episode_0200

Johannes Reformation War (2)

Despite the birth of three princesses, as soon as the festival ended, the empire activated a quasi-war state and began preparing for war.

The western and northern armies marched toward the occupied area of Tesseito in the northwest of Zenon and gradually put pressure on the Tesseito army. Following Juno’s imperial order, the Imperial Guard Corps, which quickly completed training around Adriatic, also began marching west. .

Because it was a movement of such a large army, it was impossible to move it secretly, and the movements of the imperial army were quickly reported to Duke Tiruen, commander-in-chief of the Tesseito army.

“Your Majesty the Duke! The movements of the Balkan Empire Army are unusual!! We have received intelligence that their entire Western Army is moving north, and that the Northern Army in the Balkans is also coming toward us!!”

“Keuuu… Is it finally starting? Well, it’s been almost a year since the declaration of war… I guess the emperor is trying to keep his word…”

Duke Tiruen, who had fallen asleep for a while due to exhaustion from hard work, got up and returned to his desk upon hearing a report from his subordinate who woke him up.

“Some people predicted that with the birth of the princesses, he would start work on stabilizing his power a little more, but it turns out that His Highness the Duke’s prediction was correct”

“Of course. Such strong people never forget something that hurt their pride. They are a people who will only be angry after paying back several times…”

Although it was slightly different from the truth, Juno’s actions were the same as he had predicted, so Duke Tiruen looked at the map, thought for a moment, and then opened his mouth.

“Adjutant! Send a letter to Pope Johannes! I tell you to move as promised”

“Uh… can I just send it as is? What else can I say…”

“Yes. Just send it as is, without adding any more words”

To maintain secrecy, only a few of the highest officials, including the King and the Duke of Tiruen, knew about this. As the Duke of Tiruen watched his lieutenant write the letter, he began to make a final check of the troop deployment that had been prepared for a year in his head. did.

‘That greedy pig, the Pope, has no choice but to listen to my orders in order to protect his divine power… Johannes’ Inquisitor unit, which the emperor will trust, will march east and attack the northern army of the empire… If we tie up the northern army like that, we’ll open hell for the imperial army.’

Duke Tiruen, who came up with various scenarios to annihilate the imperial army in his head, met the king with several of his staff and the generals who followed him and swore victory, then space-transported to the occupied area of Tesseito on the Zenon Plain.

However, the Duke of Tiruen, who had thought that the imperial army would advance immediately, was completely wrong.

About a month later, the Balkan Western Army and Northern Army, which reached the border of the Zenon Plain, encamped in the imperial territory and began stationing, and the newly created Guard Corps also established a camp slightly south of the Northern Army, as if it had no intention of attacking. We packed up and started preparing for a long battle.

Kwaang!!

“What on earth is it? When I saw him, wasn’t he the third prince who became the emperor of the empire? I thought, given his nature, he would attack right away…”

Looking at Duke Tiruen, who was pounding his fist on the desk in frustration, Count Joachim Mulla, commander of the royal cavalry of Tesseito and one of the masters, asked him:

“His Royal Highness the Duke. How about we attack first? Our cavalry power is overwhelmingly superior to that of the Empire. So, how about carrying out mobile warfare and inflicting damage on them little by little?”

“Alternatively, you can send a few cavalry units to the enemy’s rear and deal a blow to the enemy’s supply. Even if the enemy’s garrison is located in Balkan territory, it is far away from Adria, so if there is even a slight blow to their supply, they will definitely be shaken”

Count Mula and other advisors expressed numerous opinions, but Duke Thiruen rejected their suggestion to go on the offensive.

“No matter how much our troops have the advantage in mobility, small-scale skirmishes are too risky. Don’t forget that the enemies have five masters. Don’t we all know that in small-scale battles, the presence or absence of a Master makes an absolute difference? Moreover, it is too easy to be chased if you enter the imperial territory hastily. Offensive is impossible”

“Your Majesty! The number of masters gathered here is three. Moreover, two of the enemy masters are on the throne of the Empress and have just given birth, so it is clear that they will not appear on the battlefield yet. It is clear that the enemy is also unable to advance hastily because of that!!”

“I also think what Count Mula said is right!! If time goes on like this, their defense line will only become stronger!”

The remarks of the two masters, Count Mula, the cavalry commander, and the Marquis of Grace, the infantry commander, became more heated, and as other staff members also expressed the need for an offensive, Duke Thiruen eventually raised his voice by pounding on the desk.

Kwaang!!

“Didn’t I say no!! If things continue like this, will their defenses only become thicker? No, our troops’ defense line is getting thicker, and the initiative here in Zeno is increasingly being transferred to us. Why are you so anxious about not being able to fight? Don’t we all know that it’s best to win a war without fighting!!”

“Of course I know that, but…”

“The Balkans are probably well aware of that, and they are not staying silent for nothing…”

The two masters, who had been silenced by Duke Tiruen’s angry voice, nevertheless carefully expressed their opinions, and only then did Duke Tiruen lose his temper and tell them his plan.

“Of course, I know it well. But no matter what the Empire does, time is on our side. Especially since they believe in Seongguk, their backs are bound to play a big role…”

When the Pope announced that he was on his side, Tiruen’s staff burst out in admiration and were confident of victory in this war.

“What you said is correct. Then, our cavalry will make thorough preparations to annihilate the trapped imperial army at once”

“Our infantry will also intensively train the movements of the long spear soldiers so that they are not pushed back by the heavy infantry of the imperial army”

“Yes. I only trust you!”

Thiruen, who smiled as he looked at the trustworthy masters under his command, returned to his barracks and lay down on his bed, trying to control the anxiety that was piercing his heart.

‘Hmm… Do they really not know… Does the empire really believe in the Holy Kingdom? No… it doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it. Anyway, all I want is to restrict the movement of the northern army… because if I do that, the Holy Kingdom’s role is over… And I will win this war, and tear the mouth of that arrogant woman who insulted my wife Charlotte in the last duel. !!’

No matter how he thought about it, Duke Tiruen, who thought that there were no other variables unless the castle was overthrown, went to sleep and burned off the anger from the last duel.

In this way, the Tesseito army was relieved that there was no movement of the imperial army, and thoroughly prepared for war by building defensive positions on the border more thoroughly and setting up traps.

However, because they were only focused on the inside, they did not notice that one corps disappeared during the night from the capital corps garrison.

A few days later, south of Lake Hauril. Johannes-Balkan border

Jeanne Blumain, the commander of the Heresy Inquisitor unit in charge of the armed forces of the Holy Kingdom of Johannes, opened his eyes wide after reading a letter sent to him.

‘To my sister Jeanne. How have you been? My beloved brother? It will be known within the Holy Kingdom that I died while carrying out a mission in the Balkans. But I am still alive as a saint of Ikaris to uphold his will. And after receiving a new oracle from him, I returned to Johannes. And I need your help to fulfill Ikaris’s oracle. So, can we meet for a moment? If you still believe in your sister, midnight tonight. Let’s meet at the Hauril Lake border checkpoint guarded by your unit. My sister who loves you so much. From Angelina’

Jeanne’s hands trembled when she saw the letter.

“Deputy, Deputy! Who sent this letter? Who did you receive it from?!!”

“Si, a sister at the temple asked me to tell it to the captain…Kekkeek…Wh-what is it about?”

Her deputy, who was grabbed by the scruff of the neck by an excited Jeanne, screamed and begged to be released, and only when the deputy was about to pass out did Jeanne loosen her grip on the neck and fell into deep thought.

“Mi, I can’t believe it… I heard that you have clearly failed in the sacred mission given by Ikaris and are being held captive by the evil Balkan emperor… Uh, how…”

Angelina was peacefully beginning her missionary work in Adria according to her changed doctrine, but the Pope intentionally blocked information and the news did not spread throughout the region, so Jeanne, the head of the Inquisition, could not help but be surprised by Angelina’s news.

‘Is it fake… No… The divine power felt in the letter clearly belongs to my sister… Even if the person who sent this letter is not my sister, it is safe to say that she is at least dealing with her sister’s new illness… So. I have to go out to this place first!!’

After being lost in thought for a while, Jeanne finally decided to go out at the time and place written in the letter and got up.

“Captain! Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be patrolling at the border checkpoint for a while. And it’s going to be a little late today, so you go to bed now. I’m sorry for strangling you earlier!!”

” What’s strange about the boss is that it hasn’t been for a day or two… Well then, I’ll sleep first!! Please come slowly. Slowly!!”

Jeanne gritted her teeth for a moment at the sound of the arrogant adjutant’s voice, but since she didn’t have enough time, she walked quickly and arrived at the designated guard post, where her eyes turned red as she looked at the unconscious low-ranking Inquisitors and the woman with short pink hair who was treating them.

“Uh, sister…. sister!!!”

Before she knew it, tears were forming in Jeanne’s eyes and running down her cheeks, and at the sound of her voice, Angelina also turned around and smiled brightly at her younger sister.

*Inquisitor unit commander Jeanne’s casual clothes illustration*