The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 284
During the time when Ars was trying to cross over to the Central Continent.
The situation on the continent had already reached a critical point.
In the west, Svenner and Europe were united, attacking Tunkai, while in the southeast, Bülang, Liande, and Crossing were engaged in fierce battles.
Bülang, with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd princes who had been fighting for the throne temporarily suspending their conflict, invaded Liande with a combined force of 100,000, 40,000, and 50,000 troops respectively.
In response, Duke Hellian, who was governing Liande on behalf of Ars, hastily conscripted 10,000 troops but was clearly at a disadvantage.
“Reporting! The Setes intersection in the south have completely fallen into enemy hands! General Bordin, who was lying in ambush to attack the area, has been killed! His troops have surrendered!”
“Damn…! If a fortress is built at the Setes intersection, it will become a solid bridgehead for the enemy! We must somehow stop the fortress construction! What generals and troops are nearby?!”
“They have already been pushed back by the enemy’s containment… Even if we try to go to the Setes intersection again, we’ll be caught by the enemy’s scouts!”
“Damn it! What are Alvard and Crossing doing? Could that intelligence about a double-cross actually be true?”
The sudden clash between Juras and Kaien, where both died.
Hellian believed it was to spread false information, but seeing that they still hadn’t appeared in this situation, he thought it might have actually happened.
‘Ars told me that Crossing killed Kaien’s daughter. So it’s entirely possible that Kaien couldn’t contain his anger.’
If that’s the case, it would significantly change the war situation.
Until now, he had been holding the front lines believing that Crossing and Alvard would help, but if that’s not the case, he should abandon the front lines and barricade himself in a military fortress.
‘What would Ars have decided in such a situation…?’
He tried to squeeze his brain for an answer, but it only made his head more complicated.
At that moment, another urgent report came in.
“Duke! Urgent news from the southern front! Gilbert Saleon has become an enemy agent and is recruiting nearby nobles!”
“What?!”
Currently, Liande was in a state where its noble system was shaken by Ars massively dismissing nobles.
Even within Hellian’s inner circle, criticism was emerging, with talks frequently circulating that they should have supported the Saleon faction during the previous throne succession dispute.
In this situation, with Gilbert becoming an agent for Bülang, nobles looking for opportunities began to surrender to the other side.
Of course, these nobles were already powerless, so they didn’t provide much military strength, but knowing the internal affairs of the kingdom, they would be helpful to the enemy in terms of intelligence.
‘In this case, I must retreat and barricade myself…! No, will barricading even provide an answer?’
If nobles start surrendering, the number of internal spies would grow exponentially. In such a situation, barricading would be impossible.
‘What should I do…!’
It was at that moment of his anguish.
“Dad, I want to eat some cookies!”
“The one we ate here last time? There’s too much honey in it, and mom will say no.”
“Give it to me when mom’s not around!”
“Ryuna, we agreed to ask mom when eating snacks!”
“Hmph!”
Ars appears, having a friendly conversation with his daughter Ryuna.
Hellian stares at him, speechless.
Rustle! Ryuna, feeling shy, hides behind Ars’ legs, and Ars turns his gaze to Hellian.
“You’ve worked hard. I’ll take over from here.”
“Whew…!”
Unconsciously burying his face on the desk, Hellian sighs in relief.
“It was close. If you were late in returning, I might have made an irreversible decision.”
“Still, it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“What do you mean?”
“Juras would have adjusted his tactics according to your movements.”
“Hmm… But he hasn’t helped at all until now.”
“That is the strategy.”
Ars strokes his chin while looking at the spread-out war map.
Hellian asks, “Do you need a situation briefing?”
“I heard about the war situation from Crossing’s intelligence department. Bülang’s military is invading the southwest of our territory. They’re using the Setes intersection as a base and launching invasions in three directions: north, northeast, and east.”
“Accurate. In the process, they’re absorbing the power of nobles dismissed by you. Because these nobles know the internal affairs of our territory thoroughly, problems are arising in various places.”
“It might actually be a good thing.”
“In terms of rooting out subversive elements, perhaps.”
“That’s one thing, but more importantly, the enemy’s advance speed has increased.”
“What do you mean? Isn’t that a disaster for us?”
“It’s not that simple. Anyway, now is the time to retreat. Order the front lines to be abandoned and retreat to the rear fortress.”
Ars was reading the designs of Juras and Kaien. What they were truly aiming for.
* * *
Our army begins to retreat and reorganize.
I issued evacuation orders to the cities and began relocating citizens.
Accordingly, citizens quickly moved to the capital and began evacuating towards Crossing.
In this process, Rainpol, which includes the borders of both kingdoms, played a leading role.
I decided to establish operations in Rainpol after leaving the royal palace. Being absent from the palace could put pressure on the enemy, and staying there might invite unnecessary assassination threats.
“Hmm…. I never expected Gilbert Saleon’s ambition to be of this extent.”
I never thought he would try to seize power by joining hands with Bülang.
“Something feels off.”
Even if Gilbert were to usurp the royal power by borrowing Bülang’s hand, he was destined to be abandoned. Gilbert, with his outstanding political sense, would certainly know this.
Nevertheless, the fact that he did this meant there was someone backing him from behind, or a force forcibly manipulating him.
“The army that Gilbert is in is the army of the 3rd Prince Eldric…. They said they were advancing eastward.”
I called for a special operations agent from Crossing.
“You called, sir.”
“Please find out detailed information about Prince Eldric’s army advancing eastward. It’s urgent.”
“I will follow your command.”
Having taken the minimum precautions, I let out a stale breath.
Although I was outwardly maintaining composure, the situation was far from easy. Even one misjudgment would be a critical blow.
“Would you like to rest a bit?” Anton, who was accompanying me, spoke.
“Yes, I suppose so. Let’s return to the mansion for now.”
My vassals had planned to move here in three stages.
First, Yumir, master Ilya, and Anton accompanied me immediately. They had used all the magic stones available at the moment.
Afterward, when Magic Stones could be replenished, Olaf, Meissen, and Eonia were to come.
The third stage was for Gaspar to bring some people according to the situation.
Upon returning to the mansion, I found Yumir and my master looking at something with serious expressions in the living room.
At that moment, Yumir noticed me and approached.
“Young master, you’ve arrived.”
“Yes, just to catch my breath. But what are you doing?”
“Well….”
Yumir signaled with a chin gesture.
When I moved my gaze there, I saw Ryuna playing with Gawain, the child of my master and Anton.
The two were playing with toys harmoniously, but it seemed Ryuna was taking the lead.
When Gawain tried to bring the toy to his mouth, she slapped his arm with a ‘Tak!’ and scolded him.
“That’s not allowed!”
It was the sisterly demeanor she learned while playing with the twins. Gawain made a sad face, but Ryuna severely scolded him.
“Ryuna seems like an older sister.”
Actually, Ryuna is one year old, and Gawain is three years old. However, due to the growth rate of their species, their physical sizes were similar.
Ryuna continued to slap Gawain’s arm strongly, seemingly to prevent him from bringing the toy to his mouth.
Then Gawain started crying with an ‘Uwaang!’
“How can you cry over something like this, my son…!?”
Master Ilya wrapped her forehead with her hand as if in shock.
Master, who knew well how much of a coward Ryuna was, seemed to find it difficult to see her son being defeated by her.
In contrast, Anton smiled contentedly.
He thought Gawain would eventually serve Ryuna and the twins, so he was pleased with the scene of Gawain being defeated.
“Ryuna.”
When I called her name, Ryuna turned with a bright smile and ran towards me.
“Daddy!”
As I lifted her up, Yumir glanced towards the kitchen.
“Cake is in that room.”
She thought she wouldn’t be caught by Yumir, but Yumir sent a stern look as if she knew everything.
“Sorry, Yumir. I’ll give her just one.”
“Haaa…. Understood, I’ll bring it.”
A traditional cake with honey hardened on a well-baked bread.
I handed one to each of the babies.
Ryuna drooled and greedily devoured hers in an instant, while Gawain, who might have a small mouth, stopped after chewing a few times.
Ryuna stared intensely at Gawain’s cake.
“…Want to eat?”
Nod! Ryuna instantly approached and snatched the cake, eating it.
“Ryuna!”
Yumir began spanking Ryuna’s bottom for eating both cakes.
This time, it was Ryuna who ended up crying.
“Don’t scold her.”
Gawain was pulling Yumir’s skirt to stop her.
Seeing such mature behavior, Master Ilya laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! That’s right, Yumir. What’s the big deal about scolding her for eating some cake.”
She was stroking Gawain’s head, saying she was proud. Anton was trembling with emotion.
Yumir seemed to lose her scolding energy and put Ryuna down. Then Ryuna clung to me and started crying loudly.
“Raising children is indeed difficult.”
Just as we were enjoying this brief moment of harmony, Anton and I went outside upon feeling a presence, and found the special operations agent I had instructed kneeling and waiting.
“What is it? Could you have already found out?”
“Yes, because we had internal informants, the special operations’ confidential department already had the information.”
“Internal informants…. So? Who is controlling Gilbert Saleon?”
“Casper Millias.”
“Casper…?”
It was a name that rang a bell in my memory.
“That’s right, the son of the Marquis Millias who impersonated you. He is acting as a general by borrowing the power of the West.”
Who would have thought this grudge would continue like this.
However, what surprised me more was not that part.
It was how Crossing’s intelligence department knew he had borrowed power from the West.
‘Come to think of it, Juras, you bastard.’
When I had asked him to handle the Casper Millias case in the past, he had said he would handle it in his own way.
‘Was it like this….’
The pieces fell into place. Why he had been leaving the situation unattended until now, and why he had been hiding with Kaien.
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