A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

324 – Siege of Orosol (1)

Imperial troops have appeared throughout the Nostrum Kingdom!

“Even so, not all territories will be in the same situation as Sirene, father.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Although it has not been confirmed yet.”

After returning from Sirene to Gibraltar, I obtained clearer information about the current situation.

“1/3 is false. 1/3 is small-scale guerrilla warfare. The remaining 1/3 is a scorched-earth operation by dispatching large-scale troops such as the County of Sirene.”

Just because the imperial army appeared everywhere, it does not mean that all territories were in the same situation as the County of Sirene.

“The rumors spread in places like the Barcelona Governor-General would have been misrepresented. Unless the Imperial Shadows step forward first, there is no reason for the Imperial Army to come out.”

“You took care of them.”

“Yes. Thanks to Noir.”

While I was down in Sirene, the Whites from Noir cleaned up the Barcelona Governor-General.

‘The number of administrators in the Government General remains about 100.’

Where did the remaining 200 people disappear?

Um.

‘If you fight two people each, there are exactly 200 people.’

There was a little battle.

Quite a few people died in the process, but although the knights of Gibraltar were seriously injured, they did not die.

“It’s a shame.”

“Because they are imperial people.”

Since they came here after the fall of the Marquis de Barcels, it would be more encouraging to know that as many as 100 people decided to defect to Gibraltar in that short period of time.

“It’s okay. Now that they’re on the same boat, they can’t get off even if they want to.”

It’s a good thing.

Rather than having 200 potential assassins, it’s better to have 100 allies that you can worry about but trust.

“The problem lies elsewhere. When the shadows of the empire become assassins and cause terrorism.”

Not all Imperial Shadows have the skills of a mid- to upper-level knight.

“I hope not, but one in five nobles is probably dead now.”

“…It’s an assassination, right?”

“Yes.”

However, even if they have the skills of a low-level knight, they basically have the ability to achieve their goals.

“The declaration of war was made suddenly, but the empire had already been preparing for war 10 years ago… No, even before that. Butlers of unknown origin dispatched to each family, maids, or bribed knights.”

“They said that such signs also appeared in Sirene. …The lady died.”

“Yes.”

As a result of investigating the remarks and traces of those who survived the County of Seirene, we confirmed the existence of an insider.

“Ten years ago, the day my father decided to betray the country. There were spies in Gibraltar at that time. They were spies for Morgania.”

“I guess it’s the same.”

“Yes. Unless they are thinned out to the level of Gibraltar, I can only pray that the nobles have successfully prevented it on their own.”

The maid suddenly stabbed her with a knife hidden in her thigh.

The butler could slit his throat while he was running away from a fire in the mansion.

Or, an assassin who comes in while one of the knights is sleeping can annihilate a noble family.

“The war of the Empire can be summed up in the shortest way: ‘starting from the head.'”

“You’re saying they’re going to kill the nobles first in order to overthrow the command system.”

“Yes. We destroy the command system by removing the person in charge of command, and then exterminate the ragtag soldiers one by one.”

“…If it weren’t for the enemy, I’d say he’s a great tactician.”

“Yes. And the biggest problem is putting it into practice…”

I pointed to the map hanging in the study.

“The second problem is that they are determined to completely drive a wedge between Nostrum and Gibraltar.”

“…”

“Gibraltar, Barcelona, Morgania. Well, let’s include Barcelona as Gibraltar.”

Too coincidentally.

“Now that enemy airships have landed in the rear of the royal capital of Toledo, these are the only two places where the imperial army is not launching an offensive.”

“It’s the perfect environment to be suspicious.”

“The Imperial Army will spread information on purpose. Gibraltar and Morgania have already been attached to the Empire.”

“Is the goal to make people think that it can’t be like that and also to have seeds of doubt?”

“Yes.”

A unique territory that was not attacked by the empire.

Unless you are in a situation where you are about to run away like the people of the County of Sirene, can you run away to Gibraltar and Morgania?

“If there are nobles who hesitate, they will be devastated like the Counts of Sirene. The imperial army has probably gathered at least in the Marquis of Claydol, or will use that as a supply base and scatter in all directions.”

“What are the chances of attacking the County of Sirene again?”

“That also cannot be ignored. Even if we try to protect the strait, how can we protect the sea if we do not have a navy now?”

“…To intercept an airship in the first place, you would need the Air Force, not the Navy.”

“Yes.”

Some dragoons left to protect the north.

But will they be able to easily approach the advancing airship with not one, but dozens of airships?

“It’s a choice again.”

“It’s a choice here too.”

My father places his hand on his forehead

“What is your opinion? I…”

“Oh, it’s not a question of direction.”

“What?”

“The choice I want to talk about is the question of ‘where to save.'”

My father looked at me blankly for a moment and then frowned.

“Are you saying you’re going to let some places die?”

“We are neither gods nor golden dragons, father.”

“…”

“We only protect what we can protect. It’s not for nothing that they say that a cow is sacrificed for the greater good.”

The father is crying.

Before I heard what happened in the County of Sirene, I heard the horrors reported through the soldiers, so I can’t close my eyes.

“Grey.”

“Yes.”

“A territory that is abandoned will be annihilated, right?”

“I guess so.”

“…I’m sorry, Gray.”

“It’s okay. I was already expecting it.”

I took out a copy of Caroline stored in one corner of my father’s study.

“Let’s try to save everyone. My father himself knows how absurd and ridiculously idealistic those words are. In fact, they are absurd. Since when did Gibraltar become such a saint?”

“…”

“But we decided to change. Not as Gibraltar of Nostrum, but only as Gibraltar.”

Whether it’s a paving stone for the future, or a situation where my father can’t bear to talk to me.

“Someday in the future, whether Noir becomes king or his father’s grandson becomes king, if Gibraltar is to have the image of a ‘guardian who protects the people’ rather than a canyon, it must at least look like that.”

It is necessary to save the people of Nostrum from death, both for the future of Gibraltar and for the sake of humanity.

“Actually, neither your father nor I are people who say such strange things as truly protecting the people, are we?”

“Ugh…”

“I only protect my people, and other than that, it doesn’t matter whether I die or not. I’m still in that situation…But it seems like my father has escaped a little.”

My father has changed.

“As expected, do you want to be a father who is not ashamed of your younger siblings?”

“…You could say they are my wife and children.”

The father taps his hand on the table and sighs.

“And because of that, I guess I have no choice but to ask you again.”

“It’s something you’re used to, so do whatever you want. I’ve already given up on the idea of taking a break against the emperor, in case the enemy is someone else.”

Currently.

There are not many masters who can go outside of Gibraltar.

“Father. Do you believe in Noir?”

“Of course.”

“Then it’s simple. We’ll divide the outgoing Gibraltar into three.”

I moved each flag on the map.

“I will give Sir Robert the Seville-Roland front. Sir Mente will be in charge of southern Seville. And I will head to the royal capital.”

“Wouldn’t there be a shortage of soldiers?”

“It is not enough. It is realistically impossible to manage all theaters. It is an area that is realistically impossible, regardless of the will to save everyone.”

“…”

“So, we need to decide which direction the enemies are coming from.”

I pointed to the vicinity of the royal capital.

“We will gather everyone here.”

“…Orosol?”

“Yes.”

Orosol Academy has a wall.

“The site is quite large, and the lecture building inside can accommodate more than 30 people per classroom.”

“…Are you planning to turn the academy into a refugee camp?”

“A war broke out, so there has to be a place to take refugees.”

The father touches his chin seriously.

Since he has actually looked into Orosol Academy, my father knows better than anyone else that this is realistic in its own way.

“To do that… “

“Who is the imperial army trying to kill?”

“They are the people of Nostrum.”

“If all the people of Nostrum gather in Orosol, what will happen then?”

“…Either sit down on the abandoned land of Nostrum, or advance to Orosol.”

“Yes.”

Gather all of Nostrum’s population in the royal capital, Toledo.

“Morgania, Orosol, Gibraltar. No more, no less. All we have to do is protect these places.”

“North to South… Wait. No.”

The father snaps his fingers and stands up.

“Offense and defense conversion.”

“Yes.”

If you have a lot to protect, just put them in one place and protect only that.

“If you can’t protect all the places, you just have to protect one place. And in the meantime, go around attacking the imperial army.”

“Then it must be ‘that’ that brings them together.”

“Yes.”

That’s not what we’re saying.

“The king’s name is given, but if he just sits there and dies, it will be a natural death.”

According to Queen Naria’s orders, all kingdom citizens will gather at Orosol Academy.

“It is the king’s order, not the lord’s order. The king ordered it, but the nobles opposed it or something like that? That’s treason. If a person would do that in the first place, there is a high possibility that he would have already been killed by an assassin.”

It is natural for someone as incompetent as Saint Geo Nostrum to follow in Saint Geo Nostrum’s footsteps.

“Just protect the canyon. The north may be breached, and the south may be taken away again.”

“Oh, yes. I will risk my life to protect you.”

“…There is no need to risk your life, father. Have you forgotten?”

I tapped on the canyon on the map.

“Gibraltar is no longer a dog chained to the canyon. Gibraltar is where Gibraltar is.”

“I understand. Then, about the extradition of refugees… “

“Father. I think you paid a lot of attention.”

I clapped my hands to get my father’s attention.

“From now on, we will show that what St. Geo and other Nostrum loyalists denounced as traitors will become a miracle that will save all the people of Nostrum.”

“How?”

“It’s simple.”

There are dozens of paths that are not yet completely drawn on the map in the study.

“Thanks to Orosol Academy, the railway extends towards major territory. The fact that it is easy for the enemy to use it…Means that it is easy for our allies to use it as well.”

“…The ships sent by the empire will become rescue ships that will save the people of Nostrum.”

It’s a ship that runs on land, not the sea or the sky.

“Yes. To save a person, it’s enough as long as you use a sword, medicine, or anything else.”

A tool is most valuable when it is useful for the situation.

* * *

January 3, dawn.

An airship arrived in the royal capital from Gibraltar.

Only two people got off the airship that landed at Orosol Academy, and Queen Naria who greeted them immediately gave her royal orders.

In a moment.

All over the Nostrum Continent, magic automatic ships began to run toward the entire region, turning their wheels furiously.