240 – Battle of Visby (2)
Marquis Georg of the Second Prince’s faction expressed his dissatisfaction by slamming the desk.
“I have heard that there are disturbing rumors going around among us who are united in the cause of crowning His Highness the Second Prince as the Emperor of the Empire.”
There was no idiot here who reacted naively by saying, “I heard that too.”
If he made such a tactless remark, it was obvious that he would be criticized by Marquis Georg and suffer all kinds of humiliation.
However, even among the nobles, there were relatively clueless idiots.
“Where on earth is such a reactionary? “There are no spies like that in our Dilt Baron family!”
A foolish remark that makes Baron Dilt, who is already a nobleman and needlessly fat, look like an even more foolish idiot.
If the situation was really bad, he would have been labeled as a reactionary and people would have suspected him of being a traitor, but that was nonsense.
To the extent that Marquis Georg thought about educating that tactless bastard someday.
“Then do you think that the other nobles here, including me, don’t say things like that because they are idiots?!”
With his remarks, Baron Dilt realized that he had fallen into a trap.
Here, no matter what answer I gave, it was inevitable that it would be politically driven.
If he affirmed those words, he could have been accused of causing chaos in the friendly camp according to military law.
It was obvious that if he denied it, he would be branded as a fool.
However, even if one were to receive a foreign title, it was a serious crime that would result in one’s head being physically destroyed, and the other was a matter that ended with only a slight loss of reputation.
When this happened, Dilt decided to portray himself as someone who made a mistake because his loyalty was so burning.
“Because I was young, I couldn’t control my temper and was rude. Please forgive me, Your Excellency the Marquis.”
When Marquis Georg heard that, he laughed and patted Dilt on the shoulder.
“It’s not that I don’t understand how you feel. I also feel like tearing to death those dirty and mean servants who dare to say two things with the same mouth. So, I can overlook the fact that you, young man, show anger when you see traitors.”
“Thank you! Thank you!”
“Everyone, please don’t say anything to this young guy or talk behind his back. “Honestly, don’t we all hate it so much that we tremble at the mere mention of being a traitor?”
Everyone nodded in agreement with those words.
Even if you look at it from an ethical and honorable perspective, a single traitor can sometimes cause greater damage to our allies than the damage inflicted by over 10,000 enemy soldiers.
This is because they studied history or witnessed firsthand the scenes of their fathers and grandfathers’ anger at the mercenaries who betrayed them.
“If His Excellency the Marquis says so, I will follow.”
One nobleman who was famous for reading the mood well even made a joke in this situation.
“It’s true that that young guy made a mistake, so if you win this battle, I’ll ask you to buy me a drink.”
The Marquis also chuckled at those words.
“Let’s end it like that. Just because you’re young doesn’t mean you can avoid being punished for your mistakes.”
After the atmosphere was settled by asking for a drink, the Marquis sighed and looked at the nobles around him.
“Of course, I believe that none of us are cowards who would betray us according to those disturbing rumors. They say that the Fourth Prince faction gathered purely for their own benefit, but aren’t we just loyalists gathered for a better empire and cause?”
If Martin had heard it, he would have laughed and said, ‘Oh, that’s what I said.’
In a war where romance was commonplace when I did it, and adultery when someone else did it, there was not a single noble who would feel guilty about this level of nonsense.
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“Yes.”
“Oh, and as you all know, once these rumors start to circulate, there can be unrest among the soldiers. No, it’s already happening.”
The Marquis sighed.
“There is a rumor going around among the soldiers that Baron Nunu is planning to betray, and that Viscount Gunu has joined the 4th Prince’s faction. “I thought about executing those who spread the rumor, but if we cut off the heads of those lowly mercenaries… Wouldn’t that be like admitting that the inside is a mess?”
Just as it is said that one should not pay attention to a crazy person, one should not leave room for rumors and propaganda to burn.
A typical example is that while trying to thoroughly suppress these wild rumors, they actually end up spreading even further among soldiers who are bored due to lack of entertainment.
There are many cases where someone kills a strange person who talks like a cult for no reason and then it becomes a religion.
The marquis and other nobles who knew this agreed while sighing.
“So, let me give you a stern warning not to spread this rumor. In addition, we need to clearly identify where the epicenter of this rumor is spreading.”
Then he added another word.
“If it doesn’t work out, blame it on the more heinous criminals. Aren’t they going to die anyway? Since these are people who have committed crimes such as rape and murder even though there is no war, rather than killing them comfortably by beheading. “If possible, if we burn them at the stake for spreading false rumors, wouldn’t it be a good thing because the morale of our troops will be somewhat restored?”
The nobles, who, if necessary, would capture even a family of good serfs and burn them at the stake, nodded.
“It seems like the criminal is going to do something good before he dies.”
“There is nothing bad about it.”
“Even Deus will applaud this, saying it is a good false accusation.”
Marquis Georg began to guess in his mind some of the most vicious criminals in his domain.
There was nothing to be bothered about because it was used in a way that would help society, especially those who deserved to die anyway.
“Okay, then we will lead an army of 70,000 to the Visby Plain. It is better to secure a minimum level of quality than to randomly increase the number of serfs like last time. “Select men with good physiques from among the serfs in advance.”
The difference between a serf who has received anything, such as proper training, even for a month, and a serf who has not, is vast.
For the former, if you tell them to charge, they have the experience of being whipped for disobedience during training, so they will run even if they die, but for the latter, if you put a long spear in front of them, their body will stiffen.
Martin may call this a usable meat shield and a lump of burden that is not.
“Lastly, you must never doubt each other. “I will do the same, and please don’t just give money to information guild thieves and conduct background investigations.”
Saying this itself will sound like ‘I don’t trust you.’
Now, the best thing the Marquis could do was to eliminate as much as possible any apparent conflict.
“Everyone, please step aside.”
Then, when all the nobles withdrew and returned to their respective positions, the Marquis quietly called one of his immediate vassals with a gesture of his hand.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“I heard that you know a good intelligence guild. Is that correct?”
“They are paid a bit more, but they are very certain. “I also asked them just in case before my son’s wedding ceremony with his daughter-in-law…”
It was a useless story, but the Marquis was curious about the story behind it, so he listened.
“Her daughter-in-law-to-be told me within a few days that she had fallen in love with a local hillbilly. This is information that many of our family’s vassals did not know even after months of personal background investigation. Well, she acted chastely like a virgin on the outside… But isn’t it normal for both men and women to have at least no dating experience before an arranged marriage?”
This is because the problem of successors does not arise.
“I’m sure you have great skills. Okay, then let’s dig up those guys over there. “You know why, right?”
The vassal also smiled evilly.
“There’s no way there’s smoke if you don’t even start the fire.”
“As expected, it’s wise.”
**
And at this time, Baron Dilt erased his stupid expression and looked around.
Unlike before, he looked very smart.
He immediately called one of his knights.
“It will soon be over for His Highness the Second Prince.”
The knight heard those words and nodded his head.
The number of mercenary units that left this faction from the time the Count of Hansa was broken was approximately 30, and 10 of these were large mercenary units with over 300 members.
The number of missing mercenaries has already reached 6,000, and the neutral nobles have also cut off contact with this side.
“There was a proposal that our territory would be preserved if we surrendered to the Fourth Prince’s faction. Do you think it’s trustworthy?”
“Their faction is not that strong. So there will be no need to give a cold shoulder to the Baron who is trying to convert even now.”
Tosagupeng also does this after the work is completed, and never purges when the work is not completed.
To a large extent, that is.
“Send a messenger disguised as a deserter. “The family of Baron Dilt supports His Highness Otto, who will be the rightful emperor.”