Chapter 97

Today, there are three updates, so please be careful.

Also, the name of the river is arbitrary, so there's no need to remember it.

It is June.

Around the time when the ceasefire agreement between the kingdom of Rosais and the kingdom of Domorgal is about to expire.

A significant change occurred in the kingdom of Domorgal.

King Domorgal passed away. The cause was heart disease. He was only forty-five.

King Domorgal died without designating a successor.

And the first to take action was Aldo Domorgal.

Prince Aldo assassinated the opposing faction's noble, who was in the capital at the time, and his own brother, Pax Domorgal, and occupied the capital.

At the same time, the nobles of the Aldo faction began military actions against the nobles of the Pax and Carlo factions.

So far, so good.

But Aldo Domorgal made one mistake.

He let Prince Carlo escape.

The Carlo faction protected Prince Carlo, declared him the rightful king, and placed a crown on his head.

In response, Prince Aldo also proclaimed himself king.

Half of the Pax faction joined the Aldo faction, who had seized the capital.

The other half joined the Carlo faction to avenge their lord.

Thus, the kingdom of Domorgal ended up with two kings, splitting the country in two.

The Aldo faction, who controlled the capital and the royal family's direct territories, had the upper hand.

The Carlo faction, to oppose the Aldo faction, sought reinforcements from the kingdom of Rosais, with whom they had been in contact for some time...

"I will now begin the council of nobles."

I gathered all the nobles in the country and declared this.

Some have not yet arrived, but it is an emergency, so I hope they will understand.

"Now, I believe you are already aware of the agenda. A civil war has broken out in the kingdom of Domorgal. Prince Carlo has come to us for aid. Should we accept it or remain neutral? I would like to hear your opinions."

The first to raise his hand was Raymond.

"Your Majesty, I believe we should remain neutral. If our country takes military action, it will provoke the surrounding countries. Our country is already viewed with hostility by the neighboring nations. We are currently undertaking multiple projects such as flood control and city construction. Considering our current national strength, the maximum number of people we can mobilize is fifteen thousand. Three thousand are engaged in construction, leaving us with twelve thousand in reality. One thousand are the standing army for palace defense, so we can send out eleven thousand. Considering the need to be vigilant against the countries of Evil and Berberdil, we can only send about eight thousand. This is somewhat insufficient to face the great nation of Domorgal."

Specific numbers have been presented.

It's quite clear. Indeed, according to my previous policy, this is correct. We would be finished if we were surrounded.

But...

"Your Majesty, I believe this is an opportunity," said Bartholomew, the lord who would be at the forefront of this war.

"Currently, Aldo Domorgal's army has twenty thousand, and Carlo Domorgal's army has ten thousand. If we add our eight thousand, the difference is only two thousand."

Just two thousand... quite a way of putting it...

"Do you have confidence, Bartholomew? Can you coordinate with our allies?"

"That is the same for the enemy, Your Majesty. This civil war is happening all over the kingdom of Domorgal. We can defeat them one by one. And we are the only ones with a substantial army."

I know Bartholomew's military capabilities are very high.

If he says he can do it, he can. But...

"Isn't the existence of the kingdom of Evil and the kingdom of Berberdil still a risk?"

"Your Majesty, please give us a chance to restore our honor!!"

The one who shouted this was a noble from the former Dibel faction.

The other nobles also seem full of enthusiasm. It appears that only I and Raymond are being cautious.

"We are not going alone. The Equus tribe will also join us. With their mobility and our heavy infantry, victory should be easy."

Bartholomew stated this firmly.

If we can bring down the kingdom of Domorgal, that would be ideal.

It's one strategy to avoid military action to prevent isolation, but another is to boldly break the encirclement before it forms.

This has a high risk of failure without considerable strength, but...

Our country has become a strong nation in just one year since my ascension.

Most of our weapons have been updated to iron. We are fully capable of fighting.

Riding the momentum might be a good strategy.

Moreover, if we don't act here and are called a weak king, it will become a political cancer.

I am the son of the war god Mares... or so the setting goes, so I must be bold.

I can't afford to ruin my image.

"One concern is the kingdom of Rozelle. Will they also intervene? If we clash with the great nation of Rozelle, our country will surely be defeated. Moreover, sharing a border with them is not favorable."

"Currently, Rozelle is also engaged in the subjugation of other Gallic tribes. As for the border, we can use the kingdom of Carlo Domorgal as a buffer zone."

I remember receiving such information.

The current Rozelle kingdom is mobilizing an army of thirty thousand.

I believe the strongest general of the Gauls, General Kryu, has been dispatched to the northern region to unify the Gauls.

The Rozelle kingdom, which can mobilize thirty thousand, is a terrifying great nation, but the Gauls, who cannot be subjugated by that, are also a terrifying people.

The continent is scary. Really.

"Alright. I am in favor. Let's take a vote. Those who agree with this expedition, raise your hands."

Everyone raised their hands.

"King Rosais, it has been a long time. I am Leticia Blaust, the head of the Blaust family."

"It has been a long time, Leticia. Since the peace negotiations."

His parents died partly because of me... but he doesn't seem to hold a grudge.

It would be troublesome if he did, just because of the outcome of the war.

As if sensing my thoughts, Leticia began to speak.

"My father died taking responsibility for the defeat a year ago... but it was his decision. General Tonino is Prince Carlo—our country's indispensable person. An irreplaceable figure. Therefore, my father took all the blame for the defeat and was executed. Many lives were saved because of my father. I am sad, but I hold no grudge."

Hmm... So General Tonino survived, and the head of the Blaust family died for this reason.

Indeed, that general was capable. His siege tactics were nasty.

We won thanks to the Forest of Romano.

Still, General Tonino... you can't sleep with your feet pointing towards the Blaust family's territory.

"Alright, Leticia. Let's hear your business."

I'm not forgetful.

But being too enthusiastic from the start won't lead to a favorable treaty.

I need to create an atmosphere of reluctance, but I might consider it depending on the conditions.

This is the prelude.

"The matter is as stated in our king's letter. We request your assistance in suppressing the rebels."

"Rebels... who exactly are the rebels? It's hard for us to judge."

"Prince Aldo. He has proclaimed himself king and split the country."

"Is Prince Aldo a rebel? I hear he controls the capital and the throne?"

From our perspective, both are princes.

So I won't call him king.

"Prince Aldo seized the capital and the throne through assassination and night raids, which are cowardly acts. The rightful king is Carlo."

"I see. I understand the logic that Prince Aldo is not the rightful king. But what proof do you have that Prince Carlo is the rightful king?"

When I asked this, Leticia first corrected me, saying, "It's King Carlo, not Prince Carlo," and then answered.

"King Carlo is the eldest son. If there is no designation by the previous king, the eldest should naturally become king."

"Hmm? Is that really so? There's also the principle of merit. In this case, the one who controls the capital and the throne and the one who seeks aid from other countries. It's obvious which one has more power, don't you think?"

When I said this maliciously, Leticia was speechless.

In this exchange, the one who wins the argument first wins. The success of the logic doesn't matter.

To capitalize on my victory, I pressed Leticia.

"It's better to support the more powerful side. It will reduce our country's losses. The nobles of Prince Aldo's faction are concentrated in the north, and those of Prince Carlo's faction are in the south. Geographically, a pincer attack from the north and south would be much easier."

I only stated the facts. I didn't say a word about receiving a plea for help from Prince Aldo.

I just reaffirmed the obvious fact that this would be easier.

...He won't be fooled, of course. Prince Aldo is in a stronger position and doesn't need to invite foreign troops.

Inviting foreign troops in a civil war is a last-resort strategy. It should only be done when there are no other options.

This means the Carlo faction is in a very difficult situation.

I'll take a good look at their situation.

"Supporting Prince Carlo is a high-risk move. Can you offer a benefit that matches the risk? A sign of Prince Carlo's sincerity towards me?"

Leticia's face contorted at my words.

He answered in a tone as if he had bitten a hundred bitter insects.

"...How about the territory south of the Harrison River (one-quarter of the kingdom of Domorgal)?"

Wow... quite generous. I thought it would be about one-fifth.

What about the nobles in the territory included in that one-quarter?

Perhaps he's calculating on seizing land from the nobles of Prince Aldo's faction.

"The territory south of the Romus River (one-third of the kingdom of Domorgal). Then we will send reinforcements."

"Wha!! I can't accept such conditions!!"

I see. The territory south of the Harrison River is already quite a stretch.

"Then let's do this. Our country will obtain the territory south of the Harrison River from your country. In return, your country will form an alliance with us and fight together against other ethnic groups. At the official coronation, I, King Rosais, will place the crown on Prince Carlo's head. And Prince Carlo's eldest son will study in our country."

I don't want to share a border with the Rozelle kingdom. The Gauls are scary.

I want to use the kingdom of Domorgal as a buffer zone.

For that, the kingdom of Domorgal can't be too weak. One-third is too much.

"...Are you asking our country to become a vassal state of yours?"

"Vassal state? No. I'm proposing an alliance and friendship. If we fight together, it's only natural to be friends, right?"

Well, how will he respond? For me, territory less than one-quarter is fine.

The important thing is for the kingdom of Domorgal to become an ally. It will eliminate the encirclement concern.

Leticia fell silent for a while, clearly struggling.

"...I have made considerable concessions to your country. The proper reward would be the territory south of the Romus River. If you can't accept this..."

"I understand. But I don't have the authority to decide. I need to consult with the king."

"Alright. I'll wait seven days for your response. However, it would be wise to respond quickly before the situation worsens."

Whether he heard my advice or the situation was truly urgent...

The response came three days later.

The document included a clause stating that "King Rosais will recognize Carlo Domorgal as the king of the kingdom of Domorgal both domestically and internationally," and the rest of the conditions remained the same.

For now, this is a diplomatic victory. Some nobles are dissatisfied, thinking they could have gained more territory... but in diplomacy, you can't win too much.

More victory would be counterproductive.

"Alright, for the selection... Bartholomew. I'm giving you absolute command and eight thousand troops."

Absolute command is a blank check during war.

In other words, you can do whatever it takes to win. Do as you please.

This includes the authority to negotiate peace and post-war arrangements.

I can't go to the battlefield because I need to be cautious of the kingdom of Evil and the kingdom of Berberdil.

I need to send someone, but this is not a regular war but a civil war.

Anything could happen. It wouldn't work if he had to seek my instructions every time.

That's why I gave him full authority.

"I'm counting on you."

"I will not disappoint you. ...Prepare the wine and wait for us, my king."

Bartholomew smiled and left, his red cloak fluttering.

A letter from King Rosais arrived at the Equus tribe.

The matter was simple. He wanted to hire cavalry.

"Hmm... This is not a defensive war, but... I suppose it's fine."

The Equus tribe doesn't seek a just cause for war.

If you lose, it's your own fault. That's all.

This time, the kingdom of Rosais requested four hundred cavalry, one hundred more than last year's war.

The amount of wheat offered as payment was three times last year's.

A good deal.

"Now, who to send... Muzio is the best commander, but..."

The overall commander is a noble.

It's not appropriate to place the prince of our country under the command of just a noble. The kingdom of Rosais and the Equus tribe have an equal alliance.

Besides, Muzio just got married. It would be a bit cruel to separate him from his new family.

After much deliberation, the king of the Equus tribe decided to send one of his generals.

A middle-aged man, in his prime as a general. He should be very useful.

Thus, the combined force of eight thousand from the kingdom of Rosais and four hundred from the Equus tribe, totaling eight thousand four hundred, was dispatched to the kingdom of Domorgal.

Thus, the war began, mocking the year of peace.

This war was the first time King Almus (then King Almus) mobilized his army to invade another country.

Therefore, all subsequent wars in the Adelnia (Romano) Peninsula would be collectively referred to as the "Adelnia (Romano) Peninsula Unification War."

I apologize for interrupting at this exciting point, but my stock is running dangerously low, so I will switch to updating every other day or every three days.

Maybe a clean break is good too.

For now, I'll take a break tomorrow.

I'll work hard to stockpile more.

During the war, it might be bad to end on a cliffhanger, so I might update two or three episodes at a time.