Chapter 9

The glow of dawn had yet to touch the horizon behind the mountains, but Ray’s encampment was already abuzz with activity. Daylight was precious and time was precious: every moment on the field was a moment his battalion pushed further ahead of the rest of the Sixth Legion.

To his surprise, Baroness Zahradnik was awake as well, though weeks with the Imperial Army might have accustomed her to its demanding schedule. According to the quartermasters, she had taken her bodyguard – whose members Ray had selected for their strength, clean record and good looks to cover as many things as she might want – and turned it into a personal ‘squad’ of sorts.

She even did the squad’s paperwork. He had the forms brought to him, but there was nothing he could discern of particular note. If anything, they appeared to be perfectly routine. The only things that distinguished her submissions from the others were her elegant, angular handwriting and lack of errors. Going by his prevailing assessment of the Baroness, Ray concluded that she was relishing the whole idea of ‘martial life’ that had become popular as of late.

In addition to the central administration’s attempts to romanticise military service and draw talented individuals into its ranks, a pair of novels that went by the suggestive title of Dreams of Red had become wildly popular with the Empire’s citizens. Those with the means owned personal copies. Even the illiterate segments of the population were familiar with it, as it had been adapted by Bards and theatre troupes who performed segments of the story in digestible episodes for crowds of excited fans.

It was the tale of a nation on the cusp of greatness, as seen through the eyes of a wide cast of characters. One of the tale’s main characters was a certain martial Noble named Ludwig, who was an impossibly steadfast, pious and capable man overflowing with martial valour. Ludwig was by far the favourite character in the Empire, and – to the central bureaucracy’s great chagrin – he had made the Imperial Army more popular in a year than a generation of their propaganda efforts.

Imperial Knights spoke proudly of him as if he was one of their own; men and women of all ages adored him for his strength, loyalty and unyielding sense of order. He was a shining paragon to the masses: a larger-than-life man more ‘imperial’ than the Empire itself. Rumour had it that the central administration was searching for the novel’s elusive author – who went by the pen name ‘The Dreamer’ – to offer them a job, but their efforts had met with no success.

He didn't know whether the Baroness was familiar with Dreams of Red, but if she was, she was almost certainly a Ludwig fan. Perhaps she considered her activities in the camps of the Imperial Army something that brought her closer to the popular character.

“Good morning, General Ray.”

Lady Zahradnik stepped into the pavilion, accompanied by Joachim Ward. Even in the rough wilderness outpost, she somehow maintained her immaculate appearance. She wore the same equestrian outfit and had her long hair tied back into a ponytail…which was also a key element of Ludwig’s appearance. Ray resisted the urge to shake his head over the fact that someone could be so obsessed with a fictional figure.

“Good morning, Lady Zahradnik,” Ray smiled in greeting. “Have all our arrangements been to your satisfaction?”

“Yes, thank you. The men you’ve assigned to me have been very receptive.”

He had no idea as to the extent of her reply. She couldn’t already have started bedding them in just over a day, could she? Not that anyone would take issue with it – more like they would line up outside her tent if there was even a hint of having a chance with her.

“We have a long day ahead of us,” Ray said, “I hope you’re all well-rested.”

“They’re having breakfast right now,” Lady Zahradnik looked down at the maps on the table. “Is this what your battalion will be doing today, Your Excellency?”

“Yes, my lady,” he nodded, placing his hands on the table. “For the past two weeks, I’ve had the two flights of the Imperial Air Service attached to my battalion mapping out this valley and identifying targets. I’ll be leading three companies in a general sweep of the west side of the valley near this camp, followed by the east side tomorrow. Once that’s done, two companies will be left to man the outpost and clean up what remains around it while I move further up the valley with the rest.”

Lady Zahradnik followed his gestures over the map as he spoke. She should at least understand that much after working with the Second Legion.

“This is far more aggressive than the Second Legion’s operations in The Blister.”

“Is that so?” Ray looked at her intently, “In what ways did they differ?”

“The army group as a whole was more thorough at consolidating their advance,” she replied. “Full divisions created camps from where companies would independently strike at targets in the vicinity. They only moved on once things were cleared to their satisfaction. By comparison, you are personally coordinating your sorties and rotating groups of companies so that you always have fresh men. The companies you station at each outpost will be able to rest in one place, but, in exchange, they will be taking the brunt of the casualties in their cleanup operations…is this sustainable?”

Ray’s opinion of the Baroness went up by a notch. She at least had a basic grasp of logistics on the field and the ongoing effects of a campaign on an army. Her question was not that of one seeking an explanation of what was going on, but a challenged the viability of his operations based on working knowledge she was confident in.

“The conditions in the southern wilderness cannot be compared to The Blister, my lady,” he offered diplomatically. “General Kabein knows his business, so he should have accounted for all of the factors that come with operating in that hostile environment. The arid climes here cannot sustain anywhere near as many Demihuman tribes and the sparser vegetation makes the terrain easier for us to operate in.”

“What about the places that aren’t so easy to reach, Your Excellency?” Lady Zahradnik’s finger traced over the range to the west, “These mountains should be inhospitable to most of the Demihumans populating the area, so they’ll move to the other side. This eastern range, however, is the edge of a highland plateau that could shelter hundreds of Demihuman tribes in a position that is problematic for your forces.”

“My battalion’s objective is this valley,” Ray replied. “The Fourth and Fifth Divisions are responsible for the western side of those mountains while the rest of the army group tackles the highlands in the east. We all have our parts to play.”

That being said, Ray had preemptively ‘claimed’ the valley for his battalion because it presented a clear series of objectives that also happened to be the most valuable to the Empire. By using his smaller force to do so, recognition for those valuable gains would be concentrated on a fewer number of men.

He wasn’t sure if the Baroness was familiar with how honours were bestowed in the Imperial Army, but his men certainly did and were more eager to earn them.

“If I may ask, my lady,” Ray said. “How did you end up in your position as a liaison officer to the Empire?”

“I suspect that it was because the other two candidates were a Frost Giant and a Goblin,” Lady Zahradnik replied. “In my work with the Second Legion, I found that my background as a member of a Human aristocracy was invaluable for the role.”

For some unfathomable reason, the Sorcerous Kingdom had adopted the laws of Re-Estize…did that mean she held a post in their Royal Army because she was a Noble? Unlike the Empire, Nobles of the Kingdom of Re-Estize still held martial obligations…

“If I’m not mistaken,” he said, “E-Rantel’s laws haven’t changed much from when it was under Re-Estize. Does that mean your new domestic security forces are under the command of the nobility?”

“Within the territories constituent to their titles, yes,” the Baroness nodded. “Those forces are balanced between Death-series servitors for martial applications while Human militia serve in roles that are better suited to them. We also have Elder Liches who help with administration, customs duties and the organisation of domestic forces.”

Ridiculous. He had to jump through hoops trying to justify the Fifth Legion’s use of Death-series servitors against random Demihuman tribes while the former Nobles of Re-Estize had all the Undead that they could want dumped onto their laps.

“How does the Royal Army of the Sorcerous Kingdom factor into all of this?”

“The Royal Army is its own institution,” Lady Zahradnik said. “Civilian Nobles are charged with managing their titles and have no authority whatsoever over the Royal Army. Most of the time, the Royal Army provides security in the capital and outside of the Duchy of E-Rantel, guards our international borders, trains and is held in reserve in case they are called upon for national defence.”

“Interesting…if it’s a separate institution, does that mean they do their own recruiting?”

“Yes, they do,” the Baroness replied. “But it’s a process that hasn’t been formalised yet. Before the annexation of E-Rantel, His Majesty and His Majesty’s vassals commanded all of the martial might of the Sorcerous Kingdom. The system that they employed, however, operates under certain assumptions that cannot be applied to those of His Majesty’s subjects who have different needs. Things become increasingly complicated when you consider the myriad of races that dwell in our nation."

“I see.”

Ray wanted to know more, but it probably wasn’t a good idea to ask a long string of questions. If he came on too strongly, it might be perceived as being overeager or indicative of an easily-swayed character. The way that Lady Zahradnik constructed her responses, while cordial, was entirely neutral, even in her body language. She was keeping a strict distance between them and he couldn’t tell what she was looking out for.

He resumed the overview of his operations, which by this point had been solidly drilled into his men. By thoroughly going over everything and having it play out before her as described, he hoped to impress upon Lady Zahradnik that his skill as a General was unquestionable and those under his command were the best that the Sixth Legion had to offer. This was what dignitaries and authority figures usually like to see, and the Baroness’ keen interest in military matters was a potential avenue through which she could be influenced.

As the skies turned pale and he ran low on topics to cover, Baroness Zahradnik turned their discussion in a curious direction.

“I’ve often heard it mentioned that many men in the Sixth Legion are here because it is the ‘expeditionary army’ and they expect to gain personally from it. Is this true?”

“I would agree that it is their primary motivation,” Ray replied. “Most of the men in the Imperial Army are spares of commoner families who felt that a career in the Imperial Army offered better prospects than what they otherwise had. Is there a problem with that, my lady?”

“Practically speaking, no,” she shook her head. “I suppose that it just feels far removed from the Imperial Army’s efforts to endear itself to the people. The motivations here are mostly the opposite of the inspiring imagery portrayed by the posters one sees all over the place. The classes in the Imperial Magic Academy similarly promote the idea of employing one’s skills in honourable service.”

“That comes down to what a Noble sees and what commoners see,” Ray said. “The Imperial Magic Academy raises new generations of imperial leadership, so it should be expected that they frame things the way that they do. Most of the students are from aristocratic houses who understand the value of honour and prestige. The commoners who join the Imperial Army, however, are presented with the more practical side of things by our recruitment officers. It’s an opportunity to improve their lot in life and they’re putting their bodies on the line. I don’t think you can rightfully ask for any more than that from those who have nothing to begin with.”

Lady Zahradnik looked out at the men as they made their preparations to sortie. Her expression…was she doing it on purpose? Anyone who saw her at the moment would have imagined a statuesque princess seeing her people off to war. Though Ray had decided she was at least somewhat familiar with military affairs, he was also certain that his initial assumptions about her being a propaganda tool were not incorrect.

“In that case,” Lady Zahradnik asked, “how does a soldier of the Imperial Army earn recognition? How are honours bestowed?”

What was she up to? She hadn’t been taken up by flights of fancy, had she? Scenes of valorous men being knighted on the battlefield and having great celebratory feasts in their honour were common in stories, but unheard of in the Empire.

“It’s fairly straightforward, my lady,” Ray answered. “A soldier has a service record. This record includes both the merits and demerits of each man in their ongoing service to the Empire, of course. It is regularly updated by their superiors and subject to a periodic review. Each soldier is scored accordingly and they will receive honours upon reaching certain thresholds of service.”

“Scored…as in how scoring works with the academy’s Promotional Examination?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “it’s very similar to that. I believe the Promotional Examination was purposely designed to be graded in the same way that the Imperial Army assesses its staff. Rather than a straight pass or fail, it’s a general performance review that is both the basis for awarding honours and guiding personal improvement.”

“Can these assessments be treated in the same fashion for the Sixth Legion, Your Excellency?”

“What do you mean by that, my lady?”

The Baroness turned her attention back to the table, her gaze falling upon the maps and reports spread over its surface.

“My assumption is that this ‘scoring process’ has been normalised for regular duties. Your campaign here will be much more eventful by comparison.”

That much was true. The ‘eventfulness’ of the Sixth Legion’s activities was something recognised as an avenue for rapid advancement by those who aspired to positions in the expeditionary army, but there were realities that came with it that they did not realise. Normally, an Imperial Knight’s career was dominated by regularly scheduled domestic security duties. One’s service record was filled with watches and patrols that were only very rarely punctuated by combat and other opportunities to display one’s quality.

In the far more active Sixth Legion, however, multiple battles could happen over the course of a day and officers simply could not keep track of everything in the chaos. At some point, what was considered noteworthy in the Imperial Army at large would become mundane in the Sixth Legion. This meant that the distribution of honours would hinge on attracting attention by regularly performing deeds that would be recognised as outstanding in other army groups.

The ‘floor’ – retiring with a pension – was the same as everywhere else, but the threshold for earning honours was much higher. Rewards in the Sixth Legion would be far greater, but distinctions would go to fewer people. With so much being missed, the army and the administration would resort to broader measures to reward the men. The bestowal of honours would skew towards men of rank and groups that consistently displayed high performance.

“Thus far, there have been no changes to our procedures to account for that,” he admitted. “However, I trust that those who adequately acquit themselves will receive their due recognition. In the Sixth Legion, there will be plenty of honours to go around.”

In truth, Ray considered this an ideal state of affairs. It allowed the Sixth Legion to attract talented and driven individuals with a mindset suitable for the expeditionary forces of the Baharuth Empire. The Baroness had pointed out this reality, but he still needed time to get a feel for her stance on his operations.