Unification War - Deharon (5)
Unification War - Deharon (5)
It had been 20 minutes since Basern Fortress fell.
Before the Imperial Army immediately advanced to its next objective, the capital of Dharon, Rohaton.
During a brief period of reorganization, in a temporary tent, staff officers of the rank of Major and above, military officers of the rank of Colonel and above.
Along with the division commanders of each division and myself, and finally, even the Emperor Belletria, everyone had gathered and was holding a temporary strategy meeting.
"...Therefore, we three northern brigades would like to propose that instead of immediately advancing to the capital from here, we should guard against potential reinforcements from Cailders, Commander-in-Chief-nim!"
Major Baylor, a staff officer belonging to the 74th Brigade of the Arkesium Empire and a member of the Northern Border Guard, spoke.
Following him, Major Jerion, a staff officer from the 76th Brigade who was also summoned together, and Brigadier General Harender, the brigade commander of the 81st Brigade, lent support to his opinion.
"It is a widely known fact that Cailders is evaluated as an impregnable fortress due to its geographical conditions! However, that absolutely does not mean its defensive forces themselves are weak."
"Even if we ignore Cailders according to the original plan, the possibility of any disruption is almost nonexistent. However, having captured Basern Fortress without even a single troop loss, wouldn't it be wise to use some units as a shield, prepared for any unforeseen events?"
With Brigadier General Harender's once again summarized proposal, all the officers sitting in a circle nodded slightly.
Everyone seemed to agree that it was a reasonable strategy.
Gerbern, who had been silently looking down at the map, also nodded and opened his mouth.
"Indeed. The very reason we mobilized an army of 120,000, 1.5 times larger than the entire Kingdom Alliance's forces, was because we anticipated massive troop losses during the fortress siege process."
Division Commander Chern also chimed in, crossing his arms.
"We initially estimated about 10,000 initial casualties, but the current situation has zero casualties. Rather than cramming all the surplus troops into a narrow passage, it would be a good choice to pull them to the rear and have them stand by as a guard and support unit."
As the opinions of the officers and division commanders converged into one, dozens of gazes inside the tent turned toward the head seat as if on cue.
Toward Belletria and I, who had been sitting quietly, only listening to their briefing.
"......"
Amidst the silence that hung in the air, Belletria, who had her eyes comfortably closed as if taking a nap, was the first to part her lips.
"There is no need to hear my opinion."
"But...."
"The commander-in-chief of this campaign and the person responsible for all operations is not me, but Prince Idelon Halden Rehentra. So, do not ask for my opinion."
"Understood."
Hearing the Emperor's firm opinion, all the officers averted their gaze from her and began to look at me.
I felt slightly pressured by the dozens of eyes focused on me all at once,
but trying not to show it outwardly, I immediately began to rack my brain.
'The combined troops of the three northern infantry brigades total 12,300... Clearly, we had estimated troop losses from initially destroying the fortresses at exactly around 10,000.'
Drawing up a deployment map in my head and calculating, the answer came quickly.
There was no need to drag the surplus troops along to consume supplies or cram them into a narrow passage as Division Commander Chern said.
If dispersing the troops could preemptively block any potential flank ambushes or variables, it couldn't be more efficient than this.
Plus, the probability of my life being endangered from pushing the advance recklessly would also decrease.
Finishing my thoughts, I tapped the table lightly with my finger and leisurely opened my mouth.
"As the staff officers said, we cannot ignore the possibility of reinforcements from Cailders. Very well. The three brigades belonging to the Northern Border Guard, immediately upon the main force heading toward the capital of Dharon, Rohaton, block all passages connecting Rohaton and Cailders."
"We will obey the command!"
Even after resolving the issue of surplus troops, the meeting continued.
The issue of disarming and accommodating the prisoners who surrendered at Basern Fortress.
The route of the rear supply unit arriving the next day, and the reorganization of the battle formation for the cavalry and the Magic Artillery Battalion for the capital advance, and so on.
Practical matters concerning the lives of tens of thousands went back and forth for about 30 more minutes, and when the last agenda item was finished.
I was the first to rise from my seat and gave an order to everyone.
"Then we will begin moving in 10 minutes. All dismissed."
"Loyalty!"
The officers saluted in unison and then dispersed outside the tent.
As the bustling sounds of military boots and clanking armor subsided, only silence filled the wide temporary tent.
The only people left were Belletria and I sitting at the head seat, and Ruamel, who stood quietly like a shadow behind me, just the three of us.
I pushed the strategy map into a leather case and glanced sideways.
Belletria, with her chin propped, had been silently staring at my face for a while now.
With those crimson eyes from which I couldn't grasp her thoughts at all.
Uncomfortable for some reason under Belletria's persistent gaze, I fidgeted with the collar of my uniform.
That was when.
Ruamel, who had been silently holding her position, moved her head as if gauging the strange atmosphere between us two.
Then, she took one step forward, bowed her head carefully, and spoke.
"I will bring some tea to drink, momentarily."
"No, wait..."
Without giving me a chance to stop her, Ruamel instantly transformed from her appearance as a Lieutenant Colonel who came to participate in the operation into the handmaiden Ruamel.
She opened the tent entrance and went out without even looking back.
And so, inside the wide tent, only Belletria and I were left alone now.
'Ugh...'
Taking another glance at Belletria's face, in order to change this awkward and ticklish atmosphere,
it was the moment I was about to ponder what topic to start a new conversation on.
"Idelon... do you resent the Rehentra Kingdom?"
Belletria spoke to me first with a question I hadn't expected at all.
"... Huh? What do you mean...?"
When I cautiously asked back, unable to grasp the intent of the question at all,
she got up from her seat and began walking around inside the tent, clomp clomp, continuing her words.
"Take the question literally. I am asking if you want me to repay all the resentment over a life that suffered for over 20 years due to being a bastard child, and over being abandoned for the survival of the kingdom."
"Ah... I see."
Revenge.
Frankly, it would be a lie to say I didn't want it.
In fact, right after winning Belletria's favor, I had vowed to take revenge on Rehentra in some way.
Moreover, the current Rehentra, which has been driven out of the Kingdom Alliance due to its defeat by the Empire,
if I so desired, it would be entirely possible to perfectly annihilate it within three days.
But the question of why she was asking such a thing right now held me back.
'Is she asking with the intention of helping if I truly want revenge with pure intentions?'
That possibility was almost high.
She wasn't the type of woman to test me with some ulterior motive at this point.
So, after pondering for a moment, I decided to just speak my honest, unfiltered feelings.
"I desire revenge."
"... In that case."
"However, there is also no need to take revenge. Thanks to those trash-like humans, I was able to escape the hell that was Rehentra, and I was able to meet you, Belletria."
"......"
Belletria, who was about to say something, momentarily froze solid due to my sudden confession.
And after her lips twitched for a long while, she then, once again, with her earlobes turning ever so slightly red, said,
"Idelon, you truly... are the easiest man to understand among the humans I've met, yet simultaneously the man I understand the least... do you know that?"
"Should I take that as a compliment?"
"... I don't quite know either."
With those words, Belletria took Ruamel, who entered at the perfect timing, and went back outside.
A night so dark you couldn't see an inch ahead.
With clouds parting and faint moonlight occasionally illuminating the path,
the front of the first defensive line of the capital, Rohaton, had already turned into a chaotic battlefield.
A melee that broke out immediately upon arrival, as the advance was slightly delayed compared to expectations.
"Kyaaaak!"
"Don't fall back! Maintain formation!"
The sounds of swords clashing and flesh being cut could be heard from all sides.
And at the center of that chaos, the Empire's Magic Artillery Battalion and mages were busily moving.
It was because the one magic artillery shell fired just a moment ago was insufficient to completely destroy the sturdy wall protecting the capital.
Confirming the wall that had crumbled about halfway, they hurriedly reorganized their formation to load a second shell.
The Kingdom forces, who wouldn't miss that gap, desperately raised their shields and poured out through the gaps in the wall.
"Target the artillery first!!"
"As long as the wall doesn't fall, we can win! Cut down those bastards!"
Hundreds of enemies, as if throwing away their lives, charged toward the magic artillery units.
And I, thanks solely to the one position of Commander-in-Chief, watching the entire situation from the safest place at the very rear, sank into very deep contemplation.
'We have exactly only one magic artillery shell left as a spare. If it doesn't collapse even after firing that, things will get annoying.'
It was a point where tactical judgment was becoming necessary.
To confirm the Emperor's intentions, I naturally turned my head to the side.
"Your Majesty, the remaining shell..."
However, where my gaze landed, a completely unexpected person was standing dumbly instead of Belletria.
It was Ruamel, wearing a uniquely shaped mixed leather and mithril armor that elegantly covered her upper body and one shoulder.
I asked, slightly puzzled.
"Ruamel. Where has Her Majesty gone?"
"......"
Ruamel looked at me once with her usual expressionless, dry face,
then, without any answer, raised her hand and pointed toward the middle of the battlefield.
I slowly shifted my gaze following the tip of her finger.
It was that moment.
Fwaaaat—!
In the very center of the dark battlefield, a piercingly blue light flashed once, for a mere instant.
And immediately after the light faded, I couldn't help but doubt my eyes.
The hundreds of Kingdom soldiers who had been charging toward the artillery battalion while shouting.
They were frozen stiff in place as if someone had stopped time.
Their armor and spear tips, even the hot breath puffing from their mouths, were perfectly frozen, covered in pure white frost.
Silence instantly descended upon the battlefield.
In the very center of it, just before the half-crumbled wall, silver hair tinged with blue light fluttered in the night wind.
"Your... Majesty?"
It was Belletria.
Simultaneously, a familiar voice flowed into my mind, which was blankly staring only at her back, unable to grasp the situation.
'I am quite pleased to have the opportunity to show my Fiancé a part of my combat power.'
Soon after, a piercingly blue chill began to emanate from the sword in her hand.
The aura of the Snow Flower Imperial Sword.
The thick aura extending from the sword instantly expanded, then began to burn with a shape far larger and more overwhelming than the massive wall before her.
She lightly twisted her wrist and drew the giant aura downward.
There was no massive sound of something collapsing.
Only the sound of something tearing and the wall splitting, just once.
Echoing across the silent battlefield.
And soon, the sturdy wall of Rohaton, with a thickness reaching 15 meters,
was cleanly sliced in two in a straight line, as if cutting soft butter.
The sight of the giant stone blocks sliding and crumbling along the frost-covered cut surface...
I could only swallow dryly and watch.