First Army Command. Starting with me, the acting Chief of Staff, the Commander and each Legion Commander.
Along with the field officers and their respective staffs, plus the commanders of the allied forces from various kingdoms.
All of them gathered in the command tent to begin discussing the next moves.
Of course, the Princess, Kaya, and Charlotte were already seated among them.
“The reconnaissance reports indicate that the Dedolant troops near Setongrad are suffering from extreme fatigue, far worse than what we observed earlier.”
“We’re trying to counter that by rotating units, but it’s like pissing on a hot rock. We need to deploy forces across multiple fronts, which frankly, isn’t doable right now.”
“It’s possible that the enemy might be considering withdrawing from Setongrad. If that happens, it would be ideal if the First Legion could cover their retreat, though we likely lack the resources to spare.”
The influence Dedolant exerted over Seton was more potent than any of us imagined.
This isn’t like the Stalingrad battle I remember where millions perished—our First Legion only numbers 20,000 and Dedolant could barely muster 80,000 troops.
But the intensity, the sheer brutality, echoed that era profoundly.
This was a fight born in the harshest season, between parties with old scores to settle. Not amateurs, but units brimming with pride.
This battle wasn’t about merely winning or losing—it was a war for pride and self-respect.
And Setongrad still stands, firmly held by the First Legion. Despite several close calls, they’ve repelled every assault heroically. And we, the Imperial Army, were no mere spectators. We subtly pressured Dedolant, making our presence impossible to ignore.
“Dedolant really shows their prowess. I didn’t expect them to surround Setongrad while simultaneously forming a defensive line to block reinforcements from our Empire.”
“Their momentum might not be as strong as it was, but they still pack a punch. Intelligence suggests that engaging in a full-scale battle would devastate at least one to two of our Legions.”
Those are crazy bastards. Are they even human?
How much tooth-gnashing and effort I’ve invested in wearing down these maniacs—creating not two, not three, but four battlefronts. And yet, despite all that, they still maintain this level of strength?
“Reports suggest it’s not just the Atrian army involved. Troops from Dugal have also been spotted, numbering over ten thousand…”
“Recruited from Dugal, you say? Not conscripted?”
“While there are some conscripts, most volunteers are battle-ready. A considerable number worked for the Dugal military but chose this path due to desperation.”
d*mn it. All my efforts to boost anti-Dedolant sentiment in Dugal, and now look.
This division creates a scenario where Dugal could turn on itself and fight internally. Instead of Dugal completely breaking away from Dedolant, half of it might end up firmly entrenched on Dedolant’s side.
You defend Dedolant while I fight for Dugal, but what about our families? If this issue takes center stage, even the Empire can’t intervene too freely.
The division should occur within Dedolant, not Dugal.
“We need to act before this mess gets worse.”
“The War Ministry and the General Staff agree.”
“The First Army also concurs with the Chief of Staff.”
“The Nobogorod Army Commander, Eastern Allied Forces, and Southern Kingdom Military likewise approve.”
I casually checked for any dissent, but no signs of disagreement emerged. Everyone has been tormented by Dedolant too long—they’re desperate for a real counterattack.
“What about enhancing specialized forces among the Northern Legions?”
“In accordance with the Chief of Staff’s proposal, we’ve drastically increased cavalry forces. The two Northern Legions now possess cavalry units three to five times larger than regular legions.”
Naturally, infantry forms the backbone of the Imperial Army, but roughly ten percent are cavalry units, numbering anywhere from one to two thousand.
I’ve implemented slight modifications here, preparing for the upcoming large-scale operation.
“So, how many cavalry troops do the Northern Legions have?”
“Fifty thousand. Furthermore, the Legion Commanders have continuously requested a reorganization of troop structure due to these changes.”
“We’ll reorganize the cavalry from the two Legions into a brand-new one. Let’s call it the Imperial First Mobile Legion. And we’ll assign its command to the officer who previously led the cavalry units.”
By the way, the northern region of the Empire is renowned for its horses.
Northern Legions are far superior to others in cavalry operations. The heavily armored infantry of Nobogorod fear their Northern cavalry so much that it’s noteworthy.
I’ve gathered almost twenty thousand such cavalry units. To put it in modern terms, it’s like having a fleet of 1,500 tanks.
“What should we do with the remainder of the Northern Legions after the cavalry detachment?”
“One will serve as a reserve force for the Eastern Army, and the other will support the Nobogorod Army. It’s crucial that Dedolant gets wind of their movements so they don’t suspect the separation of our cavalry. We need to be subtle.”
After reorganizing the Mobile Legion, I indicated the map and outlined the next plan.
“The first move will come from the Western 5th Legion and the Eastern Allied Forces, who will launch a counterattack from the flanks near Setongrad. But, Eastern Allied Forces, please retreat after a brief engagement to appear overwhelmed by Dedolant resistance.”
“Why are we retreating?”
“We intend to convince Dedolant that this is their last chance to strike, prompting them to launch another assault on Setongrad.”
Bethel, an Eastern Allied Forces representative and envoy of the Eastern Three Kingdoms, finally spoke up after silently listening.
“Chief of Staff, if Dedolant detects an imminent counterattack from the Empire, wouldn’t they retreat instead of mounting one last offensive?”
“They might indeed. However, what do the on-the-ground Dedolant commanders think? And what about the frontline soldiers?”
There are two possibilities: either they’re sick and tired of this war and want to go home, or they’re fervent zealots who believe in inevitable victory.
Judging from Dedolant’s past actions, the latter seems more likely. Proclaimers of Deo glory truly believed they were witnessing triumphant moments, defeating the pesky Dugal and securing a major victory against the Empire.
In such a scenario, anyone doubting Deo glory would likely get lynched.
Right in front of these fanatics stands a place that outright denies their pride.
Setongrad, the city reminding them of their disgrace—a name symbolizing their subjugation.
Would they truly retreat after seeing this? I highly doubt it.
“But, Chief of Staff, if the officers persuade the soldiers…”
“Even rational individuals—perhaps especially rational individuals—would struggle to withdraw when it seems like one more push will yield success. Look at all the time, resources, and manpower invested so far. Isn’t that right, Miss Charlotte?”
Charlotte, who’d already received a hint from me, nodded.
“You’re referring to the sunk cost fallacy, aren’t you, Chief of Staff?”
“That’s correct.”
“What’s the sunk cost fallacy?” another commander asked.
Charlotte explained, “It’s when people continue to invest in something because of the time, effort, and costs already spent, even if it’s projected to yield more harm than good in the future.”
With her explanation, the assembled commanders nodded, understanding the concept.
Many people unknowingly fall into the sunk cost trap, making irrational decisions. Everyone here has likely done it at some point, so they’ll relate to Dedolant’s commanders’ predicament.
“Last winter, Dedolant relentlessly attacked Setongrad. Despite the First Legion’s heroic defense, they reached what seemed like the final hurdle. If they now retreat, how do you think their men would react?”
“Grrr…”
“There will naturally be rational moderates who advocate for retreat, but remember this: moderates fueled by logic alone cannot overcome the emotional zealots. Especially not when the zealots are driven by strong emotions.”
Thus, we’ll provoke Dedolant into launching—or forcing—a final offensive against Setongrad.
Simultaneously, the two wings of the First Army will covertly begin their true offensive.
Upon receiving intel about this, Dedolant will surely prepare for a retreat. Given their movements, it would almost be impossible to close the encirclement in time.
That’s why I created the First Mobile Legion, maxing out the cavalry potential of the Northern Army.
“The First Mobile Legion will move faster and more efficiently than the two wings, swiftly penetrating Dedolant’s rear lines. We have two objectives: Cutting off and dispersing enemy reinforcements from the rear, and instilling a palpable fear of encirclement within Dedolant’s command at the front.”
Dedolant knows the power of encirclement tactics better than anyone else—they’ve leveraged them so effectively.
The moment they picture what an encirclement entails, they’ll see their future painted in terrifying detail right before their eyes.
Knowing what they know, they’d stake everything to avoid such a fate.
One key difference here is that Dedolant aimed to destroy as many Imperial troops as possible during encirclements. Our goal, however, is to ensnare as many Dedolant forces as we can within our encirclement.
