206 – War is Diplomacy (1)
Reich Imperial Palace, Throne Room.
“Lieutenant General Peter Yeager, Commander of the Northern Army, welcomes your Majesty.”
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“You must have had a hard time coming here in a hurry from the far north. So, are you doing well with Louise?”
“Thanks to you, I am receiving great help in many ways.”
Laura and Anya are military officers, so they provide direct and indirect help when I encounter difficulties in managing the Northern Army.
Charlotte serves me on a daily basis and sometimes helps prepare the family’s accounting books, but Louise manages and supervises all of the household chores of the Count Jaeger family on my behalf.
Not only that, but honestly, even if there are two women for the same head, the family is likely to fall into disarray.
Thanks to Louise’s mediation with the other three, no major problems arise in her household.
“I’m so glad we’re getting along well together. By the way, what is the situation in the north?”
“Forty tribes, including Chief Ishtaven, went over to the Kingdom of Stockholm. Thanks to this, about 10,000 warriors from the north were stuck in Stockholm, and the balance of power was in danger of being broken.”
After hearing those words, the emperor must have been so angry at the wicked tricks of the Stockholm guys that he gritted his teeth with his face turning red.
However, in this case, His Majesty knew of the crisis and ordered me to suppress it.
So, I did my best to overcome the worst situation, and I achieved some success, so no one will turn their anger on me or hold me responsible.
However, the emperor asked with a deep sigh that made the sky seem to fall.
“It is fortunate among misfortunes that we were able to prevent the defection of all 60 tribes.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“These are the people who were preparing for betrayal long before you were appointed to the North. Reducing 60 such vicious people to 40 is a big achievement. So there is no need to apologize anymore. Isn’t the important thing to secure and protect the loyalty of the remaining northerners? “I know the rough details of the measures, but please tell me again in detail.”
Even if losing a cow due to a broken barn is something that has happened in the past and cannot be helped, a person who doesn’t even fix the barn when a cow breaks through the barn and escapes is an idiot.
But since I am not a nerd, I repaired the barn very thoroughly.
“Until now, there has been some discrimination against northerners and imperial citizens who have not completely given up their territory and assimilated into the empire, including the Kergit tribe. However, we must abolish that discrimination and allow northerners to have equal obligations and rights as the people of the empire.”
“I agree with your opinion. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said that it was acceptable with just a few adjustments. But is it really okay to have northerners join the military? “They might betray you.”
“For about four years, they didn’t betray even though they had to bear a heavier burden than the people of the empire, so there’s nothing you can’t trust, right?”
It may seem unreasonable to claim that after only four years of observation, we should accept all of them as the people of the empire.
That’s because, when people meet and get married, they date for 3 to 4 years before making a decision, and it is impossible to judge whether hundreds of thousands of northerners are good citizens of the empire or bastards who will backstab in just a few years.
Still, I think I can fully trust those who have followed us until now.
Because, while I was subduing the bastard named Ludvik, the empire showed its overwhelming military superiority over the northerners.
After being incorporated into the empire, I was able to enjoy a small amount of wealth that I had not enjoyed while living a nomadic life wandering in the north and farming at the same time, so anyone with common sense would think that being under the empire was advantageous.
“Also, won’t young people belonging to the North end up serving in the imperial army for three years? In the meantime, just teach them how great the Empire is and how proud it is to serve His Majesty the Emperor. That way, loyalty to the empire will naturally arise among young people.”
“My father often said this. Loyalty is something you have to teach yourself to get used to it. So, if we teach loyalty to the empire in the military, the northerners who used to be barbarians will also be loyal to the empire and to me, the emperor.”
“In addition, it is necessary to instill confidence that if you make a contribution in the military, you can change your fortune. Then, you will participate wholeheartedly both during training and when going into battle. Naturally, the person who has changed his life through meritorious actions and his family will become more loyal to His Majesty. “The tribe members of the same village who watch this will also work harder to serve His Majesty and achieve their dreams because they too can become the protagonists of the success story.”
From the time I commanded the 7th Guards Division, or rather, after I succeeded in being promoted beyond battalion commander to regimental commander, among the soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers under my command, there appeared people who openly admired me.
Those people, like me, fought harder in the war with the intention of changing their fortunes, and had much greater loyalty than officers from most noble families.
If you instill in northerners the concept that if they serve well in the military, they will be able to expand their fortunes, and that their efforts and abilities will definitely be rewarded, they will naturally become loyal.
As if his Majesty was satisfied with my argument, he nodded and answered.
“I have lived for nearly 50 years, but this is the first time I have heard of the idea of bringing barbarians into the army and instilling loyalty in them. But, it’s an idea worth trying. “Right now, one of her wives, Baron Kergit, and the Northern Archers she leads also served in the military and became loyal to me.”
“I’m sure you won’t be disappointed, and I’ve also thought about where to place them.”
“Are you planning to place him at the forefront of the war against the Kingdom of Stockholm?”
It is a good idea to have a direct battle with the Kingdom of Stockholm, which has been causing strife in the north, but I think that is not enough.
“As far as I know, among the 40 tribes who tried to follow Ishtaven and betray the empire, there are some who have not yet left the north. And I heard that their land is now protected by soldiers of the Kingdom of Stockholm.”
To be exact, a very small number of Stockholm soldiers are leading the local tribes to create a forward base in the northern part of the empire, so it is like playing house.
“I am planning to mobilize the northerners who are on our empire’s side and kill the Stockholm soldiers. In this way, we will completely break the psychological retreat of the northerners who followed the Reich Empire instead of following Ishtaven.”
“You must have taken into account the worsening diplomatic relations with Stockholm, right?”
“No matter how many tribes in the north surrendered to them, building an advance base for Stockholm in imperial territory that was not a neutral zone was the same as declaring war. There is no way the relationship will get any worse anyway. There is only war.”
After hearing what I said, His Majesty nodded and answered.
“I see. However, as you probably know, the empire is currently fighting quite a few wars with Austria, Czechia, and even the Farosian Alliance. “You know why, right?”
“Isn’t it a plan to weaken His Majesty’s power by inflicting a huge defeat at a time when His Majesty’s term is almost over and to prevent His Majesty the Crown Prince from ascending the throne?”
“That’s right. So after I finish this expedition to the Kingdom of Stockholm, I plan to hold an election for emperor. So you have to be more careful.”
Emperor election, has His Majesty finally made a decision?
“Even after this expedition ends, there should not be any problems in the north over the next three to four years. “I think we need thorough measures, but do you have any other strategic ideas?”
From a strategic point of view, I think we should do to the evil Stockholm guys what the Faroesian Cities, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Warsaw did to us.
Is there any way?
While I was thinking about it, a really good idea passed through my head.
“We have a good plan, Your Majesty.”
In war, they say it’s polite to cut off an opponent’s limbs just for lightly grazing the tip of a sword.
Then, since the Kingdom of Stockholm tried to take this opportunity to stealthily take over the North, wouldn’t it be natural to send it to hell in return?