A Peaceful Land of the Orcs (6.3)
This piece was composed in a way that meant that the sound of marching boots was also considered part of the music.
Thus, during the review ceremony, there was no flag-raising. Instead, the reviewed troops begin their march into the parade ground as soon as the music starts, led at the very front by a soldier carrying the national flag. It is customary for the guests to remain standing until this flag has passed.
A white field with thick black horizontal bands at the top and bottom, and a leaping boar slightly to the left of center.
It was the national flag of Orcsen.
For the sake of appearance, a flag bearer with an especially large physique was chosen from the brigade to hold it high as they entered.
Following behind were the brigade flag, the mounted brigade commander Dineluth, and the brigade staff.
Behind them, the entire reviewed unit followed.
The flag of the Anfaughlia Brigade, like those of many Orcsen military units, had a black background.
However, while most bore either the leaping boar from the national flag or a pair of crossed tusks in white, Anfaughlia was different. In accordance with its namesake, its flag depicted a Great Wolf howling skyward.
Following that, the brigade’s main force—three cavalry regiments.
Each squadron of thirty-two riders formed two ranks, with four such squadrons aligned in depth, creating a dense marching formation based on cavalry combat units: a column of 159 riders per cavalry company.
The Anfaughlia Brigade had three cavalry regiments, each composed of six such companies, totaling eighteen companies. Including the headquarters for each regiment, this amounted to 2,952 personnel and 2,877 horses.
All of them wore black bearskin caps, ribbed uniforms trimmed with silver embroidery and decorative lines, and cavalry-style military trousers.
They looked like a surging tide, a black torrent, a tsunami.
“Ohh…”
Gasps of admiration and exclamations of awe escaped from the assembled spectators.
Though their horses were not uniformly colored, the mount of Dineluth Andariel, who led the formation and saluted Gustav with her saber, was truly a sight to behold.
A gleaming blue roan with a diamond-shaped white marking stretching from its forehead down its nose.
Among the Messara horses brought to the brigade, it was deemed the most beautiful, yet also the most powerful and enduring—a mare with unparalleled stamina and unwavering spirit. By unanimous agreement among the brigade members, it was decided that Dineluth would ride her.
Dineluth herself felt a little self-conscious about this honor, but to her subordinates, it was a rightful tribute to the hardships she had endured, from their harrowing escape to the present day.
She had named this remarkable horse Shili.
Adorning her military cap was the great eagle feather gifted to her by Rainders.
With that and her majestic steed, she appeared almost like a figure from myth and legend—someone whose presence commanded attention.
Dineluth was beautiful by nature.
Not in the delicate, refined sense of a sheltered noblewoman, but with an unyielding and resolute gaze, strong brows, and a tall, lithe frame full of both power and grace—she was the epitome of wild beauty.
As the nearly three thousand cavalrymen following her successively raised their sabers and passed before King Gustav, the ceremony reached its climax.
The shimmering forest of sabers, lifted in unison under the sunlight, was breathtaking and grand. Yet at the same time, it evoked a certain menace—a reminder of the terrible power this unit possessed.
Fifty years had passed since the Dutone War.
Despite rapid advancements in firearms, cavalry was still regarded as a strategic military arm.
Many believed that cavalry charges still determined the fate of battle. For those who held such views, a force of three thousand was not only a magnificent display of martial might but also an undeniable threat. The eyes of the human nations' military attachés observing the scene were sharp with scrutiny.
The music changed.
A lively prelude dominated by fifes and drums blended with the sound of brass instruments.
The Army’s official march, "Ah, Our King."
Composed during the Dutone War, this stirring piece was written to honor Gustav.
Apparently, Gustav himself had once remarked that while the melody was fine, the title left much to be desired. From what was said, his expression suggested he wanted no part of it, which Dineluth—who had begun to understand his personality—found unsurprising.
That said, the song itself was indeed excellent.
To its stirring rhythm, the cavalry regiments marched counterclockwise around the parade ground.
Following behind them appeared the mountain ranger regiment.
A total of 2,096 soldiers.
Their formation consisted of tightly packed marching columns, with companies arranged in double ranks and further grouped by battalion.
Like the cavalry, they too wore black with silver embroidery. However, instead of ribbed uniforms, the officers donned double-breasted jackets, while the enlisted soldiers wore single-breasted ones, with a relatively simple aesthetic.
Yet there was one key distinction that set them apart from the Orcsen Army’s standard mountain troops—they all wore cylindrical military caps with brims.
These hats resembled the Glorieux style but were made of felt with no internal frame. The crown was taller than the sides, with a stitched ridge along the front to help maintain its shape—an unusual but functional design.
This style was chosen after much trial and error to ensure it did not interfere with their pointed ears while remaining practical for mountainous terrain. Additionally, every soldier bore a metal insignia on the left side, shaped like the silver leaf of the Dark Elf Tree, marking them as members of the Dark Elf Corps.
Their short cloaks, made of wool and featuring hoods, were inspired by traditional ethnic garments.
At their right hips, in addition to bayonets, they carried large, curved mountain knives in leather sheaths—machete-like blades with distinctive, curved handles, unique to their people.
Despite the extreme hardships of their escape across the Sylvan River, each and every one of them had clung to these weapons, which were invaluable for clearing brush, cutting, and survival in the wild. To them, these blades were indispensable for life in the mountains, and so they had been adopted as official military equipment.
Their primary weapons were short rifles.
These were about the same length as cavalry carbines, but unlike cavalry weapons—which lacked bayonet mounts—these rifles were designed for fixed bayonets.
Additionally, one soldier per squad carried a longer Gewehr 74 rifle instead.
These were elite sharpshooters, selected for their exceptional marksmanship, who utilized their Dark Elven traits for long-range shooting and sniping.
"Squad leaders, right!"
While not exclusive to the rangers, soldiers carrying firearms in the military performed a distinct type of salute.
At the command, they demonstrated their respect to the recipient—in this case, King Gustav—by turning their heads sharply to the right in unison.
This was the same action the cavalry had performed when raising their sabers, and the ranger officers did likewise.
Flag bearers, meanwhile, lowered their banners horizontally in salute. In the case of the Anfaughlia Rangers, this included the regimental flag and the three battalion flags.
The march of the ranger regiment left a strong impression on the attendees.
The Orcsen military forces that most of them were familiar with tended to have noticeably shorter, stouter legs.
Their marching was characterized by a distinct sense of weight and power, often accompanied by actual tremors through the ground. However, it lacked grace or grandeur. Anfaughlia, by contrast, had both.
The fact that the entire regiment was female played a role, but more than that, it was a matter of silhouette. The Dark Elves, as a race, had long legs. Seeing them march in perfect sync made it clear that they brought something unique to the country’s military.
The next song began.
Without an elaborate prelude, the lively melody of "March On, Soldiers" erupted.
Its lyrics were rather amusing.
When soldiers march forward
They hesitate and yell at each other
March on!
What?
March on!
What?
I can't hear you!
Say it again!
Never mind, just march!
March on!
Clomp and tap, tap and thud
Even if I don’t get it, whatever
Clomp and tap, tap and thud
For that dear girl, I’ll march on
What do you think about this chapter?
