From soldier to king

Chapter 1start

It is said—though it’s just a rumor, and no one knows if it's true or not.

It is said that a long, long time ago, the being known as the Creator God accidentally created the entire world after waking up suddenly.

It is said that because the Creator God was lonely, he created the first woman in the world, making himself a man, and they became husband and wife.

It is said that the Creator God's wife—no, his lady—was terribly bored. So, the Creator God, using their likeness, created a group of beings with immense power. These were the gods that would come to be known in later generations.

It is said—really, just a rumor—that the following events are not even allowed in unofficial histories. Allegedly, the Creator God's lady used the scraps left over from creation to make a large number of beings that resembled the gods. And so, humanity came into existence. Of course, there were also some other peculiar creatures, but humanity was made from the poorest quality materials...

And the last rumor is that the Creator God, along with his lady, could have enjoyed eternal life and endless bliss. However, after creating so many beings, they grew unbearably bored, so they abandoned their creations and went off traveling.

Oh, right—this is truly the last rumor. It is said that the Creator God gave the gods power but didn't teach them anything or tell them what to do. After all, the Creator God was inexperienced. So, these powerful gods each formed their own factions, staking out territories like thugs and bandits, fighting over their domains...

Of course, this last rumor is something you’ll never find in any official records. If anyone dares discuss these things in front of the great temples, well, the consequences would be quite dire indeed.

It was a splendid morning, with a light mist gently drifting over the fields, giving everything a serene and leisurely air. Two early-rising skylarks chirped and fluttered their little wings, struggling a bit as they flew past the grass tips. In the distant east, a faint line of red light appeared on the horizon, with a touch of gold slowly swelling at the center. The sun was on the verge of breaking free from its slumber, ready to rise.

“Recorded by later historians.”

“In the year 175,945 of the Divine Calendar, the 153,057th year of the Continental Peace Calendar, and the 3,750th year of the Vantorian Empire, the great Emperor Grumann encountered the future founders of his empire on the Plain of Clear Winds and secured their loyalty. Under the leadership of these remarkable commanders, Emperor Grumann...”

The impassioned recitation was rudely interrupted as a battered leather helmet whizzed through the air, landing heavily on the back of the soldier’s head. Then, a rough voice shouted, “D*mn you, Grumann, daydreaming again? Having a noble name doesn’t make you a noble. Now, the horses are your responsibility today. Take them to the river to drink and graze, and if their coats aren’t spotless, don’t even think about coming back.”

The soldier named Grumann, clad in shabby grey cloth with a worn leather breastplate, quickly nodded and grinned, “Yes, yes, dear lieutenant, I’ll get right to it. But you know, I haven’t done anything wrong, yet you almost knocked me out. That’s really unfair!”

The lieutenant, wearing a lightweight silver steel breastplate and wielding a two-handed sword, stormed over, grabbing Grumann by the chest and growling in a low voice, “Shut up, you fool. Be a good soldier and stop dreaming about being a founding emperor. If we were in the capital—or even just in any major lord's domain—your words alone would be enough to make your whole family disappear. That’s enough, Grumann. I’m banning those wandering minstrels from entering my stronghold.”

Grumann forced a smile, “Lieutenant, I’m just composing a great epic. I have no ambition to become an emperor, I—”

Before he could finish, the lookout on the wall shouted, “Sir! A large caravan is coming this way. Looks like they’re from the Smart Empire, and they’ve got a lot of wagons and people. We could collect a hefty tax this time—might even meet the year’s quota today!”

The lieutenant's expression instantly brightened, and he, forgetting to release Grumann, dragged him up the five-meter-high wall to peer southward. Soldiers and junior officers, hearing the news, rushed over, pointing at the approaching caravan.

Far in the distance, a large convoy slowly appeared—many heavily laden wagons moving sluggishly. The guards walked beside their horses, following the etiquette expected near another nation’s borders. The lieutenant laughed heartily, “Alright, men, get some water ready. Our taxpaying guests are here... Grumann, I’ve got a nice job for you—go wake the tax officer. He drank too much last night, and without him, we wouldn’t know how much to charge for each pound of goods.”

Grumann chuckled, “Sir, if you’d just let go of me! If today’s haul is good, you should let us have some drinks tonight. After all, we just signed a friendship pact with the Smart Empire, so there’s no need to be too vigilant.”

The lieutenant stroked his somewhat bearded chin with mock seriousness, then slowly nodded, “Alright, there should be some good wine in that caravan. Let’s have them pay part of their taxes in twenty barrels of good wine, hahahaha.” The surrounding soldiers cheered and quickly dispersed to prepare water and open the gates.

As the caravan drew closer, it suddenly halted about a mile away. The lieutenant and the remaining soldiers on the wall were puzzled. “Idiots, why stop on the plain? Can’t they rest better inside the fortress?”

One soldier muttered, “Sir, our stronghold probably can’t fit them all. Their convoy is huge... We can only accommodate about a thousand people, and we’re already cramped with 1,200 soldiers.”

The lieutenant turned to rebuke the soldier for his ‘laziness,’ but before he could speak, a massive bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking the lieutenant’s head. The powerful current surged through his steel armor, knocking down several soldiers nearby. As for the lieutenant himself, he was cooked instantly.

The soldiers further away were stunned, frozen in terror just as they were about to shout. The covers of the wagons suddenly lifted, and heavily armored soldiers leaped out with incredible speed, mounting nearby horses, raising their lances, and charging toward the open gate. The foot soldiers, meanwhile, floated into the air, conjuring colorful orbs of light in their hands.

The first wave of heavy cavalry crashed through the open gates just as the first volley of magical attacks bombarded the fortress. The immense magical energy instantly reduced half of the small stronghold to rubble, while the soldiers gathered near the gates were impaled on the long lances of the charging cavalry. Without much resistance, the Vantorian Empire's frontline stronghold—tasked with defense, surveillance, local law enforcement, and tax collection—was completely annihilated.

A white dove fluttered skyward from the ruins, but a delicate, pale hand was already waiting for it, crushing it into a pulp and casting it aside without mercy.

Grumann, lying on the ground in terror, looked up at the black-robed youth floating in the air, bearing the insignia of a high-level archmage. Just as he opened his mouth to scream, a dozen lances thrust into his back simultaneously, tearing his body to pieces with the sheer force of the impact.

After quickly reorganizing their ranks, the Smart Empire’s troops—or rather, its caravan—moved at a speed three times faster than an ordinary convoy, heading toward the Vantorian Empire’s second line of plains defense. Their destination was the "Ironblood War City," said to be the second most formidable city on the continent.

This time, the Smart Empire had sent out three caravans to pay a friendly visit to the Vantorian Empire, with whom they had signed a treaty just six months prior.