After I died, my personal maid rebelled.

"Commander Kate, these are the newly arrived supplies. Please check them."

Just before the river froze, the last batch of supplies from the Northern Territory arrived at the Second Division's encampment aboard sixteen large ships.

Kate took the supplies list and looked at it carefully for a while. After confirming that it was correct, she picked up a pen and signed her name.

There was no shortage of food, but the Second Division not only had three main regiments, but also three militia regiments, totaling more than 30,000 people. Even with an additional batch of supplies requested, the Second Division still had a significant shortage of standard equipment.

Unlike other units that undergo intensive training, the Second Division, which has been constantly engaged in various wars, is accustomed to replenishing its troops while fighting. This is also a tacit understanding that Kate and the young lady have always had.

Now that Lady Elene is stuck in the logistics line, Kate's idea of ​​having everyone in armor has been thwarted.

On the other hand, with a series of reforms and the rise of large industrial areas in the Northern Territory, the military is becoming more and more standardized and no longer needs to, nor can it, rely on captured weapons to arm its troops.

After all, regular armies have their own fighting methods; what kind of appearance is it to wear enemy armor?

Currently, ordinary soldiers fighting on the front lines in the Northern Army are divided into three levels.

The first tier is equipped with basic armor, spears, and standard-issue sabers; the second tier adds Molotov cocktails to enhance individual combat capabilities; and the third tier begins to equip soldiers with crossbows for ranged attacks.

After passing this stage, they officially enter the ranks of elite troops, and begin to arm themselves with better armor and weapons according to their different strengths, and become professional specialized soldiers.

Examples include swordsmen and shieldmen, spearmen, archers, cavalry, and so on.

Those with even greater combat strength may become heavy infantry, shield bearers, longbowmen, or knights.

Kate's Second Division was undoubtedly the most well-equipped, possessing every type of soldier except for knights. More than half of the soldiers in the three main regiments were professional soldiers, so even though the battles they experienced were fierce, they could quickly reorganize their troops through these veterans, thus maintaining a high level of combat effectiveness.

Kate's original intention was to formalize the three militia regiments, turning all of them into ordinary soldiers of the third rank, thus continuously replenishing the main regiment with fresh blood.

The ideal is wonderful, but reality is...

"I heard that the Third Division in the Eastern Territory, thanks to the support of the construction team, has built many new large furnaces and military factories, producing only the best weapons and equipment every day. That old bastard Garwin is practically a corps commander now!"

Standing in front of the port, watching the soldiers unload boxes of supplies, Kate rarely complained to her adjutant.

However, he also knew that Garwin's soldiers were mainly responsible for management and production, and the supplies needed by the Second Division had basically never been withheld. It was just that he had recently heard a rumor that Lady Elene was planning to split up the Second Division and form a new unit...

The adjutant didn't reply, but just exhaled a few puffs of white breath in the cold wind. Just because a division commander can complain about something doesn't mean he can also offer his opinion.

The best listener is someone who suffers from amnesia.

"Later, arrange for a cavalry unit to deliver the regiment's supplies there. Also, tell Federico to be careful to control casualties and reduce friction with the enemy."

"Yes, sir."

Putting aside all his worries and concealing them beneath a calm expression, Kettler turned his horse around and returned to the camp alone.

The soldier at the outpost saluted him first, and Kate responded by flicking her riding crop, then saw the strange expression on the sentry's face.

The sentry blinked frantically into the camp, and Kate immediately understood that Lady Eleanor must have come to inspect the front lines.

Kate dismounted, brushed the snow off his shoulders, and stepped into the tent. There he saw Duke Oswald sitting in his seat, warming his hands over the brazier while reading his report.

The words seemed stuck in his throat, so much so that even the standard salute sounded like a mumble.

"Duke, my lord..."

Oswald didn't even look up, simply turning his hands behind his back. "I've heard you've been complaining a lot lately?"

Before the Duke, Kate naturally didn't mince words. "My lord, I don't understand. If Lady Eleanor wants to develop the army, why is she splitting up our Second Division?"

"Split up? Then what do you think you'll rely on to win the position if a new army commander is to be elected in the Northern Army? With just your six regiments?"

Oswald's tone was nonchalant, but the question he posed went straight to the heart of the matter. Kate stepped forward, as if to say something, but then immediately shut her mouth.

He understood that once the position of army commander was announced, the Second Division, which had six regiments, would quickly become the target of joint exclusion by other units. Just trying to remove the label of an ambitious man would be a troublesome matter.

Sometimes, the more he tries to compete and the more chips he wants to grab, the greater the resistance he will encounter.

Conversely, if the Second Division were to be split off, it would appear to be on equal footing, but in reality, other division commanders would be unable to compete with him.

This was also Kate's pride; in terms of military achievements, no one in the entire Northern Army could surpass her.

"Our battle is getting more and more chaotic. There are some problems that I naturally need to deal with, but I hope you can find solutions to many more."

Setting down the report in his hand, Oswald stood up and went to the tent entrance, where the swirling snow added to the solemnity of the military camp.

Oswald still remembers the time when he first met Kate. Kate used to be a very optimistic person, quick-witted, energetic, and determined to lead the Northern Army out of its slump.

He hoped Kate would be the standard-bearer, but Eleanor had already made her choice about the future.

Yes, no one can stay young forever, and everyone is ultimately bound by the heavy pull of reality.

Those past ideals and ambitions are slowly turning into clearer material reality, but in this process, no one has done anything wrong, and Kate remains the best general in the Northern Army.

Oswald, who also sat in a high position, finally understood the old man's later years.

"Am I already a character in the song when I listen to it again...?" Oswald chuckled self-deprecatingly, waved to Kate, and strode forward, walking alone into the snowstorm.

Kate stood there stunned for a long time. He couldn't understand the regret that suddenly appeared in the Duke's eyes. He only felt that the Duke was still holding a grudge because of the defeat in the last war.

At the gate of the military camp, Elena, wrapped in a coat, sat in a carriage, feeling only a profound silence and desolation. If it weren't for the troops stationed here, she simply couldn't tell whether this was still human-inhabited land.

"Let's go, we're very close to the front lines."

Oswald jumped into the carriage, and the accompanying cavalry and coachmen immediately set off, heading south with the crunching sound of snow being crushed.

"The village is all deserted." Eleanor held Oswald's hand, trying to offer him some warmth.

After a long silence, Oswald said confidently, "Don't worry, they will come back someday."