It wasn’t difficult to track down the impoverished individuals suddenly throwing money around, all while using suspicious gold coins with various markings erased.

A few days later, Theodore wrapped up the matter by eliminating those he had contacted.

“...It’ll be fine,” he muttered.

Sitting in his office, his hands trembled from an inexplicable wave of anxiety.

Theodore had taken every precaution—he had used low-quality paper commonly found among commoners, and even wrote the letter with his left hand to disguise his handwriting. His goal was clear: as long as no one could trace the letter back to him, he hoped that at least one of the recipients would take it seriously and cause harm to Victor.

“Yes, no one followed me. Yes, yes...”

Still, committing such an obvious act of betrayal against the Empire gnawed at him, and he found himself repeatedly reassuring himself of his safety.

“It’ll be fine... yes...”

Caressing the frame of a portrait of Luise, he tried to force himself to imagine a brighter future.

As the situation hadn’t yet ripened, and the validity of the letter was still unconfirmed, the message Theodore had sent had not yet been disclosed.

The letter didn’t contain advanced military knowledge, and without immediate access to firearms or cannons, there wasn’t much the enemy could do with its contents.

Instead, they focused on analyzing the letter in detail for appropriate use.

“...Hmm.”

I paid more attention to the format of the letter than its content.

The handwriting was utterly messy, written on common stationery, and there was no sender listed. Yet, the recipient was explicitly named as Sancho Gonzales, a noble of the Kingdom of Esperia.

Nobles receive countless letters every day. If the sender didn’t care whether this letter was delivered to the intended recipient, there must be some kind of mark or indication elsewhere guaranteeing its authenticity.

I flipped the letter over and read it again, picked out the first letters of each sentence, held it up to candlelight, and even tried reading it horizontally.

“...I’ve got nothing.”

No matter how much I analyzed the sentences, nothing stood out. I wasn’t a cryptography expert, but there wasn’t any odd phrasing or structure to suggest a hidden code. There didn’t seem to be any concealed symbols or markings, and the vocabulary used was entirely ordinary.

Could the blatant attempt to hide the handwriting and use of cheap stationery and an envelope itself be a clue?

“...”

Or maybe it was just a gamble.

Theodore had likely contacted several others besides the man I captured, possibly sending letters indiscriminately to Esperia’s nobles, hoping at least one would take the bait.

Part of me wanted to use this letter to spread false information and sow chaos in the Kingdom of Esperia, but it seemed too early to act on it.

If the letter’s contents reached its intended audience, the Kingdom of Esperia would have no choice but to respond somehow.

Until then, I would keep it safe and wait.

***

Theodore was left under light surveillance for the time being, while I threw myself into preparing the Crimson Dragon Legion for deployment.

On Earth, the advent of firearms had rendered heavy armor nearly obsolete, heralding an era of agile light infantry.

-Click, click, click.

"Reload complete!"
"...Hmm. Not bad, the speed’s acceptable."

However, our enemies still heavily relied on traditional melee weapons rather than firearms. There was no need for us to sacrifice armor for agility. On the contrary, as long as our mobility didn’t fall drastically behind, the ability to pierce their armor gave us a significant advantage.

The infantry of the Crimson Dragon Legion trained in dense formations, practicing the use of muskets and bayonets while wearing armor.

-Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Good! Prepare for cavalry drills next!"

The cavalry, too, underwent major changes.

Out of 2,000 cavalrymen, half retained traditional heavy cavalry tactics, while the other half transitioned into dragoons, donning lighter armor to accommodate their new role.

Since matchlock muskets were cumbersome to use on horseback, these dragoons would ride to their target location, dismount, and engage in firing from a stationary position.

"This concludes final training. Take care to avoid injuries and maintain top physical condition!"
"Yes, sir!"

After completing the final inspection before deployment, I dismissed the soldiers.

"...I can already see the Kingdom of Esperia waving the white flag," Anna remarked, standing beside me.

"Complacency is dangerous, but I’m not considering the possibility of defeat either."

We had prepared thoroughly.

To counter our heavily armored musketeers and cavalry, the enemy would need firearms. However, the Kingdom of Anchester had ceased selling firearms to other nations since entering trade relations with our Empire.

Ten thousand soldiers may not seem sufficient to topple an entire nation, but if every one of them is equipped with muskets and clad in heavy armor, the situation changes. Add the Fifth Legion to the mix, and losing becomes far less likely.

"Still, we need to present an overwhelming display of power that crushes their will to resist."
"Understood."
"If we can subdue the Kingdom of Esperia, just as the Kingdoms of Yldemar and Kaen settled down after the fall of Brotan, the Paris and San Bastian Kingdoms will likely quiet down as well."

Of course, our goal wasn’t merely victory.

Given the turmoil in the southeastern continent, we needed to secure the west quickly to free up resources. If the elves merely sought to wage war, it wouldn’t be an insurmountable problem. But if the chaos was a harbinger of the "Wrath of the Forest" or the "Black Dragon" crisis, things could escalate dramatically.

"I’ll double-check the logistics for the supplies again."
"Didn’t you check them just yesterday?"
"These aren’t supplies for our legion alone; we need to be thorough."
"...I’ll assist you."

I meticulously prepared for the deployment, leaving no detail unchecked.

"Commander Victor!"
"...?"

That evening, Erika suddenly appeared at my tent.

"By order of Her Majesty, I’ll be joining this campaign as the official chronicler! Please take care of me!"
"...I see."
"Here, Her Majesty’s letter!"

She handed me a letter from Luise, informing me that she would temporarily join the Crimson Dragon Legion. According to the letter, her sole task was to document my actions without interfering in any way.

"...We’ll be traversing the heart of the battlefield, so let’s go over some safety precautions first," Anna said, stepping forward with a firm tone.
"Understood, Anna!"

Anna’s sharp gaze softened slightly as she spoke, and it didn’t seem like having Erika around would be too bad.

Her lively demeanor might help lighten the heavy atmosphere of the battlefield, even if just a little.

Before the Crimson Dragon Legion set out, Gerhardt summoned me for a private meeting.

"The deployment is tomorrow," he said.
"Yes, Grand Marshal."

Approaching me, Gerhardt tapped me on the shoulder as I stood in my black formal uniform.

"Doesn’t it feel like a heavy burden? You’re directly representing Her Majesty’s will, after all."
"...My shoulders are always heavy. Adding one more weight doesn’t make much of a difference."
"Hmm..."

Gerhardt let out a soft groan at my serious response.

"Not a bad answer, but not the one I was hoping for."
"I’ll keep that in mind."
"No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that you seem overly tense."

At his remark, I offered a small smile, breaking my previously stern expression.

"I understand what you’re saying. Excessive tension can be harmful, but a certain level of tension improves efficiency, wouldn’t you agree? I’ll make sure to strike the right balance."
"...Alright. You know your stuff, so I’ll leave it at that."

Finding something oddly reassuring in my smile, Gerhardt refrained from pressing further and changed the subject.

"This campaign marks the Crimson Dragon Legion’s first deployment. Many are eagerly anticipating your performance."
"Is that so?"
"There were even nobles who personally offered their support for the legion, though Her Majesty declined their offers."
"Well, it’s thanks to Her Majesty’s trust and your support, Grand Marshal."
"Hahaha! I’ll tell the other nobles the same, so no need to worry."

Gerhardt laughed heartily, giving my back a firm pat.

"As Her Majesty always says, I too have high expectations for your performance. Having observed your preparations, I must admit, I don’t foresee failure..."

He paused for a moment, then added,

"...but I expect the same overwhelming victory you demonstrated in the east."
"..."
"I want to see the Kingdom of Paris bow their heads and the Kingdom of San Bastian grovel at our feet. What do you think? Can you make that happen?"

He tilted his head slightly, scrutinizing my expression. Though my face remained as stoic as ever, determination burned in my eyes.

After a brief pause, I replied firmly,

"I’ll make it happen."

"Good. I trust you."

After some light conversation, Gerhardt dismissed me.

"..."

He toyed with a prepared letter of recommendation bearing my name.

If I achieved great feats once again, Gerhardt intended to ensure I received a suitable title.

A symbolic successor required an appropriate rank, after all.

"...I look forward to the day you’re granted your title."

With that thought, Gerhardt reviewed the unfinished recommendation, then tucked it away and returned to his other tasks.