Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: The Lobros Army Marches on Kara
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It was the heart of a chilly autumn, but Duke Bastain's Lobros Kingdom army showed no signs of movement at all, merely continuing with road construction and canal projects. According to history, it was about time for them to prepare to march toward Kara, yet there wasn't the slightest hint of that.
Thanks to this, the places where tempers were fraying were Hussein Castle and Alf Castle. It had been fine when their local lords, terrified of the massive Lobros army, pledged loyalty to the kingdom. But once Kara Castle's forces swelled to around 35,000, things took a strange turn.
Hussein Castle and Alf Castle lay six days' march and a fortnight's march to the east of Kara, respectively.
Though Kara Castle was now surrounded on both flanks by their surrenders, the Lobros army's inaction had instead put them in a bind.
If Kara exploited the stalled war by turning its army on them, they'd be thrust into a desperate crisis.
Hussein and Alf's forces numbered 1,700 and 1,900 men, respectively. Holding off Kara's tens of thousands was next to impossible.
In Kara's military council chamber, commanders from each unit and a few civil officials had gathered when Master Udin spoke first.
"The lords of Hussein and Alf are currently proposing peace negotiations to us."
Akam slammed the table with all his might, roaring in fury.
"That's absurd! They're traitors who betrayed their own people and turned their blades on us. Even if we stormed in right now and lopped off every last head, it wouldn't sate our rage. Peace talks? What nonsense is this?"
"Yet the ways of the world don't always bend to our will, do they? If Hussein and Alf return to our side, it would secure our rear for Kara."
As unrest threatened to erupt, I quickly jumped into the conversation.
"We can allow peace talks, but we won't accept their surrender."
"Pardon?"
"Guys who've betrayed us twice—think they won't do it a third time? Besides, taking them in now would widen our front lines. We'd have three places to defend instead of one, scattering our forces accordingly. It's far from ideal."
"Then what should we do?"
"Accept the peace negotiations in exchange for tribute, for now."
"Tribute?"
"Yeah. Essences would be perfect."
Kara currently had 3,600 mana shell launchers and 40 mana cannons produced. It was a respectable number, but producing more wouldn't hurt.
"And once the peace talks proceed?"
"Drag it out. That's what Hussein and Alf want too."
The reason Hussein and Alf were requesting peace now was fear of Kara's army. But they had no real desire to side with us either—the Lobros army scared them just as much.
If we strung things out, it'd be a relief for them.
"Understood."
I addressed the commanders and officials seated around me.
"We're never allying with Hussein or Alf. Teaming up with them brings zero benefits. And those two are yours for the taking. You're all busting your asses for Kara right now—don't you deserve some reward? If we accept every surrender, what do we get out of it? Right?"
"......"
They all stayed silent, but no one objected. Who'd argue against being handed lordships after the war? They'd just work humbly and diligently.
Besides, Kara had to absorb Hussein and Alf. They were so close that leaving hostile forces there could breed future trouble. Better to install reliable people now.
I turned to Master Udin.
"Oh, and any movement from the Lobros royals?"
The question I'd just tossed out was about whether our wedge-driving scheme had worked. I was trying to drive a rift between the Lobros king and Duke Bastain, but unexpectedly, no signals had come back.
"According to the envoy reports, the Lobros king seems to be listening to us, but the other ministers don't buy it."
"Figures. He'd be a fool to swallow it hook, line, and sinker. Here's what we do."
"What, exactly?"
"We start road construction and canal projects toward Braam too. On a grand scale."
Udin looked utterly baffled.
"Master, that would be aiding the enemy. Why do you think Duke Bastain is so obsessed with roads and canals right now? It's all to smooth supply lines for invading Kara. And we'd help them?"
"Exactly. It's ridiculous."
"You know that, so why...?"
"That's precisely why we're doing it. Why would we help the enemy? But suppose we did—what would be the reason?"
Udin's eyes lit up in an instant.
"Could it be?"
"Yep. We're pouring oil on the Lobros king's suspicions. If he's the king I know, he'll bite."
Udin rested his chin thoughtfully.
"It'll shake things up, at least. But I'm not sure it'll lead to the duke's dismissal. The king could just order him to conquer Kara to prove his loyalty."
I feigned complete nonchalance.
"That's fine. It's exactly what I want."
"Huh?"
"The duke isn't marching on Kara right now. We need to make him. One of the basics of strategy and tactics is forcing the enemy to do what they hate."
The greatest taboo in war is fighting battles for political reasons that should be avoided. Field commanders' strategic judgment gets ignored, and the war gets run by clueless politicians.
If our scheme succeeded, the duke's strategy would be sidelined, and the war would start on the Lobros king's terms. Perfect. We'd be tying the duke's hands and feet from the outset.
"But dragging out the war like this burdens Lobros Kingdom heavily. War costs aside, the massive drop in tax revenue from the blocked great desert trade route is no small thing. If we play it right, we might end the war in this state."
"I know."
"Yet...?"
I clasped my hands with a troubled look.
"The duke surely knows prolonging the war is bad for him, but he's been eerily quiet. There should at least be some feint maneuvers, but nothing."
"Maybe he's stuck in a can't-move-either-way bind?"
"No. That's not the duke's style. Once war goals are set, he pushes straight ahead relentlessly. There's definitely something brewing. He hasn't budged an inch."
My worry was perhaps inevitable. The duke's strategies always struck unexpectedly. You think the situation favors you and savor it, only for it to turn into a fatal blunder that chokes you out.
Facing Duke Bastain meant abandoning conventional strategy. Bask in normal war logic, and you'll get smacked from behind before you know it.
Udin caught my unease, voicing his own concern.
"What could be the reason?"
"That's the problem—I don't know. It feels like the duke's luring us down an unknown path. We can't fall for it. And even if we go head-on, we're not at a special disadvantage. So let's stick to the known path, not the unknown one. Got it?"
"Yes, understood."
Udin looked utterly confused but ultimately deferred to me. Protesting wouldn't help anyway—Lord Padila, the top lord, would approve it regardless. Padila was basically my puppet now.
Then the council chamber doors flew open as an official rushed in, beaming. Clearly good news.
"Rejoice! The Yosrahim Empire has decided to send us reinforcements."
The staggering news had everyone leaping to their feet. I knew it would happen. Unlike before, Kara now had hope. Our current strength was so formidable even Duke Bastain was resorting to flanking maneuvers.
Rajal asked urgently.
"How many?"
"Three knight orders under Count Hicks and Viscount Gordon."
Viscount Gordon was welcome enough, but sending Count Hicks too? The count was an upper-tier Master swordsman and a tactically adept general.
Plus, three knight orders meant 600 knights. Kara could finally match the Lobros army's knight strength.
One concern lingered, though. The reinforcements were far stronger than expected. It seemed the Yosrahim Empire wanted to take the lead in this war.
'That won't do—the plan would unravel.'
Of course, I had ways to rein them in. Especially the conservative faction's Count Hicks.
Yosrahim's conservatives were pureblood nobles still faithful to the Yin-Yang faith. They held about thirty percent of imperial political power—a formidable bloc that even Grandpa Claude belonged to.
How could I check such a massive faction? Simple: Shura.
They had one great aspiration—the return of Dalahan, the emperor's beloved sword and symbol of founding ideals. And Dalahan had revived in Shura's hands.
Parading Shura would leave Hicks unable to straighten his back. Defying her would mean betraying ancestral faith.
The issue was I hesitated to reveal Shura to the world just yet. Divine hype builds momentum, and unleashing her now would squander it.
Given time, it'd fade to "oh, that thing."
Shura's perfect debut was when the Lobros army neared Kara's walls.
Hope shines brightest at the brink of despair, especially on first appearance.
'Eh, whatever. I'll summon her secretly and smack some sense into her—she'll stay quiet.'
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Soon after, word arrived that the Lobros king had flown into a rage. Some ministers defended Duke Bastain, but the king wouldn't hear it.
He already distrusted the duke immensely, and when we launched massive road and canal works—something we absolutely shouldn't, claiming alliance with the duke—his paranoia peaked.
He immediately summoned the duke back home for interrogation, but numerous ministers blocked it. As Udin said, the duke could prove loyalty by conquering Kara.
In the end, the king compromised with his ministers, issuing march orders. Duke Bastain had no choice but to advance on Kara.
'Kukuku. Lobros king, you idiot.'
I burst out laughing upon hearing the news. This fool of a king hadn't changed a bit from past or present life. Barely prodded, and he explodes.
Still, he worried me. The old Lobros king lived to the era of ruin.
Thinking of the Folkkin Pass siege he botched still grates my teeth. The world on the brink of apocalypse, and he's fretting over duke rebellions, skimping supplies like that.
He sent the exact quota, sure, but did it arrive intact? Skimmed along the way, we got moldy bread.
I suffered hell for it. That's when I first grasped food's importance.
I was still nobility then, but I exaggerated a bit—gnawing roots to fight.
'Doesn't matter. If things follow my war plan, he'll be off to the afterlife soon anyway.'
I immediately dispatched scouts and spies to gauge the Lobros forces marching on Kara this time.
The incoming Lobros army totaled 55,000: 25,000 kingdom troops, 17,000 mercenaries, and 13,000 Sikha tribal alliance. Straining their logistics, but the duke had accelerated road and canal progress, and Hussein and Alf promised supply support. By their arrival in about a month, supplies should hold.
Anyway, those Hussein and Alf lord bastards. How long ago did they send tribute begging favor? And now betrayal. No one in this world is trustworthy.
'Eh, 50,000 or 55,000—same difference. But why'd the duke send that bald geezer of all people.'
I voiced concern over the expedition's supreme commander: Marquis Fabius. Rank meant nothing to the old man. You never knew when he'd charge ahead for a breakthrough—had to prepare thoroughly.
Then again, that was Fabius's scary part.
Leading from the front like no other, his men followed with true faith.
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