"What do I owe the honor of your visit brother?" Gaileo asked as he greeted his brother as he arrived at his residence.
"I'm sure you recall that our father sent you on campaign with me in order to test your aptitude for being promoted to a General." Justice said. "I've come to tell you that I've written father and given him my recommendation that you should be promoted."
"Thank you very much brother, I don't know how I could possibly show my gratitude for your kindness." Gaileo said.
"There's no need to thank me. I didn't do so out of kindness, rather it was because I truly thought that you could be a greater help to the Empire in the position of General than your current role. That is all."
"Even so I appreciate you doing so nonetheless."
"Now, I didn't come here just to tell you that."
"What else is there? Are we going on another campaign already?"
"No, no of course not. I thought you would have remembered that I promised to teach you the ways of a Great General."
"Oh yes! Of course I remember!" He did not.
"Well, I must admit that these lessons are not my own I was taught them by someone else."
"Someone taught you brother?" Gaileo had just assumed that Justice had always been as great as he was now.
"Yes, when I was younger than you I was quite hotheaded and brash. I often made mistakes and I found myself struggling when I had first been promoted to General."
Gaileo found it hard to imagine his older brother struggling. In fact, he recalled his brother's early days as a General and remembered only a celebrated string of successes. "This just goes to show how high of a standard he holds himself to." Gaileo thought.
"One day I was contemplating my struggles as a commander and I had stopped by a river to let my horse drink. While I was sitting there, a man approached me. He was a man that was extremely knowledgeable of affairs of both military and civil natures. The man allowed me to be his student a I learned a great deal from him. Unfortunately, that man has since passed away but I had kept records of everything that he had taught me. I plan to pass all of these teachings on to you."
"Thank you brother. I'm honored. I look forward to your lessons." Gaileo said, assuming that he would give him these lessons at a later date.
"Good, then look forward because your lesson starts now." Justice told him. "There are six secret teachings that we will go over today."
"The first thing you need to know if you're going to become a proper General, you need to know the five virtues and five faults of a General."
"Five virtues and five faults?"
"Yes, there are five virtues that make for a great General. Conversely there are five faults that can lead a General to disaster."
"I see."
"The five key virtues that a good leader should embody are wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and strictness. The five faults are recklessness, cowardice, quick temper, oversensitivity to honor, and excessive compassion."
"These virtues are essential for a leader to inspire their followers and achieve success. On the other hand, the faults are detrimental to a leader's effectiveness and can undermine their ability to lead successfully." Justice continued.
"I see, that does give me a lot to think about." Gaileo said as he got up from his seat.
"Where are you going?" Justice asked.
"Oh? Didn't you say that you came to teach me about the five virtues of a good general?"
"No, I told you that I came here to teach you the six secret teachings that will make you not just a better general, but with any luck a better man." Justice replied. "The five virtues are only a part of the first teaching. Now moving on, when facing chariots the battlefield take crossbowmen on each flank…"
Justice continued his lessons for several hours and though at times Gaileo found his brother's lessons a bit tedious these same lessons would prove invaluable throughout the rest of his life.
In fact, he would be using many of these lessons much sooner than he had expected. The Emperor had ordered that Gaileo return to the capital where he was officially promoted to the rank of a full fledged General. His first task would be to conquer the small southern nation of Carriha.
"Don't let me down you little brat." The Emperor said as he dismissed Gaileo.
"Shut up old man." Gaileo responded.