modern. It revealed the army’s meticulous style, imbued with the Lord’s adherence to an almost cruel, absolute rationality.

The designs for the uniforms had actually begun long ago. Lance directly designed (or rather, copied) three sets. What they were wearing now was akin to ceremonial dress; although stylish, it was unsuitable for combat.

True battle attire needed to be simple, practical, comfortable, and inconspicuous.

Hamlet’s industrial starting point was the textile industry. Many of the craftsmen who came to Hamlet were from this trade. Since raw materials like cotton, linen, and wool were produced locally, development was rather swift.

A considerable period had elapsed, covering design, feedback gathering, and finalizing production. Lance gave this first batch of uniforms, though not numerous, directly to the soldiers recovering in town.

They were the first to officially wear these uniforms, designed personally by the Lord. Such an honor made others green with envy!

But today, Lance came here not for this reason. He ascended the podium and faced the soldiers.

”In this battle, we crushed the Allied Army of the Barbarian Tribes and the Order of Knights, we foiled the plots of the Heretics, and we emerged victorious!

”In this war, the soldiers of Hamlet…”

His task was simple: to briefly recap the chaotic battle and commend the soldiers who had distinguished themselves.

”Barrett, for sniping fourteen Heretics with a single musket during the campaign, come up!”

”Sobray... George... Andrew...”

One by one, the called soldiers stepped forward, receiving from Lance’s hands the sheepskin parchment detailing the specifics of the battle, their performance, their deeds, and accompanied by the Lord’s handwritten signature.

Many of the soldiers standing beside Lance still bore unhealed wounds, but their pride was evident when they received their military honors, seemingly indifferent to the reward of Gold Coins.

But today’s assembly was far from over; the real highlight had yet to come.

”The most ferocious part of this campaign was the battle at the outpost. There, the Heretics cast their sinister Spells and summoned horrific monsters, even causing the high walls of the fortress to collapse.

”The Second Battalion stationed inside, consisting of one hundred soldiers, lost eleven men. Twenty more were seriously wounded, and almost all the others sustained injuries.

”But they held their ground. They resisted the Heretics’ tide-like assault, slew the monsters, and put the Heretics to flight. That is the Second Battalion!”

Lance raised his hand, signaling for Balistan to come on stage. He then grabbed a nearby flag, prepared ahead of time, hoisted it, and unfurled it with a wave, revealing a depiction of a section of a wall.

”I now confer upon the Second Battalion the title ’Iron Wall.’”

Lance handed the flag to Balistan, and immediately below, an intense cheer and applause erupted.

What is honor? This is honor!

This distinction was awarded by the Lord, a unique honor belonging to the Second Battalion.

The men of the Second Battalion were overjoyed, their faces glowing with honor, while the other battalions couldn’t help but feel envious. At the same time, several captains became fervent, resolving that they must capture the next flag themselves!

Lance was not one for lengthy rhetoric. Having said what was necessary, he was nearly finished.

”And my soldiers, you...” Lance opened his arms wide, dramatically addressing his troops below the stage, shouting loudly, ”are the true heroes!”

With that statement, the entire assembly concluded, and the atmosphere reached its utmost peak.

Everyone was caught up in fervor, shouting at the top of their lungs.

”Hamlet Must Win!”

”Long live the Lord!”

”...”

The reservists observing the assembly were also swept up in the excitement. The thought of being summoned by the Lord and receiving awards in person thrilled them beyond measure.

And the battalion stationed at the outpost had been honored with the title ’Iron Wall’ and a flag designed by the Lord himself—an unimaginable honor.

They eagerly hoped to join the army and someday receive such distinction. Even if they were to die in battle, they would have no regrets, for the Lord would care for their families, and they might even enter the Heroes’ Cemetery.

Why had Lance chosen this location? It was to give the newly recruited reservists a taste of Hamlet’s unique spirit and show them this place was different from others.

Once the assembly concluded, it dispersed. As the army became more structured, large-scale victory banquets were canceled; giving the soldiers a few days off instead was considered more practical.

But Lance and his comrades did not take a break; the upper echelons of Hamlet gathered for a smaller meeting to discuss current issues. Foremost among these was the distribution of the spoils of war.

”Expand the Cavalry Squad to a hundred men. A fully-staffed Cavalry Squad is far more effective; we wouldn’t have been stretched thin if we had that during the last battle.”

”Our Second Battalion should have priority for the new recruits because we have many vacancies due to death and disability.”

Reynard and Balistan were the first to speak, as the units they led had performed exceptionally well in battle, so naturally, they opened the discussion.

Lance listened to their suggestions but didn’t seem particularly interested. Tiffany and Grendel were not involved in military affairs. William was in charge of the security team, and besides, his mind was still on his wolf. Boudica and Dismas, both part-time instructors without military posts, were also indifferent.

Barton, however, though part of the military, did not speak. Considering his artillery unit didn’t even have cannons yet, it was too early for him to make any demands.

It seemed that there were no objections from the others, but Lance did not approve the proposal.

”The cavalry will receive new warhorses, but let’s hold off on expanding recruitment for now; we don’t have the resources for that at the moment.”

”’As for manpower replenishment, stick to the normal plan. When the batch of Knight’s Armor is repaired, you’ll get a portion of it,’ Lance told them. He did not acquiesce to their requests, appearing rather stingy.

”’The replaced horses should go to the artillery, and the new recruits should be prioritized for the artillery as well. We need to establish the artillery’s framework first, since the cannon molds are now ready, and we’re preparing to cast cannons soon.’”

When Lance finished this statement, Reynard and Balistan understood why.

The Lord had always believed that firearms were the future of warfare, so training resources had been allocated accordingly. This decision was unsurprising, given the switch from Spearmen to Musketeers and the fact that Cavalrymen were equipped with two pistols each.

Barton, who had evidently been informed about this earlier, remained calm throughout; he had already discussed the development of the artillery with the Lord.

But the meeting was not over yet. Reynard waited for the Lord to announce something else.

”’I need to handpick soldiers who have shown outstanding performance from the entire army to form a unit of my trusted aides. They are not for my protection but to undertake the most challenging assignments. Their enemies will not be ordinary people but Transcendents or other monsters, so their strength must be immense, their wills of steel.’”

Lance announced this news. The idea had been mentioned before but was put on hold due to a lack of resources. At that time, Boudica and Dismas were the only ones Lance considered his trusted aides.

But now, it had finally made it onto the agenda.