We made landfall on Valhalla Island.
As Flare had explained during the voyage, Arcadia controlled only about thirty percent of the eastern territory, while the Odixia Federation held the remaining seventy percent.
That suggested we were currently being pushed back.
The place was called an island, but that was a bit of a misnomer; its scale was so vast that it supposedly took a full day to traverse even if you pushed an Emblem Horse to a full gallop. If one side managed to seize total control of the island, the other’s mainland would be within striking distance. Conversely, the Odixia Federation viewed it as a vital defensive line; if they lost it, it would become the staging ground for an invasion of their territory. It was a landmass that neither side could afford to relinquish.
A military base sprawled out from the landing point. Since the war had been raging for a decade, the structures were far more permanent than simple tents. At the center stood a sturdy castle built of stacked brick, surrounded by rows of weathered wooden buildings.
"I hear the soldiers cycle through a week of duty here and a week of rest back in the capital," Flare noted.
"Is the fighting constant?" I asked.
"I’ve heard it’s a never-ending back-and-forth of offensives and counter-offensives, but..."
The sixteen of us followed Jin-senpai toward the fortress, which was known as Valhalla Castle. The interior was predictably utilitarian, devoid of any decoration or luxury. In fact, it was so unrefined that one might even call it grimy.
As we reached a certain room, voices erupted from within.
"This is our window of opportunity! We must strike now!"
"Negative! We have no visibility on the opposite flank. We don't even know where the enemy is positioned."
"The same applies to them!"
"I maintain that we should secure the mountain range first!"
The shouting sounded like a heated war council.
"Excuse me! Jin Ashtress, reporting!" Jin announced as he pushed the door open.
Inside, we found five fierce-looking Knights. The insignias on their uniforms—Three-Stars and Two-Stars—indicated they were General-class officers overseeing the front.
In the back of the room, a man stood with his arms crossed. He turned his gaze toward me. His eyes were sharp, possessing a different kind of intensity than Gaia’s, though they seemed to be of a similar age and build. There was an air of coldness about him that immediately set me on edge.
"Father, I have brought the candidates for the Knight Commander Exam. There are sixteen in this group."
"…Father?" I muttered.
The man walked toward us. Up close, his presence was stifling—cold and oppressive. It was likely because he didn't view us as welcome guests. While Gaia’s aura had a sense of encompassing security, this man’s aura felt like a wall.
"I am Osiris Ashtress. You have traveled a long way. I welcome your participation in this campaign."
He likely viewed us as nothing more than pawns. I recognized that look—it was the gaze of someone who had no intention of opening their heart to another. It was a look I had seen directed at me countless times in my previous life.
"Show me your prowess. I hope to see you promoted to Knight Commander. I am the one responsible for your final evaluation. I wish you luck."
With that, Jin-senpai led us toward the front lines. Osiris remained behind to command the main force; our destination was elsewhere.
"I didn't realize your father was a Five Star Sword, Jin-senpai."
"The Ashtress House has held the title for generations. I am… striving to ensure I am worthy of the legacy."
"Hmm. Do you not get along with him?"
"…What makes you say that?"
"Just a feeling. I noticed the way he looked at you."
Jin-senpai let out a dry chuckle.
"Just when I think you’re spacing out, you prove to be surprisingly perceptive. You’re right. My father and I do not have a close relationship."
"Was it a fight? Does he hate you? Did you do something?"
"You certainly don't hold back on sensitive topics, do you? Hmph… I suppose that’s just like you. No, it isn't that he hates me. If he hated me, it might actually be easier to bear. He simply has no interest. My father judges people solely on whether they have value to him. That is all."
Jin-senpai’s expression clouded with a brief flicker of sorrow. To have a parent who takes no interest in you—I knew that feeling all too well, and it made my own heart ache in sympathy.
"Don't you feel lonely?"
"…Heh. I'm alright now." Jin-senpai reached out and patted my head. "I have you and the others. Between the Academy and the Student Council, I have friends. That is enough."
"I see… I’m glad."
"…Hmph. You’d best stop worrying about others and start worrying about yourself. We’ve arrived."
The forward operating base consisted of rows of military tents. Since the front lines were constantly shifting, the temporary nature of the camp made sense. In the distance, I could see plumes of dust rising into the air. The battle was happening right there. We were at the absolute edge of the conflict.
Jin-senpai lined us up for a briefing.
"A brief explanation: the Arcadia Army on Valhalla Island is divided into the First through Fifth Armies. Each army consists of ten squads. You will be assigned to one of these squads for the duration of the exam. As mentioned, Lord Osiris will determine your pass or fail status. The trial will last a maximum of one month. Those who do not receive a passing grade within that time will be sent home as failures."
So Osiris was the judge. And it seemed we weren't staying together; we were being split up and sent to different units.
I was assigned to the 8th Squad of the Fifth Army. Flare was sent to the 1st Squad of the Fourth Army. Each squad apparently numbered around a thousand soldiers, suggesting a total force of roughly fifty thousand on the island. At the Emerald Plains, the forces had been organized into three massive armies of thirty thousand each, but this conflict required a more modular squad structure.
"Leo, it looks like this is where we part ways… please, don't die," Flare said, her voice laced with concern. "The squad leader of the 8th Squad is a man named Eisen. I’ve heard of him—he’s known for being… well, a bit haphazard."
"Haphazard, huh? Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. You be careful too, Flare. If things get dangerous… I’ll come find you."
"Hehe, what is that, some kind of superpower? Don't worry about me. Just focus on your own battlefield, Leo!"
"…Understood."
"Then, I wish you all the best of luck!" Jin-senpai called out. "Report to your assigned squad leaders and await their orders!"
The candidates dispersed. I headed toward the Fifth Army’s sector, specifically the 8th Squad's area. I made my way to the largest tent in the rear—the commander’s quarters. The guards out front had already been briefed and waved me through.
"Pardon the intrusion," I said.
"Hm? Oh, you’re here! You’re a lot smaller than I expected… but I’ve heard the stories!"
The man inside was a typical veteran Knight—or rather, a middle-aged one. Most Knights were middle-aged men, after all. He was a mountain of a man with a thick beard and a boisterous, "Gahaha!" laugh.
"I’m the Two-Star Knight, Eisen. I'm the squad leader of the 8th Squad, entrusted to me by Lord Osiris. Good to have ya!"
"I’m Leo."
"The genius who earned a First Class Merit at the Emerald Plains, eh?"
"I don't know about being a genius… but yes, I’m Leo."
"I see, I see! Well, you certainly seem composed for your age. No need for humility! Even I’ve never pulled off a First Class Merit. Right then, I’m going to send you to an exceptionally brutal part of the front so you can show us what you’re made of."
"…I’ll do my best."
"Lord Gaia and Iricobert were singing your praises like crazy… if that power is the real deal… alright! Normally, I’d start a candidate off as a Corporal, but you’re already a One-Star, so—fine! I’ll give you a hundred!"
"A hundred?"
Eisen gave me a wide, toothy grin.
By the time noon had passed, I found myself marching toward the front line alongside Eisen. A new kind of tension gripped me. It wasn't the usual stress of simply having to defeat an enemy or avoid getting killed.
The march was ahead of me, the battlefield beyond that. And behind me…
"U-Um… glad to be working with you."
""SIR!"" a chorus of voices barked.
I had a hundred subordinates.
I had suddenly been made a One-Star Knight Commander in practice.
That man, Eisen… he really is haphazard.
A pressure unlike anything I had ever felt before surged through me.