Chapter 97

In early December of the 213th year of the kingdom, Duke Siegfried Behotelsheim, who led the noble faction in the northwest of the Kingdom of Roderberg, was summoned to the royal castle.

"Siegfried Behotelsheim, I have come as ordered by His Majesty the King."

"You have my thanks for responding to this sudden summons, Duke Behotelsheim."

"As a loyal subject of His Majesty, I am always ready to come whenever summoned."

Since this was not a formal audience but a practical discussion, Siegfried was led to a room for such talks. Upon entering, he immediately knelt on one knee, showing the proper respect to the king, who was about as many years younger than him as a son is to a father. Siegfried was of an age to be a father, while the king was of an age to be a son.

The current king of the Kingdom of Roderberg, Oscar Roderberg III, is currently 31 years old. He ascended the throne at the young age of 24 after his predecessor died of illness.

With a demeanor that exudes confidence and a face that is both intellectual and dignified, he possesses a charisma that more than compensates for his lack of experience due to his youth.

"Between you and me, let's dispense with the formalities. Please, take a seat."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Encouraged by Oscar, Siegfried stood up and took a seat at the conference table. The table and chairs were lavish, befitting the royal castle.

"You know Count Burghardt, don't you? He currently serves as the Minister of Military Affairs, responsible for the overall command of the kingdom's army."

"It's been a while, Duke Behotelsheim."

"It's been a while, Count Burghardt."

Siegfried exchanged greetings with the middle-aged man sitting next to Oscar—Count Burghardt.

Count Burghardt is a seasoned figure who has fought on the front lines for many years as a commander of one of the kingdom's military divisions. He is known as a wise leader in the current core of the kingdom and is highly regarded in the noble society as a man worthy of leading a prestigious military family.

"His presence here suggests this is a military council, does it not?"

"That's right... I suppose you've already guessed as much, given the urgency of the summons."

Oscar, responding to Siegfried's question, let out a slightly weary sigh.

"We've received intelligence that the brat from the Kingdom of Lancer is preparing for war."

"Is it finally coming to this?"

Siegfried's voice carried a hint of exasperation.

The "brat" Oscar referred to was the current king of the Kingdom of Lancer, Cadne Lancer I.

Originally, the Kingdom of Lancer was a new nation that emerged about 60 years ago by unifying a region of small, warring states. It was welcomed by neighboring countries for bringing stability to a region that had been in turmoil, and it built a friendly relationship with the Kingdom of Roderberg.

The first and second kings of Lancer focused on domestic prosperity and developed trade with neighboring countries, including the Kingdom of Roderberg, earning a reputation as wise and moderate rulers.

The problem arose with the third king, Cadne, who ascended the throne at a young age.

Cadne, the third son of the previous king, was not originally in line to inherit the throne. However, he murdered his two elder brothers and seized the throne.

Furthermore, he seemed to be a man with a strong desire for power, and he began to harbor territorial ambitions towards the Kingdom of Roderberg, which lies to the east of Lancer.

This began about five years ago. For Oscar, who ascended the throne a few years after Cadne and was about the same age, Cadne had become a formidable rival.

"If he had been content to focus on domestic affairs like his predecessors, it would have been fine, but he's showing unnecessary ambition... The Kingdom of Lancer, which has been lulled into a false sense of security due to the capable rule of the previous two kings, is even more troublesome."

The population of the Kingdom of Lancer is estimated to be about 1.5 million. While the Kingdom of Roderberg, with its larger population and longer history, is still superior in terms of national power, the Kingdom of Lancer has steadily developed over the past 60 years and is now a formidable power that cannot be underestimated.

Additionally, the Kingdom of Roderberg is also engaged in minor conflicts with the neighboring Empire of Pallas to the east, so preparations for that front cannot be neglected. The problem is that the Kingdom of Roderberg must face the Kingdom of Lancer with only half of its national power.

"The fact that they are preparing for a full-scale war, rather than the usual harassment, suggests that they believe they have sufficiently weakened our southwestern region."

"Indeed. They are a despicable bunch."

The conflict initiated by the Kingdom of Lancer had taken the form of the Roderberg side constantly dealing with provocations.

Small units of the Lancer army would move through the mixed plains and forests of the border region, burning fields, raiding villages and small towns, and then retreating back into the forest. The Roderberg side would respond to each of these actions, leading to a game of cat and mouse.

However, this harassment had been very effective.

The instability in security and food supply had led to a decline in the economy of the southwestern region, an increase in refugees, and a further deterioration in security. Prices had also soared. Compared to before the conflict began, the southwestern region had steadily weakened.

"After years of harassment, the enemy seems to see an opportunity for a full-scale war. However, this can also be an opportunity for us. If we can crush their main forces, they will likely be quiet for a while."

"Indeed. Given the national power of the Kingdom of Lancer, a major defeat in a large-scale war would make it difficult for them to continue the war."

Siegfried nodded in agreement with Oscar's thoughts.

"Given this, I would like the noble faction of the northwest to join the battle that will determine the future power balance with the Kingdom of Lancer. To decisively crush their forces, we need your strength."

"Of course, for the sake of His Majesty, we will all be ready to come to your aid. It is the greatest joy for the kingdom's nobles to stand in battle to protect the country. We are grateful for your call."

"Thank you for your words. I am the one who should be grateful for your loyalty."

While Siegfried did not particularly want to participate in a war in another region, as a noble who had been granted land by the royal family, he had no choice but to respond. Defending the country was the most important duty of the nobility.

At least on the surface, Siegfried responded with a seemingly joyful face, and Oscar nodded in satisfaction. His failure to notice Siegfried's momentary hesitation was a sign of his youth.

On the other hand, Count Burghardt, who was sitting next to him, noticed Siegfried's thoughts but, understanding the heavy responsibility of the leader of a regional noble faction, chose not to comment.

"Then, let me proceed with the specifics."

With Siegfried's agreement confirmed, Count Burghardt took over the conversation from Oscar.

"According to the information from our spies in the Kingdom of Lancer, the enemy's forces are expected to swell to about 15,000. On our side, we will have 6,000 troops from the southwestern faction led by Duke Gardwin, 2,000 mercenaries, and 7,000 conscripts, totaling 15,000, plus 3,000 from three divisions of the kingdom's army, making a total of 18,000."

Normally, every country sends spies disguised as merchants or travelers to gather information in neighboring countries. It is almost impossible to prepare for war without being detected, as the movements of soldiers and supplies can easily reveal the size of the forces being assembled.

"I see, so we have a numerical advantage even at this stage."

"Yes, and with the addition of the noble faction from the northwest, we will have a significant numerical superiority, ensuring our victory."

"Even if the conflict has had an impact, the Kingdom of Roderberg is a great nation. We will not be outmatched in numbers by the Kingdom of Lancer. We will make the enemy pay for underestimating us."

Following Count Burghardt's explanation, Oscar added his own words.

"Understood. From the northwest faction, we will dispatch 5,000 troops. Count Burghardt, will that be sufficient?"

The number of troops Siegfried offered, considering the population of the northwest, was not the maximum possible mobilization. However, considering that all of them were professional soldiers and the logistical burden of moving the forces from the northwest to the southwest, it was a reasonable number.

"More than enough. I am grateful."

"And... I would like to bring one new weapon from our side."

At Siegfried's proposal, Oscar smiled slyly.

"Is that the new type of bow called the crossbow?"

"You are already aware of it?"

While surprised, Siegfried was not surprised that Oscar already knew about the crossbow. He was well aware that the royal family kept a close eye on the movements of the regional noble factions.

"I have information on such a weapon and can guess its usefulness... In fact, I was eagerly waiting for you to bring it up. If you had tried to hide a new weapon from the royal family at this stage, it would have raised suspicions of rebellion."

"Of course, I would never do such a thing, as you well know. I have known you since you were a child."

"Ah, I was just joking... You are like a noisy old relative to me."

"Ha ha ha! I suppose that's true."

Siegfried laughed along with Oscar, who was teasing him.

Siegfried's cheerful personality had been well-liked by Oscar even when he was still the crown prince. Given that Siegfried's wife was of royal blood, he was essentially a "noisy old relative" to Oscar.

"The crossbow is a new weapon that has only recently been introduced, so its operational methods have not yet been fully established. I had planned to report to you after accumulating sufficient operational experience through training and monster hunting, but the war came first. I apologize for the delay in reporting."

In reality, there was also a plan to mass-produce the crossbow ahead of other regional noble factions and use it in the war to enhance the presence of the northwest faction, but Siegfried did not mention this.

"Never mind. I understand you have to consider the interests and power of your faction. In any case, it is a good thing that a useful weapon has been developed for our country."

"Then, Duke Behotelsheim, how many crossbows can you prepare?"

"Considering the equipment of the various regional armies... about 3,000 should be available. This will transform soldiers who lack archery skills into fully capable archers."

"An additional 3,000 archers. That is indeed reassuring."

The number of archers can significantly influence the outcome of a battle. Adding 3,000 more would certainly give the Kingdom of Roderberg an advantage.

"Still, how did you manage to develop such a weapon?"

"The crossbow was developed in the far northwest, in the territory of Sir Alquvist. I understand that it was the result of an investment by Sir Alquvist in a blacksmith's innovative idea."

"Alquvist territory... Ah, the piece of the Bessel Great Forest that was given to the illegitimate son of the Earl of Kivileft."

The previous king, Oscar's father, had granted the Alquvist territory as an exclave to the Earl of Kivileft. The fact that it was later given to the earl's illegitimate son was a matter that had been reported to Oscar by the earl and had naturally reached his ears.

"The current Earl of Kivileft was not considered a capable lord, but is his illegitimate son competent?"

"He is quite an eccentric man, but he is very intelligent. He could be a valuable asset to the kingdom in the future."

"I see... If you praise him so highly, I would like to meet him."

"The crossbow will likely prove effective in this war, so I can arrange a meeting under the pretext of rewarding him."

"That sounds promising."

Hearing Siegfried's story, Oscar's interest in the young man who governed the Alquvist territory grew.

"Then, we will decide to mobilize 5,000 troops from the northwest faction, including 3,000 crossbowmen. The war will likely begin shortly after the winter."

"Prepare to gather near the border with the Kingdom of Lancer as soon as the winter ends. Siegfried, I expect your best efforts in this battle."

"Yes, Your Majesty. We will demonstrate our loyalty to you through our valor in battle."

Siegfried, placing his right fist over his heart in a salute, responded with a confident voice.