「The flying horse cavalry unit, they are currently advancing after breaking through the enemy’s right wing! 」

   The officers inside the Empire’s headquarters that had heard the message nodded at each other.

   The general and the officers were looking happy. The war is progressing as they imagined. In other words, the Empire’s victory only became more certain.

「Good, message to the right wing! Order them to switch into an offensive formation! 」

「Will that be fine? The enemy’s left wing is mostly uninjured. Wouldn’t there be quite a resistance? 」

   There’s a reason why the officer gave his advice.

   The Imperial army’s formation that is planned with the focus of breaking through the left wing, had all the powerful nobles on the right wing where it’s thought to be least dangerous.

   Even if the Empire holds the upper hand right now, there’s no predicting what might happen in a war. Now that the victory is in sight, wouldn’t it be better to avoid the nobles getting hurt. The officer’s words had that meaning.

「Don’t bother. The enemy will be soon halved in any case. 」

   But the general said so insistently. It is because the general had a piece of news that even the other officers around didn’t know.

「The territorial army on the Kingdom’s left wing, they will retreat in order to try to save their headquarters from the flying horse cavalries. Even if our right wing isn’t used to actual combat, we have thrice the power. Moreover, they are only facing drafted soldiers that can’t possibly put up a good fight. 」

「I see……, that is also according to our plans huh. 」

   At the newly heard information, the officers closed their eyes. Though, they might be actually sighing. Nobles are troublesome existences in a war. They would raise a ruckus if anyone of their family died in a war, even if the military would try to put them in a safe area, they would complain not having a chance to gain achievements.

   They would protest if they are kept from the war, and if they would be placed in the middle of the war and died, their successors would instead protest.

   It’s any general’s honest wish to not bring such trouble seeds to a war but, it’s not like they can decide on who participates, and getting trouble with powerful nobles is not something they want either.

   In the end, they had no choice but to put them at the right wing where it would have the least casualties as they are just stopping the enemy’s advances.

   But now, the outcome of the war is might as well be decided. The Kingdom’s right wing is in total chaos, the flying horse cavalry unit assaulting their headquarters is just a matter of time.

   On top of that, the Empire had already knew the Kingdom’s left wing is much inferior than the other sides. In this situation, even if the order for the Empire’s right wing to aggressively attack went down, there wouldn’t be much casualties on the Empire’s side.

「How are the enemy’s cavalries and the center? 」

   Judging there isn’t any problem with his decision for the right wing, the general sought information of the intact enemy force.

「Yessir. It seems like they are chasing after the flying horse cavalry unit that had broken past their defensive lines to help their headquarters. The mercenary unit that is at the front is still continuing on, there is another report that the enemy’s center reserve forces are turning around to head for their headquarters as well. 」

「Fuh―. That’s convenient. Our left wing can easily progress then. There’s not in a million chance they can catch up with the flying horse cavalries. It seems like they aren’t aware that it’s just a useless effort. 」

「They must have been forced to do so if there’s a royal member at their headquarters. 」

   Is it the leeway of a victor? Another officer was grinning as he justified the enemy’s action.

「That’s might just be the case. I can’t help but sympathize with the enemy general. 」

   The general that is the culprit of uprooting the Kingdom army is laughing loudly.

***

   The Empire’s right wing’s offense became fiercer. There is only two thousand men on the Kingdom’s left wing versus the Empire’s three thousand. The Empire is overwhelming the Kingdom.

   From start of the battle till now, the imaginary line between the Kingdom and the Empire didn’t really move much. But that’s merely because the empire wasn’t aggressively pushing.

   Although the Kingdom’s left wing was keeping up a good fight till now despite the disadvantage in numbers, they couldn’t help but crumble away when the Empire enforced their offense.

   In the first place, it is a difference in ratio of three to two. It’s a given the Imperial army can easily dismantle the Kingdom’s army at any time. On top of that, there was something unexpected happening on the Kingdom’s side that worsened the situation.

「What! Did they appoint us here knowing this imbalance!? 」

   It was the commander of the drafted soldiers letting out an angry roar on the Kingdom’s side, and the one receiving the brunt of it is the messenger that is on his knees. In a similar fashion, another messenger that came for the Thoria territorial army unit reported.

「Yessir. The enemy’s cavalries numbering two thousand is nearing the headquarters after breaking through our right wing. To protect His Highness that is present, we will need the assistance of the Thoria army―― as said. 」

「But the enemy here can’t be held any longer either! Be clear! Bring our own messenger from Thoria here! 」

   The messenger had a troubled face as he replied.

「That’s……, he had passed on the message and drawn his horse backwards……」

「Are you saying that he left? 」

「Yessir」

   The commander spoke after keeping quiet in his thoughts for a while.

「……Is it confirmed? 」

「The message is definitely from someone of Thoria army without mistakes. There were multiple soldiers who recognized him. 」

   If so, there’s no chance the news that the messenger brought is fake. In other words, the headquarters is in a huge pinch now. After giving it many thoughts, the commander gave out his orders to the vice commander who was beside all this time.

「…………A message for the Thoria army. Even if the headquarters is in danger, there’s no way there aren’t any defenses there. If it’s not an order from the headquarters, we cannot give this place up. 」

   But what the vice commander replied, it was something that made the commander lose his words again.

「The Thoria army is already retreating now as we talk. There’s no guarantee the order will make it in time……」

「What! 」

   If the Thoria territorial army changed directions, the balance between the Empire’s right wing and Kingdom’s left wing will become three thousand versus one thousand.

   The Kingdom’s left wing that doesn’t even have half the number of the Empire’s couldn’t possibly block them, the Empire’s right wing is already pushing them back.

   In the first place, if the Thoria army left the left wing, those that are still there are the drafted soldiers that didn’t receive military training normally. It’s disadvantageous even if they have matching numbers. If the numbers ratio would be 3 to 1, it’s only a matter of time before the left wing collapses.

***

「They’re here, Kyrill. The Imperial army. 」

   The student unit that was placed at the back of the left wing, there was the figure of Rai who was covering his eyes from the intense sun as he looked at the coming soldiers.

「I can see it even if you don’t say. 」

   It wasn’t Kyrill that replied, but it’s the classmate of a nobility daughter, Ellenoa. Although she replied strongly, her voice was trembling slightly. Kyrill and the other students of the academy were gathered and placed on the left-wing rearguard.

「They’ve finally come. 」

   Kyrill spoke while looking at the advancing Imperial army. Thanks to the stalemate until now, Kyrill and the others didn’t get involved in the fight but, as expected, they couldn’t stay as a bystander in the entire war.

「Take formation and brace! 」

   A silver-haired commander riding on a horse shouted.

「This war, it concerns the fate of our country! I won’t ask of you who have no actual combat experience to defeat the enemy, but hold them back! Burn your life and defend against the enemy onslaught! 」

   There were quite a few students that were frowning at the words that seemed to disregard their life.

「Just whose fault it is that we can’t have any actual combat experience……」

   Kyrill was muttering to himself. Although it was in a soft voice inaudible to the commander, there were a few students that agreed at his words and shook their head.

   Kyrill understands what the other students are saying.

   The name of the commander is Hansrick. A powerful noble of a martial family, the second son of the Remshade family. A graduate of the same academy with excellent grades, that is probably the reason why he was charged with the task of commanding the student unit.

   But he’s also famous in another sense. It’s because he’s one of the main reasons why the students in the academy are now forbidden in out-of-academy activities.

   When he was a senior, a year from graduating, Hansrick along with his classmates met trouble in the Corsas Forest. In the end, they were rescued by mercenaries that were hired by the academy and the Remshade family but, because of that, it became that the students of the academy no longer can expedite on their own.

   Until then, the students in the academy could go on an expedition to gain practical experience at their own risk, but now, they weren’t allowed to do so at all. And the culprit, Hansrick condemning the lack of actual combat experience of the students is not funny at all.

   But even such unsatisfaction turned into nothingness because of the approaching presences of the enemies. Ahead of the students that had taken on a formation, the enemy soldiers are nearing after getting through the friendlies ahead of them.

「Stop the momentum of the enemies ahead! Magicians, cast spells on your own accord! 」

   At Hansrick instruction, it was about the same time when the vanguard had clashed with the enemy soldiers. At the Imperial soldiers that were stopped because of the vanguard, the magicians from the rear shot out offensive spells.

   Of course, it wasn’t a concentrated volley. In the first place, there were only less than forty students that are enlisted here who are actually magicians. On top of that, they were students that can barely hit targets twenty meters away.

   At moving enemy soldiers, at a further distance, their accuracy dropped drastically. But even so, there should be a few spells that could reach the enemies if all of them fired.

   Red flames or bluish transparent icicles flew above their heads, and found themselves in the enemy soldiers.　

   Most of the students became pale after seeing the soldiers that choked to death because of the fire burning their faces, or friendlies that got their head beheaded and died. There are even those that started throwing up.

「Get one more spell off if you have time to throw up! Stand up if you don’t want to die! 」

   Hansrick motivation flew, but it was still too much considering the students who never experienced any kind of battle are facing such a painful sight.

「Ellenoa, fine? 」

   Seeing the pale classmates, Kyrill was worried about Ellenoa.

「W-What fine? I-I am always well and good! 」

   Ellenoa faked her collection. But even now, tears are on the verge of spilling on her face. Unlike the other female students, Kyrill thought it was impressive that she was able to control herself so well.

「Unn, got it. 」

   Kyrill replied shortly before returning his gaze to the enemy and started chanting.

「The burning flames that is the proof of mine strength――Graist! 」(Fireball)

   The manifested fireball shot out as per Kyrill’s will, and started burning the soldier’s body that was hit. Even while his face showed reaction at that scene, Kyrill took up his staff once again.

「The penetrating pebble of the unwavering heroism of the knight ――― Dessel! 」(Earth)

   It was a spear made of earth stabbing into the enemy soldier who was trying to take Rai’s back. Along with a painful expression, the soldier collapsed, and Rai who had finished off the enemies in front turned around and gave him the final blow.

   Rai gave a thumbs up as an appreciation to Kyrill. As he lifted his hand lightly as a response, Kyrill was aware of the surroundings without being careless.

「Hesitation is not allowed……」

   Thinking about the sins of murdering another human can be left later. Now, he should prioritize the safe return of himself and all his friends. Repeating that to himself, Kyrill continued casting his spells onto the enemy soldiers.

   This is how the war began for Kyrill.