344. Advance (1)
344. Advance (1)
- 1 -
In the secret conference room of the Norn Empire's imperial palace, a chill hung in the air.
It was here that the emperor normally discussed affairs of state with only a handful of trusted confidants, and now it held the empire's greatest strategists, including Foreign Minister Andolph.
Their expressions were uniformly grim.
'Driaz has finally been incorporated into Leoper.'
Shocking news that had arrived from the west a few days prior.
And the disgraceful situation unfolding on the northern border with Hilsa.
The face of Emperor Maximilian was stiffer than ever.
"Mobilizing a large army immediately is out of the question. Not only can we not be certain of victory, but Eligos is eyeing the Tailrand every moment."
Foreign Minister Andolph spoke calmly as he looked down at the map of the Eastern Continent spread across the table.
A shadow of exhaustion was deeply etched onto his face from the conferences that had continued for days on end, but his conviction appeared firm.
It had been two weeks since the news of Duke Driaz's surrender had arrived and the negotiations concluded.
During that time, the standoff between the Hilsa-Norn and Orbis-Aririt forces had continued without pause.
It was a result of the emperor's will to prevent the allied adventurers from setting foot on his nation's soil.
That army had to be withdrawn.
"Your Majesty. Though it is certainly a blow to our pride, a rash, full-scale war must be avoided."
The representative of the Imperial Military Strategists' Council carefully added his opinion.
The power of the Duchy of Leoper, which until now had only been felt through rumors—no, the presence of its 'Steel Wing,' Elena Leoper—was beyond imagination.
The wars she had fought in the past were of a localized or territorial scale, which was partly why the empire had not paid them any particular attention. But this battle could not be ignored no matter how they tried.
"The power Elena Leoper displayed... far exceeded expectations. We have yet to fully grasp their true capabilities. If we act rashly, the empire could suffer damage from which recovery would be difficult."
Emperor Maximilian's thick white eyebrows shot up into an inverted V-shape.
The face beneath them was flushed crimson, looking as if it might burst at any moment.
The emperor's lips twitched.
But in the end, he swallowed his objection and closed his mouth.
He too knew that the foreign minister and the strategists were right...
"That does not mean we can simply do nothing!"
Even if he did not voice it, there were those who stepped forward in his stead.
One of the hardline nobles, a man whispered to be nothing more than the emperor's sycophant, raised his voice.
"If word spreads that the empire retreated out of fear, its authority will plummet to the ground! The surrounding nations will look down upon the empire, and cracks will form in our dominion!"
"Dominion can be restored at any time! But an elite force cannot be raised quickly!"
Heated debate broke out among the officials.
Emperor Maximilian listened carefully to the opinions of both sides.
The danger of a full-scale war was far too great.
Striking a balance between imperial pride and the realistic threat was not easy.
Yet taking no action at all would not only damage the empire's prestige, but would also mean leaving the rapid growth of the Central Alliance unchecked.
"Hoo..."
"What is to be done..."
In the midst of the heated debate, officials who noticed the emperor furrowing his brow calmed themselves and exchanged glances.
After a long moment of anguish, the emperor spoke.
His voice was heavy, but resolve was evident in it.
"A direct, full-scale war... will be avoided."
The faces of the hardline nobles twisted, then, in the next moment, brightened.
"However, the will of the empire must be demonstrated."
Beneath his thick white eyebrows, the emperor's eyes glinted coldly.
Action was needed to protect the empire's prestige.
But if they moved directly and were defeated, that would be an even greater disgrace.
The emperor's gaze turned to Foreign Minister Andolph.
"Is Aririt sufficiently prepared?"
"Yes. The archduke is already reinforcing his troops in preparation for border clashes with Orbis. However..."
"However?"
"Additional support will be necessary. With Aririt's current strength alone, facing the Duchy might be possible, but standing against the Alliance will be difficult."
The emperor immediately spread his hand and gave his order.
"Contact Archduke Aririt. The empire will provide full support to the Duchy of Aririt. Promise him that we will send troops, supplies, and everything necessary without stint."
Andolph nodded.
The Duchy of Aririt was a vassal state of the Norn Empire, situated between the empire and the Duchy of Orbis.
It was the optimal location for a proxy war to pressure Orbis.
"Instruct the archduke to conduct a 'defensive offensive' on the Orbis border. Even if it does not directly invade imperial territory, he must constantly pressure and provoke the Orbis side, dispersing their strength and forcing them to reveal their weaknesses."
On the surface, it would be a policy of 'defense,' but in reality, it was an 'attack' spearheaded by Aririt.
A strategy in which the empire supported from behind and observed the situation, while Aririt bore the risk.
It was a form of attack the empire had often employed against Hysen in the past, but this time was different.
If possible, the emperor intended to seize the territories of Orbis and Hilsa and suppress the Alliance as much as possible.
"Do not relax vigilance on the Hilsa border either. There is no telling when the Alliance's 'White Witch' might turn her eyes in that direction."
The emperor tapped the armrest of his chair as he stared at the Grakheisen Alliance in the center of the map.
Their meteoric rise was shaking the Norn Empire's long-held plans to advance into the central part of the continent.
He could only hope that this proxy war would succeed in breaking their momentum and re-establishing the empire's authority.
- 2 -
In the Golden Palace of Zallekarielrit, capital of the Duchy of Aririt.
Inside a spacious office bathed in sunlight, the Archduke of Aririt was reading an imperial edict that had just arrived.
From his brown beard streaked with white, his robust physique, and his blue eyes, the long years of experience gained from striding across battlefields were palpable.
"His Majesty is finally moving."
When the messenger from his old liege arrived at the duchy, Grimbart felt both anticipation and a sense of burden.
The kind of message that would come at this point was obvious, and the recent news of Leoper's victory from the west had only heightened his anxiety.
"His Majesty has said he will support us with troops and supplies without stint. Your Highness!"
The message the envoy delivered only made the archduke's expression grow more serious.
He was a general, but he was also a king.
He could not help but consider the national burden that would result from this battle.
'But...'
The archduke's blue eyes sank into deep thought.
This matter was also an opportunity to avenge the humiliations suffered so far.
For the past several weeks, small-scale skirmishes between reconnaissance units had continued on the Orbis-Aririt border.
7 to 3.
That was the ratio of victories to defeats Aririt had suffered in those skirmishes.
Aririt's disadvantage.
For Archduke Grimbart, who took pride in his nation's armed forces, it was an unavoidable blow to his pride.
'Now, with the empire's full support...'
His grip tightened on the armrest.
'...this is an opportunity.'
A faint smile appeared on the archduke's lips.
Now was the time when they could contest not just Orbis, but even the Alliance behind it.
"Reinforce the border guard immediately! As soon as the empire's support arrives, we will show the Orbis bastards the might of the empire!"
The archduke issued his commands in a powerful voice.
His close aides were also encouraged by his momentum, though some still expressed concerns.
Iselda, the archduke's eldest daughter and second child, stepped forward.
"Your Highness. The western border of the Duchy of Leoper is stabilizing. We must also consider the possibility that their support may arrive in Orbis."
"I have heard she is a monster, to the point of rumors calling her a demonic beast."
The archduke's brow furrowed slightly.
His pride had been wounded.
Elena's feat of defeating thirty thousand with ten thousand was certainly worthy of respect as a fellow warrior and general, but at the same time, he was a grand general who had not withdrawn from the field in thirty years.
"Of course, if Your Highness steps forward, none would dare think of opposing our army, but it is also true that the soldiers feel fear due to her recent achievements."
Iselda, realizing her remark had pricked the Father's pride, hurriedly added an explanation, but her words only deepened the furrow between the archduke's brows.
Of course, the archduke himself was not entirely free of unease.
Could it truly be enough just with the empire's support?
And what manner of existence was that 'power behind Hysen' said to be lurking behind Orbis?
But he could not back down.
He could not afford to lose the empire's favor.
To keep his position within the Norn Empire unshaken, he had to produce results in this opportunity.
"If that whelp is a demonic beast, then I am the hero of the empire, Iselda, Logistics Administrator."
The archduke rose from his seat and spoke to his daughter as he struck the floor with an inverted sword.
"I will personally lead the northern expedition. I will bring down the sword of justice and judgment upon the wicked, corrupted ones of Orbis, Leoper, and even Grakheisen."
In the end, he chose to conceal his inner unease and cling to the hardline course.
What kind of repercussions his and the empire's decision would bring, no one could yet know.
- 3 -
Atrium, capital of the Duchy of Orbis.
In the inner castle's office there, Amelia, the young woman who had come to sit in the archduke's seat, knelt before someone.
"I was told you sought me urgently, Amelia."
"Yes, Teacher."
Her official title was countess.
However, her true identity was that of Philia Elskopf—Libertas—the de facto leader of the Alliance to which Orbis belonged.
Her figure streamed out from the crystal ball and formed an image, and the scenery beyond her was the interior cabin of the 'Black Lily,' still en route to Kaitna Port.
"The empire has begun to move as expected. They are attempting to pressure us, Orbis, through the duchy."
Libertas, seated comfortably in her cabin, nodded slightly and rested her chin on her hand.
'As I thought.'
Zenota's defeat and Leoper's expansion had sent ripples across the entire continent, and it was obvious that the Norn Empire would be one of the nations to react most strongly.
Norn's response was the most likely of the several scenarios Libertas had anticipated—a middling course.
The worst course would have been for both Norn and Aririt to advance; the best would have been for them to withdraw on some pretext and focus on defense.
Even if their pride stung immediately, their borders would not be pushed back.
"Master."
"Thank you."
Saya, who had come over while still in the middle of dressing, spread a continental map onto the table.
Libertas smiled toward her as she spoke.
"Amelia."
"Yes, Teacher."
"For now, stall for time with defensive tactics. The moment for a counterattack will be after Evangeline brings Hysen's forces down. They will be thirsting for revenge and achievements, so even buying a little time will make it easy to draw out their weaknesses."
Amelia carefully offered a counterpoint.
"The Archducal House of Aririt is a renowned family of generals. They have made their name famous through martial glory for generations. I wonder if you are not underestimating them..."
"Of course he is capable. But..."
Libertas nodded at her loyal advice.
"Those who belong to a group... especially those who belong to large ones, are often unable to exercise their wisdom as they wish."
Her expectations were directed beyond Aririt, toward the empire itself.
A nation that had expanded for ages.
And yet, an empire that had achieved no notable conquests in the last fifty years.
The nobles of that empire, and even the emperor.
"Maximilian..."
Libertas's voice sank low.
It was a voice that still held warmth, yet exuded a certain insidious power.
"...will definitely make a mistake."
Her fingertip touched Zallekarielrit on the map.
Amelia, on the other side of the crystal ball, flinched.
It was because the intensity felt in that gesture, piercing like an arrow, transmitted across space itself.
"That will be the empire's last chance."
Libertas's eyes gleamed darkly.
Eyes in which violet magical power swirled.
At that gaze from her teacher, Amelia felt goosebumps rise all over her body and bowed her head.
"As I said, ensure they cannot cross into my lands."
Over her bowed head, Libertas gave her instructions, her expression having returned to one of gentle warmth almost before she knew it.
"Until I go."
"... Yes, Teacher. I shall follow your command."
Even after the crystal ball lost its light, she could not lift her head for a long while.