“Khak! Hak! Drink. Bring me more drink! Hurry!”
For a man of Power, the loss of Power itself brings despair.
He does not grieve, even for the loss of his family or subjects. No matter what he loses, he feels no grief.
But the emptiness, when what he believed was his disappears, becomes a poison.
And that poison erases all intelligence, confidence, and everything else.
The King of Benito, Andrea II. Though he had many excessive parts, he also had respectable parts.
If it weren't for him, Benito would have remained a mediocre kingdom in the south.
His single-mindedness was to become the center among the various kingdoms of the south.
Furthermore, his will was to completely break away from the influence of the Holy Church.
Though he clearly had his faults, he was a King of merit.
But now, everything was gone, and he was completely addicted to the poison of emptiness.
The south of Benito had surrendered, the Royal Capital had been taken, and now even a new King had been proclaimed.
All that was left was part of the northern Territory and a small number of nobles who followed him.
“Your Majesty. Urgent news. It is said that the Empire, which has occupied the Royal Capital, will move again.”
“The soldiers are agitated. The commanders and nobles are struggling to hold them together, but to hold them entirely, Your Majesty must step forward yourself!”
Still, the subjects who remained by his side offered Andrea II their counsel.
In this situation, the King must personally step forward and show that he is still resolute.
The situation is desperate, but it is not over. There is still a support base.
Since many followers of Andrea II remain in the north of Benito, a comeback is not entirely impossible.
If the King steps forward and encourages them, this chaos can be quelled.
If they ally with Thedorant, even if they cannot retake the Royal Capital, maintaining the status quo is possible.
First and foremost, shouldn't they preserve their lives? Isn't survival the first priority right now?
“Do as you see fit! What King! They've already installed a new King as they please! I'm thinking of going and bowing to him myself!”
But Andrea II, already addicted to the poison, focused only on his drink.
No matter what his subjects said, he dismissed all their suggestions, telling them to handle it themselves.
All that was left for him was to relive the Past Glory over and over again.
“Kuhuhu… If only I hadn't been defeated in that Battle. If only! I would not have fallen this far! The foolish commanders have devoured my proud army! Uwaaaaaah!!”
It was clear that the commanders had made errors in judgment.
Ultimately, the reason lay with Andrea II himself.
He was overconfident and moved his military recklessly, provoking the Empire.
In the process, the Genius Strategist who had returned after smashing the east intervened.
From that moment on, Benito's fate was sealed.
“I, myself, have raised Benito this far. These incompetent fools! These traitors! I curse you. I curse you! I will curse every last one of you!”
Given the situation, even those who had barely been holding their Hearts together began to waver.
Loyalty to the royal family is a virtue that subjects and nobles must possess.
Isn't that a saying that only holds true when it offers value?
Foolishly chasing after it now, with no dreams or hope, is impossible.
Subjects too. Nobles too. Ultimately, they have people they are responsible for.
There are only two kinds of beings who can ignore that and collapse together.
An unshakable, supremely loyal Subject. Or a foolish one.
Unfortunately, those who remained by Andrea II's side were neither.
They were loyal, but their loyalty had a limit, and they were not foolish.
Because ultimately, man is a creature that seeks a way to live.
*
“Commander-in-Chief. A report from the southern front states that a few of those in North Benito have secretly shown their intention to Surrender.”
“I thought I told them the Carriage had already passed?”
“I did not forget to convey that part. Then those men contacted us again, asking if it would be fine if they brought a Gift large enough for that Carriage to return?”
“…Haa?”
A Gift large enough for the Carriage to return. I know well what that means.
These guys. No way, are they going to drag the King they had been serving until now?
The Princess, who was beside me, was just as dumbfounded and let out a sigh of Ha!
“No matter how you look at it, it doesn't make sense for subjects, especially nobles, to capture and drag the person they served as King, does it?”
“Perhaps they intend to use the justification that our true King is in the south.”
“Still, this isn't right. It would be different if Andrea II himself were to surrender. But for a subject, a noble, to offer up the King, it doesn't look good.”
I fully agree with the Princess's opinion.
This world is a perfect monarchy. Imperial Power and Royal Power are the law and the truth.
That's why, even if it's an Enemy country, the respect for each country's King is maintained.
Because it is a way to emphasize to our country that the existence of a Monarch is so sacred.
A subject, a noble, dares to treat the King carelessly and even hands him over?
Even if it's the affair of an Enemy country, this is a very unpleasant matter.
How much more so for our Empire, which has the only Emperor on the continent.
The legitimate ruler and representative of the continent, put forth by God, is the Emperor, that is, the Monarch.
The kings of other countries, though not to the extent of the Emperor, are at a level just below.
To give tacit approval to the arbitrary handing over of such a sacred existence is to spit in one's own face.
‘I had considered just giving them the go-ahead and then, at the last minute, changing my tune and eliminating all the bastards who offered up the King... but then that would set a precedent for the treatment of surrendering individuals, which would be a problem.’
This is not the simple war the Empire had been waging until recently.
It is the Wars of Conquest, begun anew. For future stability, we must distinguish between what can and cannot be done, and act accordingly.
“It seems I'll have to send news of this to the Capital.”
“I think so too.”
I certainly have the authority, but this matter is outside the scope of what I can choose.
At times like these, it's right not to hesitate and pass it on to the administration.
Not long after, a conclusion on the matter came from the Capital.
[ Not permitted ]
As expected. No matter if it's an Enemy country, capturing and offering up the King is a bit much.
If this happens, one might worry that the nobles remaining in North Benito will be in a desperate situation.
But what kind of place is the Empire? It's a place that has been managing such a huge country well until now.
In addition to stating that what those bastards proposed was not permitted, the following was added.
[ However, distancing oneself from the king of North Benito in other ways is permitted ]
[ An attack on North Benito will soon be launched, centered on the surrendered nobles of South Benito and their military ]
It means not responding or retreating when the attack begins, feigning inability to win.
By doing so, they can achieve the desired result without it being outwardly apparent.
Without the story circulating that nobles or subjects had offered up their king.
At the same time, it allows them each to find a way to live and minimizes the Empire's damage.
‘It's really soon now.’
One month. Within that time, Benito will fall. The southern front will be wrapped up.
What remains are Atria and the Thedorant front. Of course, Atria is also on its last legs.
Come to think of it, after the castle fell, Atria was said to have scraped together all its forces and was preparing for a decisive battle.
It doesn't seem like a very wise choice, as my younger sister is there.
At first, I was very worried. But now, I've come to accept it.
And rightly so, as the reports that keep coming in are terrifying.
That when Kaya swung her sword once, three or four Atria knights fell where they stood.
That she charged with a single spear and unhorsed dozens in less than 10 minutes.
At this point, I wonder if the word "genius" is more fitting for Kaya than for me.
*
“Fire! Fire! Hey, what are you doing? Let it fly, let it fly!!”
“Uwaaaaaaaah!!”
The War Wolf lets out a howl. The castle wall, part of the stronghold's defenses, crumbles with a roar.
The Atria soldiers behind it disappear without even being able to scream.
Every time they saw that scene, the Novgorod and the northern legion of the Empire let out a cheer.
It might be cruel. But this is a battlefield, and they are the enemy.
There is nothing more joyous and exciting than seeing the enemy swept away.
And if the one doing that work is not themselves but a siege weapon.
If that weapon is the largest and most powerful, the joy is doubled.
“Hahaha! You damn Atria bastards! All of you, die!”
“Prepare the next one! We'll shoot for fun until they surrender!”
The War Wolf performed beyond expectations.
Though it cost an enormous amount to produce and transport, its effect was undeniable.
A defensive stronghold or Castle that faced its bombardment could not last even a full day.
As its effectiveness was proven, the northern Legion of the Empire, alongside the Novgorod Military, went so far as to place additional orders.
“War Wolf! More! More!! With just ten of these, we can bring down all of Atria and Thedorant!”
Thanks to that, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Finance were at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
If it had been a useless nuisance, they would have stopped at just one.
But aren't the Ally legions and even the Demons all scrambling to voice their Acclaim for this giant weapon?
In a situation like this, if they don't deploy it because of the cost, their Pride won't allow it.
It would be different if they were losing the war. But the northern front is in the midst of a Great Victory.
To maintain that Morale, it is right to produce additional units.
Meanwhile, Atria, which had encountered this terrifying weapon, was horrified.
A siege weapon that was, at a glance, the very definition of a money pit. Its creation defied comprehension.
However, the moment it struck, it was a divine Hammer that brought them to their senses.
“We'll surrender! Surrender! So please don't shoot that crazy thing!”
Atria had pleaded earnestly, but Kael's order had already been given.
Even if they truly requested to surrender, fire one shot to break their Morale and overwhelm them with its might.
What if those bastards get angry and withdraw their surrender? Then just send a torrent of fire, and that will be the end of it.
As the defensive line collapsed, Atria also had to make a decision.
They decided to scrape together all their forces and launch a desperate counterattack.
“Our Atria! Will launch a counterattack right here in the Erden Forest!”
“If we surround and annihilate the exposed Novgorod Military, we have a chance of winning!”
If there was one unfortunate thing for them, it was that in that exposed position, there was the Grim Reaper they had feared so much.