episode_0075

An official order to withdraw was issued by the Imperial War Ministry and Command.

The targets were the 6th and 13th Corps, which suffered direct combat damage.

It was decided that the 4th and 15th Corps would remain to ensure the stability of the country and its surrounding areas.

The war with Benito is not over.

Because they did not surrender like the kingdoms in the east.

For now, I just stepped back to catch my breath.

Anyway, Benito is not at a level where he can recover just by taking a short break like the Empire.

The main force has been completely destroyed, so how can it be rebuilt in a short period of time?

The military says they’re conscripting everyone again, but they’re just filling up the numbers.

The reason the Empire is stepping back now is entirely because of Dedorant.

It’s a kind of warning that you’ll pay a greater price later.

For now, they are just laughing at each other and hiding their true feelings.

The princess and I also received the order to return. It was by the direct word of none other than the Emperor.

It was an imperial order to not stay any longer and to return to the empire immediately.

“… .”

The princess looked very depressed all the way back.

If it were normal, I would have been enjoying the victory and chattered, but this time it was different.

Perhaps he is concerned about going back without finishing off Benito.

‘hmm.’

I feel like I should say something.

It makes me feel uncomfortable to see such a bright person like that.

“There is nothing to be concerned about, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, Kael.”

“The three kingdoms in the East. Burkhay, Kaden, and Forland also declared war, but the Empire did not occupy them. They had more to lose than to gain.”

“… But. If these things keep happening, I worry that foolish people will look down on the empire.”

I nodded in agreement with that statement.

The northern Novogord, the eastern three kingdoms, and all the way to the south.

The empire, despite its victory, did not exercise its victorious rights.

To some it may seem like mercy, to others it may seem like lenience.

When such things pile up, eventually someone will cross the line.

“I know what Her Highness is worried about. But I think that might be what she is aiming for.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“That’s right. His Majesty the Emperor, and Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess. You’re after them.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t quite understand, Kael.”

“If you crushed anyone you could get your hands on, wouldn’t you feel fear rather than awe? And that fear would soon turn into resentment and resistance.”

but.

“But. If you completely trample on someone who has a good reason to do so, they will understand. They will give legitimacy to the Empire’s actions. They will be relieved that it is not them.”

“That target is Dedorant. Is that what you mean?”

“Just once. Wouldn’t it be just one time to break the promise of the empire that has been kept for so many years?”

So, if I had to use an analogy, I could explain it like this.

The fist that once flew no longer increases its force, saying it will hold itself back.

The things below don’t touch each other much no matter what they do.

Even if you talk back to him, he just gives you a few beatings.

But if a new fist appears that can shake it all up, it will be crushed right away.

There were also people who were getting hit by their opponents, so it wasn’t a big problem!

“When we get back, I think the first thing we’ll discuss is how to tame the East.”

“If you want to focus on the western front, you should focus on the eastern front, which is the rear, right?”

“In addition, if too many people die, it will be difficult, so let’s give the peace faction some breathing room.”

This is what makes our Emperor so great.

It keeps public opinion from leaning too much towards one side.

Even if it looks tilted on the outside, it is properly balanced on the inside.

Thanks to this, you avoid overheating and losing your senses.

Empires maintain a healthy confrontational structure as long as neither side crosses the line.

It focuses national capabilities in more beneficial directions.

“Is there any good way?”

“… Yes?”

“Kael’s plan was a huge success throughout the East. I’m asking if there’s an extension of that.”

Well, it’s an extension of the work across the Eastern region. Well, I wonder if that’s possible.

At first, I tried to reflexively say, ‘There’s no such thing.’

But the way the princess looked at me was exactly the same as when we were in the North.

Plus, I think I need to accept it myself, little by little.

I consider myself ordinary, but others don’t.

I know now that I’ve come too far to go back.

That I’ve shown you too much to live as the same human being as before.

I still want to say no when people say I’m a genius or a bookworm.

They are burdensome and make me sweat, but in the end, that too is age.

“The best way for now would be to create a competitive environment between Burkhay and Portland.”

“Isn’t it already happening? It’s kind of like a death race. The Empire has balanced it out, and now if you fall behind, the first becomes last, and the last becomes first.”

“That’s not the competition I’m talking about.”

It is a competition to show their true feelings towards the empire.

As he said that, the princess’s expression became strangely distorted.

“Kael? I hate to say this, but is that really possible? I don’t know about Forland, but Burkhay shows his true feelings toward the Empire? If you say the Empire, he won’t hide his anger.”

“That would be the case from the perspective of the politicians.”

It’s only natural that this would happen, given that the empire stole their authority and destroyed their power.

Now, if there’s anyone who wants to be friendly with the Empire, I might even assassinate them.

But below that, for the common people of Burkhay, the situation is a little different.

If you use numbers well, you can even increase support for your empire.

“There are many Burkhay soldiers who fell to the Imperial Legion in the last Eastern Campaign. There must be some resentment left over from that.”

“That means, if you change your mind a little, you can blame it on Burkhay.”

“Blame it on Burkhay…? Is that possible?”

“It’s difficult, but not impossible. If you think about it, isn’t it true?”

It was the Imperial Legion’s spears and swords that killed them. I don’t deny this.

But the one who sent them into battle was clearly Burkhay.

So, it is the Empire that killed him, but at the same time, it is Burkhay that killed him.

I didn’t lie. It’s a clear fact. That’s the most important thing.

Do you know why it’s so burdensome to lose a war?

If we lose like this, the question will arise, ‘Why did we have to fight?’

What did you do while my son, my husband, and my father were fighting?

Once the sparks fly there, no one can stop it.

“It is not the rulers of Burkhay who will favor the Empire. It is the people of Burkhay. If only that can be achieved, the honor will naturally follow.”

That is, if you don’t want to get swept away by the overflowing public sentiment and drown.

“But… something needs to happen that could be the trigger. I don’t know much about that.”

“It’s difficult. That opportunity isn’t something that suddenly falls from the sky.”

That’s right, Your Highness. It’s not like it just fell out of nowhere.

*

Meanwhile, the situation in the East was turning out quite strangely.

As war clouds gathered in the south, the Empire decided to withdraw two of its eastern legions.

There was a bit of noise along the way, but it wasn’t a big deal.

But after that, several incidents occurred―

“Fucking Portuguese bastards!”

“Fucking Burkhay bastards!”

As the empire’s gaze turned south, the conflict between the two kingdoms, which had been silent, intensified.

Although Burkhay had suffered many injuries, he still reigned as the leader of the East.

They say that even if a rich family goes bankrupt, it will last for three years. That experience didn’t go anywhere.

On the contrary, Portugal was able to grow significantly thanks to the empire.

However, since it was originally the weakest country, it cannot be called the number one country yet.

This led to a strange balance being maintained between the two countries, and the conflict also intensified.

Kaden was faced with the question of whose hand to raise there.

But soon he remembered the fearsome face of the Empire and remained silent.

In fact, it was a scheme by the perennial number two who was after the fisherman’s fortune.

In the process, military conflicts eventually broke out.

What’s surprising is that it was not Burkhay but Portugal that caused the conflict.

It was the first time that Portugal, which had been hit until then, had taken the initiative.

“These cowardly traitors! They deserve to be punished by heaven!”

“You’re talking too much when you were trying to eat us up! What you’re receiving now is a divine punishment!”

Until recently, Poland had been suffering under the pressure of Burkhay.

Thanks to that, we know that the more we tear them down, the more they become ours.

The Empire is on our side, so there’s no problem in getting more from Burkhay!

We’ve been through something. We had to endure it all this time! Now we’re going to pay you back!!

As things turned out, it was the people of Burkhay who suffered more and more.

At first he was angry at the Empire, then he cursed Portugal.

Why are they taking their own lives? Why are they tormenting themselves like this!

But after some time had passed in that state, the situation changed.

Now the anger began to turn upwards, not at the Empire or Portugal.

‘I said that our Burkhay was the best. But what the heck is this?’

‘We were defeated by the Empire, and now we’re being defeated by Portugal? Does that make sense?’

‘Life is getting harder and harder. And they’re telling us to pay more taxes and join the military?’

Portugal is on the side of the Empire and is acting like that.

Can’t we just do that? We can’t keep living like this.

Surely you don’t want my children and grandchildren to live like this?

This was not an atmosphere or claim that the nobles of Burghhey were forcibly imposing.

It was a conclusion that the people of the kingdom thought about, proposed, and arrived at themselves.

And because the situation was like this, there were two groups that naturally moved.

“Just tell this news.”

One is the Imperial Special Services Agency, which secretly infiltrated Burkhay after the war to gather information.

“Okay. With this kind of atmosphere, I guess we can start discussing the pro-imperial faction now.”

The other group was the nobles of Burkhay, who were always on the lookout for an opportunity to change ships.

At that time, the internal situation in Burkhay was taking a strange turn.

-Kurururung! Kukugugugun!!

Following the dark clouds, a heavy rain began to pour down.

At first I thought it was just a passing rain, but the rain didn’t stop for ten days.

As if God were angry, rain continued to pour down from the sky.

“This, this crazy.”

“How on earth… .”

The situation is such that the scars of war have not yet fully healed.

There, the water crisis could be considered fatal.

Farmland is submerged and houses where people lived are completely washed away.

Everything was so ruined and torn apart that it was impossible to recall its original state.

When the rain finally abated, the three kingdoms were forced to face reality.

It is impossible for them to escape this disaster with their own strength alone.

We need a strong being who is overflowing with compassion and also has an abundance of money and resources.