novelraw Chapter 70: Directory Government - Guardians of the Revolution (2)
Chapter 70: Directory Government - Guardians of the Revolution (2)
Raphael Valliant, in the Northern Army Command Center, was receiving a report with a face of disbelief.
"What?"
"W-well, they say Bishop Richelieu suddenly fell into a coma, and the prepared accusation has been nullified."
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
The old man, who was fine until this morning, is suddenly in a coma?
It was absurd, but it had happened.
Valliant reached out, pulled out his bishop from the chessboard, and placed it down.
Everything was going perfectly according to plan at the most opportune moment, but the bishop meant to provide the most important justification failed in this way?
How can luck be this bad?
"Huh."A hollow laugh escaped.
According to the plan, Bishop Richelieu was to accuse the National Assembly of election fraud, incite citizens with his reputation, and lead the army to dissolve the National Assembly.
If he dissolved the National Assembly by accusing them of election fraud in Marquis Lafayette's absence, he planned to announce the new constitution he had prepared and hold an election. He thought the people, disappointed with the National Assembly, would support him, the hero of the Republic.
Once he seized power, he planned to appease Lafayette, and if that didn't work, he would unfortunately purge Lafayette and Richelieu...
"This is driving me crazy."
With the justification lacking now, is it possible to back out?
He did plan to blame Richelieu if things went wrong, but Richelieu himself ended up in a coma.
Can he dismiss it as a misunderstanding even now and release Desaix? Without anyone taking responsibility, just like that?
How unfortunate that things have turned out this way.
No, can such a thing happen at such a time by mere bad luck?
"Commander!"
A subordinate's urgent report jolted Valliant from his thoughts.
"What is it?"
"All units of the Southern Army have been issued an emergency standby order!"
"What? How is that possible?"
Louis Desaix had already been dealt with.
With no one possessing the authority to command the entire Southern Army, how could this happen?
"T-the order... it was issued in Marquis Lafayette's name..."
"What?"
Marquis Lafayette had undeniably left the capital. Valliant had made certain of it, relying on a spy embedded within the emissaries' procession, who reported the Marquis's departure via carrier pigeon.
The Marquis, engaged in formal diplomatic negotiations, couldn't possibly have returned so quickly. Even if he had, he wouldn't dare act so rashly.
To sever diplomatic ties, painstakingly established with Revolutionary Party support against Central Party opposition, on his own? It would be political suicide.
So, who?
"Ha."
Only one person had the power.
Someone universally known to be trusted implicitly by Pierre de Lafayette.
Valliant's eyes drifted to the chessboard, specifically to the queen standing powerfully on the opposing side.
If Countess Aquitaine had issued a pre-prepared warrant using Lafayette's name, the Southern Army would obey it as if it were from the Marquis himself, circumventing the usual chain of command.
The chessboard, once a mere amusement, was clearly occupied by a formidable opponent.
Emergency standby? The order was unnecessary. Its purpose wasn't to mobilize the Southern Army, but to demonstrate the capability to do so.
The order was nothing less than a declaration of war – a brazen protest, signaling they were aware of his schemes and would not tolerate them.
Bad luck? No.
Valliant was now certain. The black witch had undoubtedly foreseen their plans and eliminated Richelieu to thwart them.
A warning that he too could be targeted, though the means remained unknown.
"Commander...?"
Valliant looked at his subordinates gathered here, and then burst into laughter.
"Haha, hahaha! Wonderful!"
"Com...mander?"
Did he expect disappointment and sadness if they were defeated unknowingly?
Chills ran down Valliant's entire body.
Marquis Lafayette really dared to try to catch him, Raphael Valliant.
Confident of victory, he had positioned his favored woman on this chessboard.
Valliant slumped down in front of the chessboard.
"Alright, let's have a go."
Acknowledging his cornered position, Valliant picked up a pawn.
"Well, then- where would they be about now?"
*
Eastern Francia, Lorraine.
Alexandre Berthier, who had received Raphael Valliant's order, departed with the main force of the Northern Army stationed in the border area.
Now that the wartime mobilization order has been lifted, the number of troops stationed in Lumiere is small, whether they are from the Northern or Southern Army.
Most of the elite troops who had experienced the last war were stationed on the border with the Germania Empire.
Pawn. The most insignificant piece in chess, not of much help at the moment, but the last hidden card that can become any piece when it reaches the end of the board.
The border guards of the Northern Army, led by Berthier, played the role of the pawn that Valliant had called in case of an emergency.
And Berthier, the commander, was looking at the road with a frown.
To be precise, at Count Damien de Millbeau, who was standing awkwardly on that road, scratching his head.
"Count Millbeau. What exactly are you doing now?"
"Training, Haha."
Berthier glanced sideways at the Southern Army blocking the road, sitting around, and leisurely killing time.
"What kind of training are you doing blocking the road instead of being on the roadside and just sitting still..."
"Ah, I was going to feed the boys. A box lunch is essential for training, isn't it? Haha."
Damien spoke very shamelessly, and Berthier looked at the Southern Army, who were leisurely killing time, again.
"It doesn't look like they're eating, no matter how I look at it."
"We decided to start with training first and receive food later, but it seems like these guys are a bit late. I'll have to give them a good scolding later!"
"No, then just let our troops pass and you can eat later-"
"Huh? What kind of criticism would I get if I postponed their meal when they were finally taking a break to eat after hard training?"
Can't you see our troops who are cursing you guys right now?
Berthier struggled to swallow the words that had risen to his throat, then spat them out.
"If you don't clear the way immediately, the Northern Army will-"
But, before he could finish his words, the Southern Army's meal arrived.
"Oh, it's here! It's here! You bastards! The food is here!"
"Oh, oooooh-!"
Seeing the Southern Army openly lighting fires, preparing to eat, and receiving lunch boxes, Berthier was furious.
'Damn it, should I just sweep them all away?'
He was unsure if the information was leaked or something, but it seemed clear that the Southern Army just popped out without proper equipment or supplies, compared to the Northern Army, which came out fully prepared.
However, Berthier took a deep breath and calmed his anger.
Anyway, only a very small number of the Northern Army's top brass, including him, know about Valliant's coup attempt.
If he orders them to attack their allies suddenly, his subordinates may be shaken, and it could lead to a civil war.
It's not something he can decide on his own. If he makes a mistake, Valliant in the capital could be framed for treason.
Eventually, Berthier gritted his teeth and had to send a messenger to the capital to ask for instructions.
Of course, it wasn't like Damien was having an easy time.
He was trembling with anxiety, watching his subordinates leisurely blocking the road and eating lunch boxes, worried that the Northern Army might attack.
As soon as Christine realized that a messenger had been sent from the Northern Army Command Center to the east, she immediately dispatched a messenger to Damien of the Eastern Southern Army.
Of course, it was a response, so it was inevitably later, and Damien, who saw the order sent by Christine, was startled and rushed out with unprepared troops to block the road.
'Countess Aquitaine, that witch-like woman!'
Damien trembled, recalling Christine's threat written in the order.
He had forgotten about it when he gave up the rights to the Millbeau County and joined the revolutionary government, but there was still the tax right that she had taken from him when he was first captured by Marquis Lafayette.
Christine ordered him to hold up the Northern Army by any means necessary, and added a threat to charge him the amount corresponding to that tax right if he failed.
Thanks to this, Damien de Millbeau trembled with sorrow and fear, and desperately thought about how to hold the Northern Army back even more.
Of course, it was his own fault.
*
Lumiere in the afternoon, amid fierce battles of wits.
Raphael Valliant was sitting in the Northern Army Command Center, staring at the chessboard.
Valliant had no choice but to acknowledge his opponent.
He wouldn't lose a tactical battle on the battlefield.
But their current battle was ultimately one of intelligence and strategy, a showdown of prepared cards.
The opponent, whom he had considered at best as Marquis Lafayette's political partner and lover, was responding flawlessly, as if she had predicted all the actions he could take.
In the end, Valliant judged that he could not do anything as things stood, and issued an order to secure Christine Aquitaine.
He could somehow manage to cover up Louis Desaix, who was his subordinate in the chain of command, even if it was a stretch, but he could never get away with it if he arbitrarily arrested Countess Aquitaine, a member of the National Assembly, while framing her.
Valliant, who had secretly acknowledged no one other than Marquis Lafayette as an opponent, was bitter, but that persistent woman had eventually dragged him to a position where he could not move without risking something.
"Commander!"
Seeing the expression of the saluting adjutant who rushed in, Valliant frowned, then chuckled and asked.
"What bad news is it this time?"
"A messenger sent by General Nicolas, who went to the Aquitaine mansion, has arrived. It's..."
"Tell me quickly. I'm busy."
"The Saint is performing a concert in front of the Aquitaine mansion, so there's no room to squeeze through the crowd..."
"Huh. Haha, hahahaha! Awesome!"
Using the Saint as a shield?
As Raphael burst into hollow laughter, the adjutant glanced at him and asked.
"General Nicolas is asking if he should just force his way through and secure her, what should I say?"
"Are you crazy? Tell him to withdraw. You must never touch the Saint."
Even if the coup succeeds, if the crazed Marquis Lafayette decides to die with her, he will not be able to sleep comfortably at night.
That's why he sent her with the earnest request not to harm a single hair on Christine Aquitaine's head.
But touching the Saint, who is loved by the whole nation and even his subordinates, in front of the citizens, that's no different from suicide.
"Hah, hahaha..."
Raphael Valliant let out a chuckle and picked up the enemy's bishop from the chessboard and placed it next to the queen.
"Wow, this is checkmate? When and how much did that woman figure out about our plans?"
"Commander!"
Valliant chuckled at the call of another subordinate.
"What is it this time?"
"The National Assembly has been convened, it seems due to the events that happened today..."
"Haha..."
It's not strange.
The acting commander of the Southern Army was arrested by the Northern Army. Although they didn't start a civil war, the continued nervous battles and mind games with Christine Aquitaine made it impossible not to know that something was happening in the capital.
"It's better this way."
Valliant rose from his seat and put on his hat.
He admits it. That woman is a monster.
But it will be different when it comes to a battle between armies.
Did that woman think she could handle him? Is that why she pushed him like this?
It's a situation where he's clearly cornered, but he never felt so alive in his life.
"Commander?"
"Assemble the troops."
"Yes, sir! I understand!"
Now that things have come to this, he will forcibly dissolve the National Assembly and break through by force.
Even if he has to give up the plan to create a beautiful appearance of being supported by the citizens through an election, he must seize control of the state and neutralize the Southern Army before Marquis Lafayette's return.
He had thought of avoiding civil war at all costs, but at this moment Valliant erased even that from his mind.
Even if it means shedding blood, this country must be ruled by a greater hero, not by a council that is incompetent and busy cutting its own flesh.
Either gain everything, or lose everything.
"Well- the die is cast."