“It will take time for the enemy to reorganize their ranks. It seems they won’t be making any significant moves in the near future.”
Adolf Kareha glanced down at the map.
The enemy camp marked in red and the empire’s camp marked in blue were interlocked with each other.
Though it seemed feasible to advance, the opposition was not to be underestimated.
The Liberian Empire possessed powerful cavalry and magic divisions. Particularly, rumors among the soldiers claimed that their princess had enough military talent to even step onto the battlefield.
“So far, things have gone relatively smoothly,” Adolf Kareha muttered as he opened his lips.
“But we cannot let our guard down. We don’t know what counterattack cards the enemy might have hidden, so our vigilance and supply lines need to be further strengthened. If there are any movements indicating an attack on our rear, report it immediately.”
The officers unanimously signaled their agreement.
However, the war was showing signs of shifting towards a prolonged conflict.
The situation had reached a point where small-scale skirmishes alone would no longer suffice to completely turn the tide.
Adolf Kareha was well aware of this, and at the same time, a strange unease had settled into a corner of his mind.
Based on his memories from his past life, this war was originally supposed to occur at a slightly different time.
But everything had become tangled, and the conflict had begun earlier than expected.
“Liberia might challenge us to a duel with their princess leading the way,” the thought crossed his mind.
In fact, the enemy side had previously proposed one-on-one duels more than once.
However, each time, their side either ignored the proposals or suppressed the opposition by engaging in close-quarter combat.
This time, the situation might be different.
That evening, a modest meal was prepared in the military tent.
The soldiers satisfied their hunger with dry bread, corn soup, and a bit of dried meat.
The officers, unless under special circumstances, ate similarly to the soldiers. Adolf Kareha also enjoyed a meal similar to theirs as he conducted an internal meeting.
“Intelligence has come in that the enemy may soon propose something like a duel again.”
A staff officer whispered.
“It could be an attempt to turn public opinion and shift the tide of the war, given the current situation where elite forces are repeatedly clashing.”
At this, another officer smirked.
“What good would a duel do? Our empire is not at a disadvantage, so there’s no need to accept such a proposal.”
Upon hearing this dialogue, Adolf Kareha quietly fell into thought.
While it’s generally better to lead a frontal battle to your advantage, there are times when you cannot avoid a duel due to diplomatic, political pressures, or morale issues.
Particularly, the thought of the enemy’s princess stepping in lingered in his mind.
Rumors about the power of Princess Liberia were rampant, but details were unclear.
Some occasional stories claimed that she wielded powerful magic or was a commander who made bold decisions.
“If Princess Liberia requests a duel herself, the situation would become sensitive,” he thought to himself.
“Both politically and in the scope of the war.”
As time went by, the event he had foreseen actually occurred.
The next morning, near dawn, an official letter arrived from the enemy camp.
The letter contained a single sentence.
“Liberian Princess, Aisia Lil Shuhain, requests a duel.”
Upon receiving the news, the Imperial Military was thrown into an uproar.
Some of the officers strongly argued against giving the request any attention, advocating to simply ignore it.
On the other hand, another group believed that suppressing the enemy’s morale by defeating the princess could be a significant contribution.
As opinions clashed, Adolf Kareha found himself caught in the middle of the conflict.
“Our general will easily triumph if Her Majesty uses any kind of magic!” one officer passionately exclaimed.
“It would be like piercing through the heart of Liberia; the tide of the war will fully turn in our favor.”
In contrast, another voiced his opposition.
“There are too many risks. What if, by any chance, General is injured, or the princess uses some trick, or an unexpected strategy? And anyway, since we are not seriously losing in this war, there’s no need to take unnecessary risks, isn’t there?”
Though the two sides fiercely opposed each other, the Emperor’s close aides and the military leadership ultimately decided to accept the duel.
They had absolute trust in Adolf Kareha’s track record and tactical ability and wanted to send a strong message to the enemy through this duel.
That afternoon, detailed letters regarding the duel were exchanged.
The location was decided to be an open area near a small gorge on the border between the Liberian Empire and the Empire.
At that place, both sides agreed to bring only minimal escorts and to conduct the duel under mutual supervision.
“Eventually, it has come to this.”
Adolf Kareha muttered under his breath while issuing final instructions for duel preparations inside the tent.
His heart pounded hard with the awareness that he was about to face the mother of the Hero directly.
The nearby officer asked in a tense voice,
“Will you actually go to the duel yourself?”
“Of course. There’s no one else to send, is there? The enemy will probably send the princess herself, so it’s time for us to show our full strength.”
He replied firmly.
The officer couldn’t find words to reply immediately.
Then, bowing his head, he paid his respects.
“General will surely triumph. We will maintain our preparations from the rear lines.”
Adolf Kareha checked each piece of armor and weaponry.
He inspected the smooth curve of the blade and the robustness of the specially ordered armor designed for enhanced defense.
His heart quivered slightly, but his mind was continuously calculating.
“How should one respond in a one-on-one battle against a sorcerer?”
While novels from his past life often depicted magical battles, his actual experience in facing ultimate-level mages was limited.
Nevertheless, he possessed far superior strategic insight and quicker reflexes than ordinary knights or mages.
Added to that, his hands-on combat experience amassed on various battlefields backed him.
A few days later, the day of the duel dawned.
Escorted by a small number of troops from each camp, they headed towards the prearranged open plain.
At the center of the plain, the short grass swayed in the wind, and beyond, there were soldiers and commanders stationed to observe from a distance on both sides.
Neither side had deployed large forces near the dueling grounds by mutual agreement, but they maintained a cautious stance from afar, guarding against possible betrayals.
“Soon, the princess will arrive,” the officer observed as he scanned ahead.
As the strong wind swept by, in the distance appeared a flag marked with the emblem of the Liberian Empire.
Below it, a group of cavalry came riding in a straight line.
“Here they come,” he murmured.
At the forefront of the Liberian Empire’s group was a woman draped in a crimson cape.
Her long, slim golden hair fluttered in the wind, and she rode gracefully on her horse, maintaining a regal posture.
As she got closer, her expression became clear; her eyes radiated a mix of determination and anger.
“That’s Princess Aisia Lil Shuhain of Liberia,” whispered one of the Empire’s soldiers nearby.
Adolf Kareha watched quietly as she dismounted.
Aisia Lil Shuhain walked out from behind the fluttering flags, immediately capturing everyone’s attention.
She wore an imperial-style armor with a white background and red patterns, and at her waist hung a sword engraved with magical symbols.
“Adolf Kareha,” Aisia began in a low, clear voice.
“I heard that you agreed to fight in this duel. Indeed, your courage befits the hero of the empire.”
When her gaze turned toward Adolf Kareha, the surrounding soldiers momentarily fell silent, overwhelmed by her presence.
He replied with a slight nod.
“Princess of Liberia, Aisia Lil Shuhain. This duel was requested by your side. I merely accepted it.”
He responded calmly.
A faint smile graced Aisia’s lips.
“Excellent. Now stop bragging with idle talk. I will personally confirm how strong you are.”
Officers and soldiers from both sides watched on with tense expressions.
Such duels occasionally happened during wars, but the participation of royalty was rare.
Moreover, the opponent was a young general of the empire renowned for his accomplishments in numerous battles, so neither side was likely to walk away unscathed.
As the flag signaling the start of the duel was lowered, Adolf Kareha and Aisia Lil Shuhain positioned themselves, narrowing the distance.
At the same time, soldiers surrounding the battlefield watched quietly, holding their breath.
