I set the man back down immediately and gave him a bright smile.
He looked back at me with a face that was hard to describe, his features twitching in a mixture of shock and confusion.
"You're... you're strong, kid," he managed to choke out.
The girl behind me let out a soft chuckle.
After that, I went to register. The knight at the reception desk looked at me with suspicion, likely because of the commotion I’d just caused. However, the girl next to me simply offered him a sweet smile. Whatever he saw in that look was enough to satisfy him, and he processed my paperwork without another word.
I wondered who she was. Did they know each other?
A guide led us to our assigned military tent, where three older men were already waiting.
"Are you serious? Kids...?" one groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Aah, we’re doomed. It’s over."
"And two of them, no less..." another added, his shoulders slumped.
"It’s been years since the last war, but I guess achieving any military glory is out of the question now."
I found their attitude a bit rude, but then I caught the word "two." I looked back and saw the girl from the registration desk standing there. It seemed we had been assigned to the same squad.
"Um... Flare? Aren't you coming in?"
"I-I'm coming, but... I’m still a l-little on guard around you," she stuttered. "You seem s-surprisingly skilled."
Skilled? Well, I suppose I had shown a glimpse of my strength earlier.
I stepped into the tent and took a seat.
"Ahem! Now that all five of us are present, let's do introductions again," the man in charge said. "I'm the Squad Leader, Laphroaig. From here on out, we fight as a team."
"A team? So the five of us stay together?"
"That's right. Listen, kid. If you end up alone on the battlefield, you're a dead man. Especially for low-level grunts like us. If someone’s about to get killed, the rest of us step in to save them. That’s teamwork. Got it?"
"Yeah, I understand."
"Good grief... do you really?" Laphroaig sighed.
Laphroaig looked like a grizzled veteran, though he was only in his mid-twenties. Calling someone that age an "old man" might have been offensive, but he definitely looked like he’d aged prematurely. Apparently, he had survived enough battles to earn the rank of Squad Leader. He wasn't a knight, but rather the highest-ranking position a commoner could realistically reach.
"Alright, your turn. Introduce yourselves."
"Um, I'm Leo. My favorite food is cake."
"I'm Flare! My favorite food is... chocolate?"
"What are you, toddlers? What kind of introduction is that?"
The three older men sighed in unison.
"...Well, I guess it can't be helped," Laphroaig muttered. He stood up and roughly ruffled both mine and Flare’s hair. "Just stay close to me. Leo, Flare—we’re all going to survive this. Forget about military honors. Just focus on staying alive. You're just kids, after all."
Flare and I shared a glance.
"Laphroaig seems like a pretty decent guy, doesn't he?" I whispered.
"Yeah, definitely! It’s okay! I'll protect you!" she whispered back confidently.
Laphroaig snorted. "Hah! You sure talk a big game for a brat!"
We spent our first night in the army inside that tent.
The next day, Laphroaig called the squad together.
We headed to a clearing where knights on Emblem Horses were gathered, along with over a dozen other five-man squads like ours.
"I am the Knight Commander of this order! I am the One-Star, Campari!" a boisterous, thick-featured knight shouted, towering over us from his mount. "My Knight Order consists of twenty regular knights! Supplemented by eighty common soldiers, we form a company of one hundred!"
It was exactly as my mother had explained to me. In times of war, a One-Star Knight Commander combines their own regular unit with common recruits to form a hundred-man company. A One-Star is granted enough power to bestow emblems upon a hundred subordinates.
A Two-Star can lead up to a thousand, and a Three-Star can supposedly lead an army of ten thousand by sharing their Crest Power.
"I will now bestow the Vassal Emblem upon you using my Master Emblem! All common soldiers, line up!"
We joined the queue. I decided to wait for my turn and then simply pretend I had received the blessing. With eighty people in line, no one was paying attention to me. I managed to fake it without anyone noticing.
However...
"Are you in a complicated situation too, Flare?" I asked softly.
"Fueh?! Y-You noticed?"
"You didn't actually line up. It's fine, I won't pry."
"Ahaha, thanks. Yeah... I guess you could say I have my reasons. But don't worry, I’m definitely on your side."
Flare hadn't received an emblem either, which meant she likely already possessed one. Whether it was a Master or a Vassal emblem, I didn't know. I figured there was no way she held a King Emblem, though.
"Everyone has been granted their emblems!" Campari shouted. "If anyone missed out, I don't care! Go off and die on your own!"
He had a harsh way of putting it. But it was true—without an emblem, you were helpless on the battlefield. I knew that better than anyone.
"The Campari Knight Order has been incorporated into the Third Army! I won't say this twice, so remember it! If you can't name your affiliation, you have no right to complain if our own side cuts you down! Now, move out!"
The march began immediately. We followed on foot behind the knights and their Emblem Horses. After a long walk, we emerged onto a vast, open plain.
The sight that greeted me was breathtaking.
"...Incredible. All of this... it's all one army."
Legions of soldiers stretched out as far as I could see to the left and right. Our company was being swallowed up by the massive tide of steel.
Laphroaig reached over and ruffled my hair again.
"What's the matter, Leo? Feeling intimidated? We've got three full armies out here today. That means three Three-Star Knights are on the field."
"Three-Star Knights lead the armies?"
"You really don't know anything, do you? The Great General is almost always one of the Five Star Swords. But the main bodies—the First, Second, and Third Armies—are led by Three-Star Knights. Maybe 'General' is a term you'll understand better?"
"A General..."
So the person leading the Third Army was a Three-Star Knight. It seemed that once a knight reached that rank, they were eligible to become a General and command a full army. Even as a low-ranking grunt, I wanted to know who our commander was.
"Be careful," Laphroaig warned. "A General has absolute authority over their army. If you cross them, you’ll be executed on the spot."
"They're that important?"
"Important doesn't even begin to cover it. Most Three-Stars are heroes whose names will be written in history books. They're famous throughout all the Five Great Nations."
"I see..."
Just then, a cry went up.
"Third Army, halt! Present arms and salute!"
"Third Army, halt! Salute!"
Knights on Emblem Horses galloped down the lines, their voices booming. The infantry, the regular knights, and even the One-Star Commander Campari came to an immediate halt and snapped into a salute. They stood rigid, left hands over their chests.
The Third Army parted down the middle, creating a wide path.
"Idiot! Do it quickly, Leo!" Laphroaig hissed, his face pale. "If you show any disrespect, you'll be killed!"
"What's happening?"
"The General is passing through! And the General of the Third Army is famous for having an incredibly short fuse!"
I looked back. Dozens of knights on Emblem Horses carrying massive banners were approaching. Behind them, several horses pulled a grand carriage. The person inside had to be the General.
Wait... I knew that face.
I raised my arm and gave a wide, enthusiastic wave.
The Three-Star Knight at the head of the procession noticed me. A grin spread across his face, and he spurred his Emblem Horse forward. He brought the entire procession to a halt right in front of me.
"Wh-What are you doing, Leo?!" Laphroaig whispered, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"It's okay," I said.
The surrounding soldiers were paralyzed with fear, and Laphroaig looked like he was about to have a heart attack, but I knew it was fine.
"It’s been a while, Iricobert-san."
"You've grown, haven't you, you little brat?"
Iricobert-san might look intimidating, but he was actually a very kind person.