episode_0090

* * *

“The Serpina army invaded Zellstrom Castle?”

“… … Yes.”

Anima was lost in thought after hearing Hernandov’s report.

‘At this point, should you touch Gellstrom first and not Lockline?’

I thought that if they attacked, it would definitely be Lockline.

Considering its strategic value, the most desirable location for the Serpina Army would have been Lacline.

If we occupied this place, we could not only face the border with the Hesna Army in the south, but also create a structure that gave the feeling of encircling the Brans Army.

Anima was lost in thought.

Why on earth did they invade Zellstrom first and not Rachline?

‘no way… … .’

If you think about it a little, the reason is not difficult to come up with.

‘Has Serpina’s goal changed from Brans County to our Aishous Army…? … ?’

If you fit that assumption, everything is explained.

If we were to put the Brans army aside and take care of the Aethus army first, there was no way we wouldn’t have noticed the most difficult castle to defend, Zellstrom Castle.

From our military’s perspective, the fact that it was difficult to defend also meant that it was easy to attack from the enemy’s perspective.

So, should we just stay like this, caught up in the picture that Serpina-kun has drawn?

As she was lost in thought, she heard a familiar male voice.

“… … What are you going to do now?”

Hernandov walked over with his large body and asked Anima, who was sitting in the seat of the castle lord.

“Ern. What do you want me to do?”

“… … I.”

Hernandov bowed his head in front of Anima.

The eyes of the large man were looking down at Anima.

Physically, he was clearly looking down – in fact, it would be correct to say that he was looking up at the anima.

“No, I will do whatever you ask. You always said the right thing.”

“I don’t think I always say the right things.”

“It doesn’t matter. Even if it’s not the right word, I can make it the right word.”

Anima smiled slightly.

“I’m thankful for that.”

Even when I spoke to Anima and when I listened to her.

Hernandov maintained a blank expression the whole time.

However, it was clearly evident in the blunt expression on her face after hearing her words.

A piece of emotion called sadness.

“I didn’t understand from the beginning. Yuuri’s thoughts. No matter how excellent a person you are, you were doing well from the beginning… … There was no reason to step down from the position of national officer.”

“That story is over now. Looking at it objectively, Mr. Jinor is a very outstanding person, and I think that it is also a virtue of a monarch to place such talented people in the right places. Besides, back then, the empire was just our home country, right? It is also a childish idea to only select people who have not disgraced the country and receive them.”

“… … Are you really okay?”

Anima easily reads the hidden meaning of Hernandov’s question.

Is it okay to admit that a human who was eating away at the empire has taken up a key position in the Aishous military?

He was definitely telling me that, unspoken, she thought.

“I appoint Jinor Nighthardt as the new national secretary.”

The person in front of him who was more indignant than himself at the words Yuuri said was Hernandorf.

He was originally a vassal of the Ayers family.

He was a very powerful businessman, but he was the type of person whose brains didn’t work very well.

Was it because of that?

So far, he was the one who silently followed her plans without any questions.

“… … Yes.”

Anima nodded slowly.

Hernandov stared at the anima in silence for a moment and then-

Soon, he took two steps back and knelt down in front of her.

He spoke in a very serious tone.

“You can order anything. Because I will definitely win.”

“… … .”

Anima was lost in thought as she looked at Hernandorf.

What if 70,000 troops are currently heading to Zellstrom Castle?

The troops must have marched from the nearest castle, Hispil.

According to the latest information, the remaining troops were stationed on the border of Brans County.

If so, wouldn’t it be possible to take advantage of this opportunity to target Hispil Castle?

‘Should we send a spy first? … no. It takes too long.’

The most important thing when conducting a surprise attack like this was speed.

If you move after fully understanding the situation, there is a very high chance that you will fall behind at an important time.

‘What should I do.’

As for Anima, I wanted to achieve proper results.

Even though he had to step down from his position as a national advisor, he wanted to somehow appeal that he was still useful.

Although I was anxious… … However, it was impossible to move without any information.

‘… … Even if it’s a little late and you can’t get the decisive timing, it would be a good idea to send a spy to check the movements of Hispil Castle.’

If it was a surprise attack and there were many soldiers, it would have been a disaster in itself.

We would lose our troops for no reason, and that meant losing the castle we had barely gained.

Wasn’t advancing into the central part of the continent a long-cherished project of the Aishous military?

He couldn’t ruin the trust of Yuuri, who had given him the position of castle lord because he trusted him, out of impatience.

Even if you miss the opportunity, act carefully.

After making that decision, Anima looked down at Ern, who was kneeling towards her, and spoke.

“Yes, Ern.”

“Yes.”

“Send a general this way. Because I have work to do.”

“… … .”

Hernandov nodded without answering, then stood up and hurriedly walked out of the throne room.

In the empty throne room, Anima rested her chin on her only arm and bit her thumb nail.

‘Somehow… … You have to produce visible results. Somehow… … !’

A rare enemy appears before your eyes, Serpina von Eyngart.

I want to somehow prove my worth by giving her a blow.

That feeling was the driving force that drives her to where she is today.

How many days have passed since the spy was sent like that?

While I was concentrating on looking after the internal affairs of Lacline Castle and training the soldiers, a messenger sent by a spy to Hispil Castle arrived at Lacline Castle.

The contents were like this.

[There are about 61,000 troops in the castle, and they are currently preparing to deploy].

‘As expected, there were troops left.’

Should we say that it is Serpina County, which absorbed the entire northern population?

Even though it was clear that more than 70,000 troops had already been sent, more than 60,000 troops remained in the castle.

Aside from the fact that if they had launched a surprise attack without checking, something serious would have happened, there was one sentence that really bothered me.

‘Ready to go?’

That means… … Are you sending troops to Lacline Castle?

With a diversionary operation?

However, there were about 69,000 soldiers in Lacline Castle.

And the leader who protects it is Hernandov Arisian. He was an outstanding general with quite a reputation.

So what this means… … From the Serpina military’s point of view, sending those troops here was tantamount to suicide.

Are you forcing your troops to break through an impenetrable castle?

If those troops were to invade Lacline Castle, there would be two outcomes.

First of all, the commander of the Serpina army was a very outstanding person.

Second, was it possible to launch an all-out offensive without any problems even if the entire force was lost?

The possibility of being the first child was very low.

Serpina County was definitely the greatest power on the continent.

However, compared to that, it was a country where there were no famous generals or strategists.

In the first place, when she was clearing out the feudal lords that had spread across the northern continent, all the generals who did not surrender to her became the dew of execution and disappeared.

In a way, it was a natural result since the generals who had the courage to not surrender were all excellent generals.

Even if they inherited all of the empire’s infrastructure, didn’t all the vassals who were famous during the empire disperse and become feudal lords?

What sustains Serpina’s army are a large number of ordinary generals and even more troops.

If the Aishous army is relying on a few outstanding generals, it would be roughly correct to say that they are conducting a supply offensive.

Anyway, then it was highly likely that it would be the second one… … I couldn’t picture something clearly in my head.

If there were a lot of soldiers, it made sense to collect them all at once rather than sending them here multiple times without meaning to.

After thinking about that, another possibility suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Are you trying to invade where the Brans army is, not ours?’

To the northwest of Lacline Castle, that is, to the southwest of Hispil Castle, there was Elgaim Castle.

If you go a little further from Elgaim Castle through several small castles, you will reach Arnel Castle, the capital of Brans County.

‘ah.’

Only then, little by little, did I begin to see the picture Serpina was drawing.

Brans’s army is currently suffering from a lack of troops, so it would be much easier to occupy it than to attack us.

Morale was low due to the continued defeats.

‘If that’s true… … Maybe we can get Hispil Castle.’

The last thing that takes.

If it is true that they are targeting the Brans army, then why did the enemy send troops to Zellstrom Castle?

I’m not sure about that part, but… … I thought that the purpose was probably to divert the attention of our military.

Since we’ve invaded Zellstrom Castle, we’ll have to focus on defending it.

‘Something doesn’t come out clearly… … .’

okay.

Let’s be cautious here and send a spy to monitor the situation.

After checking this and that information, you will have a sense of what to do.

‘Preparing for departure… … ‘I’m waiting for the next messenger.’

If the troops don’t depart from there, you can just give up Hispil Castle.

Be careful at all costs and avoid making mistakes.

Thinking like that, Anima began to draw up her own plan.

I have no doubt that these will become the wings that will allow Yuuri to fly.

*

After some time.

“Really? You mean you went to war?”

“Yes, that’s right. I saw it clearly with my own two eyes.”

Anima heard that the troops preparing to march from Hispil Castle had gone out through the west gate of the castle holding a yellow flag.

If you proceed west from the castle, you will reach… … Elgaim Castle, the territory of Brans County.

‘It seems my prediction was correct.’

Even for a castle lord, Anima was granted quite a lot of autonomy.

This meant that he could arbitrarily carry out some important matters without Yuuri’s approval.

Not long ago, a one-month ceasefire agreement was signed with the Hesna military.

Is it time to take action?

“Call General Hernandov here.”

“Yes! Okay!”

After sending the messenger, Anima remembered Yuuri’s face.

I will be your wings.

That promise must still be very valid.