As Granbell was leaning down a bit barely holding himself from not puking the knights were glancing non enthusiastically at him 

“Are you alright young lord” Elienne asked leaning down next to him and handing him a tissue

“Yes thank you..” What am i.. a lady no- Bleegh fuck i hate this smell

With a frown he put the tissue around his face covering the nose

“Let's continue now, young lord.” Eliyenne said standing up and leading the way forward between the military tents and injured knights on the ground

“Yeah.. Let us continue.” He said following her taking a glance around he saw a small group of knights who were more enthusiastic than others

“One two one two come on come on faster” He recognized the yell as the same on he heard from the tent so he glanced at them

What's with them,are they crazy or simply acting?

…

They were jumping around squatting and doing push ups, it looked yet it wasn't a military training and Granbell was aware of it 

“They are the rose mercenary band, highly skilled militants,mercenaries or assassins, well anything you want them to be really” Eliyenne said putting her hands behind her back as she stopped and looked at them while Granbell asked “Circusants too from what I can see?”

As Eliyenne wanted to answer a yell came “Now now bro,dont be like that! If no one wants then we will raise morale as well! COME ON ARE WE HERE FOR A WAR OR A FUNERAL!?”

He yelled, shaking his hands upwards and his band yelled back “WAR!” Meanwhile the other knights gave them a dirty look not wanting to acknowledge them “.. Bunch of whiny pussies.”

He was a short, maybe a 150 centimeters man with yellow hair and crystal clear eyes on his hips were two hammers and on his left hip a small leather bag. His uniform of leather with a rose on the left side of chest, just as every other knight in his band had one. The only special thing with him were black gloves.

“Besides my bro my bro! We are the reason you weren't killed in your sleep eh?” He said with a grinning smile and Eliyenne looked away while Granbell confused asked “What?”

“Look around for a bit will ya? It's a war, the knights have had it. Diseases and blood wounds and death are the only thing that awaits them every single day they awake.”

As Granbell looked around he understood what the man was trying to say as everyone was giving them dirty death glances,some just outright stared 

“No harlots , no gambling and no food. And who are they fighting the war for?” Granbell turning his head to the short guy saying “Nobility”

The short guy laughed and turned around to his bands “He at least gets it Gahha, not all brats would accept that fact!”

His band laughed in unison with him, not because they really wanted to it was more of a laugh because you maybe,no you probably won't see the next day to come

“Well it's not my fault. They are fighting for the Rose nobility. The Emperor. Not me or Lugek… And”

“Ask them if they care, nobility is nobility for them. In these two days you slept, there were five assailants we apprehended!”

Fi.. FIVE!? God if it continues like that Tychea will be right without even being right like what? Come onnnn what did i do to you fucking knights!?

Well not like they can be called knights in the first place.. They are peasants however you look at them you can't convince me otherwise!

He started walking as he said “Going to the strategy room right? I'll tag along. Come on. BAND CONTINUE THE TRAINING”

“YES SER!”

Eliyenne and Granbell followed after him and they continued making their way towards the centre

“Im Thargad godwison” The short guy said “Granbell Lugek” Granbell answered

“Nice to meet ya kiddo”

“Who's telling the kid to who..” Granbell said jokingly looking down at him “Gahahah you have right, your a tall one! Just you wait though ill be as tall as you soon!”

"I dont think old people can become taller though. Unless some kind of magic is used.." He said

"HEY! Im sixteen just so you know!!"

He is!? He looks forty

"WHAT!? YOU ARE!?" Granbell asked flabergasted

"YES I AM!"

"Crazy... Anyway"

Eliyenne was quietly following behind them not saying much 

“So was it always like this? or does it have to do something with those Counter offensives i heard about?”

“Depends, what did you hear?”

“Passage.. pa.. What was it again Eliyenne?”

“The key position of river crey and the forest passage jeroint towards the Friula front”

“Gahahha do you always need a maid to tell you stuff like that?”

“No..” IT'S MY FIRST TIME IN A WAR OKAY? Fuck off. Well I wish I could tell him that. Hey it's nice not having to worry about mind readers. Alone with my sweet thoughts!

“Well you're partially right. The one big thing you misunderstood was that it was a counter offensive. It was simply an offense.”

“Huh, What do you mean”

“What I mean is that for the two years we were here,not a single time have we taken action towards the enemy, an offensive. Nothing, we were just sitting around waiting for aid and hoping for the war to end” He continued “Now they call it counteroffensive because for the first time in two years the enemy finally took  two key positions we were defending. NOW don't get me wrong, we LOST A LOT of other positions. These two were simply incredibly important. So important it could end the war. And I mean in their victory.” He said his face changed from smiling to pure anger “Because of that old fart so many of my comrades died… If i could just fucking lay my hands on him ID FU”

“HEY, Do not talk about my General and master like that” Eliyenne said with sharp tone and eyes

Wait.. Two years? So he came to war with fourteen years? Damn..

He breathed a few times and calmed “Right,right.”

“Besides its not his fault, the orders are to defe”

“FUCK THE ORDERS ELIYENNE, WE ARE LOSING HARD! WE MAY AS WELL FUCKING DESERT IF IT CONTINUES LIKE THIS” His yells echoing through the vast and big military camp and scaring Granbell a bit making him flinch 

Gee chill old or well.. young man?? He is young yet looks and acts old! Confusing well hes bratty so i guess he acts like a kid too.. When i was his age id play games. Not like we are that many years apart.. Only one but still

Eliyenne stood and looked at him shaking a bit because she also got scared, the soldiers around them nodded a bit agreeing with Thargad “Who ever is giving those orders is either mad crazy or mad fucking corrupt”

“It's Roland, the chancellor of the Empire. And if you continue like this you will be marked as a spy or a traitor to the throne and charged for treason. You know that they-” Her shaking and scared voice was stopped by Granbell as she was looking around in fear

“No no, he has a right. That Roland guy, he gave orders for me to go to the newly opened front of Regalla with only three mercenary bodyguards. And then to await for new orders”

Thargad opened his eyes wide open and his mouth ganged open not saying much

“Regalla?”

Huh what's with him “Yeah Regalla.”

“I see.. I did hear rumours about a bastard…  To think they are true…” He mumbled quietly under his chin

“You said something?” Hmph im the real heir. But you don't know so why would i argue

“No no, not really..”

Eliyenne continued looking around in fear as if searching for someone “Eliyenne, Eliyenneeee” she flinched “Huh oh yeah what is it young lord?”

“You alright?” She smiled “Yeah, I'm fine, young lord.” 

“Good let's continue”

Spies or assassins? Granbell thought looking around

 Which are you worried about…