397 – Desperate Revenge (1)
When I finished organizing and went up to the capital, I didn’t go home first, but headed straight to the imperial palace.
As usual, it would be right to go home first, see the faces of family members who were away during the war, ask how they are, and spend quality time together.
At the same time, I had to come to the imperial palace after relieving the mental and physical fatigue that had accumulated, but I didn’t want to do that right now, so I came straight to the imperial palace.
“Marshal Jaeger, Your Majesty is currently attending to official business. So, Marshal, please go home and get some rest. And please submit a formal request for an audience. We will contact you as soon as an appointment is scheduled. Please come then.”
Normally, I would have listened to the Chamberlain who is stopping me right now.
According to what he said, no matter how much it is I, if you want to have an audience with His Majesty, it is right to start by submitting a request for an audience a few days in advance and follow the procedures.
However, right now, my eyes are turned to the dedication of the 35,000 soldiers, men, and women who died in Bastion Castle, including Lieutenant Colonel Randel, and to the miserable end they met.
“Chamberlain.”
I called his name with a cold voice filled with murder. The chamberlain froze as he stood there.
“Won, Marshal?”
He is a decent man from an aristocratic family and the head of a family who participated in the war and completed his compulsory service to the rank of captain, but if I were to compare his military experience in front of me, he wouldn’t even be able to turn a blind eye.
Maybe that’s why the effect was outstanding.
Isn’t this gentleman, who should have kept stopping me, standing tall and trembling, really not knowing what to do?
“I have just returned from the hell called Bastion. It was literally a living hell. “We had to walk into hell every day and fight to stop the Allied bastards who wouldn’t be enough to kill us by dismembering our limbs.”
“Yes… that’s roughly what I wrote as well…”
“Don’t talk now. Because I’m not finished talking yet. In front of me was a newlywed couple who had just gotten married and had a child in their womb. They were a couple who fought really bravely. But was it the 20th day? On the wall, her husband cut down four enemies, and finally took one enemy as his companion and finally went away.”
Just thinking about that scene was truly terrifying.
I led the war, but whenever I close my eyes and fall asleep, I feel like I’ll be dreaming of that brutal siege at Bastion Castle.
No, whenever I close my eyes and sleep on the way back to the imperial palace after the war, I always dream of this time.
“Isn’t this a truly brave and honorable death? And maybe 10 minutes later? She continued to fight while her wife was still carrying the child in her womb, and she was finally killed when her stomach was cut to pieces by the enemy. In any other battle, this would be a story of a tragedy and an honorable warrior that would be included in the Chief of Staff and Academy veterans education textbooks. But in Bastion Castle, stories like this are so common that they are just a passing story.”
Among the massacres of civilians, the most horrific thing is killing women and girls, especially pregnant women.
But the fact that such terrible deaths were so common was so shocking to the Chamberlain that he couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
“A 5-year-old child was stabbed to death with a sword, but he cut the foot of an enemy soldier with a dagger or a stone. Everyone who fought in that castle fought fiercely, not sparing their lives.”
“We salute their dedication.”
“Thanks to that, I was able to cut off the head of the Archduke of Warsaw with my own hands and bring back hundreds of heads from other generals. The sacrifice of those who died at Bastion Castle became the cornerstone of a victory that will last a lifetime in the history of the empire. By the way.”
I clenched my fist so hard that blood came out of my hand.
“If you follow all the stupid procedures you talk about, the strategic value of victory, which is more valuable and glorious than anything else, will fade. So, I am going to tell you that if we see His Majesty right now, there is no need for a triumphal ceremony or a parade, so let’s attack the Grand Duchy of Warsaw right away.”
Just as iron can be made into a sword or a spear by striking it while it is hot, the most effective way is to beat down the fear-ridden Allied forces of Czechia, Warsaw, Austria, and Stockholm as soon as possible.
In order to make the dedication and sacrifice of those who died even a little more valuable, we must move a large army as quickly as possible for even a second and destroy the Grand Duchy ruled by the Archduke of Warsaw, the commander of the Allied forces.
“We must save every second for the good of the empire. For the sake of those who showed loyalty and devotion to His Majesty at Bastion Castle, we must move now. “I’ll ask again.”
The Chamberlain trembled at my sharp warning and argument based on rational logic, as if he were a prisoner being interrogated for committing a crime.
I didn’t mean to kill him, but I never thought he would overreact like that when he was so aggressive.
“When can I have an audience with His Majesty?”
“15 Minutes, I’ll do something in 15 minutes!”
“I’ll trust you and leave it to you.”
At the same time as he said those words, the chamberlain started running away from the castle.
However, no matter how urgent it was, I had no intention of breaking the imperial law against running in the imperial castle, so I slowly walked towards the throne room.
I thought about it every time I took a step.
How can we efficiently and reliably destroy the Grand Duchy of Warsaw?
**
According to the original, it would have been rude for a subject to ask for an audience in such a hurry, even if his head was dying, and there was no excuse for it.
As soon as His Majesty saw me, he seemed to think there was no need for such things, so he skipped all formalities and jumped up from the throne and ran to where I was.
Then he held my hand and cried, shedding tears.
“The Chief of Staff sent me a report detailing the results of the Battle of Bastion Castle and the Palatinate River and its strategic value, so I stayed up all night and just finished reading it. If it weren’t for you, this country would have collapsed. If that happens, no, I’ll just be honest. “If you hadn’t stopped the Archduke at Bastion Castle, we would have been destroyed.”
“No, Your Majesty. “I just did what I had to do.”
The emperor shook his head strongly in denial.
“Get rid of this ridiculous humility. Didn’t he lead only 30,000 troops and about 20,000 civilians and annihilate the enemy army that was trying to breach the castle walls with a desperate determination of over 360,000? And the one million invaders were annihilated, leaving only 20,000. “Why is this normal?”
“…….”
“Your merits are so great that you have not yet been awarded merit, but I guarantee you this one thing. As long as you live, no matter what happens, the Reich House and the Empire will never suspect Peter Jaeger. And I will never forget that grace.”
Hearing those words, I got down on one knee and paid my respects.
“It is an honor, Your Majesty. However, there is one thing I would like to correct.”
When the emperor heard those words, he tilted his head.
“I just did the obvious thing. Therefore, I do not deserve to be called a hero or receive any privileges. However, I was simply given the opportunity to command honorable men who deserve to be called heroes.”
His Majesty was so surprised and embarrassed when he saw me sincerely declining the contribution to saving the country.
But no matter how much I think about it, I think it’s them, not me, who truly deserve to be called heroes in this war, so I shouldn’t lie.
“We will reward those who have made achievements in Bastion Castle as generously as possible. The details are still being reviewed. “Once the serfs who entered Bastion and their descendants residing in the land will be exempted from taxes forever, as long as the empire continues.”
The burden that causes the most hardship on the serfs is taxes, and once that disappears, the Bastion region will become the best place for common people to live in the empire.
No, it might be the richest province.
“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”
“And Lieutenant Colonel Randel. I have heard detailed information about his dedication. So Colonel Landell, no, he decided to do this. The day before he was killed in action, he was promoted to colonel, and afterward, in accordance with the courtesy given to the fallen, he was promoted two ranks and posthumously awarded the rank of major general. Without him, Bastion Castle would have fallen. Therefore, it can be said that his dedication and sacrifice saved the empire. “I think this should be remembered and known as an example to the entire imperial army.”
I nodded quietly at those words.
“Although he was unable to cut off the Archduke’s head, he is highly regarded for his achievement in lowering the morale of the Allied Forces and saving the Empire from a difficult situation. Therefore, a statue commemorating him will be erected at the entrance of the Academy and Staff College. In addition, as a special exception, I will bestow the Diamond Knight’s Sword Medal, the title of count, and two county fiefdoms. “Is this enough?”
Considering his achievements and dedication, this is more than enough, but…
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“There is one more request.”
“What is it?”
“His spirit must be inherited forever by the 7th Guards Division as long as the empire lasts, so please give him the title of honorary division commander.”
“Of course I will.”
“Thank you.”
The emperor then looked into my eyes and asked seriously.
“You probably didn’t come to me to ask for this, so be honest. What do you want? Tell me anything. “The Empire will not suspect anything you say.”
I opened my mouth heavily at those words.
“One million troops! This time it’s our empire’s turn to rise up. And the target of attack is the Grand Duchy of Warsaw.”