83: [Joint Training Exercise and the Knight Commander]
It was a clear day, not a cloud in the sky.
Even in northern Eustasia, where summers were cool and pleasant, the sun was scorching, and I regretted not bringing a hat.
However, overly formal attire wouldn’t be appropriate either.
Leticia and I were in our usual clothes, while Ciel was dressed as a knight.
Not in full armor, but in the light attire worn for patrols within the city: a thick blue quilted tunic, a white surcoat, leather gloves, and boots. The surcoat bore the Vanderwaals gecko crest, embroidered in a blue similar to the tunic.
The regular soldiers wore the same outfit in peacetime. The difference was that the knights, who were stationed even during peacetime, wore light armor, and in times of war, only the knights wore full armor, some mounted on horseback.
And their authority and pay were different.
The reason for the identical patrol uniforms was that knights were generally stronger than soldiers, so this concealed any differences in training level.
Knights didn’t often have the opportunity to wear full armor.
Aside from ceremonies, it was only during regular training exercises. Full plate armor was for war.
And before me, knights in full battle armor were assembled.
From our position on a small hill, overlooking the training grounds, we had a clear view.
There were two emblems displayed on the flags and surcoats.
One was the wall lizard gecko, the crest of the Vanderwaals family… here, representing the Vandergant Territorial Army.
The other was a helmet with a unicorn horn and a visor, the crest of the Eustasia Knights.
The two armies were clearly separated, maintaining a distance.
The knights’ elite forces were the cavalry, and among them, there were two particularly distinguished units.
One was the horse archers.
They wore dark brown hard leather armor and dark green hooded cloaks, no surcoats. They carried composite shortbows, custom-made for each archer, and their close-combat weapons were limited to daggers and knives.
They were one of the strongest military units, combining mobility and long-range attack power, but they were expensive.
It took extensive training in both horsemanship and archery, careful selection of talented individuals, further specialized training, and then rigorous drills in coordinated tactics to create a truly effective unit.
Naturally, the requirements for their horses were also incredibly high. Fast, strong legs, resilient and supple muscles, tireless, yet obedient… such highly sought-after horses were required on a regimental scale.
It was a luxury unit that smaller nations couldn’t afford, and it was said that only the Kingdom of Eustasia had such a large force on the continent… though the nomadic nation in the west had an army composed almost entirely of horse archers, which was… well, a different matter.
Among the nomads, who made their living through herding, it was said that even infants were placed on horseback before they could walk, and I had heard that Ciel’s riding instructor was from that nation.
The other elite unit, the polar opposite of the horse archers, was the heavy cavalry.
Both the knights and their horses wore armor, and their charge, lances couched, in formation, was still the most powerful force on land.
They were one of the strongest military units, combining defensive strength and offensive power, but they were expensive.
They required a different kind of horse than the horse archers; the breeding of horses strong enough to carry the weight of a knight in full armor was an ongoing process.
As a result, nations without heavy cavalry and the horses to support them couldn’t engage in direct combat with those who did.
The same was true for the armor. If the size wasn’t right, it either compromised defense or mobility—either way, it reduced its effectiveness.
Ideally, it should be custom-made for each individual, and the Kingdom of Eustasia was a military nation that embodied that ideal.
Unlike some countries, Eustasia didn’t require its knights to provide their own armor. It was all standard-issue, provided by the state.
Standardized training. Guaranteed minimum quality. Knighthood wasn’t about who could afford armor, but who was worthy of wearing it, who possessed the talent for combat.
The difference that made on the battlefield was immense.
Skill maintained through constant training.
High-quality equipment befitting that skill.
And the national power to support it.
That was the source of our “continental supremacy.”
If our nation were to seek dominance, no single country could oppose us.
And how foolish it would be… to try to redraw the map of the continent while ignoring our nation.
Our nation had once been a collection of independent states, which we had conquered, unified, and replaced.
While we prioritized military might due to our history, we also understood the value of peace better than anyone.
The military produced nothing.
However, without the military, all other fields would eventually be trampled underfoot by those who didn’t understand the value of peace.
We were strong because we were secure, and we were secure because we were strong. A virtuous cycle.
A horn blared.
The signal for a charge.
The two armies, the Eustasia Knights and the Vandergant Territorial Army, facing each other, moved simultaneously.
The heavy cavalry began to move slowly… They formed ranks, riding alongside their comrades.
The lances, previously held upright, butts resting in the saddle sockets and shafts supported on their shoulders, were lowered, pointing forward.
Slowly, but surely, they gained speed.
Like mirror images, the two armies accelerated.
Each aiming to deliver a devastating blow, fueled by momentum.
They reached their maximum speed—
And then, the two armies passed each other.
“As expected of the Eustasia Knights. Excellent maneuver, Knight Commander Felix.”
“No, the Vandergant Territorial Army is also impressive. I mean it, Adelheid.”
We exchanged compliments as the heavy cavalry, having passed each other in their charge formation, slowed down.
I meant it, too.
They were indeed worthy of being called the strongest knight order on the continent.
As the lord, and, nominally, the supreme commander, I believed our territorial army was no less impressive.
Following the heavy cavalry were the regular cavalry, not fully armored, and the infantry.
The horse archers also galloped around the perimeter, not nocking any arrows, but practicing the motions of drawing and aiming their shortbows.
To the untrained eye, it might have looked like a game.
However, the experience of such exercises made a world of difference in a real battle.
Today was the joint training exercise between the Eustasia Knights and the Vandergant Territorial Army.
I was glad the weather was clear.
While not a full-scale combat exercise, it would have proceeded even in rain.
However, I wasn’t sure if I would have brought Leticia along if it had been raining.
Rain would have reduced visibility and increased fatigue… and I was also worried about her catching another cold.
But the weather was clear. …Was this also the guidance of fate?
There was no mention of rain in [Moonlight Liberium].
This was the training grounds on the outskirts of Vandergant.
The largest training grounds in the territory, usually used for training.
While it had training facilities, most of it was grassland enclosed by a fence, and we sometimes received requests from neighboring farmers to graze their livestock there.
The fence reduced the risk of accidents with grazing animals, and we, in turn, asked them to inspect the fence as part of the agreement; a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Due to its proximity to the capital, it was also used for the large-scale annual training exercise.
Sometimes the exercise was conducted solely by the territorial army, sometimes we invited or were invited by neighboring territorial armies.
This year’s exercise, with the Royal Knights, was particularly large-scale, and everyone seemed to be highly motivated.
Felix, wearing full armor, his visored helmet tucked under his arm, looked at my sister.
“Leticia, what do you think? …Is it… boring?”
My sister, thus addressed, shook her head silently.
“No, Sir Felix. …I wouldn’t say it’s… enjoyable… but I understand its necessity.”
“Good.”
Felix seemed relieved.
It was a model answer. She was acquiring the discernment of a noble.
“After this, we’ll split up depending on the training content. I’ll be observing and participating in each exercise. Of course, you’re welcome to accompany me… What about you, Adelheid?”
“I’d be delighted to accompany you. Opportunities to observe the troops with the Knight Commander are rare.”
Felix and I exchanged glances and nodded.
When it came to military matters, he was a reliable man.
“So… Leticia, you can also… um… accompany us, if you’d like.”
When it came to romance, he was… less reliable.
While it was good that he invited my sister, his approach was… questionable.
Perhaps it was because he usually only interacted with his subordinates—female knights, soldiers, civil officials, and other staff—in a professional capacity.
…However, I wasn’t in a position to criticize, since I didn’t know the ‘correct’ way to invite someone either.
“I’d be happy to accompany you, Sir Felix,” Leticia replied with a smile.
“Good.”
Felix’s face brightened.
He had his endearing moments.
While I wasn’t sure if such an openly pleased reaction to my sister’s acceptance was appropriate for the commander of the kingdom’s military, I found it… endearing, on a personal level.
My sister turned to me, her smile even brighter than the one she had given Knight Commander Felix.
“I’ll stay by Elder Sister’s side and learn.”
And then, she came to my side, close enough for our shoulders to touch.
While I could list countless adorable qualities of my sister, I didn’t know what to make of this.
As the head of the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals,” a family that symbolized the dark underbelly of the kingdom, I froze for a moment, unsure of how to react.
“…I see.”
Felix’s smile faltered slightly.
I felt like I was doing something wrong.
If she had held my hand or linked her arm with mine, I could have reprimanded her, but perhaps because we were at a military exercise, my sister was behaving appropriately, simply standing beside me.
Not that I was disappointed or anything.
“Let’s go, then.”
He lightly patted my shoulder with his gauntleted hand, and I followed him.
Walking alongside my sister.
