Chapter 22

Those damn tortoises...

The single line repeated itself in Ray’s thoughts as he scoured through maps, reconnaissance reports and company profiles.

Quick to go on the defensive, slow to advance and mired in doubt when opportunities presented themselves. As an expeditionary army, Ray believed that the Sixth Legion was in a unique position to become an unprecedented force for change. Change, however, could not come when it was bound by the old, rusty chains shackling General Gregan and the rest of his command staff. Their traditions served them well while the Empire grew and consolidated its strength, but they had also become fetters that kept them from seizing their destiny.

How could they expect to forge ahead when they were so averse to risk? So what if men died? More were born in the Empire every day than what they would lose on the front. It was better that they died for the sake of their ambitions than die uselessly in the slums of the cities, living out bleak lives as they fought over limited opportunities like dogs over table scraps.

To be certain, it took time and resources to train and equip new soldiers, but a balance would eventually be struck. Hesitation over the loss of life and resources was pointless when they would be consumed no matter what they did. How was Ray the only one who understood this?

No…it was more accurate to say that the Imperial Army was at fault. The sword of the Baharuth Empire was stuck fast in its sheath, refusing to carve a path toward the future.

He shook away the frustrated malaise that had followed him back from the Sixth Legion’s meeting, refocusing on the task at hand. Ray frowned as his eyes crossed over an anomaly in his reports.

『Zade.』

『Yes, sir?』

『Come over to the command tent. I have some questions about that last battle from the other day.』

He read over the Dragoon Captain’s account once again as he waited. With the potential challenges presented by the Demihuman position on the highland plateau, he had been referencing the attack against the Ogre Lord and its tribe when he encountered an odd inconsistency.

A minute after he called for him, Captain Zade entered the shadow of Ray’s pavilion.

“Reporting as ordered, sir.”

“I was studying the reports on that ridge assault,” Ray said, “but there are…discrepancies between them. Your account credits Baroness Zahradnik for the defeat of the Ogre Lord. Baroness Zahradnik’s account claims that the ridge was taken by a joint effort between her bodyguard and your flight. The other three squads that came don’t have much in the way of detail at all, but they also credit it to a joint effort.”

“The other three squads didn’t arrive until the fight was over, sir,” Captain Zade replied. “As for Lady Zahradnik…may I compare her report with mine?”

Ray slid the folders over, gauging the man’s reaction to them. It only took a few seconds for him to look about the same as how Ray felt about the Baroness’ report.

“This is very, uh, meticulous, General,” Captain Zade said as he continued to scan through the pages. “How did she notice all this or even remember it for that matter? Every notable act of her men is recorded in fine detail. She even has things like who hit where with what, the effect, the rationale as to why they did and how it affected the rest of the fight. Then these tactical recommendations…”

How Lady Zahradnik structured and filled her reports was an anomaly in itself. At first, Ray believed her reporting to be driven by enthusiasm over a novel role easily achieved by one who could afford the energy and attention to watch her men. As those reports piled up, however, ‘meticulous’ steadily became an understatement. There was no individual that he knew of who could write such absurdly detailed reports while offering the accompanying analysis and insights within a night of the battles in question.

She either had unbelievable perception and memory combined with matching tactical acumen and knowledge of martial combat, or she was making things up as she went and neatly stitching everything together. Ray was fairly certain that anyone would believe the latter to be the case, as the former seemed impossible.

“But she says very little about herself,” Ray said. “Which brings us to the Ogre Lord. The details about this confrontation make me wonder how you survived.”

“She claimed that the Ogre Lord was at least Difficulty Rating Sixty-Three, sir.” The Dragoon Captain replied, “I believe her assessment is correct. Our Hippogriffs were coming around to help but she decided to end it right then and there.”

“Decided? Are you telling me that she killed a Difficulty Rating Sixty-Three Ogre Lord with two strikes? Like she was some Imperial Knight dispatching a Goblin that she thought was too dangerous for academy students on their Promotional Examination?”

Captain Zade looked up from the report, furrowing his brow as he looked over at Ray.

“That Ogre Lord had next to no equipment, but yeah. The way you put it is about right too. The way she took it down…that first strike probably wasn’t needed – it was as if she was ensuring that it couldn’t do anything funny to the men as it died. How strong she is shouldn’t be a surprise, though. The women who come through the army are always crazy: I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if she could punch down a palisade gate.”

“I suppose…but why didn’t she report her own deeds if she was so meticulous with the rest?”

“Humble, maybe. Lady Zahradnik stands out because of what she is but I don’t think she’s ever gone out of her way to attract attention. Also…she went around asking a bunch of the officers how they submitted reports and how the men were recognised for their achievements. She might be making sure her men get their due, but since she’s not a part of the Imperial Army she’s not concerned with earning honours for herself. Or maybe killing Demihumans is just another day for her – she worships The Six, after all.”

“Thank you, Captain. Dismissed.”

Captain Zade saluted before turning on his heel and leaving the tent. Ray looked over at Bennet, who was sorting through some files nearby.

“Are you sure that you assessed Baroness Zahradnik properly when she first came in, Bennet?”

“I don’t see how it could have been done any differently, sir.”

“Check again,” Ray said. “This doesn’t make any sense.”

Based on what he knew of the Baroness so far, it was likely that attempts at collecting information about her were being foiled somehow. Aside from that, everything pointed to her being a Captain that was at least as strong as one of the Great Imperial Knights. Not only did she display substantial personal martial prowess, but possessed an extremely high degree of situational awareness, showed exceptional skill at front line coordination and produced highly effective tactics using unfamiliar elements on demand.

But where had she come from? Was Re-Estize so insanely oblivious of its talented individuals that she would have otherwise been doomed to obscurity if not for the Sorcerous Kingdom? Or perhaps she would have struck out on her own path like so many of the strong. Even the Empire had trouble attracting Mithril-equivalent individuals into its service and Adamantite was entirely out of the question.

If she were as capable as he now suspected, he would need a different approach.

“No change,” Bennet said as he rejoined Ray at the table. “We know those bags of hers are magic now and we couldn’t detect them so it’s likely she’s using an item or Skill that blocks divination and even sensory abilities.”

“Is she doing it to catch us off guard?”

“Or just trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible,” the Cleric shrugged. “As far as Priest Ward’s reports go, she’s been interested in learning about the army and the soldiers. It’s bad enough that she’s a woman – running around like some sort of hero would get in the way of everything she wants to do.”

A woman...

Someone that men registered differently as a matter of natural behaviour. She would tend not to be recognised as a threat unless she directly indicated herself as one, thus evading the degree and type of scrutiny that threats were subject to. Shouting, scowling, aggressive actions and posturing – she displayed none of it. In a dangerous campaign environment that constantly demanded attention against attacks that could occur at any time, the way that she carried herself was as good as invisibility once the men grew accustomed to her presence.

At the same time, the Baroness would be favoured in certain ways, which she could easily exploit. Any unwanted advances would be easily turned away by her apparent strength. So, in addition to being a liaison officer and a propaganda tool, she was a perfect observer for what Ray was convinced was a test by the Sorcerous Kingdom.

How could he use that? Could she be used? If she acted to preserve the lives of imperial soldiers, could he just send her up with a company and have her take stubborn defensive positions? What sort of risks did that carry? Officially, she was a liaison officer. Unofficially, she was an observer. With what he now knew, she could also potentially serve as a judge and an executioner.

“Keep track of whether word about her spreads,” Ray told Bennet. “If things get out of hand, she may leave the battalion and start over again in a division that has no clue about her.”

Which would mean Ray forfeiting any chance of leaving her with the best impression possible. He wasn’t sure what the Baroness thought of him thus far, but he wasn’t anywhere near done showing her what he and his men could do. Ray’s assessment of Lady Zahradnik had developed to the point where he was certain that he could do away with the coddling and treat her as a skilled Captain who had no issues grasping his actions.

Once he finished updating himself on the battalion’s reconnaissance reports, he cleared the command pavilion of his staff and invited the Baroness to join him.

“Good afternoon, Your Excellency.”

“Good afternoon, Lady Zahradnik. I hear you’ve been overseeing your men’s drills every morning, so I hope I’ve called you over at a convenient time.”

“I am always available for consultation as a liaison officer, General,” Lady Zahradnik replied. “Be it with you or your men.”

“I can only wonder how proficient they’ve become as your bodyguard.”

“The Baharuth Empire has its own schools of combat,” the Baroness touched the fingertips of her right hand to the table. “I’ve merely attempted to instil some good habits that won’t interfere with their regular training. What was it that you wished to speak to me about, Your Excellency?”

Ray gestured to the map updated with information from the battalion’s reconnaissance efforts.

“I’ve been studying how we can deal with this Demihuman threat gathering on the plateau,” he said. “Honestly, this cautious stance of General Gregan’s leaves it to us to make something happen. Instead of fighting to win, we’re fighting to not lose. This will make victory more costly by the day.”

“It’s a drastic turn from the aggressive posture adopted thus far,” Lady Zahradnik nodded. “The Second Legion was given pause by their first bloody nose in The Blister, but the Sixth Legion has effectively arrested operations at the idea of getting a bloody nose.”

“You never said anything about that during the meeting yesterday, my lady.”

“I am here to develop mutual understanding between the Baharuth Empire and the Sorcerous Kingdom, Your Excellency. I am not here to replace General Gregan.”

“Then, in the interest of developing mutual understanding, how would you pursue this campaign?”

Lady Zahradnik’s other hand settled on the table as she leaned forward to examine the wilderness map.

“I would not begin with a campaign at all,” she said. “Some conflict is to be expected given the culture of those who we are dealing with, but fully-fledged warfare is far from the ideal instrument of diplomacy in this situation.”

“Why is that? With the forces at the Sorcerous Kingdom’s disposal, conquest should be a simple matter.”

“The Sixth Legion does not have the forces of the Sorcerous Kingdom at its disposal,” Lady Zahradnik replied. “If it did, however, the answer should be obvious if you consider the state of affairs in the Sorcerous Kingdom. We encourage harmonious coexistence between our citizens and our citizens are not solely Human. Framing ourselves as a belligerent force in the eyes of the world is at odds with our domestic and foreign policies.”

“In that case, why has the Empire been allowed to conduct this campaign?”

“Because the Empire is a client state of the Sorcerous Kingdom. It is not the Sorcerous Kingdom and has mostly been allowed to govern itself thus far. There is technically nothing wrong with the Empire expanding its borders into the unclaimed territories surrounding it. Even war with other countries is not out of the question so long as suitable justifications exist.

“The Sorcerous Kingdom has expanded its territory and waged war with foreign powers when necessary, so it would be hypocritical of us to demand that the Empire refrain from doing the same. Furthermore, amicably joining hands with the Sorcerous Kingdom is not supposed to be a death sentence for the ambitions of our allies.”

He examined the Baroness’ handsome features as she conveyed herself in the same, neutral way that she often did. Frankly, it was difficult to say where she personally stood on the matter. On one hand, she spoke in the professional manner of an imperial officer, acting as an instrument of her government’s policies. On the other hand, she did little to discourage the battalion’s operations even when they appeared to be at odds with those policies.

At what point would she act in opposition? Would she at all? Or would she leave without a word, leaving them to wonder if some judgement would be rendered upon them by the Sorcerous Kingdom’s Royal Court?

“Speaking of ambitions, Your Excellency,” Lady Zahradnik said, “You have had much to say about achieving those of the Empire and your men, but I haven’t heard anything about yours.”

Ray’s hand fell to the table at Lady Zahradnik’s pointed statement. As the silence stretched between them, she reached into a pouch at her hip, producing a dark, ovoid crystal that fit into the palm of her hand. She set it down on the table, running a finger lightly over its smooth surface. The air grew still, cutting away the sound from outside of the pavilion.

“No one outside can hear you, Your Excellency,” the Baroness said. “If that was your worry.”

Ray studied the Baroness, tracing the clean lines of the noblewoman’s face. After a moment, he let out a sigh.

“Nothing I’ve said in all this time got through to you, did it? Was it all merely polite conversation? And now you ask me directly, honestly expecting a direct and similarly honest answer.”

“Is there something wrong with that?”

“You’re lucky that you were sent to work with the Imperial Army, my lady,” Ray said. “Dealing with anyone else in the Empire would have seen you devoured. Or maybe you were sent precisely because you are what you are.”

“And what am I, Your Excellency?”

“A terrible diplomat,” Ray told her, “and an abysmal politician. You act with raw charisma and believe that you can force your way through the world with hard work and genuine feelings. We have thousands of people like you in the Imperial Army, which makes you the ideal individual to send as a liaison officer. At least from their perspective. I suppose I expected something else entirely from a representative of the Sorcerous Kingdom.”

He saw it now. He saw it and his mood turned dark upon seeing it. She was one of them, with all of their ridiculous values and attitudes.

The way that she remained stone-faced upon receiving his scathing words was the same, too. She didn’t care about herself – she was an instrument of her master’s will. The Baroness would go where she was told to, strike others down as ordered and die at a word. She would do so with pride…because she believed that it was right.

That she was strong, skilled and intelligent did not bother Ray. If anything, it only garnered his admiration and respect.

What bothered him was her attitude of selfless service – of stoic sacrifice and stubborn resolve. An attitude that allowed empires to be built upon the backs of those who were fooled into believing in something greater than themselves. One that brought undue suffering to the honest and gullible while at the same time catapulting those who would exploit them to the heights of wealth and power.

Just like Ray’s father and mother and their parents before them; just like General Gregan and the Commanders of the Sixth Legion; just like so many imperial officers all across the Empire; Baroness Ludmila Zahradnik was a martial Noble through and through.