Chapter 104 - 103 Civil War Breaks Out
The Duke's army numbered 20,000. The coalition of Vassal Nobles and others numbered 5,000. A total of 25,000 had gathered at the Duke's Territory Capital, and the city was in an uproar.
The Knight Commander was to take command of the Duke's army.
"Listen up! We depart now! In one week, we shall attack the Imperial Capital and strike down the Emperor! The Duke is the one truly worthy of being Emperor!"
"Oh!" cheers echoed through the Territory Capital.
"By tomorrow morning, we will arrive in the Emperor's territory. The moment we set foot there, those bastards will call us rebels."
When the Knight Commander said this, a silence fell.
"That is only six days of patience! Once we have crushed the weak Imperial Army and the Duke has become Emperor, every one of you shall be a hero of the new nation! Everyone, rally!"
""Wooooo—!!"
They began their march toward the Imperial Capital in the east. Initially, the Duke had also said, "We march to battle!", but to be blunt, he was nothing but a hindrance. His eldest son had stopped him, saying, "I will go."
The edge of the Duke's territory consisted of hills, beyond which the Emperor's territory began. When descending the hills, there used to be a large pond, and the highway to the Imperial Capital had been built to take a great detour around it. However, due to droughts and changes in the river's flow, the pond had dried up.
The depth was only about 2 meters, so in the past, villages had been scattered around it. It had been used as a reservoir for fields, but now, it had long been the case that every village was a ruin.
If the Imperial Army comes, it will be on the east side of this pond. This size should be just right for crushing a large army. This is also convenient for us. It's faster to cut through the remains of the pond than to take the long detour!
Just as the Knight Commander was thinking, so was the Imperial Army. Neither side had abundant food. This was because the young and middle-aged men who were supposed to support agriculture had been drafted into the war, causing a sharp decline. With this civil war as a catalyst, many more young people would likely lose their lives.
Evening
The Duke's army arrived at the hills and was preparing for camp and dinner.
"Good work, everyone! These are refreshments from His Excellency the Duke."
I appeared and brought out a large amount of alcohol, much to the delight of the soldiers. The Knight Commander said, "Thank you, Shivans!" and patted my shoulder. When I told them they could drink as much as they wanted, they said, "That's wonderful!" and began drinking heavily.
In high spirits, the soldiers drank alcohol with their companions, shouting, "Toast!"
"Hey, look! The moon is incredibly beautiful!"
"Even if you say something romantic with a face like yours..."
"That's harsh!" When I said that, the surrounding soldiers burst into laughter. Among them, some said somberly, "This might be the last time I see this moon..." while others, looking like they were about to cry, said, "I might never see my girl again, huh?"
"You idiot! Live and become a hero! If you do that, it won't just be her! You'll have your pick of fine women! Gahahaha!"
Listening to such conversations, the Knight Commander said, "Can I have a moment?" and led me away toward the bank of a nearby stream.
"Here, the sound of the stream should prevent our conversation from being overheard, right? Though the water is low. It certainly wasn't such a small stream in the past."
Thinking that he had led me away because there was something he didn't want me to hear, I poured him some alcohol and prompted him to speak.
"Hey, Shivans? Can we really not win?"
"That's true. The Imperial Army has gathered sixty thousand, more than double our number. Knight Commander, I have a request; would you listen to it?"
"I'll listen," he said, leaning in close.
When I told him that once it became clear we were facing defeat, I would hold the enemy off for a short while, and that he should take his most trusted subordinates and return to the Territory Capital, he looked surprised. When he asked, "Why?", I told him to take the family he wanted to save and flee to the Knight's Territory.
"But..."
"Listen. If the Imperial Army comes flooding into the Territory Capital, not only the people of the Duke's house, but your families will be trampled. Are you truly okay with that?"
He shook his head and asked, "How long can you hold them off?" I replied, "At most one hour after I give the signal. Any longer than that is impossible." He said, "That's plenty! You've taken care of everything for us! Thank you for everything until the end!" and gripped my hand while weeping.
After that, as we were drinking together, there was a small, shivering creature in the stream. As I wondered what it was, the Knight Commander taught me, "It's a slime. They've become small so they can survive on little water, and they probably shake to ripple the water to deceive or intimidate enemies." He said they weren't uncommon around here.
When I looked with [Skill: Appraisal], it displayed 'Vibe Slime'. It seemed the tiny slimes transformed and shook to intimidate. Thinking this could be useful, I stared intently at them, and it seemed they would become my companions. I immediately used [Tame], and a large number gathered.
"Whether it's filthy water or whatever, these guys can survive with just a little moisture. Quite impressive, isn't it?"
"Yes! They are interesting creatures!"
The Knight Commander couldn't read my intentions and simply continued to tell me about the slimes.
After parting with the Knight Commander, I went toward the Imperial Army and found Gary, who was preparing camp in a deserted village. When I distributed alcohol to everyone, he complained, "Is this okay? To serve alcohol even to General Cooper and Unit Commander Avoga?"
"It's fine. It's a refreshment from His Majesty the Emperor. Serve it to the former criminals and former bandits too. They're going to die tomorrow anyway."
Grinning, he said, "That's right. They are the people who will die here tomorrow. Even the Duke's foolish sons await the same fate," and sneered.
In reality, since the alcohol was from the basement of the Imperial Palace, it wasn't mine.The idea that it was a refreshment from His Majesty wasn't a lie either. It's just that I hadn't received permission...
Both armies knew that the battle would take place the next morning.The soldiers, unable to sleep from excitement, drank as if they were bathing in alcohol. They tried to force themselves to sleep.
Next morning
From early morning, the enemy was visible to both camps.When Gary of the Imperial Army shouted "Charge!" with a loud voice, the soldiers cheered and ran down the edge of the pond.
"Crush the Imperial Army! The Duke to the Imperial Capital! Charge!"
The Knight Commander, commanding the Duke's army, also issued commands with a loud voice, not to be outdone.The two armies clashed in the center of the pond! It became a contest of raw power, devoid of formations, tactics, or strategy.
Thirty minutes later.The place that had been a pond became a world of blood.
"The Duke's army? You rebels! Kill them!"
"What do you mean, rebels! You've fallen to becoming the Emperor's dogs! Annihilate them!"
One hour had passed since the start of the battle.
"Shivans! Aren't we fighting better than expected?"
The Knight Commander said happily.
"It's only for now. Well, I think it's because the Imperial Knights, the noble armies that form the core of the Imperial Army, and the noble sons are weaker than bandits. However, the enemy is still preserving their uninjured main forces, so they will quickly turn the tide."
After about an hour and thirty minutes had passed, the Duke's army looked advantageous to anyone's eyes. Fatigue was beginning to show in both, but the winning side had high morale.
"Push, push! Just a little more!"
"The enemy's vanguard is breaking! Now is the chance!"
It was just as the Empire's frontal army was about to collapse.Before anyone knew it, they were surrounded by the pond, and voices could be heard from above.
"Release arrows!"
Countless arrows came flying in.
"Those Imperial Army bastards... they'll hit their own allies too!"
"This is no time to worry about the enemy! At this rate, we'll be annihilated too! Everyone, aim for the top of the pond!"
Once they were scattered, they would become prey for being defeated individually; the advantageous situation collapsed in an instant. I sent a signal to the Knight Commander, and muttering "Is this the end," the knights retreated.
I cast [Berserk] on the remaining Duke's army, and they went mad, attacking everything around them. Even when showered with arrows, they wouldn't die easily and wouldn't flinch, making it difficult to advance as planned. Then, the surviving soldiers began attacking the Imperial soldiers at the edge of the pond.
"Do not approach the death-bound soldiers."
These words caused the Imperial Army to fall back.Thanks to that, the knights, the Duke's son, and the Vassal Nobles were able to escape.
The number of people who managed to arrive at the Territory Capital was only 1,000.Fortunately, there were many horses and carriages in the Territory Capital, so they didn't lack anything for fleeing.
I rescued Floma and Marge, who had been confined in the Duke's concubine mansion, and used [Instant Movement] to save them in the Viscount's mansion. I also selected the other wives and concubines; the women with bad personalities were made to lose their memories and sent to my territory to work in sex cabaret and Soap Land shops, while the others were temporarily sent to the Viscount's mansion.
I put the Duke and his sons to sleep with [Sleep], and gave instructions to the servants: "Take as much as you can carry and run!"
The knights who fled were also not acting in a unified manner.
"I cannot flee! Farewell!" Some said and turned back, only to be slain by the Imperial Army. Others said, "I cannot act with a Captain who runs away!" and went their separate ways.
"A Knight's Territory... I hate such a countryside! Let's rely on my family home!"
Persuaded by their wives or girlfriends, the knights bid farewell in the Territory Capital. In the end, by the time the Knight Commander and others arrived at the Knight's Territory, there were only 50 people left, including their families.
The reactions of the nobles who learned of the Duke's uprising were also varied.
"We shall also head for the Imperial Capital!"
There were no small numbers of nobles who gathered troops and headed for the Imperial Capital. However, the majority of the nobles were indecisive and were waiting to see which way the wind blew.
"Shall we wait until the Duke's rebellion succeeds?"
"Even if it succeeds, won't we be cut off by the Duke next time?"
"No, no. We should pay money to the Emperor and show our submission for now!"
Because they argued every day between the hardliners and the submissionists, as a result, many nobles ended up being indecisive.
The duo of the Underworld Boss from Port Town Roast and the bandit Bad were in a hideout near the Imperial Capital. They were in contact with bandits scattered in various places. To grasp the movements of nobles who might rise up, their cooperation was necessary.
The Boss and Bad were calling out to bandits and outlaws in various regions.
"Sounds like another interesting story!"
Many immediately expressed their intent to participate.When given an explanation, they understood quickly and agreed.
"First of all, the part where we put in the sleeping medicine is what will decide the success or failure of this operation," Bad said. "Well, there's a risk. They won't let us do it easily. If it goes well, we can give those nobles a taste of their own medicine! We're in!" The bandits said enthusiastically as they researched which nobles might betray them.
Of course, the key to success was not just the sleeping medicine, but also the cooperation of the slum residents and the people of neighboring villages and towns. Especially for things like attacking soldiers or raiding mansions.
"If we mess up and get discovered, there's a possibility we'll be fought back."
When told this by the Underworld Boss, a bandit boss said, "We know that!" and the other bosses agreed. When they listed the people likely to betray them, the first name they raised was the Southern Margrave.
"Isn't that... your own territory!"
"Yeah. There's a rumor that the Margrave is weakened because his two children were captured and he was demanded a huge sum of money! He'll probably come out with a force of over ten thousand? If you're scared, back out!"
When Bad said that and sneered, everyone was eager to take up the challenge. In fact, the Margrave, having received a letter from Duke Schweitzer, was already in that mindset.
"Fufufu, ahaha! It seems I wasn't the only one troubled by being demanded 10 billion in money! Send word to the Vassal Nobles as well! I don't care if they call me a rebel!"
After saying that, he muttered with muddy eyes, "If we're going to perish anyway, I'll perish along with this rotten country!"
Thus, they steadily proceeded with preparations and set out today. Their number was 15,000.
The march didn't progress as well as expected; they had planned to stay in Baron Akogi's Territory Capital on the first day, but they decided to camp just before it.
"Listen! There's a possibility that the Emperor's spies have infiltrated us. Be extremely careful!"
On the first day, they were tense and the sentries did not sleep, but the second and third days went smoothly. As the Vassal Nobles joined them and the army grew to a large force of 20,000, their guard also relaxed. It was then.
"Somehow, I'm getting sleepy much earlier than usual today..."
"This is bad... someone might have poisoned us... everyone, be careful! There's poison in the food!"
Upon hearing this voice, people stopped eating and began to be on guard.
"This is unexpected. What do we do?"
"It can't be helped... we'll make our move all at once after it gets dark!"
The bandits decided to attack under the cover of twilight. And that night, a fierce battle between the bandits and the Margrave's army began. There were even soldiers waiting while pretending to sleep.
"You cowards!"
"I don't want to hear that from mere bandits like you! It's a tactic!"
Both sides suffered many casualties. Initially, they had planned to leave the soldiers completely naked, but it turned into a blood-soaked battle. However, the Margrave's army was also attacked while they were sleeping, resulting in many deaths.
But thanks to that, the Margrave's mansion was raided. The Margrave and his son, who were in the mansion, were brutally murdered, and all the money and valuables were taken. The Vassal Nobles' mansions were similarly raided, and the rebellion ended.
Additionally, one Count's family participated with ten thousand soldiers, but in their case, the soldiers were brilliantly stripped naked, and by the next morning, they woke up in a daze, having lost their tents, horses, and carriages.
"What on earth... happened?"
On the grassy plain, ten thousand soldiers could do nothing but stand naked. It was quite a surreal sight. Naturally, there was no way they could go to the Imperial Capital, and when they somehow managed to return, the Count's mansion had been raided, the Count was killed, and it was left in a wretched state.
There were nobles who were able to set out without being targeted by the bandits, but upon hearing of Duke Schweitzer's defeat midway, they hurried back to their territories.
As a result, there were many nobles who had been indecisive. Among them, the movements of the powerful Marquis Zelle family were attracting attention.
The Zelle Territory Capital was located to the east of the Imperial Capital and was quite prosperous. This was because they possessed several hidden mines. Salt for the Salt Trading Company was also procured from here. However, the output of every mine had been decreasing year by year, making things difficult. Therefore, a discussion had arisen to make the fourth son, Awan, an Adopted Son-in-Law of the Louvre Trading Company, but...
In the Marquis Zelle family, there was the eldest son. The second son conducted intelligence gathering and diplomacy in the Imperial Capital. The third son was in charge of finances. However, rather than diplomacy, the second son had been arrested for the crime of trespassing into the Palace and was demanded 5 billion in money.
"Leave it to us!"
The father and Awan had left saying that. They had gone missing after saying they would pull money from the Louvre Trading Company.
In the Marquis Zelle family, the hardline eldest son and the submissionist third son were arguing day after day. It was then that the Head Butler, who was also the steward, made such a proposal.
"How about asking His Majesty for an arrangement through Lady Ruffle and Lord Bruno?"
The eldest and third sons reacted vehemently to that opinion.
"That guy is a royal in name only. Not only His Majesty, but none of the other siblings will deal with a piece of trash like Bruno! Our father was a fool to marry his sister off to such a piece of trash among trash!"
When the eldest son said that, the third son nodded.
"Listen. If you try asking him, he'll just demand money, do nothing, say 'I tried my best but it was impossible,' and the most he'll do is spend the money in a brothel or on gambling. It seems the Emperor finally got tired of giving him money and made him the Guild Master, but he apparently just lets Ruffle handle things while he goes around playing."
At those words, everyone pitied her, saying, "The young lady is so pitiful..."
"Well, whatever about him. More importantly, our house is in a crisis of survival. Don't you think we should ride the wave created by Duke Schweitzer? Do you think it's okay to just let our house be abolished like this?"
The third son sneered at the eldest son's words.
"You're a fool, Brother. First, we should pay 2.5 billion out of the 3 billion I made and see how things go. If they say we can continue to exist as we are, I'll make the remaining 2.5 billion. If they still intend to abolish us, then start the rebellion then."
"You're the fool! Even if you start something alone, there's no chance of winning! There is a saying, 'to be quick to seize the opportunity'! Read the trend of the times! You are doing unscrupulous business, but if His Majesty finds out, you'll be crushed! Do you understand?"
The third son was engaged in predatory lending.He said, "Immediate loans at low interest rates," but the content was lending money at usurious rates that could never be repaid. He made women work in brothels and sent men to the mines, making sure they could never escape. He had them work forever until they died, skimming off the top.
When the eldest son pointed that out, the third son snorted.
"You, who live thanks to that benefit, acting so high and mighty! If I weren't here, Brother, you wouldn't be of any use, would you? Indecisive as always!"
"What do you mean, indecisive! I'm thinking carefully! You're a bastard who doesn't think about the future at all! Many people have disappeared from this city! A lot of people have fled because of you!"
It turned into a brotherly fight, but the vassals, seeing that neither seemed to have a future, made melancholy faces and sighed. Ruffle, whose name had also come up in that meeting, was in a state where she couldn't even sneeze.
No matter who told him, Bruno would not even go to a hospital. He went to the Adventurer Guild every day, but his itching became so severe that he would scratch himself raw, so no one approached him.
"He has definitely caught some terrible disease..."
People around him spoke of him as if he were a pathogen or an evil spirit. Bruno's face was distorted in pain as his skin broke and became covered in blood. In less than a week, he had lost a massive amount of weight due to insomnia, itching, and pain, and his appearance had become that of a different person.
Ruffle was worried and tried to speak to him.
"You... let's go to a hospital..."
"You want to see me being mocked by Father and my brothers, don't you? I know your scheme! You took on the role of acting Guild Master just to show Father and the others that I won't do my job! Isn't that right?"
Naturally, she said, "That's not true...", but he did not believe her.
"What do you mean, it's not? Then why did you marry me! Tell the truth!"
"That is... because I love you..."
When she said that, he laughed while scratching himself raw.
"Even though we've never met or even spoken! Don't mess with me! You're just a frivolous, loose woman who married me just because I'm a prince! A Shitty Bitch who would spread her legs to anyone just because her status is high! Die!"
It was the first time Ruffle knew Bruno's true feelings.And it was the moment something inside Ruffle collapsed with a crashing sound, having been told, 'You're a frivolous, loose woman who would spread her legs to anyone! Die!'
"If that is how you think of me, then I must have had my faults as well."
"It's your attitude, with that high pride, that pisses me off! Even though you're frigid!"
At the broken woman's smile, Bruno threw things and lashed out.