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The incident occurred the next morning. Some soldiers had attempted to desert and were caught.

The soldiers were hanged on the gallows and executed. But the incident did not end there. Soldiers continued to try to desert.

“Ensign Mario.”

“Yes.”

“Secretly find out why soldiers desert.”

“Yes.”

The results I found out were shocking.

Ensign Mario brought a piece of hard bread and some watery soup with almost no ingredients. I wondered why they brought such shabby food that even a beggar wouldn’t eat, and it turned out that this was the food that soldiers now eat.

‘This is why I desert… ‘

It’s the same in any era. More than half of the reasons soldiers desert are for food. If the food was not good, the soldiers would desert in search of good food. At least if you loot civilians, you can eat your fill. After that, I’ll go the route of becoming a bandit.

‘I have to do something.’

If this continues, desertion of soldiers will continue to increase. Right now it is in the tens or hundreds, but if things continue like this, it could literally increase into the thousands or tens of thousands. And if there is a way to fix this situation…

‘Withdrawal.’

We have no choice but to defeat the military right now. I immediately requested a meeting with the commander of the Central Army, who had the authority to command the entire army. and…

“What did you call me for?”

The commander of the central army looked very gaunt. There were dark circles in his eyes and his face was also very dry.

“Soldiers are starving. Because of this, deserters are coming one after another. Do you know?”

“There’s no way you wouldn’t know. I’m currently having a hard time because of that.”

His fingers tapped the desk anxiously. He seemed to be in a state of anxiety at first glance.

“The entire army must be withdrawn immediately. This war is lost.”

If you don’t have food, you have no choice but to lose the war you will win. Moreover, the enemy was thoroughly prepared to defend the capital. It will be much faster for your allies to run out of rice than to run out of the enemy’s capital.

What will Gernhard, commander of the Central Army, respond? Should I get angry? Otherwise…

“Why don’t I know that?”

His reaction was quite different from what I expected.

“I know too. At least I lost.”

He knew it too. The fact that our team lost.

“Then why aren’t you withdrawing your troops?”

“It’s because of His Highness the Crown Prince. His Majesty the Crown Prince still wants to go to war. We are nothing but your toys. You can’t escape until you get sick of it.”

“… ”

For a moment, the man in front of me felt small. The commander of the Central Army is number one in the military. Despite this, he was being dragged around by the royal family. I couldn’t even say a word of protest.

“Give me a chance.”

I said, and he asked back as if he was puzzled.

“What opportunity?”

“This is your chance to persuade His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“… ”

He thought for a moment and then answered.

“Can you do it?”

If you’re asking if I can do it, to be honest, I’m not sure.

However, if there is one thing that is certain…

“You just have to do it.”

The point was that if we didn’t do it now, we would all die.

—–

Crown Prince Albert von Arcadia was addicted to alcohol and women.

The prince’s military tent was so extravagant that one could not tell whether it was the capital or a battlefield, and numerous beauties and delicacies of the mountains and seas came and went. The ordinary soldiers only frowned upon seeing the prince’s military tent like that.

‘This is why I desert… ‘

It would be natural for the soldiers to become dissatisfied if they were to taste all kinds of seafood in front of their eyes while they themselves were starving. However, since there were too many troops to cause a rebellion, I thought that desertion might be the natural course of action.

I carefully entered the camp. Even though I entered the military camp, the crown prince did not notice and was flirting with the women. I said to the crown prince.

“Charge.”

After saying that and getting down on one knee, the music stopped and the women stepped back. The crown prince frowned.

“You clearly… ”

“This is Georges Brestmaier, Commander of the Northern Area Army.”

“It was like that. What on earth is going on?”

I explained everything that had happened. The crown prince told him the truth that he had taken so many prisoners that there was no food to feed his soldiers, and that if things continued like this, they would lose the war. Then…

“… ”

“… ”

The crown prince was silent for the time being. He touched his forehead and said nothing. The crown prince is recognized by sword masters around the world. As the crown prince remained silent, the air in the room froze.

“Does that mean they are losing the war because of me?”

“… I will not deny it.”

“And now, you are telling me to withdraw with the entire army?”

“Yes. Yes.”

“… ”

The crown prince fell silent again. Gulp. Someone swallowed.

“I said it was Georges Brestmaier.”

“Yes.”

“It is said that they captured Reinhard von Eppenstein in the chase, and also blocked Reckgit’s large army in the north.”

“Yes.”

The crown prince came closer to me and spoke in a low voice so that only I could hear.

“If I retreat from here, I will remain as a rare cancer soldier. Maybe my younger brothers will come up for the throne. If that happens, all the majors I have built so far will disappear.”

“Your Excellency, but… ”

“Once you come here, you have to at least save face. If we return after inflicting significant damage on the enemy, no one will say anything to us, but if we withdraw as is, I will become one of the most pathetic members of the royal family and my right to succession will be shaken. Surely that’s not what you’re after?”

“Your Majesty! I’m not like that… !”

“Go.”

I couldn’t help but be taken aback by this unexpected word.

“Go. The reason I’m sparing you is because you’ve done a good job so far.”

“Yes? majesty! but… ”

“If you don’t go, I will kill you no matter what.”

The look in the crown prince’s eyes was lifeless. I almost fell out of my seat at that moment. I had no choice but to back down because I thought it would be impossible to persuade him like this, and the persuasion that day ultimately ended in failure.

—–

After a week of stamping my feet like that.

Soon the incident occurred.

“Your Excellency! His Excellency Georges Brestmaier!”

When I woke up to the urgent voice calling me, Ensign Mario was running towards me.

“What’s going on?”

“Our army’s supply ship… You’ve been attacked!”

The moment I heard that, I couldn’t help but think.

What is coming is coming.

It is said that the supply ship was attacked and the handful of rice that came was not able to arrive.

The soldiers who were already starving were now truly starving.

“It looks like they are sending a follow-up supply unit right away, but they say they don’t know when it will arrive!”

“Does everyone have to starve until then…? ”

There is currently only a few days’ worth of food left. And it takes over a month for a new supply unit to arrive. So that means you won’t be able to eat for the remaining few weeks.

“What would you like to do?”

“Ensign Mario! Follow me. I am going to meet the commander of the Central Army right now.”

I immediately ran towards the central army commander. Since I didn’t usually run, I felt like my lungs were going to explode, but compared to what was going to happen, the exhaustion of my stamina was nothing. And to the place we arrived in a huff of breath…

“What do you mean the supply ship was attacked?”

“We occupied all the castles on the high ground in case the supply line was attacked, so why on earth was the supply line attacked?”

“Commander-in-chief Gernhard! How do you plan to take this responsibility!?”

Many soldiers were already shouting and pointing their pointed fingers at the commander-in-chief. And it seemed like there was no room for me to intervene.

“Damn, it’s too late to suggest withdrawal to the commander-in-chief. So how… ”

At that moment, something came to mind.

“Bine Franz.”

How is Vinet Franz doing? I immediately ran to the Eastern District Army barracks. But there…

“None… Huh?”

There were not even half of the soldiers left. At least the remaining half of the soldiers could be seen preparing to leave. I blindly grabbed a soldier who was packing his luggage and asked.

“Hey! Where on earth are you going!”

“Who are you?”

“This is Georges Brestmeier, Commander of the Northern Areas Army! Find out where you are going right now!”

“I don’t know either. It was just that an order came from above telling us to pack our bags right now and follow the unit that preceded us.”

I thought. Where is Vinet Franz going? I was only able to guess after combining what I knew with the knowledge in the game. Biene Franz is now…

“Exclusive… Withdrawal?”

The intention was to withdraw alone, taking only the eastern forces.

“But if you don’t keep in step with other armies, you might be treated as a traitor?”

Why did Lee Seong-gye establish Joseon? This is because it was obvious that even if the army was withdrawn and the troops returned to the central government, they would be treated as traitors for violating the central government’s orders. It is obvious that the moment you disobey the central order, you will be treated as a traitor. then…

“Wait! Lee Seong-gye?”

Lee Seong-gye achieved a revolution by retreating from Wihwa Island. And the current situation is exactly the same as the Wihwa Island retreat. An unreasonable expedition. The entire army is on an expedition. Empty center. No matter how you think about it, isn’t this a good situation for Wiene Franz to play center?

“This is… It’s a rebellion!”

Where is Vinnet Franz leading his soldiers? The answer is simple. The capital city is Arcadia. He wants to take advantage of the empty space in the center and take over the capital of the empire and become emperor!

I was taken aback by how much faster the game progressed than the story. But if I knew the answer, what I had to do was simple.

The task was to lead the northern army and chase after Biene Franz.

“Ensign Mario!”

“Yes!”

“The Northern Area Army will also withdraw alone!”

“G, are you serious?”

I nodded. Now, orders from the center are not important. It is a fight between whether I will be the loser of the empire or whether Binet Franz will be the loser of the empire. This is the beginning of Chicken Run.