novelraw Chapter 108: Revolution Defense War - A Pathetic Provocation
Chapter 108: Revolution Defense War - A Pathetic Provocation
Winter was over.
The light snow that fell towards the end of winter had already completely vanished, and the earth beneath the shining sun held a fair amount of warmth.
Including the returned Prisoners of War, the massive Imperial Army, numbering a staggering 100,000, remained in a vague standoff.
Amidst this situation, Grand Duke Leopold was welcoming additional Reinforcements that had arrived from the Empire.
An additional 10,000 Reinforcements.
It was by no means a small number, but worry was not erased from the Grand Duke's face as he greeted them.
Adding the additional Reinforcements, the total strength of the Imperial Army reached 110,000.
However, the Revolutionary Army had also received large-scale reinforcements in Lumiere, reaching a force of 90,000.
And yet, there was still no sign of the Offensive that everyone in the Empire, including the Grand Duke, had desperately anticipated.
Still, they are Reinforcements, so he should greet them with a smile.Thinking this, the Grand Duke greeted the young Count.
“Welcome, Count Wittelsbach.”
The young, handsome Count responded with a salute to the Grand Duke.
“Albert von Wittelsbach greets His Highness Grand Duke Leopold, hero of the Empire. ……It has been a while.”
Looking at the son of the previous Count with whom he had once roamed the battlefields, the Grand Duke gave a bitter smile.
“Yes, it is reassuring to have you join us.”
*
A short while later, Grand Duke Leopold dismissed his attendants and was speaking privately with Count Wittelsbach.
The Grand Duke frowned as he looked over the documents handed to him by Count Wittelsbach, then let out a hollow laugh.
“Assassins included among the Reinforcements?”
“Yes, Your Highness. They are specialists in neutralizing poison and magic, so they will be of great help in dealing with knights who rely on Magic Barriers by using surprise attacks.”
“……Hmph.”
How had the Imperial Army, with its superior numbers, come to rely on such men devoid of honor or principle?
Such words dared not leave the Grand Duke's lips.
Ultimately, it was because he had failed to achieve Victory that such men were being mobilized.
Grand Duke Leopold chewed his lip before speaking.
“In the end, is it the Kaiserin’s will that we launch an Offensive, even if it means mobilizing those men? Must we truly continue this war for the Kaiserin’s throne, even if it means tarnishing the Empire’s honor and driving countless sons of the Empire to their deaths?”
At the Grand Duke’s lament, Count Wittelsbach stared at him intently before slowly opening his mouth.
“……Your Highness.”
“……?”
Count Wittelsbach’s low voice pierced the Grand Duke’s ears clearly.
“The Kaiserin has been strenuously holding back the Feudal Lords demanding an Offensive, but as Francia ultimately showed no sign of attacking, she reluctantly sent even these men to aid Your Highness.”
“……What did you say?”
To the Grand Duke’s shocked face, Count Wittelsbach stated with a calm expression.
“It is the Kaiser who desires Victory in this war and their overthrow, and who ordered the Offensive. He was even considering replacing Your Highness for that purpose, but the Kaiserin prevented it.”
Grand Duke Leopold dropped his head with a bewildered expression.
After a long silence, the Grand Duke spoke.
“……The continuation of this war, complete Victory, an Offensive for that purpose… the Kaiser desires this?”
“That is correct, Your Highness. Rather, the Kaiserin wishes to somehow stop the war at an appropriate point, abandoning the throne of Francia.”
Grand Duke Leopold raised a trembling hand and clutched his head.
Watching the esteemed hero of the Empire in such a state with pitying eyes, Count Wittelsbach delivered a despairing sentence.
“It is unavoidable now, Your Highness. The only hope is to either completely defeat them, or, failing that, somehow achieve Victory and end the war by having Alsace-Lorraine ceded.”
The Grand Duke, lost in despair, could not open his mouth.
He had been loyal to the Kaiser.
He had believed he fought for the Empire.
He had disapproved of the Kaiser relying so much on the Kaiserin, but had tolerated it because the Kaiserin had indeed contributed much to the Empire.
However.
That Kaiser wanted to continue a war already driving the Empire to ruin? Even more, the Kaiser, who had continuously trusted him in successive wars against Krafte, intended to dismiss him?
The Kaiserin, whom he thought was driving the Empire to ruin by starting a war for herself, had actually been protecting him? Then, what about his direct counsel to the Kaiser?
Amidst the sensation of everything he believed in crumbling, the Grand Duke felt dizzy and staggered.
“Your Highness……!”
Leaning on the Count who rushed to support him, the Grand Duke, after moving his lips soundlessly for a long while, finally uttered in despair.
“What have I been fighting for?”
With those hollow words, silence and the weight of the betrayed reality pressed down on the Grand Duke.
Feeling as though he would be crushed by the weight if he remained silent any longer, the Grand Duke spoke, almost impulsively.
“……Let us try to provoke an Attack one last time. If they still do not respond, then…….”
Suppressing the feeling like a thorn caught in his throat, the Grand Duke barely managed to utter.
“We will launch the Offensive.”
He couldn't fathom how many soldiers would be crushed and sacrificed under the weight of those words, his mind already enveloped in shock and confusion.
All that remained for him was the path of fighting. If he were dismissed now after achieving nothing, what meaningless deaths would his subordinates, who died under his command, have suffered?
With his non-functioning mind, he merely harbored the broken hope that if the young, hot-blooded knight happened to respond, he might be able to save some of his subordinates' lives at the cost of his own disgrace.
“Having missed the time to retreat, a man who has lost everything becomes this wretched.”
The Grand Duke who spoke thus wore a face as if his soul had departed.
*
Near the Revolutionary Army encampment outside Valois.
I drew the dagger from my waist and threw it instantly.
Tens of thousands, no, including the time before regression, perhaps more.
The dagger, thrown with a familiar sensation from countless practice throws, flew with a tearing sound and accurately struck the center of the target.
The skill, practically engraved onto my body, had not yet dulled.
As I mechanically practiced until I ran out of daggers at my waist and approached the target to retrieve them, the sound of a galloping horse reached me.
Turning, I saw Louis Desaix gallop up on his horse and rein it in before me.
“Whoa, whoa. Excuse me, Your Excellency Marquis.”
“Commander Desaix.”
As I replied, reinserting the retrieved daggers into my belt and lifting my head, Desaix gave a wry smile.
“Even as Commander-in-Chief, you practice these assassin-like drills almost daily.”
“Movements memorized by the body dull quickly with even slight neglect of practice. Maintaining the senses is crucial as long as one stands on the battlefield.”
“Hmm, is that so. There are some who express concern whether Your Excellency truly needs to risk danger fighting on the very front lines.”
“But it certainly helps boost the soldiers’ Morale, doesn’t it?”
Desaix replied with a grin.
“Well, if you recklessly roll around with the soldiers on the front lines and get killed, you’d be an incompetent general, but since you survive and stand steadfastly with them, you are a hero.”
Not just flattery like Damien De Millbeau, but even a kind warning that dying would mean being treated as an incompetent general.
This is why I like Desaix.
I asked with a smirk.
“So, is there some important matter that you interrupted my training for, Commander Desaix?”
It was half a joke, but Desaix answered with a shrug.
“An Emissary sent by Grand Duke Leopold of the Germania Empire Army has arrived, Your Excellency.”
“Oh, now that truly is an important matter.”
“Were you not anticipating this?”
“Ha. You know me too well.”
*
I immediately returned to the command tent with Desaix and, together with Chief of Staff Berthier who was waiting, greeted the Imperial Emissary.
“It is an honor to meet you, Marquis Lafayette. I am Count Benedict von Baden, here under the orders of His Highness Grand Duke Leopold, Commander-in-Chief of the Germania Empire Army.”
Ah, that Count Baden?
I knew Count Baden was supposed to be in his late thirties, but the man before me looked worn down, appearing to be in his late forties.
'Looks like dealing with Demian took quite a toll on him, huh?'
“Pierre de Lafayette, Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army of the Revolutionary Kingdom of Francia, welcomes you, Count Baden. I have heard much of the Count’s valor.”
As I spoke with a grin, Count Baden’s forehead twitched.
Well, still, for a knight, challenging a Francia knight to a duel could be considered valorous, right?
“……It is an honor that a War Hero of Francia recognizes someone like myself.”
“Although we have met several times on the battlefield, as soldiers fighting for our Motherlands, is it not necessary to research and show courtesy even to our adversaries? That aside, I would like to hear why the Grand Duke has sent the Count.”
Count Baden’s mouth twitched again, but he took a deep breath and spoke.
“I have brought a gift that His Highness Grand Duke Leopold commanded me to deliver to Your Excellency Marquis Lafayette.”
“A gift, you say. Let us see it.”
Watching the box Count Baden ordered a soldier to bring forward, I felt a surge of anticipation.
Although I had relayed messages to the Prisoners of War through Eris, since we truly hadn’t attacked for the entire year, the Empire's Feudal Lords must be nearing the end of their patience.
Still, having occupied Alsace-Lorraine and prepared their defenses, the Germania Empire must have been expecting us to attack come spring…….
What did the Grand Duke’s Emissary prepare, given that we showed no sign of launching an Offensive?
The soldier opened the box, revealing a dress inside.
A woman's, ornate garment.
“Hmm, a dress.”
“……A dress.”
Desaix and I each commented.
Chief of Staff Berthier furrowed his brow.
The other commanders were busy receiving new recruits arriving from Lumiere, so it was fortunate it was just the three of us.
Nicolas Nere, whose valor bordered on hot-bloodedness, would have likely flown into a rage.
Jerome Morelle would have struggled to hold back laughter while subtly teasing me, right?
Damien De Millbeau…….
Let’s not think about it.
As I lifted my gaze, Count Baden spoke with a deliberately brazen face.
“It is clothing His Highness Grand Duke Leopold personally gifts to Your Excellency Marquis Lafayette.”
'It's needlessly luxurious for a dress intended for this purpose.'
It would look pretty on Christine.
……Though she wouldn't wear such a flamboyant dress.
“Hmm, His Highness Grand Duke Leopold is truly considerate, even providing a gift for the fiancée of an enemy commander.”
“……It is a gift presented dir.ect.ly. to Your Excellency Marquis.”
Count Baden said so, handing me a letter.
“What is this now?”
“It is a letter from the Francia residents of Alsace-Lorraine, sent to Your Excellency Marquis.”
Opening it, the letter's content was simple.
It described the suffering caused by the prolonged occupation by the Imperial Army and requested the Revolutionary Army to launch an Offensive for Recapture as soon as possible.
“You claim to be the people's government, yet you consistently remain on the defensive instead of recapturing occupied Territory. How can this be called the duty of a soldier and a knight? His Highness the Grand Duke is disappointed by Your Excellency’s actions-”
“Haha, hahaha…….”
Count Baden’s words were cut off by my laughter.
So, they're saying, 'You've lost Territory, so stop cowering unmanly and come attack us for a fight,' right?
To a knight, this is practically a blatant provocation, isn't it?
It's an insult that would justify me throwing down my glove immediately, but Count Baden, having received such a role, must be quite…….
“The Count has undertaken quite a difficult role.”
As I spoke with a grin, the Count replied in a suppressed tone.
“……I merely received orders.”
'Yes, I bet you did. Then again, who told you to get beaten so badly by Demian.'
I chuckled softly and pushed the box containing the dress forward.
“Returning a gift is normally somewhat rude, but this time I must unavoidably return it. There is a more suitable owner for this attire.”
“What might you mean by that?”
“Isn’t this an invasion war you started? A war started claiming to overthrow our Revolutionary government, a supposedly illegitimate Puppet Government that overturned the rightful throne. Yet you, with your superior numbers, are trembling in fear of our army, ravaged by civil war, resorting to such cute tricks, begging us to please attack first…….”
I grinned at the bewildered face of Count Baden.
“This dress seems more suited to your Commander-in-Chief than to me.”
“Wh-What is the meaning-”
Count Baden’s face flushed crimson.
“Do you think we’ll make a move just because you roughly intimidated occupied residents into writing letters? We gave them time to evacuate and the support for it. What remains is their choice, so the hardships they face are their responsibility.”
“That is an irresponsible stance for a commander responsible for protecting the nation and its people-”
“We will not Attack, Count. If anyone is to do it, it must be you. You, who are slowly dying, crushed by the pressure from the Feudal Lords and the burden of expeditionary war expenses.”
I grinned widely at Count Baden, whose face was completely stiff, and continued speaking.
“Why, are you scared of that? Then go back, put on that dress, sit quietly, and wait to be kicked out by the Feudal Lords. Your military career and everything else will be over, your honor dragged through the mud, but you’ll be able to live comfortably in the Empire watching the fledgling generals sent by the Feudal Lords get defeated instead.”
Count Baden, his face completely scarlet, trembled furiously, then turned his back abruptly without a word of farewell and stormed out.
Only after a startled officer followed him did Desaix burst into laughter.
“Puha, Puhahaha!”
“Haha, hahaha…….”
Ah, this is quite amusing.
They kindly informed us themselves that the noble Grand Duke Leopold is in such a desperate situation that he has to resort to such childish provocations, didn't they?
“What is so amusing about such an insult…….”
“The rest has been sufficiently long, Chief of Staff.”
To Berthier, who spoke beside me with a deep scowl, I replied with a chuckle and rose from my seat.
“Prepare for a defensive battle.”
Last time, I was lured onto Grand Duke Leopold's desired battlefield and fell into a trap as I tried to overcome the unfavorable situation, but now they must have realized they have no choice but to attack directly.
This time, let's drag them onto the battlefield I desire, and fight properly. Grand Duke Leopold.