Chapter 52
Chapter 52
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Surrounded on All Sides (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In novels, dramas, and all sorts of war histories, sieges are depicted as the ultimate strategy—defending with a small force against a vastly superior enemy.
That's not wrong.
Because a well-executed siege can hold off enemies outnumbering you ten-to-one.
But that only holds true when the morale of the soldiers inside the walls is burning hot.
"......Can we really win this?"
Felix grumbled as he stood watch atop the walls.
The situation wasn't good.
Even an illiterate grunt like him could see that right away.
"Emil, you think we can win this?"
"Watch your words, Sergeant."
"It's just you and me up here anyway. Be honest."
The soldier called Emil couldn't deny it.
He thought the same—the situation was hopeless.
"Honestly, if we keep going like this, we're done for. No, how are we supposed to fight on just this for rations?"
"A single loaf of bread and a liter of water every day. At this rate, we'll starve before the enemy even attacks."
"I heard the company quartermaster next door say supplies from above are getting cut even more starting next week."
"We'll die before we even fight the enemy."
You could at least hold out if they fed you properly.
But trapped inside the castle with barely any food...
It was like locking the door and slowly starving to death.
Even the lowliest privates knew that much.
"I got engaged to the Maria next door after discharge. Guess I'll die a virgin."
"Don't talk about home, Sergeant. You're making me tear up."
In the midst of all this, civilians gathered at the base of the walls.
Emil and Felix tensed up at the sudden change.
They wouldn't attack right away.
But situations could shift in an instant.
"Andersen, Mama made dinner. Come eat."
"Honey, don't you want to see if our baby's a girl or boy?"
"We should get married soon, right?"
"Son, your old man's back has been hurting lately..."
Old women, young maidens, elderly men—all the civilians were there.
Just hearing those voices tore at their hearts.
They were resentful enough being dragged into the army.
To die a dog's death here?
It was utterly unjust.
Moisture welled up in Emil and Felix's eyes.
"......Why the hell are we stuck doing this?"
"Tell me about it."
Every soldier in the castle felt the doubt creeping in.
No matter how hard they fought in this war, they'd gain nothing from it.
Separated from their families, risking their lives, only to die pointlessly.
And as if on cue, the higher-ups began to move.
"Snap out of it, all of you! Don't fall for the enemy's wicked lies!!!"
They turned toward the shouting voice.
There stood non-coms and officers waving swords around.
Everyone tensed up.
Patrolling the walls with swords drawn, stern and serious expressions...
It meant one innocent sacrifice to halt this morale collapse.
"The Empire scum are holding knives to those folks' throats and shooting guns to force those lies out of them! Hold out to the end for your families!"
The Ortz Kingdom bastards weren't trustworthy either.
But the Empire were invaders.
In wartime, soldiers unleashed all their pent-up oppression—looting, rape, murder.
Even if they had to force it for their families, as the officers said.
"The Empire waived taxes this year! And they gave us food!"
The soldiers' minds went blank at those words.
Looting was standard in war, but instead of pillaging, they fed the occupied locals enough to survive?
Absurd.
But just from their voices, they could tell.
'That sounds real.'
"And the Empire soldiers plowed our razed village fields and helped repair our houses!"
Felix felt his mind being washed squeaky clean.
No one would fabricate something that outlandish.
"You should discharge now and go home to help your parents with the farm. Otherwise, those Ortz Kingdom thief bastards stripped every last grain, and they'll all starve."
It was the one thing soldiers hated hearing most.
Suffering alone in the army while missing family—you could endure it somehow.
Grandpa did it, Dad did it, so you could too.
As long as family was safe and home waited...
'Gotta tough out the service.'
Most ended up as low-wage laborers in cities after discharge due to family needs anyway...
They endured thinking of family.
Someone had flipped that switch.
Tears naturally fell from the soldiers' eyes.
Officers swung swords in the air and bellowed.
"That's all bullshit lies! Don't fall for the Empire's evil deceptions!"
They bellowed and swung...
But didn't actually cut down any soldiers.
Accidentally killing one would plummet morale to the abyss.
The siege would end in total failure.
"Can't go home? At least smell some hometown food!"
With those words, Ortz Kingdom festival foods began cooking all around.
Saliva pooled in the soldiers' mouths.
As saliva gathered, so did tears.
They just wanted to go home.
The soldiers' morale sank to rock bottom like this.
The Ortz Kingdom's leadership was deep in grave worry.
The situation was the worst.
"If the soldiers' morale had been higher, we could've ceasefire'd at a decent point."
From the moment cavalry took heavy losses, the war favored Ortz Kingdom not at all.
So the plan was to hold the castle until reinforcements arrived, then ceasefire on decent terms.
But that plan was shattered.
Because the citizens and soldiers in Obern Castle had such low morale, continuing the war was impossible.
"Rations could've lasted three months if rationed sparingly. But we're already giving half the normal amount, and now cut more? What happens then?"
"The soldiers and citizens will riot."
The Ortz Kingdom army commander sighed at those words.
"At this rate, we won't fight the Imperial Army—we'll be fully committed to suppressing riots. In the worst case..."
From ancient times to modern warfare, wars had one tradition.
When army morale hit bottom and higher-ups demanded unreasonable war...
Soldiers made the most efficient choice for survival.
'Mutiny.'
Soldiers lop off the heads of the higher-ups themselves.
Generals might say honor trumps life...
Dead by mutiny meant no honor, no life.
Ultimate disgrace for the family lineage.
That had to be prevented at all costs.
"Resisting further offers no chance of victory. It's just thrashing in a unwinnable fight and dying pointlessly."
"Then you'll open the gates?"
"We have to open the gates."
Everyone there shed tears at those words.
Defeated by the Imperial Army again.
They resisted to the end, but it was meaningless.
Of course, the war started because their spies incited riots in the Empire and got caught...
But that didn't matter now.
What I do is romance, what you do is adultery.
In their minds lingered only the memory of being heroes who fought their best for the homeland.
"Clinging to an unwinnable war is wrong."
The most important thing in war is winning.
Nothing more vital than victory over the enemy, by any means.
But equally vital: minimizing losses.
Once defeat is certain, saving even one more life is paramount.
"Request the enemy commander let us withdraw safely from here in exchange for opening the gates. We lost this war."
That day, the generals in Obern Castle drowned their forced sorrow in strong liquor.
Yet their hearts still shattered.
Cheers erupted across the Imperial Army camp.
Everyone was shouting so loudly it was hard to make out words.
But no need to hear—they knew what it meant.
What else would make soldiers cheer out of nowhere?
"Did we finally win?"
As if answering my question, Lina hurried in.
"Battalion Commander, the Ortz Kingdom commander just started ceasefire talks with the Corps Commander. We won."
"We won."
War always meant staking lives.
No matter how many times, it never got familiar.
"Take care of the soldiers who worked hard first. Use battalion funds to get meat and booze from nearby."
"Yes, sir."
And a month later, we finished ceasefire negotiations and returned home.