In Another World with JUST MONIKA 94 Dogs of War

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"Imma channel Mr. Popo(1)."

/"Do NOT channel Mister Popo."/

"R. Lee Ermey?"

Monika linked her fingers together under her chin and said with a heavy sigh /"Player… just be yourself."/

"But I don't how Char trained his troops to be so motivated for him."

Monika unlinked her palms and began to make chopping knife hand gestures. /"… You. Dense. Protagonist."/

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In a clearing outside of Reflet, the twenty men assigned by the Duke Ortlinde stood at attention. I stood on a literal soapbox – that is, a crate that was used to transport soap, with my hands behind my back. "Men of Ortlinde! You have been hiding from me!" I shouted, "What is even up with the Duke of Ortlinde's head, this is not the way to assign groups of men to command!"

Some of them bristled at the insult to their liege lord, others huffed in agreement.

"But that ends today!" I continued. "Although they were retainers to House Zenovi, they were adventurers nonetheless. It is inexcusable that they were able to rip through you with such ease. It is clear that something is lacking… some way of dealing with unconventional situations, unconventional opponents!"

"So let us get this started. Know that I am Zah Playa Von Chara. I am an Adventurer. I will not teach you to beat adventurers or to better fight the things that adventurers fight. The Duke Ortlinde has given you over to me to do everything that I might wish to accomplish. To mold into whatever fighting force I know you can be.

"If I want you to fight, then you will fight. If I want to you disguise yourselves and gather intelligence, then you will learn to do swiftly and effectively. If need you to act as salesmen, then you will sell things! If we need to do objective raids, you will steal everything that isn't nailed down and everything that can be pried loose isn't nailed down!

"The Duke has given me soldiers. Men who know how to fight. I will make you Free Dragoons, men who can fit in anywhere and fight anything.

"And acting as bodyguards, well certainly there is room for improvement!" I spoke up harshly, reminding them of what happened yesterday. And what happened a month ago that led them to this place here. "You recall what it took to survive protecting Sue from those who would have kidnapped her, took liberties with her young body, while forcing her father and his brother the King to disassemble their own kingdom!"

Maldon grimaced at the reminder. The men around him looked ashamed. They had not been very enthusiastic about this posting, but this was rubbing in their own faces their own lack of luster.

"Men of Ortlinde! You have failed! You have been ignorant. You have been weak. You have been only passable as men at arms, left unprepared by the loving warmth of these peaceful days. No more. No more.

"I WILL MAKE YOU UNTO DOGS OF WAR."

I gestured to the side and Yumina approached. Already she was garbed in a cute purple and white ensemble similar to what Elze and Linze were wearing. Zanac worked fast. "This is my adjutant, Yumina," I introduced her to the men. She curtsied, holding on to her nice sensible skorts. "Whatever resemblance she has to the Crown Princess Yumina is only coincidental, understand? Purely accidental."

A murmur passed through the men. Things were starting to make a little more sense.

"Elze and Linze Silhoueska, though they are young they are well-accomplished as adventurers. They could probably beat all of you right now with as much ease as those adventurers yesterday. But there will be greater power in moving in combination, which you will learn under their command."

"Yae Kokonoe. She is the daughter of Jubei Kokonoe, former sword teacher for the Sordrick family. Unlike Belfast which has been in relative peace internally, apart from the Regulus invasion, Eashen has been engaged in low-level fighting and raiding for most of the past hundred years. At the time Regulus was invading Belfast, Eashen was experiencing unification of the country under a great warlord.

"Her familiarity with small-unit tactics and formations will be of great value. Furthermore, she can instruct you on how to break past human limits with your own spirit, not magic."

There was a sound like breaking glass, and Monika appeared floating in the air beside me. Their eyes widened. "And this is the Lady Monika. She will be your eyes and your ears. She will be your life and your death. Only when properly directed can any group of men become a blade, condensing the complex into the simple, cutting through all opposition!

"I do not want to hear any grumbling about anyone's age or seeming lack of military experience. Go home to the Ortlinde lands if you can't adapt to strange orders."

There was only silence. They understood that obedience to orders was the first and only virtue. I grimaced a bit. There was no such thing as the Nuremberg Principles here, soldiers were always expected to obey even the most unethical of orders.

"All right. Now, Maldon."

He stepped up out of formation. "My lord!"

"The ranks go thus: Myself and Lady Monika as overall Commanders, then Yumina as the adjutant that relays our orders. Then Yae. Then Elze. Then Linze. Then you.

"Divide the men into four groups of five men. All of you are light cavalry, but you will be expected to be mounted infanty for now.

"The first group will be the Archer Squad, under command of Yumina here.

"The second group will be the Mage Squad, there to protect Linze and serve as our reserve line.

"The next two groups should be a mix of sword and shield and spearmen. They will be the First and Second Assault Squads, to be commanded by Elze and Yae in breakthrough attacks.

"Four men with one group leader. Assign the men according to their abilities and temperament. You will take command of First Assault Squad." Since Elze would likely be too busy punching out breakthroughs to remember being in command, someone has to be able to exploit the gaps she would be making.

He slammed his fist onto his chestplate and bowed. "It will be done, my lord!"

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"And now that we are all organized… it is time to know the limits of our capacity. Each squad… will have to fight their own adventurer leader. Elze, Linze, Yae, … Yumina, I want to see how you defend yourself against group attack."

"Eeeh? Even me, Sir Zah?"

Archer Squad looked very unwilling to attack their Princess.

"[Earth], [Wind], [Dark], what lessons have Charlotte been teaching you? Linze over there has even faced Charlotte in battle. If you're an Archer, how do you deal with counterfire? If you're in this adventuring party, then I do expect you do be able to meaningfully contribute, you know?"

"… you're right. I should be able to do something than just sit there and look pretty." She looked quite happy.

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"[BOOST] PAAWWWWNCH!" Elze yelled.

Wham.

Men scattered all around.

Wham. Wham. Wham.

Yeah, she had no problem with them. This was actually somewhat cruel.

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"[Dancing Flames!]"

Boom. Boom. Boom.

All right, Linze has no problem with that either. Duchess Ellen was different from Charlotte. Whereas the Court Magician had a more strategic role on the battlefield, the Duchess had refined her Fire magic to specifically deal with human enemies. Charlotte was made to wreak havoc on the battlefield and create strategic spell forms, Duchess Ellen was made for close-in slaughter in the defense of her home and family.

I spoke aside to Maldon "What do you think? Should we give Mage Squad larger tower shields, or heavy armor and two-handed swords?"

"The second, I believe," he replied, breathing heavily. Elze's total rout of First Assault Squad left them bruised and with dented armor. The first we could heal up, the second would need some time to hammer out the dents. "The threat is a stronger reason to not to try to attack the back line in the first place."

"Monika, why didn't you ask for more magic-users so we could make Mage Squad an actual Mage Squad?"

/"I have seen the future and too many of them would develop staggering inferiority complexes. This is bad for unit cohesion. Actual Mage Squad composed of you, Linze and Yumina, and maybe later Sue, would be enough to deal with almost anything that exists."/

Fair enough.

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Slice. Slice. Slice.

Spear shafts were cut. Straps securing arm and leg armor were cut. Yae could have sliced deep into their vulnerable less armored areas with ease.

The guards fell back, nodding with acknowledgment. They recognized and respected an accomplished swordswoman. Yae was used to commanding troops and had an instinctive read for the flow of battle. Second Assault Squad would not have any problem with fulfilling orders.

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And then there was Archer Squad.

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Notes:

(1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53EZ2fErFHY

Yes, DBZ Abridged's Mister Popo.

Chapter end