episode_0177

“Mr. Irian… … ?”

Xena looked at Irian with a surprised expression, but he said without paying any attention.

“If it is okay with you, Master, I would like to add to Lord Swen’s opinion.”

Irian’s participation in the war was unexpected to me, but-

When I woke up, I realized why he was trying to help me.

‘Is this my way of repaying a favor?’

Even though Zenith was imprisoned, it was ultimately me who saved his younger brother and prevented the family from being exterminated.

If it weren’t for my intervention, Zenith would have been treated as a wholesaler like the rebels, and if nothing else, Serpina, who never forgives rebels, would have completely erased her as a family to the point where she would never be remembered in history books.

at that time.

Serpina, who was sitting on the throne, looked down at Jenna with her chin slightly raised and said.

“It’s good that Irian took the initiative, Jenna. You also have quite a bold side.”

“… … .”

“Well, all of these skits will require Swen’s consent. I believe you will agree with that.”

It seems that Serpina was trying to say something to Jenna, who was keeping me in check with one-sided conditions.

Did Irian intervene in the meantime and turn to asking my opinion?

Of course, the choice of the word skit is also the same, and Serpina’s expression right now – not many people would notice because she was smiling, but it was the expression of a very angry person.

Since there are already strange rumors going around, I shouldn’t allow everyone to have new information that Serpina was angry because of me.

“It’s okay. I will follow Jenna’s opinion.”

Irian heard those words and turned his head towards me.

“So that means it’s okay for me to talk about it myself?”

Well, I have no reason to refuse.

In the first place, I never even thought that Irian would support my opinion.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to explain it myself, but… … I thought it would be quite helpful if Irian, who has a certain level of standing within Serpina County, takes my side.

Ultimately, I was a little curious about what he would say.

“Then let me ask you a favor.”

Irian nodded at what I said and opened his mouth.

“The opinions of Inspector and General Kransis are certainly correct, but the problem is that we will have to expend most of our troops to occupy Aethus County. Excluding the Capital Defense Force and forces for maintaining security on the continent, the total number of troops available to us is approximately 123,000… … This is not enough to occupy Zelstrom Castle above, where 80,000 people are stationed, let alone Walharat Castle, where approximately 98,000 people are stationed, and Rachlin Castle, which borders 83,000 people with Hispil Castle. ”

‘That’s a good opinion.’

I really liked the fact that it wasn’t anything different from what I expected.

at that time.

Kransis, who was the first to formulate an opinion, opened his heavy lips.

“It’s not like I don’t know what General Irian is worried about, but isn’t our military in a situation where we can mobilize up to 310,000 people? Moreover, considering that conscription has not yet been properly implemented, the number of troops could be increased much more. It is an enormous army that cannot be gathered unless it is the current situation where it is okay to not worry about the border with Brans County. That’s why I say now is an opportunity.”

“That’s-”

“That’s the problem, Mr. Kransis.”

This time it was me who intervened.

I was just waiting for this moment.

Since Kransis, the policy maker, intervened first, naturally I, the policy maker, also have the right to speak.

Jenna seemed to know this as well, so she just listened quietly to our story.

“Of course, if we mobilize all of our country’s national power, we will be able to take down the fortress-like Aishous army. However, it requires a lot of troops and a lot of time. Sufficient time is needed to turn the conscripted soldiers into elite soldiers who can fight on the battlefield. Perhaps the period of alliance with the Brans army will come to an end. Of course, as the current situation is confusing, there is a high possibility that the Brans army will still not be a threat to our army, but the problem is that there is a very high possibility that our army could become dangerous while taking such time to attack the Aishus army. There are many.”

“In essence, you have to take risks to occupy the country. Shouldn’t we accept a certain amount of loss from a Mahayana perspective?”

“I think I would have said the same thing as Kransis if it were ‘a certain amount of loss’… … The problem is not ‘to what extent’. Even if-”

I unfolded the map by hand.

Pointing to the territory on the map where the northern continent is drawn… … He said in a confident tone.

“What if a rebellion breaks out somewhere here?”

“… … !!!”

“I don’t think there would be any other situation that would be seen as a ‘great opportunity’ for traitors than the situation where the troops on the northern continent are empty to attack the Aethus army. Isn’t it more like our military is seeing the chaotic situation in Brans County as an opportunity?”

This rebuttal came in a woman’s voice.

“Swen. It was only yesterday that traitors were caught and purged one after another. No matter how chaotic the northern continent is, it seems unfounded that rebellions would break out simultaneously in this situation. I’m worried that I’ll end up getting caught up in something that didn’t even happen.”

“… … .”

Honestly, I have nothing to say here either.

The rebellion isn’t like a kid’s joke, the case that failed was just a while ago, but I was stupid.

Because I was essentially thinking the same thing as the woman who spoke out – Jenna.

However, the reason why I claimed that ‘there was a high possibility of a rebellion’ was because it was Serpina’s foolish behavior.

She was expecting a rebellion based solely on my prediction – the conclusion that ‘mobilizing troops is not an efficient method.’

Even though the period of time I’ve been with her wasn’t that long, I was confident that I got along with her quite deeply, so I couldn’t ignore Serpina’s ‘expectations’.

Serpina was a truly outstanding woman. Judging from the fact that he guessed my abilities to that extent in the first place, it seemed like I was not an ordinary person.

Since she doesn’t act based on precise logic, I don’t think she would just stick to intuition, so I guess there must be a basis for me that I can’t explain in words.

anyway.

It may be a pity for Jenna, but the master is on my side, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to shout a little more confidently.

“No.”

“… … !!”

“There will definitely be a rebellion. Even if it is not a rebellion, I cannot agree with the opinion that as long as there is even the slightest possibility of a similar crisis occurring, all troops should be summoned and moved south.”

“Is there even an accurate basis?”

It’s the basis.

I’m a little sorry, but I guess I’ll try to play with words here.

“Master, and Mr. Kransis. I hope you keep in mind that this is not a question of evidence.”

After saying that, I glanced at where Irian was standing.

He caught my gaze, then nodded and said.

“The reason you are advocating for the occupying forces to move south now is because, as you said, now appears to be an ‘extremely good opportunity.’ The same will certainly apply to those evildoers who are planning to revolt. In other words, I am talking about the possibility that our decision may itself become an excuse for treason. If our military is away, won’t it be seen as a ‘very good opportunity’ for them? Lord Swen’s opinion can be viewed as having that in mind.”

‘Hoo?’

He said it quite convincingly for me to say that he derived it from something I just said.

Unlike me, who was not well received by everyone, I could feel the crowd’s gaze changing when Irian, who had a certain status, said something like that.

“But-”

“I think it would be best to end the story here.”

Just as Kransis was about to say something, Serpina cut him off.

“It would be unfair to allocate too much time to Swen. Isn’t it?”

Serpina grinned as she said that.

If you think about who will have the advantage at the end of the story here, her words were very mysterious-

There’s an intimidating feeling in that smile that you can’t dare to touch… … No one could carelessly criticize Serpina’s words.

“Then, let me ask you again. Those who agree with Swen’s opinion should raise their hands.”

At those words, even more people raised their hands than before.

In addition to Irian and Irene, many of those who had originally sided with Kransis’s opinion had passed over.

That number… … It seemed like it was barely halfway through.

“There are more people who agree with Swen’s opinion, even if only slightly.”

Serpina looked at Kransis and said.

“How about it? If you have anything more to say, I can arrange a 1:1 discussion. Of course, it will be you and Swen who step forward.”

After hearing those words, Kransis glanced at where I was, then lowered his head and said.

It’s hard for me to think about this myself, but I think he probably decided that it would be difficult for him, not Jenna, to beat me in a 1:1 debate.

Because I was a strategist and he was a general.

Just as holding the sword was his job, moving the tongue was mine.

“No. it’s okay. I will submit to the decision of my lord and colleagues.”

“Yes.”

Serpina stood up and stretched out her hand again.

“Here, we will adopt Swen’s opinion as our military policy based on the principle of majority voting.”

“”Yes!””

‘Whoa…’ … .’

With this, I was somehow able to act as predicted.

For your information, in all the questions so far, my prediction has been the same as before: moving the occupying force is not efficient.

I don’t know if there was a real rebellion, but this decision itself meant that it was beneficial to our military.

If there was one part that bothered me a little – then it was the question of whether it would be most efficient for the occupation force to remain here.

The result of entering the question that Serpina had just raised her hand to raise her hand was… …

‘It was pretty close.’

It is unclear whether the right answer is to send the occupation force somewhere, or to simply not send it to the direction where the Aishous army is located.

In any case, the point that it is more advantageous to bet on ‘close’ rather than ‘not so’ has not changed.

“With this, we will end the regular meeting. I hope everyone will do their best in their assigned duties. Everyone, I ask you to renew yourselves for the glory of the empire this quarter as well. Then, disperse!”

With everyone responding to Serpina’s command, the regular meeting ended safely.

Now all that’s left is… … There were only consequences to the decision.