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“….”

6 AM. I’ve always woken up at this hour, embedded in my body’s routine.

I tidy up my bed, splash my face with water, and change into comfortable clothes.

Then, after a quick stretch, I set off for a light jog.

“Phew.”

Our Clausewitz Family has long been active in the military.

Naturally, honing one’s body would become second nature.

Even someone completely removed from martial arts like me has kept up a steady workout.

Sometimes it feels bothersome. I just want to give up and sleep in a bit more.

But now, it’s almost a habit, or rather an addiction; if I skip it, it feels wrong.

Thanks to this regular activity, I’ve managed to endure many tough moments along the way.

Like when I underwent basic military training or followed the legion into battle.

Ordinary noble kids would have been terrified and complained about such things.

But I could breeze through them without a care.

“Phew…”

After jogging enough to work up a slight sweat, I collect my breath a few times.

This release seems to keep my mind clear throughout the day.

If someone like me, who isn’t particularly athletic, can feel this way, it’s clear that the blood of our family runs deep.

As I glance around, a familiar face waves at me from a distance.

“Kael!”

“Your Highness the Princess?”

What a surprise. I didn’t expect to see the princess up at this early hour.

And she doesn’t even look like she just rolled out of bed. She looks just as composed as always.

I assumed someone of her royal stature would lead a leisurely life, but perhaps that’s not the case.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“I didn’t think I’d see you this early.”

“Really? We’ve been living together… Ah, right. I guess we’ve always stayed in different places.”

In the North and East, that was true, and when we headed to the West, we were close by.

But since I’ve been reassigned to the South just a few days later, we haven’t had a chance to meet like this.

So, this is my first time running into the princess in the morning.

“Did you really think a princess would sleep in and lounge about? In fact, as a member of the royal family, I have a very sharp and packed daily schedule.”

“…I apologize.”

“But don’t take it too seriously! It just means I’m working hard like everyone else. I’m not just lucky to be born into good blood.”

With a little giggle, the princess glances at me, suddenly donning a peculiar expression.

Then she clears her throat and resumes examining me from head to toe.

“Your Highness?”

“I hadn’t realized until now. You really are a Clausewitz after all.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s nothing significant. Well, um. You see, it’s just… this…”

The princess keeps making strange hand gestures, leaving me puzzled about her motives.

Eventually, I realize why she keeps acting so oddly.

After all, I’m moving my body enough to work up a slight sweat.

And I’m dressed comfortably, given that we’re in the South, where it’s considerably warmer than what I’m used to.

For those reasons, I might appear a bit more excessive than I intended.

“Oh. My apologies, Your Highness. If it made you uncomfortable…”

“Uncomfortable? Not at all… Actually!”

Suddenly, the princess flails her hands in the air, her face reddening with embarrassment.

There’s no need to address that detail, so I decide to keep my mouth shut.

“…Um, Kael.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Can I call you by your name once?”

For a moment, I wondered if I heard her wrong.

If I heard correctly, I should probably be suspicious if the princess hadn’t woken up fully.

What noble would dare to call a royal family member by their name, especially the princess?

It’s an act of rudeness that could never be committed by someone outside the royal family.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Even if the concerned party is okay with it?”

“I’m sorry, but there are laws regarding the empire and the royal family.”

“Heh.”

Even with her cute pouting, it’s still off-limits.

What if this bit of news reached the Emperor?

I could end up with a serious grudge against me for it. No doubt about that.

It’s kind of absurd; this kid started acting all high and mighty just because I talked it up to her ego.

“So, there’s a schedule for visiting the Southern Legions today, right?”

“Yes. Looks like I’ll be quite busy starting this morning. What about you, Kael?”

“I’ll probably be gathering with Marquis Benito and other nobles to check on the situation in the South.”

“We’re both putting in a lot of work, aren’t we?”

For a while, we simply stood silently, looking at one another.

Then, as if we had made a pact, we spoke at the same time again.

“Let’s do our best.”

“Do your best too.”

Although just the words were slightly different, they essentially meant the same thing.

We both exclaimed an “Ah!” in unison once more.

“Ha-ha. We’ve been stuck together from the North to now, and it seems we’re in sync!”

“It’s been over half a year, and soon it will be a year.”

Really. Suddenly, I noticed how time had flown by.

It felt like only a month had passed.

“I think I’ll be indebted to you, Kael, going forward.”

“I also believe I’ll receive more assistance from Your Highness than I expected.”

The task bestowed by the Emperor to both of us essentially overlaps.

We were to serve as the focal points for boosting morale in the Imperial Legions.

“Let’s do our best—”

“—Moving forward.”

Despite the unexpected fatigue and pressures weighing us down,

it strangely all seemed to disappear as we exchanged those words.

Yes. Let’s continue to do our best today and into the future.

*

The pleasant morning didn’t even last an hour.

The moment we stepped into the meeting room with those who suddenly joined us…

It all shattered as I heard yet another absurd piece of news.

[ Dedorant. Full-scale attack on DeGale. ]

[ Major engagement occurring. DeGale suffers a heavy defeat, losing all Western territory. ]

‘…Are you kidding me right now?’

These people have lost their minds. Crazy, insane people. Truly something else altogether.

After merging Atria, our empire had turned its attention entirely towards that matter.

Having swallowed the Jugel region, it seemed like they would no longer pressure DeGale.

Yet, now they suddenly struck with a storm, consuming the west of DeGale?

Before the empire could even act, this swift attack??

“Is this really possible?”

This shocking news wasn’t just puzzling to me.

The princess was also sighing heavily while looking at Marquis Rael and the Legion Commanders.

“We’re quite baffled as well, Your Highness.”

“Who would have thought DeGale would fall so quickly…?”

The legion commanders of the empire are not merely political players or flatterers.

While those traits are indeed necessary, they must possess the essential qualities of a commander as well.

Their military insights are among the highest levels within the empire.

That’s why I intervened only to the necessary extent in the Eastern theaters and left the rest to the commanders.

Even those commanders couldn’t conceal their bewilderment at this latest announcement.

“DeGale’s military isn’t weak. How could this even happen?”

“The commanders in the West must be in a panic. They should have raised their awareness about Dedorant’s capabilities significantly from now on.”

“I knew Dedorant was strong, but not to this extent…”

Currently, the situation finds the empire’s land connections to DeGale and Ross Tanika severed.

Benito, who had maintained a close relationship with Dedorant without any particular connections, could finally act directly with both kingdoms.

Now, that Benito was actively tackling the Holy Kingdom with fierce momentum.

Moreover, the Southern Kingdoms, which had previously shown a passive stance, were now being threatened.

“This complicates matters even further.”

“We need to somehow stall Benito’s solo act. But if Dedorant puts a wrench in that…”

“Is that really possible? I’ve heard Dedorant completely bowed their heads to our empire.”

“Whether we can trust that is the issue. Look at how they just ripped Jugel from DeGale and then struck their back to swallow the west.”

In the weighty atmosphere of nobles and commanders, I unintentionally blurted out.

“…So, this is how things end up, huh?”

“Kael?”

“Prince Kael?”

No, not like that! Don’t all gaze at me as if you were waiting for my wisdom!

“Honestly, I, too, and those from the West somewhat anticipated that Dedorant could strike at any moment. I just didn’t think it would be this soon.”

Could Dedorant truly be stronger than we imagined?

Or was DeGale just unexpectedly incompetent?

Perhaps it could be both. That seems to be the most probable scenario.

“Let’s put the Western matters aside for now and focus on the situation in the South.”

“Indeed, Prince Kael. We have two legions that departed from the East set to arrive in the South next month. In that case, we’ll give them border defense and prepare the Southern Legions for an offensive.”

Looks like the high command of the empire has made its decision.

With the justification of upheaval and a holy war, we’re hitting first.

“Even if it puts the empire’s image as ‘never allowing the growth of other kingdoms’ on the line…”

Even if it means splashing cold water on the pro-imperialist sentiments we’ve built up in the Southern Kingdoms,

we can’t let Benito become the paramount leader of the South and completely swallow the Holy Kingdom.

After all, Benito’s military strength doesn’t come close to competing with the empire.

He may have numbers, but in actual combat, he could never catch up to the imperial legions.

I’ve heard they’ve sent some mercenaries in a manner similar to Baron Dedorant.

But those alone won’t suffice to exert much power anytime soon.

“Why is the empire, Nobogord, and Dedorant military powers? It’s because they’ve experienced significant real battles. Viewed from that perspective, Benito… no matter how you slice it, he’s still second-rate.”

The high command of the empire probably shares similar thoughts and predictions.

That’s why they expect that a proper threat would result in Benito folding on his own.

Naturally, I think the same. Honestly, there’s no other option.

The empire’s legions would say, ‘If you don’t withdraw now, you might just meet your end.’ How could he resist that?

Even if it’s Nobogord they’re facing, he would have no choice but to retreat, licking his wounds.

*

[ Benito. Declares war on the empire. ]

“…?”

Even the emperor of the empire has.

“…??”

The experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of War are also.

“…Huh?”

And Kael as well.

Everyone shares the same thought.

‘Are these guys… perhaps insane?’

 

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