Normal POV(3rd person PoV)

Using the cover of night, Yuito and a small detachment of soldiers infiltrated the imperial army's encampment.

"You all remember the plan? Assassinate the commanding officers, sabotage their supplies and set their tents on fire. Avoid direct confrontations with the patrolling guards if possible."

Everyone nodded and divided into three groups, each comprising five soldiers, whilst the section under Yuito's command had six soldiers.

Quietly the infiltration units accomplished each of their objectives. The group under Yuito's command assassinated the army commander, chief of logistics and an entire knight corp.

The second section poisoned the food and water supplies, afterwards they hastily escaped the encampment undetected. Lastly the last section ignited their arrows with fire and fired multiple volleys on the encampment. The fire quickly spread and the camp was in utter chaos.

"Good work."

Yuito told his subordinates whom nodded in respond as they hastily made their escape.

Upon returning to the fortress, Yuito quickly made his way to Chiharu's quarters.

"Looks like your small unit suffered no casualties, well done Knight Yuito."

"I still didn't expect such a plan would work."

"However we still need to stop supplies from reaching their encampment. Rally your troops and meet up with Lieutenant Akane's platoon."

Yuito nodded and left the quarters, after assembling his company. Yuito along with a force of two hundred soldiers left the fortress.

A soldier came rushing into Chiharu's quarters and reported.

"The enemy is here!!! They have begun preparations for a siege."

"Tch! I want every able bodied man to be ready for battle as soon as possible."

Chiharu ordered the soldier who quickly rushed off.

Around five hundred civilians were conscripted into the army, those whom had strong bodies and experience with the bow were given long bows.

"Even with conscripts within our ranks, our army can barely muster a thousand soldiers, whilst the enemy has around three thousand soldiers."

Chiharu mutters whilst observing the situation atop the keep.

The imperial army's battering ram was no match for the gates of Aldar fort, which made the imperial army change tactics.

The imperial troops begun scaling the walls with ladders, many of the ladders were knocks over. But soon enough the imperial soldiers managed to climb the wall.

Skirmishes from atop the wall occurred. The conscripts formed a phalanx formation in an attempt to drove back the imperial troops.

However the formation easily broke and the conscripts became scattered, Knight Eladian arrived with a small group of soldiers to relieve the conscripts.

"Form a phalanx formation, do not falter and fight with all your might!"

The skirmishes within the walls continued, both sides suffered considerable amounts of casualties. Yet the imperial soldiers refuse to surrender.

Chiharu stabbed an enemy soldier in the neck and shouted.

"Do not falter, reinforcements are on the way!"

Hearing her words the morale of both the conscripts and the soldiers raised.

Meanwhile at the border between the empire and Hakuroku.

Akane and her platoon waited patiently for the enemy supply unit.

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"Could that be it?"

Akane asked one of her subordinates, she nodded in responds and replied.

"Seems so, that is the insignia of the royal family of the empire."

The soldier pointed at the banner on one of the wagons.

As Akane was about to draw her sword, Yuni grabbed her by the shoulder and told her.

"Don't go Akane, it's too dangerous."

"Yuni... I know you are concerned about my safety, but I must fulfill my obligations as a soldier for your sake."

"We came here to help treat the wounded after the battle, Yuni while you're a maid of Chiharu-sama, I want you to follow my instructions."

"I know your concerned about Akane-sama's safety, but don't let your emotions cloud your judgement."

Yuni had an apologetic look on her face as she looks down and told me repeatedly.

"I'm sorry Akane."

I placed my hand on Yuni's head, patted and caressed her head.

"I'm going to be fine, trust me."

Yuni's face turned beet red, Head maid Lena shrugged her shoulder, she smiled as she poked Yuni's shoulder with her finger.

"You're blushing, as expected of a maiden in love."

Akane mounted the horse, with the help from her second in command. A young noble named Yuka Lastern.

"Rally the troops, we'll attack the convoy fast and hard."

"You heard the lady, saddle up and prepare for combat."

The soldiers all let out a loud yell and mounted their horses. With bows and pole arms at hand the platoon charged.

"Enemies!!!"

Shouted one imperial soldier, the guards of the convoy formed a line formation.

"Assume formation!!!"

Akane shouted, she took a glance at Yuka whim nodded in response.

"You heard the lady, Assume formation!"

The platoon quickly formed a wedge formation and charged full speed.

Multiple volleys of arrows released by the few whom had bows at hand.

"Charge!!!!"

Akane shouted and the rest of her platoon followed.

The two forces clashed, the imperial army had a hundred soldiers, whilst Akane's platoon had fifty. The imperial soldiers had numerical superiority, but Akane's platoon used the mobility of their horses to surround and attack their enemy their rear

"Commander, the supply wagons are trying to escape."

"Send a detachment unit to prevent them from escaping."

"But won't that weaken our ranks."

"It won't, troop morale is at it's highest, however the morale of the soldiers will be lost if those wagons escape."

"I understand."

Yuka and five others began their pursuit.

Akane continued commanding her platoon to her best effort, the commander of the enemy took notice of her actions and galloped her horse towards her.

"I challenge you to a duel."

The commander had a confident smile on her face as she drew her rapier and charged forward.

"It looks like there's no avoiding this."

Akane unsheathed her arming sword and faced her attacker head on.

As Akane began exchanging blows with the enemy commander, she noticed her alluring sky blue hair and amber eyes. This left her vulnerable, the commander noticed this and thrust her rapier forward.

After parrying her thrust Akane distanced herself from the girl and told her.

"Surrender and your soldiers shall be  granted mercy."

She looked around, noticing that most the soldiers under her command have either died or surrendered. The commander had a pained look on her face as she discarded her rapier.

"Tch! It looks like I have no choice. I surrender."

Seeing the action of their commanding officer, the remaining imperial soldiers had a relieved looks on their faces as they discarded their weapons.

The imperial soldiers had their hands bound and their legs chained.

"I'm ready."

Said the commander as she glared at me with a determined look on her face.

"Ready? Ready for what?"

The commander had a surprised look on her face as she replied.

"I'm ready to disembowel myself."

It's a tradition within the Aldalia Empire that the commander of an army disembowels themselves, as a means to guarantee the safety of their subordinates from their captors.

"There's no need to do such a barbaric thing, I want to avoid unnecessary death as much as possible."

"Huh?!"

The commander had a surprised look on her face after hearing Akane's reply.

"Would you mind having a cup of tea with me?"

A wry smile formed on my face as I told the commander.

"Rest assured, the tea will not be poisoned."

"I-I humbly accept your offer. If you wanted me dead anyways you wouldn't need to do something like poisoning my drink."

"I guess so."

The two of us went a nearby tree, a pair of chairs and a table was placed beside the tree. Head maid Lena placed two cups of tea on the table.

"Enjoy."

I took a sip of the tea, it was delicious. I felt like the fatigue from the battle earlier has almost vanished. I noticed that the commander has yet took a sip from the tea.

I grabbed her cup and took a sip of tea, I had a smile on my face and told her.

"I told you it wasn't poisoned."

"Can I ask your name?"

"A-Ange Leilan."

Ange had an embarrassed look on her face as she took a sip of tea.

"Can I ask a question?"

"Go ahead Ange-san I don't mind."

"Why spare me and my subordinates?"

"Hmm... I wanted to treat my enemies like people, unlike some who demonize them to make killing them justified."

"Killing is by no means righteous, no matter the cause... Killing another human being is a sin."

"If only all people think like you."

Ange smiled and took another sip of tea.

"So? What will happen to us?"

Akane's face quickly turned stern and she had a smile on her face.

"I'll give you two options, the first one is to defect to the Hakuroku army as a part of my unit. As you can see I'm still inexperienced, if you would join my platoon as an adviser I can guarantee that the treatment of your subordinates."

"The second is for you and your subordinates to become prisoners of war. If you try to betray me I would execute all your subordinates without second thought."

"Wi-will we be treated humanely as prisoners of war?"

Akane shook her head and told Ange.

"I don't know, but if you wish to guarantee the safety of your men, I would suggest accepting my offer."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I'm afraid the answer is something you must earn."