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Vol 05 Chapter 167: The Third Southern Campaign III

「Why didn’t you come to reinforce us sooner?! We lost because of you!」

「What are you talking about? It was your poor leadership! You barbarian!」

Bound together and quarreling behind me were the Nemes general and the Gallian mercenary captain.

These two might actually get along better than they think.

「Now, I’d like to ask both of you… how many troops are left in Lezado and Nemes?」

「I will never tell you anything! I’m a warrior, I will not sell my country! You barbarian!」

「…If I tell you, will you guarantee the safety of my men?」

The first to speak was the enraged Nemes general, the second was the coolheaded Gallian mercenary captain.

As expected, mercenaries are more concerned about their own men than the safety of their employers.

「You bastard! Are you betraying us?!」

「Betraying or not, I’m just answering their questions. I’m a mercenary captain; I have a duty to protect my men!」

The two started arguing again.

Well, neither of them is wrong, though neither is exactly right, either.

「Captain, I will guarantee the safety of your men. Can you give me their names?」

The mercenary captain listed about twenty names of his direct subordinates.

Things would be easier if they are still alive, but…

「These twenty men will not be enslaved and will be released later. But for that to happen, I need you to cooperate with us as much as possible.」

「…Fine. Release them as soon as you confirm my information is accurate, please.」

「Hey! You bastard!」

Ignoring the noisy Nemes general, the mercenary captain began to talk extensively about the remaining forces in Lezado and Nemes.

According to the captain, Lezado had about three thousand Germanis mercenaries left. Nemes had around two thousand reserve troops remaining.

Neither of them is a significant threat. The real problem is Alexios.

If Lezado deploys Alexios from now on, the war won’t be as easy as it was until now.

「Your Majesty, a letter from Lord Abraham of Gehenna has arrived.」

「Show it to me.」

I took the letter from the guard, broke the seal, and read its contents.

…

「It seems Gehenna has declared war on Nemes. Five thousand of Gehenna’s heavy infantry are pouring into Nemes.」

「That man is a real vulture, that geezer intends to steal Nemes from under our noses.」

Bartolo shrugged.

Indeed.

We didn’t struggle too much to win the last battle, but we had losses, and the cost of mobilizing forty thousand troops is not small, and now he has the nerve to swoop in and snatch Nemes away. He must have refrained from attacking Lezado because he knew I wouldn’t forgive him if he went that far.

「However, Nemes will likely focus on defense. With two thousand troops, they should hold out for a while. We only have to defeat Nemes before he can.」

「To do that we need to finish capturing Lezado as soon as possible.」

Lezado has three thousand troops remaining, they can’t win against us in an open battle.

But if it turns into a siege, their Germanis mercenary cavalry won’t be able to leverage their mobility.

Either way, our victory is certain.

Now it’s a matter of how much time it will take.

「If we rush too much, it could affect the battle. We’ve had continuous fights today, so let’s set up camp and rest. We should reach Lezado proper in five days. Patience is key.」

「I understand. We have an overwhelming numerical advantage. There’s no reason we can’t win.」

There are several small city-states between here and Lezado, but we can ignore them. They can’t do much anyway.

We might as well issue a surrender notice now. I’m willing to give them the status of Allied cities but nothing more.

◇

That night…

「So, how should we advance starting tomorrow?」

「We’ll split the army into two.」

Split it in two? Is that wise?

「The enemy has three thousand troops. We have forty-three thousand. Even divided, our forces are more than sufficient. We’ll create a detachment of ten thousand to conquer the small city-states between us and Lezado. As for the commander… any patrician will do.」

Well, I have to lead the main force tasked with conquering Lezado. And I can’t do it without Bartolo, I’m not exactly a great commander. I might be able to win against a run-of-the-mill general, but if Alexios shows up I’m toast.

Conquering the small city-states can be done by almost anyone.

「Then let’s appoint Ron and Gram. Each will lead five thousand. They should be able to handle that.」

「That sounds good. It’s a great opportunity for them to earn merits.」

Conquering even a small city-state is a significant achievement. I, who was at that time a simple village head, even became one of the country’s leading patricians after conquering a small country.

It will be a valuable experience for them.

「What about Alexios?」

「…Aren’t you being overly cautious of him? With three thousand cavalry, there’s not much he can do. Unless, of course, we had no cavalry at all, but our cavalry numbers are equal…」

「Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m not doubting your abilities. It’s just… better to be safe than sorry.」

Among the generals I’ve encountered so far, the ones I consider truly exceptional are Bartolo, Alexios, and Kuryuu.

Even with twice the number of troops, I wouldn’t feel confident facing any of these three.

Of course, I think Bartolo is the best of them, but there’s always the chance of an unexpected turn. Bartolo isn’t undefeated, after all.

「Well, it’s true that Alexios Barca is a significant threat. I have a strategy for dealing with him though. In the event we face Alexios Barca, we’ll place a phalanx of allied forces in the front. Our maniples will guard the flanks and rear, and we’ll position three thousand cavalry on each wing. This should prevent any breakthroughs.」

The phalanx is extremely strong against frontal attacks. Its front is impenetrable. The maniples, which are more flexible and have better mobility, will cover the vulnerable flanks.

By securing our defenses completely and countering their cavalry with our own… it’s a solid plan.

It’s not flashy, but it’s very reliable and hard to break. Even Alexios Barca would find it difficult to overcome.

「Given that the enemy is vastly outnumbered, it will likely come down to a siege. Fortunately, we have plenty of siege weapons.」

「We can transport them directly from our country using the river after all.」

The main disadvantage of siege weapons is their weight. Even when disassembled, they are bulky.

Thus, they are usually made on-site.

For complex siege weapons like ballistae, it’s a different story, but a battering ram can be made by simply cutting down a tree and sharpening its end.

However, a battering ram alone often lacks the necessary power to quickly break the gates. This typically results in prolonged sieges, but not this time.

「Alright, let’s call Ron and Gram. We need to explain the situation to them.」

I ordered the guards to summon Ron and Gram.

Once they arrived, I explained the details of the detachment to them.

「You won’t be part of the main attack on Lezado, but this will still be a significant achievement. While the credit for the Lezado campaign will mostly go to Bartolo, conquering the surrounding city-states will be entirely your accomplishment. I have high expectations for you.」

Upon hearing this, Ron and Gram looked tense.

「Understood, Lead… Your Majesty! We’ll live up to your expectations!」

「It’s my first time commanding five thousand troops, but I’ll get it done!」

Ron and Gram nodded firmly.

They should be fine.

「I’ll send some of my best non-commissioned officers and adjutants to assist you. Listen to their advice carefully. And as for the siege tactics…」

Bartolo began an impromptu lecture. Ron and Gram listened with serious expressions.

As Bartolo’s talk reached its critical points…

「Your Majesty, urgent news! I come with important news that requires your attention. May I enter?」

「Hurry in.」

A guard rushed into the tent.

What could have happened?

「It appears that the Pofenian Republic’s army has landed on the southern coast of Lezado! They are heading straight for Lezado…」

The Pofenian Republic…

I recall that the Pofenian Republic is a country located on the southern continent, south of the Adernian Peninsula. If I remember correctly, Pofenia is one of the biggest players on the Tethys Sea and is in conflict with the Kirisians…

It’s also Alexios’ homeland.

「What is going on? Are they here to assist Lezado, or are they trying to take advantage of the war?」

「Th-that is unknown. The magician’s owl only identified the flag… the numbers are also unclear.」

We don’t even know their numbers, huh? However, it’s unlikely to be just a thousand or two.

They are a major power. It’s safe to assume their forces number in the tens of thousands.

「First, let’s send an envoy. We don’t know their intentions… but whether they’re here to aid Lezado or to take advantage of the war to conquer Lezado themselves, they are certainly our enemies.」

That’s true. I have no intention of retreating here. As long as they don’t retreat, Pofenia is an enemy.

「What about the plan to split the army into two?」

「We’ll have to cancel it. We should prioritize defeating the Pofenian army first. Since we don’t know their numbers, it’s better to be cautious. Conquering the small city-states can wait until after Lezado falls.」

◇

Noon, the day after the Pofenian army landed on the southern coast of Lezado…

「It’s nice that my house arrest has been lifted, but I can’t believe not a single councilor remains here. Honestly…」

Alexios shrugged his shoulders.

The day before around noon, the news of the devastating defeat of the Lezado-Nemes allied forces reached Lezado, throwing the Lezado parliament into utter chaos. The council was in turmoil, with factions arguing for total resistance and others advocating for surrender, resulting in a massive brawl.

At that moment, a declaration of war from the Pofenian Republic was delivered to Lezado.

The southern Kirisian city-states of the Adernian Peninsula, including Lezado, had been at odds with Pofenia over the territorial rights of the island of Triskelia.

Pofenia declared war on Lezado to seize control of the entire island of Triskelia. By capturing Lezado, they would secure naval dominance over the waters between Triskelia and the Adernian Peninsula.

It was clear that Pofenia’s target was the city of Lezado and its port.

Upon receiving news of the Pofenian army’s landing, the Lezado council plunged into even greater chaos. Many council members gathered their belongings and fled overland to Gehenna.

Rather than face the invasion of Pofenia or King Rosais’ Country, they chose to seek refuge with their fellow Kirisians in Gehenna.

「Well, maybe I should flee too. It seems my employer has vanished. Melia, let’s gather our belongings and seek asylum too. We won’t be treated poorly in King Rosais’ Country.」

「Indeed. King Rosais seemed to hold us in high regard. We could buy some land in the countryside and live quietly.」

As they discussed this, Alexios and Melia began to pack their belongings. Just then, several men approached.

「Wait, please!!」

「You… haven’t fled?」

Those who visited Alexios were council members who had remained in Lezado.

There were two types of council members in Lezado: the representatives of merchants engaged in intermediary trade via ships, and the representatives of craftsmen and shopkeepers residing in Lezado.

Though the latter group was smaller in number, they possessed stronger patriotism.

Of the council members, about seventy percent had fled. Approximately thirty percent remained in Lezado.

「Please, defend Lezado. There’s no one else who can lead us!」

「But you see…」

「We’ll pay you! Even if we have to borrow money!!」

The council members knelt and bowed their heads in desperation.

「But where are the soldiers? Without troops…」

「You have us!!」

It was the men of Lezado who appeared. They brought weapons from their homes.

Among them were men wearing pots on their heads, using pot lids as shields, and wielding brooms with knives attached to the ends, the group looked more like a comedic troupe than soldiers.

The men, now gathered, stared straight at Alexios. Their eyes were filled with a firm resolve to protect their homeland.

「…But amateurs alone won’t be enough. Facing both King Rosais’ Country and Pofenia is impossible.」

「…We will surrender to King Rosais. Even if we lose our autonomy, it’s better than being plundered by Pofenia’s mercenaries!」

Pofenia was a country predominantly whose army was made up of mercenaries. Their army was notoriously ill-behaved.

Towns occupied by Pofenia ended completely destroyed, with all the valuables stolen, the children killed, and the women violated.

Compared to that, King Rosais’ rule was far more preferable.

「But, you see, our employment relationship ended when you imprisoned me. …Trusting me only when it’s convenient and crying for help only when you’re in trouble is rather selfish, isn’t it?」

「…We understand. But we want to protect our homeland!!」

The desire to protect their homeland. It was a foreign concept to Alexios.

Alexios hated both the Pofenian Republic and the Barca family.

He sighed.

「Sigh… This is pointless. Mercenaries only move after weighing profit against risk. This situation leans heavily toward danger. No amount of money can make me take this on.」

Alexios firmly refused and declared:

「However, you did take us in when we eloped. Even if you did that because of your own interests and you betrayed me later, the fact that you helped us still remains. Running away now sets a bad example for my children, so I suppose I have no choice. I’ll take this on without pay. All I have to do is protect this city from that Pofenian scum, right?」

Alexios smiled as he said this.