Chapter 136
(Kyle
Calendar Year 509: Age 16)
The Third Arrow: Cadets Once More
Translator : PolterGlast
"Hmph, it
happened conveniently while that brat was here, didn't it?"
Upon receiving the
news of an impending invasion from the Istoria Imperial Kingdom, those calling
themselves the Restorationist Faction had gathered.
"So, what's the
plan? Do we drag him out? He hasn't exactly gone along with our wishes so far,
has he?" another Marquis raised his voice to the one who had spoken first.
"Hmph, that's
because Klein and his lot are obstructing our movements. But this time, the
measures they took to save that brat have become shackles around their own
necks. Count Gouyoku, you've made preparations for that to happen, right?"
"Yes, Your Lordship.
The Viscount's men are already moving. All that remains is for us to fan the
flames that have been lit."
"So, the plan is
to let him be a temporary big shot, burdened with many useless individuals. Is
that it?"
"Precisely.
Someone who has never even commanded a single army wouldn't be able to achieve
anything on the front lines anyway." Another Marquis joined the
conversation.
"With this, that
brat will be left fighting alone on the front lines, leading his subordinate
Mages, with no trustworthy allies." The last one also joined the
conversation, a cold smile on his face.
"It matters not
whether he falls on the battlefield, or if his subordinate Mages are worn down.
He should exert himself to the utmost to protect the Kingdom, for our future.
From now on, each of you shall fan the flames as per our plan."
They were in high
spirits, imagining their desired future.
"Everyone, um...
is that alright? If, by any chance, that brat achieves military distinction,
won't that just give him more power?"
"Count, if he
should happen to achieve military distinction, then we shall simply utilize him
as a capable watchdog. Once a precedent is set, our scheme will ensure there
will be a second time, a third. That brat should simply run around the front lines
as a watchdog until he dies, working to our advantage."
"Hahaha! No
matter how you look at it, nothing good will come of it for him. Your
Lordships' profound foresight, this Gouyoku, is deeply impressed."
"They forced us
to drink bitter tea regarding the Royal Command Mage matter. We must get that
back completely, or we won't be satisfied!"
"Well, it will
happen eventually, there's no need to rush. By the way, we're going to win this
time, aren't we? Last time, one wrong move could have harmed us as well..."
"If the attack
comes from only one direction, Gouras will surely deal with it with all his
might. That's why we agreed to the Knights' deployment. The Knight Order he
commands is quite an elite force."
"And when those
elites are depleted and lose their strength, if our forces become the core that
unites the Kingdom, the Kingdom will naturally fall into our hands."
"For that to
happen, we must ensure the Imperial Kingdom struggles vigorously."
Their selfish desires
and schemes never ended. Not until the fire was lit under their own feet...
※
The day after 10,000
Royal Capital Knights departed as a vanguard, I received an expected summons.
"I apologize for
calling you suddenly. Though for you, it seems it's not so sudden," the
"Tanuki Old Man" (Headmaster) chuckled.
"Well, I've heard
the rumors. And it's been decided that the academy will send youngsters who
don't know war to the battlefield. Is that right?"
Honestly, I didn't
think highly of the Cadet (Apprentice) Knights. I couldn't agree to send
inexperienced individuals to the battlefield, nor could I accept them as the
receiving side. I even felt anger towards the adults who made this decision.
"I want to clear
up one misunderstanding of yours. I, and the academy, have always been opposed
to students participating in battle, both last time and this time. Without
exception."
"Then, there will
be no participation this time?"
"Just like last
time, no, in a different way than last time, there are those who are inciting
student participation. This time, students from lower noble families and
commoners are at the heart of it. They seem to have completely forgotten the
tragic end of the First Cadet Knights and wish to share in the glory of the
Second Cadet Knights, who distinguished themselves in the previous
campaign."
The Headmaster
continued bitterly.
"Once again,
those fools from the Restorationist Faction are fanning the flames behind the
scenes. They never dirty their own hands; they praise the spirit of the
youngsters going to war and work to influence the entire nobility. It seems
they consider the sacrifices of others to be a matter of course to achieve
their own desires. It's truly regrettable that we couldn't stop it this time
either. Lately, we've constantly been on the defensive. We talk big but are
utterly incompetent."
"..."
It was rare for the
Headmaster to express his emotions so directly, and I was speechless.
"Unfortunately,
for those from lower noble families, quasi-nobles, and commoners, the
battlefield is an unparalleled opportunity for advancement. Especially for
those aspiring to be Knights. Even if they graduate from the academy, it
doesn't guarantee they can join the Knight Order. Rather, only a small minority
of those from lower ranks can join. However, even if it's a frontier Knight
Order, not the Royal Capital's, many of their senior cadets became Knights as a
result of going to war. It can't be helped that they want to follow that
precedent. It's just that those fools exploited them."
"So, the Cadet
Knights will be formed again?"
"That's roughly
how it went. This time, it's mainly lower nobles and commoners, and their
numbers probably won't exceed 1,000 cavalry. Baron, this is a request from me.
They don't need to achieve military distinction, but please, can you protect
them so they don't needlessly lose their lives? Of course, I know this request
is unreasonable and will be a burden on you. It's fine if you do what you can,
and I won't hold you responsible for the outcome. It's just a personal
wish."
"Are you asking
me to lead them?"
Honestly, I wanted to
decline this. Unlike my brother's situation, this time, there were no reliable
allied forces. If I tried to protect them in such circumstances, I wouldn't
last. And fundamentally, I was different from my brother. I lacked the charisma
to lead them, and I had no talent for military tactics.
"No, you don't
have to lead them. The Solis Baron's army can lead them. There's still a little
time before the deployment. You must have someone under your command capable of
leading them, right?"
At this moment, I
didn't quite understand what the Headmaster was saying.
※
A few days later, I
understood what the Headmaster had meant.
"Takuhir-sama!
We've been waiting for you. We've led our troops from Teigun and rushed here!
We will assist you in this deployment!"
As I was making
preparations in the Royal Capital, the man I relied on most on the battlefield,
Commander Weiss, appeared leading a unit from Teigun. Moreover, I was surprised
by the soldiers he had brought with him.
"This time, with
Margrave Hastburg's permission, I have gathered 200 elite cavalry from the
Frontier Knights' Fifth Corps to serve as Takuhir-sama's reinforcements! We
shall raise the name of the Solis family even on the Eastern Border
front!"
Commander Weiss's
refreshed smile looked particularly grand, and I was so happy I almost cried.
It seems Commander
Weiss's rush to the Royal Capital involved several stages. First, he gathered
volunteers from the Solis Viscount soldiers and the mercenary corps within the
Frontier Knights' branch. However, there was one group that simply wouldn't
agree.
"If we don't
accompany our son-in-law to the battlefield, we will be reprimanded by our
Lord. Please, please, take us with you!"
The soldiers from the
Gorman Viscount's territory stubbornly refused to listen. Reluctantly, he
reportedly allowed 20 of them to participate. Among them was the Wind Mage, a
master crossbowman, who won the fifth supreme tournament.
Next, under the guise
of Demon Realm exercises, they reportedly rushed straight through the dangerous
Demon Realm from Teigun's Demon Realm side all the way to Southern Gate Fort.
After that, he met with Margrave Hastburg and secured permission to participate
in the war, then headed straight to the Royal Capital. It was truly a swift
action, befitting his nickname, "Black Hawk of the Gale."
"The South is
currently at peace due to the truce. Go and fully demonstrate your
loyalty."
Fortunately, Margrave
Hastburg was also aware of the circumstances and was reportedly very
cooperative. He readily granted permission.
I was still being
protected by many people. I was once again grateful for their kindness.
The only unsettling
thing was that the Headmaster had acquired that information so quickly. I was
always surprised by the prowess of his intelligence network. I wonder if he has
some kind of wireless magic skill, though I don't know if such a thing actually
exists in this world? That's what I thought.
Thus, my forces were
solidified. We continued our preparations in the Royal Capital, awaiting the
assembly of the Cadet Knights and the departure of the Royal Capital Knights'
rear detachment.
While the forces were being
assembled, those participating in the Cadet Knights were not simply waiting. Of
course, as soon as they gathered in the Royal Capital, they were subjected to
Commander (demon)'s baptism. However, being primarily a
"muscle-brained" group from commoner, quasi-noble, and lower noble
backgrounds, they eagerly underwent the Commander's training. I deliberately
pretended not to notice the Royal Capital Academy instructors turning pale.
Students in the Knight
Training Course and their attendants repeatedly engaged in mock battles with
the elites trained by the Commander, their partial confidence shattered, and
they were covered in wounds daily from the rigorous training. They were
constantly attended to by Marianne, Lanatoria, and Rosa. Incidentally, Rosa decided
to remain in the Royal Capital even after the deployment, continuing her
research on epidemic countermeasures. I had informed her that she would return
to Teigun before summer to prepare for command there, and I left a document
stating that she would have discretionary power in case of an emergency.
And then, a strange
phenomenon began to spread among the Cadet Knights, who were undergoing intense
training every day. For some reason, they began to worship the Commander
through their training, and some even started saying they wanted to join the
mercenary corps after graduation.
Huh? Not the Frontier
Knights, but that side?
No, you're going to a
school to become a Knight, so... Needless to say, I was taken aback.
In this expedition,
the Royal Command Mages whose deployment to the eastern border was stipulated,
and other Mages who wished to participate, including Wind Mages and Earth
Mages, would be under the command of the Solis Baron's army. Of course,
Commander (demon)'s accelerated training was also applied to them.
At the beginning of
the training, at the academy's request, even those who were not slated for
deployment but were enrolled in the academy's Mage Combat Training Course could
participate in the Commander's training if they wished.
But...
"You're going to
shoot arrows at me, a noble, without a defensive barrier?! That's outrageous!
What if I get injured?!"
As expected, many
complained and withdrew from training midway.
"They're fools,
aren't they? On the battlefield, enemy arrows attack regardless of whether
you're a noble or a commoner. So, this is the training the Solis family's Mages
receive. That's why they're so amazing. Yeah, interesting!"
Among the Wind Mages
who were scheduled for deployment, there was one who chuckled and said this,
eagerly undergoing the Commander's special training. He was the second son of a
Baronial house governing the Eastern Frontier, capable of wielding Wind Magic
through bloodline magic.
Alexis von Bauer, 17
years old, from the Eastern Frontier Baronial house. He had been enrolled in
the academy's Knight Training Course until last year but was an eccentric who
transferred to the newly established Mage Combat Training Course. Compared to
the general populace, I found him interesting for his un-noble demeanor.
Indeed, he might be the first noble of his generation who has truly interested
me.
Besides him, the four
other Wind Mages who were scheduled for deployment also had a different level
of resolve from the general populace. They overcame their fear and willingly
underwent the rigorous training, following the example of the Baron's second
son who took the initiative.
"Well, it's
accelerated education, but I'll make sure they can at least provide support for
our Wind Mages."
Saying that, the Commander
put them through intensive training for a short period. Of course, he made them
repeatedly practice magic deployment in sync with flag and bell signals until
it was ingrained in them.
Thanks to the
Commander, the academy-trained unit, though still inexperienced, was thus
formed with high morale.
And so, the 200
cavalry of the Solis Baron's army, 800 cavalry of the Cadet Knights, and the
Mages supporting them departed for the Eastern Border.
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