Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 107 - War Preparations

The once-calm war room was now ablaze with frantic activity.

Scholars and tacticians alike scrambled from place to place as they attempted to organize plans, confirm troop counts, and assign provisions among many other things. At the center of this maelstrom was the large rectangular table where the strategic maps laid. While they had once been devoid of any clutter aside from documents, various figures representing troop placements now littered their surface.

"Damn it! Did Helfried alert them already!?" Medrauta grit her teeth, mentally reprimanding herself furiously. She never should've allowed the carriage to be seen.

Baron Dietrich shook his head, noticing Medrauta's expression. "It's not your fault, Dame Medrauta. Besides, there's no confirmation that Bastiche was alerted by Helfried. In any case, we were planning to strike in two weeks, but that was merely a fanciful wish. We are already grateful for Bastiche's hesitation until now. I doubt any other duke—acting or otherwise—would have knowingly tolerated a belligerent fief within their borders for as long as he has."

Marilyn nodded in assent to the duke's words. "That's right. The original plan was to attack as soon as possible anyway. We only made changes due to Dame Krista's arrival and her confirmation of academy reinforcements. In truth, we've been ready to launch our attack. The two weeks were simply there to ensure that everything would be perfect, but I'm sure you already know that no battle plan ever goes perfectly."

"...Won't we need to make tabards for the mercenaries?" Medrauta asked. "The ones to accompany Viviane's plan."

"You needn't worry, Dame Medrauta." Baron Dietrich said as he nodded his thanks to a scholarly-looking man who handed him a stack of papers. Although Medrauta thought it strange that the documents were sealed with a blank stamp instead of one that bore a coat of arms, it was hardly the time to comment on something so minor. "The craftsmen should be able to finish by tomorrow morning. We'll attack in two days. Even considering the time it'll take to march, we should reach the capital before he can call off the lockdown and begin funneling supplies to withstand our siege."

Viviane nodded, eyeing the scholars and strategists in the room and gaining a newfound appreciation for their work. As the daughter of Duke Castellia, Viviane was no stranger to war rooms nor the presence of military officers. However, her experience with them had been somewhat dampered by her parents' competence.

While growing up, she always thought it was strange how the tacticians she'd seen with her parents merely stood silently while doing nothing but nod or offer the odd word or two occasionally. Because of that, Viviane had been under the impression that the job of "tactician" was simply created for members of petty nobility who could not find employment elsewhere.

Once she began attending the academy, that notion began fading slightly, but Viviane still couldn't fully comprehend just how important tacticians were, especially seeing as the noble curriculum didn't offer any courses on strategy until the fourth and final year. Compared to the knights who were tasked with both fighting on the front lines and commanding troops, she couldn't help but think that nobles or commoners who became tacticians were simply freeloaders.

However, the men and women working hurriedly around her were quickly shattering that misconception of hers. Though the room looked disorganized with documents being shuffled around and people moving to and fro, the scholars worked efficiently and the tacticians were incredibly insightful as they aided Marilyn and the baron in planning the attack.

...Looks like it's just mother and father who are the anomalies. Again. Viviane pursed her lips, casting her gaze around the busy room. She stood next to Medrauta, the two of them staring at the battle maps laid out on the table before them. Though her knight was just as silent as she was, Viviane couldn't help but think that she should be doing something to help out.