Chapter 313
(Kyle Calendar Year 514: Age 21)
The Beginning of the Maneuvers
Translator : PolterGlast
Around the time Takuhir and the others began
developing the city called Kusanagi, those who gathered at a certain
detached palace located a half-day's journey away from the Imperial Capital Griffin,
situated in the central part of the Griffonia Empire, were present.
They were the eleven close aides of the First Prince Glorious,
who had invaded the former Demon Territory Count's domain and become
prisoners, as well as the heads of high-ranking noble houses belonging to his
faction. Their houses, without exception, had begun to follow a path of decline
due to paying enormous amounts of ransom.
「Your Highness, I state this anew.
The eighteen people gathered here swear unchanging loyalty to Your Highness,
and as the vanguard inviting Your Highness to the pinnacle of supremacy, we
will not begrudge the labor of dogs and horses.」
「Yes, I thank everyone anew, starting
with Harry. I declare here that upon the dawn when our cause is
achieved, I promise not only what each house has lost, but prosperity
commensurate with your loyalty. Though, right now I can only issue an empty
promise of lip service...」
Saying so, Glorious, sitting on a dais one step
higher than where they knelt, twisted the corners of his mouth in a lonely
manner.
「For now, those words alone are
sufficient. Since we too have already lost the power to meet Your Highness's
expectations...」
Many of them had supplied the officers and men they held to
the First Prince's Imperial Guard, and moreover, had borne large amounts of
reparations and prisoner return expenses, so they lacked their former vigor.
「So, what will we do from here on?」
「Indeed. We too must change our plan. Temporary discord and stigma cannot be helped for the sake
of the Empire's thousand-year plan. Those gathered here are entirely
those who truly worry about the future of the Empire. There is not a
single opportunist among us.」
Saying so, Harry once looked around at those kneeling
similarly. Those responding to that gaze all had expressions harboring strong
determination, and each nodded back.
「I see...」
Answering briefly, Glorious felt a touch of
loneliness. In the past, those supporting him were at least double this number
even at a low estimate. Operations to undermine the neutral faction were also
progressing, and his supporters accounted for a majority of the great nobles in
the Empire, but...
「A palm is something that is turned
over very easily, isn't it.」
「It is exactly as Your Highness says.
But! This time it is our turn to make them turn it back. Even if temporarily,
we would like to receive Your Highness's resolve and permission. For the parts
where our soldiers are insufficient, we just need to compensate with the bait
we prepare.」
「Harry, is the bait you prepare the new territory that guy (Grat)
obtained, and the old territory his watchdog (Westlights) stole? And how
many countries are the clowns who will bite that bait?」
「At least three countries... as
planned, six countries.」
「Oh? Will they move that far?」
「Yes, naturally the Sura
Principality in the south, and the Turncoat Kingdom in the
southwest; these two countries have already been showing interest. The
northeast would be three small countries, with the Istoria Imperial Kingdom
as the main axis.」
「Hmm... I understand the south, but
isn't the north somewhat unreasonable?」
「As expected of Your Highness. You
understand well. However, the northeast has already begun to move. Regarding
this matter, I will guide the executor before you later.」
「So am I to raise a rebellion against
the Empire?」
「No, no, we will not do such an
unrefined thing. We merely ask you to dispatch troops to the southern part of
the Empire to support our ally (Grat) who has fallen into a
predicament surrounded by enemies, and act as a lid in the rear. Well... there
might be times when we slap the behinds (shoot arrows) of cowards who abandon
the duty of defending the new territory, which is fearfully the territory of
His Majesty the Emperor, and try to flee to the rear, in the sense of urging
them to battle, though...」
「Hahaha, you are saying there might
happen to be an unfortunate misunderstanding?」
「Exactly as you say.」
「But I think the soldiers are still
insufficient even so?」
The First Prince's doubt was also a reasonable story. Under
him, even including those who managed to safely retreat in the previous battle
and those who returned together in the prisoner return, there are less than ten
thousand. It is a number that absolutely cannot sway the war situation.
「Gathering soldiers here would arouse
their suspicion. Therefore, Your Highness will lead ten thousand Imperial
Guards. The foreign invasion is for that purpose. In a situation where the
national land is invaded by other countries, the only ones in a position to
rally domestic military forces and head to the front lines are the two of you.
However, in this case, the other one is in a position of being heavily
surrounded and saved.」
「So that's how it is! Certainly. If
it's a crisis of the Empire's survival, about fifty thousand would
probably gather.」
「Yes, and we do not even need to win
this time. As long as we defend only the old territory of the Empire...
The recapture of the territory lost at that time will surely become the great
achievement of the new His Majesty the Emperor.」
「I see... I haven't lost yet, have I.」
Muttering so, Glorious's eyes staring at those
gathered were filled with ambition.
※
When the curtain of night fell after those strictly
instructed by Duke Harry left the detached palace with new determination
in their hearts, three men invited by Harry came to meet the master of
the detached palace.
「It is our first time gaining Your
Highness's will. We are those entrusted with the aftermath by the old master,
aspiring to bear a part of Your Highness's hegemonic enterprise from here on.」
『Tch, subordinates of that sketchy
old man of all people. This is Harry's plan?』 Glorious frowned for just a moment, but at this point, he wanted to
use whatever was available. Facing the kneeling men, that thought took
precedence, and he managed to suppress his words somehow.
「What are your names? What do you say
you can do for me?」
「Yes, my name is Hiyorimi von
Lugner. Waiting here is my comrade Azazel, and the other one... it
would be better to introduce him along with the plan.」
Saying so, the man raised his face and laughed fearlessly
with a cold smile like ice.
「In our humble consideration, Your
Highness must have something you desire to accomplish besides the great cause.
That is to eliminate the impudent mouse nesting in the Empire, who sings
the spring of his life in the north.」
「Of course! To behead the hateful
upstart brat who stole my honor, bound me in ropes, and stole a vast sum of
money, my soldiers, and my national land; I absolutely will not yield on this
alone!」
「As you say. And our objective is
also the same. In addition to that, for Your Highness's great cause, there is
another hindrance in the north. First, we intend to crush that, and push the
brat back beyond the northern exit.」
「Hahaha, big talk is fine and well. I
have ridden on your smooth talk a few times, and there is something I learned
there. Although it's too late now. What on earth do you bastards, who hardly
have any soldiers to lead, say you can do?」
「Before speaking, please let me clear
Your Highness's misunderstanding a little. The strategies we presented to you
three times so far should have originally succeeded. The ones who hindered that
were three brats.」
After saying so, Lugner continued his words with a
frustrated face.
「The ones who hindered our stratagems
were the second son and eldest son of the Solis house, which was
originally nothing but a mere Baron house, and the sycophant of your country's
Third Prince.」
Yes, listed first is Takuhir, who hindered their
plans using Teigoon as a base. Next is Darek, who hindered them twice in the
final phases when complete victory was right before their eyes. And Sieghart,
who hindered the First Prince's intervention during the civil war in the Kingdom.
It is a fruitless assumption, but if any one of these three
had been missing, the future that arrived would have changed greatly.
「So, what will you, who were done in
by them just like me, do?」
「In this battle, the biggest
hindrance was drawn out of his hole. And his brother has been transferred to a
distant land, and cannot easily hinder us. The last one will probably be pinned
down in the south. We will strike at that opening.」
Saying so, Lugner signaled the man waiting behind
him, and the man stepped forward and knelt beside Lugner.
「This person will become the key to
our counteroffensive. He is Archbishop Castro, who once held a position
second only to the Imperial King in the Istoria Imperial Kingdom.」
「What!」
At this, even the First Prince could not help but raise a
voice of astonishment. Even in the previous great war, although they had no
face-to-face acquaintance, there were many exchanges of letters with the First
Prince's camp. Saying, 『Matching our timing, we should invade the Kyle Kingdom
together』...
Seeing that state, the corners of Lugner's mouth rose
subtly.
「As a result of the Imperial
Kingdom currently being pressed for enormous reparations and territory
cession through weak-kneed diplomacy with the Kyle Kingdom, the
interior of the country is impoverished and dissatisfaction is accumulating.
The current Imperial King is a puppet we installed, and does not have the
caliber to ride out this difficult situation. Therefore, we cast a stone.」
「Will it really go that smoothly?」
「It doesn't have to go perfectly.
Preparations are complete to suppress the entire northern area of the Imperial
Kingdom bordering the Empire. It will require some time to unify the
country domestically, but we can at least raise the 'Istoria Orthodox
Theocracy' centered in the north.」
「Oh?」
「Sooner or later, an army of at least
about ten thousand will gather under him. And I shall go and persuade the three
countries bordering both the Imperial Kingdom and the Empire
respectively.」
「Can you do that? Even if you could,
those three countries are just small countries that can be attacked and
destroyed anytime. I don't think they'll be of use?」
「That is why. Those countries
constantly felt that threat. Therefore, I would like to receive Your Highness's
personal letter. Saying, 『If you cooperate with the succession to the throne, the Empire
promises the preservation of the three countries, and furthermore, you may take
as much land owned by the camps of Astray, Kampfer, etc. as you
please.』」
「So that will make them dispatch
soldiers?」
「Yes, at most ten thousand per
country, but if the three countries align their pace, it's thirty thousand, and
if the Imperial Kingdom's soldiers join there, it becomes a military
force of forty thousand. Now that a ceasefire with the Kingdom is
established, the Third Prince's eyes are poured toward the south. In the event
of an emergency, he will probably pull the majority of that army and his
sycophant south.」
「So you aim for that empty house?」
「Yes, south of that land is the
sphere of influence of the noble houses supporting Your Highness. After
trampling the territories of the sycophants and others, the safety of the rear
is secured, so with these forty thousand, we will invade the brat's territory
from four directions. The defending military force will not exceed twenty
thousand even at a large estimate from ten thousand.」
「Certainly, a siege battle might be
one thing, but if it comes to a field battle against an enemy army more than
twice as large, there would probably be nothing they could do.」
「As you say. That land exposes its
flank greatly and is an extremely difficult land to defend, so we will push the
brats back beyond the border all at once. In that process, the three countries
blinded by greed might perhaps suffer great damage. To the extent they can no
longer even maintain their own countries...」
Lugner's
proposal was a ruthless one. Because they would use them as much as they could
use them, and merely deplete them.
「If so, Your Highness, having
finished the disposal in the south, will turn north and drive out the three
countries.」
「Hmph, it's a somewhat too convenient
story. Will those three countries dare to come pick chestnuts out of the fire?
And... what benefit is there for the 'Istoria Orthodox Theocracy' that
pulls back without fighting?」
「Please leave that point to us. We
possess the technique (Dark Magic) that can do that. If Your Highness
makes the Istoria Orthodox Theocracy an ally and lends your power to the
unification of their national land, there is benefit for us as well.」
「...」
Glorious was deep
in thought. It is an ideal move. But...
「Originally, Your Highness had no
moves to make in the north, did you not? There is a strategy that does not hurt
your own pockets in a place you originally had no choice but to leave alone.
Besides... Defending the original Empire territory
from the enemy army that invaded the south, and while driving out the hostile
forces from the north, taking back the ceded territory with your own hands;
this honor will greatly contribute to Your Highness's succession to the throne.」
Glorious, who had
been agonizing, made a decision at this point. That he should make all the
moves he can make right now.
「Then let's do this. First, raise the
Istoria Orthodox Theocracy urgently. That is the condition. If that is
accomplished, I will write the personal letters to the three countries. First,
show it with your actions. I do not need lip-service proposals.」
「I thank Your Highness for your
generous words.」
Saying so, Lugner and the others bowed deeply and
left the room. Watching their backs, Glorious muttered quietly.
「I do not trust them. I merely
thought it would benefit the battle in the south. Even so, why does Harry
stubbornly take their side...」
He could not find an answer to that doubt.
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