episode_0057

DeGalley. If you were to name a powerful country in the western part of the continent, it would definitely be in the top three.

Fertile farmland, a sea rich in fish, and sumptuous cuisine made with ingredients from there.

Excluding the empire, it is a country that prides itself on being the best on the continent.

And that pride is never just about cooking.

Just twenty years ago, De Galle almost unified the western part of the continent.

This was possible because they also had a fairly powerful military, although not as powerful as the Empire.

Since they called themselves the Grand Army, their power could be fully anticipated.

But that dream was dashed, as Dedorant defeated them in the final battle.

Although the country was not ruined, their proud march came to a halt.

It was natural that he became enemies with Dedorant, who could be said to be the mastermind behind such things.

For your information, the Jugel region that was recently taken by the 3rd Prince of Dedorant is the result of that war.

Although the unification of the West was thwarted, Jugel, whose master was ambiguous, was brought into his grasp.

It was not even an area taken by force, but rather an area obtained through negotiation.

He immediately began to transform the area into a defensive line against Dedorant and an excellent territory.

But then Dedorant suddenly emerged and took it away.

When you gave up the land and took various other things, what are you doing now?

It was a foregone conclusion that DeGalle’s insides would rot and eventually burst.

Eventually, he recognized Dedorant as a clear enemy and even formed an alliance with Los Tanica.

“― is the part about the western part of the continent that I know. Do you think this is okay, Commander?”

“You know very well. That’s right. Prince Kael.”

The one nodding was the 1st Corps Commander who came out to greet me.

I hear that he is extremely loyal to the emperor.

It couldn’t be otherwise, he was a commoner and not a noble.

He is a typical example of a person who rose to this position solely through ability.

For reference, although the list of legion commanders is selected from the War Ministry, their appointment requires the Emperor’s will.

Therefore, it is only natural that the 1st Corps Commander would be loyal to the Emperor who held him in such high esteem.

Accordingly, the way he treated me, who was directly appointed by the emperor, was also similar.

“I guess you’ve relayed this part to the system, right?”

“Of course. I think it should be here by now.”

I nodded at the commander’s answer and checked the letter in my hand again.

[ DeGalle. Asking about the Empire’s willingness to fight on the Western Front ]

“Commander. I have never been to the West before. So I have a question for you.”

“I will answer with sincerity.”

“Is the Dgalley Kingdom so friendly to our Empire? Are they not hesitant to ask for help from our Empire?”

Then the answer came out of the 1st Corps Commander’s mouth right away. Without even a second of hesitation.

“Neither.”

“Not all of them.”

“Yes. Confucius. Although Degallet acknowledges the order of the empire, it is only bowing down to the superiority of the empire, and it is by no means sincere. The same goes for the help of the empire. How could they, who are so proud, do such things?”

At the commander’s immediate reply, I looked back at him.

“Then. Is what I am expecting right now correct?”

“Perhaps the situation in DeGallee is so bad that it requires such a humble stance. The situation across the border is clearly unfolding more dramatically than expected.”

That DeGalle is asking for help. Those crazy guys who think they’re the best except for the Empire.

If you have to throw away your pride and self-esteem to do this, it is not an ordinary thing.

I went straight to the corps commander and got a map of the area beyond the western border.

“… .”

Unlike the East, where only three kingdoms remain, the West is scattered with many kingdoms.

But there are only four countries that have real influence: Dedorant, Atria, Degalé, and Los Tanica.

These four have similar territories and almost the same population. This means that their national power is equal.

Meanwhile, Dedorant has grown rapidly. It is said that he can merge with Atria.

If that happens, the balance will be broken. Dedorant, who has absorbed Atria, cannot be dealt with by Degalle alone.

Even if you ally with Los Tanica, it is more likely that you will only be able to endure rather than win.

‘Just in case. Just in case.’

I looked closely at the map and considered the possibilities.

If Dedorant conquers Dagale by force after the merger of Atria.

If you don’t stop there and finally succeed in getting your hands on Los Tanica.

“1 Corps Commander.”

“Yes, Confucius.”

“What do you think would happen if Dedrant unified the western part of the continent?”

“… I hate to imagine it.”

Me too. If that really happens, a nation that is almost on par with an empire will be born.

Not only in terms of simple territory and population, but also in terms of military power, there will be a tremendous increase.

Perhaps the empire that once existed on the continent alone could become two.

And if that happens, a huge war will break out to determine the sole empire.

“However, the day before Confucius arrived, Dedorant delivered the following message.”

[ Wants to conclude a new peace treaty with the Empire ]

[ Willing to cede part of the Atria region if the Empire so desires ]

Dedorant, who is clearly bowing down to the Empire, is clearly visible to everyone.

It can even feel sincere when you see them offering to give up their land.

But I immediately knew what they were thinking at that point.

“It’s not Dedorant, it’s Atria.”

They are saying that they will hand over the land of Atria to the Empire at will.

What does this mean? They have already made the decision internally.

We are ready to storm into Atria at any moment, at the sound of an order.

It is no different from indirectly informing the Empire of their intention for annexation.

“Commander. Are you receiving all the information from the informants who have entered the border?”

“First of all, yes. There are some parts that are too dangerous for them to send directly. We are disguising the process appropriately and receiving it.”

“Can I also take a look at the information collected so far?”

“Of course. They have already been sent to the system, so you don’t have to worry.”

Thanks to the cooperation of the 1st Corps Commander. And thanks to the position bestowed upon me by the Emperor.

I was able to confirm important news brought by informants without any burden.

‘The Dedorant forces continue to expand. Atria is in chaos. Because of Dedorant, Dagale is also sparing no effort in expanding its military.’

It’s clear to me that a huge war will soon break out in the western part of the continent.

It is not at a level to appropriately prove the superiority of our country like an empire.

A massive offensive. Surrender or resistance. Annexation, occupation. That’s what it’ll be all about.

That is why De Galle openly asks our Empire about its intentions on the Western Front.

Because it is not a fight to just take a little land. It is a war to swallow up an entire country.

The meaning is that Dedorant’s power is not trivial, so we must join the battle before order collapses.

The problem is that, from our empire’s perspective, there is no justification whatsoever.

“… There was no hostile speech or behavior shown by Dedorant towards the Empire, right?”

“Yes. There was no such thing. There was no hint of it.”

What if Dedorant had provoked our empire?

They are trying to be perfect, just in case they catch any book.

He says he will not oppose the order of the only empire that exists on the continent.

It wasn’t unofficial, the three princes came forward and officially revealed it.

In this situation, it is impossible for our empire to project its power to the West.

Can’t you just find a catch and force it in?

This isn’t some kid’s fight, and nothing is easy without a good reason.

This is something that must be avoided at all costs, as it only serves to increase the morale of those who would become your enemies.

‘No matter how much our Imperial Legion is not a conscripted force, if there is no justification, we have to fight without knowing why we are fighting. We can’t show proper combat power.’

It was for this reason that the Empire waited until the end to fight the three eastern kingdoms.

Since they declared war, the justification has been resolved. Thanks to this, there are no obstacles to projecting power.

The mood within the empire was also tilted toward war, so there was no need to rush anything.

In the end, it’s one of two things. Either you interfere without a justification and block Dedorant’s monopoly.

Or should we take a closer look at the situation and come up with a justification before making a move?

Both have clear advantages and disadvantages. It is difficult to say which is better.

I wonder if this is why the Emperor singled me out and appointed me to the position of adviser.

‘No matter what, Your Majesty, in this situation, I cannot give a careless answer.’

Leaving my heavy heart behind, I walked towards meeting the princess.

The princess was currently visiting the 1st Army Corps.

“Kael. How was your trip?”

The princess returned after shaking hands with each and every soldier in the legion.

She also had quite a busy schedule, so her face showed a hint of fatigue.

“It was harder than I thought.”

I explained to the princess in detail the situation so far.

And as time passed, her expression also became worse.

“… It would be right to restrain the empire before a great nation that can deal with it emerges. If we do that, we will lose the legitimacy of our empire that we have built up so far.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“That’s not good. If we raise an army without any justification, not only will there be a backlash from the western part of the continent, but the atmosphere within the empire will not be very good either.”

“The fact that the legions have moved too much in the past year is also a problem. From Novogord to the Eastern Campaign not long ago. I don’t know for sure, but I’m sure a lot of military spending was done.”

The empire is clearly a superpower. In terms of territory, in terms of population, and in terms of military power.

It is capable of fighting one-on-one as well as against multiple countries.

But it is by no means invincible. Like other countries, it suffers damage and sheds blood.

If that accumulates, no matter how great an empire it is, it won’t be able to withstand it.

How should we deal with the West in this situation?

I brainstormed with the princess, but no good idea came to mind.

If only Dedorant had been hostile to the Empire, they might have been able to make a killing.

*

In conclusion, all my worries and those of the princess were in vain.

“Your Highness the Princess. And Prince Kael. News just came from the island. I think you two should head south immediately.”

The fire that was expected to start in the west suddenly started in the south.