On the first day of the truce, both sides seemed unaccustomed to it.
Until then, they had fought at least once a day, and sometimes up to seven times.
But that act was forbidden for three days. Except for minimal guard duty, they were told to eat and drink at ease.
“…”
“…”
Everyone just watched each other's reactions, while also looking at their commanders.
Is this really okay? Are we really not fighting today?
The morning passed, then noon, until it was late afternoon.
Both sides finally realized that the promise made by their best commanders was being kept.
Once they felt it was safe, the soldiers finally regained their smiles.
The Empire and Thedorant, each in their own way, began their New Year's celebration.
It was a holiday that had passed more than a month ago, yet it still had to be celebrated, right?
Of course, a holiday celebration in the military is nothing special, typically just eating, drinking, laughing, and talking.
Soldiers gather and share rather low-quality dirty jokes.
Then the low-ranking commanders who stealthily join in and exchange more jokes.
If the war hadn't happened, it would have been a common scene in the military.
The real change appeared on the morning of the second day of the truce.
“Commander! An urgent report has come from the personnel on the frontline guard!”
The adjutants next to Faelus became very tense.
Were those Empire bastards hiding something and trying to pull a fast one?
If that happened, Leonit's influence would grow uncontrollably—
“The Empire has proposed a soccer match to Thedorant.”
“…Soccer?”
“Yes. What kind of response should we send?”
Have these guys really gone crazy? It was surprising enough that they gave them supplies, albeit briefly, with the truce proposal.
But they take it a step further and now propose a soccer match in the middle of a battlefield?
“They said there would be no combat whatsoever. This is how they're starting a fight.”
“Commander?”
“Just talking to myself. Tell the Empire that we will gladly accept that challenge, so tell them to come out with their best effort, and mention that our soldiers have filled their bellies with the food you provided.”
“Yes, Commander! I will relay it as is!”
Thus, a somewhat sudden soccer match between the two sides was arranged.
The soldiers were initially bewildered but soon burst into laughter and prepared to cheer.
The loser here would probably not be able to hold their head up for a long, long time.
“Hey! Kick like your life depends on it. I won't let you off if you lose to the Thedorant guys!”
“Let's show those Empire bastards what we're made of! We may not know about fighting, but we can't lose at soccer!”
Leonit, upon hearing the news, was aghast and asked if they were in their right minds.
But it was nearly impossible to stop the soldiers who had been swept up in the atmosphere.
Because for them, they were not in the middle of a Battle right now, but a holiday celebration.
“Hey! Run! Run!!”
“Kick it properly! You stupid fools!!”
First half, 30 minutes. Second half, 30 minutes. Even with extra time, the score was a 2:2 draw.
In the end, it seemed to be heading for a penalty shootout, but it concluded with a mutually agreed draw.
The reason was the atmosphere was quite good, and there was no need to ruin it.
“Hey! You Thedorant country bumpkins! You can play some ball!”
“Ha! You Empire bastards. I thought you were only good at fighting, but you're quite good?!”
“Good game, you Thedorant bastards!”
“I'm from Atria!”
“I'm from Dregali!”
“Those morons! They're not even from Thedorant, why are they fighting with Thedorant?!”
“I don't know anymore!”
From different countries, they had, until recently, been pointing Spears and Swords at each other.
But looking back, they were all fathers, husbands, and sons who had come to the Battlefield.
It would be stranger if a sense of kinship didn't form.
After the soccer match ended, the Empire released some Supplies and shared drinks with both sides.
As night fell, both the Empire and Thedorant began to party with all their might.
The madness of the Battlefield, which had been filled only with Killing and Being Killed, spread to a strange place.
Anyway, in a day or two, they would have to fight again. Some would be dead and gone.
Let's hang out, talk, eat, and drink now, as if we hadn't fought.
Some even left their camps and held drinking parties with soldiers from both sides in the middle ground.
The protagonists were those from the western part of the Empire and the eastern part of Thedorant.
Just in case, armed individuals from each side followed, but no problems arose.
As if they were Neighbors living nearby, they even chatted away.
In front of the barracks,
By the main gate
A mana lamp stood
And she is still standing before it.
So we wish to meet again.
-
With you, Lili Marleen
With you, Lili Marleen
-
The mana lamp knows,
Your beautiful steps.
Every evening the mana lamp is lit
But she has long forgotten me.
And if pain should come to me
Who will stand by the mana lamp.
-
With you, Lili Marleen
With you, Lili Marleen
It started as a way for the Empire to destabilize Thedorant.
But now, everyone, without distinction, began to sing, thinking of their lover or wife.
They had called each other invaders and monsters, but in the end, they realized they were all the same people.
The last day of the truce arrived.
The soldiers who had been relaxing also sensed the end was near and began to organize their positions.
They bid farewell to each other and returned to their respective camps.
They couldn't wish each other good luck. Their luck was their own misfortune.
“…”
Faelus, who had been watching the scene, returned to the Command Tent without a word.
There, the voices of Leonit and the Hardliners commanders had been incessant since yesterday.
“Tomorrow, we must attack first! If those Empire bastards charge again, our weakened army will collapse!”
“Skepticism is growing thick among the soldiers. This can't continue! The fighting spirit of the Theian People is about to be extinguished!”
“We shouldn't have accepted the truce. It was a trap by those Empire bastards!”
Those same bastards who accepted that truce and shared drinks now have a lot to say.
Such words rose to the tip of Faelus's tongue, but he forcefully held them back.
Instead, he responded with consistent disregard for them.
However, even Faelus could not ignore what happened next.
[ Our Command Staff strongly criticizes Commander Faelus. How could you accept the truce? For the responsibility of the loss of Ally Morale, transfer all Command authority to General Leonit. ]
You, who used the soldiers here as sacrifices to escape the encirclement.
Are you saying we shouldn't even harbor the hope of living for a moment?
Faelus, barely suppressing his blazing anger, opened his mouth.
“My Command authority was given to me by the 3rd Prince. If you wish to transfer this to General Leonit, the Prince must give the order himself.”
[ The Prince is busy right now, Commander. ]
“So busy that he can't directly order the current Commander to transfer the command authority of 40,000 troops?”
[ That is correct. ]
That Prince Georg was losing confidence at some point.
That he had broken through the encirclement and was now in seclusion, refusing all food and drink.
The Command Staff was forcefully hiding such facts from Faelus.
[ This is a command from the command staff, Commander Faelus. If you wish to preserve your position, launch an offensive immediately. ]
“Impossible.”
[ Didn't you rest well for three days of truce? If you attack the Empire with that morale, who knows what kind of solution will emerge. ]
“…”
[ The Theian people are outstanding. A solution will surely emerge. ]
He's changed. No, is this how he was from the beginning?
Where has the once majestic command staff of Thedorant gone?
Have they lost their reason after shouting the glory of the Theian people?
What on earth is the Prince doing? Where has he gone?
If you drove us this far with your words, you should take responsibility to the end.
Acting like a king when things are favorable, and now running away when they are not?
[ What will you do, Commander Faelus. ]
It goes without saying, but the moment the command authority passes to Leonit, it will be a big problem.
First, he would execute dozens of soldiers showing skepticism.
And he would also try to crush the lower-ranking commanders with military force and fear.
All for the sole reason of restoring the collapsed military discipline.
“…I will take charge.”
[ We wish you the best of luck, Commander. ]
*
Finally, the promised three days had passed.
The truce was over. From now on, it was a fight of killing and being killed again.
The Thedorant soldiers, gripped their weapons with tension as if to break them.
But for some reason, the Empire did not resume its attack.
The small-scale skirmishes that occur before a full-fledged battle. The scouting to find weak spots.
Nothing of the sort happened, and only silence was maintained.
In front of the barracks,
By the main gate
A mana lamp stood
And she is still standing before it.
So we wish to meet again.
-
With you, Lili Marleen
With you, Lili Marleen
Instead, a song, overly familiar from constant hearing, was heard.
The mana lamp knows,
Your beautiful steps.
Every evening the mana lamp is lit
But she has long forgotten me.
And if pain should come to me
Who will stand by the mana lamp.
-
With you, Lili Marleen
With you, Lili Marleen
From the soldiers to the low-ranking commanders, and now even Faelus himself, all had begun to hum it.
That song, whose origin was unclear, whether from the Empire or Thedorant.
“Who was the bastard who just sang along! Find him!”
“Kill him! Hang him! He's the one castrating the fighting spirit of the Theian People!”
A few, still gripped by their madness, committed cruel acts.
Extremely irrational, nonsensical actions, yet possible because it was a Battlefield.
A place where people cease to be human, where one sinks to the very bottom and becomes broken.
“Commander.”
“…”
“Commander?”
“I'm listening, Adjutant.”
“General Leonit is asking when you will give the order to attack.”
At those words, Faelus briefly turned his head and looked at the soldiers.
Agony and conflict lingered in his eyes before disappearing.
“…They told them to fight and die for Thedorant.”
“Commander?”
But my Thedorant is right here.
They are my Thedorant.
*
“Commander-in-Chief, Commander Faelus of Thedorant is formally requesting surrender.”
How about that. Easy, right? [TL] "참 쉽죠?" (cham swibjyo?) is a catchphrase made famous by painter Bob Ross on his show "The Joy of Painting." It's used here sarcastically by Kael. [/TL]