The army facing them, however, wasn't fighting to protect anything. They fought for freedom, for liberation, and to earn military merit.
They were glad to see slaves freed, and glad to see the rewards granted for earning military merit.
They had a new faith, along with an ancient sense of solidarity.
It was the kind of unity between a monarch and his knights that drove them to strive for an ideal, like a hero leading his knights to accomplish great deeds.
And so, war broke out.
A force that had long been curious about the Northern Defense Treaty marched along the main road.
Joel was among them.
The city of Wawoteni stood on an island in the middle of a river.
Natural waterways surrounded it like a moat, and standard trenches, firing positions, communication trenches, and support trenches had been dug on the outskirts.
Those with guns were up front, while the men behind them carried cold weapons as reserves, ready to step in at any moment.
To take Wawoteni, they would have to clear the trenches on both sides. It would be a difficult battle.
These well-educated nobles—or, one might say, well-mannered knights—were seeing an entirely new kind of battle and a completely new kind of army for the first time.
Joel rode his horse and teased his comrade. "Look, Fabrice. Is that the mighty alliance?"
"Their tactics are quite novel."
Fabrice was just as impressed. "Oh, honestly, seeing it for yourself beats hearing about it a hundred times."
"The pictures in the papers don't do justice to their discipline. Look at the men standing guard on the distant city walls, and the way they march. Every one of them is a fine soldier." Well-trained and faithful to the code of chivalry, Fabrice felt no contempt for the