Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: The Betrayed General Betrays
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After several days of marching, we arrived at Manzheim, where the main force of the 5th Legion was stationed.
"The soldiers seem to be repairing the palisades and walls."
As Alexandrov beside me said, I could see troops that appeared to belong to the 5th Legion wielding hammers and working away.
Ballistae and quivers of arrows had been positioned atop the walls, and the gates were firmly shut.
"...They don't look like they're planning to launch an attack."
"Maybe they haven't received His Majesty's orders yet."
"Hmm..."
I shook my head at Erika's hopeful assessment.
Considering the evaluations of this Volker Rommel I'd heard from the officers, it was unlikely to be such a simple situation.
He was sensitive about achievements but said to be incredibly stubborn.
"This might be their answer."
"Their answer?"
"Yeah."
To me, the 5th Legion's stance looked like a deliberate show of refusing to change their attitude.
"For now, we should talk to Legion Commander Volker Rommel."
"..."
We marched toward the gates in a heavy atmosphere, and as we approached, they soon swung open.
A group of uniformed officers emerged from inside to greet us.
"Welcome, Legion Commander Victor. I am Baron Florian Palts, aide to Count Volker Rommel."
Florian extended his right arm in greeting.
A disagreeable smile played on his lips.
"..."
I didn't like his emphasis on his title or his rudeness toward a fellow legion commander, so I simply stared at him in response.
"..."
After staring back at me for a moment, he lowered his right arm again.
"The legion commander of the Red Dragon Legion, Victor."
Only then did I offer him my right hand.
He bit his lip slightly as he clasped it.
"...Lord Rommel is handling paperwork in his office. I'll guide you there."
"Very well."
I followed Florian's lead to Volker's office.
"...Ga."
"Those guys..."
For some unknown reason, the atmosphere inside was already tense.
The soldiers we passed on the way to the office glanced at our group and muttered under their breath.
I couldn't make out most of it,
"They treat other legions like mere tools, those despicable bastards..."
"...Hah."
Thanks to one helpful officer's mutterings, I could guess what was going on.
"That guy right there..."
"No, let it be. We need to speak with Legion Commander Volker first."
"...We'll punish that officer separately later."
It seemed they'd heard that the entire Red Dragon Legion was armed with guns and taken offense.
Or perhaps they were unhappy about needing to launch an attack to check Paris Kingdom and San Bastian Kingdom.
"No need for punishment. The Red Dragon Legion and the 5th Legion must join forces to bring down Esperia Kingdom. No point stirring up unnecessary trouble."
"...Understood."
After noting the officers following Florian twitching their eyes at the mention of cooperation, I stayed silent until we reached the office.
The Red Dragon Legion officers seemed dissatisfied by the series of events but followed quietly behind me since I said nothing.
"...The Red Dragon Legion's commander has arrived."
"Hm."
Moments later, we came face-to-face with Volker reviewing documents in his office.
All I could see was his impression, but even from his pursed lips and sharp eyes, I could tell the officers' evaluations of him were spot on.
"I am Volker Rommel, commander of the 5th Legion, responsible for defending the border facing Esperia Kingdom."
"Red Dragon Legion Commander, Victor."
I greeted him courteously.
The 5th Legion's odd attitude was most likely due to Volker, but there was a slim chance it wasn't.
If he was someone we could work with, cooperation would benefit us both.
He shook my hand with a impassive expression.
Once the greetings ended,
"Did you bring the supplies?"
He mentioned supplies before any info on our legion or the enemy.
"...No items missing. Adjutant Anna."
"Yes, here."
"Hm, one moment..."
He kept us standing while slowly scanning the list of supplies we'd transported.
Florian smirked at us, as if holding back a laugh.
I already had a sense of what kind of person he was, but I couldn't judge hastily when tens of thousands of lives were at stake.
At least one meeting first, then I'd decide my stance.
As much as I disliked it, it was too early to show it, so I waited patiently for Volker.
"Can you leave the supplies in front of headquarters? I'll review and distribute them appropriately."
"Understood."
He picked up a pen and jotted something on the document.
It looked like noting important details, but his hand movements suggested he was just scribbling nonsense.
"...Shouldn't we discuss future plans?"
"You must be tired, so a meeting tomorrow would be better. It's a long way here. We've prepared barracks for the Red Dragon Legion, so rest easy today."
He must have received orders to press the attack swiftly, yet he responded leisurely with formal courtesy.
"What time and place for the meeting?"
"...10 a.m., in the conference room inside headquarters. Send any needed materials to Adjutant Palts in advance."
His hand toyed with the documents beside him.
He seemed to have lost all interest in us.
"Understood."
"Hm."
With that short exchange over, he turned back to his papers as if telling us to leave on our own.
-Thud.
I exited the office and closed the door.
I felt the original plan had gone slightly awry, but instead of voicing complaints, I turned to Florian who'd followed.
"Adjutant Florian. I need intel on enemy troop deployments, local terrain, the 5th Legion's preparations and dispositions."
Florian blinked at my request, then
"I can tell you that information right now."
opened his mouth with an irritating smile.
"The enemy is garrisoned in fortresses at Serona, Adense, and La Leon regions. Each has around 10,000 troops, and the terrain is mostly flat. The 5th Legion is currently repairing Manzheim's walls and preparing to defend against enemy attacks."
"..."
Florian's info was utterly useless.
Vague phrases like "~while" or "~on the flat side" were worse than nothing, and the 5th Legion's description was too nebulous.
This had to be deliberate.
"Could I get a compiled report on that?"
"Of course, we can provide it. We'll prepare it right after escorting you."
"...Very well."
No point pressing him further, so I requested a report and headed to our lodgings.
"Then, I'll be off."
-Click.
Florian covered his mouth and left promptly after showing us around,
"...This is weird."
"Are they insane?"
and with no listeners left, the officers immediately voiced their complaints.
"That Florian guy and even Legion Commander Volker—they don't seem to have any intention of fighting."
"10,000 each in those fortresses? If Esperia had that many, they'd have invaded long ago!"
"Enemy reinforcements could arrive anytime, but Volker's fussing over supplies instead..."
Their attitudes, the 5th Legion's lack of offensive posture—
the officers vented all their pent-up frustration from the short time.
After hearing them out,
"What do you think, General?"
"...You're not wrong, but I don't entirely fail to understand Volker's thinking. We can decide our stance after tomorrow's meeting."
"..."
"If the commander says so..."
I calmed them down for now.
Frankly, the 5th Legion's overall attitude offered little hope, but I still believed moving with them was best.
"The Red Dragon Legion isn't weak, but with 20,000 5th Legion troops helping, we could achieve far greater results. I'll do my best to persuade them."
"...Yes."
"Well, if worst comes to worst, we can just do it ourselves!"
"...Right! We've got cannons and guns—what can't we do?"
"Haha... Yes, we have our own ways."
If it really came to that, Heinrich was right—we might be better off attacking on our own. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I worked on paperwork that night waiting for Florian's materials, but nothing came.
They weren't delivered even by morning,
"Ah, Legion Commander Victor. Here are the materials. There were omissions, so it took time to fill them."
"..."
and I only received them right before the meeting started.
The meeting itself didn't go as I'd hoped.
"The enemy's fortresses have thick, sturdy walls."
"Using siege guns from Anchester Kingdom, we could neutralize them in moments."
"We've tried catapults and trebuchets to breach those forts before. Plus, the defending forces aren't small."
"His Majesty's orders are to attack them, and we have the capability!"
"Even if siege guns are powerful, what if the enemy matches or outnumbers us? The basics say you need double or triple the force to attack entrenched foes—doesn't that make it a bit risky for us?"
"...Hah."
The 5th Legion officers busied themselves refuting our officers,
"You said all 10,000 use guns. What if the enemy closes in?"
"Most are former heavy infantry, so some will hold shields or pikes to check their advance..."
"What if they come with shields and heavy armor? Or cavalry slips through our sight and charges fast—wouldn't that be tough?"
"We've prepared tactics for that. Besides, everyone knows the 5th Legion's pikemen are elite..."
"Ah, so we're to die while the Red Dragon Legion just twitches a finger to kill the enemy?"
"...What?"
They nitpicked our combat prowess, trying to downplay it.
Some arguments bordered on absurd, but Volker made no effort to rein them in.
On the contrary, he occasionally nodded in agreement and subtly watched our officers' reactions.
"If we beat Esperia, His Majesty might be right, but if we're annihilated, the Empire faces a huge crisis."
"..."
"Guns and cannons—they're defensive weapons, aren't they?"
What they pushed for was ultimately defense.
The 5th Legion officers acted as if they were already gripped by fear, ignoring the regional situation or unrest in the southeast.
"To make San Bastian and Paris move, Esperia will have to act eventually. Crushing the attackers and countering would yield bigger gains than attacking now, no?"
Even with elven guerrilla bands possibly crossing the border or orc hordes swelling their ranks.
Given the 5th Legion officers' stubbornness, my 'crisis' rationale wouldn't sway them easily.
They'd delayed the materials precisely for that.
"..."
Volker sat silent without voicing an opinion, but these officers were likely just proxies for his will.
If he was digging in this hard, I couldn't stay passive.
I gauged the enemy's strength, success odds, and pros/cons of going without the 5th Legion using the belated materials and my minimap.
...Evaluations of Volker highlighted his stubbornness, greed, and ambition as flaws, but no one called him incompetent.
No fool could hold legion command for years.
At minimum, he'd have the wits to exploit any openings I created with results.
"Our 5th Legion is..."
-Thud!
I finished my calculations, rose with conviction of overwhelming victory,
"Fine, if that's how you want it!"
drew all eyes with my shout,
and met Volker's apathetic gaze.
"Without the 5th Legion's help, we'll crush Esperia Kingdom ourselves."