episode_0141

Turn back time a little, to that morning.

“Is it okay if I set up camp here? It’s not an environment where people can stay for a long time, so how about moving back a little bit?”

“No, what we need now is the time until our troops join us. If you are located in a place that is difficult to access, enemies will not be able to attack you hastily.”

“Understood, Your Majesty. Then I will tell the other generals to do the same.”

Heinrich occupied a position in the middle of a swamp that was difficult for the enemy to attack.

The fact that an attack is difficult means that it is also difficult to retreat, but securing a retreat route in case of an emergency is essential. Of course, there was one path that was set aside.

“Wouldn’t it be difficult for the army to move like this?”

“Hey, isn’t there that wide bridge?”

“Yes, I can see it.”

“Ask the village for permission to use that bridge to send soldiers, and give them an appropriate price.”

Across the river across the Elster Plains was an idyllic village named Zeitz.

“If they were my people, they would be willing to help. So-”

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty! The enemy’s offensive has begun!”

“What?!”

Just as I was about to ask if I could rent the bridge in front of the village, the story could have ended quickly if Rudolph had not attacked earlier than expected.

It goes without saying, but even though Heinrich is a man whose intelligence often goes out into strange corners.

He didn’t just watch with his arms folded behind his back to see how well the enemies were encircling.

Even a single serf could intuitively know that if both the front and the rear were occupied, the only future that awaited them was to be turned into a sandwich and eaten.

Of course, from the moment the battle began, we had to run around and gather our soldiers so that all sides would not be blocked.

“Conrad.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I need you to lead our allies here.”

Of course Conrad.

Since Henry himself had to maintain his position as emperor to keep his morale high, isn’t it natural for his son to do that work for him?

On top of that, I had to relieve my anger a little bit from pushing Heine all winter long.

Just because he betrayed my trust a little did not mean that he was being rejected as a successor. Therefore, this was a political gesture that showed that there was still a chance, and more than anything, it would be boring to do something pointless at such an important moment.

In any case, his role is not to directly command the army, but only to guide it.

Since I was not in a position to do anything just because I was wrong, is there a more suitable candy to soothe it?

Above all, what needs to be done is simple and clear. How wrong can things be if things go wrong?

“Your Majesty!”

“What’s going on that’s so urgent?”

“Reinforcements are not allowed to join!”

Heinrich’s head spun, and soon the fuse of suspicion in his head that had been extinguished for a while was ignited.

No way, if Conrad was the one who rebelled against the time and place and made this scandal-

“The nearby village has taken over the bridge and is not opening the way!”

“What?”

“His Royal Highness keeps trying to persuade you, but he remains steadfast after a while!”

okay. Even so, I wasn’t so shallow-minded that I thought I would kill myself and then kill myself. You probably already know that it is a community of destiny.

So where on earth did the problem come from? Heinrich sharply asked the messenger who came to deliver the news.

“Why are they?”

“I guess I’m on the side of Rudolph, the pretender… I would like to.”

For what reason is the military being blocked?

It’s understandable if their intention is to extort toll fees from merchants, but what kind of guts would they have to stop the military?

For a moment, I thought this was an evil trick planted by Rudolph’s ganja, but it wasn’t a lie when I saw several soldiers rolling into the barracks and talking about how hard they tried to persuade him.

“First of all, yes. Let’s say the road is blocked.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please give me an order.”

“Can’t I buy it with money? Isn’t that usually the intention to sabotage people?”

In today’s world, it is impossible to live honestly by just working and making a living.

It is not unusual to fill a few extra pockets, and as part of this, there were often cases where the village worked together to stop merchants and force them to pass through a makeshift toll gate.

“I tried to negotiate on that point, but he didn’t seem particularly interested.”

“Did you receive something from Rudolph? If so, tell them we will give more generously.”

“That’s not true either… … .”

The soldier who delivered the news was in a panic. It was obvious that it was not because I didn’t know the reason at all, but because it was a difficult topic to talk about in the first place.

And as Heinrich, who had mastered human psychology except for himself, he was able to quickly arrive at the correct answer.

“… No, it’s done. You don’t have to say anything.”

“I apologize.”

Is it because they are not afraid of death? There is something more fearful than death.

“I will go and negotiate in person.”

“Yes, but I don’t think there will be much of a harvest.”

He listened to his words and obediently opened the way, but after the battle, he was retaliated against by Rudolph.

As with other punishments, the price of rebellion is shared among the family.

To put it a little more bluntly, it meant that I would not invest because I felt like I would lose.

The spirit of resistance despite facing a razor-sharp blade in front of him and knowing that the master of the empire was behind him was worth commending.

But I don’t know if they were friendly soldiers or something, and if they were sitting in a strategic location, they would only give me a headache.

“If there is no result, throw away your regrets and take other measures.”

“Another solution would be to show them the dignity of the imperial family?”

“No, build a bridge to cross it.”

For a moment, the option of silencing his mouth with a blade appeared in Heinrich’s mind, but he quickly shook his head.

Actually, Heinrich also had something to say.

The title of emperor is also preceded by the fancy title of protector of all Europeans and the church.

And if they saw blood as they fiercely resisted, there was nothing that undermined their legitimacy more than killing the people they were supposed to protect with their own hands as they held the throne in their hands.

“They are such ugly people… Nevertheless, they are my people.”

“Indeed, they too will appreciate Your Majesty’s kindness!”

“Enough with the gold painting on the face. One o’clock is busy, so go and do your thing.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

therefore.

Up to this point, there was no major problem even if it was revealed to the public.

‘We can’t increase the number of enemies here.’

Inside, a slightly more profound thought continued.

To put it bluntly, I was scared, to put it in vulgar terms.

At best, if you ask what farmers armed with axes, pitchforks, and clubs can do, they can answer that they have a record of killing a bishop and robbing his army.

Is human life harder than the ground frozen in the winter cold?

The odds of winning between Heinrich and Rudolf fluctuated around .500, but Rudolf’s odds of winning in the battle against the serfs were zero.

When Rudolph said something like that happened, I laughed it off, but since this was my situation again, it wasn’t that bad.

The double-sided wire cannot be opened like this.

However, unless you intend to cause them to drown as a group, you cannot let them swim through rivers and lakes.

It was a time when each person was precious, but some of the soldiers who came to fight were drafted as engineers and began building bridges.

And even when the Count of Ravenna had turned around and completely occupied the rear, the reinforcements that had arrived one after another were just stamping their feet on the other side of the river.

*****

Rudolph was watching everything from the hill.

His knights become incapable of fighting without even being able to bide their time, their heads are broken one by one as if in a certain order, and then they are surrounded by servants and become daggers, all of it.

The Count of Ravenna’s son-in-law did not seem to have any intention of taking the slain knights and making them prisoners, nor did he have any intention of taking the loot.

I could only sense one goal as the figure approached me in a straight line. Rudolph lightly touched his neck and wiped away the cold sweat that was running down his chin.

Now is the time to make a decision about a concern that you have been putting off.

There must already be a lot of dissatisfaction from the nobles, so how much candy will I have to stuff into their mouths to appease them this time? And how to rebuild the ruined army.

Nevertheless, the king should not be caught in chess.

Even if he lost all his belongings, as long as he survived, he could try to make a comeback someday.

“Your Majesty!”

“… Wait, wait a moment.”

but… Should I step down?

We’ve already put Heinrich in a corner? Even the retreat route has been blocked, even though the end can be seen in the Elster Plains?

Rudolph asked a question dripping with regret.

“Has there been any news from the Count of Ravenna?”

“It is said that they succeeded in surrounding the enemies! However, it will take time to completely destroy them while preventing them from escaping… … .”

“It’s difficult, it’s difficult.”

“Tell the Count of Ravenna to finish his work, and your Majesty, please move to a safer place!”

“It’s a safe place… … .”

But I couldn’t go back like this.

Isn’t that why they sent knights to the Count of Ravenna to settle the matter here today?

If it was a resolution that couldn’t last even half a day, I wouldn’t have taken such a risk in the first place.

“You must take shelter!”

“Bullshit! I will keep this position until the end. If you don’t win and leave, you will die and lie on the ground to meet the end!”

“Your Majesty… … !”

The eyes of some of his subjects, who were shaking with thoughts of running away, showed enthusiasm, albeit slightly.

Some of them were slightly tearful in their moving voices and testified of their loyalty, saying that they would also be with His Majesty.

“Don’t take a single step back! Today, we will win here!”

therefore.

Up to this point, there was no major problem even if it was revealed to the public.

‘There is no place to run away.’

Inside, a slightly more profound thought continued.

To put it bluntly, escaping was close to impossible.

Rudolph glanced back.

Horses, carts, and people were all tangled together, blocking the escape route. There were signs that the group project would collapse.

“The knights suffered! Even if it means throwing your body to stop it, don’t let their sacrifices go in vain!”

“What, Your Majesty’s knights are dead?!”

“No, your Majesty ultimately left your orders at the hands of your enemies!!”

It was very embarrassing.

In some quarters, the rumor that the emperor’s knight had died was endlessly exaggerated, and it was now being circulated as a rumor that the emperor had died in battle.

The corner of Rudolph’s mouth twitched. Are you telling me to trust them and just leave? Are you really sure nothing will happen?

‘No way. ‘I’d rather trust Heinrich.’

I couldn’t hope for another luck like today. I don’t know why, but Heinrich was digging to his heart’s content.

In addition, this battle resulted in a significant loss of high-quality manpower, including knights.

The skilled soldiers were being ground down under the shining blade in real time, and by now it had become Theseus’ army, with the only original members nowhere to be found even after washing one’s eyes.

You must not run away. Everyone was already running away, so it was difficult to even get in between them.

Rudolph was tearing out his hair even though he was telling him to let everything happen.

It was the commander’s fate.