Chapter 32
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Chapter 32: Survey of Magic Energy
Erika Mia’s scheduled week-long experience with the basic troops had ended, but she requested to stay a bit longer. She wanted to wait until the Siege of Sennerburg was over before returning.
At first, she joined solely for the battles. But now, besides focusing on fighting, she also learns small battlefield knowledge from the sergeant Liszt, things that are not taught in textbooks.
In the war camp, soldiers often have a black market, where they exchange looted goods or captured treasures.
Soldiers love fighting alongside the Saxon troops because wherever they go, the Saxons carry brewing equipment. Even though their alcohol sometimes causes blindness, it’s the only drink available on the battlefield.
Some Bohemian soldiers in the Austrian army hang a curved iron piece in front of their tents, indicating they are blacksmiths. You can find some iron on the battlefield to give them and get an iron pot in return. Then, you can find those who handle battlefield logistics to send the pot back home.
The Danes gossip the most and are well-informed. Treating them to good food might lead to hearing interesting news from home.
Compared to the war frenzy, ordinary soldiers mainly wish for a happy life with their families rather than being fiercely loyal to the king.
Erika Mia thinks the current regulations in the Prussian army are too strict. Soldiers should be provided with drinks – whether alcohol or coffee – to boost morale. The army should also organize official logistics so soldiers can send letters and items home, something currently only privileged officers can do. The army should publish a newspaper for soldiers on the frontlines to stay informed about happenings at home, rather than relying on unreliable rumors.
When Erika Mia shared these ideas with Liszt, he mentioned that the superiors wouldn’t agree, especially not the commanding officers.
"Why wouldn’t they agree? I think these ideas could enhance the troops’ combat effectiveness."
Liszt said he knew his superiors would definitely not agree. Those noble military officers, Junker officers, seemed very traditional and resistant to any changes. They preferred to follow the old ways just like their ancestors, especially when it came to firearms.
In the past two years, the military has been equipping the troops with Dreyse needle guns and Mauser rifles for the cavalry, all of them breech-loading. Liszt thought the new guns were great, but his superiors complained multiple times about receiving what they considered junk weapons from the military.
During the war against Denmark, the military took back all the modern weapons and issued old equipment again. Liszt’s superiors were ecstatic to the point of sleeplessness, eagerly welcoming the return to muzzle-loading rifles. They believed that the deep sound of the front-loading rifles was the weapon of a true man, while breech-loading rifles were only for cowards.
Apart from being traditional, there was also a stubborn attachment to privilege. Nobles and Junker officers enjoyed the feeling of privilege and didn’t want lower-ranking soldiers to have the same freedoms, like writing letters to their families, drinking alcohol, reading newspapers, or even keeping diaries – the commander of the Ninth Division even forbid his subordinates from keeping diaries.
"Your Highness, I think your idea is excellent and beneficial for us common people, but I doubt it can ever be realized," Liszt said.
Erika Mia snorted disdainfully at those conservative insects. If she became a commander, she would always provide her soldiers with the best and most perfect treatment. Those insects refused to change, but she would force the change, just like her uncle did.
Liszt shook his head slightly and with a complicated expression, returned to his own tent.
He was now staying in the tent of a lieutenant in the Austrian army, which was quite cozy. It had a comfortable bed, a wooden stool, a small cabinet, and Liszt even found a damaged pocket watch and a bag of silver coins. If the Austrian burial team didn’t come for them, then these belongings would become his.
After the war, Liszt planned to have the pocket watch repaired at a watchmaker’s shop for a Taler coin, and then sell it as a 90% new item.
He threw the old mattress to the side, laid out his marching blanket, sat down and looked at his broken pocket watch. Not knowing much about machinery, he would sit and stare for a while every night before bed, clearing his mind…
When the brazier extinguished and the last bit of light disappeared, he naturally lay down to sleep.
Heavy footsteps were heard outside the tent, many people approached. Liszt immediately stood up and reached for his sword, thinking it might be the Austrians causing trouble.
To his surprise, he saw a group…dressed in Prussian blue uniforms and strange figures in white coats on the outside, the doctor’s uniforms should’ve been all white.
"We are staff from the Special Statistics Office of the Ministry of National Defense, here are our credentials."
Liszt squinted slightly, leaned forward to take a closer look, everything seemed fine.
"Gather all your troops now, we are conducting a statistical survey."
It was already 9 PM, Liszt scratched his ear, wondering what the big shots were up to now, quickly rousing the soldiers.
The 97 members of the Dragon Cavalry Reconnaissance Company of the Ninth Division of the Defense Army assembled and were led by the mysterious people in white coats to a carriage, Princess Erika Mia also came out to join the commotion.
The soldiers looked at the strange things in the carriage and talked about it. Inside, there was a round plate, with many things that looked like copper wires and iron blocks… they couldn’t understand it.
The doctor in white coat told the soldiers to approach one by one, and do push-ups in the gap between the copper wires and magnets. They had to do twenty quickly.
The soldiers followed the instructions one by one. Some white coat doctors watched the pointer, some touched the copper wires, and a few wrote notes in a small book.
The princess said she wanted to try too. After a few push-ups, the copper wires turned red, and one white coat doctor got burned and started yelling.
The things on the carriage were based on a discovery by the chief academician of the Academy of Sciences, Faraday. It was a magic energy detector created through the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction, with a scale standard of level ten for the prince regent, while members of the Teutonic Knights were mostly between levels six and seven.
In early 1841, the Prussia Ministry of National Defense began a nationwide survey of magic energy among the population. The results were astonishing – over fifty percent of humans had magic energy, but most were too weak to notice it themselves, and even Magic Energy Knights couldn’t detect it.
The experiment results showed that having a level two magic energy could significantly enhance overall physical abilities, strength, endurance, agility, post-injury healing, and disease resistance compared to ordinary people. However, before the invention of the magic energy detector, people didn’t categorize individuals of this level as Magic Energy Users.
For example, Prime Minister Mrs. Bismarck always thought she didn’t have magic energy, but she actually had a level two. This was why her physical condition was better than ordinary women, even though she was unaware of it, as were those around her. No Magic Energy Knight could detect it, only the device could.
The ongoing magic energy survey aims to find those hidden German superhumans and select the most loyal 2-4 level Magic Energy Users to expand the royal guard troops.
As for Magic Energy Users of level four and higher, they were discovered long ago. Humans can sense those of level four and above. For example, Mantofel, a short person, thought he had a weak magic energy, but really, being at level five already made him average among humans.
The magic energy survey of the Ninth Division’s Dragon Cavalry Reconnaissance Unit concluded, revealing 55 individuals with magic energy. However, only three of them met the requirements to join the new Royal Guard.
The doctors in white coats said to Captain Liszt, "You can sign up for the Royal Guard. If you pass the interview, you can go over there."
Liszt thought it wouldn’t be bad to join the Royal Guard. He heard they had better treatment and higher pay. But he felt his enthusiasm level didn’t meet the requirements. He wasn’t sure if he could get selected. Huh? Why was he suddenly invited to join the Royal Guard?
None of the soldiers knew why they were being disturbed in the middle of the night, and the doctors in white coats didn’t inform them about the magic energy survey.
In the soldiers’ eyes, this was another confusing order from their superiors.
The nationwide magic energy survey was carried out under the guise of a health check-up. There were only fifteen magic energy detection devices, and the secret police kept a close watch throughout the process. Only a few people knew the truth.
Liszt and the other two soldiers invited to join the Royal Guard had no idea they possessed magic energy levels two to four. The sudden invitation from the doctors in white coats was quite puzzling.
This was just a small incident in the life of the battlefield, and no one paid much attention. Everyone soon went back to their respective beds and fell back asleep peacefully.
