Remember, I was summoned because I know more about running an army than you do.

But, as my advisor, you're supposed to be teaching me. How can I learn if you don't explain why you do things?

It seemed that Lord Weisel had consented to this arrangement on the basis that he would be second in power only to Matokin himself. Supposedly, Dardas's presence in Lord Weisel's body was to be as an advisor, helping to fill in the immense gaps in the noble's military knowledge.

It was unclear to Dardas if Matokin was genuinely unaware of the strength of the general's personality, or if he had intended all along that Dardas would be the dominant mind, but either way, the results were the same. Now he controlled the body as well as the army, and Lord Weisel was reduced to a sulking presence in the mental shadows.

Dardas had little respect for Lord Weisel, a not surprising view for a professional soldier and ruler to have of a pampered nobleman. Still, he felt it behooved him to maintain at least a pretense of courtesy. The man was, literally, his host. If nothing else, Lord Weisel was still his main source of information regarding this new land and age, so though it was annoying, it was in Dardas's best interest to humor Weisel's requests for instruction.

Very well. Consider what you said about my abusing your body.

What of it?

The same food you see as abusing your body is the main sustenance for your troops.

I don't understand.

Let me put it differently. Knowing the condition of your troops is of primary importance when planning your strategies. You have to know how far you can tax them and what their morale is like. One of the surest ways to know that is to make a point of eating the same rations they are getting. If you find the food intolerable, then probably so do they. It's a simple, but effective, test.