YEAR: 1724. AUGUST 10TH. LOCATION: COMMAND TENT OF IMPERIAL THIRD DIVISION SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH AND EAST SIDE OF THE PLAIN OF JADE.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Major General Caelen shouted, his voice ragged with frustration. “How can we lose more than 6,000 soldiers to those 5,000 impudent troops?!”
The command tent was filled with tense silence. Officers shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Caelen's furious gaze. Maps and reports lay scattered across the table, evidence of the recent disastrous battle.
“They set up a trap, Lord Caelen,” Colonel Aylsia replied in a cool, measured tone. She stood tall and composed, her eyes steady. “There was nothing we could have done to prevent that. Who would have thought they would use oil to start a fire?”
Caelen’s face turned a deeper shade of red. “That’s not the point! The point is that Remnell now has the chance to win the promotion. I need a way to change this!”
His mind raced, but not with thoughts of retreat and regrouping for a counterattack. Instead, he was fixated on how to achieve victory quickly and cover up his mistakes. His reputation was on the line, and he couldn’t afford to let Remnell outshine him.
The other officers exchanged uneasy glances. They knew Caelen’s desperation could lead to reckless decisions, but none dared to speak against him. They already knew that speaking against him in his mad state would lead to disaster for them.
“Suggestions?” Caelen barked, slamming his fist on the table.
A junior officer stepped forward hesitantly. “We could launch a surprise night raid, sir. Catch them off guard while they’re still recovering from their own trap.”
Caelen’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. “Yes, yes, that could work. We need to move swiftly. Prepare the men.”
“What about the reinforcement sir?” Another officer quietly suggested, “The troops of 5,000 from Second Division are going to arrive tomorrow. Shouldn’t we wait for them?”
However, something snapped inside Caelen when he heard the word, ‘Second Division’. His face turned into furious red, glaring deadly at the officer.
“Are you telling me,” Caelen drew his sword, pointing it directly to the officer’s neck as his eyes bulged. “That we will get help from Remnell?! Do you want to bring shame to the whole Third Division!”
Silence spread around the tent as officers all looked at Caelen with fearful eyes. Not one dared to object to his madness.
“No sir!” The officer, pale in the face, quickly shook his head as a tear appeared in the corner of his eye. “It was stupid for me to suggest that we rely on the Second Division sir! I am sorry!”
“Then order the men to prepare!”
As the officers hurried to carry out his orders, Colonel Aylsia remained still, her expression unreadable. She knew the risks of such a hasty plan but kept her thoughts to herself. In this environment, questioning Caelen was not an option.
Outside the tent, the camp was a flurry of activity. Soldiers readied their weapons, the tension palpable in the cool night air. They had lost many comrades today, and the thought of another battle so soon weighed heavily on them. Not to mention many of them had wounds all over their body.
Caelen, however, was oblivious to their fatigue and fear. His mind was consumed with the need to regain his honor and outdo Remnell. As he watched his troops prepare for the raid, a twisted sense of satisfaction settled over him. This was his chance to turn the tide and reclaim his standing.
[(0)]
YEAR: 1724. AUGUST 10TH. LOCATION: CAMP OF 1ST BRIGADE SOMEWHERE IN THE EAST OF THE PLAIN OF JADE.
I was deep in thought when Captain Deryk approached me. “Aria," he began, shifting uncomfortably, "Brigadier General Lily wants to see you. Now."
I nodded, following Deryk through the maze of trees and tents. As we walked, I could see soldiers treating their wounds and celebrating our victory. Most of them had lowered their guards, seemingly relaxed.
‘What a foolish move,’ I thought, glancing around the camp. ‘The enemy could prepare for a night raid. We should prepare for any kind of surprise attack, not rest.’
Though I didn’t say anything as we continued to walk. It would only lower the morale of the soldiers if we kept our guards up resulting in fatigue for soldiers. The soldiers could also start having complaints toward their leaders.
Soon we reached a clearing where Brigadier General Lily, Major Lyra, and several other officers stood around a makeshift table covered with maps and documents.
Lily turned as we approached, her gaze sharp. "Sergeant Aria, I assume? Your fire trap was effective, but it came at a cost. Not only did you not inform me of the trap, but you also killed some of my soldiers."
I stood straight, meeting Lily's gaze. "Yes, ma'am. I am sorry, but I did what had to be done. It was the only way for us to win the battle without causing massive casualties on our side."
Other officers seemed unconvinced by my statement. Well, why wouldn't they? While Lily and Lyra seemed old enough to be in their early twenties, I was only eight. It would seem foolish to hear words from an eight-year-old in a place like this.
However, Lily looked convinced as she nodded thoughtfully, glancing at the map. "We're currently fielding 4,500 soldiers—1,000 from the 1st to 5th Companies, including your unit, and 3,500 from the 1st Brigade. Where do you propose we position our troops?"
Deryk and the other officers present all opened their mouths in astonishment. It was unheard of for an officer to hear the thoughts of an eight year girl throughout the entire history. While there were some children who went into a high ranking officer due to their talent, they were still children, meaning they weren’t educated.
They might be powerful in battle, but they would lack in department when it came to tactics, the most important thing in battle. Education wasn’t provided during the warfare and they couldn’t just learn from their mistake since a single mistake could lead to a loss of war.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
However, I didn’t let the chance escape my grasp. I needed to have achievements in order to be a high ranking officer. I took a deep breath, stepping forward and pointing at several key locations on the map. "Here, along these narrow passes. The trees in sideways are too dense for any soldiers to move in big groups, almost acting as walls. We could use this position to sandwich them. The dense forest will also provide cover for our archers. We can set up traps and blockades to funnel the Imperials into these chokepoints. Once they're split and in disorder, we strike."
Lily nodded thoughtfully, considering the plan. "It's risky, but it could work. We need to ensure our men are well-coordinated and ready to move quickly."
Lyra, who had been skeptical before, seemed to be warming up to the idea. "We need to communicate efficiently. Deryk, make sure each unit is briefed on their exact positions and roles. Sergeant Aria, you'll oversee the setup of the traps and ensure everything is in place before the battle begins."
I saluted. "Yes, ma'am."
However, not everybody was on board with the plan.
“Pardon me for asking this, Lady Lily, but are you serious?” First Lieutenant Mira had a look of disbelief as she glared in my direction. “Are you going to ask a Sergeant, who isn’t even an officer much less a full-grown woman, to oversee the operation?”
Another officer joined in, “First Lieutenant Mira is right, my lady. We can’t let the girl plan this operation for us. What if something goes wrong?”
Soon, other officers were chiming in, voicing their disagreement. Only a few stayed quiet, but they didn’t look like they would support me. Like I said, it was a normal reaction. It was like a eight-year-old girl suddenly walking into a university full of aged students, proposing her ideas to the professors. Nobody in their right mind would believe me.
Though one particular person didn't seem to take kindly to this whole situation.
“Quiet, all of you,” Lily, who looked welcoming and warm seconds ago, emitted an icy aura as she glared at them. “I know what I am doing. I am only standing here thanks to her thoughts. If it wasn’t for her, I would have died.”
“Lady Lily is right.” Lyra also agreed, smiling uncomfortably as she backed a little bit away from Lily. “We can trust her. I saw how well she ordered the operation.”
The other officers, including Mira, seemed terrified in the face of Lily’s aura. While it seemed a little strange for full-grown men to be afraid of Lily, who looked younger than them, it was normal as Lily was a fierce fighter in the battlefield.
With her brilliance in tactics and fighting skill, nobody dared to oppose her—not with the aura she usually emitted when she went to the battlefield. With their former attitudes nowhere to be found, the officers stayed quiet, not daring to speak.
Smiling again, Lily said, “You can go now. Make sure you do your assigned task.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, speaking quietly. In truth, I was also terrified of her aura. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
As we left the clearing, Deryk walked alongside me. "You've done well, Aria. Keep this up, and you'll be leading more than just a few soldiers."
I nodded, a mix of pride and anxiety swirling within me. The responsibility was immense, but I had come too far to back down now. I would use every ounce of my knowledge and skill to ensure we had the best chance of victory.
When I went back into the forest, Deryk carried out the orders to the other officers, who in turn instructed their soldiers. It took some time to get the soldiers moving, though, since everyone was celebrating and nobody wanted to work. The officers had to literally shout at them and beat some of them before they lifted their butts off the ground.
I worked tirelessly with the other soldiers, setting up traps and positioning our forces. I also had to oversee the operation, which pained me greatly, but I endured by reminding myself that I would be greatly rewarded later. The soldiers, of course, doubted my position at first, finding it hard to trust a child.
However, many of them seemed scared when they looked at me, so nobody voiced their complaints out loud. It was strange—so strange that I finally asked a soldier about it.
When I inquired why they were acting this way, the soldier looked hesitant. “Well, Ma’am... we are scared because of your devi—I mean, reaction when you saw how successful your traps were.”
I realized they must have seen a side of me I hadn't intended to show. Perhaps the thrill of battle had brought out a darker part of me, one that revealed in the chaos. I knew I had to address this if I wanted their trust.
As night fell, the soldiers finally completed their preparations. The forest grew eerily quiet, too quiet. No sounds were heard from the forest, much less from animals. They must have fled from the battlefield when the battle started though since the entire plain had turned into a battlefield. There was nothing but death lingering in the air.
Though speaking of animals, I wondered if monsters existed in this world. Magic and other kinds of supernatural abilities existed here, surely monsters existed? I haven't been able to see any monsters such as goblins, orcs, and even unicorns so I was naturally curious.
“Deryk, can I ask you something?” My curiosity got the better of me. “Are there monsters?”
“If you mean on the continent of Olina, then no,” Deryk replied, then proceeded to explain.
In this world, there were a total of ten continents, with four of them, including Olina, existing in close proximity to each other. These four continents were only a day's journey apart by sea, fostering close relationships among them.
In the north lay the continent of Olina, a land inhabited only by humans. Monsters and demihumans had long since vanished from this continent due to endless warfare among human nations. The ceaseless conflicts drove away the weaker monsters, who could no longer endure the destruction of their habitats and the loss of prey. Unable to withstand the human armies, these weaker creatures either escaped to other continents or perished.
With the decline of weaker monsters, the stronger ones faced increasing difficulty in finding prey and began to turn to humans for food. In response, human armies were mobilized against these formidable beasts, either killing them outright or severely disrupting their reproduction. Consequently, many strong monsters either died out or sought refuge elsewhere.
Similarly, demihumans—such as elves, dwarves, and beastfolk—were forced to abandon Olina. The harsh warfare made their existence untenable, and some were even forced into participating in the conflicts. As a result, they too left the continent in search of a more stable environment.
In contrast, the three other continents enjoyed relative peace. Each was ruled by four or five major nations, unlike Olina, which was separated into more than twenty separate nations. On these continents, magic was commonly used in everyday life and for combat. As a result, mages were quite common in society. This was very different from Olina, where nations focused on blending magic with advanced technology to bolster their military strength.
The famous example of this was enchantment. In the three continents, enchantment with weapons was rare as people tended to rely on their magic rather than the enchantment. In Olina, people preferred to use enchantment as it was effective for normal people to use in a short practice.
“I never knew that,” I said, astonished. It was incredible how one continent could be so different from the others despite their proximity. “But why don’t we pursue the same path as them?”
“To tell the truth, nobody knows for certain,” Deryk answered with a sad smile. “While there are some hypotheses, the most common belief is that humans initially drove out the monsters to achieve peace, but then grew greedy for control over land. The quest for dominance and territory led to endless wars, preventing us from achieving the same peace as our neighbors.”
When I was about to ask more, an alarm suddenly rang through the air. Soldiers nearby were startled when they heard it as they looked slightly fearful and terrified.
"The Imperials are here!" a voice shouted, echoing throughout the entire camp. "They're launching a night raid! All soldiers to your battle stations! All soldiers to your battle stations! This is not a drill!"
"I guess they must be here," Deryk said, seemingly surprised. "But won't they get caught in the trap we've set up?"
I didn’t respond as I moved with the soldiers from the 4th Company to our battle stations. Deryk, our captain, led us to the battlefield, accompanied by other companies and soldiers from the 1st Brigade. I spotted Lily and Lyra marching together, side by side.
‘Another opportunity to prove myself’, I thought, but I had to agree with Deryk. ‘We had set enough traps to kill more than 1,000 men. Wouldn’t they suffer massive losses before the battle even began?’