It had been ten hours since Nova reached the border with the army, and as soon as they arrived, he sent a hundred knights ahead to scout and report back the moment they spotted the enemy. Of course, the hundred knights were composed of seventy Blackridge knights and thirty from the Empire.

He had deliberately included some of his men, both to keep watch on the kingdom's knights and to detect the other two armies, since he didn't trust Rollyet at all. Not that this came as a surprise, Nova had even granted the First Knight enough authority to stir up trouble, just to muddy the waters.

Since then, Nova had been sitting quietly a short distance away from the main army, waiting for news of the enemy.

'I thought that as soon as they reached Blackridge, they would rush in and strike before anyone realized an invasion was underway, quickly toppling the kingdom. But they're advancing at a steady pace. If that's the case, we still have one more day.' A sigh escaped his lips. 'Just one more day, and the kingdoms' armies will be ruined along with a good portion of the Empire's, at least their knights. I don't know where the Empire trains its mages, but once I reach the fourth stage of Aura, I doubt they'll even pose a threat to me.'

As these thoughts ran through his mind, a knight, a fourth-stage fighter from his own forces, approached and said quietly, "Sir, are you sure you want to let the Blackridge army go after we deal with the other two? They've already considered betraying us, shouldn't we wipe them out as well?"

Nova shook his head and righteously said "The Commander appointed me as the leader of this war because of my selflessness and willingness to forgive. Although the Blackridge army has sinned, they have not yet raised their weapons against us and are now fighting at our side. If they obey orders and serve as our vanguard, their sins will be pardoned."

The knight couldn't help but reply, "Such a big heart and such compassion, no wonder the Commander trusts you so deeply. I only hope this band of traitors understands that and doesn't overstep the line… or I'll personally cut them down." With a sigh, he turned and took his leave.

'I've lied more in the last ten hours than I have in the past month. These knights should take the hint and stop pestering me instead of coming one after another, trying to push me into ordering Blackridge's destruction. When the time comes, they'll do it even if I tell them not to so what's the rush?' Nova shook his head and stared silently into the distance.

The next day at dawn, just as he was about to sigh for what felt like the hundredth time, he spotted a distant figure, a speck that quickly revealed itself to be one of his knights. As soon as the knight reached the camp, he shouted, "Enemy incoming!"

The atmosphere tightened instantly. Every knight, Empire and Kingdom alike, sprang to his feet and turned toward Nova.

'They took their time.' Nova turned to the soldiers and commanded, "Blackridge will take the vanguard. The Empire will follow closely behind. Get into position."

Who even is the enemy that enraged the Empire? Why did he not give us an explanation at all? If he wants us to take the vanguard it means what we're against can even push this Empire army back, much less about mine. Rollyet's teeth clenched. He stepped forward and shouted, "May you reconsider the plan? My army isn't as strong as yours. If we take the vanguard, we'll only be able to hold the enemy for a few seconds before they break through. It would be wiser for us to support your already-strong forces, that way, we can ease the burden on your shoulders."

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The Blackridge knights nodded in agreement, while the Empire's knights smirked at them. Only the latter knew exactly who they were about to face, the former had still no idea of the danger ahead.

Nova turned to Rollyet and asked flatly, "Do you usually go against your king's orders?"

Caught off guard, Rollyet instinctively shook his head. I've served Avaro for more than a dozen years, and I've never disobeyed his orders. Why is he asking this?

"Then why are you disobeying orders now?" Nova's voice grew sharper, his eyes cold. "Did you forget the Blackridge army is now mine? You're only here to facilitate the process, don't try to meddle where you shouldn't. Or do you truly believe you hold some kind of command here?"

Rollyet stared at Nova as if beholding a demon with enough authority to match its malice. Rage flickered in his eyes. "Must you do this?" he asked.

Nova only shook his head, and for a brief moment, Rollyet thought there might still be a chance. But there wasn't.

"I'm not doing anything. The Blackridge army will take the front, and we will support from the rear. If you disobey orders, I'll report it to the Commander, and he will pass judgment. Feel free to choose whom you'd rather deal with, me or my Commander. I'll give you three seconds to charge ahead with the army behind you before I'll formally consider you as rebels."

Despite the field being filled with thousands of knights prepared to die in battle, a heavy silence descended, broken only by one voice cutting through the air.

"One."

Rollyet glanced back at his army. Their faces carried a storm of emotions, but panic, fear, and anger ruled them all. Should I follow his orders? If I don't, His Majesty, and everything we've been working toward for so long, may truly be lost forever. I can't let that happen. But if the Empire insists on making us the vanguard, it's nothing but certain death. I don't want these soldiers to throw away their lives against an enemy we don't even know who it is.

"Two."

The First Knight's eyes glinted as he muttered to the soldiers behind him, "Follow whatever I say. Understood?"

Every knight from Blackridge nodded. Hope blazed in their eyes like fire, and their hands tightened around their weapons.

"Thr—"

"We will do it."

'About time,' Nova thought. "Good choice. Go ahead, we'll be right behind you."

Rollyet gave a curt nod. "Soldiers, with me!"

Thousands of soldiers stepped forward, halting only when every last one of them stood as a wall before the Empire's army.

Nova nodded and turned to the knight who had rushed back. "Go to the vanguard and lead us to where the enemy is. Once we engage them, you can fall back and join your army."

The knight nodded and hastily went to the front. Soon, the Blackridge army moved as one, and after a few seconds, Nova shouted, "It's our turn."

Seven thousand elite knights advanced at once, following the trail left behind by the kingdom's army.

Nova, at the front, smiled. 'When Rollyet sees who the enemy is, will he stop and question why they are charging toward Blackridge? Will he try to ally with them at the first opportunity, or will he truly obey the orders? That's something I'm looking forward to seeing, if they even give him a chance to talk.'

Although the knight had spotted the two kingdoms' armies and returned, it took Rollyet and his men an hour to finally see a sea of people marching toward them.

'Knights? Who are they?' he thought. At first, he had imagined they would be fighting a sea of beasts from the Central Forest, given their current location, it made the most sense. Who else could challenge the Empire in these lands? But that thought was quickly thrown out the window as the army inched closer, and he could clearly see knights' armor, but nothing else.

He turned to the knight who had escorted him here and asked, "Do you know who we are against?"

The knight couldn't help but chuckle at how unaware this so-called First Knight was. Once he wiped a few tears of amusement from his eyes, he said, "Can't you even recognize your allies anymore?" He shook his head lightly and moved to the side, waiting for the army to engage before returning to his colleagues.

"My allies? Who are my allies?" Rollyet muttered, turning his gaze back to the incoming army.

Minutes later, as the army became fully visible from where he stood, Rollyet took another glance and froze the moment he saw the knights' garments, his mind short circuited.

While he remained in shock at whom he was supposed to face, a shout rang out on the Westoria and Lotra sides.

"The Blackridge army is up ahead! Prepare to fight!"

"Yes!"

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