09. Love is Terrible

Two weeks after moving to Porchmen, Celian defined Porchmen in her own terms.

A different world.

Beyond its beautiful scenery, this town showed no interest in her.

In Porchmen, which had neither a small nor large population, foreigners of all appearances swarmed about. Among them, a silver-haired, blue-eyed woman was just that—nothing more, nothing less than a silver-haired, blue-eyed woman.

The attention that usually came with high status was also low. The foreigners in Porchmen were all strangers to each other and avoided showing unnecessary interest.

That house has two daughters, ah yes, that house has two daughters. That person broke off their engagement yesterday, ah yes, they broke off their engagement yesterday. Without passing things off like that, it would be too exhausting to keep track of the various incidents happening to everyone every day.

When she returned from strolling through town with the maid Izer had assigned her, a heartwarming scene would unfold at home.

“Sister Beth, I don’t know what this word means.”

“Let me see. Ah, it means ‘grace.'”

Beth came out from the dormitory every weekend. After scolding Beth for being endlessly generous with candies, snacks, and cookies to Percy, Beth would counter Celian’s words using all sorts of vocabulary she learned at school.

After dinner, Percy was studying vocabulary. Beth, who had sat down with newspapers translated into various languages to set a good example, jumped up.

“‘Our forces succeeded in recapturing Fairville’s capital. About 10,000 troops were mobilized for this operation. Despite the enemy’s tactics to launch a surprise attack from the rear, thanks to the efforts of the 3rd Cavalry Division and 6th Infantry Division in charge of the rear….’ Sister, isn’t the Duke in the 3rd Cavalry Division?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you so calm about it! If it were me, I’d be dying of pride!”

Celian gave a slight smile and lowered her eyes to her embroidery. The needle that had been stuck there long ago remained in the same place.

“……”

‘I understand this war is less dangerous. Jade said it would end within a year at most. But what if after Letters is suppressed, my husband doesn’t return?’

She thought she understood why he had been so obsessive about her pregnancy. He wanted someone who resembled him to live on, even if he were erased from the world. He wanted to be remembered by her through having her hold a child that resembled him in her arms.

‘What good are honor and medals? I didn’t even want him to become a soldier—’

Wendy hadn’t said the most important thing.

Jade had become a soldier of his own will. Wendy had simply gotten engaged to a man who wanted to become a soldier, and married a man who had become one.

That’s why Celian couldn’t fully empathize with Wendy. Their situations were too different.

Celian had never chosen Izer as her husband. That was an obvious fact that needed no further thought.

There was another difference.

Izer hadn’t become a soldier because he wanted to either. 

 * * *

 Warfare in that era took on a somewhat different aspect than what people about two hundred years later would imagine.

At the very front were a small number of cavalry. Mounted on horses, they faithfully performed their role as the advance guard. They also took on the role of messengers, simultaneously scouting and relaying information about conditions ahead.

Right behind them were the engineering corps. Following the advance guard, they marched while removing various obstacles hindering the advance and paving the way. Sometimes they would also create suitable cover for the artillery.

After the engineering corps passed, the artillery appeared. Armed with their muskets, they pulled field cannons that were heavier than rifles but lighter than old-style cannons. Artillery soldiers took turns pulling the cannons with two large wheels on either side.

Several infantry regiments followed behind them. Unlike the artillery, whose main role was to stand in place and fire, they attacked the enemy directly with guns and swords. Infantry were issued muskets, pistols, and swords. Sometimes when rough terrain appeared where artillery couldn’t fight, infantry would move to the front of the artillery to protect the weapons.

The very rear was the place for the remaining cavalry excluding the advance guard. Based on their high mobility, they were trained to scatter and participate in battle wherever needed.

Jade approached Izer, who was watching the long column from the side of the formation. The two men, as part of the advance guard, had determined the current location suitable for camping and were waiting to rejoin the rear.

“It’s gotten quite cold.”

Izer answered.

“I just hope it ends before spring.”

In early December, depending on latitude, it was autumn for some and winter for others. Misty rain fell in Humingham, frost in Porchmen.

And on the Fairville front, heavy snow fell.

Despite the bad weather, Treven’s soldiers were full of energy. According to the initial predictions from above, they should have been at least 5,000 kilometers further south than their current position.

However, thanks to Letters’ rebel army suffering repeated defeats, Treven’s reinforcements had quickly pushed north toward Letters’ territory after recapturing the capital.

But for those above, the current situation wasn’t entirely favorable. While the soldiers hurried to prepare camp, a meeting was held in General Schwenn’s tent.

“The enemy is approaching the Grand Duke’s castle. At this rate, they’ll reach it within three days. We need to decide whether to storm the castle or wait for them to come out on their own.”

“A siege in this region would be overwhelmingly disadvantageous for our forces. Both the terrain and climate are favorable conditions for the enemy, so we must prevent them from entering the castle by any means.”

After Jade’s statement, General Schwenn turned his head toward Izer. The only general-rank officer among this expeditionary force often sought opinions regardless of position.

“What does Second Lieutenant Chesterfield think?”

“I agree with Captain Schwenn’s opinion. The Grand Duke’s castle is spacious compared to its population and rich in supplies. Since it’s originally in a barren area surrounded by mountains, it would be quite difficult for us to receive supplies from outside the castle.”

“Assuming the enemy enters the castle, what if our forces then use full strength to recapture it?”

“The civilians inside the castle would suffer casualties.”

“That would be troublesome in its own way.”

Izer reminded them of reality.

“If we invade the Grand Duke’s castle, Treven becomes the aggressor. Beyond military preparation, Letters is trying to make Treven into the aggressor right now.”

Ferdinand II had publicly announced that his illegitimate son had started a rebellion for the personal reason of wanting to become king.

No citizen wants civil war to break out in a peaceful land. It took only a week for yesterday’s hero to fall to today’s swine.

The moment Treven intervened, Ferdinand II became a bastard who brought in foreign troops to save his own life.

Izer thought so too. A former war hero who started a rebellion within his own country, and the current king who brought in enemy troops to suppress that hero. Fairville’s civil war was a very bad example of how far infighting among the high-ranking could go.

From Treven’s standpoint, the incompetent Ferdinand II needed to win. Jade picked up Izer’s words in a firm tone.

“It’s not impossible to stop the enemy before they enter the castle. General, please allow me to form an advance guard mainly of cavalry with high mobility to block their rear.”

“It will be difficult to fight with just cavalry without artillery. You’ll also be quite visible. There’s a high chance we’ll just lose troops.”

“The enemy is exhausted. You know too, General, that their moving speed is half of ours even with the castle right in front of them. They’ve also lost many artillery pieces. Just give me three hundred more quick-footed infantry. If we create chaos in their rear, their front will also collapse……”

A conversation between soldiers outside the general’s tent cut across the table of uniformed men.

“Password?”

“Grace.”

Izer, who had been listening to Jade and General Schwenn’s conversation, leaned back.

Grace.

It was too sacred for a battlefield password. Yet it was perfectly fitting for people who needed God’s grace more than anyone else.

The people in this unit spoke the word ‘grace’ at least once, up to a dozen times during this single night. From God’s perspective, it was natural to first notice those who showed interest in Him rather than those who kept their mouths shut.

Grace, grace….. While repeating the sacred word, a soldier rushed in breathlessly.

He seemed unaware that this was in the middle of a command meeting. Snow had accumulated white on the head and shoulders of the soldier who stopped in confusion.

Standing beside the table filled with officer-ranked and above, he stood at attention upon seeing General Schwenn.

“We’ve received word from Treven.”

“Is it His Majesty?”

“It’s Prince Edmond. A civilian has gone missing in Porchmen.”

What’s so important about that, General Schwenn turned his head toward the desk.

“This is Fairville. Tell them to conduct the search for the missing person within Treven.”

“About that……”

“Do you have more to say?”

“It seems the enemy side has kidnapped them.”

Silence fell. Izer turned his head that had been facing forward. The soldier who had been glancing at him spoke to General Schwenn.

“Duchess Celian Chesterfield has disappeared.”

“……”

The air in the tent grew cold. The impact of the soldier’s report was that tremendous.

Private emotions, forbidden on the battlefield, began to surge. The moment the experienced General Schwenn noticed that ominous energy and furrowed his brow—

Izer broke the frozen silence.

“What do you mean?”