Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Diplomatic Directives
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At Gerhard's sudden summons, I headed to his office with Anna.
-Knock knock.
"Supreme Commander. Deputy Supreme Commander Victor has arrived."
The moment Anna announced our arrival, attaching the provisional title to my name,
"Come in right away."
Gerhard's voice came from inside, as if he'd been waiting for me.
-Click.
"Come on in."
As I opened the door and entered, Gerhard rose from his seat to greet me, while his adjutant stood silently behind him and gave me a slight nod.
I approached the desk where Gerhard had been sitting.
"Deputy Supreme Commander Victor reporting. Supreme Commander, what did you need me for?"
"Hm. There's something I wanted your opinion on."
Gerhard returned my salute with a raise of his right hand, then opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out an envelope that appeared to contain a letter.
It was striking at first glance for its luxurious packaging, but even more so for the seal of the Dragonia Empire's imperial family stamped on the outside.
"This."
"..."
"When I sent up the report summarizing the situation here, I inquired about His Majesty's intentions regarding the Brotan Kingdom. This is the reply that arrived today."
He handed me the envelope with his usual even tone, but his expression carried a hint of anticipation.
Gerhard's name was written on the recipient line of the envelope.
"...His Majesty's orders?"
"If you're asking about the contents, yes. As for showing it to you... well, let's just call it my own decision for now."
"I see."
I didn't take the envelope right away.
This envelope contained a direct message from the emperor to Gerhard personally, and he'd said showing it to me was his unilateral choice. It made me wary.
I wondered if he truly just wanted my pure opinion, as he'd said earlier, or if there was some other intent.
"Is it safe to share this openly?"
As I cautiously voiced my unease,
"Of course. You're the first I've shown it to, but everyone will know in a few days anyway."
He actively tried to ease my concerns.
If it was something everyone would learn soon, there was no real risk just from reading it.
The contents might change that, but if his intent was to hear my thoughts before deciding, it wasn't a bad thing at all.
"...Understood."
I took the envelope he held out and pulled out the contents to read.
"..."
The letter was filled with ornate, flowery language.
I skimmed past the fluff and quickly read the key points.
Most of it referenced the report Gerhard had written and praised the soldiers for their great victory.
My name came up occasionally, but Gerhard wouldn't have called me here just for that, so I ignored it.
As I sped through to the latter half,
"...Hah."
I grasped what Gerhard wanted to ask.
After finishing the letter, I folded it neatly and slipped it back into the envelope.
"All done?"
"Yes."
I handed the envelope back to Gerhard and glanced around. His adjutant, who had been standing behind him when I entered, had now moved right next to the door.
Sensing that movement as some kind of signal, I instructed Anna, who was behind me.
"Anna, could you wait outside for a bit?"
It might come off as rude, and if it was just a misunderstanding, it could backfire on me.
But considering his consistently favorable attitude and his mention of "something I want your opinion on," combined with the letter's contents, I was confident this was right.
Gerhard, who valued the youth of Friedrich and me highly, would see this not as rudeness but as boldness or self-assurance.
"Understood, Deputy Supreme Commander."
Anna nodded without hesitation, quietly closed the door, and left.
"...Ho. Adjutant, could you step out as well? I'll call if needed."
"Yes."
As expected, Gerhard let out a small exclamation of admiration and dismissed his adjutant too.
-Click.
The door closed, leaving just Gerhard and me in the office.
"Hahaha! Quick on the uptake—good. I can take that to mean you know what I want?"
"Yes."
He laughed heartily as he came around the desk and sat on the sofa in the center of the office.
"You know what I was going to ask, right? This'll take a while, so come sit comfortably."
"Yes."
I sat on the sofa opposite him, facing him directly.
"First, I should show you this."
He pulled another envelope sealed with the emperor's stamp from his pocket and handed it to me.
No need to hold back now, so I took it immediately.
"...Orders, huh."
"That's right. It arrived with the letter."
The document inside confirmed the emperor's orders, solidifying the diplomatic authority over the eastern kingdoms mentioned in the letter.
"Congratulations, Supreme Commander."
"Haha, congratulations, you say."
"Being granted diplomatic authority over the Brotan Kingdom and the other eastern nations—it's the result of the trust you've built up, isn't it?"
"Thank you, Deputy Supreme Commander."
Gerhard nodded briefly at my congratulations, then
"...But of course, I didn't dismiss the adjutants just for congratulations."
shifted his posture and looked at me with a serious expression.
"Of course not."
"You'd know why I called you first, specifically."
"I'll do my best."
"Good. Speak confidently."
Gerhard wasn't hiding his expectations at all, so I hardened my expression and straightened up in response.
I knew diplomacy in reality was worlds apart from clicking a few buttons in a game, but I had no intention of being seen as just a general good at commanding.
"At present, Brotan Kingdom's options are extremely limited."
I opened confidently, as he'd requested.
"Limited, you say. Why is that?"
Gerhard smiled with interest and prompted me.
"There are three nations east of our Dragonia Empire: Brotan Kingdom, Ildmar Kingdom, and Kaen Kingdom."
"Correct. And the diplomatic authority granted to me covers those three."
"Brotan Kingdom shares borders with both of the others. It's on friendly terms with Ildmar Kingdom, but it just fought a war with Kaen Kingdom."
"I heard Brotan Kingdom won a major victory under King Guillaume II's personal command."
"Yes. Kaen Kingdom lost the battle and was pushed back across the Ar River."
One key aspect of diplomacy is grasping the strategic situation.
Gerhard, with his extensive experience delegating diplomatic authority, surely knew that, so I made sure to highlight my awareness first.
"In the midst of that, Brotan Kingdom suffered an unexpected defeat against the Empire. Having lost all three defensive strongholds, rather than finishing off Kaen Kingdom pushed across the river, they'll likely seek a ceasefire there, secure Ildmar Kingdom's cooperation, and focus on the immediate threat from the Empire."
"Hm..."
This was introductory basics, so Gerhard just nodded without much reaction.
"But with Brotan Kingdom unable to fully recover from their defeat, an immediate counterattack is impossible, and the initiative lies with us in the Dragonia Empire."
"..."
"We're also in a tough spot for further advances without reinforcements, so we'll prepare for negotiations—but the content will vary depending on our goals. I see three main objectives."
"Three, hm."
To build trust and conviction with Gerhard, who now showed light interest and expectation, I began warming up slowly to share my views.
"First: aim for a settlement through minor concessions. Brotan Kingdom needs time to shake off their defeat and reorganize, so they'll respond actively to our negotiation attempts."
"Hm."
"But agreeing to a ceasefire after losing Anyak, Saint Touar, and Montpiyu would mean Brotan Kingdom's downfall is just a matter of time—they know that. Negotiations will drag on without resolution."
I made sure to note that I was considering the kingdom's perspective in proposing alternatives.
"Having already lost a major battle, Brotan Kingdom will hesitate to accept unfavorable terms and appear weak. Neither the nobles nor the king will risk politically dangerous decisions."
"So that's why you suggest concessions."
"Exactly. In the long term, the Empire's superior national power gives us the edge, so we return some occupied territory without losing our advantage, securing a solid ceasefire."
Even with the Empire in a strong position, our deployable national strength has limits, making this a viable goal.
It's the safest option with minimal variables, preserving gains without further expenditure.
But it means giving back territories won with soldiers' blood and sweat, and crucially, the Empire in such a superior position has no need to concede.
Practicality matters, but diplomacy can't ignore face.
"...And the second?"
Gerhard, aware of this, slightly hardened his expression and asked for the next.
"Second: drag out negotiations at a level favorable to us."
"Drag it out?"
"Not entirely absurd proposals, but ones Brotan can't accept—use it to buy time."
"So we prepare in the meantime."
"Yes. Brotan, having lost a large force, has clear limits on what they can do. We've seized terrain highly favorable for defense. Stabilizing the rear and supply lines while fortifying will block most variables, letting us weather their counterattack before negotiating."
"..."
"If we crush their scheme, we can negotiate favorably without concessions."
This second option addresses the shortcomings of the first.
It's realistic and not wrong, but relatively passive.
The outcome is certain, but it takes time—far from what Gerhard expected from me.
"Deputy Commander."
"Yes."
"All sound advice. My thoughts align with yours. However..."
By now, Gerhard realized the prior options were setup for my final proposal's validity.
If he'd sought military advice, I'd have jumped straight to the point without prep. But this was diplomacy.
It felt like blinding oneself to play hide-and-seek, but with no track record of diplomatic success, I needed to lay solid groundwork for a bold proposal.
"Something more... you, perhaps. I'd like to hear a proposal more in your style."
So instead of disappointment, Gerhard seemed expectant of my third.
"Understood."
For him,
"The final objective: use negotiations not to give Brotan even time to regroup, but as a tool to pressure them into rash moves."
I revealed my true aim without holding back.
"...Already enjoying this. Go on."
At my third objective, Gerhard's lips curved into a wide grin.