“Oh my goodness! Lady Kaya joining the war effort? What on earth is going on!”
“Isn’t it though.”
“His Grace, the Duke of the Empire, has valid concerns. How can a mere fifteen-year-old girl be placed in such a dangerous situation? She won’t last a day out there!”
‘Hmm, that might not be entirely true.’ I tilted my head at Alexei’s words.
Alexei doesn’t know yet, but I’ve already been privy to the communication sent by the Commander.
[I have been bested.]
At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. ‘Maybe I’m just too tired,’ I thought.
But the message was clear as day—scrawled across the urgent dispatch: the Commander had suffered a defeat.
Frankly, the Commander’s calm demeanor amidst my own bewilderment was downright unnerving.
[Young Master, Lady Kaya is undoubtedly a gift from the heavens. Despite my years devoted to the sword, I have never encountered anyone quite like her.]
While our Commander isn’t stingy with praise, he’s certainly not overly generous either. Seeing him heap such commendation, it dawned on me—Kaya really is a prodigy.
‘Of course, being fifteen doesn’t change the situation though.’
Even if she were a boy, sending a fifteen-year-old to the battlefield would be something any parent would try their damndest to prevent.
Though Dad did have such experiences himself, it was a rare and unique case. Seeing as even he tried to dissuade Kaya, it reinforces just how special this is.
In passing, I noticed there was no mention of Mom trying to stop Kaya, which was odd since she adores her just as much as Dad. I decided to inquire about the household dynamics and here’s what I got:
[The Viscountess… she seemed rather accepting, I suspect.]
Ah, that makes sense. Kaya would persuade Mom first, knowing that if Mom agrees, Dad would follow suit. But still, sis… convincing even Mom in such matters isn’t easy!
“Just from the Young Master going to war is already chaos. Lady Kaya should absolutely not go. We have to stop this, Young Master.”
“Honestly, I doubt it’ll be effective.”
“But Lady Kaya does listen to you, doesn’t she!”
“Exactly because she listens to me, that’s why I think it won’t work.”
Kaya has never shown particular interest in joining the war effort. Then why now? Likely, seeing me off to the army made her realize it’s her time to step up too. After all, she’s always waited till she was ready. And with Dad’s precedent, it was more of a ‘when,’ not ‘if.’
Dad believes, since Kaya adores me so much, it’d be easy for me to talk her out of it. However, as I see it, the opposite would happen. Kaya might take my dissuasion as me being unsure or lacking confidence in her abilities.
“Let’s head to the War City first. I heard Kaya left not too long ago, so she’s probably arrived by now.”
“Of course, His Grace has several influential contacts in the War City. It’d be wonderful if they could talk some sense into Lady Kaya.”
“Hmm.”
“Huh?”
“I have a feeling they might just pretend to give in instead.”
“Impossible! She’s His Grace’s daughter and a fifteen-year-old girl no less!”
At Alexei’s shriek, I just sighed. Honestly, this scenario could make for some pretty great propaganda material… or should I say, perfect war-time promotion?
Picture this: A fifteen-year-old, noble-born girl stepping onto the battlefield like a modern-day imperial duke herself. And wouldn’t you know, she’s so skilled in combat everyone’s left in awe. Suppose she makes her grand debut in the Eastern Front and proves herself—just imagine the impact!
Frankly speaking, if Kaya wasn’t my own little sister, I’d probably think ‘Oh, hell yeah! This is prime propaganda gold!’ Who wouldn’t be impressed? Father and daughter stepping onto the battlefield at the same age? Plus, it ticks the ‘noble obligation’ box for the nobility—win-win!
“Sir! We’re approaching War City!”
“Alright, Alexei.”
“Isn’t this the War City Hall ahead?”
“Yes, it is…”
“Doesn’t it seem a bit… chaotic ahead?”
And no kidding. As if on cue, I saw a crowd gathering. Whatever’s going on, it definitely piqued our interest. Alexei caught on immediately, steering the carriage faster toward the War City.
What we found upon arriving was this:
“Come at me! I’ll prove I’m a warrior that no one can outmatch!”
There she was—Kaya. Single-handedly taking on the world, spear in one hand, standing defiantly in front of the War City Hall.
This is maddening. This is unfair. Kaya felt a rush of frustration.
She had done everything she possibly could to showcase her worth. She beat the house knights, defeated the Deputy Commander, and even triumphed against the Commander himself. At the behest of her father, the Duke, she even demonstrated her archery skills—landing the perfect shot when it seemed almost impossible.
And yet, upon arriving in War City and asking to join the war effort, she was denied once more. The battlefield is too dangerous, she was told. No teenage girl belongs there, and war—d*ath and destruction—is for older, more experienced men, they insisted.
“I can do it! I promise I can do it!”
“Please, Lady Kaya, calm down. This isn’t the way.”
“You’re right, my dear. We understand your heart, but sending a fifteen-year-old girl into the battlefield—what would the world say about our Empire?”
Various officials from War City had rushed out of their offices to try and reason with her. After all, there was the Empire’s prestige to consider, not to mention a personal favor from no less than the Duke himself.
”For goodness’ sake, do SOMETHING to stop her. And if you do, I’ll owe you one big favor!”
The Duke, unable to stop his daughter himself, sent out a desperate plea to all his connections. The military was chock-full of old buddies and acquaintances who couldn’t say no to the Duke, especially for something like this. Not to mention, who’d want to send someone as young as their own child or niece to a battlefield?
“Now, now, Kaya. This isn’t proper for someone of your standing. Alright?”
“The battlefield is nothing like the training yard! The knights there didn’t dare attack you with full intent because it’s not the same! You could be leverage for negotiation if captured—”
And there it was, a careless remark intended merely to dissuade her. But to Kaya, it was a challenge—a dare.
She gripped her spear tighter, swinging it wildly.
“Then I’ll show you right here! Step forward! I’ll prove I’m capable enough to follow in my brother’s footsteps—no, to serve in the war!”
With that spirited proclamation, laughter erupted among the crowd. Could such a fiery young lady really be considered a noble-born miss?
“Come at me! I’ll prove I’m a warrior that no one can outmatch!”
This was getting out of hand. The military personnel were about to intervene when suddenly, a lone figure emerged from the crowd, calmly stepping up to Kaya.
“Courage is commendable, but perhaps you need to understand just how dangerous the battlefield truly is.”
This man—he seemed in his mid-30s. When people saw him, they gasped in shock.
“Roseleon?! No way! Why is he stepping in?”
The Empire’s military is built on ranks of soldiers, but the elite forces consist of knights and mages. And within those elites, there’s a group known as the ‘top-tier’.
Elite few. One-man army. Survivors of countless battles, practically immortal warriors. This was the reputation of these top-tier forces—and this man, Roseleon, stood among them.
“Ah! That stick-in-the-mud finally steps up.”
“Hey, Roseleon, cut her some slack! She’s the esteemed daughter of His Grace!”
“This is a senior’s child. We’ll be in deep trouble if something happens!”
Attempts to dissuade him proved futile. In fact, it was Kaya herself who was preventing them from intervening.
“So, beating this uncle will prove I’m capable, right?”
“Correct, but it won’t be easy, young lady.”
“It’s Kaya.”
“Alright, Kaya. The battlefield is nothing like what you imagine. You might just end up being a hindrance—”
Before he could finish, Roseleon instinctively grabbed the sword at his waist. The girl standing right in front of him radiated a dangerous aura, one that set his alarms ringing.
‘What is this?’
A top-tier force. A seasoned veteran, having experienced countless battles. And now, here he was, tense and alert. His skin prickled with the sensation of impending danger.
Looking directly ahead, it felt as though a fierce beast was growling, ready to pounce.
“This is dumb talk. Stop it.”
With spear in hand, Kaya took her stance as if ready to lunge at any moment.
“Think I’d be a hindrance to my big bro? A situation like that—possible, you think?”
The atmosphere shifted instantly. It was as though the area had been plunged into a deep freeze. Even the onlookers could sense the ominous change. Just as they were about to intervene, a voice called out from the crowd.
“Kaya!”
And just like that, Kaya transformed completely. The fierce, almost fearsome aura she had moments prior vanished as she spun around in surprise.
“Whaaat?! Big Brother Kael?!”
“Stop, ok?”
“Yeah, I’ll stop!”
With that, Kaya leapt over and embraced Kael. It was clear now—she wasn’t just some war-hardened warrior. She was just a regular, adorable little sister.
‘Ugh… this is something else,’ Roseleon mused as he recalled the Duke’s request.
‘Senior, you asked me to persuade her. But honestly, it feels like I got persuaded instead.’
He glanced down at his own hand, still trembling slightly. A soft chuckle escaped his lips.
On another front:
The Eastern Front. Pavilion Sector Commander, overseeing the 12th Legion.
Currently, he was grappling with an unexpected development.
“7th Legion retreated?”
“Yes, they were hit with a strong counterattack.”
This is absurd. Was the tri-nation alliance truly underestimated? Of all places, this was a region where the Empire fought for supremacy in the east, yet it was expected that the 7th Legion would create a gap and then push through with secondary forces.
“…We’ll need someone to turn this situation around.”
After a brief pause, he decided to file an official report upwards.
[Request for reassignment of Bertier Empire Duke, Kael Klauwitz.]
Surely this young genius strategist would have a way to navigate the current situation?
He has to. Right here in Pavilion Sector, they had already witnessed the man devour the battlefield whole like a ravenous beast. Yes indeed!
