I only wanted to retire, but I ended up becoming an extremely popular character.

Chapter 125 Lieutenant Lancel Kruger's Oath

For an army that has just retreated from the front lines, morale has plummeted.

Without a senior commander present to keep things in check, no one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out.

Ordinary soldiers would never voluntarily join a battle that is not their own without orders.

Junior officers, whether second lieutenants or first lieutenants, also dared not act rashly.

No one wanted to be the first to step forward.

On a battlefield where the enemy's forces are vastly outnumbered, who would lead their soldiers to their deaths without receiving clear orders?

Whether or not one can earn merit is another matter.

If a command error leads to heavy casualties or even the annihilation of the troops, no junior commander can afford such consequences.

Moreover, the information they possessed was far less comprehensive than that of Zod and Spinter.

Unaware that a large number of Holy Kingdom reinforcements were pouring into the town of Segna, and unaware that the battle situation was already extremely precarious.

This ignorance, in turn, made them even less courageous and less justified in joining what seemed like a hopeless battle.

As a result, all sorts of ideas began to spread in the queue.

"It'll be fine once the higher-ups arrive."

"Wait a little longer, the main force might arrive soon."

"Anyway, it's not just my unit—"

These thoughts, like invisible vines, entwine around everyone's mind, pinning them firmly to the spot.

Ultimately, not a single member of this unit that withdrew from the front lines stepped forward, and not a single officer issued an order to charge or provide support.

They simply stood quietly on the gentle slope, gazing at the distant town engulfed in smoke and fire, and at the lone army struggling on the front line of the Holy Land defense.

They were waiting, waiting for a military order that would arrive at an unknown time, waiting for a commander who would descend upon the army and give orders at an unknown time.

While waiting, several soldiers sat together and chatted quietly while lighting mosquito coils.

"Do you know who the commander of the army attacking Segner is?"

"It must be the Zod's unit, the so-called 'Eagle of the Empire'!"

"Yes, it must be him. The Eagles of the Empire were the first unit to withdraw from Sarlom."

"Who told him to be someone Colonel Xavier values? Their relationship is different from ours." A soldier curled his lip, his tone tinged with bitterness. "We should worry about ourselves first."

"I heard that after the 'Empire Eagle' led his troops away from Saarlom, his superior, Captain Spent of the 'Empire Blade' Legion, also led a force towards Segner."

"How do you know so much?" someone asked curiously.

"Don't bother asking about that," another soldier said in a low voice, smiling mysteriously. "On the battlefield, you need to see with your eyes and hear with your ears as well. The more you see and hear, the more you'll know."

There are not many things to do for entertainment on the battlefield.

For ordinary soldiers, chatting is often the best way to pass the time.

They have neither the authority nor the obligation to consider the overall course of the battle.

Those kinds of things are beyond their control, and not something they should be concerned with.

Not far away, a young lieutenant stood quietly, listening to every word of the soldiers' idle chatter.

His name was Lance Kruger, a second lieutenant, and he belonged to the 56th Army Corps.

In fact, he wasn't as decisive as he thought.

Just now, he was also hesitant, fearful, and afraid of everything that other junior officers were afraid of: acting without orders; launching a rash attack with a disparity in troop strength; and who would take responsibility after the battle?

So, like everyone else, he stood on the gentle slope and watched for a long time, but never took that step.

Until he heard that name, "Empire's Eagle" Zod.

Lancel's heart suddenly stirred.

He recalled the man's blood-soaked figure charging ahead on the battlefield of Sarlom not long ago.

He also recalled the vow he silently made beneath that silhouette: "One day, he might—no, not maybe! He will definitely become a soldier like Zod."

"He will stand squarely before Zod, the Eagle of the Empire, and become an existence that this man cannot ignore!"

"Not an officer hiding behind a wall issuing orders, but a figure who can rush to the front and uphold everyone's beliefs."

These words were spoken to his inner self.

No one heard it, and no one could possibly know.

He could have buried those vows deep in his heart forever, or selectively forgotten them; no one would blame him, and no one would have any reason to blame him.

In this way, he could stand still with a clear conscience and not get involved in a war that was not his responsibility.

As for the vows in my heart, I can make another one tomorrow, since no one will know anyway.

This battle is different from the previous ones.

Even if he led his soldiers to charge forward, how could he possibly be confident of victory against an enemy of the caliber of "Black Fang" Curtis?

They probably wouldn't even be able to withstand one move from their opponent before dying on the spot.

Ultimately, he was not Lieutenant Zod, the "Empire's Eagle".

Although they were both second lieutenants, he lacked that man's strength and courage.

As for the passionate fervor I felt in the city of Sallom at that time, it was merely an impulse at a specific moment.

Now things have cooled down, and reason and the will to survive have once again taken over.

He told himself that.

But the name "Zod, the Eagle of the Empire," rippled through his heart like a pebble thrown into calm water.

The ripples spread for a long time without subsiding.

He was unwilling to accept that he would always remain the same person!

Lancel clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms.

He knew better than anyone that if he couldn't take this step today, he might never be able to take it again.

If you can break even the vows you made in your heart this time, how can you not find an excuse in the future?

On the battlefield, there are plenty of reasons to convince oneself to retreat, and plenty of excuses to make oneself feel at ease in stagnating.

He can deceive others, but he can't deceive his own heart.

No, he couldn't forgive himself for that!

"Move!" he roared inwardly, "Move faster, my legs! Speak up and mobilize your soldiers!"

"Lansel, are you just going to sit here and watch like this forever?"

"Didn't you want to be a soldier like Zod, the 'Empire's Eagle'? He's right there, right in front of you!"

"If you can't catch up with the Empire's Eagle this time, then, Lancel, you'll never catch up with the Empire's Eagle."

"Don't always let us down at crucial moments, Lancel!"

The inner scream almost tore his chest apart.

That bloodied and battered figure charging forward is etched into my mind, as if it were engraved into my bones.

But his legs felt like they were filled with lead, so heavy that he couldn't move an inch; his throat also felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't make a sound.

Glory, fear, and shame tore fiercely in my chest.

His breathing became increasingly rapid, and a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

The distant sounds of cannons, shouts of battle, and gunfire mingled together, but to his ears they became blurry and distant.

The only thing that was clear was the sound of my own heart pounding wildly.

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