Chapter 30 - Crown Prince Eirik's Military Strategy (Part Two)
"You're talking big, Minister of War."
While responding teasingly, the Crown Prince nonetheless looked happy. There was no one who wouldn't rejoice at seeing a path to victory.
"But wouldn't they have noticed that point as well?
Redan is closer to Mares than to the royal capital—or rather, with only small territories in between, they practically share a border, do they not? Could they not steal a march on us?"
The Crown Prince's doubt was reasonable.
If it came to war, the focus would be Redan and Alas Pass. It was a distance requiring more than ten days from the royal capital, but only a few days from Mares.
Aside from the distance, the fact that the army's initial movements were restricted was a major blow now.
"That is the point, Your Highness.
It is exactly as you say; there was a danger of them seizing the initiative. However—"
The Minister of War pressed his finger down on the letter on the desk with a thud.
"That is only if those fellows could attack Redan without letting their intentions be known.
If it were a surprise attack, they probably wouldn't be able to put up a decent resistance, but—"
In reality, they had allowed a subordinate knight to defect, and the intent of rebellion had leaked to Redan.
If they could prepare in advance, it was possible, for example, to fight in a way that waited for reinforcements while buying time.
Just then, there was a knock on the office door.
"By Your Highness's summons, the Minister of Works has arrived."
The chamberlain's voice echoed.
"Let him in."
The formulaic response was Ludovico's role.
The door opened, and the Minister of Works entered, clutching some large diagrams and a bundle of documents.
The Crown Prince indicated a seat with his hand, saying, "Over here."
"These are the geographical records you requested.
I brought maps as well, just in case—"
At the Minister of Works' words, the Crown Prince gave an "oh" and nodded.
"Exactly what is needed, Minister of Works.
Here—no, the map."
As told, the Minister of Works spread a large map on the desk.
"It is a bit large, but this is a map of the eastern side from the Dragonwing Mountains.
This is the Dragonwing Mountains, here is Alas Pass, and beyond that, the road splits into two; the south side is the Mares Road, and the north side is the Rinal Road, the side road.
Along the Mares Road is the port of Redan, and further east, across the Red River, is Marquess Mares's territory."
The Minister of Works, who had given a simple explanation while spreading it out, looked back and forth between the faces of the Minister of War and Ludovico.
"Yes, we were just now consulting with His Highness regarding future military strategy," Ludovico supplemented in place of the Minister of War, who didn't seem inclined to explain.
The Crown Prince took the letter from under the map and handed it to the Minister of Works.
The Minister of Works, who moved his gaze back and forth between the letter and the map, let out a small "hoh."
"How do the Rinal Road and Mares Road each cross the Red River, Minister of Works?"
"Yes—both are by bridge.
The Rinal Road has a wooden bridge, and the Mares Road—ah, since the river is wide and there is a lot of water, it is a pontoon bridge."
The Minister of Works answered the Crown Prince's question after leafing through the bundle of notes.
"Can the river be forded near the bridges?"
"It would be almost impossible. If one were unburdened, one might be able to swim across.
Especially on the upstream side, near the bridge of the Rinal Road, the river width is not so great, but the flow and current are considerable.
One would not be able to cross to the other side so easily. Not just on foot, but even on horseback would be difficult.
On the downstream side, near the pontoon bridge of the Mares Road—well, that too would be if one were unburdened and blessed with good weather, I believe.
There, it might be realistic on horseback."
The Crown Prince nodded with a "hmmm" and traced the line indicating the Rinal Road with his finger.
"They were trying to seize Alas Pass by passing through here, then."
If the pass were seized, they would be unable to send reinforcements.
And the difference in scale between the viscountcy and the marquessate was directly the difference in the military force they could move.
Without reinforcements, the other side of the pass would eventually be flattened by the Marquess's army.
That Marquess's daughter would think that way—that is why she tried to go and seize the pass without taking time.
If everyone moved by logic, Ludovico thought.
That Marquess's daughter's plan would undoubtedly have been realized as it was.
The shortest distance and the best move toward the objective. it was a move very much like that Marquess's daughter.
Whether he couldn't throw away his loyalty to the Royal Family, or whether he was driven by fear of turning against the country itself.
The defection of a single knight who could not move by logic was changing the situation significantly.
"How will we move from here?"
"The Rinal Road is strictly a side road. It is not a road where a large army can be moved.
That is precisely why it must have been a move for a surprise attack bypassing Redan.
The best case would have been for the intent of the surprise attack not to be realized by the Redan side, but in any case, a surprise attack is no longer feasible," the Minister of War answered.
"It will come down to a push by force, then?"
"Yes, it is as you say, Your Highness."
In a battle of force, it was a pure multiplication of numbers and training—if there were no obstacles there.
But this time, Marquess Mares's intent to rebel had leaked in advance.
And there was a river that could not be easily crossed.
"Viscount Redan may not have reached a certainty, but he is on alert at the line of the Red River. The Red River is a great river. If the defense is solidified along the river, it is not something that can be easily broken through even with a difference in combat power."
"That is the chance for victory, then?"
"Exactly, Your Highness.
While Viscount Redan is defending at the Red River, if we send reinforcements from here, we can thwart the Marquess's army's plan. If we protect Redan with the time thus created, further reinforcements can..."
"Then we just have to grind them down with the difference in military strength, eh?"
"Precisely, Your Highness."
"Good," the Crown Prince nodded.
"How many troops can be moved immediately, Minister of War?"
"3,000, Your Highness."
"And the cavalry that can move immediately from the Royal Guard?"
"Considering the number that should be left in the royal capital, I believe it would be around 250 to 300."
"Then 300 it is. A total of 3,300 will be the advance party.
Choose one commander from the Royal Guard. I will leave the selection to the Knight Commander of the Royal Guard, so tell him so."
"Yes," the Minister of War responded with a bow.
"Count Nord, send a fast horse to Redan.
Tell them we are sending 3,300 reinforcements, so hold out even if they have to drop the bridges."
"As you command, Your Highness," Ludovico responded.
It is quite abrupt, he thought as he bowed his head.
That the plan of that Marquess's daughter, who had so brilliantly deceived and manipulated His Highness and us up to this point.
That it would crumble so abruptly due to the defection of a single subordinate.
No action without meaning.
Doing nothing that didn't fit logic.
She was a young lady who had carved out a path in that way, but not everyone around her was like her.
The talented woman who might have left her name in the history of the kingdom would likely leave only infamy.
Along with deep relief, a slight sympathy crossed Ludovico's heart.