143 – 147
Lost in thought while reading Martin’s report about Kansho’s fall.
Internally cheering at the news of Kansho’s fall and the forts gradually being taken.
This will shake the front lines a bit.
“It’s not enough yet…”
Practically, it’s hard to see Boheemi taking a significant blow just from a few forts falling.
Having received intelligence that the Babylon mercenaries are heading towards the Yara Plains through Adria.
Expecting significant damage from that direction.
Then, I look at Agrifa’s report.
Closing my eyes briefly upon reading the report of their arrival near the Adriatic Sea, preparing to anchor and wait.
There’s no need to rush.
Even if there are losses, they must be endured. Otherwise, another war might break out.
The imperial faction has already shed blood. After the war, they must be so weakened that they cannot stand against me.
Scattering and eradicating the demon-worshipping cultists throughout the empire to bring prosperity swiftly and efficiently to the empire is what I believe in.
-Thunk…
“Ugh…”
The left eye throbs in pain.
Clutching the aching eye and gritting my teeth, I endure the pain.
How much time has passed?
“Hah… hah…”
Feeling the pain slightly easing, I open my eyes.
The left sight is slightly blurry.
It will return to normal in a bit.
-Knock, knock!
“Come in.”
Seeing Mueller’s face brighten at my words, I make an effort to smile and speak.
“Yes, did you have a good rest?”
Mueller had achieved more than expected in negotiations with the Kingdom of Sardena, so I had taken a special leave.
Seeing his brightened face, I feel a tinge of jealousy.
“hahahaha, I rested well for a week. Ah… why do we have to go back to work again? It’s so sad.”
-Sigh.
“That’s just how the world is. I don’t feel like working either, but we have to, right?”
Mueller’s eyes turn cold at my words.
“We thought His Majesty enjoyed working.”
I can only manage a hollow laugh at Mueller’s words.
“Where in the world would you find a king who enjoys working? Anyway, stop the nonsense and take a look at this.”
As Mueller approaches my desk, I hand him a stack of documents…
“What’s this?”
“Take a look and see what you think.”
-Flutter.
Mueller looks at the stack of papers with a serious expression.
His eyes widen, and he opens his mouth.
“This…?”
I show Mueller the investment proposal allocating substantial funds to Bohemia and Nikea, heavily impacted in the war.
“Both Bohemia and Nikea are precious territories of the empire, right? It seems difficult to leave them unattended.”
Mueller frowns at my words and says, “The war hasn’t even ended yet. Are you already planning post-war strategies? Isn’t that overly ambitious?”
Mueller, unaware of my current plans and strategies.
“The war has already ended. With our victory, anyway. What do you think? We ended the war and are planning for post-war recovery, right?”
Even if the Imperial faction has weakened, some level of cooperation is necessary unless we intend to oust them.
To show a conciliatory gesture, I decided to provide the most investment to the Kingdom of Bohemia.
“It’s not a bad idea… but investing in Nikea, which hasn’t suffered any losses yet, might seem too generous?”
“Although they haven’t suffered losses yet, they will in the future.”
The puzzled expression on their face quickly turns into a nod.
“Well, you’ll manage it well on your own. But these days, there have been protests. Is it okay not to suppress them?”
I nod my head nonchalantly in response.
“Sure, leave it to me. The intelligence department will take care of it.”
Müller, shrugging his shoulders at my words, says, “Have you been up to something?”
Did he catch on to something from my relaxed demeanor?
Not bad at all.
Thinking proudly to myself, I nod my head.
“Something?”
Müller slightly furrows his brow at my words.
“Whatever happens, playing around with imperial citizens and then not being able to handle it if things go wrong.”
I nod in response, “We need to be careful not to let things go wrong.”
I must carefully watch over my mischief so it doesn’t get out of hand.
If a revolution breaks out in the empire, it would be truly difficult to manage.
“Yes, then I will return to my duties.”
As Müller leaves the room, I nod my head.
***
Joannes is feeling good right now.
According to the messenger from Kansho, Sabirelli’s army, which had just arrived, had taken Kansho by storm on the third day, giving Joannes a sense of relief.
“hahahaha! Everyone, take a look at this news. Sabirelli has lifted a weight off my chest. How can I not appreciate this gesture?”
Watching the delighted Joannes, his generals and other staff members smile warmly and flatter him.
“Isn’t all of this the will of El? It’s a sign that such a talent exists among us.”
“Yes. I was worried that Viscount Sabirelli might not know much about war, but bringing such a great achievement, we are truly grateful.”
Those who speak to Joannes in this way inwardly feel jealous of Sabirelli’s abilities.
It is inevitable. If Joannes, who has been active under him for decades, evaluates Sabirelli more highly, then that behavior is more than just unpleasant.
“Alexander, have the mercenaries we hired from Babylon arrived near the Yal Plains?”
At Joannes’ words, Alexander responds with a slight frown, “Yes. According to the report that came in today, they may have already entered or could enter the Yal Plains tomorrow.”
Joannes feels even better at this news.
“Thank goodness. It would be great if this led to the complete collapse of Bohemia.”
If Joannes passes through the Yal Plains and captures the enemy’s main stronghold, he could potentially advance all the way to Bohemia’s capital and even capture the king of Bohemia.
“Your Majesty… However, there are concerns about the news that the United Kingdom and the Empire have formed an alliance.”
According to the report received yesterday, it was conveyed that the United Kingdom and the Empire had formed an alliance.
As this implies a reversal of the relationship that had a significant power disparity at sea, Alexander cannot help but feel concerned.
“Hmm… Do the enemies have their sights set on Adria?”
Upon Joannes’ question, the generals and staff fall silent.
Seeing their hesitation due to the fear of being wrong in their assumptions, Joannes turns to the senior general beside him and asks, “General. Do you think they are planning a landing?”
“In my opinion, the likelihood of landing in Adriahae is high. Perhaps they intend to land there to cut off our supplies.”
As Johannes pondered these words, Alexander stepped forward to speak.
“I disagree with the General’s view. I believe they are more likely to aim for Byzantium.”
Targeting Adriahae would cut off the supply lines of the army stationed in Dupol, the main force of Nicaea.
But aiming for Byzantium would put the entire army’s supply at risk.
“However, Byzantium is heavily fortified with thick walls and maritime fortresses, making it difficult for a simple landing. No matter how strong the navy of the Alliance Kingdoms is, the forces currently stationed in Byzantium can defend it adequately.”
Byzantium is an area that can be considered the heart of Nicaea.
Naturally, there are sufficient defensive forces in place before the war for any unforeseen circumstances.
Thus, the General confidently declared, “Currently, Adriahae lacks the troops for defense. Therefore, additional troops must be deployed there.”
In response, Alexander, with a serious expression, stated, “I have dealt with the young lion in negotiations for a long time. He is skilled in tactics and possesses a strong showmanship. Therefore, I believe he intends to target our heartland rather than landing in Adriahae in a conventional manner. I am convinced he will land in Byzantium.”
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“hahahaha, Alexander, if they were to land in Byzantium, it would be a foolish move. With over 30,000 soldiers and abundant supplies, Byzantium is impregnable. How do you suggest conquering such a place, except for excluding Rome’s defense against magical attacks?”
In the face of the General’s entirely valid argument, Alexander hesitated before continuing, “But…”
“Perhaps, Alexander, you may not understand, as war is not your forte, but to conquer Byzantium, a minimum of 100,000 troops is needed. Landing 100,000 troops means committing all forces gathered through conscription, and even with 100,000 troops, it would be challenging to conquer. Although our supplies may be disrupted, our enemies will suffer more, as they will need to supply themselves by sea. In such a scenario, utilizing the troops stationed in Adriahae, the forces in various fortresses, and those stationed in Byzantium could lead to their annihilation, so do not worry.”
Even with the Empire receiving assistance from the Alliance Kingdoms, it would be impossible to handle the deployment of such a massive force.
The number of ships is predetermined.
Unable to respond to the highly conventional and rational General’s words, Alexander suppressed his anger inwardly.
‘Surely it must be Byzantium…’
And the General, who liked such Alexander.
‘Well, treating me like a lawmaker, I act as if I were a general.’
Observing the two of them, Johannes intervened, saying, “Then, let’s first deploy an additional 30,000 troops to Adriahae, and if they land, we will convene a meeting in an hour to discuss how to handle it.”
Johannes, believing that appropriate checks would lead to positive developments, pretended not to notice the two of them.
Landing… If we can inflict significant damage on the Empire attempting to land, we will have enough time to occupy Eren and Bohemi.
While it is possible to gather a large army through conscription, gathering scattered forces throughout the Empire will take time, allowing us to buy some time.
With that thought, Johannes felt considerably relieved.