Volume 5 Chapter 10 Each One’s Intentions
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Ouch! Ouch! Fabulanova! Your fingers is digging! It’s digging into my head!”
True Demon Kingdom’s self-proclaimed strongest, Clayd, is useful on the battlefield but turns almost childlike in political settings.
Despite being a lovable battle idiot (Clayd), it seems a punishment is necessary for his poor handling of this situation.
”Clayd… let’s take our time to discuss future responses together… since we have time.”
”…Are you serious…”
Thus, I disappeared into the depths of the room with Clayd, who had made a blunder.
* * *
※Gwain’s perspective
While I was looking through the papers for reorganization of the central army in my office, I felt very frustrated.
The reason for my frustration was that the gathering of troops for the comprehensive exercise was delayed.
Even though it was a massive army of 50 thousand, we were already over 2 weeks behind the initial plan, and the troops that had gathered were of significantly low quality.
”Ah! Damn it! Useless fools! I went through the trouble of promoting you to General, and you can’t even manage your troops properly!”
According to the paperwork, there should have been 50 thousand elite troops gathered in the capital for the comprehensive exercise, but only 25 thousand low-quality soldiers were present.
With the plan being to send 40 thousand of the 50 thousand troops as the garrison to the Black Dragon Dukedom in response to Ugno’s uprising, this current state deemed it unlikely.
Additionally, since this exercise also served as the final rehearsal for the southern monster subjugation expedition, if we took too long, there was a real concern that we would have to deploy the expedition force.
”Sir Gwain… it’s bad…”
Sven, who had appeared from nowhere while I was feeling frustrated with my duties, spoke to me.
”What’s wrong?”
”Yes… it seems the spy we dispatched to the south has been killed. The spy named Veronica was supposedly killed by Lady Miriallia. After her death, the male spies from our Intelligence organization in the south have gone missing, and many female spies have betrayed us to the enemy, leading to a state of collapse. Because of this, we’re only able to receive limited information from traders and others in the south. Kent Blackdagger, or rather, the enemy organization created by Lady Miriallia, seems to be systematically hunting down our supporters in the south.”
”Tch… what’s the status of the plan to incite the advance guards to revolt? Did it succeed?”
”According to the information sent before the collapse of the organization, it seems we succeeded in inciting the Black Dragon clan, but we cannot confirm the uprising. I checked with the traders, but I haven’t heard that Estfort has collapsed. It’s probably a failure.”
Tch, it seems that the little brat of Blackdagger has managed to suppress the armed uprising of the combat race── the Black Dragon clan.
This time, the Black Dragon vanguard consisted of 2 from the Dragonia race and 30 Dragonewt, which, if converted to regular military force, would equate to a fighting power of 5 thousand soldiers.
Does he really possess the power to suppress that easily?
If so, I may need to completely reconsider my view of him as a formidable man.
Should I tell Arbalest to suppress them a little more…?
Even so, I’m astonished that Gertroud has been idly watching the situation despite having 2 thousand soldiers.
Has he broken down somewhere due to the shock of defeat?
”What’s Gertroud doing! I haven’t received any reports recently! What’s he up to? I sent him 2 thousand of the Asura Clan’s Elite Troops!”
I sent troops extracted from my direct unit with little chance of betrayal to Gertroud, but there’s been no word from him.
Regular reports have also not come in lately.
Thanks to that, Sven has lamented that we can only grasp the movements in the south hazily, like fog.
”We can’t ignore the southern region for much longer. We need to reorganize quickly. The south isn’t regulating the influx of people. We can rebuild as much as we need, right?”
”Yes, if I could have some time, I believe I could establish a strong intelligence network.”
”Alright, do it. And what about Ugno? Why hasn’t he risen up yet? The original purpose of mobilization was to advance into the Black Dragon Dukedom. If those guys don’t rise up, we won’t have a justification to invade!”
Sven’s plan aimed to incite Ugno, the leader of one faction in the divided Black Dragon Dukedom, to eliminate or force the abdication of Fabulanova, taking the Dukedom into a state of civil war while our 50-thousand strong army swiftly annexed the Black Dragon Dukedom.
Yet, the crucial Ugno hadn’t made a move yet.
”Yes, sir, regarding that, according to reports from informants within the Dukedom, Lord Ugno has grown distrustful of us who are gathering the army and has refrained from armed rebellion. Moreover, Fabulanova revealed the existence of his daughter but granted her no succession rights, only allowing Ugno’s daughter to inherit, which seems to have changed his approach to a wait-and-see attitude.”
”What! A wait-and-see attitude! That useless stallion!”
Without Ugno rising up, annexation is impossible.
We’ve already spent a significant amount of military funds on the assembled army, and without results, we could attract the suspicion of His Majesty.
We must make sure Ugno rises up, no matter what.
”Sven. We must make him rise up at all costs.”
”But… it won’t be so easy… We might have to ban resource trading with the Dukedom and wait for them to come pleading. The Black Dragon Dragonewt species primarily feeds on burning stones and iron, so if we implement an embargo, Ugno might finally get moving…”
”We don’t have time for such leisurely methods! This mobilization has already consumed next year’s military funds. We need results quickly!”
Sven’s strategy might take years until they dry up.
Besides, if they find another supply source, that plan is doomed to fail.
”If that’s the case, Ugno will have to persuade His Majesty to grant him the Duke title. Once he realizes he can become a King, I believe he will act immediately.”
”To make Ugno a Duke… if a false decree is fine, I can arrange that. It’s an affront for the detestable Black Dragon clan to hold the title of Duke in the kingdom.”
”A false decree… well, as long as we have Sir Gwain’s signature, no one can tell if it’s fake or real. Now then, please prepare it.”
Accepting Sven’s offer, I have the Secretary draft the false decree.
The Secretary diligently writes the decree and adds my signature to the completed document.
This is it, done.
”Alright, take it. You must incite a rebellion.”
”Yes, sir, I will definitely incite Ugno sooner rather than later.”
After receiving the false decree, Sven vanished without a sound.
* * *
※Gertroud’s Perspective
”Damn Kent Blackdagger… if it weren’t for him… I wouldn’t have to endure this kind of humiliation!”
I threw the cup filled with bad liquor against the wall of my room.
This terrible drink is also Kent Blackdagger’s fault.
My garrison in the west has no direct road from the royal capital, and due to cost effectiveness, the supply teams were instructed to procure locally, so I had no choice but to buy supplies that had been gathered in Abyss Vena under his father-in-law, Margrave Heido, via Kent Blackdagger’s territory, Estfort.
They were gouging extraordinary tariffs on the supplies sent to the western garrison, taking advantage of my dire situation.
The military’s funding is completely insufficient, so I have no choice but to deplete the savings I accumulated during my time in the royal capital to purchase supplies.
I thought if I don’t endure and achieve military merits here, it would be impossible to return to the capital or restore my tarnished reputation.
However, even if I wanted to merit, the remaining soldiers I had were useless and mostly criminal-like or incompetent fools.
So, 2 thousand of Sir Gwain’s elite troops were sent directly to me.
I thought this was Sir Gwain’s last kindness, and I quickly tried to summon the military commander to take command of them, but the officers were reluctant to follow my lead.
”Damn it! How did it come to this! I’m the youngest general in the kingdom, a capable man! And after 2 failures, they treat me like I’m worthless!”
I brought the bottle of terrible liquor to my lips.
Then I gulped the alcohol down like it was water.
Those who had already been by my side had either fled or been killed, and no new ones approached.
”…Do you hate Kent Blackdagger…?”
Maybe it was the bad liquor I wasn’t used to that made me dizzy, but I heard a voice in my ear.
There shouldn’t be anyone left in this room──yet I heard a voice.
I looked around, but there were no shadows of anyone.
”Who’s there! Is someone there?!”
A bloody wind brushed past my cheek.
”…Anyone will do… Do you hate Kent Blackdagger so much that you want him dead?”
”To not show yourself is cowardly! You’re one of Kent Blackdagger’s people, aren’t you?”
I drew the sword at my waist.
It seemed that he deemed me an obstacle and sent an assassin to get rid of me.
I wouldn’t simply be killed like this.
”…You’re an inflexible fool… but your hatred toward Kent may become good nourishment…”
A black mist swelled up right in front of me.
And it began to wrap around my body like a shroud.
”Ugh! You’re using some weird magic! Gahhh! What is this! My body is burninggg!!”
The heat and sharp pain from the mist made my body feel like it was on fire, and my consciousness began to fade.
And soon, my awareness was cut off.
”Heh heh heh, it’s amusing. This body is called Gertroud. It’s quite something to overestimate myself, considering I’m just a mere green. Given the wretched restraints of the Supreme God (Sazukrain) on this so-called card color, I might not be able to unleash my full abilities, but it seems I have the necessary command skills lined up. I suppose I’ll bolster my reputation with the remaining slots and seize control of the military in this land. Ah, how exciting it is to ignite passion while starting a nation with nothing… The Supreme God (Sazukrain) won’t be able to intervene down here… I will definitely reclaim my body.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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