Chapter 133

During the seven days of rest, I met with commanders and soldiers during the day to encourage their morale.

At night, I focused on spreading the conflicts between noblemen of baron rank and knights, such as Balt, Frost, and Beerman, while also highlighting how Colonel Samuel had faced discrimination and persecution under my command.

Surely among the nobles under Architel, there are fools who think this will influence the outcome of the war…

Then, as planned, we leisurely marched for three days towards the Waine Plain, then arrived at the plain near the river I had previously scouted.

Upon arrival, I ordered my adjutant beside me.

“Have the soldiers set up camp here. After the camp is established, the company commanders must directly ensure that the non-commissioned officers and above are familiar with the tactics.”

Although I said this, the content of the tactics taught to the non-commissioned officers is quite simple.

At most, it would involve understanding who to follow when the leader of their squad or company is killed during battles conducted at the battalion level, or what formation to adopt when encountering enemies in front of them.

Under normal circumstances, such training would be conducted voluntarily by the company commanders, but now there’s the variable of matchlock rifles.

Especially in a situation where visibility is restricted due to the smoke from matchlock rifles, if the pike or musket soldiers take even a little longer to emerge… they risk being fired upon by friendly forces.

“Yes, understood. I will immediately command the company commanders to ensure thorough training.”

“I trust you. And since we are on the battlefield now, I must go meet Duke Architel.”

Upon hearing that, the adjutant nodded, then called a soldier with a gesture, saying,

“His Excellency is going to meet Duke Architel. Inform Frost Battalion that His Excellency is on his way.”

“Yes, sir.”

**

When I arrived near Count Architel’s camp, leading a guard, a knight greeted me with a courteous demeanor and then asked.

“Are you Count SIEL von Croilet?”

“Yes. I wish to meet His Majesty Duke Architel before the war begins.”

Upon hearing this, the knight looked at me and asked in a curt voice.

“Understood. Please follow me. However, only about five guards are allowed to enter. Is that acceptable?”

Seeing the limit of just five guards, it was clear they intended to intimidate me from the start.

However, there is no need for me to be cowed by those who cannot touch me before the war even begins.

“Very well. Lieutenant Frost and Lieutenant Mark, bring three soldiers and follow me. We’ll drink the wine Duke Architel provides together.”

After that, I observed the inside of Duke Architel’s camp.

There were wooden barricades made from pointed trees, tents and campfires set up at appropriate intervals, various weapons, and carts.

In the center of the camp stood flags symbolizing the nobles leading their respective units, and all the soldiers were equipped with iron armor and weapons.

If even the lower-ranking soldiers were given iron armor and proper weapons, knights and other elite soldiers would surely be equipped with even better gear and support.

After walking for about 10 minutes, I saw a tent with a flag depicting an eagle holding grapes, symbolizing Duke Architel.

The knight guiding me, upon reaching this tent, loudly called out.

“Your Majesty Duke Architel, Count SIEL von Croilet has arrived. May I let him in?”

“Let him in.”

As soon as this was said, I ignored the knight beside me and entered the tent directly.

Inside the tent stood an impressive elderly man in his seventies, dressed in armor emblazoned with his family crest and sporting a white beard, alongside a young man in his twenties who looked somewhat simple-minded.

Surely the man in his seventies is Duke Architel, and the young man… perhaps his son?

While lost in thought, Duke Architel extended his hand towards me, saying,

“I am the Duke of Architel, Jean von Architel. The one beside me is Wini von Helzman, the illegitimate son of Count Helzman.”

“I am Count SIEL von Croilet.”

After introducing ourselves, I took the hand extended by the duke, but…

He gripped my hand so strongly that I thought it might shatter.

I felt a considerable amount of pain, but if I were to yield here, it would mean conceding in this psychological battle, so I gripped his hand as tightly as I could.

After about a minute of a grip contest, the duke stroked his white beard and said,

“Indeed, you are strong, just like the one who defeated the Maxburg bastard.”

No, it’s the man in his seventies, still riding horses in armor in this medieval European world, who seems to be the most formidable…

Though this thought crossed my mind, I forced it aside and replied.

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

“No, I came here thinking this war would be my last… to think I could face such a strong and wise young man like you… it is a blessing from Deus.”

What he said was overtly condescending, as if he viewed me as beneath him, yet there was genuine respect and caution in the duke’s gaze and voice.

However, I had no intention of indulging in such knightly games, so to avoid unnecessary banter, I spoke with determination.

“Thank you. In the spirit of accepting your goodwill, I would like to secure a private time after the war to drink together and discuss this battle.”

“Very well. I shall prepare delicious wine and meat. The wine of Architel is the best in Europa, so look forward to it.”

As soon as those words concluded, a tense atmosphere began to settle between us, and I looked directly into the duke’s eyes and said.

“Originally, we would have preferred to drink joyfully with Your Majesty after our victory and hold peace negotiations, but… did you not bring the illegitimate son of Count Helzman with you, claiming that should we lose this war, you would return the Count’s territory?”

“I simply stated the most natural thing. It is only right to return the territory to the rightful lord to govern… what is the problem with that?”

No, your pretext for returning that territory is just a means to eat up Count Helzman’s territory, and you are planning to either kill or make the illegitimate son standing beside you a puppet afterward.

By doing that, your only obligation would be to pay reparations to Emperor Franche and the nobles, allowing you to seize a count’s territory without any resistance from other nobles.

And after hearing those words, the illegitimate son of Count Helzman, Wini von Helzman, seemingly emboldened, glared at me loudly.

“Exactly! I am the rightful Count of Helzman, so I have the right to reclaim the Count’s territory and reconstruct my family. And Deus will prove that this is justified in this war!”

Though he is worthless enough to kill, as Architel intends to use him as a justification to reclaim Count Helzman’s fief…

By using this illegitimate son, the conditions of compensation required from Duke Architel upon defeat in the war can be set even harsher.

I need to modify the clauses regarding the war so that I can secure a significant portion of the enemy’s territory.

So I turned my attention to the foolish illegitimate son right before my eyes and spoke politely.

“If we win, it is only right that I, SIEL von Croilet, am deemed just. Therefore, our proposed conditions will also be just.”

“There’s no way a count could win, but of course that will be the case.”

“Then… our demand is for half of Architel’s territory to be ceded. This should be fair for both sides, wouldn’t you agree? Also, since this war is a rightful duel, I would like to include a clause prohibiting further declarations of war for repossession of lost territories afterwards.”

Wini von Helzman, the illegitimate son of Helzman, seemed to think that there was no way a duke with a highly elite force could lose, as he grinned at Duke Architel.

“Regardless, Duke Your Majesty will win for my sake, so what reason is there to worry?”

The duke momentarily looked at him as if to say, “What makes you think you can decide the terms of the treaty?” but soon relaxed his expression.

Certainly, he must think that even if the fool makes a mistake here, they will still win in the end.

And instantly, if I were to express reluctance to the terms… thoughts about rumors circulating among the soldiers regarding Duke Helzman worrying about defeat would diminish their morale.

Additionally, if one disregards the power of matchlock rifles, I too believe that the duke, with twice the number of knights compared to us, will win.

“Certainly, that boldness is fitting for the son of Count Helzman! Very well. Then let us meet on the battlefield tomorrow, Count Croilet.”

“Agreed. Then please affix your seal to this contract here. I have already stamped mine.”

As soon as those words concluded, the duke stamped the document in silence.

And thus, all preparations for the war began.

**

In ordinary times, I would have gathered the soldiers and begun a war of words before starting a war…

However, since the purpose of starting this war was to actively defend rather than attack, there was no justification to diminish the morale of the enemy through a verbal spar.

Thus, there was no need to order the soldiers to assemble and rearrange their formations for a speech that would yield little effect.

Now I stand behind the pikemen, accompanied by the matchlock rifle regiment.

That being said, I have no intention of commanding the regiment.

I had merely come to verify the firepower of the matchlock rifle regiment and provide vague guidance on how to move based on the enemy infantry’s response.

After a short while, a flag with a black eagle began to appear in the distance.

At that moment, the pikemen aimed their spears toward the enemy, while I and the matchlock rifle regiment moved forward in a dense formation toward the enemy.

After advancing, I and the matchlock soldiers set up the pavises we had brought to shield ourselves during the enemy’s long-range fire.

Once set up, the soldiers grasped the preloaded matchlock rifles in one hand and crouched behind the shields.

Upon hiding, both the enemy and our forces began to unleash a tremendous barrage of long-range weapons such as bows and crossbows upon one another.

Arrows and stones struck our pavises; some even hit our armor, and a few unfortunate soldiers began to fall, injured or killed from shots that struck the gaps in their armor.

After approximately 10 or 15 minutes, a shout rang out among the soldiers.

“Stand up! 70 meters! There are enemies 70 meters ahead!!”

Along with that command, the soldiers rose up from behind the pavises, aiming their matchlock rifles at the enemy.

And… they pulled the triggers.