Imperial recruitment takes place every six months, continuously supplying troops to the major Legions. After the personnel of Legions stationed domestically for rest and replenishment are filled, they are directly sent to the front lines to make up for battle losses.
Of the first batch of fifty thousand soldiers assigned to Rin's Seventh Legion, only just over six thousand remained. However, resisting the beast tide of the Forest of Dangerous Species uprising, slaying the Super Danger Beast deep within the forest, eradicating a thousand-year-old major hidden danger within the Empire, and safeguarding the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Empire's north were undoubtedly immense military achievements.
When the Old Emperor saw the Black Qilin precious jade, as large as a door and window, that Onesis brought to the Empire with Rin, he was overjoyed. With a wave of his hand, he approved all requests for the Seventh Legion: men for men, supplies for supplies!
Regarding this, all those who had always disliked Rin, including General Black, could say nothing. After all, setting aside whether Tohsaka Rin was colluding with anyone, she had indeed produced tangible results, so no one could really object.
Then, during the next semi-annual conscription, the Seventh Legion was once again filled to its full strength of 50,000 soldiers. However, after three months of training, less than seven thousand remained. The number of injured, dead, and mentally unstable people among those eliminated was more than ten times that of other legions.
General Black sat in the Imperial Military Department's conference room, rubbing his brow in distress as he looked at the report in his hand.
"What exactly does this Tohsaka Rin want to do?"
However, being able to produce tangible results was undoubtedly the hardest capital. Both the military strength and the personal martial prowess of the commander were impeccably powerful. Such an existence, no matter how unconventional, could not be troubled by anyone. Everyone could see that Rin was not building an ordinary army, and the Empire also tacitly allowed the Seventh Legion to be reborn as a special forces unit.
Time thus passed silently. In the early winter of Imperial Year 999, which was also nearing the graduation of another class from the Imperial Military Academy, when Rin's term as Legion Commander of the Empire's Seventh Legion completed one year, all military officers of General rank and above in the Empire had to return to the Imperial Capital to report to the Emperor and gather to discuss the Empire's military arrangements and actions for the coming year, military budget allocation, and the distribution of talent among graduating officer cadets, among other important matters.
It was still early morning, and the Imperial Capital in early winter was just beginning to lighten. Only two or three customers were in the newly opened hotel. Among them, two young girls sitting by the window were undoubtedly the most eye-catching.
"Big Sister, is it really alright for us to come to the Imperial Capital and go straight out to shop and drink instead of reporting to the Imperial Military Department?"
Inside a small but elegantly decorated high-end hotel in the Imperial Capital, Rin and Zhi Feng, dressed in casual clothes of various styles and colors, sat opposite each other at a small two-person table by the window. With several exquisite dishes and a bottle of the Empire's finest wine, the two girls sat there, slowly savoring the delicious food and wine while overlooking the sparse pedestrians on the Imperial street outside the window, displaying a unique elegant charm of high society figures.
"I remember visiting so many places in the Imperial Capital back then, and I still think this place has the best wine," Rin said softly with a light laugh, gently swirling the glass in her hand and looking at the wine within.
It was a typical non-answer, but Zhi Feng did not press or remind her Legion Commander. As the deputy of this always free-spirited and reckless first female General of the Empire, Zhi Feng had long grown accustomed to it. In fact, her earlier remark was just a casual reminder; she had no intention of persuading Rin to report to the Imperial Military Department. Her only responsibility was to resolve the troubles her Big Sister capriciously caused.
"From what Big Sister says, you seem very familiar with the Empire. The journey from the Academy to the Imperial Capital is not short. Did Big Sister often sneak out?"
"Yes, during my year at the Academy, I often climbed over the wall to come to the Empire and find places to drink."
"Huh?! As expected of you, Big Sister."
Rin smiled, picked up the wine bottle beside her, filled her and Zhi Feng's glasses to one-third, clinked them together, exchanged a smile, and drank it all.
"Big Sister, do you think the Empire will really agree to our proposal?"
"At least eighty percent certain. Power, fame, profit, and status—people work hard their entire lives for these four words, and even the Emperor is no exception. If during his reign, the Empire can expand its territory, wash away the shame of four hundred years ago, reclaim lost lands, and quell the Native that has plagued the Empire for a thousand years, even if he does nothing else on the throne, the Imperial historical records will still portray him as a great emperor. With such an opportunity, even a slim one, he won't easily let it go."
Rin put down her empty wine glass, then picked up the slender-necked wine bottle, refilled it, and said calmly:
"And even if we fail, it will be portrayed as a great act of the Empire's counterattack against the Native invasion. We will be eulogized as heroes who sacrificed for the country, brave warriors who forged ahead for the peace of the Empire, ultimately making a glorious sacrifice. Besides that, no one will suffer any losses. Fundamentally, it's a proposal beneficial to everyone, and it should not have been opposed from the start."
"But General Black and his faction won't agree, will they? You know the General Family has always prioritized the Empire's safety, always valuing stability and never taking risky moves."
"That's why their entire family, from the founding of the country a thousand years ago until now, can only guard the royal family's gate."
Hearing Zhi Feng's concern, Rin scoffed dismissively, seemingly not putting the Empire's top military officer, the General, in her eyes, as if she were mocking a mere guard dog.
"Whether it's Black or his son Budo, they fundamentally lack a certain drive. A general with a hundred victories has no illustrious military achievements; the General Family is full of such mediocrity."
Rin put down her emptied wine glass and calmly continued:
"And now, the increasingly obvious actions of the Northern Native and the Western Kingdom have genuinely threatened the Empire's security. Although General Black is rigid, he's not an idiot; he knows what to do and where to do it."
Then Rin waved her hand dismissively at Zhi Feng and said:
"Didn't we agree that work is work and life is life? Why are you talking about work during leisure time again? If you keep this up, I'm leaving!"
"Yes, yes, yes, Big Sister, I was wrong. But Big Sister, are we really not going to bother with the Imperial Military Department?"
"The meeting is still three days away, and not everyone rushing back has the speed of a Wind God Winged Dragon. I'm too lazy to go and chat with those old gentlemen staying at the Imperial Military Department. It's better to enjoy a good stroll around the Empire. Speaking of which, I didn't spend much time here after leaving the border, then stayed at the Academy for a year, and then was sent back to the border to guard. I really haven't had a good look at this Imperial Capital."
"Didn't you used to sneak out to drink...?"
"That was at night. How can that be compared to daytime? Come on, Zhi Feng, let's go shopping!"
"Aye, aye..."
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