"Pfft."

Miriel, who was standing by as an observer, had been trying her best to keep a straight face. After all, the Lord had taught her that silence is golden. But now, she suddenly ducked her head, covering her face with her pale, slender arms as she let out a series of coughs, as if she’d choked on water.

’She couldn’t understand it. How could these people be so nonchalant, laughing and joking in the face of the Giant Dragon Corps—an army more than ten times the size of their own Guard Team? And now, of all things, they wanted to design a banner?’

’A Legendary banner to be passed down for a thousand years?’

’Or a Legendary banner remembered for its owners’ utter lack of self-awareness before being annihilated by Giant Dragons?’

’If that were the case, it really might be passed down for a thousand years. A millennium from now, it would appear in some military history textbook as a cautionary tale for arrogant lords, a reminder to always stay humble—and especially to fear Giant Dragons.’

"Miss Miriel, I thought you were about to leave. Why are you still here?" the Lord asked, glancing at her.

"My apologies. I lost my composure."

Miriel sincerely apologized to Baisitina.

Whatever choice High Cliff Castle made, she, as an outsider, had no right to criticize. Especially as a Half-Elf, her behavior had been incredibly rude.

"I think Chief Steward Tina’s proposal is an excellent one," Levi said, drumming his fingers on the table. "A banner is like a name. It’s crucial for fostering a sense of honor and maintaining the soldiers’ morale."

"Especially since we’re about to go to war with Giant Dragons. When we win, we’ll need an object to bear the glory that comes with slaying them."

"Those Legendary legions in history, their banners were more flamboyant and flashy than the last. When they marched out under their banners, even noble ladies would throw themselves at them!"

"See?" Having found an ally, Baisitina clasped her hands to her chest. "I think the banner of the Rose Knight Order is just beautiful."

"That Rabbit Lord Knight Order... their banner was gaudy as all hell," Levi said with a look of disdain, or you could even say, disgust.

The Rose Knight Order was famous—so famous that practically everyone on the Middle Ages Continent had heard of them.

However, while women adored and idolized them, most men viewed them with loathing and contempt.

It was founded by a Kingdom’s Princess, who formed the Knight Order by gathering the handsomest men in her realm. Practicality was never a concern for their Armor, banners, or uniforms; what mattered was that they were absolutely exquisite.

Their combat prowess was, well, if you know, you know. They were called a Knight Order, but they were little more than a pretty facade to be shown off. Whether they were created for the princess’s... private enjoyment, however, was anyone’s guess.

Later, the Kingdom fell, the Princess was captured, and the Knight Order was disbanded. Some of its members, who had nothing to offer but a pretty face, were forced to sell themselves to make a living. They became kept men for lords with... particular appetites.

’Of course, if I had been around back then, I’d have been a shoo-in for the commander’s position.’

"Our banner can’t be all show and no go like that," the Lord said, rubbing the fresh stubble on his chin. He thought for a long time but couldn’t come up with a single good idea.

’A few ideas popped into his head, but they were all too high-level. Too epic.’

’He was afraid High Cliff Castle was too small a stage for such grand designs.’

"Chief, how about a banner with two axes and a shield?" Muto was the first to raise his hand. The crude banner his Beastman Tribe used to use had just been two axes—the meaning was self-evident.

"Why not a wolf’s claw?" Hog, being a Jackal Wolfman, suggested, scratching his head a little sheepishly.

"Those are all too ugly, and they’re not intimidating at all. Why not just stitch my head on it?" Zat’s proposal was even more audacious, his intentions perfectly clear.

Faced with the task of designing a banner to represent their honor, High Cliff Castle’s three military commanders firmly adhered to the principle of "every man for himself," and thus, the opportunity slipped right through their fingers.

’What is all this nonsense?!’ The Lord realized that while two heads might be better than one, three could also mean no one gets anything done. ’These three were first-rate when it came to hacking people with blades, but for anything else, they’d best just save their breath.’

The Lord racked his brain for a while until his eyes suddenly lit up. He pulled out a charcoal pencil and, with a few quick strokes, sketched something on the parchment in front of him.

"A mountain engulfed in flames? With a sun over it?" Baisitina’s delicate brows furrowed as she looked at the drawing on the parchment. This was nothing like the exquisite, beautifully symbolic banner she had in mind.

"I am the sun," the Lord said, pointing at himself with self-satisfaction. It was only natural. "The mountain is High Cliff Castle, and the flames, of course, are the Burning Corps."

"Not nearly as impressive as my idea," Zat muttered under his breath, not daring to say it any louder.

"I think it’s great. It puts me front and center, while also including High Cliff Castle and the Burning Corps," the Lord said, looking at the drawing that had been passed around and now returned to his hand. He nodded in renewed approval.

As everyone knew, whenever the Lord started a sentence with seemingly uncertain phrases like "I think," "I feel," or "I suggest," his decision was already set in stone.

"Why is everyone so quiet? High Cliff Castle isn’t a dictatorship, you know. We believe in freedom and democracy here. If you have an opinion, by all means, speak your mind."

Though the Lord had already made up his mind, he still put on a hypocritical show, the very picture of a sanctimonious nobleman.

"...I don’t have any."

Zat was the first to raise his hand and report. He figured he’d better watch his step today, lest he get struck by lightning for the lie.

"...None."

...

"Excellent. Then it’s settled," Levi said cheerfully, turning to Baisitina. "Tina, you know how to embroider, don’t you?"

Receiving an affirmative reply made the Lord even happier. If Baisitina couldn’t do it, he would have had to go find Jos, the middle-aged, single Warrior who was an expert with a needle and thread.

Three more days passed in an orderly fashion. Then, one morning, the patrolling Jackal Wolfman Cavalry finally encountered the invading enemy thirty li from High Cliff Castle. They had a brief skirmish with the opposing cavalry, who were also Jackal Wolf Scouts.

It was a sudden encounter. Cautious observation gave way to probing maneuvers as they circled each other, tightening their formations. Then, a wolf’s howl sounded the charge.

Their Warg Mounts raced across the plains, their thick, padded paws making only a soft thudding, like the patter of falling rain.

This was one of the reasons Jackal Wolfmen made excellent Scouts; compared to the thunderous hoofbeats of human cavalry, their movements were far stealthier.

Neither side lacked the courage or the will to fight to the death, but battles are never decided by courage and will alone.

In contrast to High Cliff Castle’s Scout Cavalry Team—fully outfitted in Light Armor, wearing pointed Iron Helmets that revealed only their glittering green eyes, and wielding Fine Steel Curved Sabers—the so-called Giant Dragon Corps was impressive in name only. In reality, they were just a ragtag mob of country bumpkins armed with Rusted Iron Blades and dressed in tattered Leather Armor.

The outcome, naturally, was decided in an instant.