Ch.227Rotaring Punishment War (7)

“Haaah…”

My role wasn’t to annihilate or surround the enemy, but to become bait and prevent the enemy forces from escaping.

In chess terms, when the opponent’s king moves forward, no player would resist the temptation—making me the perfect prey for the Imperial Army.

Therefore, I needed to show myself as bait to block their retreat option or at least make them hesitate enough to disrupt their withdrawal.

But despite revealing myself, they immediately ignored me and continued their retreat. Given the enemy commander’s preference for quick battles, I thought they would certainly take the bait, but it was unexpected.

So I tried some provocative remarks…

[You son of a viper!!]

[I’ll watch you fall to the depths of hell from beside our Lord in heaven!!]

[Long live His Imperial Majesty!!]

Hmm…

That was definitely a bit too much, wasn’t it?

Even to me, with my modern sensibilities intact, those were extremely harsh words. For people of this era who aren’t accustomed to such insults, it must have been a horrifically offensive level of disrespect, enough to create blood feuds.

They charged straight at me, ignoring their orders to retreat, even though failing to withdraw would clearly derail their grand strategy.

“Where are the rest? I mean the Imperial reinforcements that couldn’t join up.”

“Reports indicate they’re retreating toward Linerant. It’s not completely over yet, but if we secure this advantage, we’ve wo—”

“Enough. No room for complacency. Everyone must steadfastly do their best from their positions.”

This is the result.

Of the Imperial vanguard of about 70,000 men, approximately 10,000 casualties were inflicted, 20,000 were trapped in this forest, and the rest had to retreat back the way they came.

So… if we succeed in annihilating the Imperial forces surrounded in this forest, we’ll have achieved military merit amounting to 30,000 men in a single battle.

“Yes, sir!!”

A military achievement of this scale was only seen in ancient times, in battles between kingdoms and empires before feudalism was properly established. Every soldier here is visibly excited.

From the lowest common soldier to Commander-in-Chief Simon, everyone is prematurely speaking of victory, though the war has only just begun.

‘…Sigh.’

And me too.

It would be a lie to say I’m unmoved by such an achievement.

Though I scolded the generals for their arrogance, honestly, I want to smile and celebrate just like them.

But I can’t.

No matter how overwhelming the victory, there must have been casualties.

As the sovereign, I must maintain solemnity. Let the common soldiers and generals rejoice in the battle’s outcome.

“Your Majesty, the envoy has returned.”

“That was quick. Then…”

“Yes, the surrounded Imperial forces have refused to surrender. They say they will fight to the last man.”

Judging by your expression, you’ve considerably softened their actual response.

Hmm… certainly, the intensity of my insults was too extreme, wasn’t it?

Without that, they might have surrendered… Tsk, though I needed to stop the retreating Imperial forces somehow, I definitely went too far.

I should have toned down the insults, considering what would happen after surrounding them.

“Then we have no choice. Establish defensive lines and maintain the encirclement. When the rain stops and the forest dries, set it ablaze and roast them whole.”

“Yes, sir!”

“They surely know this too, so they’ll soon desperately try to break out of the forest. Don’t become complacent with victory—always maintain full readiness.”

Since the forest has already burned once causing great damage, the Imperial forces must be thinking they can’t let it happen again.

Though they’re now trapped in the forest after their offensive to create an escape route stalled due to battle defeat, the Imperial forces—whose morale hasn’t diminished despite my insults—will continuously attempt to break out of the forest by any means.

We must prepare thoroughly.

Nothing is more foolish than letting cornered prey escape.

……….

“We refuse.”

“…Pardon? What are you saying?”

“I conveyed our rejection of the conditional peace treaty. This reflects not only my will but also His Majesty’s.”

Richmond, Duke of Albion, who was appointed as peace mediator due to his previous visit to Lotaring, doubts his ears.

He simply couldn’t imagine that the Kingdom of Lotaring, busy with its war against the Empire, would reject a peace treaty.

Moreover, the spokesperson wasn’t even a high noble but merely a commoner woman who was the king’s mistress. This implied that the Kingdom of Lotaring had no intention of properly negotiating with the Kingdom of Albion.

“…Please summon the Prime Minister. If not him, then Her Majesty the Queen.”

“What are you saying? I, Jeanne de Bourgogne, am in charge of negotiations with the Kingdom of Albion. If you have something to say to the Prime Minister or Her Majesty, please tell it to me.”

“…”

The Albion envoy barely swallows the words rising to his throat—”Why are you calling yourself Bourgogne?”

It’s proper for a commoner woman to take her noble husband’s surname upon marriage. But this woman has only borne the king’s illegitimate child without marriage.

Yet she calls herself Bourgogne… How far will they go in disrespecting Albion?!

‘…I must endure, I must endure.’

He cannot ruin everything with momentary anger.

While it would certainly benefit him if Edward faced political difficulties due to failing to secure a peace treaty, he cannot deliberately neglect his official duty.

“Then let me ask: Why won’t you accept the peace proposal? Don’t you want peace?”

“Peace… All who serve God desire peace. But now is not the time.”

“Not the time? What do you mean?”

“The Kingdom of Lotaring cannot enter into a peace treaty when at a disadvantage. A peace treaty should be made when one is in a favorable position to gain the most benefit.”

What nonsense is this?

So they won’t make a peace treaty that disadvantages them?

Of course they might have to give something to the Kingdom of Albion as the price for peace, but wouldn’t the benefits of peace outweigh that cost?

With their coastal regions plundered, causing major disruptions to their war capabilities, wouldn’t it be logical for Lotaring to normalize administration and economy in those areas quickly through a peace treaty, even if it meant giving up a little?

“…If, as you say, the Kingdom of Lotaring were in an advantageous position, then the Kingdom of Albion would be forced into an unfavorable peace treaty. Doesn’t what you said apply to us as well? Why should we enter a disadvantageous peace treaty?”

What makes her statement even more absurd is when you reverse the positions.

If everyone thought they couldn’t accept unfavorable peace treaties, then once war breaks out, only slaughter would remain until everyone is dead.

“What? What are you saying?”

But… what is wrong with this woman?

She’s staring at me with wide eyes, completely unable to comprehend what I just said.

If this is an act, it’s skillful enough to deceive angels into letting her into heaven.

“Albion is just the Kingdom of Albion, not the Kingdom of Lotaring. Starting a war and then shamefully begging to end it—what kind of behavior is this?”

“…Excuse me?”

“War can be declared unilaterally without the other party’s consent, but ending a war requires mutual agreement. Did Albion declare war without such resolve?”

“…”

It’s real.

This woman, this wench, isn’t simply mocking me with such words.

She genuinely believes what she’s saying. Without a trace of doubt, as if stating the obvious fact that all objects fall to the ground.

There can be no intention to mock when stating what one considers common sense.

“It seems our discussion is over. I’ll take my leave.”

“Safe travels. I am Jeanne de Bourgogne, acting on behalf of His Majesty who is at the battlefield.”

Conversing with such a woman is the quickest path to insanity. I’d rather talk to a pet dog.

No doubt Edward will be furious, claiming I deliberately sabotaged the peace treaty… Tsk.

“Ah, Duke of Richmond. Since our official business seems concluded, may I ask something personal?”

“…Go ahead.”

Just as I was gathering my belongings to leave, Jeanne stops me.

What now?

She’s only been responding to my questions until now, but as I try to leave, she initiates conversation.

“Will the Albion forces remain at sea forever?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, they stay at sea, occasionally coming ashore to plunder, but quickly retreat back to the water. I’m asking if Albion forces have no intention of coming ashore to occupy Lotaring territory.”

“That is the strategically correct decision, and what our sovereign desires. As his subject, I must follow His Majesty’s will.”

“Hmm… that’s disappointing. If they had come ashore, I would have gone out to fight them myself.”

“A woman going to the battlefield? Is that what the King of Lotaring wants?”

“No, it’s what the angels want.”

“…I’ll be going now.”

Crazy woman.