Chapter 126: The Syrop Corps

After a fifteen-day march, the troops arrived at the assembly point—the Basijia Camp, the main headquarters of the Sailopu Legion—on the morning of December 26th.

Looking down from the hills, the tents stretched for miles, disappearing into the horizon. Many sections of the camp were shrouded in magical veils, making it impossible for outsiders to discern what lay within. By his rough estimate, there were no fewer than two hundred thousand men stationed at the Basijia camp.

The roads leading to the camp were completely clogged. Countless noble armies occupied the wasteland outside the perimeter; Vaelin secretly observed at least thirty different noble banners. These forces came from both the Cadro and Sailopu provinces. The quality of the troops was inconsistent; some were fully outfitted in iron armor, wielding sharp swords and long spears with high morale, while others barely managed to equip their men in breastplates, carrying a mismatched assortment of weapons.

Thanks to the iron mines discovered near Orlando Town, the eight hundred men Vaelin brought were well-equipped: his five hundred regular soldiers each wore a full suit of iron armor, and his three hundred auxiliary troops were outfitted in leather armor.

After a long wait, Vaelin was finally registered and entered the massive military camp at three in the afternoon. Once led by a guide to the logistics sector, he set his men to work pitching camp.

As darkness fell, Medmonchi arrived, accompanied by Vaelin’s aunt, Flora, his cousin Kadqi, and Layla.

"Long time no see, kid."

"It has been a year, Commander Medmonchi," Vaelin replied with a smile.

Medmonchi looked at the busy troops behind him and praised them without reservation: "You've developed well this year. The unit you've brought is quite impressive—better than the troops some barons have brought."

"Just the result of a few opportunities, not worth mentioning," Vaelin replied modestly.

At this moment, Kyle approached Vaelin and reported, "My Lord, the tents have been set up."

Seeing this, Vaelin turned to the group and said, "This is no place for a conversation. Please, follow me." The four nodded and followed Vaelin toward his command tent.

Inside, Vaelin invited them to sit wherever they liked, then took the teapot and cups Kyle brought in to pour tea for his elders.

"Vaelin, this war is extremely dangerous. Even as the Deputy Commander of the Legion, I cannot guarantee your safety. That is why I had to place you in the logistics department, to escort war supplies and provide for the front-line troops," Medmonchi explained after taking a sip of tea.

"I understand. The precious opportunity you have given me is already a great favor."

"Good. If you have any problems, you can find your aunt or my daughter, Layla. They have both been assigned to logistics and can look out for you. Furthermore, the others in the logistics department will give you no trouble for my sake; you only need to follow the rules. If any noble gives you trouble, just come to me."

"Thank you, my Lord," Vaelin said sincerely. As for which nobles might trouble him, it could only be the Harks family. However, his third uncle, Bamond Eakes, was also in the Sailopu Legion, so he did not fear the Harks family.

The two sides chatted for over half an hour, primarily with Medmonchi explaining the internal factions of the Legion while Vaelin listened attentively.

The Sailopu Legion had been formed four months ago and consisted of three main factions, each commanding a portion of the troops.

The first and largest faction was the orthodox military group. Its primary representatives were the commander of the Sailopu Legion, Bourbon Sylvis, who was of royal lineage, followed by Deputy Commander Medmonchi Colombo, Deputy Commander and 17th Legion Commander Ails Wolfgang, and 17th Legion Deputy Commander Bamond Eakes, among eight other powerful figures. They commanded the Kingdom’s 11th Magic Legion, the 60,000 men of the 17th Legion, the Kingdom’s 16th Silver Knights, and the 1st, 6th, and 7th Legions of the Sailopu Legion, totaling 130,000 soldiers.

The second faction belonged to the Sailopu nobility, represented by Deputy Commander Count Yadmon Harks, Count Orange Castedei, and various noble armies from the Sailopu province. Their forces were organized into the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Legions, totaling 110,000 men.

The third faction consisted of the troops of the Duke of Lightend, represented by the Duke’s third son, Auston Lightend, who currently served as a Deputy Commander. He held command over the 4th and 8th Legions of the Lightend Duchy, totaling 80,000 men.

Despite this, all troops were required to obey the command of Bourbon Sylvis. Aside from his status as a key member of the royal family, the most important reason was that the logistics department remained in the hands of Medmonchi.

"The full-scale offensive will begin in January. You have nearly a month of free time. However, the area where your third uncle is stationed is a restricted zone, so you may not be able to enter, though he might just be on his way to your camp."

"I suppose so."

Half an hour later, an officer arrived with an urgent matter, and Medmonchi had to regretfully end the brief meeting. He left with Kadqi and Layla, but Vaelin's aunt, Flora, remained behind.

"Aunt." Vaelin said, feeling a bit apprehensive as he looked at her enigmatic smile.

"Good lad, it’s been a year, and your strength has grown so quickly—you’re already on par with me."

"Hahaha, luck, just luck," Vaelin replied as Flora’s smile softened. "Aunt, were you satisfied with the gift I sent through Layla last time?"

Flora nodded. "Moonstone—such a precious thing. I don't know how you managed to get your hands on it."

"Just a few magical experiences," Vaelin replied without giving a direct answer.

"I find it harder and harder to read you. In a few years, you might even break through to the Gold rank, while I might still be stuck at the peak of Silver," Flora said half-jokingly.

"I only reached the peak of Silver recently; it isn't that fast. Perhaps you will advance before me."

"I’ll take your word for it."

"By the way, Aunt, have you seen my third uncle, Bamond?" Vaelin asked.

"I haven't really seen him. Lord Bamond is usually at the 17th Legion’s base, which is a restricted military area where unauthorized personnel cannot approach. I spend most of my time in the logistics camp, so I haven't had much chance to meet him."

"I see. It seems meeting my third uncle is a bit difficult," Vaelin said with a sigh of regret.

"Hahaha, my nephew, aren't you going to come out and welcome your third uncle?"

A gruff voice boomed from outside the tent. Surprised that his uncle had arrived just as they were talking about him, Vaelin immediately stood up and walked out of the tent to greet him.