The sound of machine guns from the Manfred Combat Aircraft continuously firing echoed.
The Okhraine Kingdom, and perhaps the entire world, had no one who knew more about Diabolus than the Eighth Paratrooper Magitechnical Battalion’s aerial unit.
It was because of this that they knew Diabolus’ weaknesses so well.
The bridge was quickly reduced to shreds. With no one able to control it, the airship lost control and began to fall.
The sight of the corps’ airship crashing in flames while supporting them was shocking to the soldiers of the Eastern Corps.
The frontline paused momentarily due to its overwhelming power.
Both the defensive line deployed by the Second Mobile Battalion and the forces of the Eastern Corps desperately trying to break through the encirclement.
All of them stood with their mouths agape, watching in a daze.
The attack of the Eastern Corps, which had been gathered until the very last moment, was not only completely halted but also shattered, losing all its momentum.
Even if the report was merely about the offensive stalling due to the counterattack of the Special Response Brigade and the Northern Corps, the coup plotters were outraged.
And the news that the Chief of Staff and his subordinates, who had been commanding the corps in the absence of the corps commander, had committed s*icide was enough to make them reach for their pistols like the Chief of Staff did.
Of course, even though some soldiers from the Intelligence General Bureau and certain elite units were desperately trying to break through the Army Training Ground, the likelihood of success seemed minimal.
Moreover, the whereabouts of the Chief of the Intelligence General Bureau, Yegor Ivanov, were unknown.
It could not be turned back.
Clearly, the tide had turned against them, and now things were falling apart catastrophically.
In just three days since the attempted coup, which started with the assassination of Commander Siegmund of the National Guard and the detention of Central Mage Brigade Commander Harpenluk Helheim,
Enok Revendale’s public opinion campaign was remarkably effective.
As a result, the forces sympathizing with the coup plotters amounted to mere handfuls.
Low-ranking soldiers and officers were deserting en masse and joining the citizens.
Even the officers who were supposed to be the backbone of all plans were starting to look over their shoulders, preparing to betray their comrades.
Yes.
Public opinion. Public opinion warfare!
The faction supporting the co-king, the Special Response Brigade blocking the Eastern Corps, were even more revolting than the war hero Enok Revendale himself.
At this very moment, dozens of newspapers were being distributed in front of Petrouba Palace, the Royal Palace, and the General Staff Building.
[“Enok Revendale’s message as Major: ‘We will show leniency to those who surrender.'”]
[“Southern Corps Commander: ‘Our true enemy is not us, but the leadership pushing you into peril.'”]
[“Citizens reclaim the National Guard; traces of collusion with the heinous criminals found!”]
[“The wolf of the north stops the hyena of the east.”]
Although they were strictly instructed not to pick up, read, or even look at these newspapers, there was no way such orders would be followed.
The morale of the soldiers was truly at rock bottom.
This was an anticipated future.
None of the generals recruited by the coup plotters were truly ‘experienced.’
Most of them were just anxious about losing their positions, like fat pigs bloated with greed.
Their bodies were too heavy to run into battle with a g*n.
Even Feldt, the Central Corps Commander who had maintained some composure, now had a dark shadow on his face.
What about the treatment of the two corps commanders involved in the coup?
It would be fortunate if they were simply hanged. They might end up tortured and left to be eaten by dogs in the marketplace.
They had led the sons of the country to spill bl**d.
The punishment they would receive would be severe, both in this life and the next.
“Feldt Major.”
From the depths of silence, Olek Stukov, the commander of the Eastern Corps, spoke.
“In the current situation where the whereabouts of King Orlando Rus III are unknown, who can be called the leader of the principality?”
“…According to the line of succession, the Minister of State, and after him, the Minister of Finance.”
“The Minister of State Alberto is currently detained on charges of treason, so the de facto leader is Minister of Finance Radelph.”
There is no hope.
But we cannot give up yet.
Once a line is crossed, the next line can be crossed without hesitation.
Why would the Soviev Empire get involved in a plan for a single major general’s coup?
Before everything came to fruition, during the secret negotiations with the Intelligence General Bureau, Olek Stukov had met directly with the emperor himself of the Soviev Empire.
“We must declare that Ukraine is currently in a civil war and request humanitarian aid from the Soviev Empire.”
He said as he stood up.
The coup failed, but the war that would soon engulf the whole world.
So, even in the midst of a world war, there is still a chance to escape.
I believe our families have safely crossed the border by now.
“Thank you for joining me in my decision.”
“…”
“I won’t persuade you to join me now. I am a defeated man, but I’ll keep struggling until it gets ugly.”
The traitor who sold out the country long ago.
There was no reason why he couldn’t cross the irredeemable river.
The king had done nothing wrong to him. Why he meticulously planned a coup, the detailed and rational reasons had long faded away.
Olek tore off all the medals hanging from his chest and headed toward Petrouba Palace.
His face was a mixture of madness, defeat, and all kinds of negative emotions.
Watching the commander of the Eastern Corps, already twisted beyond repair, Feldt said:
“How disappointing. My ideals were never meant to be like this.”
Silently, he pulled out a pistol and pressed it to his head, pulling the trigger.
Bang!
A gunshot echoed throughout the General Staff Building.
The battle at the Army Training Ground continued even after the darkness had lifted completely.
Even if all the agents who infiltrated from the Intelligence General Bureau were eliminated, the guards who entered with them were no easy opponents.
The only ones continuing to fight in the National Guard from the coup side were the Imperial Guards and the Special Military Unit of the National Guard.
Their common point was that their commanders held complete independent command authority within their organizations, and the relationships from the commander down to the lower-ranking officers and the rank-and-file soldiers were solid.
Moreover, they were all selected through a special interview process.
Therefore, they were already loyal to their commanders rather than their homeland.
But even so,
The horrific level of sacrifice that occurred overnight did not happen again.
After several hours of combat, the trainees began to become somewhat familiar with battle.
Unlike the agents of the Intelligence General Bureau, who handled magic and underwent training unimaginable to ordinary soldiers, there was not a significant disparity in skill.
When a meaningless attrition battle was ongoing,
Enok Revendale, who had practically annihilated the agents of the Intelligence General Bureau who had launched a surprise attack on the Army Training Ground, regained consciousness.
“Major…!!”
“You’re awake! Thank goodness!!”
As he raised his heavy eyelids, Bella Meyer wiped tears from her eyes and touched Enok’s hand.
“Absolute rest is necessary for a while. Three ribs are broken, and there’s a traumatic pneumothorax. It would have been dangerous if treatment was delayed even slightly!”
Even without listening to her detailed explanation, he could tell from the pain that shot through him every time he breathed.
But the situation was what it was.
Even if they had dealt with Yegor, who had been holding them back for a long time, the coup forces were still intact.
Even if they were doomed to d*e, would the enemy just stand by and watch?
Enok Revendale struggled to speak.
“Bella… How is the situation? What about the Intelligence General Bureau?”
“It’s all been repelled. And here…”
Following Bella’s gaze, another familiar face appeared behind her.
“What a mess. You look worse than someone who got shot!”
“Nikolai.”
As Enok wriggled his body, Bella hurriedly supported his waist and helped him sit up.
“I thought you’d survive.”
“I thought you’d be good at cracking codes. I was worried when you walked into the National Guard foolishly.”
Nikolai Hilbert said with a smile. He had been receiving protection in a hospital personally known to Luna Aire after getting caught up in the firefight.
With his excellent physical condition and rapid recovery, coupled with the fact that he was a first-class mage, he had recovered enough to be immediately ready for combat within a few days.
The connection that had been ongoing since the founding of the Eighth Paratrooper Magitechnical Battalion. As Enok Revendale and Nikolai Hilbert happily shared their joy of reunion,
“The King is coming.”
The aides rushed into the ward.
As soon as they heard the King was coming, Bella Meyer, Luna Aire, and Nikolai all retreated to the wall of the room, taking a rigid posture.
As Orlando Rus III entered the room, the three people saluted loudly.
“Salute to His Majesty the King!”
“Honor to the Fatherland!”
“That’s enough. I don’t particularly like formalities even in such situations.”
The King accepted their salute roughly and turned his head to look at Enok Revendale lying on the bed.
“Your appearance isn’t great, Major.”
“I apologize.”
“I’m not here to scold you. You’ve worked hard. I’ve heard everything that happened last night.”
The Soviev Empire’s Intelligence General Bureau.
Upon receiving this information, Orlando Rus III was seized with rage.
If they were discontented and initiated a coup,
To some extent, it could be tolerated.
However, if they joined the empire’s side and stirred up the chaos in the country?
But the real problem was just beginning.
“They’ve started attacking now that I’m not leading from the front. I just received word that Finance Minister Radelph requested official humanitarian support for ‘ending the civil war’ from the Soviev Empire in Petrouba Palace.”
“…d*mn.”
Despite the presence of King Orlando Rus, Enok Revendale’s face twisted fiercely. His sharp features made him look like an enraged beast.
“I can’t just stand by and watch as this traitorous government ruins my homeland.”
Until now, Orlando Rus had not taken the lead because it was intended to disrupt the enemy’s leadership and expose their corruption thoroughly.
If the whereabouts of the King were unknown, those who had been cautiously observing would surely have taken a firm stance.
Of course, he thought there was no point in backing down once the Intelligence General Bureau of the Soviev Empire was involved.
In the end, they crossed the line and set fires.
“I agree.”
Enok Revendale nodded.
“Now is the perfect time for Your Majesty to appear before the people. However…”
“Hmm?”
“There’s one more thing I want to suggest.”
“If it’s about my safety, I won’t listen.”
Enok Revendale had firmly resolved to go out no matter what, as he had determined when he came here.
How many young men died last night? All of them were young men who wanted to serve their country with loyalty.
In such a situation, as the legitimate king of Ukraine and the father of its people, he could not just think about himself.
“It’s not about that.”
“Then, what is your suggestion?”
Enok Revendale faced the King squarely and opened his mouth.
“Declare the establishment of the Okhraine Kingdom.”
“What did you say?”
King Orlando Rus, as if doubting his own ears, repeated.
“The status of the principality has been inherited since the Rus Tsar Empire. The problem is that even after the collapse of the empire and the rise of the new Soviev Empire, the status of the principality has been maintained.”
In fact, this was one of the biggest reasons for the Soviev Empire’s aggressive intentions.
Principality.
Even after the fall of the Rus Tsar Empire, Okhraine did not declare itself an independent kingdom. Okhraine remained as the last duchy of the Rus Tsar Empire.
Neither the previous king nor the king before him.
They did not want to deliberately provoke the Soviev Empire and create unnecessary trouble.
But Okhraine needed to completely discard this burden.
To become a nation that proudly asserts its rights in the international community, it was necessary to completely abandon the past and start anew.
“Starting today, Your Majesty should stand as the true monarch of the independent Okhraine.”
