Chapter 89
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: The Butterfly Flew (1)
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Capey, the capital.
Ukraine was a weak nation compared to its neighboring countries, but Capey, where the Grand Duke resided and which served as the center of the duchy's trade, was in no way inferior to the capitals of other nations.
There were streetlights that used the newly introduced 'electricity' to light up the streets, and massive trains equipped with steam engines roamed the outskirts of the city.
When the moon rose, the city center, once shrouded in darkness, now relied on the electric lights that served as 'artificial suns,' showing no signs of dimming.
The palace where the Grand Duke resided was no different. Soni Chepelin strolled through the palace's interior, which had changed dramatically in just a few months.
There was not a single spot untouched by electricity. Candles and chandeliers had long since become mere decorations, losing their purpose as light sources.
Lanterns were now items used only by servants traveling through underground facilities or warehouses that had yet to be connected to the electrical grid.
There were even rumors that in the Free Democratic Republic of Prurya, a tool had been invented that contained purple mana in a small iron container, allowing it to emit bright light without any wires.
Soon, that item would likely be found in Capey's palace as well.
'The world is changing so fast it's terrifying. Each day is different from the last.'
Every day, a torrent of new theses was published.
From magicology and science to the newly born field of magic engineering, which incorporated both disciplines.
Most of them were nonsensical, useless drivel, or completely impossible to realize with current technology.
But occasionally, truly groundbreaking ideas were unearthed. The world's magic towers and academies tasked with processing and reviewing these theses were experiencing a golden age like never before.
Even for her, a Grand Archmage, it was all she could do just to keep up with the current flow.
As Soni Chepelin admired the night view through the window, a neatly dressed butler approached her.
"I have kept you waiting, Major General Soni Chepelin. The Grand Duke is ready to see you."
"He took a little longer than I expected."
"There was a diplomatic envoy from the Republic of Polania."
The Republic of Polania?
Soni Chepelin was slightly puzzled.
Though they were both neutral nations, Polania was, as its name suggested, effectively a state aligned with the free faction.
It had a history of a brutal war with the Rus Tsarist Empire, the predecessor of the Ukran Duchy, so its relationship with Ukraine was far from close.
'Well, it doesn't matter.'
Diplomacy was not an area Soni Chepelin had any interest in. Orlando Rus III was dozens of times more capable in that regard than she, the Grand Archmage.
She brushed it off and entered the Grand Duke's private quarters.
Entering the king's private living space in Ukraine, a nation fundamentally close to a monarchy, was an act of madness.
But for Soni Chepelin, a mere major general, it had become a matter of course.
"Have you been waiting long?"
"Not at all."
As she entered the room, Orlando Rus III, dressed in his royal military uniform, greeted her warmly. The young monarch, wearing a single eyeglass, looked at her and smiled.
"Take a seat. As an apology for being late, I have prepared your favorite drink."
"Oh, isn't this wine from the Kingdom of Adalia? It's been so hard to get a hold of lately, with the export restrictions..."
"Would it make sense for a national leader to be unable to procure a simple bottle of wine?"
"I will gratefully accept."
Soni Chepelin immediately raised her wine glass and took a sip. The tart grape aroma that wet her throat brought a satisfied expression to her face.
"I have heard the news you brought. It is... very good news."
"Yes, as I told you? This operation was bound to be a success."
"I was skeptical at first, but now I am certain. You have never been wrong."
The trust between Soni Chepelin, the Grand Archmage of the Sky, and Orlando Rus III, the Grand Duke of the Ukran Duchy, had already grown as thick as it could be.
To him, Soni Chepelin was his most trusted soldier, the duchy's mighty military might, and a dear friend.
"I also read the report sent by Captain Enok Levandel. You can tell at a glance that he is an officer with a bright future. Where on earth did you dig up such a talent?"
"That's a state secret."
"A state secret not even the supreme commander of the military knows? It seems there's a rebellion in our midst."
He had been commissioned for less than a month when the Grand Duke personally commended him, promoting him from Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant.
Six months later, he was now being promoted to Captain once again, using the 'Brigade Commander's discretionary promotion authority.'
Though it was called the Brigade Commander's authority, the Special Response Brigade was directly under the Grand Duke's command, so this promotion was, in effect, once again orchestrated by Orlando Rus III.
A promotion from Second Lieutenant to Captain in a total of seven months—an unprecedented speed of advancement, even when looking across the entire continent.
However, neither Grand Duke Orlando Rus III nor Soni Chepelin had any异议 or complaints about it.
In fact, they were only left wanting more.
"...If he had been commissioned a little earlier, we could have pushed him all the way to Major."
"So it would seem. This is his limit for now. Unless a war suddenly breaks out somewhere."
Orlando Rus III thought of Major General Hafenruke Helheim, commander of the Magic Brigade under the Central Army, who was in a similar case to Enok Levandel.
He too was an incredible talent who had reached the rank of Major General in just ten years. Of course, Hafenruke Helheim had not gone from Second Lieutenant to Captain in seven months, either.
Which made Enok Levandel all the more special.
"I would like to meet with him again soon."
"Forgive my impertinence, but I believe it would be best if you did not do so for the time being."
"...Are you worried that flies will swarm him?"
"Yes, that is what I mean."
Soni Chepelin said as she set down her now-empty wine glass.
"I do not know how many generals have defected to the Sovye Empire, but the number is by no means small. As he is already a figure of attention, if Your Excellency the Grand Duke were to contact him again, he would become a prime target for the unscrupulous factions."
In the worst-case scenario, Captain Enok's life could be threatened. It was unknown when they might draw their swords, as the military was still quiet on the surface for now.
Assassinating the Grand Duke is difficult.
Even more so for Soni Chepelin, the Grand Archmage.
But a rookie officer who is just a mere Captain?
Enok Levandel was by no means an easy target, but he was still an inexperienced person.
No matter how much of a genius he was, if a hole was punched through his forehead in the dead of night, his life would be forfeit all the same.
The Captain on whom the Grand Duke had clearly shown favor.
A young officer who participated in major operations as soon as he was commissioned and earned merits, and was watched by none other than Soni Chepelin.
He was an impeccable target to send a warning message to the Grand Duke's faction.
"Is there any other contact from the National Gendarmerie?"
"They said there is none. After all, it hasn't been long since the Ukrainian military was normalized. Given that the military was a complete mess to begin with, it seems it's still difficult to be sure of who stands on which side."
"It's difficult. As I thought, politics doesn't suit me."
"I think so too."
The two of them spoke with candid voices.
Orlando Rus II, the previous king, was not competent in every aspect. And during the previous Grand Duke's era, the world situation had not changed so rapidly.
The already weak Ukrainian military was virtually abandoned under the implicit tolerance of the Grand Duke.
Paradoxically, the magic conscription system, inherited from the Imperial era, became the last bastion supporting the Ukrainian military, which was on the verge of collapse.
Weren't all the heroes who earned merits in the Quornen War at the time conscripted through the magic conscription system?
Therefore, when the previous Grand Duke's health deteriorated and Orlando Rus III ascended to the new Grand Duke's seat, his first act was military reform. However, it was impossible with the Grand Duke's strength alone. The Ukrainian military was like a corpse, so it needed to keep fresh blood circulating.
In that respect, Enok Levandel was exactly the type of talent the Grand Duke wanted. A young officer who swept up all the merits and possessed a terrifyingly sharp insight.
A 'joker card' for Ukraine, prepared for when the clouds of war would finally loom over the peace that had lasted for hundreds of years.
The young monarch was certain that when that peace was broken, the first nation to be devoured would be the Ukran Duchy.
"Let's proceed with the plan step by step. We still have some time, don't we?"
"Of course. We are also currently planning to fill the personnel for the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion. Since it will soon be September, we are planning to focus solely on elite training and establishing an educational curriculum before actively recruiting personnel."
"It seems he is doing quite well in his duties as acting battalion commander."
"It's getting to the point where you'd start to doubt if he really is an officer who just graduated from a military academy."
The day he took on the role of deputy battalion commander, his complexion had been worn down with worry and anxiety.
But now, Enok Levandel was completely overhauling his unit.
He was synthesizing the opinions of his subordinates and fellow company commanders, actively exchanging ideas with the staff headquarters, and attempting a complete transformation into the most optimized form.
"In any case, he is a monster. I still need to observe his magical aptitude a bit more... but I'm starting to think that perhaps a second Grand Archmage might be born in Ukraine."
"If that were the case, all of his achievements so far would make perfect sense."
Enok Levandel.
The sharpest, most finely honed sword Soni Chepelin had brought back.
Unlike others, it was a sword that had not rusted over the long years, nor had its form been distorted in any strange way.
If you were given such a weapon, wouldn't you wield it well rather than lock it away in a warehouse?
Sometimes, you even need to sharpen it with a whetstone to keep it from rusting.
"I will entrust all personnel and military affairs-related documents coming from your side to you, Soni Chepelin. I will grant you the utmost autonomy, so feel free to mold him as you see fit."
"Thank you."
Thus, from the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion, backed by the absolute authority of the Grand Duke...
It did not take long for dozens of field commission proposals to arrive.