Chapter 371
Side Story – Memories of an Imperial Princess (87)Â
#110 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of the Merdea Kingdom
The war between the Karan Empire and the Merdea Kingdom began to tilt rapidly.
After losing the border, they helplessly lost their fortresses.
Due to the rebellion of Grand General Duke Raisha, the already scarce human resources were depleted, and although people were hastily gathered from various places, the hastily assembled army could not defeat the Empire’s elite forces, which were counted among the best on the continent.
As a result, most fortresses and villages were occupied by the Empire, except for the capital, Merdea Royal fortress.
The Imperial army’s attack did not end there.
“Ah, no, this?”
The royalty and nobles of Merdea were looking at someone wearing thick shackles on both feet and bracelets engraved with elaborate magic circles on both hands.
“What is this……”
“What exactly does the Empire want from us!”
The Empire released a captured prisoner and sent a video magic device to the Merdea Kingdom.
“Why that traitor?”
The person in the video was the former Duke Raisha, now called Religieus, whom the Merdea royal family cursed through gritted teeth.
“Do-don’t do this! Why are you doing this to me!”
In the video, Religieus, with a flushed face, kept saying not to do this.
“Why are they doing this! These evil Imperial bastards!”
Just by listening to the sound coming from the video magic device, everyone would have expected torture.
Although Religieus had signed a non-aggression treaty with the Empire while establishing the name of the Raisha Kingdom, he was now penniless.
It wouldn’t have been strange to torture Duke Raisha, who was once their enemy.
But.
“Damn bastards!”
“Aaaaargh!”
Several nobles cursed the Empire while watching Duke Raisha. Some were even shedding tears of blood.
As if gauging their hearts, Religieus also wailed.
“Let me touch them! I’ll tell you everything I know, just let me touch them! Or at least make them invisible to my eyes!”
Religieus shouted in an anguished voice.
In front of him, numerous beautiful women were hovering in semi-nude states.
“Ah, Areta…”
Bang!
A noble who slammed the desk looked with trembling eyes at one of the women in the screen.
That’s right.
Everyone on screen was the daughters of nobles.
The noble daughters who couldn’t escape due to the sudden fall of the fortresses were serving around Duke Raisha with shameful faces!
“Here, I’ve prepared the finest steak. Eat.”
At that moment, a new figure entered the room.
Wearing the uniform of a Merdea Kingdom soldier, he brought very luxurious food to Religieus.
“Un-unchain my hands! I need my hands free to eat!”
Although nothing was restraining his hands, Duke Raisha couldn’t use his hands at all.
It must be due to the magic engraved on the bracelets on his arms.
“But we can’t do that to our Merdea Kingdom’s prisoner. Instead……”
When the man in the soldier’s uniform turned his gaze, the noble daughter closest to him flinched.
“……”
“Ah, yes~”
Although she was biting her lips with a shameful expression, after the man in soldier’s uniform whispered something in her ear, she forced a smile and used a fork to feed the steak to Religieus.
“Ooh! Come closer! Come closer!”
“Ahaha!”
Even while looking at the woman who seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment, Religieus was excited as if he had forgotten his situation.
“Elisha…”
A noble was shedding tears of blood while watching this scene.
“Your Majesty, I’m not asking for the army. My territory’s private soldiers are enough, please let us fight these evil Imperial bastards.”
“That is right, Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty, please!”
As soon as the video ended, the nobles began pressuring Vaeis.
‘These evil Imperial bastards!’
Vaeis was at a loss, unable to do anything about the nobles’ reactions.
After annihilating Duke Raisha’s family and imprisoning those related to the Raisha family, King Graide’s condition worsened and he collapsed.
According to the royal physician, it seemed that stress had destabilized his mind and body, negatively affecting his condition.
Vaeis, as the next king, took over state affairs as it was said that continuing to run the state affairs would not last long, but the situation kept getting worse.
They barely managed to hold off the offensive of the Raiko Kingdom and Imperial allied forces to create a standoff, and subdued the rebel Duke Raisha, but then the Imperial army started pouring in.
Those who had dealt with the traitor Religieus also crumbled helplessly against their overwhelming military power, and they reached a point where several fortresses were falling in a single day.
Let alone evacuating the citizens, the nobles who were protecting their territories were taken prisoner, and their families were captured and subjected to unspeakable things like in the video just now.
The more vicious thing was the fact that they were making it look like the Merdea Kingdom was conducting all of this.
‘What would other kingdoms think if they saw this video?’
Vaeis could feel everything going dark before his eyes.
It might appear as though they were using noblemen’s daughters to seduce Duke Raisha to obtain information.
Unlike those who know all the circumstances, that is, if seen by those who know nothing of the situation.
“Your Majesty!”
Those who know everything.
The nobles of the Merdea Kingdom, who knew their families were captured by the Empire and suffering severe torture(?), could not help but be enraged.
It was already infuriating that a traitor who had driven the kingdom to the brink of destruction was receiving special treatment, but to have their own family members entertaining that traitor!
Moreover, those family members looked like they would rather die.
They must have taken other hostages and threatened them.
All sorts of scenarios were being created and disappearing in the nobles’ minds, and they firmly began to believe that their families were suffering all kinds of humiliation.
“Your Majesty, please permit us!”
“Please give us permission!”
Watching the nobles who looked ready to rush out at any moment, Vaeis felt his stomach turning.
“We must defend this place now.”
While the enemies led by the Empire’s First Princess were powerful, the military forces of the Empire’s First Prince allied with the Raiko Kingdom were not to be taken lightly either.
In this situation, there was no way they could wage war without the nobles’ private armies.
However.
“I will go. Just let me go, Your Majesty.”
It was very difficult to stop the enraged nobles.
“Everyone, calm down. The opponent is the Imperial army. They are those who move while anticipating what comes after the war ends.”
Having Religieus be entertained while dressed as a Merdea Kingdom soldier must be in preparation for any problems that might arise after the war ends.
Would the Imperial army, which moves while thinking about the aftermath of a war whose end is uncertain, really not have anticipated the nobles of the Merdea Kingdom rushing in consumed by anger?
Not at all.
Knowing this, Vaeis had no choice but to stop the nobles.
“But Your Majesty Vaeis, we cannot let our families continue to endure pain worse than death like this.”
“That’s right, Your Majesty. There are times when nobles must go even knowing death awaits.”
“Please, please send us.”
Looking at those desperately pleading, Vaeis had to make a decision.
‘If I send them like this, it will affect the front lines. But if I don’t send them, we might collapse from within.’
Though Vaeis ground his teeth at the Empire’s viciousness in attacking even people’s psychology, he ultimately decided to side with the nobles.
“I cannot send everyone. I will give Marquis Hasent 30,000 troops… To defeat the kingdom’s enemies.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Vaeis gave military authority to command 30,000 troops to Marquis Hasent, who held the highest authority among those whose families were taken.
“However, you cannot draw from the kingdom’s troops.”
“I understand.”
The 30,000 personnel would all be filled with nobles’ private armies.
‘Not just Marquis Hasent, but nobles whose families were taken will lend their troops. Since many knights will also be deployed, they won’t be easily defeated.’
From Vaeis’s position, this is the best option currently available.
Borrowing noble’s private armies would normally mean the kingdom owing a debt to the nobles, but since the nobles were volunteering, it was no longer a debt.
No, by allowing them to move freely in these turbulent times, he had made the nobles indebted to the royal family.
Compared to the currently weakened soldiers, he had bought time for one front line with the noble’s private armies that could be considered elite forces.
‘Though the numbers are small compared to the Imperial army, with 30,000 soldiers including a Swordmaster, we should be able to buy time.’
Vaeis tried and tried again to protect the Merdea Kingdom.
However.
“Your Majesty! Marquis Hasent’s forces have been completely annihilated!”
“Your Majesty! The enemy forces are advancing toward the capital!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Damn it!”
It was impossible to recover the balance that had already tilted too far.
“Send a messenger.”
And he had to make his final choice.
“We surrender.”
It was acknowledging defeat.
Setting aside his pride as royalty, it was an action to prevent creating any more victims.
“Your Majesty…”
Watching Vaeis smile bitterly, his subordinates could not hide their regretful expressions.
He had done his best to navigate the national crisis even before becoming the official king, yet still failed.
Nevertheless, he accepted the outcome and took all responsibility while trying to sacrifice himself.
“I will follow your orders, Your Majesty.”
I could die together with this person.
Therefore, since this person wished to live, I will live despite any humiliation!
Vaeis’s subordinates became even more proud to serve him.
That’s why they could be dignified even when going to surrender with a white flag.
However.
“Surrender? By whose permission?”
“Uh…”
“You started the war, but we will end it. Surrender? Not accepting it. Just go.”
The enemy firmly rejected the surrender, making such resolve meaningless.
#111 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of Ria Ril Areis
“…Is this really okay?”
Even though they were enemies, they came as envoys to surrender.
To send them away in such a mocking manner…
“Didn’t Lord Ast say it too? The best victory is winning without fighting.”
Wasn’t that why we carried out strange things like making Duke Raisha the Grand General?
Of course, there were huge misunderstandings in the middle!
“Sir Ria, you must see the big picture! The big picture!”
“It’s too big for me, I can only see one dot.”
The picture Lord Ast draws is too vast.
It’s so vast that even from afar, one cannot see its entirety.
What’s worse is that since he has tastes more similar to arch-demons or evil gods than humans, even if you look directly at Lord Ast’s big picture with human aesthetic standards, you won’t be able to understand it.
Yes, that’s right.
Lord Ast’s big picture is something I can’t properly see, and even if I could see it properly, as an ordinary human, it’s beyond my comprehension.
“So would you please interpret that big picture for me?”
“Ah, of course.”
Lord Ast took out the simplified map of Merdea Royal fortress supplied to commanders.
“The enemy’s capital and final stronghold, Merdea Royal fortress, is a fortress. Not a natural fortress like Mebelis fortress, but an artificial one.”
It can’t be helped.
Originally, a natural fortress refers to a place where natural terrain makes it difficult for enemies to invade.
In other words, it also means it’s a place where it’s difficult for people to move around comfortably.
Unless it’s a very small weak nation, in the case of Merdea Royal fortress where tens of thousands of people move around daily in the Kingdom of Merdea, transportation must be convenient.
“Taking this fortress won’t be an easy task.”
Although the Kingdom of Merdea’s military power has collapsed due to continued defeats and expansion of the battlefront, the forces defending the royal fortress are an exception.
This is because there exists the Royal Guard, selected and trained from the most elite soldiers, the Royal Knights to protect the royal family, and the Royal Mage Corps.
“That’s why we should accept their surrender even more, shouldn’t we?”
The more I hear about it, the more reasons come to mind why we should accept the enemy’s surrender.
“But if we accept their surrender now, the enemy will offer slightly better conditions. I want more.”
“Even if our soldiers must be sacrificed for that?”
I frowned at Lord Ast’s words.
If it were unavoidable that would be one thing, but to do something that could cause casualties to the army when we could accept the enemy’s surrender?
This is conduct unbecoming of a commander.
“No, we won’t fight.”
However, Lord Ast made an expression as if asking what I was talking about in response to my look.
“Ah, we won’t fight?”
“Yes. Why fight when it’s difficult? We’re already tired from fighting constantly these days.”
“…”
I could only gape at Lord Ast’s appearance as he said he was exhausted.
Honestly, I wanted to shout ‘I did all the fighting!’
Even recently, when I fought hard against some quite strong enemies, I heard that after it was over, Lord Ast had been watching me fight from an area unrelated to the battle.
He said it was for commanding purposes, but I couldn’t help but be suspicious after receiving reports that he had said ‘The rear could be ambushed by enemies, so let’s go watch from the center where we can respond at any time!’
“Without fighting, make the enemy surrender on unfavorable terms themselves?”
Her Highness, who had been quietly listening to the conversation until now, broke the silence and looked at Lord Ast.
“How?”
Seeing her eyes sparkling brightly, she looked like a child learning mischief.
While it was somewhat pleasing to see Her Highness act similar to her peers, I couldn’t help but despair at her anticipation of Lord Ast’s actions.
“Yes, Your Highness. First…”
And the words coming from Lord Ast’s mouth.
Are these words of this world?
Truly, is what my head understands the language used in the empire?
While feeling as if I were directly hearing an evil god’s gospel that should never be understood.
“Pft… Puhahahahaha!”
Her Highness began laughing with tears in her eyes.
“It’s not over yet, Your Highness. After that…”
“What? Really?”
The Imperial Princess, who was known to be so poor at expressing emotions that people said she was like a doll who had lost her emotions, began laughing while holding her stomach.
The laughter that would later signal an emergency in the Imperial Family.
Its first beginning was the laughter that foretold the fall of the Kingdom of Merdea.
