They closed the encirclement and destroyed half of the Empire's western Legions.
This alone was a tremendous military achievement, but Georg, the 3rd Prince, had no intention of stopping.
He decided to capitalize on this morale across the border and directly strike Imperial Territory.
“Speed up! We will attack the Empire's Border, which will be empty at this rate!”
“Your Highness. I am worried if this plan is not too dangerous.”
“Foolish words. The Empire has just wagered everything to save its Legions. That means their rear is empty! If we inflict another critical blow at a time like this, we can not only halt the enemy's offensive but also shatter their morale!”
The parties to the War were Thedorant and the Empire. However, their victory conditions were not the same.
The Empire absolutely had to destroy Thedorant and secure their surrender.
Only then could they re-establish their fallen authority and the Empire's order.
However, Thedorant did not desire such a perfect victory.
Inflict enormous damage on the Empire, break their morale, and emasculate their will to fight.
Then, they just needed to make calls for negotiation emerge from within the Empire.
Right now, Thedorant could not overwhelm the Empire. A draw was their limit.
More time was needed. To achieve that, negotiation was essential.
When they had caught their breath and were ready to emerge as the new Empire of the west,
They would have to fight the Empire again to see who would remain the sole Empire.
“So, we must not miss this opportunity. Do you understand?”
“Y-yes! Your Highness!”
This was an opportunity obtained by throwing 30,000 of their allies into the Empire's maw.
Although they had devoured two of the Empire's Legions, this alone was not enough.
They had to directly attack the Empire's territory to deliver a shock.
Of course, this could, conversely, ignite the Empire's will to fight.
However, if they strike the rear effectively, the Empire's military reorganization will be significantly delayed.
During that time, Thedorant could make sufficient preparations by focusing eagerly on defense.
Whatever the case, it was strategically beneficial to devastate the area near the border.
Destroy the routes used by large armies and the various supplies stored there.
Since only the best elites were selected from Thedorant, they would surely be able to accomplish it.
“Your Highness Prince! The Imperial gate will appear soon!”
“Break through in one go. Do not be afraid, sons of Thedorant. There are hardly any Enemies. They are busy ravaging our lands far away! Therefore, we too shall trample the Empire's lands!”
—Waaaaaah!!
With a great war cry, Thedorant's elite army headed towards the Imperial gate.
However, they had to halt their advance upon hearing the news—
“What did you say now?”
At the report of the scout who had gone ahead, Prince Georg couldn't help but be flustered.
“The Imperial Gate is wide open. Furthermore, not a single soldier is visible on the ramparts, only flags are planted everywhere.”
“Is that really true?”
“Yes, Your Highness! I am reporting this after confirming it several times!”
Prince Georg thought for a moment something was strange.
This can't be. Even if this place is quite far from the Battlefield, the news must have reached them.
Why would a gate be left open so leisurely when their country's army has suffered a great defeat?
Besides, there must be Imperial scouts around here, so news about this side must have gotten through too.
No, it's more than just news getting in. It's normal for them to have more than enough preparations for an attack.
‘But instead, they left the gate open.’
Faced with this unbelievable reality, Prince Georg first slowed down the army's speed.
Preparing for the unexpected, he strengthened the surrounding guard and advanced towards the gate.
The scene of the gate that soon appeared before his eyes was no different from the scout's report.
‘There’s really no one. Neither the soldiers who should be guarding the gate, nor the person in charge who should be up there. It’s as if something happened, there’s really no one.’
At that moment, several sturdy men suddenly appeared from beyond the wide-open gate.
They had no weapons and wore no military attire. They looked like mere supplies carriers.
They sprinkled water at the gate entrance and then began to clean very eagerly.
Even though Thedorant's military had arrived right in front of them, they didn't even spare a gaze.
Prince Georg, as well as everyone in Thedorant, was bewildered by that absurd sight.
“Your Highness Prince. Look, up on the gate.”
At the Department Head's words, Prince Georg quickly turned his gaze there.
A young man was walking leisurely and taking his place at the gate.
Although it was quite a distance, Prince Georg realized the man was looking at him.
“Oh.”
A low-ranking Officer acting as a guide said upon seeing this.
“Your Highness! There, that man. It's him!”
“Him, you say?”
“Kael Clausewitz! The Empire's Strategist who played a major role in the previous southern campaign and the eastern campaign!”
Kael Clausewitz? At those words, Prince Georg hurriedly looked back at him.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, Your Highness! I am certain. I saw his face drawn on a telegram reporting the Empire's great victory, and he looks exactly like the man over there!”
At those words, Prince Georg unknowingly sighed, 'Ha.'
He had heard that the man named Kael had been appointed Imperial Chief of Staff.
And he had also confirmed information that he had not participated in the western campaign.
Yet, that Kael suddenly appeared here, right in front of him.
‘Could it be that he predicted our Thedorant's movements?’
Kael Clausewitz. Prince Georg also knew him well by reputation.
Starting with the friction with Novgorod, he crushed the three eastern kingdoms on the opposite side of the continent.
And the great victory that just recently completely annihilated Benito's main force.
Kael was always there. What could this possibly mean?
It meant he was always involved in all those victories. It meant his contribution was quite significant.
The first time could be called coincidence, or luck, but this was already the third time.
And in this world, neither coincidence nor luck exists that repeats three times.
‘The Strategist named Kael always lured the enemy in when he had extreme superiority. According to information about the eastern and southern campaigns, that man preferred to create a perfect trap and lure the enemy into it.’
Prince Georg once again carefully scanned the area around the gate.
Nowhere did it feel like defense was being prepared.
Those who had been cleaning were now sitting on the floor, resting and chatting.
It was so quiet that it was impossible to even imagine it was a gate facing the enemy.
“Your Highness. Will you not give the order to attack?”
“…”
“The Enemy's preparations are completely lacking. Surely they are doing this because they are unable to defend this place properly while supporting other areas.”
“…”
Despite the words of several Department Heads, Prince Georg maintained his silence.
In his mind too, two possibilities were clashing.
Was that merely the bluster of someone who had nothing?
Or was it a trap, luring with sweet prey, just as Thedorant had done?
Something resolved Prince Georg's dilemma in an instant.
—Tiri-ring!
“That, that man?”
Kael, who was sitting on the gate, suddenly took out a lute.
Then he began to pluck the strings, the melody quite dazzling.
It was like watching a leisurely man out on a boat trip.
“…”
Having seen that far, Prince Georg finally made up his mind.
“Retreat.”
“Your Highness?!”
“What gracious words are those?! Retreat?! It's absurd!!”
“No. We must retreat. That is a trap. It must be a trap.”
The surrounding Department Heads had expressions of utter incomprehension.
At that, Prince Georg clicked his tongue and pointed to Kael, who was sitting on the gate.
Playing the lute with an incredibly relaxed expression.
“You all know well that Imperial Strategist. That man never takes risks. Even in moments that seem so, in the end, it was merely him manipulating everything.”
“B-but…”
“There is only one moment when that man makes himself look weak. When he has finished all preparations to crush the enemy. When he wants the enemies to stick their heads into that maw!”
The three kingdoms in the east did so, and Benito in the south did so again.
Kael always fights only after securing superiority. His schemes always began there.
There were already several negative examples, so he couldn't stupidly fall for it again.
“Say no more. The Empire is enough for being careless and suffering a great defeat at a moment when Morale is so high. Do you really intend to make the same mistake as them?”
“However, Your Highness, how about observing the situation a little longer before moving?”
“Foolish. If they are luring the Enemy so openly, there will be troops to respond from both within and outside. If we're not careful, we could be surrounded in reverse!”
Prince Georg had brought numerous victories and Glory to Thedorant until now.
All the figures in Military Circles admired his Insight and followed him sincerely.
When such a Prince came out like that, the Department Heads could no longer object.
In the end, they turned away from the gate that appeared empty.
Immediately after, shouts were heard from their rear.
—Waaaaaah!!
“Your Highness. The Imperial Army has appeared at our rear.”
“What did I tell you. They must have prepared a trap to attack us from both inside and out.”
“Wow, I can only admire Your Highness's Insight.”
“Retreat quickly. Now that our position is exposed, we can no longer move.”
Prince Georg withdrew his troops, looking at the gradually receding gate.
‘Kael Clausewitz. I acknowledge that you are an exceptionally brilliant Strategist. But I too. Our Thedorant is also formidable. Next time you prepare a trap, you'll have to do it a bit more properly.’
If we meet again someday, let's fight properly then.
Thinking so, Prince Georg turned his troops and headed back towards Thedorant.
However, Prince Georg had no idea, not even in his dreams.
That those soldiers were not there to encircle, but were the Eastern Allied Forces that had just arrived by chance.
That if they had clashed head-on, nine out of ten times it would have ended in a Great Victory for Thedorant's forces.
And above all—
“I’m saved…!”
The reason Kael was here was not because he had predicted Thedorant's movements.
It was simply that he would be going to the Battlefield soon anyway, so he had moved in advance and arrived.
And beyond the gate, which he thought was a trap, there were at Best only a few hundred soldiers.
‘This actually worked!!’
Indeed, the luckiest person in the world is the Best one!
Shouting "Hurray!" internally, Kael gently put down the lute.
His back was drenched in cold sweat; it seemed he needed to change his clothes.