Chapter 241 - Chapter 234: Occupation of Laden
General Charles Hamilton, the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Betumia's army, personally set foot upon the land of the Kingdom of Lordberg in the southern part of the Adleon continent.
Twenty thousand regular soldiers, the first wave of the first invasion force, had struck the city of Laden in the County of Kivileft. Charles entered Laden along with the second wave of twenty thousand men who had landed a few days later. A short while after this, forty thousand volunteers recruited from the general populace were expected to arrive via transport ships, completing the landing of the first invasion force.
"...The scenery has changed quite drastically."
"It seems the resistance from the County of Kivileft's army was considerably stubborn. If they hadn't resisted in vain, the city would not have been devastated to this extent..."
As Charles muttered while advancing through the city mounted on a military horse, his adjutant, who rode alongside him, responded.
In his youth, Charles had visited Laden several times on merchant ship escort missions. In the Betumia mainland, the Kingdom of Lordberg was mocked as a "developing barbarian nation," but seeing the prosperity of this city, he had thought that it was actually quite impressive.
Now, there was no trace of that. Buildings had collapsed from attack magic, the smell of burning masses of corpses stung the nostrils, and captured civilians were being led away. They would become the cargo for the return trip of the transport ships that had carried the army, to be sold as slaves.
Corpses that had yet to be cleared lay scattered everywhere, and among them, though few, were those of the Republic of Betumia's soldiers.
It has truly begun, Charles thought to himself.
Many Betumian citizens had been convinced by the pretext of "spreading a free and equal social system beyond the sea," and were easily deceived by Prime Minister Fildrack's sweet words that "if overseas territories are established, the lives of the citizens will become wealthier than they are now" and "a new life awaits if one migrates to a new land."
Many had volunteered for this invasion force, told that if they served in the military, they would be granted land in the southern part of the Adleon continent and could become landowners. The volunteers believed the stories that the army of the Kingdom of Lordberg was primitive and weak, not worth fearing, and that it would be an easy victory.
But in reality, it was not such a dream-like invasion.
Because Betumia had not taught the Kingdom of Lordberg the technologies of long-distance navigation or shipbuilding and had instead maintained a form of trade where they unilaterally crossed the sea, the invasion plan had managed to go undetected. Everything up to the initial surprise attack was fine. It was only natural that they could land unilaterally.
However, there was no way the Kingdom of Lordberg would just sit back and take it. From here on, there would likely be no small number of casualties, centered around the low-skill volunteers.
And those who would truly profit from this invasion were not the citizens. It was the pro-wealthy members of parliament and the great merchants who backed them.
They would obtain vast lands incomparable to those of the volunteers and gain new rights to things like mines. They would kill the royalty and nobility who were the original ruling class of this country, send in their own relatives as the new leadership class, and incorporate the obedient local residents as labor. Those who were rebellious would be killed.
The politicians and great merchants, who already lived like nobles, intended to obtain further interests and live like kings.
Knowing this, Charles moved the army and let the soldiers die. For the sake of his own self-preservation.
"The landing of the first force is expected to be completed without major incident. There is a delay of about two days, but that should be within the acceptable range... Around next week, the first wave of the second force is scheduled to land in the southwest."
"...For now, it is generally proceeding smoothly."
To the adjutant who spoke matter-of-factly, Charles replied in a cold voice.
Walking with his adjutant, Charles arrived at his destination, the former estate of the House of Kivileft. This would be operated as the temporary headquarters.
"We have been expecting you, Excellency Hamilton."
"Good work, Grand Legion Commander."
The one who greeted him was the Grand Legion Commander, the person responsible for the first wave of the first force, who bundled and commanded multiple legions. To the man who showed a salute, Charles returned the gesture.
"What is the situation?"
"While we are currently proceeding with the conversion of Laden into a base, we are expanding the invasion into the entire territory of the County of Kivileft. We have also seized the metal resources and horses that had been gathered here under the guise of buy-outs, so they can be used immediately as military supplies. Everything is according to plan."
"I see, well done. What happened to the lord of this land... the people of the House of Kivileft?"
"Count Kivileft and his wife resisted until the end and died in battle. Their bodies have been confirmed. However, the Count's son is missing. I apologize."
"...Well, that is fine. It cannot be helped."
Charles answered without appearing to care. No matter how much of a surprise attack it was, he did not think the lord's family could be captured so conveniently. Eliminating the current head and his wife was enough.
"...Also, the local merchants who were connected to our country have stated that they wish to meet with Your Excellency."
"Ah, there was that matter... Where are those people now?"
"Thinking that Your Excellency would arrive shortly, we have them waiting in an empty room of the estate. I can call them to the audience chamber immediately."
"Very well, then let us meet them at once. I wish to finish tedious work quickly."
Guided by the general officer, he moved to the audience chamber. For a room where a single noble, even a Count, would hold audiences with vassals, it was built with excessive luxury.
Shortly after, the great merchants of Laden, who had been waiting in another room, entered.
"Oh, so you are the Commander-in-Chief?"
"We have been awaiting your visit! It is an honor to meet you!"
Seeing Charles, the great merchants of the County of Kivileft all simultaneously wore fawning smiles and began speaking one after another. There were six of them in total.
"...I have heard of you. I hear you betrayed your master, Count Kivileft, and assisted the invasion of our Republic of Betumia army. Good work."
"I am extremely gratified to receive your praise."
"We simply thought that we could contribute to the great Republic of Betumia..."
Charles felt a sense of disgust toward the merchants who spoke while grinning and rubbing their hands together.
"...Grand Legion Commander."
"Yes!"
"That is enough. Kill these people. Their families as well. Kill them all."
The merchants' eyes widened upon hearing Charles's words.
"What!?"
"N-no, Excellency. We were promised that our safety and that of our families would be guaranteed, and that we would receive rewards..."
"You are misunderstanding something."
The expressions of the panicking merchants were so comical that Charles laughed a little for the first time since landing in this place today.
"The ones misunderstanding are you. This is the instruction of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Betumia, Excellency Member of Parliament Fildrack."
"H-how can this be! But we..."
"We were supposed to receive vast lands, and be given seats as local councilors in this land that became a colony..."
"Why did you think people who willingly betray their own homeland could obtain position and trust? People like you only become seeds of unrest if kept alive. There is no way power would be given to such people... Grand Legion Commander, I leave the remaining disposal to you."
"Yes! Hey, take these people away!"
Receiving Charles's instructions, the Grand Legion Commander had the soldiers waiting in the audience chamber lead the six merchants away.
"W-wait, Commander-in-Chief!"
"If you let us speak, you'll understand!"
"We will give you money! Large sums of money to everyone here..."
Making a racket, the merchants were dragged away.
"Now, is there anything else I must urgently direct? Are there any high-ranking prisoners?"
"...We have captured one lower-ranking noble who served as a military officer for the House of Kivileft. He is merely an officer and possesses no useful information, so I thought there was little meaning in Excellency Hamilton speaking with him directly."
"I see... well, while I'm at it. I shall try meeting him. Bring him here."
About ten minutes after Charles ordered it, a man was dragged into the audience chamber.
The man, bound with ropes, wore only under-armor, which was stained with blood and dirt. He had wounds all over his body, and his face in particular was swollen purple. Regarding this face, it was likely swollen not from combat, but from having undergone torture.
"...I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Betumia army, General Charles Hamilton. Noble of the Kingdom of Lordberg, state your name."
"...Knight Jacobe Saturno."
When the man answered in a mutter, Charles's adjutant became enraged.
"You! For a mere officer of a lower noble to lack etiquette—"
"Enough."
Charles restrained the adjutant with his hand. They were the ones who had conducted an invasion like a sneak attack. It would be unreasonable to demand etiquette be paid to an invader.
"I heard that Count and Countess Kivileft are dead. Do you know how they met their end?"
"...Excellency Kivileft and his wife charged bravely against the forces of the despicable invaders and met a magnificent death in battle. I saw it with my own eyes. The moment the two of them fell... and the moment your soldiers stripped the armor from their bodies and carried it away like bandits."
Knight Saturno glared at Charles with eyes full of hatred.
"I see. As a fellow soldier, I express my respect for the brave deaths of the Count and Countess. As a commander, I truly regret that the soldiers committed acts akin to bandits."
"Hmph, look who's talking."
As the adjutant bristled again at Knight Saturno's spitting words, Charles restrained him with his hand once more.
"I believe I heard that Count Kivileft has a son and grandchildren... I will ask just in case. Where did the Count's sons flee? Are they still within the County of Kivileft?"
"I've been asked the same thing many times by other officers and generals."
"I see, and?"
"Can even an idiot become a general in Betumia? If I had answered honestly, there's no way I would have been beaten until my face looked like this."
"...That is true."
Charles answered with a small laugh. He was a man with quite a bit of humor.
"...However, since the Commander-in-Chief himself has gone out of his way to appear before a mere lower noble. I might just tell you directly."
"Ho, I am honored."
"I'm only telling you. If you want to hear, bring your face closer."
When Charles crouched and approached as told—Knight Saturno spat in Charles's face.
"The young master fled into the hole of your ass. You should dig around and look for him."
In response, the adjutant drew his sword in a rage. The soldiers who had brought Knight Saturno also put their hands on their swords.
"You barbarian! How dare you... to His Excellency... I'll torture you to death!"
"Stop!"
Stopping them with a shout, Charles stood up, wiped the spit from his face with a finger, and looked down at Knight Saturno with a smile.
"Good spirit. I like it... Wash this man's hair and body, polish his armor, and dress him in it. I shall personally carry out his beheading."
"What!? Excellency!"
The adjutant raised a voice of surprise. What Charles had described was a method of execution that paid the highest respect to a soldier. It was not a punishment that a Commander-in-Chief would personally hand down to a single enemy officer.
"This is an order... I've been in the world of politics for too long recently. My spirits have lifted from speaking with such a straightforward warrior. This is my thanks."
For the past six months, for the sake of invasion preparations, he had done nothing but engage in filthy talk with rotten politicians. Compared to those unpleasant conversations, how enjoyable it was to be mocked by a warrior with such shitty guts. It was almost refreshing.
For the first time in a long while, he had a conversation where stubbornness and pride were clashed head-on. It was truly amusing. Out of gratitude for that, he figured he could afford the eccentricity of giving this man a dignified death.