In an empty office. Lieutenant Colonel Kai Han set down his cap and gazed steadily at the terrain marked on the map. His eyes moved slowly along the contour lines. Berton is located in the Western Border Region. It is separated from the Kingdom of Zerpha by the towering Alberon Mountain Range. If one wished to support the royalist faction from Berton, there were only two options. One is to detour around or climb through the mountainous area. It’s rugged and time-consuming, but allows for stable maneuvering. The second is through the gorge that cuts through the mountain range. It has the advantage of being the shortest route, but it’s the worst tactical choice. Because everyone knew that. Therefore, in any normal commander's mind, the gorge was a route that didn't exist. Had the opposing General Richter left the gorge open precisely because he knew this? The opportunity cost of an ambush in the gorge is clear. One must allocate that much force, and if troops are split between the gorge and the border area, there's a high chance they’ll be instantly crushed by the Empire’s troops supported by knights. “Rock-paper-scissors.” In the end, it’s an endless game of rock-paper-scissors. However, Maximilian's thinking was open, and he cut through the snake-biting-its-tail dilemma with a single stroke. Was it because he was young? Or was it innate? ......No. It was neither. Maximilian understood his opponent. And that understanding made him meticulous. In public opinion, there are many who describe the ‘Genen Suppression Incident’ as a disaster caused by Maximilian’s impulsiveness. However, the Maximilian that Kai Han knows is quite the opposite. He has no impulsiveness. Every action of his is grounded in rationale. Therefore, Maximilian knew everything and still tested him. He led him to dig into General Richter’s past records. Perhaps Maximilian is far more than what this continent believes him to be....... Knock knock. The sound of his adjutant knocking came. Kai Han raised his head. “Come in.” The adjutant entered and saluted. “Lieutenant Colonel. When should we begin the deployment?” “.......” He silently looked out the window. Gray clouds hung low in the sky. “A snowstorm will soon hit.” While it’s already a late spring in the Empire’s central region, Berton is still in the grip of winter. When a snowstorm comes, visibility is obscured. Footprints are covered, and sounds become muffled. It’s the perfect weather to dull the enemy’s reconnaissance. “When it starts snowing, prepare to reroute all military trucks along the detour route through the mountains. Instead, move with a small force. We need to make them misunderstand.” “......Misunderstand, sir?” The adjutant asked back. “Yes. Vehicles can’t enter the gorge due to the terrain anyway. Have the main force minimize their gear and prepare accordingly.” In other words, the main force would be passing through the gorge. The adjutant's expression turned serious. “Yes, understood!” He dashed out. “Haa.......” Lieutenant Colonel Han took a moment to steady his breath, and suddenly remembered the bag Maximilian had handed to him. The bonus sitting by his feet. He opened the zipper. Zzzip. “......Huh?” Kai Han had always thought of himself as someone not easily surprised, a rather dull person. After all, composure is the most important quality for a commander. But just this one bag shattered his calm. His eyes nearly popped out. “This is way too.......” Much. He hadn’t even used up the operational funds he received last time, and yet this was several times that amount. *** The lounge of the Berton garrison base. Zero-year knights Royce and Dare Tan were loitering around inside with their hands clasped behind their backs for no particular reason. “Loyalty!” "Ah yes. Good work." “Loyalty!” “Ahh. Good work.” Receiving salutes felt better than expected. The soldiers' disciplined gestures, how to put it. This kind of treatment might just be the reason he became a knight. “Loyalty!” “Ahh. Good work.” “Hey. Look over there.” Dare Tan gestured with his chin. In a corner of the lounge, Hannah was walking briskly, arms full of books. “What’s all that?” Royce stepped in front of her. Hannah hesitated, then looked up at them. “......Study materials.” “You went out of your way to bring that all the way here? Ha.” Dare Tan scoffed through his nose. As if trying to prove she’s a commoner. Honestly, he still didn’t understand why she was even here. “What do you mean, bring? There’s a library here too? I borrowed them from there.” “......There’s a library? In this backwater?” Royce furrowed his brow. “Yup~ there is.” A rather friendly voice came from behind. It was Leon. The three of them instinctively straightened their backs. Among the zero-years, Leon is known as one of Maximilian’s closest aides. After all, hardly anyone dares to call Maximilian just “Max”. “It wasn’t here before, but they apparently built one recently for the soldiers’ welfare. There’s even a computer there.” “Oh, really?” “Yeah. But looks like only officers and above can use it. The regular soldiers don’t even get to look at it.” A computer, a device condensed with the Empire’s latest mana circuit technology, is an extremely expensive item, even within the Empire. And to think such an item exists even at a frontier outpost like this. "Follow me. Max is calling for you." Leon gestured. The faces of the three stiffened with tension. Leon was easygoing, but Maximilian was not. Frankly, he was scary. 「Supply Room」 They followed Leon and arrived at the supply room. Maximilian was already seated inside. He tossed a backpack. “Take it.” At first glance, it looked like an ordinary backpack, but the inside was so deep the bottom wasn't visible. “It’s an expansion backpack.” Royce and Dare Tan gave a bitter smile. “Ah, Sir. We brought our personal equipment, so we don’t need military–” “It’s not military-issued.” “......Sorry?” The two tilted their heads and inspected the gear. “Oh, oh?” “Oh!” The artifacts given to the zero-years were likely the highest-grade backpacks currently available, manufactured by Lorenzo Academy. Sometimes, those unfamiliar with magic mistake expansion backpacks for some sort of infinite pouch, but in reality, they’re simply items that use mana to expand the spaces between particles. In other words, the volume increases by two to three times, but the mass does not decrease. Even so, they’re so expensive that enlisted soldiers can’t even dream of affording one. "Fill them up and bring them back." “Yes, sir!” What one chooses to fill in that backpack, that too reflects the user’s capability. ....... Supply room at the Berton base. Leon fiddled with his backpack as he asked. “Max. Not happy with them?” “What?” “I mean them. The zero-years. We saw them a few times coming and going at Empire Point, right?” Royce. Dare Tan. Hannah. Chiron had deliberately assigned this group for the current deployment. “No.” I looked out the window. It seemed like the snowstorm was about to begin. “No? So you like them?” “Yeah.” Royce. Dare Tan. Of course, they’re pampered nobles. Their necks are way too stiff, and they reek of entitlement. But they have high potential. The kind of guys who, in the fallen Empire, fought invaders to the bitter end and were executed, ones who would never betray the Empire. Hannah, being a commoner, actually possesses far more talent than the two of them. “I like them.” “......That’s unexpected.” “They remind me of how I used to be.” I gave a small smile. The days when I was immature, arrogant, and took the world lightly. I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of kinship. Right then, the zero-years returned with their backpacks. They were stuffed full. “We’re ready!” All of their voices were brimming with energy. I gestured toward them. “Open them all.” “Uh...... sorry?” "Gear inspection." They seemed quite flustered by my words. Well, knights don’t normally get their belongings inspected. “I said, open them.” “Ah...... yes, sir.” Royce opened his bag first. As he began taking things out one by one, it was annoying, so I grabbed it myself and dumped everything out. Clatter. “.......” A bottle of fine wine, cigars, spare silk pajamas, premium chocolate, emergency rations, a mana stone flashlight... looked like he came on a picnic. “Throw everything away except the chocolate and emergency rations.” “Y-yes? Ah, I mean, this is my─” “I said throw it away.” “......Yes, sir.” Royce bowed his head. Next was Dare Tan. He wasn’t much different. He also had another pair of silk pajamas. Seriously, what’s with these guys and pajamas? “Burn all the pajamas.” “Ah, sir... I can’t sleep without them......” Dare Tan bit his lip with a face on the verge of tears. "Do you still think you're 19 years old?" "What? Ah, yes. That's right, I'm 19 years old......." “What?” I glanced at Leon. Leon smiled wryly. "Going by his birthday~ I guess he's not 20 yet." "Ha." This is why the noble society collapsed. “......Just burn these for now.” I handed the damn silk pajamas over to Leon. “Okay.” Finally, I flipped Hannah’s bag over. Most of it was food, and there were a good amount of supplies and medicines in case of an emergency. Thud. But then, something big, round, and green rolled out of her bag. It was a vegetable. A cabbage. “.......” Thud. I stared down at the three cabbages rolling around. Thud. Now it was four. They were very fresh. “Why are there so many cabbages?” “......I’m sorry.” Hannah bowed her head. “I asked why.” “Because I like cabbage.......” My brow furrowed instantly. "Do you know what a knight's greatest weakness is? Tanks? Cannons? Magic? No." Crunch! I crushed the cabbage with my hand. The leaves burst and fragments flew everywhere. “My cabbage......” Despair spread rapidly in Hannah's eyes. “Hunger.” I brushed off the shredded cabbage bits and spoke. "Knights consume both Mana and stamina simultaneously. That means we need as much fuel as a tank." Training and actual combat are very different. No matter how intense training is, it doesn't drain as much as real combat. On the battlefield, Mana is kept at a very heightened state. So the longer a mission drags on, the more a knight must constantly replenish calories. “I’ll give you thirty minutes.” I told them. "Fill them up again." ....... Mess hall at the Berton garrison base. The three knights were preparing food. They’d put some thought into it. First, they melted a good amount of butter in a pot, then dissolved sugar into it, and chopped the meat into tiny bits to concentrate it. It was an incredible nutritional bomb preserved ration described in the food reference books in the library. “Hey, are you sure this stuff’s gonna work? We’re not gonna die eating this, right?” Royce and Dare Tan asked. Hannah, meanwhile, added cabbage slices to her own pot and snapped back, annoyed. “God, how many times do I have to say it? It’ll work.” “If it doesn’t work, I’ll make you eat it first.” Chop, chop. They cooled the now-thick mixture, portioned it into containers, and neatly packed them into their backpacks. Hannah suddenly fiddled with her backpack. "......But this extension backpack is really nice." It seemed like leather yet was as tough as metal, and light in weight. Was it some kind of functional fabric treated with Mana. "Aah~ Hannah, is this your first time seeing something like this?" “It is. So what.” At Hannah's blunt reply, Royce shrugged his shoulders. “Honestly, it’s my first time too. It’s way better than my usual one.” "......What." Click, click. Hannah fastened the buckles on her backpack. “This thing... we’ll have to return it after the mission, right......?” “Obviously. Were you thinking of keeping it? Just look at it, it’s gotta be worth over 300,000.” “Th-Three hundred thousand!?” Hannah's eyes widened. Dare Tan chuckled and shook his head. “Different, definitely different~ Is it because you grew up without anything? Trying to keep something like this. You'll go to prison if you do that. Is this why commoners embezzle so often?” “Ah, shit. Seriously. Shut up?” “Wooow~ In the Capital, telling a noble to shut up would land you an instant fine. I’ll let it slide this time.” At that moment, Leon knocked on the metal counter from behind. “Knights. Time’s almost up~” “Ah, yes!” They gathered their rations and stood before Maximilian in the「Supply Room」. Maximilian dumped their backpacks out again and checked the contents. "......Now let's get ready." He nodded in satisfaction and stood up. "We will be operating separately from the main force." *** Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii───! Above the gorge of Berton, the land was swept by a bone-chilling snowstorm. Visibility was blurred white, and the sound of wind made eardrums feel stuffed. “Can everyone hear me?” I asked with my hand pressed to my ear. ─Leon. Loud and clear. ─Yes. Royce. I can hear you well. ─Dare Tan. Same here. ─Hannah. I hear you. This, too, was a communication device developed by Lorenzo Academy, worn in the ear. Using the highest-purity mana stones, its mana waves remained unaffected even in a snowstorm. Each unit was worth over 300,000. We stood atop the gorge's highest ridge. Below, the winding gorge stretched like a snake. Before long, Kai Han’s Imperial Guard unit would enter through there. “Haa.......” I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them. Ebenholtz Second Formula, Mana Assimilation. I focused mana into my optic nerves. My pupils turned silver, and the world beyond the snowstorm became distinctly visible like a thermal image in black and white. Atop the gorge, between the rocks and within the snow, tiny traces of heat lay in hiding. The enemy’s reconnaissance units. ─This is Kai Han. The main force is entering the gorge now. Kai Han’s voice came through in my ear. “Main force entry confirmed. We’ll proceed while matching their pace.” ─Yes. Understood. ─Yes, sir! ─Confirmed. I drew my sword. The core of this mission is simple: eliminate the reconnaissance teams stationed in the gorge so they can't return to their main force. “I will now brief you on the enemy’s positions.” I identified enemy positions and moved through the snowstorm. Shring──! Each time my longsword flashed, red blood splattered and was quickly swallowed by the white storm. The entire process was utterly silent. The sounds disappeared and not a single scream rang out. ....... ──56 hours elapsed. The Imperial Guard led by Lieutenant Colonel Kai Han pushed through the gorge after a forced march. “There! I see houses!” At the shout from the vanguard, the soldiers' heads lifted. Beyond the snowstorm, the vague outline of a village came into view. It was a border village of the Kingdom of Zerpha. A scattering of old wooden houses, smoke rising from chimneys, cows grazing leisurely in the pasture. A peaceful rural scene, but the soldiers had already reached their limit. Their breaths were ragged, their legs trembling. “Haa.......” Kai Han let out a sigh of relief. Maximilian’s strategy had been correct. There had been no ambush, and the snowstorm had served as a perfect cover for the main force’s march. “We need rest now.” To lead exhausted troops straight toward the capital would be suicidal. They needed food and a place to warm their bodies. “All troops, set up camp on the outskirts of the village and await orders! Stay alert!” Kai Han and his adjutant approached the largest house. It was attached to a sizable cattle ranch. Knock knock. “Is anyone home?” The door cracked open slightly, and a pair of tense, wary eyes scanned them. After confirming their Imperial uniforms, the door slammed shut. Thud. The sound of a latch being thrown came from inside. “It seems...... our uniforms aren’t exactly welcome here.” Just as the adjutant was smiling bitterly. ──Crunch. Crunch. Footsteps over snow approached. “What’s going on?” It was Maximilian. Having completed his mission atop the gorge, he had just rejoined them. "......Sir knight. The residents are refusing to cooperate─" Knock knock. Maximilian knocked on the door instead of replying. There was no response. He let out a faint sigh and opened his mouth. "I'm giving you a warning." Lieutenant Colonel Kai Han's eyes widened. Maximilian had just spoken in Zerphan, not in the Imperial tongue. “If you do not open the door right now, you will die.” Even without understanding the words fully, the tone of voice made it clear. It was a threat. ──Knock knock. "3." He knocked as he counted down. "2." Before he even said “1”, the door creaked slightly open. Maximilian stretched out his hand and forcefully pried the door open wider. ──Bang! The door was ripped from its hinges with a loud crash, screws and hinges clattering to the floor. Inside, the family let out gasps of fear. “Pleasure to meet you.” Maximilian smiled and strode inside. The room held a family of seven. There were even three small children. Kai Han’s heart pounded. They had minimized their gear to cross the gorge quickly. So relying on local supplies through requisition was only natural, but still... “We are the relief forces from the Empire. Our soldiers are famished after a long march.” Maximilian looked slowly around the room as he spoke. “Sell the cattle from your ranch.” A short silence fell. Gulp. The family head who had swallowed hard gathered his courage and shook his head. "......That's not possible. Those cattle are everything to our family. I absolutely cannot sell—" “Family. Even a household this small calls itself a family.” “.......” Whoosh─ Maximilian slipped a hand inside his coat. The family flinched and backed away. What emerged in his hand was a checkbook. “There’s no such thing as ‘impossible’.” Maximilian wrote a number with a fountain pen and tore the check out. “If there are any cows you’re particularly fond of, we’ll leave those out. We’ll buy the rest.” Swish. He laid the check down on the table. The man picked it up with trembling hands. The moment he saw the amount, his eyes went wide in shock. It was a familiar sight for Lieutenant Colonel Han. “Th-this is......” "If you're having trouble calculating the exchange rate." Maximilian added kindly, “it should be about 1.3 billion zent in Zerphan zents.” One million Imperial dollars was equivalent to 1.3 billion Zerphan zent. It must have been an unimaginable amount of money in a village like this. “It’s the Empire’s gratitude to the villagers who welcomed the Imperial Army.” “Ah......” “It should be enough to build a proper family legacy from now on.” The check fluttered in the family head's hand. A small smile spread across his lips. Maximilian looked at him for a moment, then gestured to Lieutenant Colonel Han. “First, feed the soldiers.” Kai Han nodded, hiding a smile. “......Yes, understood.” Maximilian did not exploit civilians. If something was absolutely necessary, he absolutely paid more than its worth. He maintained his dignity and never lost his decorum. Perhaps because the very act of plundering is unbecoming of a noble......