Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: The Betrayed General Betrays
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Two months later.
“I'm Dominic Smith, chief gunsmith of the Anchester Kingdom.”
“Oh, pleased to work with you.”
Dominic had temporarily joined the empire, and preparations for full-scale production of the matchlock musket were underway.
“Have you ever tried rifling the inside of the barrel?”
“Rifling it in a spiral does make the bullets fly more accurately, but the problem is that the bullet has to fit snugly, which makes machining and loading far too difficult.”
“If we use these Lorenz bullets, wouldn't that offset the drawback?”
“...I'll look into it.”
Rifling the barrel was technically challenging, so I just mentioned it as a hint and moved on.
“What do you think about attaching a structure to fix a bayonet to the front of the barrel?”
“Attaching a sword? What do you mean?”
“The rear is heavy where the mechanism is, but if we attach a sword to the sturdy, weighted front end of the gun, it could be used like a spear in a pinch. Wouldn't that be more efficient than carrying a separate sidearm, like just wearing a dagger?”
“A sword on the end of a gun... Heh.”
Instead, I prepared bayonets to dramatically boost the infantry's close-combat capabilities.
Since tactics for using guns haven't been fully established yet, this alone should show overwhelming power.
“First rank, ready to fire!”
-Click.
“Fire!”
-Bang!
“First rank, fall back! Second rank, ready to fire!”
The Crimson Dragon Legion, having received their firearms, began full-scale training: forming ranks, volley fire, reloading drills, bayonet practice, and more.
Since the base ingredients for gunpowder were available in both the empire and the Brotan Kingdom, there was no need to worry about shortages.
Considering the Crimson Dragon Legion's training progress and the delivery date for additional supplies, I planned the western expedition for three months from now.
In the meantime, I intended to thoroughly train the Crimson Dragon Legion and deploy them in battle.
“Legion Commander! Victor Legion Commander!”
However, in the midst of training the Crimson Dragon Legion,
“A coup has broken out in the Ruth Kingdom, led by Pavel Andreyev, and Pavel has seized the throne!”
A messenger delivered the news to me.
“In response, General Josef Steiner has marched under the pretext of the coup and is currently besieging Zabrinsk!”
“...”
The generals left in the Ruth Kingdom had finally played into their own hands, delivering this shocking news.
“...I thought the truce had little time left, but I didn't expect them to fail to even see it through.”
Anna, who had heard the news alongside me, offered her calm assessment.
And I fell deep into thought.
There were no further surprises.
Zabrinsk fell before long, and with the capital lost, the Ruth Kingdom officially surrendered.
It took less than a month from Josef mobilizing his forces to the Ruth Kingdom's surrender.
Luise decided to fully annex the Ruth Kingdom.
“What should we do with your homeland? If you make a request, I intend to grant it.”
“No. Please do as Your Majesty wishes.”
Before deciding, Luise asked for my opinion, but I simply told her to follow her own will.
She sent me away with a slightly displeased expression.
“Josef Steiner, I appoint you as governor of the northern occupied territories. Show the people suffering under the Ruth Kingdom's tyranny the mercy and benevolence of the Dragonia Empire.”
In the subsequent awards ceremony, Josef, who had returned to the capital in triumph, was placed in charge of the Ruth Kingdom occupied territories.
Perhaps because the occupied lands lacked resources and manpower, Luise—who had kept most of the Brotan Kingdom territories under direct imperial control—divided the northern lands among those who had earned merits in the Northern War.
“...”
I stood quietly behind Gerhard, watching as the Ruth Kingdom's lands were dismantled one by one under Luise's declarations.
My mind grew complicated.
I had few real memories or attachments, and after spending months in the Dragonia Empire already, I thought it wouldn't bother me.
Yet seeing the Ruth Kingdom vanish completely from the map felt strangely off.
Perhaps my conflicted feelings showed.
“You look tired, General. Why not rest early tonight?”
On the way back to my quarters, Anna said to me.
“I'm fine. I won't work too late, so no need to worry.”
“...Yes, General.”
Even after I said I was fine, the concern on Anna's face didn't fade.
...Did I still have lingering attachments to the Ruth Kingdom?
After being enemies for so long, it wouldn't be strange if some feelings—good or bad—had built up.
But if it was noticeable enough for others to see, I couldn't just leave it be.
To shake off the last remnants of attachment, I headed to the prison where the Ruth Kingdom's captives were held.
Pavel and Yuri had been captured during the siege of Zabrinsk and transferred to Rainesburg.
Unlike Antoine and the Brotan Kingdom hostages, who were at least treated with nominal respect, they had been thrown into prison as examples, in line with Luise's policy of fully annexing the Ruth Kingdom.
“...Is this the result of your 'decisive action'? Locked in a damp cell, eating hard bread?”
Pavel tore into his ration of bread and vented his frustration at Yuri, imprisoned alongside him.
“Didn't I tell you to send a letter to the Dragonia Empire right away? If we hadn't wasted time on that celebratory banquet...”
“Weren't you the one agreeing it was fine? You said it would help relieve tension.”
“This mess happened because we couldn't negotiate properly with the empire! Are you blaming me now that we're here?”
Yuri raised his voice in retort, and their noisy argument echoed through the prison.
After bickering over faults for a while, they froze at the sound of—
-Creeeak.
“...!”
the prison entrance opening, clamping their mouths shut reflexively.
“...What? Th...”
“...”
As the sound of the guard talking to someone grew closer, Yuri and Pavel sat with faint hopes.
Moments later,
“They're in here.”
“Hm, thanks.”
The door to their cell opened, revealing a man in the black uniform of the imperial army.
Pavel recognized the face.
“...Victor?”
He could make it out even in the dim cell light.
“Victor? You...”
Yuri flushed and started toward him, but sat back down upon seeing the guard watching from beyond the bars.
“You've become a proper imperial officer. Come to mock us?”
Pavel sneered, eyeing Victor's uniform emblazoned with imperial symbols.
“Hm... Strictly speaking, you might be right.”
Victor nodded slightly with a faint smile.
“Ha! The traitor who should be most ashamed of all dares to mock us? Commoners have no loyalty to their nation, do they? No wonder they're commoners.”
“Ingratitude is the hallmark of commoners. So, when do you plan to betray the empire?”
They could have begged for better treatment, but fawning over Victor—whom they had never liked even back in the kingdom—went against their pride.
Yuri and Pavel naturally teamed up, mocking Victor to cling to their last shred of dignity.
To their barbs,
“...Hm.”
Victor's expression hardened as he glared at Yuri.
“Do you see me as a traitor?”
“What else? A general of our kingdom handed our main forces straight to the empire. If that's not betrayal, what is?”
Pavel held back, sensing something ominous, but Yuri kept firing away.
“Haha. I agree.”
Victor smiled at Yuri, agreeing, then
“Then doesn't that make you traitors too?”
curled his lips into a smirk.
“What?”
“I'm told no noble refused the proposal to sell me out, including you two. You must know the efforts I've made for the Ruth Kingdom all this time.”
“Th...”
“Did you really not know what it meant to hand me over for a one-year truce?”
Victor leaned in, locking eyes with Yuri.
“Weren't you trying to run away? Pack up your wealth and flee like Nikolai!”
“...”
Victor scolded Yuri with a smiling face, then
“Well, no matter. Thanks to you, I've gained certainty.”
his expression hardened again.
Yuri felt chills creeping up his arms at Victor's shifting demeanor.
“I'll become a hero. Since someone expects it, I have to, right? I'll unify this continent and bring peace to these chaotic times. It's paradoxical to call it a war for peace, but it fits the continent's reality best.”
“...You're mad.”
At Pavel's mutter, Victor turned to him and tilted his head slightly.
“'Mad'? I'm not sure. You lot, betraying me out of lust for power and mindlessly staging a coup that doomed the nation—you look more insane to me.”
“Ha, that's...”
“I know without you saying. Your excuses are predictable. 'It didn't go as planned,' or something, just like always.”
Victor raised his hand to silence Pavel.
“Still, I'm grateful. If I'd stayed in the Ruth Kingdom, I'd still be trapped in the north, gasping under your scrutiny and schemes.”
He left his final thoughts, turning away with a relieved expression.
“Thanks to you, I've shed every last attachment. As reward, I'll ask Her Majesty to let you go painlessly at the end.”
“...Huh?”
“Wait, what do you...”
-Thud.
Victor left with lighter steps than he'd entered, and the cell door shut again.
Sensing their fate, Pavel and Yuri exchanged glances, then
“You provoked him for no reason, and now this. Satisfied?”
“...Saying that again?”
began arguing once more, as always.
To ignore the damp, chilly prison air.