SWNOVELXO Chapter 155
The Royal Palace of Dedorant was filled with a horrifying silence.
Just a few years ago, it was a place bustling with those who sang the praises of the Deo Ethnicity every single day.
Everyone believed that the savior on a white horse would descend upon this land and unite the entire West.
Indeed, it had absorbed Atria and toppled DeGale, even pressuring Ross Tanika with the help of allies.
Those were the greatest moments of Dedorant. It proved that the glory of the Deo Ethnicity was not just an illusion.
Perhaps they could even declare war against the Empire and establish dominion over the West.
But now, all that was gone, reduced to a mere dream.
Though they had initially secured great victories, the Empire refused to accept their defeat.
After regrouping, they successfully pressured Dedorant with terrifying force and pushed them back.
Benito, who had allied with Dedorant, ended up giving away the Royal Capital.
It was said to be south and north, but in reality, the true Benito was now firmly established in the south.
What was left were the nearly deranged Andrea II and a tiny handful of nobles who followed him.
“…”
There, Cassius II stood frozen, staring at the battlefield sketched on the map.
What was once the proud territory of Dedorant was being swiftly seized by the Empire.
The defensive strongholds and castles they had to protect were disappearing one by one.
The Empire marched forward without pause, and Dedorant no longer had the strength to stop them.
They still had troops remaining. There were still tens of thousands of elite soldiers and double the conscripts.
But war isn’t just about numbers. An army needs supplies.
Though they had held out reasonably well so far, this was simply beyond their limits. There was no food to feed them, no clothes to wear, and almost all the weaponry for soldiers was nearly depleted.
“It was a fatal blow to lose Benito this way.”
If it weren’t for the plague, things could have been different. That was devastating.
Still, considering it a prosperous area, the food supplies from Benito had been quite helpful.
However, that place had now fallen completely under the Empire’s control, making that impossible.
Atria, which used to send quality iron, was also approaching its end.
News had just come in. The Empire had moved to intercept the road leading to the Royal Capital of Atria.
Finally, the fort blocking that route had been captured.
“…”
Cassius II, formerly Prince Georg, gazed down at his trembling hands.
Was it shaking from exhaustion after three straight days and nights? Or was it from fear?
After a moment of thought, he chuckled as he watched the Empire’s troops approach from every direction.
“How did it come to this? In the beginning, everything was going according to my wishes.”
He never intended to win against the Empire. But he had confidence in his ability to hold on.
After all, he had lured in two legions, practically swallowing them whole, which had seemed promising.
If his elite army had pushed all the way to the borders, the situation would have been quite different.
“How unfortunate. That moment was both the first and last chance.”
At first, he didn’t believe it, but as time passed, he began to understand it naturally.
The Empire was indeed in a crisis. If Dedorant had pressed just once more, it would have been impossible for a counterattack.
If they had chosen to attack instead of retreating at the gate, everything would have changed.
What if they had captured the gate and swept through the rear?
What would have happened if they had seized the Empire’s young genius strategist, Chief of Staff Kael?
Though pondering “what ifs” was the most foolish thing, those questions kept surfacing in his mind.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He positioned the Imperial Army’s advancing troops where he suspected they would end up.
Accordingly, he tried to adjust the position of his own forces, who would be forced to retreat in a predicament.
The territory of Dedorant was gradually shrinking as the Empire drew closer.
The advantages they had from defensive strongholds and castles were almost gone as well.
The reason defenders are at an advantage over attackers is that under equal conditions, attackers have it harder.
However, in a situation like this, the attackers were at a much greater advantage than the defenders.
Their gathered resources were dwindling, and now it was even hard to bring in more.
Those who had been growing crops and producing goods were being consumed on the battlefield.
That’s what war is. Mortgage your future to claim loot or become the loot itself.
Until now, Dedorant had been leaning towards the former, but now it was on the brink of becoming the latter.
“No more, perhaps.”
When he was crowned as the King of Dedorant, and he saw the cheer of the people there.
For a brief moment, he felt a hope that it wasn’t over yet.
After all, the Empire’s assault had actually paused, albeit for a brief moment, so it seemed justifiable.
However, that moment was merely a shrinkage for an even greater leap.
No, it wasn’t even a shrinkage. It wasn’t a pause at all.
The Empire might have simply taken a deep breath, as they always did.
He found himself wondering if they had just jumped to such conclusions.
“Your Majesty.”
Gruber, his aide who had followed him since his days as a prince, entered.
Cassius II stared blankly at Gruber for a moment.
He was someone who had dedicated everything to him from the start—a fiercely loyal individual.
He had demonstrated more enthusiasm than anyone for the revival of Dedorant and the glory of the Deo Ethnicity.
He was still persuading the Dedorant Command that another opportunity would arise.
“Do not surrender. Do not betray. Do not let your mind waver in any other direction.
Only believe in victory without doubt, and we will surely overcome this!”
Seeing such a passionate aide made his heart soften, and he felt guilty.
What could he say now when someone had followed him so fervently that it was now over?
He felt he should be cold-hearted, yet being human, he found it impossible to do so.
“Gruber.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I… was I dreaming a futile dream?”
“Your Majesty!”
“There was certainty in it. There was a possibility. But where did it all go wrong?”
At those words, Gruber knelt down and voiced his frustration.
“Your Majesty, you must stay resolute! Dedorant can still fight! There are those who would fight to the death for the glory of the Deo Ethnicity. It is not over until then! As long as the Empire approaches while forgetting that fact, an opportunity will surely come!”
“Even though the Empire is tightening its grip from all sides?”
“The Deo Ethnicity is strong. We are not like the feeble Imperial Army. We will fight even if we starve! We will fight even if we are wounded! Our fighting spirit remains strong, so you should lead us as you always have!”
“…”
For just a moment, Cassius II felt an unexplainable chill.
What his loyal aide was saying sounded strange to him.
He had assumed all along that loyalty was directed only towards him. Now it seemed that wasn’t the case.
Gruber poured everything he had into the words regarding the glory of the Deo Ethnicity.
“Do not lose faith. There are loyal ones among the remaining whom you can trust. Even when the very last moment comes, all of us left here will gladly become mere fertilizer for the glory of the Deo Ethnicity. And from that, a new Dedorant will rise again!”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes, Your Majesty! Just give the order! Right now, there are thousands of elite Dedorant soldiers burning with anger and animosity against the Empire, training hard every single day!”
All this time, he had thought he was leading all of them.
Since he had been the first to speak the words, he believed it was natural.
However, now he saw that they were clinging with even more fanaticism than he was.
What was merely a strategy to gather people had now become a reason for existence and an unchangeable truth that must not waver.
He considered suggesting a way to request an honorable surrender.
He wanted to say such a thing to his aide, yet Cassius II could not bring himself to do it.
He had thought he had been holding onto them, but it seemed the opposite was true.
*
“Something feels a bit off.”
As I listened to the report on the war situation, those words slipped out before I realized it.
Sure, it’s true that they’re frenzied fools. But it’s starting to fade quite a bit.
Moreover, unlike in my past life, they hadn’t taken part in mad acts like ethnic cleansing yet either.
They could regain their senses, even if late. The King was a person of strategy too.
Now, it was clear their very lives were in peril.
Even if the leadership was wiped out, they would at least want to preserve the name of Dedorant.
Even unofficially, they might covertly show their willingness to surrender, but it’s oddly quiet.
“Kael? What seems strange?”
So I subtly shared that part with the princess.
“Hmm… I think it’s just… now they’re stubbornly clinging to their beliefs, throwing tantrums. Something like that?”
“Really?”
That was too irrational of a word. Stubborn? Throwing tantrums? They’re gonna end up dead if they keep that up?
I had said I wouldn’t let Dedorant be left alone, but that was only to the extent of removing the royal family.
It wasn’t that I intended to kill them all, just remove a few key figures and punish the rest adequately.
In this world, surrendering is more common than one might expect.
When there’s no justification to be loyal to a target, it’s the obvious choice.
Or when they can no longer endure the nation’s sacrifices, they do so.
In reality, Benito also surrendered immediately after a reason was offered, and the South followed suit right after.
Then they gulped down the Royal Capital, and it forced a few in the North to surrender as well.
Atria still held out, but according to the Ministry of War and Chief of Staff, it would not last long.
“Some can’t accept it, while others may know yet refuse to acknowledge it. I study the history of the continent, and such cases are surprisingly common. It’s a kind of disease. A disease that arises among the high-ups. If they’re not the victors, then everyone else must vanish.”
“It’s more uncomfortable because there’s a possibility of that.”
To give up. Or to go mad.
It seemed like the King of Dedorant would go with the former.
But the others? Well, I’m not so sure.