314. The War of Puppets (11)
Kagan Amar’s Keshik, Zenbatbal, looked down at the face of the man dragged before him with a bored expression. He had lost count of how many of these guys there were. They would suddenly appear in the middle of the night, set fire to their supply wagons, and then flee.
Most attempts failed, but occasionally, there were those like this guy who risked their lives to infiltrate deep into the camp and set fires. Such men usually didn’t get far and were quickly captured.
“……!!”
“Remove the gag.”
As far as he knew, the Great Wilderness was the land of the Beastmen. Two large nations in the north had torn each other apart in a brutal conflict, and since then, the Beastmen, who were the original inhabitants, had taken control of the land.
But the ones captured were all smooth-skinned humans. Humans from the east.
“—!!”
“Hey, what’s this guy saying?”
“He keeps repeating, ‘Long live the Empire,’ General.”
“Damn it.”
He had never heard any of them say anything different. Should he admire their spirit or just find it annoying?
Zenbatbal sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Few of these men succeeded in their missions. But since they kept charging in every night to set fires and die, they couldn’t afford to lower their guard, which slowed their advance.
Moreover, the troops he led were just one of the branches heading north. If similar incidents were happening at all the northern routes, it would be more than just a nuisance—it would be a disaster.
“Shall we torture him?”
“No, let him be. No one has ever talked under torture so far.”
“Then…?”
“Tell this city dweller my words.”
He approached the kneeling man, his horse’s hoof digging into the ground right in front of the man. Zenbatbal’s shadow loomed over him.
“Do you wish for this land to last forever? Even though you won’t see tomorrow’s dawn?”
“—!”
“This guy’s saying…”
“No, never mind. I get the gist.”
He waved his hand, cutting off the interpreter. It was always the same spiel. This wasn’t the first Imperial soldier they’d captured. They’d go on about how great their will was and how mighty their nation was. It wasn’t worth listening to.
“Your nation will last forever.”
“!!”
“We will make you history. The history of the defeated. People, cities, civilizations—none can last forever, but the history we leave behind will be an eternal scar on this land. Congratulations. You’ve become part of that era.”
“—!!”
The man struggled violently against his bonds, shouting something. It was probably curses. Zenbatbal chuckled. Typical of these vermin, all bark and no bite.
“Have you achieved anything by resisting us? Either you run away with your tails between your legs, or you get caught and die like you. That’s all it’s ever been. I don’t know why our ancestors never crossed over to your soft lands before. But now it’s different. Our Kagan desires your death, and so it shall be.”
“—!!”
“I’m getting bored of this. Tie him to the wheel. He’s a fatty; the cart will roll smoothly.”
Zenbatbal waved his hand and turned his horse. A scream echoed behind him, followed by the ridiculous accent of the Empire’s people.
Soon, the scream turned into a wail, and then into a groan. It was all too familiar and equally tedious.
“Annoying vermin… Prepare the camp!”
The night was late. Under normal circumstances, they could have marched further, but with these frequent night raids, nighttime movement had become risky.
But it wasn’t a problem. Ahead of them was Chulun, the Great Warrior of the Kagan. There was no way he could lose in such battles, so a slight delay was acceptable.
Even if they moved slowly, they could still advance three times faster than these slugs.
* * *
“……Your Majesty.”
“Another star of the Empire has fallen.”
Robert sighed as he folded his telescope. He turned to look at the troops lined up behind him. Due to the enemy’s scattered supply lines, the forces he personally commanded were few.
Similar events were happening all across this wilderness. One by one, the Empire’s martyrs were sacrificing themselves to hinder the enemy’s advance.
They were breakwaters. Suicide missions to tire the enemy and buy time for their allies. As the one who had devised this strategy, Robert felt indebted to every soldier dying in this wasteland.
“Rest in peace.”
“He was an honorable knight to the end, Your Majesty.”
“We all are. And we will be.”
Robert looked at the deputy who had followed him from Guir. This operation required high loyalty and will, so they couldn’t entrust it to the rabble from other regions.
Even if Robert survived this operation, he wouldn’t enjoy the same power as before. Guir’s military strength would be halved, and the knight class, which was extremely difficult to nurture, was being sent to the enemy lines like cannon fodder.
“……Prepare the next night raid.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Sons of Guir, sons of the Empire, stars of the Empire. Let us shine together as meteors.”
“For the glory of the Empire.”
“Long live His Majesty the Emperor.”
“It has been an honor to serve, Your Majesty.”
The knights of Guir prepared to march again. They couldn’t attack with all their forces at once. Even if it was a night raid, facing the enemy on the plains would be suicide.
So they sent only small specialized units to focus solely on burning supplies. It was suicide for all, but if one knight could burn ten days’ worth of food for an enemy unit, it was a reasonable sacrifice.
The life of war is lighter than numbers. With a short gesture from Robert, five cavalrymen rode off in different directions, circling wide to approach the enemy lines. It was to make it harder for the enemy to pinpoint their location.
And once again, those five became souls under the enemy’s hands.
* * *
Something was wrong. Black smoke rose so thickly in the distance that it seemed the entire city was engulfed in flames. Chulun frowned as he faced the city on the horizon.
“Did Zenbatbal arrive before us?”
“That… can’t be, General. It was only five days ago that the Kagan sent reinforcements.”
“Right. Even without any battles, crossing the Great Wilderness in five days is impossible.”
Then why was that city burning?
“Internal strife?”
“Maybe they panicked at the sight of our forces and self-destructed? Haha!”
“You, go and assess the situation.”
At Chulun’s short command, a deputy responded with a “Yes!” and rode off with his cavalry. Approaching the enemy’s intact castle would have been suicide, but now the city walls didn’t look so sturdy.
And it wasn’t just the city. On the horizon, faint black lines rose from other towns and areas where villages were expected. The cavalry of the White Wolf Tribe had sharp eyes, and the black smoke stood out like signal fires on a clear summer day.
Before long, the deputy returned.
“General! The city is empty!”
“……Any signs of battle?”
“None! There are traces of a hasty retreat, but no corpses, bloodstains, or damaged weapons. It’s clean!”
“Damn it.”
Only then did Chulun understand the enemy’s actions. He growled.
“Cowards. They ran away!”
“Even if they abandoned their city, they couldn’t have gone far, General. They must have taken all the civilians with them! Shall we pursue?”
“Of course! Haman! Haman!”
“Yes, General!”
“How much food do the warriors have left?”
“Only dry rations, but enough for ten days!”
Ten days, ten days. Chulun clicked his tongue. Tonight, they were supposed to plunder the city’s food and celebrate with their own liquor. After days of forced marches that left the warriors nearly exhausted, he had promised them a festival to quell their growing discontent.
“Tell the warriors this: we’ll hunt down the fleeing cowards and then hold a festival. Each warrior will get a bottle of wine, a cow, and three women!”
“Yes, General!”
Clicking his tongue, he gave the order.
The deputy hurriedly ran in and began to relay his words throughout the entire military camp. Despite the promise of generous rewards, discontent erupted among the warriors.
It had been almost half a month since they had nearly broken through the wasteland. They had to twist their route somewhat to bypass the engagement, but even considering that, the speed of their advance was astonishing.
The warriors under his command numbered forty thousand, all cavalry, and the fact that there were no stragglers during the forced march was solely due to the exceptional horsemanship of the White Horse Tribe warriors.
Yet, they too were human, and if they couldn’t eat, drink, or rest, they couldn’t continue fighting. The remaining provisions for ten days meant that they now had to consider the worst-case scenario.
“I won’t kill you nicely, city folk.”
Chulun clicked his tongue briefly and began to move forward. The forty thousand-strong army followed him, advancing towards Bülrang.
It was the third day since the Federation of Nobles and Duke Sephor’s family had issued a conscription order to all nearby cities and territories and began the scorched-earth tactics.
* * *
“Your Majesty, it’s an urgent messenger from Count Tremule of the Palace.”
“Let him in.”
Rene Philippa sat on the throne, stepping on the carpet of the Audience Hall, and looked down at the man approaching.
It had been just half a month since Robert had left for Ribue. When he first hurriedly brought his troops down from Guer and paid his respects to her, the ministers had scoffed at his outrageous claims.
Except for Rene. She knew Robert was not a man to lie. He was a trustworthy man. The prediction that the White Horse Tribe would march soon proved to be true.
It was fortunate. They could prepare for war before Ribue was engulfed in flames again. She looked at the approaching messenger, hoping he brought good news.
“May the Divine Leviathan Empire have eternal glory. Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”
“Enough. What is the message from the Count of the Palace?”
“Your Majesty, it is with great humility that I report… The Count of the Palace has submitted a request to summon the Elector Counts.”
He carefully took out a sealed letter from his pocket. A servant took the letter and handed it to Rene. It was a letter sealed with the mark of the Tremule family.
“A summons for the Elector Counts? Does this mean the Count has been defeated?”
“Huh! Do you know how many troops he was given? It was the entire army of Paltennoia!”
“‘Almost’ the entire army, Treasurer.”
“That’s enough to call it the entire army! What’s left here is barely enough to maintain order!”
“Enough! This is the Emperor’s Audience Hall!”
The ministers began to raise their voices in uproar. It was only natural. Robert’s words implied defeat. She slowly read Robert’s letter and soon put it down.
“Has the Count fallen in battle?”
“No, Your Majesty. He said he would lead the entire main force from Guer into the Great Wilderness to intercept the enemy.”
“Are the troops from Paltennoia returning as they are?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. But whether there will be enough time…”
“There is Duke Sephor’s family in Bülrang, isn’t there? No matter how weak he is, he should hold out for a few days! Your Majesty! We must send the returning troops to Bülrang. This is Count Tremule’s misjudgment!”
“That’s right, Your Majesty!”
Rene fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. Why did Robert make such a decision? She was a wise person and quickly grasped Robert’s intention.
He must have judged that the enemy’s forces were too strong for Bülrang to hold out alone. Robert must have marched into the Great Wilderness to cut off the enemy’s supply lines, and if the enemy advanced from Bülrang, it would lead directly to Paltennoia, so he must have meant to defend the gap.
-Tap, tap.
Rene tapped the armrest of the throne with her fingertips, lost in thought. Was that it? There was no need to underestimate the enemy, but could Bülrang really not hold out for a few days?
I heard that all the enemy troops were cavalry. Cavalry requires a great deal of supplies to maintain. If we could cut off their supply lines, their momentum would greatly diminish.
But if Bülrang couldn’t hold out. The enemy would replenish their supplies and begin their advance again. If we faced them in the field, we could never win. The expeditionary force from Paltennoia was not large.
Due to the civil war with the previous Emperor, most of Paltennoia’s troops were composed of Ribue’s forces. The Emperor’s direct troops had been annihilated during the Lavirata expedition. There were not enough troops. Troops…
“Issue the summons for the Elector Counts.”
“Your Majesty!!”
“This is a letter left by Count Tremule, who is prepared to die in battle. This small piece of paper is written with his blood and life, so we must treat it with respect. Which of you ministers would leave a letter with your life?”
“…Your Majesty, you must think coldly! The summons for the Elector Counts is…!”
“Yes. I know. It will damage the authority of the Imperial Palace.”
The Elector Counts’ troops were not unpaid mercenaries that could be called upon at any time. The lords had the right to refuse and defend themselves. The Emperor was merely their representative, not an absolute monarch.
Therefore, to summon the Elector Counts and draw their troops, the Imperial Palace had to offer a compromise. Most of their conditions would involve weakening the Imperial Palace’s political power.
But she trusted Robert. Cutting off the enemy’s supply lines? That was no easy task. If the enemy’s vanguard reversed their advance route, they would be caught between the supply train and the vanguard, crushing themselves.
If a man like Robert was willing to risk his life, there must be a good reason. It was trust beyond information. The trust between the heroes who had overthrown the previous Emperor and built a new Empire. It was not about trusting people, but trusting their abilities.
“Marquis Grimor is relatively nearby, so that’s good. Tell him to gather in Western Palts. Send the same conditions to Duke Poitiers and Duke Arnang. Tell Blanpuyfer to head to Bülrang. Since Jangsong is close to Bülrang, have him assess the situation in Bülrang and attack the rear of the enemy heading to Paltennoia.”
“…I will obey, Your Majesty.”
“And, tell Duke Bares.”
Rene tapped the armrest. She narrowed her eyes and scanned the bowing ministers.
“Request support from the Eastern Kingdom Alliance. The Bares family has regained their territory through the mercy of King Vicente of Dane. Have him personally go and request support again.”
“Your, Your Majesty! That’s…!”
“The number of enemies written in this letter is forty thousand cavalry in the vanguard alone! Even if we gathered all the cavalry in the entire Empire, how many would that be!”
“…”
“Shall I answer for you? Treasurer! Tell me the total number of troops from the Paltennoia expeditionary force!”
“I, Treasurer Bimor, report. The total number of troops you commanded was three thousand cavalry, six thousand infantry, three thousand heavy infantry, and three hundred knights.”
“That’s right. Did you hear? Barely over twelve thousand in total. Not to mention the cavalry, even if one infantryman could take down three enemy cavalry, it wouldn’t be enough! What if we mobilized all the Elector Counts’ troops?”
“…”
“During the last civil war, we barely managed to gather sixteen thousand cavalry! If we include all conscripts, the infantry force would exceed one hundred thousand. But how long would it take to open conscription centers and gather the people? A month? Half a year?”
Rene closed her mouth and looked at the bowing ministers, clicking her tongue. Unlike other absolute monarchies, the Empire’s troops were not under a single commander. The number of standing troops fluctuated greatly depending on each lord’s circumstances.
The Empire’s strength lay in its inexhaustible resources and the number of conscripts it could deploy. In terms of infantry, the Empire could pride itself as the strongest on the continent. Even the militia conscripted from ordinary citizens had equipment and training far superior to other civilized nations.
But in this kind of war, where speed was crucial, the Empire’s weaknesses were clearly exposed. We had to ‘negotiate’ to gather the standing troops of each lord, and their military actions were highly autonomous.
The Fifty-Year War was a long-term war, and that was the Empire’s specialty. But now, the enemy was heading towards the Empire’s cities through the Great Wilderness, which the Empire had invaded for over fifty years, in just half a month. Where would they be by now? We couldn’t even predict that simple information.
It was a problem beyond political games. Rene had no intention of overlooking the ‘threat of the White Horse Tribe’ that Fernandez had persistently argued. She stood up abruptly and spoke to the Cavalry Minister.
“Bring me my helmet and horse!”
“Your, Your Majesty!”
“If you have no intention of fighting, at least I, who intend to defend the Empire, must fight myself, mustn’t I?”
“Your Majesty, please calm down!”
“Set out immediately! Even now, Count Tremule is risking his life! Hurry!”
“Yes, Your Majesty! I will obey!”
Only after watching the ministers rush out and the envoys scatter across the Empire did Rene sit down and let out a sigh. Not even half a year after the civil war ended, another war. She might be recorded as the monarch who started the most wars in the Empire’s history.
“Sir Sernerd. It would have been nice if you hadn’t gone on the expedition and married me instead.”
Then there would have been at least one noble in the palace who could understand me. Rene chuckled and made a resolution. When that guy returns, I’ll tie him up and hold the wedding.
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