Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Operation to Conquer Switchelland (2)
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His Highness the Crown Prince's confident demeanor drew everyone's attention, for three main reasons.
The first was that the briefing would reveal how much the man closest to the throne in the Empire truly understood war and military affairs.
The second was that his answer to the first question would allow those aligned with other princes' factions or remaining neutral to assess the Crown Prince's capabilities and contemplate switching sides.
The third was simply curiosity about the most baffling part of this war plan, finally satisfied.
"As you all know, the Principality of Switchelland operates its nation on a mercenary dispatch business, unlike typical countries. And according to the Foreign Ministry's reports, a month ago they sent massive numbers of mercenaries to the war between the Madison and Spinola families, as well as the conflict between the heretics and Corinthos."
The foundation of the Switchelland Principality's business, as the Crown Prince described, was deploying its own soldiers to other nations' wars in exchange for payment.
Thus, while the country had an overwhelmingly large number of soldiers relative to its population, whenever wars broke out in neighboring states, it dispatched troops.
This inevitably left fewer personnel to defend Switchelland itself.
Moreover, these mercenaries jumped into any fight for the chance to earn money without hesitation, so they had likely committed nearly their maximum capacity, causing a sharp drop in defensive strength.
"Rumor has it the Montegro family is about to go to war with Milan City, so even more soldiers will be pulled away."
Of course, more than half of such rumors about impending wars between places never came true.
Who would have thought Montegro and Milan City would actually go to war before we declared it?
There was no guarantee the Switchelland Confederation's federal government, mad with greed for profit, wouldn't send even more mercenaries.
Even so, Switchelland Republic maintained a high soldier-to-population ratio compared to other nations thanks to its mercenary business.
Not every farmer or artisan could fight at the level of soldiers trained for years in emergencies.
Considering the size and population of each canton, they could probably hold their own even if we split our forces into division-sized units.
No, in this situation, it was to our advantage to seize as much territory as quickly as possible, and the reason was...
"This is also why we have no choice but to divide our forces. Our Imperial Army has hired Switchelland mercenaries several times, so we know their contracts include clauses for immediate payment of wages and unconditional return home if their homeland is attacked, regardless of the war they're deployed to."
Regular standing troops like our Imperial soldiers wouldn't abandon their posts on the western front against Chekovia to rush back and save the capital, even if it came under attack, without direct orders.
But Switchelland mercenaries would shove the contract in their employer's face and bolt back home to defend it—even if their side was on the verge of victory or their absence would likely mean defeat—if either clause was triggered.
I'd never hired Switchelland mercenaries in the wars I'd fought, so I'd never experienced or worried about such issues.
But Imperial Army records were full of stories: mercenaries deserting after two months of unpaid wages or returning home the next day because their homeland was under attack.
"So, during our campaign, units fighting the Peronia City Alliance will definitely rejoin, if not those dispatched to Corinthos. To gain the upper hand, we must seize as much territory as possible before the returning mercenaries arrive, thereby reducing the enemy's mobilizable forces."
With that, the Crown Prince leisurely returned to his seat near the briefing board, and we generals and officers applauded thunderously with genuine admiration.
Even if it was a war he was personally leading, for the Crown Prince to grasp the details and devise such a strategy meant...
Once he ascended the throne, the Empire would almost never lose a war to another nation.
Meanwhile, the generals beside me whispered until my brother returned.
"I've stayed neutral until now, but I think supporting His Highness the Crown Prince is the way to go. If he rules the Reich Empire, our borders will surely be secure, right?"
"Ahem, ahem... Still, I've backed His Highness the Second Prince for two years now..."
"Don't you want a promotion to major general, Brigadier General? Unless you're like Colonel Jaeger over there or Minister of War Otto, you need to play the politics a bit to advance."
In Korea, they say that to rise from section chief to department head or director, raw talent isn't enough—you have to navigate office politics well.
The same applied here.
Especially right before making brigadier general from colonel, or after becoming a general, only a few survived the competition.
Since abilities were often similar among them, ultimately, you needed backing from your faction to advance.
In that sense, Duke Otto von Moritz—patriarch of a ducal house yet utterly uninterested in politics, rising to Minister of War—was a monster in his own right.
After some brief chatter among everyone, my brother tapped the briefing board with his baton and continued.
"We will now resume the operation briefing. Accordingly, the Reich Empire's Switchelland Conquest Army will have His Highness the Crown Prince as Supreme Commander, with Lieutenant General Erwin von Vitzeleben as Deputy Commander."
Count Vitzeleben was from the Crown Prince's faction but not particularly close to Marquis Venner, so I hadn't seen him often.
Rumors painted him as warm-hearted and conscientious, never striking or cursing servants and even remembering their birthdays and anniversaries.
Among captains and below, NCOs, and enlisted men, he was hailed as a truly caring and virtuous lieutenant general.
But among majors and higher officers and generals, he was known as the type to personally dismantle you joint-by-joint for the slightest mistake—weak against the weak, strong against the strong.
"The rest of the unit composition will be reviewed and notified by the General Staff Headquarters. Now, we begin the detailed explanation of logistics."
My brother proceeded to explain logistics, detailed operations, equipment—everything—in exhaustive yet easy-to-understand detail.
Even amid a barrage of tough questions, he occasionally stammered from nerves but managed to answer them all satisfactorily.
About four hours later...
"This concludes the explanation of His Highness the Crown Prince's surprise operation plan for the Switchelland Principality."
With those words, my brother quietly exited the stage, and we generals and officers gave resounding applause for the excellent presentation.
Afterward, I headed straight to where General Venner—soon to be my father-in-law—stood.
"Haha, at my age, nothing beats watching my kids grow up. My daughter is already pregnant, my son-in-law needs no mention. And my slightly underwhelming nephew, who will succeed me, has grown so capable before I knew it."
Looking around, General Venner's side was surrounded by fearsome figures sporting four and three stars.
Their faces showed they were all from the pro-Crown Prince faction.
They shot glances at their colleagues as if pleading to rein in the sappy old man, but they yielded to the power of the next Field Marshal, bearer of the Diamond Knight's Sword Medal.
They stood frozen, silent.
Moreover, reaching major at 27 put him in the top 1-2% of promotion speeds in the Empire, yet calling such a nephew "underwhelming" was...
A veiled threat to everyone there: if you think your own kids have talent, switch to the Crown Prince's faction, which gives young officers plenty of chances beyond just Colonel Jaeger.
And sure enough...
"His Highness the Crown Prince favors young talent so much. Wouldn't your own sons get opportunities to rise if they have ability? And honestly, I..."
"Ah, I've said too much."
With that, my father-in-law spotted me and charged over with the gusto of General Patton.
"This is my son-in-law. Nothing more to say. Just looking at him lifts my spirits. Anyway, I have dinner plans with him today, so I'll take my leave. His Highness the Crown Prince has no other schedule today either."
He grabbed me and turned to leave the grand hall of the palace, whispering in my ear.
"Those guys used to subtly mock me before I met you—saying I had no real son, or sniping that your brother was slow to promote. But thanks to you, Max made major in no time, and my daughter Laura reached lieutenant colonel at 25 despite being a woman."
"Haha, that's just because my brother and my wife are so outstanding, isn't it?"
My father-in-law replied in a serious tone.
"Laura would have made major by now even without you. But Max? Captain was his ceiling. He's excellent, but no genius. So, son-in-law, take good care of him even after he inherits the marquisate."
And that day, my father-in-law truly came to my house for dinner, saying he wanted to feel his grandchild in the womb.