Chapter 87

To defend the eastern half of the imperial territory, I, along with General Altsar, have been entrusted with the army. I, a mere major, have been given a rather significant task, but it's quite a challenge.

First, I gathered General Altsar, Lieutenant Roz, and the NCOs like Hanna for a meeting. Secretary Rikoshe is also present.

I pointed to the map on the wall and explained to everyone, "Bruges is not a particularly wealthy country, but this time they have hired mercenaries at great expense. Furthermore, they have absorbed the first to third divisions of the empire, so their total force is estimated to exceed 100,000."

General Altsar nodded. "That's quite a large force."

"Yes, it is. Feeding them is a challenge in itself."

In historical war stories, armies of 100,000 or 200,000 are often depicted as easily mobilized and destroyed, but if you consider it in terms of the population of a modern Japanese prefectural city, it's an enormous number. 200,000 soldiers consume 400,000 meals a day, and they need hundreds of thousands of liters of clean water daily.

Moreover, they are specialized in combat and do little civil engineering work, and they do not produce food. They also carry heavy loads and move around frequently. Imagine if all the people in Tottori or Matsue were to move on foot; you can see how complex it would be to plan a few days of marching.

Our job as civilian officers and NCOs is to ensure that these soldiers are well-fed and can fight. I understand the magnitude of this task.

"Of course, deploying such a large force in one place would not efficiently defend the occupied territory. It would also deplete the surrounding food resources. Therefore, we have dispersed them appropriately."

After saying this, I pointed to the map. "For Duke Bruges, only his own country's soldiers are trustworthy. Considering the size of the country, it is estimated that no more than 40,000 to 50,000 have crossed the border."

The population in pre-modern times was surprisingly small, so even this is a considerable force.

"The Bruges soldiers are likely positioned to secure their retreat. Duke Bruges probably wants to advance east to occupy imperial territory, but if he shows any weakness, Duke Mildor will immediately betray him."

Hanna hesitantly raised her hand. "But, sir, is it really okay for Duke Mildor to betray again so easily? He just betrayed the empire; won't he lose all credibility?"

Hanna's question is valid, so I nodded. "In terms of 'credibility,' it was already thrown away with the first betrayal. The Mildor family did not switch to Bruges but rather allied with the Zihotenberg family to become the 'Two Royal Families' and declare independence. They are only working together with Duke Bruges because their interests align."

General Altsar, picking up on my words, said, "That's why Duke Haffen of Medilen thought of separating the two families from Bruges. So, major, how large are the forces of these two families?"

"Including the surrendered guard division, they are around 50,000 to 70,000. If they are determined, they could crush Duke Bruges' expeditionary force. I believe Duke Mildor's influence has increased accordingly."

"I see. Then the situation inside Bruges must be quite tense. Our brigade will drive a wedge into that."

Well, that's the idea, but it's not as simple as it sounds.

"The Bruges forces are a mix, but so are ours. We have the entire Fourth Division of the army, part of the naval infantry, and some reserve and retired soldiers from the Fifth Division. In total, we have about 30,000."

The army and naval infantry have different equipment and tactics, and different command structures. Even within the army, the Fourth and Fifth Divisions are different.

To unify this mixed force into a single army, we need a strong command structure with General Altsar at the top.

"To move this mixed force, we need your strength, General, but you lack command experience and connections within the military."

"Say what you will, but it's the truth."

General Altsar sighed and took off his cap. "I don't want to admit it, but I am a young and inexperienced officer. I lack the capacity to command a force of 30,000. What should I do?"

I replied bluntly, "If it's impossible, then just move the forces you can. We can manage 5,000 to 10,000 with you and us."

Lieutenant Roz leaned forward. "What about the remaining 20,000 or more?"

"As I said, we won't gather the entire force in one place. We can just select appropriate commanders and delegate the task. Even if we gather the entire force, it would only be about 30% of the Bruges army, and we wouldn't stand a chance."

That's right, we wouldn't stand a chance. I scratched my head. "We are a mixed force, and even if we gather, we don't have enough numbers. We don't want to fight right now."

"Isn't that when the enemy is most eager to attack?"

Lieutenant Roz smiled wryly, and he's right.

"You're right. Both Duke Bruges and the 'Two Royal Families' know that this is the only moment to cut off imperial territory. So we'll use a somewhat underhanded method to delay them."

"Ah, that sounds good. When you say that, it usually means you have a surefire plan."

Shut up, talkative Roz. General Altsar is looking interested.

"Hmm... Have you always been like this?"

"Yes, General. He's a bit too good-hearted and feels guilty about the plans he makes."

Stop it.

Not only General Altsar, but even NCO Hanna looked interested.

"Sir, what's your plan?"

"You're curious, aren't you?"

Even Secretary Rikoshe.

Stop it, don't look at me with such hopeful eyes. It's not a great plan, just a bit underhanded.

I cleared my throat. "Well, I just plan to spread rumors."

"What kind of rumors?"

Everyone is looking at me. I'm under a lot of stress. I've always been afraid of disappointing people's expectations.

My stomach started to hurt, so I decided to confess quickly.

"Actually..."

* * *

【The Released Wolf】

At an inn near the imperial capital, one of Duke Bruges' aides was interrogating the old man.

"Did you really get rid of the emperor?"

The old man in the gray uniform lit his pipe and puffed out a purple smoke.

"I didn't get rid of him. I left him in the Tarsus Forest as planned. It's a maze of cliffs and swamps, and even locals and travelers avoid it. Plus, there are rumors of werewolves, so no one goes near it."

The old man continued with a smile.

"Thanks to that, there's no shortage of prey, so the emperor must be enjoying forest life. It's as you requested."

"But recently, there have been rumors of someone who looks like the emperor being seen in various places."

The old man, who had been smiling, suddenly became serious.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I want to know. Is the emperor definitely still in that forest?"

"There's only one exit from that forest, and my men are watching it. No one has come out, and no one has gone in."

The aide seemed to think about this.

"If that's true, then the rumors are just rumors... But the truth is becoming irrelevant. Imperial soldiers and nobles who believe the emperor is alive will not submit to Bruges. The duke is very angry."

"Hey, I don't care about your political mess. It's outside my contract."

The old man shrugged and sipped some cheap, sweet wine.

"But it's a matter of professional courtesy. I'll give you a bit of advice. There's more than one rumor, right?"

"Yes. The first one was on the third day of the Early Spring Festival, when someone who looked like the emperor was seen in Swanson Village on the outskirts of the capital. The villagers know the emperor's face because it's a royal retreat."

The man continued in a low voice.

"The next day, in the eastern city of Bascodany, a high-ranking customer sold jewels to a royal jeweler. The transaction was signed by the emperor, and the Bruges heraldic officer confirmed it was genuine."

The old man smiled and crossed his arms.

"Hmm, I see. The next one is further east, right?"

"Yes. On the seventh, the First Ceremonial Cavalry Squadron of the Guard Division entered Barneda Fortress. The fortress is said to have a similar military flag."

The First Ceremonial Cavalry Squadron is an elite unit responsible for the emperor's protection. They are essential for maintaining the emperor's dignity during ceremonies and do not appear where the emperor is not present.

The old man burst out laughing when he heard this.

"Hahaha! Well done, Yui! That's hilarious!"

"Is it a time to laugh!?"

"No, no, it's a bit too perfect. The story is that the emperor escaped the capital, reorganized, and is heading east. I understand his intention, but it's too obvious. The signature is probably a forged power of attorney, and the flag is fake."

The old man smiled wryly, but the aide looked grim.

"You're the only one who thinks that. These rumors have energized the Schwedel nobles. The remnants of the Guard Division have also started moving east."

"Really? They're all so simple."

The aide sighed.

"People believe what they want to believe. If you spread rumors that people want to believe, they will bite even if they are skeptical."

"Yes, that's true. The plan to make the empire chaotic by making the emperor disappear has backfired. Yui is one step ahead."

The old man thought for a moment and then said,

"What will you do? Will you capture the emperor who is living happily in the Tarsus Forest?"

"It's too late. Duke Medilen has already taken advantage of this opportunity. The nobles and officers who have joined him won't return. Duke Medilen is a skilled merchant. He lacks military talent but is good with people."

The aide looked at the old man with a pleading look.

"Duke Bruges wants to give you a new mission. Actually..."

But the old man raised his hand to stop him.

"Whoa, I can't hear that. It's forbidden to hear a proposal without intending to accept it. Right?"

"You're refusing!? What about your career!?"

The aide looked surprised, and the old man smiled.

"Really, I thought you were serious about that. Nobles in any country don't understand the thoughts of commoners."

The old man stood up.

"We've made enough money. I'll go back to my hometown and change diapers for my grandchildren while living a leisurely life. Tell Duke Bruges to fight his own war."

"Hey, wait!"

The old man left the guest room without looking back. In the corridor, several of his mountain rangers were waiting.

"Do you have grandchildren, sir?"

"No, I don't. I'm a sophisticated bachelor."

The old man laughed and walked away, and the mountain rangers followed him.

"So, what will we do?"

"Don't tell anyone that the emperor died in the forest. If we handle it wrong, our lives are in danger, but it could be a trump card. I'll keep the emperor's jewelry, which is too dangerous to sell."

The old man, now a free man, walked briskly and said with a smile,

"Thanks to Yui, things are getting more interesting. What will he do next?"