Chapter 141
War, for the second time
The road north was treacherous. In the past, just keeping up had been overwhelming, but perhaps because she knew the way this time, it wasn’t as hard for Lea as it had been before.
As soon as they arrived at the location she had previously marked as their encampment, they began setting up the tents.
After the soldiers finished setting up the camp, Lea distributed the low-grade mana stones she had received as supplies to each of them. As long as you infused them with energy, they could maintain warmth continuously. There was no more convenient heating item in winter.
Of course, in the past, she’d only learned how to use them later. Back when she didn’t know this, there were so many soldiers who froze to death from hypothermia that it was a headache.
“Oh, I didn’t know low-grade mana stones could be used for this.”
“Right? Ah, so warm.”
To help the tired soldiers who had just arrived, Lea instructed the chef who’d come with them to make a stew loaded with meat. After the arduous journey, the best thing on the first day was to eat something warm and filling.
Calix didn’t even glance at his own tent but instead roamed all over the camp, curiously watching Lea.
They hadn’t yet faced the enemy in earnest, but anyone would be on edge in a war zone. Lea, who had spent her days comfortably in the palace, ought to have been even more tense.
“Why does she look so at home here?”
It wasn’t just Calix. Zion, Derek, and Ilion, who had come along on this campaign, also marveled at how deftly she avoided the ropes stretched out for the tents as she moved about.
“She looks like she’s got more energy than the soldiers, doesn’t she?”
After setting up the tents, Ilion gestured toward the soldiers resting on one side and made a remark.
“It’s only natural to be tired after rushing here without delay. But as you say, it’s a relief that Lady Lea is so lively.”
Derek remained silent as he listened to them. He was the only one who knew that Lea had been preparing for war from the very start.
He simply watched her with an inscrutable gaze.
“For now, let’s gather in the command tent.”
The Emperor, as expected, had appointed Calix as the Commander-in-Chief for this northern campaign.
Calix, in turn, chose Zion as Vice Commander, Ilion as First Corps Commander, Derek as Second Corps Commander, and Eric as Third Corps Commander.
Not choosing his close associate Ilion as Vice Commander was for objective reasons. Though he was a reliable ally, he didn’t have much leadership ability.
In contrast, Zion had served as head of the knights and, unlike Ilion, knew how to make use of people.
So Zion was surprised by the unexpected appointment, and began to see Calix differently. The same went for Derek and Eric.
Though they were fierce rivals over Lea, with a real enemy in front of them, they were all comrades. Each one felt differently about their roles.
“The soldiers of Leonis are camped across Lake Moncha from us. It’s not the depth of winter yet, so the lake is only frozen on the surface. To get from here to there, we can either go over the flat ground surrounding the lake, or take the mountain route that connects to the Flos Mountains.”
Calix nodded as he listened to Zion’s explanation.
“First, let’s send out a scout party and get a read on the enemy’s strength. We also need to find out who their commander is.”
“Then let the Second Corps Commander pick the scouts and lead them himself.”
“Yes, Commander-in-Chief.”
Hearing Derek’s crisp response, Calix felt a strange sense of satisfaction. He’d chosen his vice and corps commanders from among the Espers he saw often, but each one had the unique abilities to be placed in exactly the right position.
Of them all, the one most suited for war was none other than Derek. The fact that he could probe into the minds of any living thing that came into his range—it was an incredible power.
For now, Calix decided to start by accurately assessing the enemy. He left the command tent to check on the condition of the soldiers, who must have been tired from the march.
Ilion, Zion, Derek, and Eric followed behind him as he headed toward the soldiers’ tents.
When they arrived, they saw that the company commanders were moving in perfect order under Lea’s direction.
“…What’s going on?”
Not sure what she was doing, Calix watched for a moment. Seeing the soldiers lined up side by side in two columns, he let out a small laugh.
“Left side are regular soldiers, right side are Espers. What is she doing now?”
Ilion, who had become much more interested in Lea since receiving her guiding, murmured as he looked on. Calix watched her for a moment longer, then immediately realized what she was trying to do.
He remembered the list of Espers he had found in her palace.
“…So that’s why she made something like that.”
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