Chapter 5 I Didn't Intend to Step Forward (3)
As has already been mentioned once before, the Glockner family thought of Ernst as an idiot.
But this fact was, paradoxically, the most important reason Ernst had been able to stay alive until now.
Because he was an idiot, he was not considered a competitor in the war for succession.
The succession war of a renowned family.
It was a common occurrence, one that also existed in Roden's past life.
The descendants of a renowned family fighting a fierce, bloody battle to become the head of the family.
So, Roden couldn't help but know well how to survive in such a situation.
To lie low so as not to stick out like an awl in a pocket.
There was no better strategy than this to preserve one's life in a succession war.
Even though he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol even once after being possessed, Roden's deliberate mention of wanting to receive good alcohol in his conversation with Havier was part of this strategy.
‘I must remain as the idiot Ernst as much as possible. There's no better way to survive than this.’
Of course, if Roden had other abilities, he might have considered becoming the winner of the succession war.
But looking at it coldly, Roden had no such ability.
His talent as a knight, which had made Ernst the troublemaker of the family, was not even worth mentioning, and the same went for his mana affinity.
‘How can my mana affinity be lower than in my past life?’
This body, surprisingly, had no mana affinity whatsoever.
In other words, it meant that Roden could not even become a 1-Circle mage like in the past.
‘It's not like I have strong backing either.’
It might have been different if he had any other factor that could help him become the head of the family, but Ernst was not born with even that.
It was not for nothing that he had been completely excluded from the succession war.
And this was the reason Roden had decided to focus on surviving by remaining as the idiot Ernst.
Of course, someone might ask if he couldn't try to become the winner of the succession war using Roden's innate genius brain.
But Roden was skeptical about this possibility.
He couldn't help it.
Because the end for Roden, who had used this ability to gain the greatest honor and power obtainable as a 1-Circle mage, was betrayal and death.
In the end, Roden's thought was that honor and power not accompanied by strength were not real.
A knight had to meet the minimum requirements as a knight, and a mage as a mage.
If not, they would eventually be used up and become nothing more than a tool to be disposed of.
So, there was no reason to jump into the succession war and lose his precious life again.
It was better to use this opportunity for something he really wanted to do.
And for Roden, that was,
‘To read the books I couldn't read in my past life and do the research I couldn't finish.’
Roden realized one important fact after waking up in Ernst's body.
It was the fact that there was a type of book he had never read before.
They were books written for and read by knights, such as swordsmanship manuals or swordsmanship theory books.
‘Why didn't I realize this fact before I died?’
It was a surprising discovery for Roden, enough to make him think this.
Of course, the Roden of his past life had good reason not to think of such things.
He was ceaselessly busy just reading the collection held by the Penitudo Magic Tower, the continent's greatest magic tower, and solving the research tasks that arose from it.
For reference, the Penitudo Magic Tower still maintained its position as the best on the continent even after 100 years.
Of course, Yusupa was no longer the tower master.
Yusupa had even killed his closest friend because of his lust for power, but even this lust for power could not overcome the passage of time.
Yusupa was known to have died about 60 years ago.
And he was praised as the most respected figure among all the Penitudo tower masters in history.
It was because he was the only person who had discovered the greatest magic theorist in the continent's history, Roden, newly established the foundations of magic, and reached the sublime stage of 10-Circle.
‘Yusupa at 10-Circle.’
Roden was extremely surprised to confirm this fact while looking into the Penitudo Magic Tower and Yusupa.
Because the image of Yusupa, who had felt a great limit at 9-Circle right before Roden's death and had not been able to make any further magical progress, was as vivid as if it were a memory from yesterday.
‘Could it be that he completed the research on mana affinity that I couldn't finish in the end?’
If so, it was a possibility.
Because if one purified their mana and increased their mana affinity, it was not impossible to reach the stage of 10-Circle.
Of course, an epiphany had to accompany the rise in level, but one never knew.
He might have gained an epiphany while completing Roden's final research.
Anyway, the important fact was that the Penitudo Magic Tower still maintained its position as the best on the continent to this day.
And since Roden had delved into research in such a place, it was only natural that he couldn't think of books like swordsmanship manuals or swordsmanship theory books.
But after being possessed, he was reminded of the existence of such books again, and for a print addict like Roden, it was a pleasure he absolutely couldn't miss.
‘Because of that damn thing called an operation meeting, I couldn't even make time to read, so when I go back, I must seize the opportunity to read voraciously all the more.’
Reading books while on the move like now was not bad either, but it was not an easy thing to do if he wanted to maintain Ernst's image.
It was also difficult to get books because it was wartime.
It was because this fellow, Ernst, as if he had been enemies with books in his past life, did not keep even a common book on military strategy in his barracks.
‘Come to think of it, getting books is also a problem. Should I discreetly ask Chevalier?’
Deputy Platoon Leader Chevalier, who looked sincere at a glance, seemed like he would have a few books even during a war.
And so, Roden organized his thoughts on borrowing books from Chevalier and looked forward to returning to the main force.
***
Fortunately, no incidents occurred until the 2nd Transport Unit delivered the supplies to the main battalion.
And so, the 2nd Transport Unit finished the supply operation and took a short break at the main battalion's garrison base.
The schedule was to rest for exactly one day and then return to the transport battalion early the next morning.
It was a much more comfortable schedule in that it was not a matter of moving supplies, but it could not be taken lightly.
It was because they had to transport the prisoners they had captured this time along with the prisoners the main battalion had been holding.
They also had to take on the role of taking the wounded who had occurred in the main battalion.
In some ways, it felt like the burden they had to carry had increased.
For that reason, a full day of rest to relieve the fatigue of battle was essential.
The saving grace was the fact that the treatment at the main battalion was not bad.
It couldn't be helped.
From the main battalion's perspective, it was the arrival of supplies like a welcome rain in a drought.
‘Perhaps that's why cheers erupted from the mouths of the main battalion's soldiers when the 2nd Transport Unit arrived at the garrison base.’
And this joy also affected the treatment of the 2nd Transport Unit.
The proof was that Roden got to stay in a barracks much larger than his original one.
“This is the barracks I was using, please use it comfortably. It's spacious compared to the other barracks here, so you won't have any inconvenience using it.”
“Then what about you?”
“Ah. Please don't worry about me. I've arranged to share the barracks of the platoon next door for a day.”
As such, the barracks was one that the 1st Infantry Platoon Leader of the main battalion had been using.
It was a bit burdensome to receive and use a barracks that someone else had been using, but seeing as a similar experience remained in Ernst's memory, it seemed to be the culture of the Allied Forces.
Thanks to that, Roden was able to relieve the fatigue of the supply operation in a much better environment.
And so, after the original owner left, it was when Roden sat on the hard military cot and was just about to look around the barracks.
Unexpectedly, someone's voice was heard from outside the barracks.
“Platoon Leader. It's Chevalier. May I come in?”
“Uh. Come in.”
In the hands of Chevalier, who revealed himself, was a bottle of alcohol.
“What? What's going on?”
“The Company Commander gave me a bottle of whiskey to deliver to the Platoon Leader, so I brought it. He said it might not be as good as a formal reward, but it's quite a decent drink.”
“Ah. It seems he didn't forget what I asked for. Good. Leave it over there.”
“Aren't you going to drink it now? I was hoping to get a glass too, if you don't mind.”
“Ah, really? Then I'll have to pour you one. Bring it over here.”
Chevalier followed the order and handed the whiskey to Roden.
It was whiskey in a military canteen.
Perhaps because it was of quite good quality, a diverse aroma tickled the tip of his nose as soon as he opened the canteen's lid.
He would have to drink it to know for sure, but it seemed to be a fruity type of whiskey.
In his past life, Roden had also been quite fond of alcohol.
Having a glass of good alcohol and reading a third-rate novel after finishing an important research project was an important hobby of Roden's.
Of course, Roden was very fond of even third-rate novels.
It was only natural, as he did not discriminate when it came to books.
And so Roden, who had determined it was a decent whiskey by its scent alone, filled the glass Chevalier had prepared in advance to the brim.
Chevalier watched it quietly, then gulped down the alcohol in the glass in one go.
It had to be at least 40 proof, but he didn't make a sound or even frown once, which made him seem like a true knight.
Chevalier held out the cleanly emptied glass to Roden.
“I will pour you a glass as well.”
But Roden shook his head.
It had been a fortnight since Roden had possessed this body while carrying out the supply operation, but he felt that the effects of the alcohol had not completely worn off yet.
It was a passage that showed just how much Ernst had lived soaked in alcohol.
“It's fine. I'll drink it separately later.”
“…Is that so? Understood. I will be going now.”
Chevalier seemed curious as to why Roden was refusing the alcohol, but he left the barracks without adding any other words.
Roden watched his back and thought.
‘Hmm. Should I have just drunk the whiskey? For the sake of the act?’
But he soon shook his head.
‘No. If I had drunk the whiskey like Chevalier here, it would have been a blow to my body, which is just barely getting better. Even if the people around me feel a slight strangeness, it's right to avoid alcohol for a while. It's not like the idiot image will disappear just because I don't drink a single glass of alcohol.’
Having organized his thoughts like this, Roden set the whiskey aside and began to inspect the inside of the barracks once again.
In the midst of that, Roden's eyes sparkled and shone.
It couldn't be helped, as there were a few books neatly arranged on one side of the barracks.
What's more, among them,
“Mediale Kingdom Swordsmanship Manual?”
was a book with this title next to a book on military strategy.
Roden, who had not succumbed to the temptation of whiskey, stood up from his seat as if possessed and opened the book called <Mediale Kingdom Swordsmanship Manual>.
At the same time,
Pyuuuuuuuuung!
Inside the barracks, an intense light enveloped Roden.
***
A moment later.
After the light disappeared, Roden muttered.
“Why do I... feel like I can perform the Mediale Kingdom's swordsmanship?”