A straight route had opened up from the Empire toward the Holy Kingdom.
Let me borrow a term from my past life—it’s like a highway. Yeah, a highway just got blasted through, literally.
Just the other day, the southern kingdoms were blocking the way of the Imperial Legion.
But now, all those southern kingdoms that were standing in the way? They’ve all backed off.
No physical confrontation or anything close to threatening took place.
(Of course, the fact that the Imperial Legion was practically at their doorstep could be seen as a thinly veiled threat.)
And the Empire didn’t do anything that would give up its moral high ground, anything that would upset the southern populace.
Like, say, pillaging. Or attacking the southern kingdoms unprovoked.
Clearly, there must have been some whispered conversations within their ranks.
In the end, maybe they caved under pressure. Or maybe they sold out for money. Who knows?
But the influence of this event is undeniable. There has to be some kind of reason for their change in stance.
“But… it won’t last long.”
The Empire didn’t just buy them off; they compensated them handsomely. It was a gesture of good faith, yes, but it also doubled as its own form of pressure.
So, you’re turning down our good faith after we’ve gone this far? That means we might as well push forward with sheer force. You don’t want to see the Empire fully unleashing its military might? That spells disaster for you.
So they took what they could get and stepped back.
“A word of caution though—this isn’t all just roses. There’s something important you shouldn’t overlook.”
The Empire didn’t merely win them over with cash; that too is a kind of subtle oppression.
If the kingdoms reject our sincerity despite what we’ve put on the table, we’ll have no choice but to push through with force. The Empire isn’t shy about starting a conflict if it believes the justification is there. For these southern kingdoms, that spells pure calamity.
They understood the situation, secured what they could, and then promptly withdrew.
“Prince Kael. Reports indicate the Benito army heading toward the Holy Kingdom is retreating.”
“Did we make sure to explicitly tell the 4th and 15th Legions?”
“Yes, sir. They’ve been instructed to prioritize the stability of the southern kingdoms and the rescue of the Holy Kingdom over pursuing the Benito forces.”
“Good. Please make sure the both Legion Commanders know this. Missing out on some military glory might be disappointing, but when you consider the reasons for this conflict and our moral standing, rescuing the Holy Kingdom is truly what matters.”
The epitome of Imperial military expertise lies in the Legion Commander, the head honcho of the whole operation.
It’s not a role the faint of heart or the mediocre can handle. These are all exceptional individuals who don’t play dumb games.
They know full well how crucial moral justification and public sentiment are.
Still, human nature being what it is, it’s also necessary to emphasize a few things.
Since what you’re doing is vitally important, don’t feel disheartened; give it your all. Only then will mistakes, and even unlikely scenarios, fail to occur.
“If things continue as they are, the Benito forces headed toward the Holy Kingdom will successfully return.”
“What about troop numbers?”
“According to our reports so far, we estimate around 50,000.”
“50,000, huh…”
Benito’s total force is around 70,000, with 20,000 left behind for homeland defense—or so we’ve heard. That means they managed to bring back almost their whole force in good condition.
“The bastards of the Holy Kingdom. Did they even manage to inflict any proper damage?”
I suddenly understand why the southern kingdoms hate the church so much. All talk and no action, relying on their religion and faith for show rather than substance.
And Benito’s army, supposedly part of the church’s forces, couldn’t even manage to hurt them? What a bunch of talkers.
I quickly opened my mental notebook and jotted down some new thoughts on the Holy Kingdom. The church needed to be preserved for the sake of the doctrine of light, but they brought little tangible benefit. Even their famous knights are just shiny trinkets at this point.
“What do you plan to do, Prince Kael?”
“With?”
“Are you going to just watch them retreat, or go forward and block their path?”
The non-combat fatigue has been intense, and the alliance has seen some trust issues. Now we, the 6th and the 13th Legions, face a choice.
Do we continue our advance to put pressure on Benito? Or change course and intercept their returning forces?
The Legion Commander probably has a choice in mind already.
“Why are you asking me? The responsible person for the 6th Legion is the Legion Commander, not me.”
“But my lord, you’re a specially appointed field advisor, personally designated by His Majesty the Emperor. It’s only natural that I seek your counsel and advice to assist in making the decision.”
While he says this, I can already tell what he’s leaning towards.
It’s written all over the Legion Commander’s face—a desire to engage in combat. He’s practically saying, “Hey, this wasn’t supposed to be a mission against Benito, but now that it is…”
The Commander gets the final say and shoulders the ultimate responsibility.
Still, asking for my opinion and advice is likely to boost morale. If I agree that fighting is the right course, the soldiers’ belief in success will strengthen, right?
“In my opinion…”
I pause briefly, and the 6th Legion Commander immediately perks up, ears on high alert.
“The best course of action here would be a feint operation.”
“A feint operation?”
“If both our legions go directly after Benito, they’ll just catch us from behind. And if we both head out to stop their army, any remaining forces could still come after us.”
Compared to the Empire, the south is undeniably weaker. Sure, Benito is pretty powerful, but only within the southern context.
Still, being caught in a rear attack can drastically narrow that power gap.
“So, we should split our forces as well.”
They say splitting weakens, but that doesn’t apply here. From the start, we had two legions advancing this way.
A Legion is built to function like a war machine that unleashes optimal combat power when operating as a single unit.
“Notify the 13th Legion Commander. Tell him the 13th Legion should proceed as planned to keep pressure on Benito, ensuring their remaining forces cannot move.”
“And the 6th Legion?”
Oh, Lord Commander, your overly eager dog-like face makes me want to prank you for just a moment…
But given the seriousness of the situation, I resist the urge.
“The 6th Legion will change its course and intercept the retreating Benito forces.”
“Our 6th Legion, sir.”
“The enemy outnumbers us by more than double. While I don’t wish to undervalue our troops, I can’t help but feel concerned. Can you lead them adequately?”
“Of course.”
The Commander’s determined expression radiates confidence—almost demanding I let him take the reins.
But I can see through to his true feelings, and it breaks my heart just a little.
The thrill of achieving victory clashes with the inevitable concern for his legion’s welfare—a mix that no sane mind could ever reconcile but is the burden of every military leader.
Those conflicting emotions, etched as a mixture of both excitement and worry on his face, create an awkward tension.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to help too.’
There’s no way I’m just going to hand this off to the legion commanders alone and step back.
Even though I may not agree with their tactics, I can’t let their situation be worse off.
So, as the strategist, I decided to at least play my part and contribute.
*
BOOM!
The table shuddered dramatically under a ferocious punch—but didn’t break in two. Of course not. This is no ordinary object a common Kingdom citizen would use; this is palace-grade furniture.
Crafted from premium timber, there’s no way an Emperor’s table is going to splinter under one punch.
“…”
Thanks to that, Andrea II’s rage simmered down…at least temporarily, until the painful throb in his hand reminded him.
“Reports indicate that the southern kingdoms who previously promised to side with us are now abandoning our alliance.”
“The kingdoms that previously plotted to hamper the Empire’s rear guard have now aligned with them.”
The last reports Andrea wanted to hear had arrived, every single one adding fuel to the fire raging inside him.
All of them, without exception, turned his stomach.
“The Empire’s Legions now have an unobstructed path toward the Holy Kingdom.”
“Fortunately, the Empire has declared stability in the Holy Kingdom as a priority. This allowed for our forces’ retreat without much trouble.”
“Fortunate? Fortunate?! How in the frozen hells is this fortunate? We should have occupied the Holy Kingdom despite being isolated. We needed to grab the Pope, set up a new one, then later revoke the excommunication and cancel the Holy War. Everything would have fallen into place!”
The Empire’s weaknesses were time and justification.
They were pouring vast amounts of funds into this conflict they can’t sustain for long. Simultaneously, dissatisfaction amongst their own citizens would grow, making it impossible to levy unjustifiable taxes.
That’s why we declared war. We strategically allowed them to enter.
Taking away their justification of excommunication and Holy War, but handing them a justification of war. By clinging to their ankles, Dedolant would gain strength.
As they fought to the d*ath, clinging on, the Empire would see no benefit and enter negotiations.
We had to grit our teeth to fight and survive—but now the commanders, fearing for their lives, fled, ruining everything.
“And those d*mn bastards at Gori! They’ve been clinging to us like leeches for years! Why retreat from a position they could easily hold?!”
“Gori’s forces are severely fatigued, Your Majesty. The soldiers haven’t slept properly in weeks…”
“Did they fight their way into that condition? No, they just fell for the Empire’s tricks! Don’t tell me you believe that excuse!”
“Your Majesty, Gori probably has its own considerations. Didn’t you suspect they might struggle to hold out?”
Thanks to his aides’ calming words, Andrea II managed to regain some composure.
“Hmph. Right. The situation isn’t good, but it’s not the worst.”
Two Imperial Legions occupied the Holy Kingdom, but instead of continuing on to Benito, they’re focused on maintaining order there.
Now, Benito only needs to deal with two Imperial Legions.
Approximately 40,000 soldiers against Benito’s combined force of around 70,000. Manageable. Even if we can’t win, holding out should be plausible.
This moment was precisely why we sent Benito’s soldiers to Dedolant in the first place.
To train in real combat. To bring back that know-how and train their own troops at home.
“If we get lucky and win this fight, it’ll be the icing on the cake.”
Yes, winning—even just once—will solve everything.
