SWNOVELXO Chapter 160
“Eh? No, wait a minute. What is that sound?”
The collapse of Atria. The occupation of Benito. It wasn’t just one enormous incident, but two!
This was no ordinary matter. One kingdom was completely subjugated while the other was currently under occupation.
Thus, I hastily returned home to attend the grand strategy meeting presided over by the Emperor as Chief of Staff.
However, an unexpected piece of news slammed into my brain like a heavy blow.
“King Cassius II of Dedorant. It seems something has happened to him.”
The one making such a racket was none other than the Minister of Special Affairs.
As the chief handler of all foreign intelligence, he boasts the highest level of secrecy and accuracy.
The head of that department came to me and whispered that most astonishing piece of information.
“What do you mean something happened…?”
“It’s news from our agents and recruited informants infiltrated within Dedorant. Apparently, the King of Dedorant hasn’t shown up at any official functions for some time now.”
“Well, that could just be…”
I almost said it could simply be a minor health issue or that he was temporarily hiding for some reason.
After all, not long ago, King Cassius II had personally led the Fifth Army to rescue Benito.
And even earlier, back when he was still a prince, he had directly aimed at the imperial border gate with his forces.
Ugh. Just thinking back to that moment sends chills down my spine.
Fortune must be smiling upon me. That was pure luck! He almost got captured by the Dedorant Army.
Had the king been as reckless as he was back then, he would have charged straight into the gate.
And I would be captured within the Royal Capital of Dedorant instead.
If that had happened, I’m not quite sure how the war situation would have unfolded.
Leaving aside the influence I held, for the Empire to suffer such humiliation at the gates and rear would have made recovery very difficult.
It would have taken at least several months, if not a whole year, to prepare their counterattack again compared to that time.
Anyway. The King of Dedorant is that kind of person. He steps up when necessary.
And then there’s the King of Benito. Not exactly the same kind of foolishness as His Majesty Andrea II.
While he may not compare to the Emperor or Crown Princess, he ranks somewhere in the lower tiers of human quality.
“…The very person who brought Dedorant to this point wouldn’t have run away now.”
“True. Even if he were to escape, where would he go? Back to DeGale, which they’ve already clawed apart? Or to Ross Tanika, where they were ready to die for? The King of Dedorant has nowhere to go. In the end, the conclusion is simply this: Either he surrenders now, or he fights until death.”
“But what if he suddenly vanishes without choosing either?”
As I pondered, the Minister of Special Affairs chimed in, “Doesn’t it smell fishy?”
Indeed, it does. It seems there’s a very foul stench wafting in the air.
“First, the meeting will start soon, so let’s go and continue talking inside.”
“Let’s do that. I’m quite curious about the reactions of the other ministers as well.”
*
“…Thus, currently, the matters concerning Benito are entrusted to the Imperial Fourth Legion along with the nearby Southern Kingdoms, the Holy Kingdom, and Crown Prince Gnaius I. Once new direction concerning the south is determined, a handover is scheduled.”
“The area towards Atria will, within a month at the earliest, fall under our Empire’s control, except for the border region of Dedorant. There are no enemy forces left to obstruct us.”
As I continued my report, all the ministers nodded, smiles spreading across their faces.
After nearly two years of ongoing war, the end was finally in sight, and anyone would feel that way.
This victory wasn’t just gained; it was overwhelmingly achieved.
The Empire’s might and prestige were being vividly displayed across the entire continent.
Perhaps when this war concludes, the Empire will usher in no less than fifty years of great peace.
“…”
“…”
However, even while listening to my report, the expressions of both the Emperor and Crown Princess remained unchanged.
It’s one thing for the Emperor, but the fact that even the Crown Princess didn’t react signifies just one thing.
Both of them are aware that some turmoil is unfolding within Dedorant.
“Well done, Chief of Staff. If this continues, Atria, following Benito, will also fall under the Empire’s influence.”
“It is thanks to the legion commanders, the field commanders, and above all, the soldiers of the Empire. Also, the reinforcements that came from various nations.”
“Indeed. Once the war ends, they too deserve appropriate rewards. They must.”
“I can only express my gratitude for His Majesty’s grace.”
My turn for reports was over. It was now time for the Minister of Special Affairs to take the stage.
“I will provide my report following the Chief of Staff. Two days ago, we successfully extracted some information from a subtly coerced informant. After that, cross-referencing the information with others took an extra day of verification.”
I heard that Dedorant is now shouting, “We have a traitor among us!”
Naturally, I assumed it to be a mere instigation to find reasons for their defeat, but it turns out it’s true?
It seems they’ve managed to uncover a collaborator, albeit not in a very high position.
“Upon confirming all details, it now appears King Cassius II of Dedorant has not made any appearances at any events for quite some time now.”
A king not appearing at any official functions.
And it’s not even during peacetime, but amidst war. The situation is far from good.
The faces of all attending ministers grow tense at that news.
“The King of Dedorant has suddenly gone missing, is that it?”
“Could it be health issues? Given the circumstances. Plus, he recently moved the army himself, so he could be just fatigued.”
“While we did consider that, if it were indeed the case, we should be seeing some movement from the nobles, but the Royal Capital is unusually quiet. Those entering the royal castle continue as usual.”
And besides, the King’s age is far too young for health issues to arise.
How old is he? Wasn’t he the same age as our Crown Princess?
He’s not even yet thirty; he shouldn’t be at death’s door just yet.
Unless he was a bookish sort of character, but he’s been riding horses since forever.
“Alternatively, could it be a smokescreen to deceive our Empire?”
I chose to answer to that statement instead of the Minister of Special Affairs.
“In this current situation, even if Dedorant were to deploy any smokescreens, our imperial forces would not waver. King Cassius II knows very well that whatever happens, we will relentlessly press forward from all directions, Minister.”
“The Chief of Staff is correct. Even if they were to deceive the Empire, charging head-on would render all their efforts meaningless.”
Dedorant had thrown many deceptions at our Empire until now.
Each of those smokescreens had its unique reason, and while many of them have largely vanished lately, some still remain.
“If that’s not it, what are the chances that the king fled?”
“There are no options. Benito is now under the Empire’s influence, Atria is crumbling, and DeGale is an occupied territory, so there’s no guarantee of safety. Unless he sails out into the vast ocean, it’s the least realistic option.”
In this era, war comes down to two things: the king surrenders or the king is captured.
Most battles end in the former, but if that man escaped, it would naturally lead to the latter.
And the Empire would seek to capture King Cassius II, even to proclaim victory.
There’d be nowhere to run, so making such a move wouldn’t make sense.
Moreover, if that were the case, Dedorant’s internal affairs wouldn’t be quiet like this.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, the ministers began displaying clear signs of confusion.
“Then what is it? If it’s neither a health issue nor a fleeing one—”
“Something must have occurred. And it’s a problem from within, not outside.”
An incident. Although I chose that wording, I already know exactly what that incident is.
That is to say, the King of Dedorant was assassinated within Dedorant.
“Wait. But that doesn’t make any sense without a proper motive either. If anything, that would be a self-inflicted wound on their part.”
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs has a point. The nobles harming their king? That’s absurd, and those are individuals who have followed him since he was just a prince without a throne. Their loyalty is tremendous, so it’s hard to believe they would cause him harm.”
Assassinations occur mainly when there’s a need to eliminate someone obstructive to one’s actions.
So that’s a method chosen when one’s values diverge from another.
Yet, can we really believe that they’d commit such acts against their long-followed lord?
“Betrayal can turn expectations into motivations, and loyalty can shift into treachery.”
At that moment, the Crown Princess spoke up, as if she had anticipated something.
“Though the King of Dedorant has rebelled against the Empire, he is not a foolish person, Your Majesty. It is possible that the King mentioned surrender, and those loyal to him opposed that, resulting in a disaster.”
That King Cassius II of Dedorant wanted to surrender.
But some ministers opposed him? Why? Wouldn’t they know that was the way to save themselves?
Did they think that blaming the king for decisions and groveling would work out for them?
“My thoughts align with the Crown Princess. The throne is a perilous seat, and even those who’ve staunchly followed can swiftly turn into enemies if they perceive betrayal. When someone who led them all the way suddenly suggests giving up, it’s natural for such fervor to ignite even more anger.”
The Emperor nodded in agreement with the Crown Princess’s view.
But still, really? Did they commit such madness?
No matter how insane Dedorant may be, that seems a bit over the top…
“Chief of Staff.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“If we assume the command of Dedorant turned against the royal family, what benefit does it bring to our forces?”
“…In terms of justification, we could certainly claim an upper hand. While the possibility of intensified battles becomes high, victory will ultimately be ours. It could even offer benefits when reorganizing Dedorant after the fact.”
Erasing the royal family of Dedorant was already a given.
However, removing all the nobles there would require quite a bit of thought.
Even our Empire took a long time to root out local dignitaries.
But those idiots just handed us the justification on a silver platter.
For whatever reason, whether it be betrayal or madness.
Whatever you call it, they provided us that perfect opportunity.
Even the heavens must be smiling upon us! Yes, the Empire truly is the Empire!