NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29
“Oh my! Lady Kaya is going to the front lines? What is happening here?!”
“Right?!”
“It’s not unreasonable for His Excellency the Duke to do this. Why would someone who is only fifteen go to such a dangerous place…? She won’t last a single day there!”
Well, that might not be true. I tilted my head at Alexei’s words.
Alexei doesn’t know yet, but I’ve already received a message sent by the Commander.
[ I have lost. ]
At first, I doubted my eyes. Could it be that I saw it wrong due to fatigue?
But the words written beyond the pre-sent video clearly announced the Commander’s defeat.
In such a chaotic moment, seeing the Commander so calm was rather scary.
[ Young Master, Lady Kaya is clearly a prodigy sent from the heavens. I have lived my whole life as a warrior, but I have never seen someone like her. ]
Our Commander isn’t one to praise lightly, yet he has a cold side to him.
Seeing him give this much praise, it seems our Kaya really is a genius.
‘Of course, that’s that. But being only fifteen doesn’t change.’
Even if it’s a boy, going to the battlefield at fifteen is something every parent would try to dissuade.
Though my father has such experience, that was an extremely special case.
Seeing that even my father tried to talk Kaya out of it, it only reinforces that impression.
Meanwhile, I was slightly taken aback that there hadn’t been any talk of our mother trying to dissuade Kaya.
My mother adores Kaya just as much as my father does, and yet there was no mention of it.
So, when I subtly asked about the family situation, the response was as follows.
[ The Countess seems to have already come to terms with it. ]
Ah, I see. Well, if it’s Kaya, she would be the one to persuade our mother.
In any case, it would seem that once our mother is convinced, our father would follow suit.
But, little sister? When it comes to matters like this, even our mother would find it hard to convince our father!
“Just the fact that you are going to the front line is already a huge deal. Lady Kaya shouldn’t go. We must stop this at all costs, Young Master!”
“I’m not sure if that’s possible.”
“But Lady Kaya listens to you well!”
“That’s exactly why I think it’s not going to work.”
Kaya wasn’t particularly interested in going to the front line. Why would she suddenly want to go?
Now that I’ve left home and am in the military, she might be feeling restless.
She had endured until now since she was too young, but now she thinks she can finally step in.
With my father’s related experience to boot, it would only make her more determined.
My father thinks that since Kaya looks up to her big brother, all I have to do is talk her out of it.
But from my perspective, it’s the other way around. If I try to dissuade Kaya, she will become even more stubborn about it.
She might even think that it’s because she’s lacking, that I’m trying to stop her.
“Let’s just head to the Ministry of War. Kaya left not too long ago, so she should have arrived by now.”
“Many acquaintances of His Excellency the Duke are at the Ministry of War, right? I really hope that those there can dissuade the lady or hold her back.”
“Well… maybe.”
“Pardon?”
“I feel like they’ll purposely act helpless to humor her.”
“Really?! But she’s the Duke’s daughter! And she’s just a fifteen-year-old girl!”
At Alexei’s scream, I fell silent.
It would indeed make for a splendid public relations move. Or should I say, an excellent publicity item?
A daughter of a Duke, at a tender age of fifteen, heading to the battlefield.
And yet, with overwhelming skills that leave everyone in admiration.
What if she properly debuted and showed off her talents at the Eastern Front?
‘They can’t just let something like this slide at the Ministry of War.’
I’ll be honest. If Kaya weren’t my little sister…
Right there, I would have thought, ‘Oh, this is a superb promotional item!’
How splendid would that be? A brother and sister both serving at the same age.
Especially since it’s uncommon for nobles to do so, it would be the perfect excuse for the noblesse oblige!
“Young Master! We’re almost at the Ministry of War!”
“Oh. By the way, Alexei.”
“Yes, Young Master?”
“Isn’t that… a bit noisy over there?”
I wasn’t just saying that; it genuinely seemed quite chaotic. What could all these people be doing together?
Alexei seemed to notice it too as he hurriedly steered the carriage towards the Ministry of War.
And what awaited us in front of the building was…
“Bring it on! I’ll prove that I am a warrior unmatched by anyone!”
There stood Kaya, armed with a spear, staging a one-person protest in front of the Ministry of War.
*
She was frustrated. She felt wronged. Kaya was engulfed in those emotions.
She had shown everything she could. She defeated the family’s knights, overcame the deputy commander, and even secured a victory against the top commander.
And with the Duke’s suggestion, she had even managed to hit a target with a bow and arrow.
Archery was surely a difficult task. It might have been easier to throw the arrow to hit the mark.
But ultimately, she succeeded, and the Duke even accepted it.
But even being here at the Ministry of War, they still wouldn’t allow her to join the military.
They claim the battlefield is a harsh place. There is no reason for a young girl to go there.
They say it’s best left to those who are a bit older to face death and kill.
“I can do this! I can do it!”
“Lady Kaya, please calm down. This isn’t how you should act.”
“That guy is right, my dear niece. I understand your feelings, but think of what the world will say about our Empire if you, a fifteen-year-old girl, were to go to the battlefield!”
Many people from the Ministry of War poured out and desperately tried to dissuade Kaya.
As they said, there were matters concerning the prestige of the Empire, and on top of that, they had personal requests to handle.
“Please, just stop her. If you help me, I’ll grant you a favor!”
The Duke of Bertier, unable to stop his daughter, flailed his arms in all directions.
He had many acquaintances within the military.
They couldn’t refuse the Duke’s requests, being either retired seniors or friends.
Moreover, the thought of a girl, merely the level of his offspring or niece, going to the battlefield made them feel they had to intervene.
“Now, now, Kaya. You shouldn’t act like this. Okay?”
“The battlefield is unlike our family’s training grounds! The knights wouldn’t charge at you with the intent to kill, but that’s not the case there! If they capture the Duke’s daughter, it could turn into a bargaining chip—”
But alas, it seemed that particular phrase triggered something within Kaya’s heart.
It wasn’t said intending to be ignored; it was just tossed out to stop her with any rationale at hand.
As soon as she heard it, Kaya tightly grasped the spear and began swinging it around.
“Then I can just show you that right here! Come on! I’ll prove that I have the qualifications… no! That I can follow my brother alongside!”
With her bold declaration, everyone gathered around burst into laughter.
Can she truly be called a noble lady? Her spirited demeanor was extraordinary.
“Bring it on! I’ll prove that I am a warrior unmatched by anyone!”
This won’t end well. If this continues, something serious will surely happen, the military officials started to step in.
Among the crowd, someone stepped forward and quietly stood before Kaya.
“You have guts, but it seems you need to recognize the horrors of the battlefield.”
He looked to be in his mid-thirties; those who recognized him gasped.
“Roserion?! Why is that guy stepping in?!”
In the Imperial Legion, foot soldiers form the backbone.
The elite forces consist of both knights and wizards by default.
And among those elite, there are also special forces that are recognized as seasonal legends.
A handful of elite soldiers. One against a hundred. Survivors of countless battles.
Those classified as elite forces have always carried such titles.
Right now, the man named Roserion standing before Kaya was one of them.
“Oh! That stubborn principle of his, he’s finally stepping in.”
“Hey! Roserion! Just let it slide! She’s the daughter of His Excellency the Duke!”
“If you treat a superior officer’s child carelessly, you might end up getting into serious trouble!”
Though those familiar with him tried to dissuade him, he remained unmoved.
To be more precise, it was Kaya who stood in the way of their attempts to stop him.
“All I need to do is defeat you, right?”
“Sure. But it won’t be easy, young lady.”
“It’s Kaya.”
“Sure, Kaya. The battlefield is nothing like the world you imagine. If you go, you might end up being a nuisance…”
Before he could finish, Roserion instinctively had to draw his sword at his waist.
He felt a primal sense of vigilance from the girl standing right in front of him.
‘…What is this?’
An elite soldier. A veteran who has experienced all sorts of things.
Yet he is feeling tense. The skin all over his body prickled.
As he calmed his mind and looked ahead, there stood a lion, growling.
“Don’t be a fool. Don’t say such things.”
With her spear in hand, Kaya was poised to charge at any moment.
“Do you really think I’d be a hindrance to my brother? Do you think that could ever be possible?”
The atmosphere froze rapidly. Those around sensed the unusual tension.
And that’s when everyone decided to try to persuade both the girl and the man.
“Kaya!”
From among the crowd, a young man’s voice rang out.
Suddenly, the fierce demeanor Kaya had been displaying changed completely.
“Hot?! Brother Kael?!”
“Stop it. Just stop. Okay?”
“Got it! I’ll stop!”
Kaya leaped and rushed over to Kael, clinging to him. At that moment, she looked just like a little girl.
The ferocity she displayed a moment ago felt like a lie!
“…Well, this is something.”
Roserion watched the scene unfold, remembering the Duke of Bertier’s request.
‘Senior asked me to persuade her, but it seems I’ve ended up being persuaded instead.’
He quietly gazed down at his own hands.
They were still slightly trembling, and a chuckle escaped him.
*
Meanwhile.
At the Eastern Front. The overall commander of the 12th Legion in charge of the Pavilion front.
He couldn’t hide his fluster at the unexpected news.
“Did the 7th Legion lose?”
“Yes. They retreated after facing a powerful counterattack from the enemy.”
What is this? Could it be that we underestimated the Triple Alliance too much?
After all, they were contending for dominance between the Empire and the East.
Naturally, I thought the 7th Legion would clear the way and push forward with the second army.
“…I think we need someone to turn this situation around.”
After a moment of contemplation, he decided to submit a report to the higher-ups.
[ Request to redeploy Duke Bertier’s Kael Clausewitz ]
Surely, that young genius strategist would have a way to resolve the current situation?
He must! He definitely will! After all, he’s the one who devoured the whole Pavilion front in a single blow! Ah!