The battle of Forest of Jade had ended in the victory of the 9th Corps.

  With both of the commanders, Major General Remnell and Caelen dead, there was nobody left to order and thus, more than 20,000 were killed, injured, and captured in a single day.

  Normally, this wouldn’t have happened since Colonel Aylsia could have taken control, but the problem was Major General Caelen’s death, who was one of the most renewed fighters in the entire Emavia Empire. Not to mention he was a Wild Magic user.

  Because of his death, soldiers feared the girl who had killed him: Aria. The Imperial soldiers started to call her Silver Death, while the Royal soldiers called her Silver Angel.

  However, whatever her title was, the result remained the same. The 9th Corps was victorious once again, and the ever victorious Empire seemed to collapse.

  [(0)]

  "And that was the end of the story?" I asked Deryk, who was riding in the carriage beside me. "You could have made it sound more epic. And what's up with 'Silver Death' and 'Silver Angel'?"

  "Hey." Deryk smiled as he gingerly touched his bandaged head. "A hero's got to have a nickname. I came up with them myself."

  "You suck at naming things."

  "Hey! That hurts!"

  We, and by 'we,' I mean the entire 9th Corps, had just wrapped up a successful campaign against a force of 50,000 Imperials. Their remaining forces were around 10,000 strong since mass desertions also played the part from what I had heard.

  The Imperials had fled back to Fort Estonal. That would strengthen the fort's forces considerably, but no one seemed particularly worried. The officer in charge there was Major General Ayas, who reportedly spent most of his days crying in his quarters.

  Still, we hadn't escaped unscathed. We had lost enough soldiers that the planned siege of Fort Estonal was now off the table. I had been injured too, but my regeneration had taken care of that. To hide it, though, I was bandaged from head to toe.

  Deryk, as it turned out, had also been injured. Apparently, He had been so focused on watching my fight with Major General Caelen that he had forgotten to dodge an incoming spell from an Imperial mage. Thankfully, Colonel Cameron had thrown up a hasty barrier just in time, though it hadn't stopped Deryk's Saky from getting spooked and bucking him off.

  "So," I said, watching the scenery roll past outside. Birds chirped in the trees, the plains buzzed with insects, and animals wandered here and there. It was beautiful, a stark contrast to the columns of soldiers marching ahead and behind us. "What do we do now?"

  "I guess the injured head back to Fort Kespare while the rest keep fighting," Deryk replied, shifting uncomfortably as his long staff made it impossible to find a good position.

  "I'm looking forward to a full night's sleep," I murmured.

  “But you got to tell me about that punch you pulled!” Deryk excitedly said. “I mean, I didn’t know you had powers like that!”

  I didn’t know if I had that power either before I met Nine. Thankfully, General Cedric and Brigadier General Devon didn’t seem to mind too much as they thought it was something special developed by the research division. They made up a story that it was a doing of artifact, which will be starting as a rumor later on. Until then, they warned me not to tell anybody about it.

  “Later, I’m going to take a nap now.” I yawned as I heard a disappointed sigh from Deryk.

  Even though it didn't feel like it, a full month had passed since we had fought the Imperial forces led by Major General Remnell. So much had happened, yet it all felt distant now.

  "Hey." Deryk's voice pulled my attention. "It's snowing."

  I turned to tell him he must have hit his head harder than I thought, it had been sunny just moments ago. But then I stopped. He was right.

  Outside, despite the sunshine and lingering warmth in the air, snow began to fall. White flakes drifted down lazily, and when one landed on my outstretched hand, I felt something I hadn't experienced in a long time: cold.

  Around us, soldiers stopped in their tracks, reaching out to catch the falling snow. Even the officers paused, letting the flakes settle on their uniforms without complaint.

  "It always snows at the start of the last month of the year," Deryk said, noticing my confused expression. "And in the military, it means we've survived another year."

  I was more puzzled by how snow could fall and accumulate in such warm weather. Perhaps it was influenced by mana, the same way that strengthened bodies and transformed animals into something more.

  The army halted for a good hour, soldiers standing in quiet reverence as snow gathered on their shoulders. When we finally resumed our march, the tension that had weighed on everyone seemed to have lifted. For the first time in weeks, I saw smiles.

  [(0)]

  We arrived at Fort Kespare after a week of travel, where Brigadier General William awaited us with the 5,000 troops he had kept in defense. At the gate, 2,500 soldiers stood in formation, saluting with smiles on their faces. William stood at the very front, wearing the biggest grin I had ever seen.

  "Welcome back, and well done," William said, saluting. We returned the gesture.

  Then it was chaos. Soldiers poured through the gates, officers quickly checking for spies or deserters as the rest of us filed into a warm welcome. I could already see some soldiers breaking out barrels of alcohol.

  "First Lieutenant Aria?"

  I was halfway through my ID check when William himself approached. Both the soldier inspecting my papers and I snapped to attention. He nodded in acknowledgment.

  "I'm sorry to say this now, but I'm afraid you'll be facing a court-martial." William handed me a letter sealed with green wax with the picture of an emerald, the symbol of the Shiena Kingdom.

  "A court-martial, sir?" I asked.

  "Yes. For disobeying direct orders from a Brigadier General and leading hundreds of troops to their deaths." His voice was grave. "A judge and trial counsel from the capital have already arrived. They're waiting for you."

  I nodded silently. After all, it was my fault. I had expected some form of punishment once this battle was over, though not quite this fast, and certainly not while I was still bandaged from head to toe.

  "Do I need to go right now, sir?"

  "Yes." William gestured to two guards holding spears. "For... formality's sake, they'll accompany you."

  I understood what he meant by "formality." These guards would ensure I didn't try to run, or worse, resist. Not that I had any intention of doing either, especially given the unknown variables of my homunculus body.

  "Are you going to be okay?" Deryk asked as I passed him, worry written on his face.

  "Yeah, probably," I said with a smile I didn't quite feel.

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  Since Deryk was only a First Lieutenant and had been fighting on a different flank when the incident occurred, he couldn't attend the trial. Not as Defense Counsel to argue my case, nor as one of the three Panel Members who would determine my guilt based on the evidence.

  I had no idea whether I would be found guilty. Or what punishment awaited me if I was. Though I doubted it would be execution. Probably.

  I walked through a maze of hallways, turning corner after corner until we finally reached the room where the court-martial would be held. Three officers who would serve as Panel Members were already seated. The judge, an extremely fat man whose survival seemed to defy the laws of nature, sat at the center, stroking his mustache.

  Nearby stood the Trial Counsel, nearly the judge's opposite in every way: paper-thin, wearing spectacles, with a pale skin that suggested he rarely saw sunlight.

  At least the Convening Authority was William, seated off to the far side. That was some comfort. My Defense Counsel, however, was an officer I had never met, a woman whose competence I could only hope for.

  "Well, since we're all here," the fat judge said, his voice surprisingly pleasant, "let us begin. This is the court-martial of First Lieutenant Aria, accused of disobeying direct orders from Brigadier General Lily and leading troops into an engagement that resulted in significant casualties."

  He glanced at me with what seemed like sympathetic eyes. "How does the defendant plead?"

  My Defense Counsel stood. "Not guilty, Your Honor."

  "Very well. Trial Counsel, you may present your case."

  The pale man rose, adjusting his spectacles. "Your Honor, Panel Members, the facts of this case are straightforward. First Lieutenant Aria willfully disobeyed direct orders to retreat and instead led a force of soldiers into an unauthorized assault. The result was catastrophic. Hundreds dead, and for what? A reckless gamble that—"

  "Objection," my Defense Counsel interrupted smoothly. "Trial Counsel is describing the events without presenting evidence."

  "Sustained," the judge said mildly. "Trial Counsel, stick to the facts, if you please."

  The Trial Counsel's jaw tightened, but he nodded. Over the next hour, he methodically laid out his case: the written orders, testimony from surviving officers, casualty reports. It all looked damning on paper.

  Then it was my Defense Counsel's turn.

  She stood with quiet confidence. "Your Honor, Panel Members, no one disputes that First Lieutenant Aria acted outside her orders. But context matters. At the time of her decision, intelligence indicated that the enemy force was preparing a flanking maneuver that would have decimated our main body. First Lieutenant Aria recognized this threat and acted to neutralize it."

  She presented reports I had submitted, testimony from soldiers who had been there, tactical maps showing the enemy's positioning.

  "Furthermore," she continued, "while casualties were significant, they would have been catastrophic had the enemy's flanking attack succeeded. First Lieutenant Aria's actions, though unauthorized, saved far more lives than were lost. This wasn't recklessness, it was tactical."

  The judge leaned forward, nodding slowly. "And you have documentation supporting this assessment of enemy movements?"

  "Yes, Your Honor." She handed over several papers.

  The judge reviewed them carefully, his expression thoughtful. After a long moment, he looked up. "It seems to me that this case is not as clear as presented. First Lieutenant Aria faced an impossible choice, and while she violated protocol, she may well have prevented a disaster."

  "Your Honor!" The Trial Counsel shot to his feet, his face flushing red despite its usual pallor. "This is absurd! Disobedience is disobedience, regardless of outcome! If we excuse every officer who decides orders don't apply to them because they think they know better—"

  "I am not excusing anything, Trial Counsel," the judge interrupted, his voice calm. "I am considering the full context, as military law requires."

  "The law requires discipline! Order! Without it, we have chaos!" The Trial Counsel's voice rose. "This officer ignored direct commands from a superior and people died! That she claims it could have been worse is irrelevant!"

  The judge's pleasant demeanor slowly began to disappear. "Are you suggesting, Trial Counsel, that I don't understand military law? I have served in uniform for thirty-two years. I have seen men make impossible decisions under impossible odds. You, on the other hand, have spent your career in the capital, pushing papers."

  "Your Honor, that's—"

  "If I may." My Defense Counsel stood, her voice cutting cleanly through the tension. "While the loss of life is indeed unfortunate and deeply regrettable, we cannot overlook a critical fact: First Lieutenant Aria successfully eliminated an enemy Major General. This single act threw the Imperial command structure into chaos and directly contributed to the collapse of their entire force."

  The Trial Counsel sputtered. "But she had no authorization to—"

  "With respect, Trial Counsel," my Defense Counsel continued, her gaze steady on him, "you're missing the larger picture. Yes, we lost soldiers in that engagement. But in exchange, we saved thousands more who would have died. And if we punish officers for making the kind of battlefield decisions that win wars, we won't have anyone left capable of saving lives in the future."

  I found myself genuinely impressed by her conviction, even as an empty feeling settled in my chest. Save lives. The words felt strange, almost foreign.

  I hadn't saved anyone. I just... acted. Done what needed to be done. The phrasing made it sound noble, purposeful, when in reality I had simply been trying to survive.

  For a moment, the Trial Counsel looked as if he might argue further. His mouth opened, then closed. Finally, with visible effort, he sat down, his thin frame rigid with barely contained fury.

  The judge nodded slowly as he turned to the Panel Members. "Gentlemen, you have heard the evidence. I suggest you think carefully on whether First Lieutenant Aria's actions, while technically in violation of orders, constituted criminal disobedience or reasonable battlefield judgment. You are dismissed to deliberate."

  The three officers stood and filed out. I sat in tense silence, my Defense Counsel beside me, saying nothing.

  All I could do now was wait.

  Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. I kept my eyes forward, hands folded in my lap, trying not to let my mind spiral through every possible outcome.

  Finally, the door opened. The three Panel Members returned, their expressions unreadable. The officer in the center carried a folded piece of paper, which he handed to the judge before they all took their seats again.

  The judge unfolded the paper and read it silently, his face giving nothing away. Then he looked up at me.

  "First Lieutenant Aria," he said, his voice formal but not unkind, "the Panel has reached a verdict. You are found guilty of disobeying direct orders."

  My stomach dropped.

  "However," he continued, "given the circumstances and the outcome of your actions, you are sentenced to a fine of ten gold pieces and are required to provide funeral offerings for the fallen soldiers under your command."

  I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. Relief washed over me like a wave. Ten gold was a significant sum from what I thought, but it was ok. And the funeral offerings... I had already planned to visit their graves once this was over anyway.

  Around the room, I saw smiles. William nodded approvingly, my Defense Counsel's shoulders relaxed, even the Panel Members looked satisfied with their decision.

  The only exception was the Trial Counsel, whose face had gone extremely flushed with barely suppressed rage. His jaw worked silently, as if chewing on words.

  The judge raised his gavel and brought it down with a decisive tap.

  "This court-martial is concluded. First Lieutenant Aria, you are dismissed."

  [(0)]

  It had been a week since my trial and my arrival at Fort Kespare. Officially, I had been fully healed after three days, and since then, I had been helping with whatever work needed doing around the fort.

  Most of it involved the dead. Digging graves. Preparing bodies. Sending what we could back to their families.

  It turned out Warrant Officer Elion had been an orphan. There was no family to claim him, and no money set aside for a funeral. So, at my request, he was buried on a small hill overlooking the plains. It was quiet there. Peaceful. I hoped he wouldn’t mind.

  After everything was finished, I went to visit the soldiers who had died because of me. There were more than nine hundred names. It took time. A lot of time. But I stood before each grave anyway.

  When I finally reached Elion’s, Deryk was beside me. We both carried White Slyrines, flowers said to bless those who fell in battle.

  Two figures were already there.

  I recognized them immediately. Isabella and Dorothy, Deryk’s friends from when we first met. Isabella held a Red Iiana, a flower meant for a deceased lover.

  I remembered Deryk mentioning how the two of them had found boyfriends after the ambush. Elion got a girlfriend around the same time as we left the fort. It wasn’t hard to put it together.

  Normally, I would have been nervous to face her. After all, it was my command. My fault. But I felt strangely calm as I stepped beside them and placed my flower down.

  “I’m sorry.”

  To Elion. To Isabella. To all of them.

  We stood there for a long time, just like we had during that first meeting in the caravan. The sun began to sink below the horizon. Deryk quietly took out a mana lantern, its soft glow blending with the fading gold of the sky.

  “Do you hate me?” I asked.

  She didn’t answer immediately. She kept staring at the grave, gripping the same glass in her hand, the same glass she had gifted him. Dorothy glanced between us, worried. Deryk stayed silent.

  “Yeah,” Isabella finally said. Her voice trembled. “I hate you. I hate you for losing Elion. I hate you…”

  I kept my eyes on the grave. I didn’t trust myself to look at her.

  “But…” she continued, her voice breaking, “I can’t make myself hate you. I know you didn’t want this either…”

  Then she collapsed into tears.

  Dorothy quickly knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. After a moment, I knelt too, awkwardly, unsure what I was even supposed to do. I just stayed there.

  “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “But I won’t let this happen again…I promise.”

  She cried for a long time. Nearly an hour. By the time the sun disappeared completely, the sky had turned dark. When we returned to the fort, the guards scolded us for being late. It felt almost normal.

  There was still tension between us. But as we walked back together, there were faint, tired smiles too.