Chapter 26
“It’s been less than a week since our location was exposed! And you’re already deciding to split our forces with such a complacent mindset?”
Though objections came from various directions, the core of their arguments was all the same.
‘They mean to say we should stop playing spy games and march straight in.’
Which essentially meant they didn’t trust Mia’s judgment or strategy.
“You could at least listen before jumping to conclusions.”
Mia stepped forward. It was her first time dealing with such a large group of people at once in this life. It was inevitable this day would come, but she had tried to delay it for as long as possible. Now, with all the hostility in the room directed solely at her, every gaze fell on her.
“To understand the enemy’s intentions without armed conflict, we need reconnaissance. His Imperial Majesty has ordered us to go to war without even assessing the enemy’s condition—meaning he’s left that reconnaissance work to the Holy Legion.”
Loyalty to the emperor—or fear of being labeled a traitor. No one had dared say it aloud before. But now, that very point came easily from the mouth of the ‘hero’ they all looked down on.
“We are deep inside enemy territory. If the supply line at the border is cut, we can’t move. If we’re surrounded, reinforcements will take a long time to arrive. In a situation like this, do you really think it’s the ‘virtue of a competent officer’—as taught in the academy—to jump into battle without understanding the enemy’s economy or military strength?”
Not a word of it was wrong. That’s why there hadn’t been much resistance when she first proposed disguising themselves as a merchant caravan to enter Raben. What they didn’t like was the fact that all the commanding officers were part of this fake caravan—and that the plan was devised by a noblewoman who had never experienced a real war.
As the officers tried to find something to nitpick, Etienne cut them off and added weight to her words.
“You can trust Blanchard. I’ve already been fully briefed on her detailed plans.”
Etienne walked over and placed a hand on Mia’s shoulder.
“That concludes the meeting. I appreciate your cooperation.”
He stood up as he spoke. Though it looked like he was using his authority to force their agreement, there was nothing the officers could do. And with that, the ‘meeting’—Mia’s one-sided announcement—ended without further friction.
Not long after, a bizarre sight unfolded in Glenn. Horses and carriages were being dragged out in front of the baron’s manor—not to carry noblemen, but to load up Etalon soldiers.
“You can’t do this! Those horses are the estate’s property!”
The baron came running out in a panic, protesting loudly. But the Etalon troops ignored him and continued their work. Hooves clattered and wheels rumbled as the procession formed.
“Orders are orders. What do you expect us to do?”
One soldier replied curtly. The baron, his face turning red and pale by turns, stood frozen without another word.
“Where did they even find these things…”
Mia murmured as she examined the assembled horses and carriages. It was hard to believe that such sickly animals could belong to the largest trading company in Etalon.
And the carriages! They were worse than the picnic carts she used to ride back on her estate—long-forgotten wagons dragged out from the baron’s dusty warehouse.
‘I thought the ones we had were shabby, but these look like they’ve been rotting in storage for decades… And this is what passes for noble property?’
At least, thanks to Baron Galois’s earlier rudeness, she had confiscated some of his food supplies as well. That meant she didn’t have to worry about rations until they reached Raben.
Still, the thought of pretending to be a merchant caravan with this lot made her feel dizzy. But what choice did she have? Mia scanned the horses and mounted the second-sturdiest one she could find.
The sturdiest, of course, was reserved for the commander.
“You’re already ready?”
Leonard came up beside her, asking with wide eyes. Subtlety was clearly not one of his talents. His gaping mouth and shocked expression revealed just how unprepared he had been for the caravan’s pitiful state.
‘If only we had gone with my plan, it would’ve been so much smoother.’
Leonard’s own shoddy proposal had only been approved because she had manipulated Etienne into signing off on it. In a way, this whole thing was still going according to Mia’s plan—but knowing it had Leonard’s name on it still made it hard not to feel frustrated.
“Of course. Thanks to your hard work, everything’s ready.”
Her words dripped with sarcasm. She knew that Leonard’s so-called “efforts” amounted to little more than tossing a few cheap threats at Baron Galois. In Mia’s eyes, this kind of mock praise was a fitting reward for his lack of initiative.
Leonard awkwardly cleared his throat and lowered his gaze.
Soon, he chose the largest carriage near the center of the line and climbed aboard. Even in a situation like this, his vanity showed—he couldn’t help but pick the most spacious option. Mia chuckled to herself.
With their romantic relationship now officially recognized, the commander mounted a large warhorse beside Mia and positioned himself at the head of the convoy.
Behind them came the covered carriage they’d ride in if they needed to hide their identities. Though they’d draped some cloth over it, it was clear that it had originally been meant for transporting military supplies.
The driver snapped his whip through the air. With a jolt, the horses surged forward, dragging the rickety wagons through the city gates.
Their destination: Raben, the heart of Verdian commerce. The journey ahead was long and treacherous. The road was bumpy, and the wagons rattled as they moved.
Inside the carriage, Mia stared out the window, lost in thought. The weight of the mission and the role she had to play pressed heavily on her shoulders.
But what choice did she have? If the tragedies of her past life had truly happened because of her, and if the goddess had sent her back to fix them—then all she could do now was accept her role as the ‘hero.’
“Um, would you like some water?”
“Sure.”
A large canteen appeared in front of her as she quietly reviewed documents. Despite the fatigue from this being her first long journey, Chloe remained kind and gentle toward Mia.
‘She really doesn’t need to try this hard to please me.’
Mia had never expected—or wanted—the girl to act like some subservient attendant. In fact, it would have been easier to deal with her if she had remained arrogant and defiant.
‘Like Sissy, for example…’
It seemed she still hadn’t escaped the nightmare of her past life. Even now, with a new chance and countless opportunities, Mia’s plans still operated in the shadow of a woman who no longer existed.
Chloe seemed awkward, still adjusting to her sudden journey companion. Understandably so—after all, her long-awaited escape from home had come disguised as an elite soldier from the enemy country.
Mia tried to help her adjust. She made light conversation to ease the tension and even shared some of their rare snack rations.
But every time she offered a bit of kindness, she felt a gaze on her…
“Oh, Etienne. Would you like some too?”
Of course—it was the commander. Whenever Mia tried to be alone with Chloe or offer her something, he would shamelessly wedge himself between them.
“The smell of bread is too tempting. Mind if I have a bite?”
The excuse was always the same, and it was getting old. Even Chloe, with no military experience, could guess that the commander got first dibs on all rations. Etienne grinned and sat beside Mia. His eyes—playful on the surface—flicked back and forth between her and Chloe.
‘There it is again. That damn surveillance.’
Mia sighed inwardly.
Of course she understood Etienne’s wariness—after all, Chloe was Galois’s daughter. But that didn’t make his persistent, watchful presence any less exhausting.
