Chapter 130: Rewards and Suspicious Ones from the Center (2)
Chapter 130: Rewards and Suspicious Ones from the Center (2)
Hundreds of coffins that housed the bodies of their comrades were laid out in the open area. And among them were the Ghosts’ coffins too.
“……”
Iron stared blankly at the coffins that were being loaded one by one in the airships.
The coffins were being carried solemnly but everyone watching the process all had distorted expressions on their faces.
There were those holding back their tears, those who were looking blankly as if they couldn’t believe this situation, and those who were overcome with guilt at the thought of being the only ones to survive. All of them were looking at the coffins with stiff faces.
The coffins filled dozens of huge airships until the coffins that carried the bodies of the Ghosts were finally placed inside the airship. Seeing that all of the coffins had been loaded in the airship, Crimson pulled out his sword and shouted.
“Salute!”
“Loyalty!”
With Crimson’s shout, everyone saluted and gave their respects to the people who fought to the end of their lives. This was the salute of the survivors towards their numerous dead allies.
A reporter, who was recording the scene with a video crystal from an airship in the sky, placed his left hand on his chest without realizing it.
The war was so fierce that more than half of the Northern Forces were sacrificed. Because of that, numerous warriors were about to be returned to the arms of their families right here and now.
Vwooooong!
The mana stone embedded in the airship began to rotate and raise the airship up in the air.
None of the people let down their salutes until all the airships rose in the sky. They all looked like stone statues as they watched the airships carrying the coffins of their comrades disappear from their sight. They only loosened up and let go after hearing Crimson’s orders. However, none of them moved. After all, this was their final courtesy to their comrades that they would not see anymore. The survivors of this battlefield, that was fiercer than any battlefield and had taken the lives of numerous people, remembered their comrades for the last time before moving again.
Only the Great Northern War was over. Fierce and difficult wars continued to take place all throughout the Empire. The soldiers had no choice but to move until all of the threats had disappeared. Every single soldier hid their sadness and started to work once again.
They retreated from the Northern Forest while restoring the fortresses that collapsed and began to prepare for their return to their original operation zone.
Iron also stepped out of the Northern Forest, a place that had caused them a lot of casualties, as he boarded the airship that would take him back to the Northeastern Command that he dearly missed.
“You don’t need to go to… the Lion Castle Fortress?”
Iron nodded with a bitter smile on his face upon hearing Lintel’s question.
“I belong to the Northeast right now.”
“…Right.”
The bandaged Lintel nodded his head lightly when he heard Iron’s answer.
The seriously injured Carl Gustav, Billie Brandt and Milton were the first to be sent back and transferred to the Northeastern Command. That was why only Iron and Lintel were the ones who were boarding the last airship heading back to Northeastern Command.
Most of the simple buildings that they had built over the course of the war were demolished leaving only vacant and empty lots as the last airships heading to the Northeast rose in the sky. Even the traces of the fierce battles had been hidden by the forest that had been restored by the world tree.
Everyone looked at the dense foliage of the completely restored forest that had taken numerous lives from them with a bitter look on their faces.
“It’s really over.”
Everyone nodded quietly when they heard someone mutter these words.
It is really over now.
That thought lingered in their heads as they arrived and were welcomed warmly by countless people in the Northeastern Fortress. The troops that remained in the Northeast took the initiative to help the returning troops.
However, contrary to their ideas, they weren’t given any time to relax at all. The moment they got back, they were given a lot of tasks and were left extremely busy. After all, they needed to process a lot of documents and finish a lot of miscellaneous task for their post-war operations. Because of that, they had to be called here and there and run around to fill the gaps left in the fortress.
An event was finally held at Northeastern Command to announce that their most difficult time had passed and that the war had finally ended.
(Cheers) Congratulations on the end of the Great Northern War! (Cheers)
Banners with these phrases were hung up on several buildings as simple chairs for numerous people were placed. And this was happening not just in the Northeastern Command.
On the same day, the same event happened in the Northern Command, the Lion Castle Fortress and the Territorial Castles of high-ranking nobles of the North. All of them held a festival for one day to celebrate the end of the war.
At the same time, a ceremony was held to award medals and promotions to those who have made a lot of contributions. These awards and promotions were awarded to their selected representatives to make the ceremony shorter.
With the exception of the patrolling forces, everyone who participated in the Great Northern War took a break. And among them, those who had made great contributions had gathered at the Command.
The Commander of the Northeast took to the podium at this warrior’s gathering.
Most of the people had been awarded for their contributions. And those who had not yet received their rewards had waited for this day. That was the reason why everyone was looking at Crimson with anticipation.
“Everyone has worked hard. As of today, we declare that the war is finally over.”
Crimson looked at his audience as he said these words.
The East’s dimensional crack was still not fully closed and the West, South and Center were still at war. Only the North had completely ended their war.
One would think that it was a bit selfish for them to declare that the war had ended when the entire Empire was caught in a frenzy. But it was because of that very reason that they needed to declare this. They had to show that, at the very least, it was safe in the North.
They had to let the people know and make the North their hope that the other regions would also end up like them.
This was necessary to instill hope in the forces that were still fighting in full swing in other regions. They had to let them know that they could also win and be like them.
“Not too long ago, our comrades, who fought side by side with us, had died.”
Everyone’s eyes were tainted with sadness at his words.
“We survived at the expense of our comrades that we sent back to their families’ arms not too long ago. But that’s why! That’s why we have to live well and work harder. We have to protect this place even harder and fight their share too.”
Crimson looked at Iron as he spoke.
“I know full well that this is a heavy responsibility. But we have to endure this weight and walk out with determination! So that our fallen comrades can sleep comfortably in the afterlife. Am I right?”
“That’s right!”
All the soldiers answered after hearing the Vanguard Corps Commander answer loudly.
Crimson smiled at them as he continued to speak.
“I have talked for too long. We will now start the victory ceremony that you have all been waiting for.”
Something popped as countless colorful pieces of paper fell down the moment Crimson’s words ended. At the same time, colorful powders and fairies flew around from the magic illusion that was casted from the airship above in the sky.
The people who had made great contributions appeared one after the other along with the splendid show that the wizards had created.
From the sergeants that stayed until the crisis in the Northern Forest had ended, to the medic soldiers that risked their lives to save their comrades, to the knights that killed and exterminated the dark elves that continuously attacked them despite the sacrifices of their comrades. Each and everyone of them were given enormous rewards for their contributions.
Medals, commendations and promotions were awarded to them all at once as they received praises for their courage and bravery.
And finally, all that were left were the main players in the battlefield.
The first to come up were Sky Renz and Carl Stein.
Iron’s eyes widened when he saw his compatriot after a long time.
Why is this colleague of mine who liked staying in the logistics here?
Iron doubted his eyes but soon realized the reason why he was here.
The officer who volunteered to fight in the Northern Forest and risked his life to send military supplies using drakes was none other than Carl Stein.
The second to come up were those who resisted until the end and defended the base. They were those who fought against the dark elves’ army that attacked the outskirts of the Northern Forest. The brave soldiers who kept the injured safe despite being left in isolation for almost a month.
And he could also see familiar faces among them.
One of them was Cardro Giovanni. The third in their rankings, who stood as one of the new stars of the North, finally established himself after making a tremendous contribution.
The third to come up were the rangers. However, it wasn’t the unit led by Davin Archer but the second unit led by Jim Rogers. The troops of this leading candidate to become the ranger division commander, performed tremendously well.
His unit helped Iron to annihilate the monsters from the rear and even took the lead in killing the dark elves in the Northern Forest and went beyond the users. Although the majority lost their lives, their sacrifices gave them a record of annihilating five dark elves’ scout units.
The fourth to come up was the knight order directly under Northeastern Command. These knights performed and fought fiercely in the Northern Forest. There were many sacrifices during the process but they were still able to complete their mission in the end.
Even the temporary knight order team lead by Ariel had contributed greatly to the monsters’ annihilation.
Finally, there was also the knight order that fought bravely and risked their lives and lost it for Iron.
A small number of people came up on the podium.
There were also several people from Iron’s special operation unit that came up on the podium.
And then, the individual who came up to represent the Ghosts.
They should have gone up individually but there were only a few of them left with most of them in the ward. Iron and Lintel were the only exceptions. So, Lintel went up as their representative and received the medals in their stead.
The Commander personally congratulated them and awarded them with their medals and promotions.
Almost everyone finally received their promotions and medals and went down, there was only one person left.
“The person who had contributed the most in the Great Northern War, Lieutenant Colonel Iron Carter, forward!”
Iron walked forward once his name was called.
Crimson smiled as he welcomed Iron in his well-ironed uniform on the podium.
“You returned after making great contributions in the East and played a huge role in the Great Northern War as well as the Lion Castle Fortress. All of that combined had made you the person who had contributed the most in the Northeast.”
Crimson looked at the audience as he spoke.
None of the people present could refute this statement. Iron’s overwhelming performance in the war had already spread far and wide in the Empire.
“You have also made a great contribution that has been recognized by both the Northern Army and the Northern Territory Lords. You have become a hero that is recognized by people beyond the Northeastern Region. A hero that made contributions across the entire Northern Region. As the Commander, I hereby award you with the Blue Iron Cross medal and a two-step special promotion.”
Iron’s eyes widened after hearing Crimson’s words.
It was extremely difficult to move up from being a field officer to someone with a star. If he was a company officer then he wouldn’t be surprised by the two step promotion. But this was a star. Iron had no choice but to be surprised when they attached him with a star with this two step special promotion.
But Crimson’s words were not yet over.
“At the request of the Northern Commander and with the unanimous consent of all of the Northern Territorial Lords, Lieutenant Colonel Iron will be awarded with the North’s greatest medal ‘White Sword’. The Lion Family had also requested to place the White Lion Crest to be given to you instead. But everyone in the North had requested that this be the one to be given to you.”
At the end of Crimson’s words, he personally removed all of the clover on Iron’s shoulder and replaced it with a star. He also pinned the White Sword, the North’s greatest medal, next to the Eye of the Sea.
Iron’s uniform had now collected all of the medals that could be received in the Northeast together with the greatest medals of the North and the East. Although they were not fancy, the soldiers were still in awe at the sheer amount of medals pinned to his uniform.
“Based on your performance and achievements, you should at least be a Division Commander but further verifications are needed by the commanding officers so your remaining promotions would be suspended in the meantime.”
Crimson placed his hands on Iron’s shoulder as he said so.
“From this point on, Brigadier General Iron will now be the Special Mobile Unit Commander. This will be the only unit that will move actively outside the jurisdiction of the Northeast and will move actively throughout the Northern, Eastern and Western Regions.”
The letter of appointment was handed to Iron as soon as his words ended.
“Don’t be too upset. The war has just ended so it’s a bit too much for us and we couldn’t assign you with division-level troops, so we decided to do it this way… If you make a bigger contribution in the near future, then you will be able to be promoted soon.”
Crimson winked as he applauded Iron and gave him his congratulations.
After the awarding ceremony had ended, the festival finally began. Everyone briefly forgot about the pain and the wounds that the war had left them with as they enjoyed the festival.
However, Iron, the biggest contributor, couldn’t enjoy the festival at all.
“This… Is this the correct composition?”
He looked at the troops and the soldiers that would be a part of his Special Mobile Unit that Crimson had handed to him.
Knight Order Leader : Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Favrice
Ranger Leader : Major Nyx Cole
Artillery Troops Leader : Major Dominic Stone
They were familiar names. All of these people were the ones that he commanded in the special operation unit before. But they weren’t the only familiar names.
Logistics Officer : Major Carl Stein (Concurrent Drake Unit Leader)
There were even several familiar names written below including Captains John Powell and Vic Hart. And they were all written as Major(Jin)
He could understand up until this point since they had built a unit solely for him. But he saw another familiar name.
Aerial Assault Leader : Lieutenant Colonel(Jin) Cardro Giovanni
Iron couldn’t help but stare blankly at his Commander when he saw the name of his compatriot once again.