Chapter 4 – A Stepping Stone to the Future
1
Time passed like the wind. My days since coming to the Empire had been far busier than I’d imagined, and before I knew it, two months had gone by. Some days I spent training with my friends, other days I was carrying out orders for Princess Valtrune. Rain or shine, I was so busy I barely had a moment’s rest. And yet, I never once felt it was a hardship. As long as I could think, ‘I am doing this for Princess Valtrune,’ I didn’t feel tired at all. My days continued to be more fulfilling than any I had ever experienced.
Kingdom Calendar, Year 1241, June.
The Provisional Elite Corps, led by Princess Valtrune, was steadily expanding. Many capable commoners, led by Ritziareite, were appointed as soldiers, regardless of whether they were noble or commoner.
Petra, Ambros, Steano, Mia, and Fadi were all prime examples. Nobles were also being brought into the fold. Flegel was chosen to act as the liaison with our informants in the Kingdom, and many other sons and daughters of nobility were distinguishing themselves in both military and internal affairs.
This hand-picked group, this Provisional Elite Corps, would surely achieve wonderful results. —And yet, our numbers were still overwhelmingly small compared to the main Imperial army. While the total strength of the Imperial army was just under two million, the Provisional Elite Corps numbered only around thirty thousand. We had only just been established. We were expected to grow into an even larger organization in the future.
I surveyed the entire Provisional Elite Corps, and then spoke to the sovereign standing next to me.
“Your Highness, our battle preparations are complete. We can deploy at any time. What are your orders?”
We were currently deployed on a plain in Marquis Rigel’s territory, about to engage his army in an all-out confrontation. The reason was that Fadi had gathered proof of the Marquis’s crimes, and Princess Valtrune had reported them to the Emperor, Grode. This had set the stage for the Provisional Elite Corps’s first battle. I could recall that scene vividly.
“These accusations are groundless! Slander! I have done no such thing!”
Marquis Rigel denied any involvement, but thanks to a magical tool Princess Valtrune had given Fadi, we had successfully recorded video evidence of his illicit operations.
“Even after seeing this, you still refuse to admit your guilt? Confess your crimes gracefully.”
Cowering at her words, Marquis Rigel looked as though he’d just swallowed a bug.
“I… I will not acknowledge such a thing! And furthermore, I will never recognize a little girl like you as a candidate for the throne!”
No one tried to stop him as he spat the filthy words and fled. We all just watched his pathetic, ugly retreat. At last, the Emperor, Grode, spoke quietly.
“Hah… Valtrune. You are to strike down Marquis Rigel. Pass judgment on him with your own hand.”
“As you command. I will see it done.”
Marquis Rigel fled back to his own domain and prepared for a hopeless siege. As a result, the Provisional Elite Corps’s first campaign became a decisive battle against Marquis Rigel’s army.
“Aldia, the army’s formation?”
“Yes. Our Provisional Elite Corps is positioned to surround the enemy. The main army, commanded by Your Highness, will slowly push the front line from the center. General Ritziareite on the left flank and I, on the right, will circle around to the rear to annihilate them. …To prevent a drawn-out battle, General Ritziareite has already cut off the enemy’s supply lines.”
“I see. Thank you for the report.”
Our numbers were about even, but the quality of our soldiers was overwhelmingly superior. Above all, Princess Valtrune herself was taking command. Victory was all but certain.
“We need a decisive victory…”
A simple win wouldn’t be enough. We had to crush the enemy completely, to establish her authority as absolute. That was the most important part of this battle.
“Mia’s dragon unit is currently sweeping for hidden ambushes from the air. The chance of a surprise attack is as close to zero as possible. Barring some major unforeseen event, our advantage will not be overturned.”
We had to drain the poison from the Empire before the war with the Kingdom. Marquis Rigel was, without a doubt, the poison itself. In addition, he was a noble from the anti-Princess faction. When Valtrune declared war on the Kingdom, he would definitely be a hindrance. Therefore, if we could eliminate him now, it would be convenient in many ways.
“Your Highness, your orders, please.”
The stage had been set perfectly. All that was left was to deliver the results. As her Personal Knight, I was fired up, ready to fight like a lion. The soldiers of the Provisional Elite Corps all looked up at Princess Valtrune and me, standing on the high ground. Their morale was perfect. They looked ready to go at any moment.
“We will now commence battle with the rebel army led by Marquis Rigel! Strike down every last one of these fools who have sullied the honor of the Empire! Provisional Elite Corps, advance!”
At her cry, the soldiers raised their weapons to the sky.
“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!!”
Hearing the cheers of the soldiers, so loud they seemed to overwhelm the landscape, she turned to me.
“Aldia. I am counting on you. You are to capture Marquis Rigel. And you will make him pay for his crimes.”
I dropped to one knee and bowed my head to her.
“Leave it to me. I will repel the traitors without fail and bring Marquis Rigel before you.”
The first battle since I had come to the Empire had begun.
2
“General Ritziareite! We have word from the main army! We are to advance!”
The order came from a messenger. The air crackled with tension, and the faces of the soldiers instantly hardened. It’s finally time. The Provisional Elite Corps’s first battle. And the first real stage I’ve been given. Failure is not an option.
“All units, as planned, block the enemy’s line of retreat! Pay close attention so that our supply lines are not stolen, and use hit-and-run tactics to strike down the enemy commanders!”
The main mission for the left flank, which I commanded, was to support the main army so they could fight at their full potential. We had the role of disrupting the battlefield so the enemy couldn’t put up a decent fight. The performance of the dragon soldiers would be the key to this battle.
“Mia. Leave the ground scouting to the others. Take your unit and position yourselves over the city.”
“Okay-dokey~! Well, Steano, you’ve got the rest~!”
“Wha—Hey…! Hah… Why me? Alright, you lot! Let’s move out and flush them all out!”
Mia, with her flippant tone and carefree face, led the other dragon soldiers. She was a bit too casual, which made me worry, but I could vouch for her skill. I had no doubt she could handle harassing the enemy. Taking over the scouting mission was Steano’s infantry unit. They weren’t particularly well-suited for enemies hiding in the forest, but it was good enough if they could just draw their attention.
“Steano, I’m counting on you.”
“Leave it to me! Scouting’s my specialty!”
“If you say so, I’ll look forward to good news.”
“Haha… I’ll do my best.”
…He has a habit of saying whatever, but his passion for battle is second to none. He’s probably lying about scouting being his specialty, but I’m sure he’ll accomplish the mission he’s been given. They all moved out, and I went to inspect the troops maintaining the blockade on the supply line.
“Listen up! Even if the enemy numbers are great, remain calm and deal with them. We are sharing information constantly, so reinforcements will be sent to any position under heavy stress. Advancing the line is important, but I want you to focus on fighting in a way that minimizes casualties!”
The soldiers nodded, their faces serious, and began to move. Time to give orders to the next unit. Just as I thought that and mounted my dragon, the same messenger came running back, panting. He must have been in a great hurry.
“What is it?”
“General Ritziareite! I have a message from Lord Aldia!”
“A message?”
“Yes, a message!”
Aldia Graetz. The benefactor who had introduced me to Lady Valtrune. And he was also her Personal Knight. I nodded and prompted him to continue.
“What is the message?”
“Yes, I’ll read it. ‘To General Ritziareite. It is an honor to fight alongside you. Let us seize victory without fail.’ …That is all.”
It wasn’t an emergency. But I was so surprised, and so happy, that he had encouraged me like this. It was a short message, but it was filled with his expectations for me. He had thought highly of me when I first met Lady Valtrune, too. “I personally believe she is a fitting person to be commander.” I remembered when Lord Aldia had said those words. A smile naturally crept onto my face.
“G-General Ritziareite?”
“Ahem! It-It’s nothing!”
“Oh, right…”
This is bad. I can’t be grinning over his words at a time like this. I have to pull myself together. I gave a small nod to the messenger.
“Thank you. Message received. Please give him my regards.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
I put on an even more serious face than usual, striving to act cool and composed. Am I acting normally right now? I desperately tightened my expression, which threatened to break into a smile, playing the part of the serious, ‘normal’ Ritziareite. Inwardly, I wanted to burst with joy, but as the general of an army, I couldn’t act so rashly.
“Hah…”
Maybe… after this battle is over, I should ask him out for a drink? As I thought that, I steeled my resolve once more and took to the sky with my dragon. If he has such high expectations of me, I absolutely must achieve a great victory.
—A triumphant victory is no longer just a goal, it’s a requirement!
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