423 – The Marshal cannot retire (1)
A month later.
In the audience room of the imperial palace, numerous ministers, nobles, and officers of the General Staff are gathered, waiting for only one piece of news.
“Marshal Yeager will win, right? “You are not the one to be defeated, are you?”
“That’s natural. “But why do you keep asking?”
“No matter what, what do I do when I feel anxious and worried?”
Meanwhile, the emperor of the empire, Michael, sitting in the highest position, also twitched the corner of his mouth and waited for his messenger to arrive.
“When will that messenger who said he was coming arrive?”
As always, his voice was full of expectation and trust in Marshal Jaeger, who had brought him a greater gift than he expected.
‘It’s only been a month since the siege of Polsky Castle, but you’re not sending a report that the castle has already been captured. What kind of news are you trying to convey today?’
After a while, the door to the throne room opened and Captain Karl, who was acting as a messenger, hurried inside.
The Grand Commander clicked his tongue as he looked displeased at the knight who dared to run openly in the throne room without even walking at a slow pace.
“You’re running around in the throne room when the country’s survival is at stake!”
Hearing those words, the knight came to his senses, stopped running, and tried to walk slowly.
“Daesijongjang, such manners are not important right now. If the messenger is jumping in the throne room, he must have brought such auspicious news. “Don’t be harsh.”
Hearing the emperor’s words save the face of both the Grand Marshal and the messenger, the Grand Grand Marshal cleared his throat a few times and then added a word.
“Be careful from now on so as not to disturb the order of the imperial palace.”
Carl immediately bowed according to etiquette, and Michael smiled while looking at him.
“So, are you Captain Karl, who was the first to respond when Marshal Jaeger conscripted civilians in Bastion?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Marshal Jaeger has often talked about you. “He may be young, but he is very brave and wise.”
The surrounding nobles whispered when they saw the emperor recognize Carol.
“No matter how great his achievements, his Majesty is so partial to a captain who is not even a son of a high-ranking noble family.”
“But what can we do? “He was awarded the Bronze Knight’s Sword at that age for his outstanding contribution to the victory of the war.”
“No, that’s still true. My son has just entered the academy. “That guy didn’t even enter the academy…”
The Emperor looked down at Carol and said.
“I guess it brings good news, right?”
Everyone’s attention was focused on those words.
After hearing those words, Carol nodded her head.
“Polsky Castle has been captured. “The one million-strong army led by Marshal Peter Jaeger completely occupied the Grand Duchy of Warsaw.”
Most of the nobles and generals here believed that Peter Jaeger’s preparation process was so thorough that this expedition would not fail.
Although victory was thought to be certain, when they heard the news that a ‘great victory’ had been achieved, everyone shouted hurray.
“f*ck, we beat those Warsaw guys! Deus has sent us down! “We did it!”
The nobles of the court, including the grand chief, gave up all dignity for now and chanted three cheers in joy.
“Long live the Reich Empire! Long live your Majesty the Emperor! Long live Deus! God gave us the Grand Duchy of Warsaw!”
Even in normal times, nobles who had different political factions and who frowned and fought when they saw each other held each other’s hands and were happy.
“Oh my, Baron. We, we beat those damn Warsaw guys!”
“It is the grace of Deus, Viscount.”
“In that sense, shouldn’t my two factions join forces and gain as much interest as possible?”
Of course, the reason they liked holding hands was because the prerequisites of ‘greater interests’ and ‘victory of the empire’ were necessary.
Michael clenched his fists so tightly that his hands turned white, and he smiled brightly.
‘But as an emperor, you can’t just be happy without hearing a detailed report.’
“Let me report the specific process, Captain.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Marshal Peter Jaeger divided his 1 million-man army into 10 army groups and occupied castles throughout Warsaw bloodlessly, with little resistance. After occupying the entire eastern part of Warsaw, he besieged the capital, Polski Castle.”
When Emperor Michael heard those words, he simply nodded his head.
Because he already knew everything.
“After the siege of Polski Castle, Marshal Jäger personally climbed the castle walls and dealt with the forces of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw.”
“It’s Marshal Yeager. “What I’m doing with Captain Patton is the same in this respect.”
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At those words, the nobles who had experience serving under Patton chuckled.
“He went up to Polsky Castle directly in command of the Bastion Division and directly dealt with the knights, officers, and soldiers of the enemy country. In one month, he cut down three enemy division commanders, 130 lower-ranking officers, and more than 500 soldiers.”
The emperor was dumbfounded when he heard that.
I know very well how powerful Peter Yeager is, but cutting down three enemy division commanders in one month was beyond my imagination.
If he killed 630 people, he would have single-handedly cut off a battalion, which was something he could not understand from his common sense.
‘Still, it is possible because Marshal Jaeger personally cut down the Archduke of Warsaw in the body of a marshal.’
And from here on, Carol’s face began to turn red.
“But the real surprise begins now.”
The emperor and nobles perked up their ears at those words.
If a messenger who is not supposed to reveal his feelings prefaces it with words like that, the words that follow must be ‘amazing.’
“Marshal Jaeger received a revelation from Deus while he was saying mass. So every morning before battle he gathered his priests and had them circle the walls, singing hymns that God had taught them. We repeated this process for a month and blew the trumpet on the last day…”
Karl swallowed his saliva and recalled the emotion of that time.
“A part of the wall suddenly collapsed as if by a miracle. “It’s like a scene from the Bible.”
When the emperor heard that, he slapped himself on the cheek.
‘Peter Yeager received revelation from God, and stories from the Bible were reproduced exactly at Polsky Castle?’
“Is that true? Is that really true? “You’re not talking nonsense, are you?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Having said that, the messenger, Karl, signaled the emperor with a glance and delivered a secret letter.
The emperor was not a fool, so he immediately realized what that meant.
‘You even sold the name of Deus for the sake of the empire. Are you saying that he is not afraid of going to hell for the Empire?’
This was possible because Peter Yeager was a person who did not believe in heaven and hell, but in the eyes of the emperor who did not know the circumstances, he was only thought of as a loyal subject who had endured sins that could put him in ‘hell’ for himself and the empire.
Before the emperor knew it, his eyes were filled with tears.
“Marshal Jaeger…”
Carl continued to report.
“According to a miracle given by God that day, the Marshal captured Polsky Castle and killed all the officers, soldiers, and citizens within the castle who did not cooperate with the imperial army. Then the Grand Duke of Warsaw and some of the nobles are being escorted to Reichburg. And immediately after the fall of Polski Castle, all other castles of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw surrendered to the imperial army. “This is a great victory for our troops, Your Majesty.”
After hearing those words, the emperor sat down.
The corner of his mouth was raised high to the sky and twitching, to the point where the emperor’s dignity was not felt at all, and his whole body was trembling with uncontrollable joy.
Although he laughed like a madman, he ate an entire duchy, so he deserved it.
“Marshal Jaeger. Marshal Jaeger, after all, you are a treasure of the Empire! “I wasn’t wrong in pushing Marshal Jäger all the way after meeting him on the damn Rhineland front!”
While I was so happy, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is probably the most sensitive to diplomatic issues, asked.
“Messenger, how did the peace negotiations go with the ambassadors from Stockholm, Czechoslovakia, and Austria?”
Because it was an issue as important as the complete loss of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, the emperor also listened.
“In total, you must have received about 12 duchies, right? Or are you still negotiating?”
Karl answered the Foreign Minister’s question in a loud voice towards the emperor.
“Marshal Peter Jaeger, who had full authority to conclude a peace treaty, requested 14 duchies and 2.5 Million gold from each country, and they all accepted these conditions. A treaty was signed with a total of 42 duchies and compensation of 7.5 Million gold.”
When the emperor heard those words, he was so happy and surprised that he lost the scepter he was holding in his hand.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs was so happy that he screamed and fainted.
“Long live the Empire.”
Then the emperor’s physician came in and checked the condition of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs was so happy that he fainted, but there is no particular problem with his health.”
Just as the emperor was about to tell his ministers to immediately issue an order to the entire empire to hold a celebratory banquet, Charles cautiously opened his mouth.
“And finally, the Marshal told me that he was so tired that he wanted to retire as soon as he returned from this expedition.”
At those words, the previously excited atmosphere became completely serious.
Because it is okay to delay joy for a while, but there was a need to seriously discuss Peter Jaeger’s retirement.