23
Chapter 23
"Yes, you've distinguished yourself."
Karl von Kronor spoke. Emilia replied in a quiet voice, showing no sign of joy.
"I was simply following orders."
"..."
"..."
Silence filled the room. None of the retainers dared to speak. While they wanted to suggest rewarding Emilia, they feared the Grand Duke's wrath. In times like these, silence was the best policy.
"Continue to strive for excellence."
The Grand Duke dismissed her with those words, offering not a single word of praise. Emilia didn't find this strange.
"Dian de Valboa."
The name of the Crown Prince's right hand escaped Grand Duke Karl von Kronor's lips.
"Have you all heard of her?"
"I've heard she is the Crown Prince's right hand and the most fierce general of the Crown Prince's Army."
"Indeed. It seems she is a great general who has reached the level of a Sword Master, despite being a woman."
Emilia knew Dian de Valboa well. She had studied tactics under Dian at the Arcadia Academy.
"According to intelligence, it has been revealed that the Vanguard Commander of the Crown Prince's Army is Dian de Valboa."
"The Vanguard Commander..."
"That woman...!"
The retainers began to stir. Even in the far reaches of the North, the name Dian de Valboa was famous enough to inspire fear.
"Is there anyone here who can stop Dian de Valboa?"
Grand Duke Kronor asked, but no one stepped forward. Not a single knight among them was capable of defeating Dian.
"Hah. Nothing but cowards. The name of the Northerner is disgraced."
Despite the Grand Duke's open mockery, the retainers remained silent. They preferred a moment of shame over boldly stepping forward only to die.
"Emilia."
"Yes."
"Can you defeat Dian de Valboa?"
Emilia closed her eyes for a moment to recite a prayer before answering.
"With the Goddess of War by my side, I will be victorious."
Grand Duke Kronor frowned at the sudden mention of a goddess, but since she gave a positive answer, he eventually nodded in satisfaction.
"Then Emilia shall be the Vanguard Commander for this battle."
At this, the strategist Usami Arca tried to stop the Grand Duke. Who in their right mind would put the family heir in the vanguard? Especially against a world-renowned great general.
However, he soon gave up. The moment he locked eyes with Emilia, he felt how resolute her gaze was.
Usami Arca began to think that perhaps he had lived too long. The House of Kronor was heading in a completely different direction than he had imagined.
-----
"I hear our forces have suffered significant losses."
The knights groaned at Dian de Valboa's words. It was already an open secret that hundreds of soldiers from the Crown Prince's Army had been killed by the enemy scout unit's guerrilla warfare.
"I heard that Emilia von Kronor was the one responsible."
Dian de Valboa nodded.
"Emilia is an outstanding student. In terms of pure swordsmanship, she is the best I have ever seen."
This meant that in a duel, Emilia surpassed even Princess Leonia. While the princess might have higher overall scores, no cadet could beat Emilia when it came solely to the blade.
"Charles Jean Rochefort."
"Yes."
"Do you know Emilia?"
"I know her as a rising star of the second year."
Dian de Valboa nodded.
"Indeed. If Her Highness Princess Leonia is the top cadet of the first year at Arcadia Academy, then Emilia is the top of the second. I never imagined we would become enemies outside the academy."
It was all quite sudden. Since the war began when the Crown Prince demanded loyalty and Grand Duke Kronor refused, Dian likely hadn't expected to fight Emilia.
"I ask you all. Is there anyone among you capable of defeating Emilia von Kronor?"
"I can win!"
"No, I'll do it!"
Knights rose from all sides, but Dian raised her hand to calm them.
"No, it would be impossible for any of you."
"Excuse me?"
"Emilia is one of the greatest geniuses in the history of Arcadia Academy. None of you are skilled enough to defeat her. If there is anyone in our army who can..."
Well, maybe only Dian?
"It would be me."
The knights were shocked. They knew she was strong, but this much? Was Emilia really a powerhouse that a Sword Master had to face personally?
"If you spot Emilia on the battlefield, do not attempt to fight her. Send a messenger to me immediately, and I will rush to your side."
"Yes."
"Yes!"
Though slightly skeptical, the knights trusted Dian and complied. Thus, the military council concluded.
And the next day.
The Crown Prince's Army marched north with 35,000 troops. Crown Prince Leonhardt's target was Kallius Castle in the North. The castle was guarded by Castle Lord Kalnir, and with fewer than a thousand soldiers in total, it was certain to fall instantly against an army of 35,000.
Consequently, Grand Duke Kronor immediately left Glanar Castle and began marching south. With the Central Army moving north and the Northern Army moving south, a clash was inevitable.
Both armies raced toward Kallius Castle, but the Grand Duke's forces arrived first. Upon reaching the vicinity of the castle, the Grand Duke immediately established camp on the north bank of the Imor River.
When the Crown Prince arrived and camped on the south bank, the river became the dividing line between the two armies.
For a while, it was a standoff. The two armies traded letters filled with insults and made noise throughout the night to provoke each other, but neither dared to make the first move.
This was because attacking across a river was fundamentally disadvantageous. A river acted as a natural fortress; the moment soldiers stepped into the water, their movement slowed, making them easy targets for arrows, and mud clinging to their armor made fighting difficult.
Therefore, neither side wanted to attack first. They both preferred to stay on the defensive. However...
"Hehe, the enemy will be the ones to cross first."
The Grand Duke spoke, and
"Must we be the ones to make the first move...?"
The Crown Prince merely spoke as if troubled, burdened by the supply issues of his massive army and the fact that the Grand Duke had plundered the nearby villages to hoard food; if things continued, the Crown Prince would be forced to retreat, making a swift victory essential.
At those words, Dian de Valboa shouted confidently.
"Your Highness! Please entrust the vanguard to me. Our forces are double the size of the enemy's, and under my command, we will certainly not lose."
While it might have seemed arrogant, Dian had earned the right to speak so, for she was the second strongest swordsman and general in the world, and few battles had she lost while leading the vanguard.
Knowing this, the Crown Prince nodded.
"Dian de Valboa, I will grant you ten thousand troops. Lead the vanguard and break the enemy's defenses. The main force will follow behind you."
"Yes!"
The battle was just about to commence when Charles Jean Rochefort approached Dian.
"General."
"You may call me professor if you prefer. What is it, Charles?"
"This is a strategic proposal. Please read it."
"Hmm? A proposal right before the battle? You are a peculiar fellow."
Despite her words, Dian began to read the proposal Charles had submitted.
[Our forces and the enemy are facing each other with the river in between. While we appear to have the advantage with 35,000 troops—more than double the enemy's—a skilled tactician would see this as an opportunity for victory rather than a crisis. First, the battle takes place in a river; fighting on a river covered in thin ice requires enduring extreme cold, and Northerners are far more resilient to the cold than Centralers. Consequently, Centralers will tire faster, leading to a significant difference in stamina. Second, our armor is made of the renowned Central Mountain steel.]
Dian was puzzled by this point, as Central Mountain steel was world-famous for its quality; she continued to the next line.
[In a river battle, muddy water will inevitably splash and seep into one's clothing. Those wearing quilted or leather armor can simply shake off the mud, but those in heavy armor cannot remove it without taking the armor off. This will naturally slow their movements and exhaust their stamina, eventually hindering the entire army.]
Dian groaned, finding the logic sound, but wondered what the solution was, as the proposal didn't list any alternatives.
"So, Charles, what is your alternative?"
"We must retreat."
"Give up on the Northern Conquest?"
"Yes."
"..."
After pondering for a moment, Dian de Valboa finally replied.