Chapter 11
(Kyle Calendar
Year 501: Age 8)
The Connected
Puzzle
Translator : PolterGlast
The young,
ever-victorious general of the Griffonia Empire, Weiss Schwarzfalke, the Black
Falcon.
A genius of both
politics and strategy who appeared like a comet on the Empire's southern front,
an ever-victorious general.
He had the deep trust
of the Third Imperial Prince and was said to have greatly contributed to his
succession to the throne.
After the Third
Imperial Prince became Emperor, he received an imperial decree to invade the Kyle
Kingdom as the commander of the Northern Expeditionary Army.
This was the
information that the me of the previous history knew at the time.
What to do?
This doom flag... I
absolutely have to take him in... or it's game over.
This is bad! A cold
sweat is pouring out all over my body!
I can't let him go to
the Griffonia Empire, absolutely not. If possible, I want him to stay in the
Kyle Kingdom as a mercenary or something. Furthermore, it would be best if the
Solis baronial family could take in this ever-victorious general.
But there's no reason
to newly hire 30 mercenaries when there's no war.
I think we have enough
financial leeway to hire them, though...
What I know now is:
・There will be a battle with the Griffonia Empire at
the border next year.
・The Solis family will lose 40% of its forces and
suffer great damage.
But I can't say these
future facts.
First, I need to
become friends with him!
I thought about it all
night, and this was the only thing I could come up with.
After that, whenever I
had free time, I went to the refugee camp under the guise of inspection
(helping out) to where the Black Falcon was.
I listened to
Weiss-san talk about the past successes of his mercenary group and stories of
battles, and I watched the combat training that those who had recovered their
strength had resumed.
What I realized again
was that Weiss-san's swordsmanship was top-notch, and not only that, but he was
also sharp-witted and had the respect of others despite his youth.
He was the person who
indirectly killed me in the previous life... but I respected him anew as an
amazing person.
※
Today, I had also come
to a corner of the refugee camp, to the place where the mercenary group was
staying.
"Young master,
you're here again?
If the lord's son
keeps hanging around in a place like this, you'll be scolded."
When Weiss-san saw me,
he spoke to me casually.
"Ah, my father
and mother have given me permission to help out at the soup kitchen, so it's
okay."
Going in and out of
the soup kitchen is... well, yeah.
Of course, the
now-gentle Anne silently looked the other way.
"More than that,
today I wanted to ask you something about a book I read before (a lie)...
The Kyle Kingdom and
the neighboring Griffonia Empire have been fighting each other for ages, right?
I was wondering if the
Kyle Kingdom will be okay if they attack us again."
"It's just a
rumor, so I can only give you a probable answer...
The current Griffonia
Empire is more focused on a major war on the border with the Soula Duchy, which
is on the opposite side from here. So, I don't think there will be a full-scale
invasion of the Kyle Kingdom unless that is resolved.
We were also aiming
for the Griffonia Empire, hoping there would be work for us on the southern
front."
While listening to
him, I was recalling the history I remembered.
※
In the previous
history, Weiss-san in the Griffonia Empire had great success in the war against
the Soula Duchy and rose to the rank of general.
The Third Imperial
Prince, who conquered the Duchy as the commander of the army at that time,
surpassed his political rival, the First Imperial Prince, due to his war
achievements, and was selected as the Crown Prince.
After that, the Third
Imperial Prince, who became Emperor, aimed to conquer the Kyle Kingdom as his
next strategy, and General Weiss was appointed as the commander of the army for
that task.
Corps Commander Weiss
avoided a frontal attack, which would take time to conquer due to the strong
defenses, and the invasion route from the Margrave of Hastburg's territory to
the royal capital, instead taking a bold tactic.
※
"Even if there is
an invasion, I hear that the Margrave of Hastburg, who defends the border, is
capable, and all his soldiers are strong. There is also a strong fortress on
the road leading from the border through the Margrave's territory to the royal
capital."
"Is that the
Southern Gate Fortress?"
"Yes, it would
take considerable time and manpower to break through that Southern Gate
Fortress. Furthermore, even if they were to defeat the Margrave's territory,
the road beyond to the royal capital passes through the territories of many
powerful nobles, and advancing while taking down numerous fortresses would be
very difficult in terms of manpower, including the lengthening supply
lines."
"I see, then I
feel relieved. But I was a little worried while reading a book..."
I began drawing a
picture of the area near the border on the ground with a wooden stick.
The mountain range
that stretched along the border, and the only road passing through a break in
it, leading far away to the royal capital.
"Isn't the
Southern Gate Fortress, defended by Margrave Hastburg-sama, located here?"
Then, tracing the road
that stretched from the fortress to the royal capital, I continued,
"And along this
road, as you said, there are only the territories of powerful nobles, and there
are fortresses, right?"
Next, I wrote down the
Hiyorimi Viscountcy, the Solis barony, and the Cornell barony, which were
adjacent to the Margrave's territory...
"For example,
instead of fighting the Margrave head-on, would it be a flanking maneuver? Part
of the army would detour to the left, going along the edge of the great forest
that spreads to the edge of the Hiyorimi Viscountcy, and enter our
territory..."
While speaking, I
traced the enemy's advance route on the ground map,
"If they were to
pass through the Cornell barony from there, they could reach the royal capital
quickly without any strong lords or large fortresses."
Finally, I drew a line
connecting the Cornell barony and the royal capital in one stroke. Deliberately
roughly, in a straight line.
"I was worried
that if the enemy were to adopt such a strategy, this place would also become a
battlefield..."
Weiss-san's expression
changed for a moment!
Well, it can't be
helped since an eight-year-old child pointed out the very tactics he would
adopt 12 years later.
The eyes that had been
smiling until then were not smiling at all.
Crap, did I go too far
for a child...?
I felt like I
understood a little how the famous anime detective, whose mind was that of an
adult forced into a child's body by poison, felt.
Knowing the right
balance is difficult.
"Young master,
why did you think that?"
"Because I
thought it would be easier not to go through places where there are strong
people or difficult terrain, but to take the easy way."
Weiss-san gave a wry
smile and explained the flaws in that strategy.
"There are five
major reasons why that would be difficult.
First, adopting that
strategy would require a sufficiently large army, but there would be many
challenges in a large army advancing through unfamiliar terrain without roads.
Second, that invasion
would pass through a dangerous area adjacent to the demon realm, which would be
a considerable burden for the imperial army's officers and soldiers, who are
not accustomed to the demon realm.
Third, in the event of
an emergency, the imperial soldiers probably do not know the taboos of the
demon realm. There will certainly be contact with monsters during the invasion.
This could lead to a setback.
Fourth, this
territory, especially the southern part, does not have well-maintained roads,
making it difficult to secure supply lines and maintain the speed of advance,
as well as to act quickly in unfamiliar enemy territory and secure
stretched-out supply lines.
Fifth, coordination
with the main army is essential for a flanking maneuver. If, by any chance, the
Hastburg Margrave's army were to follow the same route and attack from the rear,
annihilation would be inevitable.
Considering these
points, it is undeniable that an imperial invasion would be difficult."
But Weiss-san is
different.
The Black Falcon of
the Gale, a genius of war, with the supreme commander himself leading the invasion.
Even in the previous
history, the mercenary group had passed through this route during their escape,
so they were familiar with the terrain, and as their name suggested, the
advance of their army, mainly composed of cavalry, was astonishingly fast.
・Defeated the surprised Solis baronial army at Mount
Teigun.
・Secured their rear with Teigun as a base and moved
south to the town of Est.
・Seized the granary area during the harvest season and
procured food locally.
He accomplished all of
this.
"Ah, so it was
unnecessary worry after all. I'm sorry for saying strange things."
"No, no, I think
it was an interesting point of view. Well, in that case, the invading army
would need a base of operations to avoid being attacked from the rear."
"I see. If you
were a general, Weiss-san, which place do you think would be good?"
"Well,
hypothetically... but, near the border of the Hiyorimi Viscountcy, passing
along the great forest called the demon realm, which also connects to the
border, would be Mount Teigun, rumored to be a natural stronghold."
So it was there after
all! I was once again aghast.
"Even now, among
those who earn a living by hunting monsters in the great forest, there is said
to be a small settlement that serves as a resting point due to its safe
location. In fact, we were also planning to head for Mount Teigun first, and
from there, pass along the great forest to reach the border."
I knew it...
I felt like all the
pieces of the puzzle from the previous life had connected...
Now, what should I do?
I held my head in my
hands at the story I had brought up myself.
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