Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Playing with Fire Called Excommunication
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Three months later, in the Marseille Palace of the Franco Republic.
"Haha, Representative Andora, don't worry. The Franco Republic will hold firm."
"Who doesn't know that? It's just that the Reich Empire's dirty tricks have made things annoying."
"We're the ones who rose up again after driving out the Café Dynasty that plunged our republic into chaos thirty years ago. There's no way a mere excommunication from the Pope would shake our republic."
They were so relaxed that no one would believe they were the ones who had received the excommunication decree from the Pope of the Latina Papal States and notifications of severed diplomatic ties from all the surrounding nations' ambassadors just a week ago.
The butlers of the Marseille Palace, along with the lower officials and officers who watched this scene, harbored expectations that the republic's heavyweights—those who had defeated the wicked imperial family and restored prosperity—were indeed different.
But once the door to the conference room of the republic's assemblymen, known as the Hall of Mirrors, fully closed, the atmosphere among them flipped completely.
They had appeared somewhat composed even in the face of crisis until recently, but now they were gripped by terror, like prisoners sentenced to execution tomorrow.
The assemblymen at the top of the republic pointed fingers at each other and spewed curses.
"President Robespierre, are you out of your mind? When the imperial bastards attacked the north, I said it was a golden opportunity—let's at least send a proper declaration of war and loot them! But what is this? If you have a mouth, say something!"
"Are you done? You agreed back then too! Don't put all the blame on me now."
"Think about it. If it weren't for that sword swung by Peter Jaeger, the Reich Empire's crown prince, the empire would have spent at least four years subduing Ludwig."
"Trying hard doesn't mean anything! Look at the results! The results!!"
Fortunately, because the walls and doors of the Hall of Mirrors were so thick, the guards outside the door, along with all the officers and officials in the palace, couldn't hear the assemblymen frantically shoving the blame around in panic.
For the assemblymen, who could be called the republic's ruling nobles, what mattered more than that was deciding whom to shift the blame to in the worst-case scenario.
They needed someone to take the arrows of fury from the nobles and citizens enraged by the fact of their excommunication from the Papal States—regardless of whether they won the war or not.
As everyone was busy passing the buck, Representative Ange, the Minister of Finance, slammed a massive ledger onto her desk and spoke.
"Are you all in your right minds right now? At this rate, our republic might collapse. Excommunication! We're now cut off from trading with foreign countries! Merchants who handed over goods abroad but lost any claim to payment are going bankrupt left and right, unable to collect. Others who paid in advance have their contracts voided and can't receive a single item—they're killing themselves in droves!"
The assemblymen were politicians funded by major trading houses, so the merchants' downfall meant they themselves would end up beggars despite their titles.
The sense of crisis that they might all end up hanging from nooses sobered them, and they all fell silent.
"Representative Henri, Minister of the Interior. And that's not all. Honestly, being excommunicated from the Deus Church doesn't mean we're definitely going to hell. But among the serfs and ignorant citizens, so many are trembling in fear of damnation the moment they hear about it! Already, there are more than a few disloyal elements rising against the republican government that caused this excommunication."
To be precise, remnants of the nobles who served the old Café Dynasty—claiming they couldn't recognize an excommunicated government—had gathered nearly a thousand strong and attempted a revolt.
More than twenty villages where serfs lived had seen peasant uprisings of no small scale, causing chaos.
The Franco Republic's government had solved the noble remnants by killing them all off this time, and quelled the peasant revolts with brutal methods: executing leaders and their families gruesomely, then making examples of the surrounding areas.
But no one knew when the serfs and other citizens, whose obedience to the Deus Church was deeply ingrained, might rise in a massive rebellion just like they once had.
Thus, everyone's thoughts converged on the fact that things had spiraled too far to resolve by picking one or two scapegoats to vilify, hanging them from the gallows, and begging the Papal States for forgiveness.
"This is why we, the chosen representatives of the Franco Republic, must enlighten the ignorant serfs and foolish citizens. To tremble at a mere excommunication from some worldly pope, doubting us who drove out the vile Café Dynasty and fearing hell—it's outrageous enough to spark a backlash!"
"Quite right. Our revolutionary forebears would lament if they saw this."
"Moreover, we have the honorable record of toppling a corrupt imperial family once before, but it's a double-edged sword. If they seize on our mistakes and revolt nationwide, our entire republican regime could end up hanged or beheaded!"
As the saying goes, when facing death, even one's parents' enemy becomes an ally for survival. The republic's leadership, who usually bickered incessantly, joined hands for now to ensure their survival.
However, the pro-war faction led by Assembly Chairman Robespierre and the anti-war faction fronted by Vice Chairman Charles had different ideas.
The pro-war faction thought like this:
'For now, we unite our strength to crush the rotten Reich Empire, then strongly assert to the Papal States that though excommunicated in worldly terms, we are righteous in Deus's eyes—and our victory proves it. Thus, force them to retract the excommunication. Then claim we could have won bigger if the capitulationists had properly supported the war.'
The anti-war faction, on the other hand, thought:
'Once we win against the Reich Empire, we strictly judge the pro-war faction who invaded without declaration according to the law, ask the Papal States to lift the excommunication, and secure national interests through proper terms with the Reich Empire.'
But there was one point where they all agreed:
'If we lose the war to the Reich Empire? I won't die, so hang the opposing faction's assemblymen from the gallows.'
However, seizing power by losing and killing the opposition was less advantageous than winning the war and then fighting politically.
"Then let's properly prepare for war first. We'll settle the political fights after victory. If we can't stop the Reich Empire's army, we're done. Do you agree?"
All the assemblymen nodded at those words.
"Therefore, we must mobilize 100,000 troops to face the Reich Empire's army advancing from the east. They've had no choice but to march from Sargminne to Balon due to supply issues for centuries, so let's build a field fortress at the key stronghold of Liera and wait."
No one raised objections, as they had invaded the republic via this route for hundreds of years.
To survive, they pooled their heads and devised the best strategies.
"Wise thinking. But how do we persuade the lowly serfs and uneducated citizens?"
One assemblyman stroked his beard and replied.
"Very simple. Say the Reich Empire's devils blinded His Holiness the Pope, leading to our excommunication, and that victory in war proves God's justice lies with the Franco Republic. We just need to win, right?"
The other assemblymen nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. Victory ends it all. Victory."
"Deus's justice is with our Franco Republic."
Six months later, I, Peter Jaeger, received orders to form a new brigade for next year's eastern expedition against the Franco Republic.
I finally escaped the general staff—where I worked overtime at least four days a week and went in on Saturdays more often than not—and transferred to the eastern front.
Many soldiers and officers who had fought alongside Ludwig in the Northern Army were assigned to our brigade.
Laura was naturally placed under my command as well.
But someone unexpected who could help me also joined my ranks.
"Loyalty! Major Anastasia Kerzhit reporting. As of this moment, I am attached to the 12th Brigade."
Anastasia, who wanted to serve under me, came with 200 elite cavalry from her northern tribe, along with other tribal chiefs.
"By order of General Staff Headquarters, I'm Charlote, here to attend to Brigadier General Jaeger. From now on, I'll be your hands and feet wherever you go. Just order anything you need."
...... A beautiful girl who reeked of the crown prince's heavy influence was assigned as my personal maid.
I had clearly told Laura last time: I would never lay a hand on this girl first, so no need to be jealous.
She knew better than anyone that even her father, General Venner, had a dedicated maid by his side, and it was unavoidable.
She wouldn't waste jealousy on a mere maid.
Maids falling for their masters only happens in comics; it doesn't in reality.
Above all, I only have eyes for Laura.
Proof? Even when high-ranking folks suggested good bars for drinks, I've turned them down every time.