Grand Prince Alexander VIII

Constance remains silent while listening to the bickering of his knights. He even smiles slightly listening to the active and high energy of his knights amidst the long and hard adventures they had.

It is always a good to have such cheerful and energetic men under command, no matter what situation, it would make the day better and easier to face.

As they are travelling towards the middle of the camp, they can see a huge red and purple tent standing out among the tents in the camp. There are also some tents around that are large and also red in color, but that tent is the largest and it is clear where the head of the campaign is staying now.

"Even the officer's tent is better than the tent our lord use during the campaign." John sneers at the comfort and laidback lives of these legionnaires on the battlefield. The tents around the commander's tent are better than the tent that they have used when they are the ones in the campaign. "They only stand out as targets for the enemy during chaos or an attack on the camp... They still think they are back in the mainland to be this relax."

"It is not our problem anymore John. After this, we are going back to the capital to have some fun." Emile assuring John that it won't be long for them in this frigid wasteland of the north. "Even still, these men are still half-decent if you look at it and there are no drunkards here."

"Lord Arignon," an eighth legion Diovor saluted to Constance, apparently ordered by the eighth legion commander to guide them in the camp, causing a chorus of legion's men to salute around him. "Please follow me, I'll guide you where His Imperial Highness and Her Imperial Highness is right now."

"Okay, please let the way." Constance replied. It seems that the Imperial Crown Prince, Grand Prince Alexander Aquintaine, and the princess, Princess Tessia Aquintaine, were already aware of their presence in the camp.

"It seems your fun has ended." Constance turns his head to the knights following behind him and smile wryly to the men who are stop talking shit about the legion. "Let's follow the guide, the faster we finished this the faster we can leave here."

-- -- -- -- --

They arrived in front of the largest tent in the eighth legion camp, huge would be an understatement as it is larger than those tents used by travelling circus tent in the empire. Imperial Guards and Legionnaires are both guarding the tent heavily, there are at least twenty men standing on guard just on the front side of the tent that Constance can see.

All of them get down from their horses to meet the Imperial. Stable boys then immediately took the horses to the camp's stables with Roderick and John going them to protect their belongings. It is better to be safe than sorry for any thefts even if it is in friendly territory.

The Diovor then is replace by an imperial knight to guide Constance, Emile and Markus into the tent. Emile and Markus had only seen the Grand Prince and the Princess a few times during public events and celebrations while Constance had seen them more due to imperial ball parties and noble events as he is a high noble in the empire.

But even still there are not any personal and close encounters with them, so it would be the first time also for Constance to interact with them more closely.

Having been led to what would be the tent's planning and meeting place. Constance notices that the camp has been neatly kept but the three of them are alone as the imperial knight immediately leaves them after bringing them here.

They wait for the Grand Prince and the Princess to arrive; they look at the large map on the table. The map is of the Southern Nors with detailed map with cities and towns, and also chess pieces, white pieces are used for the position of the empire's forces and black for the enemy's location.

"The empire has really didn't spare any effort and men to make this campaign more successful than ours." Emile snickered looking at the amount of white chess pieces on the map. During their campaign, they have only the bare minimum to conduct a campaign towards Edeva.

But now, there are five bases around Edeva and South Nors, three are of the fourteenth legion which is divided into three groups to guard the flanks while two of the eighth legion, one is for protecting the flanks while the other one is this camp, the main camp of the campaign.

"Two legions mean at least forty thousand legionnaires and there are also some auxiliaries for scouting and logistics... Plus, the support and maintenance of the legion, it would be fifty thousand at least in the campaign." Markus looks to the numbers of the other white chess pieces on the map and deduces the possible number of men for the campaign.

"Thankfully, they have pulled out our men from the campaign and return to Port-South-Nors. At least they would not be in harm's way after we leave." Constance remarked and added. "They have also been raised as the twenty-first legion, so they would have a better salary and treatment from now on... the emperor is really generous of the rewards."

"Of course, it is the first time in decades that the empire is able to expand and win successive battles, if I think this is the first in his rule, so of course he would be generous." Emile commented. "All the outward campaigns and expansion in his rule all ended in failure so he should reward those who were able to succeed. If I think about, that might be the reason he personally went to the north, so that if we win, when he returns to the capital it would seem it is also his victory and boost his prestige, what a sly old man tsktsk... even if we are not in the capital we are still being used."

Emile, annoyed that their victory and success is used for personal gain, felt cheated and pissed. It might be one of the reasons why the emperor went to the north personally and raised the Nors District Command border guard into the twenty-first legion.

They are the ones who suffered and overcame all the difficulties and obstacles, they didn't even receive the support and reinforcements during the Nors invaded Port-South-Nors and their counterattack on the Nors until they reached Edeva.

"Yes, you are right. Father, His Majesty the Emperor, used your victories here in the North for political gain and prestige."