Book 7: Prologue
Recap
Regis Auric was a soldier who was proficient in neither swordsmanship nor horsemanship, a youth who likes to read. He was exiled to the borders and met the young girl with vermillion hair and crimson eyes, the Fourth Princess Marie Quatre Argentina de Belgaria— nicknamed Altina. This girl who was ostracized by the court because her mother was a commoner, and was appointed as the commander of a border regiment at the tender age of 14. But Altina didn’t lose heart, and was determined to change the Empire that was oppressing its citizens. Hence, she hoped to recruit Regis as her strategist.
“I want to be the Empress, your wisdom is necessary.”
Altina challenged the former commander Jerome, a renown hero acknowledged by the troops, and barely emerged victorious. Even though Regis didn’t have the confidence, he still promised to be her strategist.
The barbarians based in the northern forest launched a surprise attack under the cover of a blizzard. Regis, who was now the strategist, came up with the the plan that captured the leader of the barbarians, Diethart. Regis negotiated with him as an equal, and in exchange for supplying the barbarians with resources, asked for their support in battles. There was more than enough military strength for Altina to stake a claim to be the Empress.
After gaining the cooperation of the barbarians, the Marie Quatre Army received an unreasonable order from the capital. To seize Fort Volks from Varden Grand Duchy, which was part of the Germanian Federation. That fort was famous for being invulnerable. It was reckless to attack with just the Border Regiment, and was actually a plot by the Second Prince Latrielle to grind Altina’s forces away. A direct assault would definitely end in failure. Regis used a stratagem he read in a book in the past to come up with a plan to take the fort.