Time flows ceaselessly, no matter what’s going on in the continent.
And in the midst of this unstoppable flow, Kaya turned sixteen.
It was an extraordinarily joyful day, but Kaya, the birthday girl, couldn’t bring herself to smile.
“Kael isn’t here…”
Not long after returning from the eastern front, her brother Kael had departed for the west. He had assured her it wouldn’t take long and waved goodbye confidently. (Of course, she had tried to tag along but ended up in trouble with the Duke of the Empire’s wife for her rebellion.)
But then ominous news started trickling in from the south. And before anyone could blink, Kael’s posting in the west had shifted to the south, and he was off again. This time, he went along as a field commander with the Legion straight to the Southern Kingdom. Kaya couldn’t hold back her frustration any longer and burst into tears.
“Your Majesty, Emperor! That’s just too much! Why are you making Brother Kael work so hard?”
“Dear me! Kaya! What treasonous words are these?”
“But it’s true! Your Majesty isn’t letting Kael come home!”
Kaya remembered how busy her father had always been when she was a child, and she was already missing him then. Now, with her brother gone too, her heart ached with more than just disappointment. It was practically unbearable. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he was so busy he couldn’t even use the communication device!
If only she had insisted on going with him in the first place. After all, she had proven her worth in the eastern conflict—surely they would understand now. Muttering under her breath, Kaya was about to make her way to her birthday banquet when—
“Miss! Miss Kaya!”
Running up was Alexei, who, for one reason or another, hadn’t been able to join Kael’s expedition this time.
“What is it?”
“This. Take a look at this.”
Breathing heavily, Alexei handed her a piece of newsprint. Kaya stared at it blankly before finally picking it up. After scanning the contents with a look of confusion, her expression suddenly changed.
“…Huh.”
As if the gloomy mood had vanished, Kaya broke out into a wide, toothy grin.
[Benito’s 50,000 Strong Army Completely Annihilated]
[Imperial Legion 6 & Imperial Legion 13 Claim Great Victory]
[Kael Klauwitz lures Benito’s army into a desperate battle by cutting off his own retreat. Legion 13 finishes them off in a massive rout.]
The joy over this news wasn’t exclusive to Kaya. Elsewhere, the Emperor himself chuckled deeply.
“Haha-ha!”
The Emperor, who had been keeping a keen eye on the southern front, could not hide his delight. Sure, he had been confident in Kael’s abilities, but this exceeded even his expectations. Using impeccable strategies, Kael had sown discord among the Southern Kingdoms and successfully reclaimed lost territories for the Empire. While it wasn’t entirely Kael’s doing, it was undeniable his role was significant too.
And even that wasn’t enough for Kael, the Emperor guessed. It seemed the young strategist had decided the Empire needed not just a win, but a grand triumph—a victory that would leave a lasting impression on their enemies.
“Breaking Nobogorod’s momentum was important, but without a decisive victory, doubts about the Empire’s strength may linger. Kael must have thought a grand victory was essential to showcase the might of the Empire.”
The Emperor was awed as he analyzed the strategy behind the victory. The intricacy was almost beyond comprehension.
Kael had split the 6th Legion and the 13th Legion, leading the enemy to misjudge their strength. Then, he spread rumors that Legion 13 was aggressively attacking Benito, which kept the southern army on edge. Meanwhile, Legion 6 stood firm in front of Benito’s forces, setting up what appeared to be their last stand—a classic “back-to-the-river” formation.
Normally, a smart army would have recognized the suspicious setup and avoided the trap. But facing an enemy whose situation was desperate, Benito made the fatal mistake of attacking—thinking it was worth it to eliminate a perceived obstacle.
The Emperor couldn’t help but feel admiration.
“Indeed, this is why I cheered. Brilliant use of psychology—and Kael’s specialty at that. Manipulating the enemy’s emotions, cutting off their options, and driving them straight into his plan. Even knowing what’s coming, they had no choice but to fall into his trap.”
The Emperor turned his attention to his daughter, the Crown Princess, and First Prince Gnaius, who had approached to greet him.
“Ah, yes. This was the reason the 13th Legion was positioned so close to Benito’s forces.”
The Crown Princess smiled softly in agreement. Meanwhile, Gnaius had an expression of deep thought, which the Emperor quickly caught.
“First Prince.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Speak your mind, if anything troubles you.”
“Well… I suppose it was fortunate, but things could have easily gone wrong. Even though I’m no expert, I know encirclement tactics are notoriously difficult. If Legion 13’s cavalry hadn’t arrived in time, it could have been disastrous. And worse still, if Legion 6 had been overwhelmed before their last stand…”
The Emperor recognized Gnaius’s concerns were justified. If Legion 6 had been overwhelmed, the consequences would have been devastating.
“Therefore, Your Majesty, we might have barely escaped a catastrophe.”
The Emperor nodded. “A valid point. The outcome was favorable, but indeed, the process held some risks.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but…”
The Emperor turned to the Crown Princess. “Your Highness, does this disturb you?”
“Not at all, Your Majesty. Quite the opposite—these criticisms form the foundation for even greater victories.”
“And there you have it, my son. There’s no shame in recognizing weaknesses or faults. Acknowledging problems and seeking solutions is what makes the Empire truly great. If there are gaps, we fill them. If advice is needed, we seek it.”
The Emperor decided this was a lesson still to be learned by Gnaius.
“Kael knew these risks too, yet chose to use the back-to-the-river tactic because he trusted the tools at his disposal. Do you know what those are?”
Gnaius hesitated briefly before shaking his head. The Emperor glanced at the Crown Princess.
“Do you, Your Highness?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“And what would that be?”
The Crown Princess smiled faintly. “Reputation.”
“Reputation?” Gnaius blinked in confusion. “But why reputation?”
“Yes, you’re correct. Reputation. Regardless of strategy or tactics, the effectiveness of an action depends on the reputation of the commander who executes it. Soldiers’ morale can be greatly influenced by who leads them.”
“Imagine this: If a completely unknown person had suggested the back-to-the-river stance, soldiers would have been understandably uneasy—possibly even fatal in combat.”
“Precisely. But now consider another scenario: What if the strategy was proposed by a man who had already proven himself in northern and eastern fronts? A man who ended conflicts decisively in weeks? If Kael confidently declares, ‘This back-to-the-river setup will ensnare the enemy,’ what do you think the soldiers would think?”
The pieces clicked into place in Gnaius’s mind. “They would trust him!”
“Exactly. Soldiers would not only trust him but also fight with all their strength because of it. From commanders to frontline soldiers, they believed wholeheartedly that victory was certain. That belief turned into formidable combat power.”
“With that unwavering resolve, they built an impenetrable wall, waiting for the cavalry’s strike from behind…”
The Emperor chuckled. Gnaius found himself laughing too, despite himself. Even in the presence of the Emperor, he couldn’t suppress the amusement. But neither the Emperor nor the Crown Princess seemed offended; instead, they joined in the laughter.
Because, in the Empire, laughter among nobility wasn’t disrespectful—it was expected.
*
“Phew… d*mn, that was close.”
The Southern troops might not have been the strongest, but Benito’s had been formidable. Their training by seasoned veterans was evident. The thought of the lines breaking had kept Kael on edge—had they failed, it would’ve been catastrophic.
Fortunately, the 6th Legion fulfilled their duties admirably, and the cavalry of the 13th Legion arrived just in time.
Imperial Legion, the self-proclaimed finest army in the entire continent, had earned that title once again!
