Chapter 8

“We will depart tomorrow morning! Make sure to eat and get plenty of rest before then!”

“All injured soldiers, no matter how minor the injury, gather at the field hospital! We still have plenty of medical supplies, so we’ll treat you!”

“All officers of lieutenant colonel rank and above from each unit, gather at the headquarters! Lieutenant General Roytel has called for a military council!”

War is always more troublesome after the fighting than during it.

Clearing the corpses scattered on the ground, wiping away the blood, burning or burying the bodies to prevent epidemics. Ah, and on top of that, tallying the material consumption and reorganizing the units.

Regardless of the scale of the battle, a mountain of work and paperwork is forced upon us.

Moreover, what we’re fighting now is a civil war. Both us and our enemies are from the same kingdom.

We have to identify and record all the casualties from both sides, which is no easy task. One mistake, and it could directly affect the morale of the entire unit.

“Baden, I’m leaving unit management to you.”

“…..You mean the entire Revolutionary Army and the 19th Division that just joined us?”

“Yes. I can’t handle both strategy and administration at the same time.”

“I’ve never managed such a large unit before….”

“If you want to get promoted and become a commander, you need this kind of experience. If we capture the capital, I’ll add a star to your rank, so do your best.”

“To, to lieutenant general? I’ll do my best!!”

If it were like the old days in the Northern Army, I’d handle it myself, but now I have other tasks, so I’ve entrusted it to Brigadier General Baden under my command.

Though his field command skills are a bit lacking, he has a talent for administration, so I’ve had my eye on him.

At first, he tried to back out, saying he wasn’t confident, but when I mentioned making him a three-star general, his eyes lit up. As expected, there’s no better carrot for a soldier than a promotion.

Truth be told, as a deputy commander, I don’t have the authority to decide on promotions….but, does it really matter?

Once we take the capital and overthrow everything, we can do as we please. As they say, the one with power makes the rules after capturing the royal palace and subduing the nobles.

“Then, good luck. I’m off to the meeting.”

“Yes! Good luck to you too, Lieutenant General!”

Thus freed from paperwork, I gathered the core officers of the Revolutionary Army in the barracks the day after the battle.

The purpose of the meeting was to decide on the future advance route and strategy.

“Is everyone here?”

“All except the medical officers.”

“Those guys are doctors, not soldiers, so it doesn’t matter. Let’s get straight to the point.”

I unfolded a map of the entire kingdom on the desk.

It was a precious, detailed map showing cities, terrain, and transportation routes—one of only a few in the entire Northern Army.

“Thanks to the comrades from the 19th Division joining us, our forces now number around 48,000. It’s not a small force, but it’s still not enough to directly attack the capital.”

The capital is garrisoned by the royal guards and central standing army. A direct clash would result in significant casualties.

“Therefore, before attacking, we need to further bolster our strength and weaken the enemy’s forces.”

“So you plan to subdue and recruit nearby units.”

“Not all of them, just some. We don’t have time to swallow everything in our path.”

I looked up at Brigadier General Elan, the former deputy commander of the 19th Division.

“According to the map, the closest units are the 15th Division and the 39th Grenadier Regiment. Do you know anything about their commanders?”

“The 39th Regiment…if I recall correctly, it’s Colonel Holland’s unit. It’s a local defense force, so most of the soldiers and officers are from the south.”

“I’m from the south too, so communication won’t be an issue. What about their political leanings?”

“They’re more loyal to their homeland than to the royal family. When I met them before, they didn’t make any particularly patriotic remarks.”

Perfect conditions. If I handle it right, they might just join us willingly.

Grenadiers are elite troops specializing in grenade warfare. Such a unit would be a great asset in strengthening the Revolutionary Army’s forces.

“What about the 15th Division?”

“Probably…similar in disposition to our former division commander.”

“So, they’re hopeless hardliners.”

On the other hand, since they’re of the same ilk as Brigadier General Hainburg, we’ll treat them the same. We’ll target the lower ranks to subdue them.

“How much paper do we have left in stock?”

“Probably still hundreds of thousands of sheets. Why do you ask?”

“Use it to print a ton of leaflets and distribute them. Offer a hefty reward for killing or capturing the division commander and his loyal officers. Add a warning that refusal will result in annihilation.”

It’s not hundreds of people, just a handful. Kill or capture the division commander and a few officers, and the safety of the entire unit is guaranteed.

With the 19th Division already crushed and absorbed, and our forces targeting them, how many do you think will resist after receiving the leaflets?

Even if the soldiers’ loyalty is strong, there will inevitably be a few troublemakers.

After an assassination attempt, the officers will lose trust in each other, fearing they could be next.

This plan, regardless of its success, will sow distrust and wariness within the 15th Division.

If they don’t want the unit to collapse, they’ll have no choice but to surrender and join us. Though, given the division commander’s disposition, the chances are slim.

“We’ll also write in detail about our cause and the reasons for the revolution.”

“The content can be whatever you think is appropriate. It’s just a minor trick, so it doesn’t have to succeed.”

The result doesn’t matter.

As long as it causes internal division and weakens the unit, that’s enough. If the 19th Division stays quiet until we enter the capital, that’s all we need.

In this medieval fantasy world, paper is a valuable resource, but it’s a cheap price to pay to bring down a division.

“While we subdue and recruit these two units, we’ll continue our advance south. Roughly…up to this point. We’ll stop after crossing the Tiora River.”

I pointed to a large river cutting across the kingdom’s territory on the map.

“Isn’t that too close to the capital? At an average marching speed, it’s only five days away.”

“That’s the point. To lure the high and mighty in the capital to come out and fight us.”

The Tiora River holds a similar significance to the Rubicon River of the Roman Empire. It’s where Caesar famously declared, “The die is cast,” and crossed.

Crossing it brings us dangerously close to the heart of the nation, and the river is shallow.

Because of this, except for certain units like the royal guards, crossing the river is forbidden for most armies.

Thus, it’s also a perfect place to demonstrate our resolve.

If we cross a place we’re not supposed to, what else can it be but rebellion?

The central nobles and royals will be furious, their faces turning red and purple. They’ll immediately demand that we be crushed.

Hearing my plan, the officers tilted their heads and questioned.

“Your idea sounds plausible, Lieutenant General…but will it really work as intended?”

“What if the pigs in the capital ignore us and stay holed up in the palace?”

A valid point.

From a common-sense perspective, holding out in a siege would increase their chances of defeating us. It’s standard to assume they won’t take the bait and just stay put.

But hey, aren’t you guys forgetting something? Since when has this country ever followed ‘common sense’?

“Do you think those bastards, who abandoned the frontlines because they ran out of money for luxuries, would make such rational decisions?”

“Ah.”

The officers nodded in understanding at a single remark.

Yes, this country doesn’t operate on reason. Drop your preconceptions. It’ll make things easier.

“We’ll cross the Tiora River and burn our bridges. The nearby terrain is a plain with no hills or ridges. It’s the perfect condition for a decisive battle.”

It’s about ten days from here to the Tiora River.

Assuming the capital hears of our rebellion, locates us, and forms a suppression force, it’ll take at least two weeks.

They’ll need time to march and scout, so we have about two and a half weeks of leeway.

After a long march and a few days of rest, we’ll be ready for a proper battle. It’s a pretty good schedule.

“Here, we’ll annihilate the suppression force and use that momentum to crush the remaining forces in the capital. It’s not a difficult task at all.”

“What if we encounter other units in the meantime? There are still other troublesome forces besides the 15th Division and the 39th Regiment.”

“Ignore them. Handle them the same way as the 15th Division. We don’t have time to deal with every small fry.”

The longer we take, the higher the chance the royals and nobles in the capital will flee. A swift victory is our top priority.

“That’s it for the meeting. Go back and rest now.”

* * * * *

As expected, Karolus’s prediction hit the mark.

“How dare they reject His Majesty’s grace and rise in rebellion?! Mobilize the royal guards at once! I’ll crush those scoundrels with all my might and restore order to the kingdom!!”

A few days later, upon hearing the news of the Revolutionary Army’s formation, Grand Duke Alexander led the capital’s main forces out beyond the fortress walls.