I Became the Golden Sun That Steals the Academy’s Aircraft - Chapter 88

87. Revealing the map

Gilbert felt puzzled when he saw Leila suddenly enthusiastically setting out to search. The woman who was commanding her unit with a strong impression suddenly put on a happy expression as soon as they exchanged a few words, and her motivation began to overflow.

If he thought about it, Leila’s appearance was also different from what he knew.

In Tactical Combat, she appeared as the leader of a ranger unit wearing an eyepatch over one of her eyes. The story goes that when she was young, she injured her left eye while trying to avenge the death of her family who was killed by a monster-level beast.

Although I couldn’t remember all of her detailed settings, I did not forget that Leila, who inherited her father’s blood as a famous hunter, had extremely high hunting skills.

There was even an opinion in the community that if she had grown up intact without losing her eyes, she would have become the best ranger in Tactical Combat.

In fact, Leila, who did not lose her eyesight, was currently serving as the commander of the House of Hart, which had the best ranger unit in the empire.

From what I found out, I heard that you graduated from the Ranger Academy at the top of your class?

Leila’s growth rate, which clearly had no missing organs, was beyond imagination.

However, I was curious why this sudden change in settings occurred. There is no way to say that everything will be the same as in the game, but I wanted to know what was the variable.

And the answer ironically had to do with the custom character Gilbert.

I never imagined that such a piece of trash would help others.

Gilbert thought so sincerely, recalling the previous ‘Gilbert’.

This is what remained in his deep memory.

Immediately after Layla lost her family, the former ‘Gilbert’ was intrigued by the news that a monster-level beast had appeared and immediately ordered it to be subjugated.

It was not an order made with the sole purpose of ensuring the safety of the people of the territory. It was just interest, and a very personal reason to taxidermy a monster-level beast.

However, that personal reason prevented Leila’s rise. Because her monster-level beast was subdued before she could avenge her family, she was not able to lose her eye as she was destined to do.

After that, she entered the Ranger Academy and joined the Hart family, but the mere fact that her eyes were intact completely changed her future.

As users imagined, she had the potential to become the best ranger in the empire.

“Gilbert, I think you should come here for a moment.”

Gilbert, who had been lost in thought for a moment, quickly moved to where Leila was at her urgent call.

She was looking at footprints hidden among the bushes.

“Did you find something?”

“I cleverly erased the traces, but I found them. It looks like the Sigurdians came close to here.”

“…”

Gilbert turned on the minimap and measured the distance between Wiesbark and this place.

It was a fairly close distance, about 6 to 7 kilometers away.

Seeing as he had approached this place without being detected by the search team, it seemed that there was someone among the Sigurdians who was good at infiltration.

“Lord Fermo.”

“We will finish preparing for war as soon as we return.”

The talented Fermo pointed out exactly what Gilbert wanted.

The fact that the Sigurdians came this far proved that the attack was really close.

“Commander Layla.”

“Yep!”

“As of the current time, search party operations will be suspended. We will select 20 quick-moving rangers and change the search to a team of 2.”

“Are you a messenger?”

“That’s right. If the search party encounters the enemy’s vanguard, they may be annihilated. As the risk has increased, we need a member who can withdraw at any time.”

“I will follow your orders.”

Leyla lowered her head. A list of twenty senior rangers, including Johnson and Roel, appeared in her mind.

“Are you going back now?”

Gilbert remained silent for a moment in response to Fermo’s question. When I looked at the mini-map out of the corner of my eye, I saw that there were too many areas that had not been revealed yet.

However, it was impossible to reveal all maps due to time constraints.

Now, it was not strange for the Sigurdians to attack at any time. At a time like this, it was too risky to go around claiming to reveal the entire map.

Gilbert made a decision.

“Have you seen all the places where Sigudrians can infiltrate?”

“There is still one place left. Because the terrain is a valley, it is hard to see even from the guard tower.”

“Then we’ll just look around there and then withdraw.”

“I understand!”

Leila called the guides, Johnson and Roel, and ordered them to guide the way to the valley.

Is it because he knew that the enemy was just around the corner?

Unlike before, the march continued without making a sound. Johnson and Roel, who had been shy and fussy, also carefully led the way with a stern expression on their faces.

After moving forward for about two hours, we were finally able to reach the valley, our goal.

Gilbert called Leila again this time and ordered her to search her surroundings.

However, perhaps because it was a valley, we could not find any significant traces. Further searches seemed pointless because advancing along the valley could have erased any traces in the waterway.

“I’m going back.”

As soon as Gilbert confirmed that the map near the valley had been revealed, he ordered a withdrawal. It was obvious that the search party members were already exhausted from the long march, but rest in a place like this was actually poison.

On the way back to Wiesbark, no one opened their mouths.

When the gates of Wiesbark were finally visible, long-held sighs of relief burst out here and there.

“You’re so rude. I was so nervous that I almost got tired of it.”

“You idiot. The foul smell is spreading all the way to here. What kind of groundwork are you laying down?”

“What are you, you idiot?”

Johnson and Roel, who were at the forefront, began to argue again.

The search team members were finally able to realize that they had entered a safe zone.

“These bastards are real! Stop embarrassing the unit and please just shut up and go!”

Laella’s eyes rolled back when she saw the two people humiliating the unit in front of Gilbert. She was so anxious to show only her good side that she vowed that when she returned to her unit, she would immediately rip those two bastards out.

But when she realized that she had also said something harsh in front of Gilbert, she flinched and looked at his eyes. No matter how bratty she was, she wanted to act like a gentle sheep in front of Gilbert.

She knew it didn’t suit her, but she only wanted to show her good side to the person she cared about.

But in reality, Gilbert felt a strange sense of nostalgia from that sight.

This was because traces of her fallen comrade from long ago could be found on her.

Like Leila, she was quite foul-mouthed. She mercilessly punched guys who crossed the line.

But she cared for her colleagues more than anyone else.

It is now a faded memory, but Gilbert, who was able to look at that memory for the first time in a long time, smiled faintly.

Watching the three bickering, Gilbert returned to the mansion and began discussing the results of the search with Fermo. Among the facts discovered by participating in this search, the most notable thing was that their reconnaissance reached the vicinity of Wiesbark.

“Lord Fermo.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“When do you think the Sigurdians will attack?”

The fact that they took the risk to come here meant that they would soon take action. It may be difficult to determine the exact time, but we had to estimate it roughly.

“When comparing their situation with today’s search results, I think it will be tomorrow at the shortest. This week at the longest.”

“I see.”

Gilbert also had the same opinion as Fermo. Considering the reason why the Sigurdians decided to go to war, it would not have been surprising if they invaded right now.

However, the reason they did not attack recklessly was because the life and death of the tribal alliance was at stake in this war.

For the Sigurdians, defeat was a path leading to the destruction of the tribal union.

If we were to be defeated while deciding to completely separate from the empire, we would have to face the worst possible situation of not only having to deal with food shortages, but also having to deal with the wrath of the empire.

And of course, what remains at the end is extinction.

“The one elected as warchief belongs to the Vanir tribe, which is said to be the most powerful in Sigurd’s tribal union.”

“Are you gathering information?”

“It was just necessary.”

Fermo was speechless for a moment. It was keenly felt that Gilbert had changed since he became commander-in-chief.

It was not unusual for his frivolous words and actions to change to those of a noble family’s master. Even Fermo was surprised to see that he took the lead in training that even knights avoided.

But what surprised me the most was the sharp insight and preparedness just like before. Although Fermo did not believe that people could change, he did not consider it impossible.

I haven’t seen such a specimen until now, but there could be someone like that somewhere.

But that and this were different issues. The keen insight and preparation for war that Gilbert sometimes shows was like seeing an experienced soldier.

The ability to establish a plan is objectively lacking, but isn’t Fermo himself the one who exists for that time?

Ultimately, the decision rests with Gilbert, the commander-in-chief, but he has never made a wrong decision so far.

Although participation in this search party was a conflict of opinion with Fermo, what Gilbert said also made sense. I just had a different opinion with Fermo.

And now Fermo was once again surprised by Gilbert. His accurate understanding of the Sigurdians’ power structure was enough to surprise him.

At the same time, I felt like I knew why he had asked to be delegated full authority over this war. I don’t know how much information he has gathered, but he probably knows more about the Sigurdians than anyone else in the House of Hart.

“Then this time I will ask you. Gilbert, when do you expect Sigurd’s tribal alliance to attack?”

“Two days later.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Let’s call it persimmon.”

Fermo had a feeling that the eldest master of the Hart family knew something more, but he did not inquire.

Instead, we only judge the information he released.

“I’ll prepare it in two days.”

“I understand.”

“Then I will leave now.”

When Fermo went out, the breath he had been holding in came out of Gilbert’s mouth.

He washed his face with both hands and glared at the notification message that appeared while he was talking with Fermo.

[There are two days left until the main scenario Sigurdian Attack begins.]

The countdown to war has begun.