Chapter 9

[The royal authority is a sacred right bestowed by the goddess. It is only natural for the subjects of the kingdom to obey and follow it.]

This was the belief of Grand Duke Alexander, the cousin of the current king, Karl VII.

Born as a noble royal, he had lived his entire life being served and respected. To him, the social hierarchy was something entirely natural.

The privileges and authority exclusive to the royal family were seen as inherent rights, and the idea of rejecting them was unthinkable.

Having always been special since birth, he had no knowledge of the heavy tax burdens or the conscription issues faced by commoners. Even if he knew, he wouldn’t have felt any problem with it.

To him, it was only natural that the lowly commoners sacrificed and offered everything for the royal family.

Having lived his entire life this way, and planning to continue doing so, it was inevitable that he would lose control and rage upon hearing news of the rebellion.

“These damn bastards! Tearing them apart a thousand times and feeding them to dogs wouldn’t be enough! How dare they betray His Majesty’s grace and raise a rebellion?! And these are the ones entrusted with the noble duty of defending the north?!”

As soon as news of the Northern Army’s rebellion reached the capital, a military council was convened.

In the conference hall, filled with high-ranking officers and nobles, Grand Duke Alexander unleashed his fury without restraint, disregarding any sense of decorum or etiquette.

Born into a position that allowed him to act without regard for others, he simply expressed his emotions as he pleased.

“We must punish them immediately. To restore the kingdom’s laws and order, we must crush them completely!!”

“….Please calm down, sir. We are already planning to organize a punitive force.”

Finally, one of the officers, unable to bear the sight of expensive stationery being thrown around and desks being smashed, spoke up.

“We plan to issue a mobilization order, mainly focusing on the reserve forces in the rear. Once they join the troops stationed in the capital, we will easily overwhelm the rebels. Please be patient.”

The forces currently stationed in and around the capital amount to roughly 50,000. This includes 10,000 royal guards, 30,000 capital defense troops, and 10,000 others.

If we gather the nearby units that haven’t been deployed in the war with the empire, we can form an army of at least 80,000 within three weeks.

The rebel army is said to be around 40,000, so we would have nearly double their numbers.

The basic principle of the art of war is to use superior numbers to minimize losses and defeat the enemy.

For now, it would be logical to hold our ground and switch to a counteroffensive once reinforcements arrive.

That would be the best strategy to minimize losses and decisively crush the rebellion.

“As time goes on, the rebels’ supplies will dwindle. Their momentum will inevitably wane soon. We should wait for that moment and then strike decisively—”

“No, no!! Such cowardly tactics won’t demonstrate the royal family’s majesty!!”

Unfortunately, Grand Duke Alexander was far from being a man of military rationality.

“We can’t show the kingdom struggling against traitors! We must display the royal family’s greatness and power to the people. A war of attrition? Absolutely not!”

Military advantages mean nothing.

This is a rebellion suppression. It must not be prolonged, and maintaining the royal family’s and the army’s dignity is the most important value.

To him, a glorious victory was more important than minimizing losses or ensuring a safe battle.

Only then could they suppress the war-weary public and elevate the monarch’s majesty.

“I will lead the charge myself. I will show the royal family’s power with the royal guards.”

“It’s too dangerous, sir. The rebels must have their own plans and are likely heading towards the capital. If we recklessly engage them, we could suffer heavy losses.”

Up to this point, the logic might have been somewhat understandable.

In situations where political interests outweigh practical concerns, this is common.

At least, those attending the military council could understand the rationale behind the plan.

But Grand Duke Alexander’s real problem was just beginning.

“Ha! What threat can those lowlifes from the northern snowfields pose? I’ll just swing my sword a few times, and they’ll fall like bugs!”

For someone who had always enjoyed special treatment, common sense and proper judgment were sorely lacking. Instead, arrogance, self-righteousness, and endless pride filled that void.

The Grand Duke saw this situation as an extended version of the peasant rebellions that had occurred a few times in the past.

The main actors had changed from commoners to soldiers, but in the end, it was all the same to him.

He had plenty of combat experience, but so what? In front of the royal guards’ bullets and blades, they were all just small fry. If they fought properly, victory was assured.

The Grand Duke truly believed this. He had always been victorious, and this time would be no different.

And.

‘If I lead the charge, I can claim all the credit. This is my chance to aim for the positions of finance minister or foreign minister.’

He was driven by a lust for power. This was why he insisted on a swift battle, forcing his biased views.

Only by fighting and winning according to his strategy could he use this event to strengthen his political standing.

Therefore, anything other than his own opinion was wrong. He wanted it that way and had to make it so. This was the real reason behind his stubbornness.

“The royal guards and Your Excellency’s strength are undeniable. But we need to be cautious.”

“Excessive caution only benefits the enemy! Don’t you realize that the more you hesitate, the more you increase the enemy’s chances of winning?”

“How does understanding the enemy’s movements and strengthening our forces lead to our disadvantage—”

–Slap!

The officer who had been arguing with Grand Duke Alexander couldn’t finish his sentence. He was suddenly slapped across the face.

“Enough of your nonsense. I don’t have time to waste arguing with a fool like you. I will lead the royal guards and the capital defense troops to march out the day after tomorrow. Make sure you understand!!”

“….Understood. May fortune favor you.”

With the conclusion forced upon them, there was no room for further discussion. Especially since it came from the Grand Duke, who was second only to the king and the crown prince in the kingdom.

The meeting ended in chaos.

Two days later, most of the main forces in the capital would march out to engage the rebel army in battle.

* * * * *

“General, sir. Do you have a moment?”

On the way back from the conference hall to the office, someone called out to the officer who had been slapped by the Grand Duke.

“Lieutenant General Holtman. What is it?”

“About His Excellency the Grand Duke…. Is it really alright to let him take the army like this?”

In response to his subordinate’s concern, General Alfred von Albrecht sighed.

“Of course it’s not alright. Mobilizing troops so recklessly, ignoring the chain of command. It’s only because of his status that we can’t stop him.”

“Then shouldn’t we inform His Majesty and try to change the plan….”

“Do you think that’s easy? His Majesty and the Grand Duke are very close. By the time we persuade him, the Grand Duke will have already left.”

The power of blood ties is terrifying. It clouds people’s judgment.

It was clear that by the time we explained to the king how irrational the Grand Duke’s decision was, the operation would have already begun. It would be a waste of time.

“You should prepare to surrender quickly once the Grand Duke is defeated. We need to save our miserable lives somehow.”

“…..You’re already certain of defeat.”

“I have to be.”

General Albrecht sighed.

“The Grand Duke has no idea how monstrous the Northern Army is.”

“I’ve heard they’re strong, but aren’t they just a conscripted force? They can’t compare to the royal guards and the elite central army.”

“Ha! You’re making a huge mistake.”

Lieutenant General Holtman received a look of pity and frustration.

“The Northern Army’s combat tactics are completely different from ours. For them, every step from engaging the enemy to returning to base is part of the battle.”

“Huh? Isn’t that the same for us?”

“No. For us, even if we fall behind in battle or get lost on the battlefield, we don’t have to worry about dying.”

In the vast plains or hilly areas of the west or east, even if you pass out during battle or fail to return to base immediately after combat, it doesn’t matter. You won’t die.

You can rest and return to the main force the next day without any issues. Such soldiers are common, so there’s no specific punishment for it.

But in the north?

In the snowfields where the biting cold is a daily reality, if you fall behind, do you think you can survive?

In a blizzard where you can’t see an inch ahead, what are the chances of not freezing to death?

That’s why for the Northern Army, returning is part of the battle. If you don’t have the strength to return, even if you win the battle, you’ll die on the way back.

To think about such stamina management while killing the enemy in front of you…. It’s not something just anyone can do.

They’ve fought through such battles hundreds of times. From the very beginning.

“Those guys are fundamentally different from us pampered nobles. Each soldier is a killing machine that has survived over a decade in extreme battlefields.”

The royal guards? They may have high-end equipment, but they have zero combat experience. What chance do those spoiled brats have? They can’t handle anything more than suppressing peasant uprisings.

They’ll be crushed, and many will die. If even 10% survive, it’ll be a miracle.

“If you understand what I’m saying, go and prepare. If you want to live a little longer, hurry.”

“Ah, understood.”

Lieutenant General Holtman had no choice but to silently follow General Albrecht’s orders.

* * * * *

And two weeks and two days after the defeat of the 19th Division.

“There they are, the traitors!”

“Here come the stupid royal dogs! Prepare for battle!”

South of the Tiora River, Lieutenant General Karolus von Roytel’s revolutionary army and Grand Duke Alexander’s suppression force faced each other.