Sofie let out a long sigh as she held the communicator against her ear, her free hand rubbing her forehead in frustration. She had spent the last several days looking forward to finally returning home, only for that hope to disappear in a single phone call. The diplomatic work had finally begun settling into a routine, and she had assumed her replacement would arrive any day now. Instead, Herman's first words completely crushed those expectations.
"Wait... so I still have to stay here?" Sofie asked, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice. She stared out through the window toward the harbor where ships constantly arrived and departed, wondering how much longer she would have to watch other people go home while she remained behind. Every additional day she spent here was another day she was absent from the project she had devoted years of her life to. Worse still, the timing could not have been more inconvenient.
"Yes," Herman answered calmly from the other end of the call. "At least another two months."
He expected the outburst before it happened.
"The navy is already preparing a fleet to sail your replacement here, together with several experts who are needed for the next stage of negotiations. This time we are sending someone who was actually trained for this position instead of someone chosen because they looked impressive on paper." Herman's tone remained composed throughout the explanation, clearly hoping that a rational explanation would soften Sofie's frustration.
Unfortunately...
It had exactly the opposite effect.
"Two months?" Sofie repeated in disbelief. "Do you have any idea how much work is waiting for me back home?"
She resisted the urge to slam her fist against the table.
The cavalry program had finally reached the point she had been working toward ever since it began. Every schedule had been carefully prepared months in advance, and every milestone depended upon experienced supervision. While capable officers remained behind to continue the daily operations, there were simply some decisions that only she could make.
The breeding program had finally started producing results.
For the first time since the initiative began, enough horses had matured to support the formation of a genuine cavalry force rather than a collection of scattered experimental units. The breeding stock had increased steadily year after year until they finally possessed sufficient numbers to begin building the elite core of Europe's future mounted legions. Seeing that progress delayed because of diplomatic obligations was almost painful.
Even then...
Sofie understood they were still only at the beginning.
The complete program had been designed around a twenty-year timeline.
No one involved had expected cavalry to become fully operational overnight. Raising warhorses simply required too much time, and cutting corners would only guarantee disaster later. Their long-term objective remained the same as the day the project began: to field an entire legion equipped with carefully bred military horses rather than relying upon whatever animals happened to be available.
At present...
They possessed barely ten thousand young horses suitable for training.
Even that impressive number represented little more than a large-scale test program.
Those animals were intended to evaluate equipment, riding techniques, breeding methods, veterinary practices, and battlefield deployment before production expanded further. Mistakes discovered now could still be corrected. Mistakes discovered after tens of thousands more horses had been bred would become catastrophically expensive.
The military refused to repeat history.
Everyone remembered how cavalry had been used during the first Guardian Trial.
Depending upon which officer told the story, the mounted units had performed somewhere between poorly and catastrophically. Reconnaissance missions had turned into ambushes, patrols had ridden directly into prepared traps, and commanders unfamiliar with mounted warfare repeatedly made decisions that cost countless lives.
The tragedy was understandable.
Modern armies had almost no institutional experience with cavalry warfare.
Outside historical studies, ceremonial units, and occasional military parades, mounted combat had largely disappeared centuries ago. Most officers knew cavalry only through history books, documentaries, and strategy games. Knowing the theory behind medieval warfare, however, was very different from commanding mounted soldiers against living enemies.
That lack of experience had cost Europe dearly.
The goblins had exploited every weakness imaginable.
They baited mounted patrols into unfavorable terrain, isolated scouting parties, and repeatedly separated cavalry from infantry support before overwhelming them with superior numbers. Every successful ambush taught the goblins something new while teaching humanity equally painful lessons through bloodshed.
Sofie had no intention of allowing those mistakes to happen again.
Unlike many senior officers, she genuinely believed cavalry still had an important future.
Not as simple scouts or ceremonial guards, but as highly mobile strike forces capable of exploiting openings, pursuing broken enemies, and reacting quickly across enormous battlefields. The expanded Earth had dramatically increased the importance of mobility, making horses valuable once again despite centuries of technological advancement.
That belief formed the foundation of her entire career.
Many people assumed she had received command of the project because of family connections.
Her grandfather served as the Marshal of the European Armed Forces, and that naturally attracted criticism. Some officers quietly suggested that nepotism had secured her appointment rather than ability. Sofie had heard those whispers countless times over the years.
The reality was considerably more complicated.
Her family certainly opened doors.
No one denied that.
However, very few officers actually wanted responsibility for rebuilding Europe's cavalry from nothing. Mounted warfare represented an enormous financial risk with uncertain military value. Most experienced cavalry officers had already accepted different commands following the first Trial, leaving very few qualified candidates willing to dedicate decades of their careers to such an uncertain project.
Sofie had volunteered.
That alone distinguished her from nearly everyone else.
She genuinely believed cavalry deserved another chance, even if convincing others required years of effort. While countless officers focused upon firearms, artillery, magical equipment, or mechanized logistics, she dedicated herself almost entirely to horses. Many considered her obsession outdated.
She considered it necessary.
Unfortunately...
Her diplomatic assignment had interrupted everything.
Before departing for Null Island, she had worked tirelessly to establish detailed operational plans for the breeding farms. Feeding schedules, veterinary procedures, training rotations, breeding records, construction projects, and personnel assignments had all been carefully organized. Because of that preparation, the project continued functioning smoothly despite her absence.
Until now.
The horses had finally reached military riding age.
Fully armored soldiers could finally mount them safely without risking injury to the animals. That milestone represented years of careful breeding and patient development finally bearing fruit. Sofie had planned an enormous demonstration for Europe's highest-ranking generals to prove that the investment was already producing measurable results.
Now...
She would not even attend.
The realization stung far more than she cared to admit.
She had imagined personally introducing the cavalry units, explaining every stage of their development, and answering questions from skeptical commanders. Instead, someone else would likely oversee the event while she remained thousands of kilometers away discussing international treaties.
It felt profoundly unfair.
Not because diplomacy lacked importance.
Rather...
Because the cavalry project had become her life's work.
Every delayed decision felt personal.
Every missed opportunity seemed irreplaceable. She had poured years into convincing military leadership that mounted forces still possessed strategic value in humanity's new world. Missing such an important demonstration felt almost like abandoning her own child during its first major achievement.
Still...
She reminded herself why the project had survived in the first place.
Long before construction began, she had anticipated nearly every objection military leadership would raise.
The proposal to establish government-owned breeding farms had encountered enormous resistance. European militaries traditionally relied upon private industry to manufacture equipment, procure supplies, and manage specialized production. Suggesting that the armed forces should directly operate horse-breeding facilities challenged decades of procurement policy.
Fortunately...
Sofie had arrived fully prepared.
Instead of merely requesting funding, she presented an exhaustive analysis explaining why military-controlled breeding represented the superior long-term solution. Every anticipated criticism received its own carefully researched response supported by historical examples, financial projections, and strategic considerations. By the time she finished speaking, even many skeptics admitted her arguments possessed considerable merit.
The most convincing argument involved control.
Military independence mattered enormously.
Private companies naturally pursued profit, and there was nothing inherently wrong with that. Competition often encouraged innovation, improved efficiency, and lowered costs. Nevertheless, profit motives sometimes conflicted directly with long-term military requirements, particularly when specialized breeding programs required decades of consistent investment.
Warhorses could not simply be ordered off a production line.
Their quality depended upon generations of careful selection.
Nutrition, training, bloodlines, temperament, endurance, intelligence, and physical structure all influenced battlefield performance. Allowing private contractors to prioritize short-term profitability over long-term breeding quality introduced unacceptable strategic risks. Europe needed complete authority over every stage of development.
After months of debate...
Military leadership finally approved her proposal.
Large breeding pastures would be established in both Normandy, France, and Saxony, Germany, regions long recognized for their suitability in raising horses. Each facility initially received one hundred square kilometers of land, with provisions allowing future expansion should breeding numbers eventually require additional space.