As it turned out, Dr. Felix and his team had completely forgotten to hand me the 50 MPA 62 units. They’d been too busy focusing on developing the new MPA 63 based on my suggestions. By the time I finally received the armor, the sun had already set, and my 3,000 soldiers and I had no choice but to spend the night in Heartspire.

The next morning, we departed for the Eastern Line. Progress was slow and by mean slow, I meant really slow. We were nearing the war zone, and it turned out, attacks along the route were common. It didn’t matter: bandits, enemies and even wild animals. We had to move cautiously to avoid ambushes.

Fortunately, we made it through without incident. After four days of travel, we finally reached our destination: Staedbergh Citadel, just outside the Eastern Line. The Citadel was an important strategic place for the Eastern Front as it was the central place for all supply lines. Naturally, it was heavily defended, with the 3rd Corps stationed there.

Unlike at the capital, the 3rd Corps was well-informed and let us pass with minimal questions.

I’d heard that the 3rd Corps, also known as the "Mage Division," had the highest numbers of mages in the army. Their commander, Sionia Erlynn, was a powerful mage herself, widely known for her skill in defensive magic. That’s why they were tasked with defending the Citadel. It played perfectly to their strengths.

After a day of rest, I was summoned by General Sionia. Frankly, I wished I could’ve turned it down. It was starting to feel uncomfortable, being called by the top brass over and over again. I really wanted to avoid yet another meeting. But the messenger had made it clear: this was a direct order. Even if I tried to claim I had orders to aid the 4th Corps, I didn’t have the authority to refuse.

That’s how I found myself standing in front of General Sionia. She had black hair and red eyes that seemed to glow faintly in the dim light. Though she was supposedly in her late forties, I would’ve guessed she was no older than her late twenties from her outer appearances as she looked like a beautiful young lady.

Strange, but I’d heard mages could retain their youthful appearances with the help of their vast mana, so maybe it was normal.

I saluted as soon as I entered her office. “Major Aria of the 9th Corps, reporting in.”

“General Sionia of the 3rd Corps,” she greeted me with a warm smile, gesturing for me to sit. I accepted, grateful for the gesture.

“So, you’re the Silver Angel everyone’s been talking about,” Sionia said with a bright laugh. “You know, when I first heard about you, I imagined someone bulky with a muscle-for-brains personality. But you’re nothing like that. In fact, you’re cute unlike Marshal Vespera who is all scary.”

"Thank you for all the... compliments, ma'am," I replied, still finding the word cute strange.

In my previous life, I had been male, and since I’d never had time to act like a proper girl in this life, I hadn’t fully adapted to my new gender. Hearing someone call me cute felt foreign. I was used to compliments about my achievements, not my appearance.

"Oh, it's nothing," Sionia waved it off, but her expression turned serious. "Let’s get to the point. The reason I called you here is to ask you to assist a small unit from the 3rd Corps."

"Begging your pardon, ma'am, but I was ordered to head directly to the 4th Corps to aid them in battle."

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"I’m aware of that." Sionia gestured toward the map on the wall, marked with arrows and X’s. “But this is important. The unit I need you to help is in charge of supplying the 4th Corps. A small group of bandits, about 2,000 strong, has been harassing them as they pass through, slowing down the supply lines."

I looked at the map, noting the paths and bottlenecks. “Ma'am, with all due respect, why can't the 3rd Corps handle this? It's your responsibility to protect the supply routes.”

Sure, this mission might benefit the 4th Corps in the long run, but I couldn’t shake my doubts. I had orders to reach them as quickly as possible. Fighting these bandits could slow us down or worse, we might lose, and then I wouldn’t be able to help the 4th Corps at all. The next wave of reinforcements wasn’t due for another two weeks.

Sionia’s gaze sharpened. “Normally, yes. But with most of our forces tied up defending the Citadel, we don’t have enough manpower to spare for this, especially after the annihilation of the 5th Corps. The supply line is important to the 4th Corps’ survival, and we need someone capable of moving quickly and dealing with these raiders. That’s where you come in.”

I stayed silent for a long time, weighing my successes and failures. It was strange to call the bandits “small” when they numbered around 2,000. But I understood why. They were more disorganized rabble than a disciplined force. Even with those numbers, they barely functioned as a unit. Many of them were weak, inexperienced, and scattered.

Still, numbers were numbers, and even a horde of disorganized bodies could overwhelm the unprepared. I couldn’t afford to underestimate them, especially now.

"Yes, ma'am," I finally said. "I’ll accept the order to exterminate the bandit group."

"Thank you very much," Sionia beamed and she looked extremely happy. "They’ve been getting on my nerves, and I’m grateful for your help."

Her reaction felt a bit too lighthearted, considering the situation. I remained silent, debating whether to ask the question nagging at me. Finally, I spoke up.

"Though I must ask... why would the bandits attack the supply unit?"

Sionia’s smile faded slightly, her expression growing more thoughtful. I continued, "Even with the kingdom on the brink of collapse, it’s hard to believe a mere group of bandits would be bold, or foolish, enough to steal from a military supply convoy. They must know it could lead to severe punishment, possibly execution. It doesn’t make sense."

Sionia leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping the desk lightly. "You’re not wrong," she admitted. "It is unusual, and it's crossed my mind too. Normally, bandits would target merchant caravans or poorly defended villages, not an armed supply unit. It’s a risk that outweighs the potential reward."

"Then why did they do it?"

Her gaze drifted toward the map on the wall, her eyes narrowing slightly. "That’s what bothers me. They’ve hit several supply convoys, and each time, they were oddly well-prepared. Almost as if they knew the exact route and timing."

“You think someone’s feeding them information?"

Sionia hesitated, then nodded slowly. "It’s possible. Someone inside our ranks, or close to the military, could be leaking intel. That’s why I need this handled discreetly. The bandits are the immediate problem, but if there’s a larger hand at play, we can’t afford to tip them off. The 4th Corps needs those supplies, and if the bandits succeed in delaying them again, it could turn the tide of the war in the worst way."

I mulled over her words. Bandits attacking supply lines didn’t add up, not without some other motive: money, revenge, or worse, sabotage from within.

"And you want me to root out the source as well," I said, more a statement than a question.

Sionia met my gaze and nodded again, her expression hardening. "Exactly. I trust you to handle this. Not just the bandits, but finding out who, or what, is really behind these attacks. The 3rd Corps is stretched thin, and we can’t afford to chase shadows right now. But I believe you’ll see what others might overlook."

A cold feeling settled in my chest. This was no ordinary bandit raid. Something deeper was at play, and I’d just been handed the job of unraveling it.

"Understood, ma'am,"

Sionia gave me a grim smile. "Good luck, Major Aria. And be careful. I’ve got a feeling this might be more dangerous than we anticipated."

As I left her office and stepped into the cool hallway. It was almost fall I believe and it was approaching winter. Hopefully, by winter, everything would calm down.