Inside the canvas tent, a huge map of the grassland was spread out on the wooden table in the center, with the movements of the legions and the location of the orc remnants marked in red pen.
Paul raised his hand to the sword at his waist, his voice filled with suppressed anger: " Olfina! Eileen! What are you doing here? Our battle with the orcs is not over yet, and we could be ambushed at any moment. Don't you know how dangerous this place is?"
Olfina wasn't intimidated by his imposing manner. Instead, she straightened her back, gave a solemn military salute, and then took out a neatly folded letter from her bosom and handed it to Paul: " Lord Glaeman, please take a look at this first."
Paul frowned as he took the document, unfolded it, and saw the signature of Logistics Minister Ron, along with the clearly written words: "Order Logistics Officer Olfina..." "Glaeman escorted medical supplies such as ether to the front line to assist in medical work," the seal at the end is very clear.
"I am a member of the logistics department," Olfina said calmly but firmly. "I am not here on my own; I am here on orders to escort medicine. As the commander, you should know how much suffering these seriously wounded soldiers can endure during surgery with this ether, and even save their lives."
Paul's gaze lingered on the order for a moment, and the reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue suddenly caught in his throat.
He opened his mouth, but could only sigh heavily in the end, gathering all his pent-up anger in his eyes as he turned to Eileen beside him.
Eileen, who had been smiling with a hint of amusement, froze on her face after Paul's stare. She still managed a forced, relaxed scratch, "Um... Paul, I've heard there are many ancient ruins on the grasslands, so I wanted to come and see for myself, and maybe lend a hand to Olfina..."
"Give me a hand?" Paul's voice suddenly rose, causing the tent canvas to tremble slightly. "This is a battlefield, not your playground for searching for ancient ruins! If we encounter orc stragglers, who can protect you? If something happens, how am I supposed to explain it to your sister?"
Paul glared at Olfina: "Are you just going to let her act like this?"
Olfina sighed helplessly: "She...sneaked out!"
"Outrageous! Do you think I would handle this as lightly as your father did?" Before Eileen could argue further, Paul shouted towards the outside of the tent, "Guards!"
The curtain was lifted, and two guards strode in. " What are your orders, Marquis?"
"Take her away and lock her up for three days. Let her reflect on her behavior!" Paul pointed at Eileen, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Eileen's relaxed expression vanished completely, and she quickly waved her hands, "No, Paul! I really know I was wrong, I'll never do it again! Three days of confinement is too much..."
"Execute the order!" Paul interrupted her.
The guards exchanged a glance, confirming that the Marquis was not joking, and immediately stepped forward to take Eileen's arms on either side.
"Let me go! Sister Olfina, save me! I really know I was wrong!"
Although Olfina felt reluctant, she thought that Eileen really needed to be taught a lesson, so she stood there without saying a word.
Eileen struggled and screamed, her voice fading into the distance as she was dragged out of the tent.
Once the shouts had completely faded outside the tent, the canvas curtain slowly fell, leaving only Paul and Olfina inside.
Paul's tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and the sternness in his tone was replaced by deep concern: "Did you encounter any danger on the way?"
Seeing the tension in his eyes, Olfina felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She nodded gently and told him the truth: "We encountered a group of Orc Cavalry, about two thousand people, near the dry riverbed, rushing towards the transport team."
"What?!" Paul grabbed her arm, his voice rising with excitement. "How did you handle it? Was anyone hurt?"
"The escort captain reacted quickly, having the wagons form a defensive formation. The soldiers used rifles and grenades to hold them off, and there were also two light cannons providing support. In the end, they repelled the orcs."
Olfina patted his hand reassuringly, "Only a few infantrymen suffered minor injuries. The supplies and we are all fine, so don't worry."
Paul breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help raising his voice: "See? The reason I was angry just now is because the supply line is too dangerous!"
He walked to the map and pointed to the location of the supply depot. " Abar can't beat us, so they've set their sights on the supply lines. They've launched several attacks in the last two weeks, causing heavy casualties to three transport teams and stealing a lot of their supplies."
He turned to look at Olfina, his voice filled with lingering fear, and said, "The thought of you and Eileen possibly encountering this situation on the road sends chills down my spine. What if... what if something happened to you two? What am I supposed to do?"
Seeing his excited expression, Olfina felt a surge of emotion welling up inside her.
She stepped forward and gently took her husband's hand: "I will be more careful from now on."
He then asked, "Won't the frequent attacks on supply lines by the orcs cause problems for the frontline operations?"
Paul sighed. "The impact is huge. I originally planned to lead the army to pursue the remnants of Abar within a week, but now I have to detach nearly a third of the troops from the front line to patrol the rear, reinforce supply depots, and maintain the security of the supply lines. Without enough troops, the advance plan has to be postponed. Fortunately, Andrew arrived in time, and our troops are sufficient again, so we can advance on the orcs' stronghold again."
"Oh right, they're still in a meeting!" Thinking of this, he pressed Olfina down onto the cot: "You rest here for a while, I'll be back after the meeting." He then hurried toward the tent door.
Olfina's face showed a hint of resentment, and she could only let out a helpless hum.
When Paul returned, it was already dark outside the tent. The guards following behind him carried two steaming plates of dinner: roasted lamb, rye bread, and a small jar of berry jam—a lavish meal for an army camp.
The two enjoyed their dinner while chatting about the front lines and trivial matters in Lakeheart Town.
"I want to arrange a team to escort you and Eileen back to Lakeheart Town. The grasslands are dangerous after all, and I'm always worried about you staying here."
Olfina put down her fork and shook her head: "The front line needs troops right now. Sending a group of people to escort us will weaken our combat strength, and it will be dangerous on the road with fewer people. I'd rather stay. I was once a general in the Royal Army, and I can always contribute."
Paul wanted to persuade her further, but Olfina interrupted him: "Besides, if you force her to go back, she might run away again on the way. Keeping her here at least allows us to keep an eye on her and prevent her from causing any more trouble."
Paul paused for a moment, then nodded helplessly: "Alright, but you must promise me that you will not go near the front lines and will not take any more risks."
"I promise you." Olfina nodded with a smile.
Then, a sly glint flashed in her eyes. She stood up, leaned closer to Paul, and asked in a low, smiling voice, "By the way, do you have any [expiring ammunition] that you need me to help you dispose of?"