Chapter 317
(Kyle Calendar Year 514: Age 21)
News from the North
Translator : PolterGlast
The city of Ende, located at the southernmost tip of
the Griffonia Empire. This place once suffered near-devastating damage
due to the invasion of the Sura Principality, but was subsequently
recaptured by the young Imperial hero, the Third Prince.
Since then, it has been developed as a fortress serving as
the base where his army is stationed, becoming the city that served as the base
for the counteroffensive against the Sura Principality.
Now, as the base for governing the entire new territory
expropriated from the Sura Principality, and furthermore as the base for
the Third Prince's military forces, the scale of the city had grown, and it was
now developing to the point of standing shoulder to shoulder with the major
cities within the Empire.
And right now, in this city, the two most closely watched
figures in the Empire were staying, along with the military forces under
their command.
「Phew, I've just returned~」
「What's with that spiritless report.
You're an appalling guy.」
「Well, after finishing the border
patrol and the inspection of the new territory's defense bases, just when I
thought I finally returned near this city, a new additional mission pops up.
Anyone would end up like this, you know.」
Yes, just when the city of Ende came into view and Sieghart
thought he could finally stretch his wings...
『Before entering the city, confirm
the progress of the city's defense works and identify issues.』
Such a bothersome order had come down.
「So, how is it from your eyes? Are
there any problems with the city's fortification works?」
「Well... Your Highness's instructions
are thorough, so I think it will become reasonably solid.」
Replying curtly to his lord, Sieghart slowly took a
seat without even being offered one, stretched out his limbs, and began to
relax.
「Because we cannot utilize the power
of Mages to advance the construction all at once, you see. It will take
a corresponding amount of time and expenses.」
「Well, it probably won't go like that
country. Incidentally, how is the development over there? You must be receiving
reports from your trading company too, right?」
「Indeed. Settlements and cities are
being built at a speed that's hard to believe right away. On a day not too far
off, they will probably establish a system where they can be self-sufficient
just in that area alone.」
「I can understand the cities if I
concede a hundred steps, but... the entire border area was supposed to be a
barren land that could only be used as pasture. Just how...」
「I want to know that too. I was just
about to ask Your Highness for permission to go inspect it...」
「Liar! You probably have a rough
guess, don't you? You intend to go on a pleasure trip using that as an excuse.」
「Hahaha, oh come on... that's not
true.」
「For a lazy guy like you to
voluntarily offer a long-distance inspection to the north right after finishing
the border patrol and inspection, isn't that a strange story to begin with?」
Saying so, Grat let out a heavy sigh. It was obvious
that Sieghart would make some excuse or another and move anyway.
「So, how is the situation at the
crucial border?」
The border he referred to is not the northern border. It is
the border with the Sura Principality and the Turncoat Kingdom,
spreading across the new Empire territory
in the entire southern area.
「The maintenance of the highways
leading from the defense bases to Ende,
establishing communications by setting up beacon towers along them, developing
the intelligence network, and other minimum necessary arrangements are
complete. We have prepared it to the extent that we can counterattack the
invading enemy army at key points while drawing them all the way to the final
defense base.」
「I see...」
For them, the most headache-inducing thing is that they have
no choice but to be on the defensive until the outbreak of war. The borderlines
the Empire newly obtained are vast, and keeping a watchful eye on all of
them is practically impossible.
For that purpose, they unavoidably dispatched the army
dispersing them to key points, planning to temporarily shrink the battle line
and intercept the enemy army. To respond to that strategy, Sieghart had
been running around constructing defense lines, touring various places in the
new territory for the past few months.
「Our military force on hand is barely around 50,000 right now, after all.」
「Well, it was fortunate that we could
allocate a large portion here from the north.」
「Because he (Takuhir) is
keeping a watchful eye for us. Besides, under the Viscount (Duroul)
there are 5,000 soldiers who defected from the Sura Principality; with
this, they will probably manage to respond somehow.」
「But the Viscount did a drastic thing
too. There are only 1,000 soldiers from the Empire in the north; the
rest are all defectors, right.」
「However, when it comes to fighting
the Sura Principality, they will probably be bewildered too. But if the
opponent is the Empire rebel army, they will fully
demonstrate the ability that gave even us a hard time. Besides...」
Saying so, Sieghart smiled wryly a little.
「They adore the Viscount. He's a
slightly strange man, but there probably won't be any problems with leading the
soldiers.」
「So, around when do you foresee it happening?」
「Let's see... still... they won't be
able to make any moves for at least half a year. They seem to gather at the
detached palace on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital from time to
time and wrack their non-existent brains, but in the first place, they have
neither funds nor the backing of merchants.」
「Hahaha, because things are turning
out exactly as you said. By yielding the northern territory, we could direct
all our efforts to the south, and his supporters' pockets are empty due to his
ransom. The crucial merchants also have no leeway to ride on their sweet talk,
as they are diligently doing business so as not to miss the economic boom of
the northern development.」
Yes, Sieghart had foreseen today's situation from
before, 'painted a picture', and approached the First Prince's return
negotiations as a means for that.
「That is how it is. Well, they
probably won't be able to move that easily either. Much less, I think they are
staying quiet for the time being so their intentions are not perceived.」
「So can those two countries endure
it?」
「They will have no choice but to. We
deployed a military force of fifty thousand here. Because they are well aware
that if they attack individually, they will suffer a painful experience and be
repelled. However...」
「What is it?」
「No matter how foolish they are, they
should understand this much. They must be planning to make some other move, a
move we don't expect. I just can't see that part yet.」
「The Sura Principality is
probably about 30,000 to 40,000? The Turncoat Kingdom is 20,000 to
30,000...」
「The idiots will probably scrape
together 10,000 to 20,000 at most.」
「In that case, at worst, we will be
surrounded by a military force nearly double ours, you know?」
「Hypothetically, if there is someone
to unify those three armies, and they attack in perfect coordination without
breaking formation, Your Highness will probably be put in a predicament.」
「Including you, that is.」
「But the new territory is vast. Much
less, there is no need to fear three armies whose intentions, commanders, and
affiliated countries are all disparate. We simply need to destroy them
individually before we are surrounded.」
「Will it go that smoothly?」
「We have the advantage of interior
lines. For that purpose, we newly maintained the beacon towers. And we have
also deployed horses for all soldiers. We just need to allocate the soldiers of
the entire army to one place while keeping an eye on the enemy's invasion
routes and arrival times. If we do that, we can fight with an overwhelming
numerical advantage on any front.」
「Then I shall look forward to the command
of my excellent tactician.」
「By the way... why is Your Highness,
who is supposed to be touring the front lines and soothing the entire army in
my place, here in Ende?」
「Hahaha, the earnest His Highness the
Third Prince is touring the front lines and soothing the entire army even now.
Though recently he seems to be a slightly taciturn man.」
Saying so, the person in question laughed loudly. Sieghart
accurately understood this strange way of speaking.
「Lady Clarice also gave me a good thing. Because if one wears that,
everyone will think it's me and will not harbor doubts.」
Yes, Grat newly made cheek guards suitable for the Klimt
armor he treasures as a family heirloom, and temporarily lent it to his vassal
man.
No one would probably think that someone of the status of
the Third Prince would let another person use the armor treasured as a family
heirloom. That assumption deceived not only the camps hostile to them, but even
their allies.
「Is that fine?」
「Of course, I will take it back when
I go to the battlefield. But there's no place to use it right now, is there? In
that case, I will just utilize it effectively.」
「Fufufu, I think that un-royal-like
part of Your Highness is interesting.」
「Hmph, being praised by you feels
creepy.」
「How cruel, I am Your Highness's
loyal vassal.」
「I'll let it stand at that. By the
way, a letter has arrived for you from him. Hearing the messenger's story, I
didn't want to show it to you, but... It will also serve as an answer to your
earlier doubt.」
Saying so, Grat handed two letters to Sieghart,
one strictly sealed and one unsealed.
Sieghart first
looked through the sealed letter and floated a fearless smile.
「I see. Istoria Imperial Kingdom...
so that's how it is... Did Lord Takuhir return the previous favor?」
Yes, in the past, Sieghart had implicitly conveyed to
Takuhir the possibility of a Kyle
Kingdom encirclement net, of being attacked from four surrounding
directions. And now, it was suggested that they too had the possibility of
receiving an invasion from four directions.
「Did Your Highness read this content?」
「Roughly from the messenger. I was
told the details are written in the letter, and the messenger also didn't seem
to know the detailed content, but...」
「Well, as previously promised, they
will probably move to protect the Dukedom and the territories of myself
and my uncle. Apparently, the fuse will be lit there.」
「We just have to feign ignorance and
pretend to hurriedly return the army to the north, right?」
「Yes, including the arrangements, it
seems I need to go over there once after all. There is also a massive amount of
agricultural products requested as trade.」
Saying so, Sieghart was staring at the second letter
with a full smile. Looking as if he couldn't sit still anymore...
「Tch, so I've given you a perfect
excuse. Well, it can't be helped under these circumstances. I grant permission,
but including the round trip... one month! I will not forgive any more than
that. And one more thing... there is a condition.」
Saying so, Grat told Sieghart the condition
for granting permission with a solemn expression.
「Ugh... Allow me to say this, but I
take no responsibility for whatever happens, you know.」
Sieghart merely answered just that one sentence. In response, Grat, the Third Prince, is said to have floated a full smile.
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