Chapter 15.1, Year 960 of Chronicle of Truth, The Third Month of Yellow-Green Field Season (1/2)

Translator: Lizz

 

The decision to dispatch four companies from the Iron Fortress to the northern region was made immediately after the third month of the Yellow-Green Field season began. Four companies accounted for nearly half of the active mages of the Iron Fortress. Just from that alone, it was clear that the King was organizing a fairly large-scale suppression force.

 

Among those four companies was Evan’s platoon, to which Zechs belonged.

 

After some organization, the mage force immediately departed from Rhiannon alongside the knights. Of course, mages were not allowed to ride horses, so everyone, including the Company Commanders, would have to make the long journey to Cadenza on foot.

 

There had been no wars with foreign nations for more than fifty years since the conflict with Shale, which had led to the division and concession of Cadenza. In the past decade, there had been no major internal uprisings either. Although an unsettling atmosphere had lingered in Cadenza, until now, it had only amounted to minor skirmishes. As a result, not only the knights but also the mages were experiencing war for the first time, and for most of them, it was their first time undertaking a mission with such a large number of people. Naturally, the tension was low. Some even regarded it as little more than a casual journey, perhaps because they were still a considerable distance from the battlefield.

 

Zechs pondered whether, since they were heading north anyway, he might find time to visit Daza or Lille. Other mages from the northern regions had similar thoughts, while those from the south saw this as a great opportunity to broaden their horizons. Meanwhile, Aster was constantly worried about whether wearing a coat would still be prohibited even in the north.

 

After walking along the highway for five days, they had finally passed more than half of their journey. They had come quite far north, but with spring in full bloom, the cold was hardly noticeable. At night, however, it was impossible to sleep without a blanket.

 

Away from the Knight Order, the mages set up camp in their platoons. Most of them had never experienced military service, and that was true for Evan’s platoon as well. The younger mages listened intently as the more experienced elders shared their stories.

 

“So, wasn’t Zechs originally from around here?”

 

When the conversation paused, Rigitte suddenly turned to Zechs. In their platoon, he was the only one from the northern region.

 

“No, Lille is a little farther northwest. You have to go further north and then head west. It’s really close to the Sera Mountains.”

 

“Wow, just hearing that makes me feel cold. Your Guild was in Daza, right? I heard that reinforcements from Daza would be joining this mission. Do you know anyone from there?”

 

Hearing that, Zechs recalled the faces of his former colleagues. He hadn’t built many good relationships, but he did want to see Jesse and his friends.

 

(…No, maybe they wouldn’t want to see me.)

 

Remembering the awkward way they had parted, Zechs twisted his closed lips slightly.

 

He also thought about extending his journey to Lille, but would Leon even welcome him?

 

“I’d like to meet Zechs’ Master.”

 

Aster’s words startled Zechs – it was as if he had read his thoughts. He turned to his friend in surprise, but Aster seemed to be speaking purely out of curiosity, without any hidden intentions.

 

“You said he had an unusual way of teaching, right? If I learned from him, maybe I’d improve a little too.”

 

Aster’s heartfelt remark made the platoon burst into cheerful laughter. Though there was tension before the battle, thanks to Aster, everyone’s spirits had settled and relaxed.

 

As the laughter began to fade, Commander Evan suddenly seemed to recall something and spoke up.

 

“By the way, Zechs, is it true that your Master was a disciple of that Ceres Nokia?”

 

“Uh… Oh, yeah, I think Sir Lambert mentioned something like that.”

 

When Zechs confirmed it, Evan and several senior mages sitting nearby gasped.

 

“Who is this Ceres… whatever?”

 

When Fio, one of the more knowledgeable members of the platoon, asked that question, the younger mages all turned their gaze toward the senior members. In contrast, Evan and the others looked back at their juniors as if they had just witnessed something unbelievable.

 

“What? You don’t know about Ceres Nokia?”

 

“A renowned mage whose name is recorded in the history of Iron Fortress…”

 

Zechs had never been particularly interested in learning about famous mages, so he naturally assumed his ignorance was expected. However, he was surprised that even those passionate about such matters were unaware of this name.

 

With an exasperated expression, Evan began speaking on behalf of the senior members.

 

“Well, she belongs to an earlier era. There was no magic unknown to her, and she was praised for reviving numerous ancient spells. Unfortunately, during her research on the ancient forbidden magic, an accident burned out her guiding vein, forcing her into retirement. At one point, she was even expected to compete with Lord Lambert for the position of Supreme Commander of Iron Fortress. Ceres Nokia was counted among the four great mages of Iron Fortress, alongside Lord Lambert, Giren, and Le Fay.”

 

A chorus of surprised murmurs echoed through the group.

 

While the name Le Fay was unfamiliar, the other two – Lord Lambert, the current Supreme Commander, and Esten Giren, the Chairperson – were well-known figures. Giren had long treated Zechs as a personal adversary, subjecting him to relentless harassment that had left him seething with anger at even the mention of the name.

 

“Professor Darcy Noir was also one of her apprentices, right?”

 

“Noir is an Arian school mage, right?”

 

In the Iron Fortress, mages were divided into multiple factions, something Zechs had heard about before. The Arian faction, led by Senior Professor Arian, was one of the major forces alongside the Krotowa faction, to which Evan belonged. Those affiliated with Arian were her apprentices and their associated groups.

 

“Noir was part of a Guild before joining the Iron Fortress, so officially, his Master wasn’t Ceres Nokia. He probably joined the Arian faction through connections from his Guild Master. After leaving the Iron Fortress, Ceres apparently avoided any involvement in internal politics. Otherwise, there’s no way that cunning Noir would have left Zechs alone.”

 

Darcy Noir was known for being both skilled and intelligent, though perhaps too sharp for his own good. He had a tendency to push his own ideas forward without considering others’ feelings, which made it possible that he might have tried to aggressively recruit Zechs, someone who also had a connection to Ceres.

 

In the Iron Fortress, the most important factor was one’s Master. There was an unspoken rule that those with the same Master or strong connections were given priority in recruiting talented mages into their faction.

 

“But a mage who was Ceres Nokia’s apprentice yet never joined a Guild? Like Aster, I can’t help but want to meet him.”

 

Evan’s apparent interest in Leon made Zechs uneasy.

 

“No, the reason he never joined a Guild is simply that he didn’t have the skill to qualify.”

 

“But he trained someone like you, didn’t he? That makes him intriguing.”

 

“That’s not-”

 

“Honestly, the fact that a stubborn and arrogant young mage like you holds genuine admiration for him is enough to make me curious about what kind of person he is.”

 

When Zechs first joined the squad, he could hardly say he had any respect for Commander Evan. Even now, after growing more familiar with her, he wasn’t sure if he truly respected her. Zechs had always struggled with showing respect or deference to others, and it seemed Evan was teasing him about that.

 

Beside him, Aster spoke with a completely straight face.

 

“That’s right. Whenever Zechs talks about his Master, it almost feels like listening to someone gushing about their lover.”

 

Zechs was about to shout in protest, but when he glanced around at his comrades – aside from Warren and Rigitte, who always enjoyed teasing people, even the serious Fio and the quiet Danya seemed to agree. He was utterly bewildered.

 

There was no doubt that Zechs deeply respected Leon, but was he really so obvious about it?

 

Seeing Zechs freeze in place, clearly flustered, Evan burst into hearty laughter.

 

“If someone can shake Zechs up this much, I definitely want to meet them. …But first, we have a job to do. Stay sharp, everyone. We’re all going to make it back alive.”

 

At those final, serious words from their Commander, the platoon members straightened their expressions and nodded in unison.

 

Lord Andrews’ domain was not particularly vast, containing only one town and a few villages. However, its sole town, Maha, bordered Cadenza and served as a crucial defensive stronghold. While trade was not especially active, the town was fortified with sturdy walls and a fortress, with dozens of knights stationed there at all times.

 

Upon entering Maha, the group was met with a grim atmosphere. Even in the villages along the way, the people’s faces were worn with exhaustion and simmering resentment. Spring was the season for sowing crops, yet the nearby villages had lost their young men to military conscription, and taxes had been raised even further.

 

“The battle has only just begun, but the atmosphere is already unpleasant.”

 

Aster shook his head with a sigh, though there was an underlying concern – Could they really endure the war in such a state?

 

The knights who had come from Rhiannon were welcomed into the fortress, but even a stronghold in a defensive town like this couldn’t accommodate all the accompanying mages. Some were allowed to stay in the fortress courtyard, while the rest had to camp out once again in the town square or its surroundings. Though dissatisfaction was evident on their faces, no one voiced their complaints.

 

“The rebel forces haven’t made any significant moves since their declaration of war last month.”

 

The night they arrived in Maha, after assessing the situation, Evan returned to the square where her subordinates were gathered and delivered the report.

 

“For now, there doesn’t seem to be any movement…”

 

“Well, jumping straight into work right after arriving would be tough.”

 

When it was time to sleep, everyone naturally gathered with their respective platoons. Around the campfire, Rigitte responded to Danya’s murmur with a sigh.

 

Danya was from the eastern region, while Rigitte hailed from the outskirts of Rhiannon. The stark temperature differences between day and night in the north had left them more exhausted than usual. The same was true for the other platoon members.

 

Watching them, Zechs finally decided to voice the lingering sense of unease he had been feeling.

 

“Why did the rebel army choose to rise up at this time?”

 

“Well, because winter just ended.”

 

“…If it were me, I would have started the uprising in winter.”

 

“Huh? Why? It’s freezing!”

 

“That’s exactly why. The people of Cadenza are accustomed to the cold. They could march through snowy roads without much trouble. In contrast, the knights of Rhiannon likely have little experience with snow-covered terrain and are more vulnerable to the cold. Wouldn’t fighting in winter give them a significant disadvantage?”

 

Zechs’ words made his comrades exchange puzzled glances.

 

“Zechs does have a point… But then, why didn’t they do that?”

 

Aster’s question was a reasonable one, and Zechs had no answer for it. Was the rebellion simply an impulsive act, or was there some deeper strategy behind it?

 

“Well, at least it’s to our advantage.”

 

Rigitte sighed, pulling the issued thin blanket over her head.

 

“I can’t imagine dealing with this cold all day long.”

 

Zechs almost pointed out that daytime in midwinter was far colder than the current night, but he held his tongue. Even as someone from the north, he knew that surviving winter without a single layer of proper clothing would be impossible. If the rebels had risen in winter, would the mages have been allowed to wear coats? Even imagining it, all he could picture was himself and his comrades shivering, on the verge of freezing to death.