18 What Can You Learn from a Spark? Part 3 (1/2)

”Are you some kind of monster?” Mia asked after Ethan had explained to her his trick with the delayed spark and showed her how he narrowed down the date of the Western Empire's planned invasion.

[Does he not realize how dangerous this use for this spell is?] thought Mia.

”Where is this coming from?” Ethan asked.

”You turned one of the most basic beginner level spells that is normally just used to start fires into the most useful of military spells that can accurately predict enemy movements down to the exact time.” Said Mia.

”It's not like your Sun Knights haven't modified spells to find a new use for them.” Said Ethan.

”This goes a little beyond that. Let me put it this way: if this spell were discovered by someone else in the Vorbei Kingdom, it would be the kind of military secret that I wouldn't even know about. It would be reserved for the King, the heir apparent, and maybe a few top level advisors. I mean, could you imagine if this use for this spell fell into the hands of the Western Empire?” Said Mia.

”Sure, that would be bad, but you guys would still also have it. If that were the case you would still be on equal ground, both being able to predict each other's movements. Anyway, you had a stalemate in the last war, so you must be of relatively equal military power.” Said Ethan.

[Does he not understand that there is more to warfare than just fighting on an open field?] thought Mia.

”Do you not understand how we were able to end that war in a stalemate? It wasn't because we had an equal number of soldiers, or because our magic users were powerful enough to match theirs. It was because of deception. We were able to make the enemy think that we were weak in places where we were strong, and make them think that we were strong in places where we were weak. We were able to mobilize our own military, while cutting off enemy communication lines so that the enemy couldn't mobilize as quickly. Our spies were able to accurately gather the enemy plans, while we had the enemy's spies, turned double agents secretly working for us, send back to the enemy false or misleading information. We had our saboteurs in the enemy camps spread false information about the results of certain battles and sieges to make their soldiers think that they were losing more battles and sieges than they actually were, causing their morale to plummet, and causing mass desertions within the enemy's ranks. Even with all of this deception, we were still only able to end the war in an indecisive way with no territory gained or lost. That is how much stronger the Western Empire's military is compared with our own, that at such a huge information disadvantage they still drove use to sue for peace with 'status quo ante bellum'. Simply put, if deception becomes impossible, the Vorbei Kingdom will be destroyed.” Said Mia.

”Huh… I guess it would really be bad if the Western Empire got this use for this spell.” Said Ethan.

[He finally gets it, but he's not nearly scared enough of this power. If he had told a less honorable person about this use for this spell, they might have killed him him at once and then had a total monopoly on predicting the future. He's lucky that it wasn't some other order of knights that found him. If the captain of the Moon Knights had picked him up in that clearing he would have been dead after he told him about this use for the 'delayed spark'. That is if he weren't killed in the initial clearing where the dragon was fought. He's far too naive to survive in this world.]