Chapter 244
Northern Front ②: The Clowns of the North
Translator : PolterGlast
From the territory of Marquis Cocyust—a leader of the
Restoration Faction, former Minister of Finance, and a person of great
importance of the Kyle Kingdom—messengers were dispatched in two
directions. This happened on the same day, immediately after the Marquis met
with an envoy from the Uros Kingdom.
One message was addressed to Margrave Mesquino, who
was entrusted with defending the northern border.
『Regarding
the impending national crisis, 5,000 soldiers from the Uros Kingdom,
with whom we have long had friendship, and 5,000 mercenaries I arranged
directly through Uros merchants—a total force of 10,000—will enter the Kyle
Kingdom from the border. These are soldiers to protect the Kingdom; you are
to permit their passage across the border and ensure no discourtesy is shown.
This matter has already been communicated to the Royal Capital and approved, so take care not to make any mistakes.
Furthermore, the Margrave himself should lead his private army to participate,
so we may share the merit of overcoming this national crisis together.
』
"What is this? I haven't heard anything about this, not
even from that detestable Minister of
Military Affairs."
The Margrave was terribly confused. To begin with, he had
received orders from the Minister of
Military Affairs to maintain strict vigilance at the border during this
national crisis and prevent opportunistic thieves from running rampant.
At that time, the Margrave was furious.
『Just
because a mere Count happened to ride the current of the times and become
Minister of Military Affairs, what kind of language is this! To offer his
opinion so presumptuously—does he disregard the responsibilities of a Margrave entrusted with border
defense?! 』
Saying so, he had verbally abused the messenger from the Minister of Military Affairs.
In my father's time, such arrogant attitudes would never
have been permitted... This is
all because the correct path for the Kingdom has been closed off. The Royalist
Faction seized the center of national politics, and everything continues to
proceed in a bad direction.
He resented them, blaming them for his own responsibility in
the rapid decline following his succession.
Now, whose claim should he uphold? At this rate, simply
guarding against opportunistic thieves at the border or dealing with minor
issues will yield no military merit. The gap between him and the Southern and
Eastern Margraves would become truly insurmountable.
『If
only I could achieve war merits equal to the Demon Territory Count,
perhaps new honors or even a two-rank promotion would be possible... 』
He recalled the words spoken to him when he had protested to
the King alongside Margrave Clantiff. At this rate, he would have no
opportunity to restore his honor and would have to resign himself to eating
cold rice.
Margrave Mesquino
wavered. Then, recalling the words once spoken by the King, he steered toward a
new course.
"Alright! Send word to the border and convey Marquis
Cocyust's story! I myself must ride this new wave and catch up to them. If
anything happens, I'll have the Marquis take responsibility, won't I? Also,
send a fast horse to the Royal Capital!
Take this letter to the Royal Capital
and secretly request confirmation."
Saying this, he prepared a stance that could side with
either party. It would still take time for the army from the Uros Kingdom
to arrive at the border. The Margrave thought so. Until then, he could just
play nice with both sides. Until the moment a decision was necessary.
Several days later in the Royal Capital, receiving Marquis Cocyust's letter and the
fast horse from Margrave Mesquino, those at the center of national
politics, starting with the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, were perplexed.
"It seems we drowned a bit in our own cleverness. From
the Western Margrave Clantiff to some of the traitors, it seems they
don't even realize they have become traitors? Perhaps our previous warnings
about national crises are ironically being used against us..."
The Minister of
Foreign Affairs sighed as he placed the letter on his desk. If they had
spoken frankly with each other about the national crisis, perhaps this
situation would not have been invited.
However, the power struggle within the Kingdom ran deep, and
every faction refused to entertain such openness. While he was momentarily
stunned, tormented by regret, the Minister
of Commerce interjected.
"Minister of Foreign Affairs, if we do not
hurry..."
"Oh, that's right! Lord Gouras, could you
dispatch your swiftest messengers to three locations immediately? To Margrave
Mesquino at the border, Marquis Cocyust, and the Minister of
Military Affairs,
who is currently commanding the
defensive lines..."
"Yes, I will arrange it immediately."
"Though the Istoria Imperial Kingdom side has
likely made perfect preparations, so surely by now... Demon Territory Count,
I am sorry. Despite receiving so many warnings in advance, we..."
Saying this, Duke Klein, Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Chief of Staff for the Defense Line Operation, bowed his head deeply to the
person who was not even there.
While the leadership in the Kyle Kingdom's Royal Capital was agonizing over the Istoria
Imperial Kingdom's schemes, an abnormality was occurring at the Kingdom's
northern border as well.
"I beg to report. The reinforcements from the Uros
Kingdom—nearly 10,000 have already passed the border, but the column
continues without break. It looks like the total force will reach 20,000!"
"Wh-What! I haven't heard anything about that! Send
urgent messengers to the Marquis, the border, and the Royal Capital! If we receive an army of that number now, the
Kingdom will... be destroyed."
To begin with, there were several suspicious points. It was
strange that Marquis Cocyust was entrusted with arranging reinforcements
from another country in the first place. He was one of the leaders of the
Restoration Faction, an enemy who had been engaged in dark struggles with those
occupying the current center of the Kingdom until recently.
Furthermore, it was hard to say the Uros Kingdom had
a good relationship with the Kyle Kingdom. Compared to the two countries
bordering the north, the relationship was thin. In recent years, there were
suspicions of them diverting black market magic stones to the Imperial Kingdom,
and by order of the center, the Margrave himself had placed restrictions on the
distribution of goods at the border.
He himself had raised tariffs on goods passing through the
border, and for merchant caravans without prior notification (gifts), he had
his men find fault during gate passage inspections to collect bribes on the
spot. Because of this, relations with the Uros Kingdom had been steadily
worsening in recent years.
Because the Margrave himself had been left behind by the
times and was aiming for an opportunity to reverse the situation, he had easily
assumed that Marquis Cocyust and his camp were thinking the same.
But only at this point did he understand the severity of the
situation. To begin with, an army of tens of thousands cannot move easily.
Unless they had prepared perfectly in advance and were waiting near the border,
they could not have come to this side so quickly.
"Or-Order the entire army to mobilize! We cannot expose
any more disgraceful behavior! What is the status of the enemy army that passed
the border?"
Here, for the first time, he used the word 'enemy army'
instead of 'reinforcements'. It could be said that at this point, he finally
awakened to his responsibilities as a Margrave entrusted with border defense.
"After passing the border, the vanguard infantry of
10,000 has set up camp and is marching toward us while maintaining a full
battle formation. At infantry pace, they will arrive here within a day."
"Our entire army combined is 3,000... It's out of the
question. We will set up camp utilizing the terrain on the highway leading here
to intercept them. Buy even a little time until reinforcements from the Royal Capital arrive! Have those
remaining in the mansion evacuate to the Royal
Capital immediately."
Margrave Mesquino
sortied with a tragic resolve and taking up positions at the strategic key
points on the highway leading north. To intercept the invading enemy army.
Meanwhile, there was a legion that had passed through the
gate at the northern border leisurely without any casualties, and was now in the midst of consolidating within enemy
territory.
"Fufufu, Serpens. Your work as an Apostle was
truly splendid. I never thought we would cross the border this easily."
"My Lord! This success is solely due to your divine
guidance, Archbishop Castro. By the way, what shall we do from here? I still do not
know the intentions of the Margrave and the Marquis now that they know the
truth... Though there are reports that the Margrave has set up camp on the
highway and prepared an interception."
"Hoh? You mean he intends to intercept our 23,000 with
a mere less than 3,000? There is no helping it! Since there are years of
grudges, shall we crush him? Send a message to the 5,000 advancing Uros
soldiers and my 5,000 infantry. Trample the nuisance blocking our path."
"Yes, immediately! Even so, it was a bit surprising
that the Margrave was a man of backbone."
"Hmm, it is only
when pushed to the brink of ruin that a man's true nature is laid bare. In that
sense, he too must have awakened to his role as a Margrave, albeit belatedly. Though
I suppose it is a pity... I had hoped to use him as a convenient meat shield
for our cause."
Under Castro's instructions, the vanguard unit of
10,000 rushed down the highway. Half a day later, the coalition army of the Istoria
Imperial Kingdom and Uros Kingdom annihilated the defense force led
by Margrave Mesquino and brought the Margrave's territory under control.
"Now, we have suppressed the North as promised. Let us
coordinate with the movements of the Empire and the Principality. It wouldn't
be worth it if we alone took the full brunt of the enemy army's fierce attack.
Requisition and seize all the harvest in the vicinity! We shall make effective
use of it as our provisions. At the same time, advance to the border of Marquis
Cocyust's territory and send an envoy advising surrender. For the one who
brought us in as a foolish clown, there will likely be no place left within the
Kingdom."
"Yes! Your Excellency the Archbishop's insight to see
through his ambition and drive him into this situation is splendid."
"Fufufu, those who drown in schemes beyond their
stature perish by those very schemes. He created this situation by his own
hand. We must be duly grateful. Serpens, I leave him to you."
"As you command."
He answered briefly, and before anyone noticed, he had
disappeared.
With a massive army more than seven times his own bearing
down on him, the isolated and unsupported Marquis Cocyust was stunned.
He realized that instead of becoming a hero who saved the country and aiming
for reinstatement, he had fallen into a situation with no room for excuse as a
traitor inviting national ruin.
At that time, Serpens, the envoy from Archbishop
Castro, visited from the enemy army as an envoy for peace.
"Y-You deceived me... No, does this mean I was merely a
clown?"
Even at this late stage, the Marquis did not pursue or
rebuke him.
"Your Excellency, a clown is originally one who invites
the audience to the next stage during the interlude. Your Excellency drew the
curtain on the Kingdom's old evils and played an important role in inviting a
new history. From now on, please bear a part as a founder of the new Kingdom
together with us. We are prepared to accept Your Excellency."
"Hmph, there is no way to clear my name now. Since it
has come to this, there is no other choice. Please tell Lord Castro.
That I entrust my defeated self to him."
"!!!"
This time, it was Serpens' turn to be surprised.
Does this mean that in this short period, he organized the
situation and deduced that the Istoria Imperial Kingdom was behind the Uros
Kingdom and that Archbishop Castro was leading the invasion force?
He revised his evaluation of the man he had judged as merely
a scheming clown with bloated self-importance. If he is a sharp man, he could
become a source of trouble in the future. 『Should
I dispose of this man now? 』 Such a thought crossed his mind.
"That would be fine as well. Since it is rust from my
own body (my own fault)."
Serpens shuddered
again. Because those words and behavior implied his thoughts had been read.
"What are you saying? Archbishop Castro also
relies on Your Excellency's resourcefulness. As a person who should be a pillar
building the foundation of the new Kingdom."
"Hmph, a human pillar (sacrifice)... That might be
fitting for me. Please, I ask for your intercession with Lord Castro."
Saying this, Marquis Cocyust smiled servilely.
Although something snagged in the depths of Serpens' mind, he welcomed
the Marquis into their camp in accordance with the response instructed by his
master, Castro.
At this time, no one knew what Marquis Cocyust was
thinking or why he surrendered. Only history, spun later, knows.
The coalition army of the Istoria Imperial Kingdom
and Uros Kingdom, having invaded from the northern border, added Marquis
Cocyust's army of 3,000, bringing the total force to 26,000. They stopped
their army temporarily in the Marquis's territory.
As if waiting for the arrival of something.
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