18
Chapter 18
"You want to work as a contract strategist in the upcoming Northern Expedition?"
Charles answered Dian de Valboa's question.
"Yes."
Dian groaned as if facing a difficult problem and spoke.
"Do you even know what the Northern Expedition is?"
"His Highness the Crown Prince urged Grand Duke Kronor, the Lord of the North, to become his vassal. However, the Grand Duke refused, stating that the Kronor family had only followed the Emperor's orders for two hundred years, and told him to return once he ascended the throne. Enraged, His Highness decided to lead an army to conquer the North."
For the record, the Crown Prince gets absolutely wrecked. In the original story, anyway.
"And do you understand what it means to work as a strategist there?"
"It should be in the academy regulations. That cadets can be conscripted as knights during wartime."
"That... is true. But if you go to the battlefield, I will treat you as a soldier, not a student. Are you still okay with that?"
"I am prepared."
Dian rubbed her forehead. With her mind already cluttered by the war, having a student ask to be a strategist was naturally giving her a headache.
The problem was that this student had placed second in the mock battles and scored in the top tier for political diplomacy. That was a feat few professors could match. Bringing Charles along would surely be an asset. After all, he was the man who had defeated Yuria Russell, her own prize pupil. But...
"Charles, if you die, I'm the one who has to take responsibility."
"But you'll be the one to benefit, Professor Dian, when I excel."
"Benefit?"
"I know why you tried to pull me into the Crown Prince's faction."
"Oh? Interesting. And why is that?"
"You fought your first battle at fourteen."
A flicker of longing passed through Dian's eyes at those words.
"I did. I was young then."
"And for fifteen years, you've navigated dozens of battlefields. I believe you even earned the moniker 'Dian of the Charge' because you always stand at the front of the line and lead the assault."
"That is true."
"But you have your shortcomings, don't you?"
Dian looked surprised.
Leadership Rank A
Combat Power High Rank A
The academy's greatest Sword Master, possessing the second-greatest combat power in the world. Dian de Valboa.
She could be described as a top-tier warrior, but she had one fatal flaw.
"You're slow at reading maps."
She flinched. I had hit the nail on the head.
"You're weak when it comes to logistics and staffing."
Dian's army was run haphazardly. The larger the force became, the more inefficient the operation grew.
"By the time you snap out of it mid-battle, you've pushed too far forward and have no idea what the overall situation is."
Dian of the Charge. While it was a nickname given because she led the charge at the front, it also referred to her tendency to dive headlong into the enemy, intoxicated by the scent of blood, while leaving her subordinates behind.
"How do you know that...?"
"Let's just say I have my own sources of information."
"I didn't realize you had already become so close with Her Highness the Princess."
That wasn't the case; it was simply game knowledge. Still, I figured I'd just let her keep misunderstanding.
"I will fill those gaps for you. You won't regret bringing me along."
Dian pondered for a while, appearing conflicted.
After about five minutes, she spoke.
"There's no harm in having more talent on hand. I'll trust the skills that defeated Yuria Russell."
Dian de Valboa reached out her hand, and I took it. Then, I began preparing to head to Crotea, Dian's stronghold.
-----
Early that morning.
I woke up and tried to go to the bathroom, but the lamp inside was broken. Annoyed, I headed for the dormitory's common restroom.
After relieving myself and washing my face, I sat in the hall for a moment to rest. The dawn air felt somehow special. Then, I heard the rhythmic thud of footsteps in the distance.
'Huh? Someone's here at this hour? A guard?'
I didn't think much of it at first, but the footsteps drew closer and stopped about twenty meters away from me.
The moonlight was too dim to see the other person's face clearly. I could only vaguely tell from the silhouette that it was a woman.
"Who is it?"
I asked, wondering if it was someone I knew, but she didn't answer. I began to feel wary. As I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword, she spoke.
"The Goddess..."
The moment I heard those words, I was completely taken aback. Her voice was a breathtakingly clear tone, unlike anything I had ever heard in my life. The Princess also had a beautiful voice, but this woman's voice had... a certain mystical quality.
'I don't think I know her.'
If I had heard a voice that beautiful, there's no way I would have forgotten it.
"The Goddess told me. She told me to come here and meet you."
Who is this person? Her voice is lovely, but is she out of her mind? Or maybe...
"So, now that you've met, what do you think? Am I handsome?"
"No."
I tried to see if she was flirting, but she answered instantly. I guess I'm not handsome. How embarrassing.
"However."
"However?"
"Rest assured. The Goddess of War is fond of people like you."
With that, she departed.
What was that all about?
Some kind of cultist?
-----
Once break began, Dian de Valboa immediately headed for her territory, Crotea. Charles and Glacia accompanied her.
Since people from the North could still be found in the Imperial capital, Dian's guard was extremely tight. Dozens of cavalrymen escorted her, with the carriage carrying Dian and Charles in the center.
"Is everything alright in there?"
Glacia asked, tapping on the carriage window. I opened the window and replied.
"It's very comfortable."
As expected, a Count's carriage offered a completely different level of ride quality.
"This is only the second time I've had a student in this carriage."
"The first was Miss Yuria, wasn't it?"
"Hm? How did you know?"
Thanks to the game's plot.
"I have my own sources of information."
She let out a low chuckle.
"When Yuria Russell first came to my home, she was only a nine-year-old child. She was quiet and timid back then."
"Miss Yuria? I can't even imagine that, knowing her personality now."
"I feel the same. The old Yuria had a small voice and struggled to talk to people. It broke my heart to see her struggle to adjust as a sudden guest in our home, so I remember putting in a lot of effort to get close to her. Eventually, because we became close, Yuria grew to follow me and learned many things from me."
"Things like strategy, tactics, and swordsmanship."
Dian nodded. Dian de Valboa—the second most powerful figure in the world and a Sword Master. With her disciple also destined to become a Sword Master, they were truly a remarkable master and pupil.
"How is Yuria now?"
"She's honorable, confident, and loyal. Although her loyalty to Her Highness the Princess is so intense that she gets jealous of me sometimes."
"But that is only on the surface. Inside, she's likely still that timid, passive child. So..."
Dian looked at me and spoke.
"I'm counting on you to look after her."
"Even if you ask me... I don't really have any power."
"Don't be modest. From where I stand, you'll quickly become a central figure at the academy."
Who knows about the future? For now, I just nodded.
"If there's anything I can do to help Miss Yuria, I will."
"Thank you."
As we continued these conversations and traveled north for several days, we eventually arrived at a castle called Glintor.
The moment I arrived, I was stunned. The entirety of the Crown Prince's army was gathered there.
Thirty-five thousand. A massive force, the strongest on the continent, was stationed there.
-----
Upon entering the Crown Prince's camp, Glacia and I changed out of our Arcadia Academy uniforms and into military uniforms. Putting on armor over the uniform made me feel like a real medieval soldier, which was a strange sensation. As we headed toward the inner keep, Dian spoke.
"Charles, let me explain your role."
"Yes, ma'am."
"You will be in charge of the scouts and messengers. You'll collect maps and use them to scout the villages surrounding our route, checking for any anomalies or ambushers. You will then synthesize that information and provide me with your recommendations for our future movements. That is your duty."
In short, I was to be a staff officer. It was a role that suited me perfectly, as I was confident in my ability to gather and process information.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Now, let me introduce the subordinates you'll be leading. Paul! Hugo! Come here!"
At Dian's shout, two middle-aged men came running and snapped to attention.
"Listen up. This is Charles Jean Rochefort, an academy cadet and my disciple. Starting today, he will be your superior."
"What?"
"This kid is our superior?"
The faces of the two knights, Paul and Hugo, twisted in disbelief.