Earl Carter inclined his head. “Then please follow me.”
Theo left the barracks and started to make his way across the military camp under Earl Carter’s guidance. Indeed, the camp was so large that a guide was necessary.
The barracks were filled with more than a hundred thousand troops; they had mobilized more than four fifths of the standing army. In fact, there were more troops on the way, so the final army count was probably closer to a hundred and fifty thousand.
This is total war.
Meltor and Andras had been so bitterly antagonistic to each other that this war was fate. They had gathered every able-bodied soldier, leaving behind only a skeleton guard for the capital.
Maybe both powers had guessed it already. In order to win and destroy the enemy in front of them, they needed to pour in more strength than ever before.
Theo’s expression grew heavier at the thought. In some ways, this war had been sparked by Theodore Miller. Elvenheim, and the three Swords he had killed… Now that he was now powerful enough to rest a finger on the delicate balance of power, Andras had realized that the time had come to strike. If they delayed any longer, defeat was inevitable.
This is a chance to break the horrible and long history of war in the north, but I feel a little responsible.
However, responsibility wasn’t guilt. Regardless of Theo’s presence, the two powers would’ve fought again. There was no guarantee that the blood shed then would be less than the present. In the end, he had simply amplified the flow of this era. Meltor rejoiced since the situation was more advantageous to them. In another light, it meant that Andras was in a position where they had no choice other than to go to war.
Theo clenched both fists tightly and prepared himself.
“Captain Miller.”
“Yes, did something happen?” He turned to answer Earl Carter, who pointed at the nearby barracks.
“We’re almost there. Your command is just beyond this hill.”
Theo asked, “Oh, are you going back?”
“Yes. I was badly rejected, so I have to go back and drown my sorrow,” Earl Carter joked before bidding him farewell. However, his steps weren’t light, so it seemed he wasn’t taking it as light as he seemed.
Unfortunately, Theo couldn’t accept his recommendation.
He understood Earl Carter’s abilities after Soldun, but his appointed deputy was much more excellent. No, he could even be called incomparable. This was the secret card that Theo prepared for Karul Plains.
“… Later, I will go see him.”
Anyway, he had to stop dallying. He was expected beyond the hill. Of course, Theo wasn’t expecting much. The position might seem prestigious, but in reality, it was just a perfect place to die. Theo was a master and captain of the unit, but his subordinates might quickly find themselves out of their depth.
Sylvia, William, and Para will follow me, but… I’d be happy if even ten people volunteered for this insane unit.
He might not even get ten people, let alone fifty. Theo was making plans for dealing with pessimistic numbers as he crested the hill. At that moment…
“All members! Rise!” A familiar loud voice rang out.
“… William?” Theo’s blue eyes widened as William, standing on the stage, looked up at him and saluted him naturally.
“Our hero! Salute Captain Theodore Miller!”
Kung!
Over a hundred people stomped on the ground and smacked their chest with their left hands in a perfect military salute. Their eyes were blazing fiercely, while their neat uniforms and controlled magic power proved their skills.
… They’re all applying to my unit?
He could see at least a hundred soldiers.
William strode over with a wide grin. “It has been a long time, Captain.”
“… William.”
William chuckled, “Why do you look so surprised? Are there more people than you thought?”
Theo tried to answer with honorifics, but shrugged. “That’s right.”
“You’re too famous, Captain. They’re willing to die if it means fighting with the hero. We have a hundred and twenty volunteers.”
Theo muttered, “One hundred and twenty… I have to screen them.”
William shrugged. “Well, it’s a good thing. Any commander would kill for the chance to cherry pick the best talents.”
That was also true. Theo coughed before climbing up onto the podium next to William. He took a moment to scan the volunteers before speaking. “It is nice to meet you. As you know, I am Theodore Miller.”
There were a few ripples of chuckles. Who needed an introduction to Theodore Miller? He was the man who had defeated three of the Empire’s Seven Swords before he was thirty, and had been the lynchpin of the alliance with Elvenheim. Even the spies hiding in Meltor knew his achievements.
Once the ice was broken, Theo smiled and raised a hand to quiet the crowd. “First of all, I would like to thank you for volunteering to be a part of my unit. However, I can only pick fifty people. I hope you understand that the rest of you will have to go back.”
Theo came down from the podium. “The screening method is simple. Show me your skills.”
Theo cast a spell in an empty portion of the training ground.
Iron Wall.
Kururung!
Steel walls shot up from the ground. It was astonishingly fast and precise, even for magicians who were trained in the magic towers. The magicians in the crowd were flabbergasted as they examined the thick walls of steel that had sprouted near instantly. They could tell that mediocre attack spells wouldn’t even scratch this sturdy defense.
Theo continued, “Your destructive power will be judged on how thoroughly you destroy this Iron Wall.”
He raised his hand and cast Flare Burst. It was a 5th Circle fire spell, a favorite of war magicians on every battlefield. However, Theo’s Flare Burst was different.
Ku kwa kwa kwang!
Flamers twisted around the iron wall, melting it away in a few moments. It was unmistakably 5th Circle magic, yet it contained the destructive power of 6th Circle magic! The magicians freaked out as they looked at the melted slag of the wall before Theo restored it with a single gesture. It looked like it hadn’t been broken at all.
“The next is mobility. Yes, this will be fine.”
Theo took a single step, but only ten people were able to even follow him. He had accelerated to that degree by simultaneously strengthening and lightening his body with utility spells. Experienced veterans like Vince or Earl Carter could use it as casually as Theo; however, the volunteers started to feel their confidence flagging.
Destructive power, mobility, defense, stealth, flight, Circles…
After a few demonstrations, the admiration was starting to turn into shock.
“Hah. I knew he was a genius, but this goes beyond that…” 𝘦𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝑙.
“Does Prime Theo’s Sorcery affect every branch of magic?”
“Nonsense… This is too polished to dismiss it as just Sorcery.”
Finally, after demonstrating some scouting spells, Theo looked at the volunteers with a tired expression. “I will accept people who meet the standards in three or more fields. Ideally, I’d like to do more in depth tests, but we don’t have the time. We’ll be finalizing the command today and start training tomorrow. Now, Quattro members.”
The three members stepped forward.
“You three will be screening them. Don’t worry about meeting quotas, only pass candidates that meet the criteria based on my demonstrations.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Let’s start immediately.”
Once he had instructed the three members of Quattro to act as teaching assistants, Theo climbed back on stage and announced, “All volunteers! Gather in three columns!”
This was the moment when Theo’s test, later known as the Wailing Wall, would become notorious.
***
“… So, there are only thirty people left?” Benedict looked dumbfounded.
Earl Carter checked his report. “Yes, there are thirty one people including Captain Theo.”
Benedict hummed. “So twenty people short. Is he recklessly believing in his own power?”
“I don’t think so.” Earl Carter put down his report and emphatically shook his head.
Theo had selected thirty people, including the three from Quattro, and started harsh training immediately.
“It’s an unthinkable move considering it’s his first command.”
No one, let alone Earl Carter, knew that while Theodore Miller might be in his twenties, he had the war hero called Alfred Bellontes inside him. Despite his identity as a prince, Alfred had spent more than a decade on the frontlines. As such, it was natural for people to underestimate Theo’s learned experience.
Earl Carter continued, “He chose a smaller, elite force rather than a bulky, moderately strong force. If they’re not strong enough, it would be much more efficient to walk around alone.”
Benedict nodded. “That’s right. He didn’t go to military school, but he understands his role. It’s the correct path to walk.”
“I think so as well.”
Theo’s firepower was three or four times that of an average master. He wouldn’t need a unit if he were confined to guerrilla tactics. However, his role was to be a leader and command the unit.
If so, he needed to judge and move taking his unit’s skill level into account.
I will let him move freely.
Theo’s logic was ironclad. But it depended on how well he performed. Benedict left Theo’s unit as autonomous for the moment and proceeded onto the next agenda item. The atmosphere in the barrack grew tenser as he read the next report.
“Finally.”
“Yes, finally.”
They had received intelligence that up to one hundred and fifty thousand Empire soldiers were on their way to Karul Plains. Since Andras already fielded a hundred thousand troops, it was clear that Andras was trying to overwhelm Meltor with a two hundred and fifty thousand strong army.
“Ridiculous.”
However, Benedict and the other staff members just scoffed.
Benedict raised an eyebrow. “They want to overwhelm us with numbers? And the prince is in command this time? He might be a skilled swordsman, but I don’t know if he has any ability as a commander.”
A member of the staff command nodded. “It is as you say.”
“I will teach that infant what war is.”
Meltor had never been able to match Andras when it came to troop size. Meltor was half the size of Andras in population and size, but it had remained a thorn in Andras’ side. Numerical disparity was a disadvantage that Meltor had faced more than twenty times in their history.
“But we don’t need to deal with the angry boar head on. First, I’ll break their horns and teeth, and then lay a trap at its feet.”
A magician’s firepower wasn’t infinite. If they could reduce the Empire’s troops before the final engagement, they would have an easier time. In that case, they needed a scout.
Knights were faster over short distances, but magicians were far superior at longer distances since they had flying and acceleration magic. If they could hit the supply chain from behind and isolate the reinforcements, the imperial army would find out how obnoxious they could be.
Benedict ran over the basic plan in his head. “Hrmm, let’s try it.”
It was also a chance to check their power.
He turned to the side. “Earl Carter, please bring Captain Theo here.”
Earl Carter glanced up from his report. “You will use his unit?”
Benedict nodded. “It’s a good chance to field test his unit.”
They might not be worried, but their soldiers might be troubled by an extra hundred thousand enemies. But what if they had a performance from the hero? It would be enough to make up for the reduced morale.
“This greeting will take the imperial army down a notch.”
The hero of Meltor, Theo, would become a nightmare to Andras. The more he acted, the higher Meltor’s morale would rise and Andras’ would fall. The other commanders at the meeting nodded.
Thus, Theo’s first mission was decided.