âNo! Itâs too late! You wonât be able to win the battles you could win!â (Thomas)
Thomas screamed in the barracks.
A large barracks has been built just outside of Canale Castle, where a large number of soldiers live and train in preparation for war.
Since Thomas came to Canale and was assigned to train the soldiers, he had been living in the Canale barracks while training the soldiers.
His instruction is very strict.
Ritsu has never been gentle, but he was even more strict than him.
He was extremely rugged and massive, so the soldiers were terrified of him.
However, as a trainer, the worst thing he could do was to make the soldiers feel worthless, so he intentionally adopted an attitude that would make them terrified of him.
(âŠAfter all, the soldiers in Canale are very well trained) (Thomas)
Despite his constant verbal abuse, in his heart, Thomas held Canaleâs soldiers in high regard.
(I heard that that Marcan named Ritsu has been training them until now, but⊠I wonder how he trained them up to this level.) (Thomas)
Thomas was impressed with Ritsuâs ability to train his soldiers.
As he continued to train the soldiers, suddenly, âBoom!â The sound of an explosion echoed.
Next to the barracks was the Magic Training Center, a facility where mages trained. Since the work of mages differs greatly from that of regular soldiers, they usually practice separately. Sometimes they trained together several times a month.
âW-Woah, Charlotte-samaâs magic is⊠so amazing!â (Soldier)
âNo, maybe itâs the magic of a new girl named Musha⊠who I hear has been growing rapidly since the last defensive battleâŠâ (Soldier)
âYou, there! Stop talking!â (Thomas)
ââYes!ââ (Soldiers)
Thomas issued a warning to the soldiers, who were engaged in a private conversation about the state of the magic soldiers. The soldiers hurriedly resumed their training.
(In the previous battle at Beltud, one of the reasons for their defeat was that they had misjudged the strength of the Clan Armyâs mages. Especially that Charlotteâs magic was nothing short of a threatâŠ) (Thomas)
Thomas recalls the time when he was defeated by Clanâs army at Beltud.
(Ritsu and Charlotte⊠both are extremely competent individuals who are rarely found in the province of Messiaen⊠Heck, even all of Somerforce. Then, thereâs Russell who is still a child and immature in a lot of areas, but he has a phenomenal brain. Canale also has a lot of other talented people, which is hard to believe for a small frontier county.)
It was an odd sight for Thomas, who knows how difficult it is to get the right people.
Thomas remembered what Mireille had whispered to him in his imprisonment in Alcantes.
âThe lad Iâm working for now is an interesting boy. He may eventually become the man who will rule Messiaen or even Somerforce. I think he will soon leap past Clan who you donât like. So, would you like to meet him at least once?â (Mireille)
I hardly believed it when she said those words, and in fact, when I met with Ars, I didnât believe him to be of that caliber at first glance.
(If Ars had gathered this group of people, then surely her words were not a lieâŠ) (Thomas)
Thomas was beginning to revise his assessment of Ars.
(Could it be that the defeat in the previous battle was also due to the presence of ArsâŠ? Then, would he be the one to avenge Basamark-samaâs soulâŠ) (Thomas)
I thought so but quickly reconsidered that was not the case.
(It is true that Ars may have been very powerful, but he was only working on the orders of Clan. After all, the only one who killed Basamark-sama was Clan, who gave the order to execute him.
And⊠I will never serve Clan since Basamark-sama knows that Clan doesnât have the spirit to become the Governor. I have no intention of serving a man who is not fit to be governor.) (Thomas)
Thomas believed the words of his former master, Basamark, with all his heart.
(If Ars is that good⊠he might clash against Clan⊠sooner or later. Itâs not that Ars will be blinded by ambition and revolt, but that Clan will not be able to handle Ars. If that happens⊠Iâll side with Ars.) (Thomas)
Thomas predicted a future for himself and Ars.
(Well, itâs only hypothetical. I donât know what will actually happen. I should keep training the soldiers for a while, at the moment.) (Thomas)