Ch.172Final Showdown.

Year 104 of the Amurtart Calendar.

Like a dry rag that no longer yields water no matter how hard it’s wrung, the North’s capacity to wage war had reached its limit.

The war had dragged on for four years, and if it continued any longer, more people would die from starvation than from combat.

In Amurtart, people were already getting into fistfights over a single bottle of alcohol, so one could roughly imagine how much more dire the situation was in other nations.

“It’s time to end this war.”

Chew… chew…

Even the food stored in the dimensional warehouse had run out, forcing Tiberius, the ruler of a nation, to chew on jerky. The conditions at the front lines must be close to a living hell.

“Is anyone there?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Send an envoy to Fahrenheit.”

At the monarch’s words, the retainer nearly fainted.

“To… to Fahrenheit, sire?”

“Yes, tell them we should settle this with one final battle.”

“…Understood.”

“And summon representatives from all vassal states. It’s time to gather everything we have left.”

*

In truth, they didn’t need Fahrenheit’s consent.

Once all the forces of the vassal states and the mainland were gathered in one place, Fahrenheit would have no choice but to match their numbers.

Although Fahrenheit had a larger population, that accursed Sword Master had been flashing east and west, decimating their troops like shaved ice melting in summer.

And all the knights sent to capture him had become “former knights,” so whether they liked it or not, Fahrenheit had no choice but to accept this proposal.

“Your Majesty, it could be a trap.”

“A trap? Do you think they have the resources left for that?”

“…”

“Unfortunately, neither do we. The war has already dragged on for four years. Whether my head rolls or his, it makes little difference to the common folk.”

“…Understood. I shall gather the troops.”

Like Amurtart, Fahrenheit was also on the brink of self-destruction.

Even in the palace, food was so scarce that Grand Monarch Marcus himself was subsisting on hard biscuits and cold water, so the plight of his employees need not be elaborated.

The quality of civilian life was plummeting, worse than in Francesca Chise’s Elysium. As a politician, he had to resolve this somehow.

Even if it meant his own death.

“Summon the representatives. This will be the final battle.”

“…By your command.”

And so, with Fahrenheit accepting Amurtart’s proposal, the final battle to end this long War of Thrones began.

*

“You have endured much, my soldiers! The terrible supplies and endless war will end with this battle! We shall be remembered forever in the history of the North as glorious victors! Eat and drink, soldiers! Final victory is near! Long live Amurtart!”

“””Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!”””

The armies of both nations, having gathered all their forces, released their carefully hoarded final rations to feed their soldiers well.

The final battle was approaching, and after four long years of war that had devastated the soldiers’ bodies and minds, winning their hearts was paramount.

The soldiers who had survived these four years—where boys became men, men became soldiers, and soldiers became corpses—looked at the delicious food before them with trembling hands, then picked up their forks and knives to savor what they hadn’t eaten in so long.

“Meat…! It’s been half a year since I’ve had any!”

“That fool Baker… if he hadn’t stolen supplies, he could have enjoyed this feast with us…”

The veterans wept while the recruits laughed.

The officers were no different.

They ate with solemn expressions and posture, as if enjoying a last supper, and when the long meal ended, a lengthy silence followed.

“…”

Some would never enjoy such a feast again.

This was the first and last battle gathering all the North’s forces.

It wouldn’t be surprising if not everyone gathered here returned alive.

From the first year of the war until the fourth, most soldiers in this regiment had been replaced. Only 230 soldiers and non-commissioned officers remained from the original assignment, and just 8 officers.

That’s how fierce and brutal the battles had been throughout these four years.

Without a single day of ceasefire, without a single surrender.

The thrones they served drove them to their deaths, but they couldn’t disobey orders.

That was how one survived in this world—as long as one existed in this world, one had to obey its rules.

“Amurtart National Army, 42nd Infantry Regiment!”

Finally, the regimental commander with his insignia called out in a booming voice, and all 2,184 members of the regiment stood at attention.

“His Majesty Tiberius has decreed!”

“””….”””

“We shall pacify the North and bring order and prosperity, abolish outdated customs and establish a new order to brighten the future of the North, and fairness, not equality, shall be the ethics of society!”

“””…”””

“We, as soldiers of Amurtart, citizens of Amurtart, and blessed subjects of His Majesty Tiberius, shall march forward in unity toward that future!”

The troops listened silently to the commander’s speech.

Though his voice was hoarse from exhaustion, there was no one who couldn’t hear his volume, and no foolish soldier covered his ears.

He was telling them why they must fight, and no one was foolish enough to not want to hear why they should fight.

“Soldiers of Amurtart! Who are you?”

“””We are soldiers who have sworn loyalty to the master of Amurtart!”””

“Forces of Amurtart! Why do you fight?”

“””To spread His Majesty Tiberius’s grace throughout the North and save the fallen!”””

“Citizens of Amurtart! What is your homeland?”

“””Our homeland is His Majesty Tiberius!”””

“What does His Majesty Tiberius want from us?”

“””He wishes for us to fulfill our duty!”””

“What is your duty?”

“””To march onto the battlefield and fight honorably for the glory of Amurtart!”””

“What is glory?”

“””To fulfill our duty!”””

“What is honor?”

“””To prove our loyalty through death!”””

The reason to fight.

The reason for war.

In truth, not a single person truly wanted to fight.

But paradoxically, because they didn’t want to fight, they had to.

For their children and their children’s future, and for the continuation of that future.

Furthermore, for the glory of the lord they believed in.

“Attention! March in double file!”

“Sing the national anthem during the march! Squad leaders, begin the lead vocals!”

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

And with the sound of military boots, the squad leaders began to sing the national anthem of Amurtart.

“The most powerful monarch in the world is our greatest master! Under his grand plan, we enjoy peace and stability!”

The national anthem and military song of Amurtart flowed from the squad leaders’ lips, and the soldiers followed, singing the next verse.

“Under his magnificent reign, no enemy can stop us! Yes, we are the people of Amurtart, subjects of His Majesty Tiberius!”

“Praise and glorify! Exalt and revere!”

“We are the people of Amurtart, subjects of His Majesty Tiberius!”

The song continued without interruption.

After the refrain and fourth verse ended, they returned to the first verse.

As if stopping would mean their end.

“When our flag is seen from afar, we shall line up and salute!”

“Our steadfast ranks shall advance like a storm and crush all hardships!”

And from far away, sounds could be heard.

The faint voices of soldiers trying to forget their fear.

Sound joined with sound to become melody, melody joined with melody to become music, and music joined with music to become a chorus.

And where the singing ended, others like them had gathered.

The living began to join the ranks of those facing death, and their march resembled an endless procession of the dead.

But all journeys eventually reach their end, and finally, they could see their enemies in the distance.

The time had come.

The final battle between the two nations vying for hegemony in the North was about to begin.

*

Amurtart Alliance.

Total troops: 1,137,600.

6-pounder cannons: 23,000.

12-pounder field guns: 34,500.

24-pounder howitzers: 50,800.

Amurtart Pattern Minié muskets: 2,100,000.

Amurtart regulation military swords: 1,200,000.

War horses: 30,000.

Fahrenheit Alliance.

Total troops: 1,602,300.

Ballistas: 60,200.

Catapults: 131,300.

Northern longbows: 754,300.

Northern longswords: 563,100.

Northern shields: 2,000,870.

War horses: 230,000.

All the military might of the North had gathered in one place.

Only the angels would know which side would emerge victorious.

As birds soared overhead, the trumpets of advance began to sound.