Chapter 245 - Chapter 238: Inside Information
"Excellency Hamilton, a report has come in via 'Far-talk' that the first wave of thirty thousand troops for the capture of the royal capital has reached Royal Capital Lichthagen as scheduled. They have already surrounded all the gates of the royal capital to ensure that no one can escape. The second wave of twenty thousand troops is also scheduled to depart shortly."
"...I see. Good work."
The former residence of the Count, which had now become the headquarters for the Betumia Republic Army in the County of Kivileft's capital, Laden. In one of the rooms—the commander's office, which was likely once the lord's office—Charles was receiving a report from his adjutant.
"I suppose things have gone according to plan up to this point."
"Indeed. But the real challenge begins now. Even at this moment—"
"My, my! Absolutely no problem at all! Everything is going swimmingly! How delightful!"
Interrupting the conversation of the two, a middle-aged man sitting in a reception chair in the room spoke in a needlessly cheerful voice.
"...Councilman Dickens. I apologize, but I must ask you to refrain from speaking while I am engaged in military discussions with my subordinates."
"Oops, my apologies! But really, since there are no problems with the invasion anyway, why be so stiff about it?"
Even after receiving Charles's warning, the middle-aged man—Councilman Dickens, who was accompanying them under the title of Political Advisor—answered without appearing to care.
This man was one of the close aides to the Prime Minister, Councilman Phildrack. The title of Political Advisor was in name only; in truth, he was a watchdog sent by the Wealth-Building Faction. His role was to monitor whether Charles was moving the army according to the Wealth-Building Faction's intentions and to report back to the home country.
"...It is true that no major problems have occurred so far. However, this is a battlefield. We must maintain constant tension and prepare for unforeseen circumstances. We cannot let our guard down until the moment we grasp victory."
"Even so, the opponent is an undeveloped, barbaric feudal state, is it not? On top of that, they are particularly weakened by the current famine... are you not fearing mere barbarians too much? Has General Hamilton, who once made his valor resound throughout the Republic Army, finally grown old? Hahaha!"
While suppressing the urge to shout at the carefree Councilman Dickens, Charles remained silent.
The incompetent politician before him seemed to be thinking optimistically, but the matter was not so simple.
To begin with, Charles had been opposed to a strategy such as attacking the royal capital only one month after landing. He believed the best course of action was to settle at the landing point, steadily expand the area of control, and first completely suppress the southern part of the Kingdom of Rhodeberg. From there, he intended to surround and weaken the central part of the kingdom, taking the country down slowly over several years.
However, the Wealth-Building Faction rejected that plan. While claiming to "cooperate with the Republic Army in national unity," Councilman Phildrack and the others intended to save on war expenses and ordered Charles to achieve complete victory within one year.
For this invasion, they had deployed a large number of Magic Carriages—the Republic Army's latest weapon—which greatly reduced the burden on horses by assisting the undercarriage with magic tools, significantly extending the daily marching distance.
However, no matter how many latest weapons they had, the current pace of invasion was clearly unstable. They had managed to reach the royal capital, but once winter arrived, the movement of both horses and soldiers would slow. Including the second wave, the total number of the royal capital capture force would swell to fifty thousand, and the logistics required just to maintain them would be an immense task.
"...It is true that we of the Betumia Republic overwhelm them in both technology and the scale of military power, but the enemy is neither stupid nor cowardly. If we underestimate them, we will suffer an unexpected counterattack."
He didn't know what kind of pressure he would receive from the government or the parliament if he voiced blatant weakness. He chose his words to sound as if he were merely being cautious.
"Ho. Is that how it is? However, our army totals two hundred thousand. It should already be impossible for the Kingdom of Rhodeberg to mobilize more troops than that, right? I believe that if we attack all at once with a great army of two hundred thousand, victory is decided."
"..."
Even if he was an advisor in name only, why had Phildrack sent such an amateur? Charles felt an urge to sigh.
Two hundred thousand was the total number of the invasion force. Not all of them were attack units. Including the personnel needed to maintain the landing point, block the borders with the Pallas Empire and the Kingdom of Lancel, carry out occupation work in the controlled areas, and provide supplies to the royal capital capture force—which was clearly too deep in at this point—the total was two hundred thousand.
Those who could actually go on the offensive were at most half, one hundred thousand. And half of that, fifty thousand, had been suddenly allocated to the siege of the royal capital. To hasten the advance, the composition leaned toward seasoned regular army troops, and because of that, the remaining fifty thousand combat troops had a high ratio of volunteers and low proficiency. After winter ended, they would have to fight in the northeast and northwest of the kingdom with such a force.
Furthermore, because they rushed the capture of the royal capital, the occupation of the controlled areas remained incomplete, and there were not a few kingdom nobles who were holding out in their provincial capitals or castles. Manpower was also required for their siege and annihilation.
In terms of the schedule, there were no decisive problems for now, but from here on, it would not be strange for an unexpected situation to occur at any time. The self-serving way Councilman Dickens spoke, unable to understand this, was extremely irritating.
"For my part, I thought we might be able to control the entire Kingdom of Rhodeberg by winter. It seems that will not be granted. I wonder if victory can truly be grasped by the end of winter? Has the Betumia Republic Army become weak without anyone noticing? Do you have the will to do it?"
"...!"
The adjutant clenched his fist at the overly ignorant and rude way of speaking. Charles restrained him with a small gesture that Councilman Dickens wouldn't notice and answered with a dead expression.
"There is no need for concern. The reason we did not expand the invasion to the entire kingdom was to prepare for winter. Winter in the southern part of the Adleon continent is harsher than winter in Betumia. No matter how strong the Republic Army is, if we move them too extensively by force, there will be casualties. If many soldiers die, the support for the current government from the citizens of the Republic may waver. That is likely what the members of the Wealth-Building Faction wish to avoid most, is it not?"
"...Well, that is true."
At Charles's words, Councilman Dickens thought for a moment and agreed.
"During the winter, we will make the occupation of the current controlled areas firm, and when winter ends, we will once again launch an all-out offensive to show that the Kingdom of Rhodeberg has become the Republic's... I will adhere to the one-year deadline, so please be at ease."
"Hmm... if that is the case, it is fine. If these are the words of General Hamilton, who is the Commander-in-Chief, there is no room for me, who am merely a political advisor, to intervene. No, my apologies. Well then, I shall take my leave now."
Leaving those words behind with a smirk, Councilman Dickens left the room.
"...What a stupid and easy-to-read man."
"Indeed. Utterly unpleasant."
After confirming that Councilman Dickens had moved away, Charles exchanged words with the adjutant.
If Charles failed to achieve "complete victory within one year," that Councilman Dickens would also have his evaluation from Councilman Phildrack drop due to lack of oversight and fall from his position as a close aide. Because he feared that, he said various sarcastic things to provoke Charles.
If he just said appropriate things to reassure him, he probably wouldn't interfere with the command on the battlefield for the time being. It was best to flatter the fool, kick him out of important places, and let him play around appropriately.
.....
Mid-November of the Royal Year 218. Noein was proceeding with preparations for departure to head for the Duchy of Halsberg, located at the northern tip of the kingdom.
In the east, west, south, and north of the kingdom, ducal houses related to the royal family held territories; these served as monitoring bases for local nobles and, at the same time, as evacuation destinations for the royalty in case of emergency.
This time, the Duchy of Halsberg in the north, which was currently the safest, was chosen as the evacuation destination, and it was decided that a military council would be held there, gathering the nobles of the northern kingdom.
No matter how powerful the Betumia Republic Army was, their movements should slow down when winter came, and it should become difficult for them to invade beyond their current controlled areas. Just as predicted... or rather, just as hoped, the Betumia Republic Army stopped further invasion, and the force invading the royal capital had shifted from a siege to a war of attrition.
They had no choice but to devise a plan during this gap and shift to a counterattack after winter ended.
For that purpose, in order to protect the Arqvist territory and its people, Noein was thinking of a plan himself, and on top of that, was proceeding with preparations for departure to participate in the military council at the Duchy of Halsberg.
"—So, we can depart tomorrow as scheduled, right?"
"Yes. The plan to merge and head out with Viscount Koenitz and Marquis Bechtolsheim on the way has also been arranged. It will be a somewhat hurried movement, but there should be no problem."
In the lord's office, Noein received the final report from the Chief Retainer, Yuri, regarding the journey starting tomorrow.
For the movement to the ducal territory, he would travel by carriage and horse, taking Matilda as guard and caretaker, Yuri as assistant, Konrad as liaison personnel, and the territorial army Guard under Pence as escort knights. The plan was to merge with Arnold and Marquis Bechtolsheim on the way, proceeding while exchanging information and opinions.
"I understand. Thank you, especially since this is a sudden movement during an already busy time."
"This is my job. There's no need for thanks—"
"...Excuse me. I'm sorry to disturb you during your work. Do you have a moment?"
At that moment, along with a modest knock, Clara's voice calling Noein hesitantly could be heard.
"Clara? It's okay, come in."
When Noein urged her to enter, Clara said "Excuse me" once more as she entered the room and looked at Noein with a slightly bewildered expression.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"The thing is... a report just came in from the gatehouse of the provincial capital, Noeina, that, um, you might have a visitor."
"A visitor? Who on earth..."
Noein tilted his head. There were no plans for visitors now. If it were someone from the neighboring Koenitz house, they would likely contact him via 'Far-talk' first, and even if other nobles were visiting, a prior notice should have arrived. Furthermore, the strange report that he "might" have a visitor bothered him.
"Um... a group of men claiming to be Julian Kivileft have arrived. Their appearance is apparently so tattered that they don't seem like nobles, but they seem to have a flag with something like a noble house's crest on it, and they wish to seek your judgment."
"..................Huh?"
After freezing for a while, Noein let out a vacant voice.