That afternoon, upon returning to the courtyard, Chassie excitedly sought out Raffi to have her ears pierced. Earrings had long been a privilege and symbol of the nobility in Shiloh—commoners had neither the opportunity nor the right to pierce their ears and wear such adornments. But now, with the country of Shiloh nearly gone, who still cared about such rules?
Grace always carried an air of nobility about her, which made Chassie hesitant to approach her. Christine was constantly attached to Cæsar, rarely paying attention to Chassie. As a result, Chassie had grown closest to Raffi among them. Ever since Cæsar had retrieved her bracelet, Raffi's hostility towards him had lessened, and naturally, her relationship with Chassie had also begun to warm.
When Raffi saw the pair of earrings Grace had once pawned, now presented before her, a complex expression crossed her face. However, she said nothing and carefully pierced Chassie's ears.
"This might hurt a little. Bear with it," Raffi said.
"Don't worry about me," Chassie replied with a dismissive wave, unfazed by the minor pain.
At dinner, everyone's eyes were drawn to Chassie.
"Well? Don't I look nice?" Chassie grinned, waving her wrist to show off her silver bracelet and tilting her head to display her new earrings.
"Those earrings… Aunt…" Christine stared for a long moment before recognizing them. She began to speak but was interrupted by Grace, who gently patted her head.
"They suit you," Grace said calmly.
Being complimented by Grace filled Chassie with pride, and she leaned even closer to Cæsar, resting her head against his shoulder. Christine, seeing this, immediately clung to Cæsar's other side, completely forgetting whatever truth she had been about to reveal.
Cæsar, stuck between the two girls, could only eat with his free hand.
During the meal, Grace casually asked about the origin of the earrings. Cæsar replied that they had been a gift from a smuggler. Grace's knowing expression made it clear she had already suspected as much.
After dinner, the sky had turned completely dark. Everyone retired to their respective rooms. Tonight, Cæsar stayed in and joined Chassie early. In a place like this, with little entertainment, Cæsar's happiest moments were the nights spent in intimacy.
For the past few nights, Grace and the others had struggled to sleep due to the occasional sharp cries and dull thuds coming from the adjacent room. Tonight was no different—Chassie, wanting to show her gratitude for Cæsar's care and affection, went out of her way to please him. It was, indeed, a beautiful night.
Two days later, after several meetings with his captains to clarify mission objectives, Baron Kyle prepared his troops to march again. Their goal was to reach Connell City, where the Legion's headquarters was located, within a week, and then rendezvous with the rest of the Second Infantry Corps at Entel City within half a month.
Entel City was the second-largest city in Shiloh, only surpassed by the royal capital, Odis City. Its city walls were said to stand over twenty meters tall, and it housed Shiloh's remaining elite soldiers. The Garrel army had encountered little resistance after breaching the Felmer Grand Canyon because Shiloh had concentrated all its professional soldiers in Entel City, Ellis City, and Odis City for a final stand.
The Eagle Legion consisted of thirty thousand men, including four infantry corps, one cavalry corps, and one logistics corps. Such a large force dedicated solely to capturing Entel City made it clear how difficult the battle ahead would be. Cæsar was under no illusions about the challenges they faced.
After occupying Phalanx City, Baron Kyle left behind some troops and a transport team before continuing the march. Though technically a private military, his forces still fell under the Eagle Legion's jurisdiction, and with his father-in-law serving as the Legion's deputy commander, his participation in the campaign was non-negotiable.
Baron Kyle and Baron Kashir decided to travel together to the rendezvous point.
Cæsar rode his warhorse in the middle of the formation, while Chassie, Grace, and the others were placed in the transport convoy at the rear. Leaving Chassie behind in Phalanx City wasn't an option—cities often rebelled once occupying forces departed, and Cæsar wasn't willing to take that risk.
As for Grace, she represented an even greater strategic value and was safer under his watchful eye. Unlike Chassie, whose beauty could still be considered approachable, Grace's noble grace and stunning looks would undoubtedly stir trouble. To avoid unnecessary attention, Grace and the others wore veils.
The convoy guards knew these women belonged to Cæsar, and while they treated them with respect, there was occasional grumbling: "Other captains have two women at most. This guy's got four! And a child to boot!"
When word reached other captains, they simply laughed and said, "Ah, to be young again."
The march itself was uneventful. Outside of fortified cities like Phalanx, resistance within Shiloh had all but crumbled. Only scattered bandits remained, preying on civilians but scattering like rats before Garrel's professional soldiers.
"Why aren't there any bad guys?" Christine asked her aunt Grace one day. On their journey from the capital to Phalanx City, danger had been constant, and their family guards had been their only shield.
"Wolves prey on sheep, but they flee from lions," Grace explained.
Christine nodded as if she understood.
Cæsar had also brought along the smuggler Kebi, assigning him to logistics alongside Chassie's brother. Kebi was a valuable asset—he could identify rare and precious items, and his network of contacts proved useful.
Their route passed through several small towns and cities, most of which offered little resistance. Baron Kyle and Baron Kashir preferred swift, decisive assaults led by cavalry, focusing on clearing the path for the main force rather than occupying or looting the settlements.
This created an opportunity for Cæsar. Along with York, he led fifty men to discreetly raid one of the towns. Though small, the settlement provided ample spoils for their hundred-strong group.
Other captains couldn't resist the same temptation, and each quietly looted their share. Baron Kyle turned a blind eye to these actions—he understood that a good leader needed to grant his officers some leeway, as long as the overall mission wasn't compromised.
Kebi proved his worth again, identifying valuable loot and even suggesting specific targets. Cæsar promised him freedom if he could gather goods worth at least one hundred gold coins—a considerable sum.
Cæsar sent fifty silver coins back home through a merchant convoy, a common practice among soldiers fighting far from their families. The rest of the money was entrusted to Chassie, who invested it in the logistics convoy under Cæsar's name. Though a modest sum in the eyes of the convoy leaders, they respected it due to Cæsar's rank.
Chassie's sharp mind ensured steady profits from this investment, securing future income for Cæsar after every campaign.
Their journey continued, passing through two towns and three villages, each falling swiftly under cavalry assault. Though no thorough searches were conducted, Cæsar and York made their move at just the right moments, securing their own spoils without drawing too much attention.
For now, fortune favored them, but Cæsar remained cautious. The real challenge lay ahead at Entel City.