The royal army, having arrived in the southeastern part of the kingdom where Marquis Eiger's domain lay, established a camp on a hilltop along the border of the territory.
On the opposite hill across the basin, Marquis Eiger was already waiting in position.
The soldiers deployed along the gentle slope numbered more than what they had been told beforehand. There were probably around seventy thousand.
The royal army numbered one hundred thousand, and the rebel army, seventy thousand.
The royal forces had the advantage in numbers, but... the difference was not overwhelming.
"There's nothing as far as the eye can see across the basin... It doesn't look like they're hiding any ambush forces."
Diebl looked down at the battlefield from the hilltop and spoke.
The wide basin offered excellent visibility. There was nowhere to conceal an ambush.
In other words... this would be a straightforward head-on clash. The enemy was arrayed for an open, honest fight.
"Quite the confident one, that Marquis Eiger. Does he really think he can win fighting us face-to-face?"
It should have been easy to predict that the royal army had the greater numbers.
And yet, rather than retreating into a fortress, he chose to fight in the open field. Moreover, he deliberately picked a battlefield where tricks and maneuvers were impossible. It went beyond confidence — it was almost foolish.
"Marquis Eiger's domain is mostly plains... There are plenty of places to deploy a large army, but very few places to hide troops. So the thinking must be that, at the very least, he should meet us at the basin along the border to keep us from pushing into his territory."
"A siege requires reinforcements to work... Yuri said the same thing. If they can't hole up in a fortress, then they have no choice but to fight in the open, even at a disadvantage."
"If there were a fortress or stronghold, things would be different... but in a place like this, not quite on the border, constructing a fortification would be treated as outright rebellion the moment it was discovered. Having hidden their tails until the very end, they have no other options, I suppose."
The reasoning made sense.
After all... Marquis Eiger had intended to use the Magic Hunt Festival to send the magic beast Sabnock crashing into the royal capital.
A head-on confrontation had never been part of the plan from the start, so a lack of preparation was only to be expected.
"Besides... on the battlefield, there are times when individuals appear who can overturn a numerical advantage without batting an eye. Lord Rest, didn't you learn about such cases during your test studies?"
"The Council of Sages' 'Divine Spear' Van Worley. First King Adamlet Aiwood. 'Divine Thief' Jack All Ou..."
Each of them was said to be a figure who had single-handedly defeated armies of ten thousand, monsters by the tens of thousands.
In this world where magic was an ordinary part of existence, a soldier who could hold their own against a thousand was not all that rare.
Any top-tier fighting force like a knight commander or the chief court mage could quite easily cut down a thousand foot soldiers on their own.
(Incidentally... I could probably do that much too. At least that level.)
Ten thousand was pushing it, but... a thousand-odd soldiers — he could most likely handle those on his own, he figured.
Of course, he had no intention of going around and actively proclaiming it.
He had seen more than enough of the sheer patheticness of people who loudly declared "I'm strong! I'm amazing!" — starting with his illegitimate half-brother.
(Action over words. Even without saying anything, if you produce results, that's enough...)
"Lord Rest Clover. So this is where you were."
As Rest stood deep in thought with his gaze fixed on the enemy encampment, a voice called out to him.
He turned around to see who was speaking — and his eyes went wide almost instantly.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince...?!"
There stood Richard Aiwood, the crown prince and commander of the royal army.
Somewhat older than the Second Prince Andrew, the crown prince addressed him with a gentle smile not unlike the king's.
"So you're the student who defeated the magic beast Sabnock. I saw you at the investiture ceremony as well, but... you really are quite young, aren't you?"
"I—! Your Highness, I am deeply honored!"
Rest hastily dropped to one knee. Diebl did the same, as did the other soldiers nearby.
Alongside Richard stood his escort knights as well as Marquis Cattleya, who served as both knight commander and adjutant.
What business could the crown prince himself, the commander, possibly have with Rest?
"Oh, there's no need to be so formal. I've come because there's something I'd like to ask of you."
"Ask of me... Your Highness, you want something from me?"
"That's right."
Rest had blurted out his words without thinking... but rather than being rebuked for his impudence, Richard simply nodded with magnanimous grace.
"Currently, our forces and the rebel army face each other across the basin... but it won't be long before we clash. When that time comes, Lord Clover, I'd like you to take the vanguard."
"...........!"
The "vanguard" — in other words, the one who charges in first when the battle begins... Since Rest was a magician, this likely meant he was to unleash his magic.
"That tremendous magic you used to defeat the magic beast Sabnock — I would very much like to see it. I want you to strike the enemy with everything you've got and sow chaos in their ranks."
Taking the vanguard was considered a great honor on the battlefield.
For such a duty to be entrusted to a young man who had just been granted the title of viscount, the crown prince must have had his reasons.
"...Understood. I accept."
With the crown prince giving the order, Rest had no option to refuse.
Still kneeling, Rest bowed his head with a respectful gesture.