Chapter 194 – Chapter 18 – A New Wind
I followed Kalagoul to the conference hall, and there were many people gathered inside.
The situation is so critical that the demons, who usually do not show their faces because they are absorbed in their duties, and the newly joined Neutralist Ferdinand Else are in place.
Judging from the fact that the conference hall was full, it seemed that everyone had already entered.
However, it seemed that he was waiting for Klaus to come at the end.
“His Highness the Demon King.”
As she greeted Yulia with her bow, she nodded her head and told her to sit down.
In response, Klaus deliberately sat a little away from her.
If you’re sitting right next to it, it’s inconvenient to clearly check the faces of those gathered.
“Looks like everyone has gathered. Then let’s start Ain.”
The male demon tribe called ‘Ain’ bowed his head at Yulia’s words, got up from his seat, and approached the map of the eastern part prepared in advance.
Then, after pointing to a point farther east than the Devil’s Castle, he gave out a cold, subdued voice.
“The news came this morning. Aupen Agricio, a high treason, and his followers have raised an army, and they will be ready to advance here in a few days.”
“Finally.”
“Mmm.”
Even though he is the uncle of the demon king, he is now calling his name casually.
In addition, adding the word treasonous sin and saying it as it is.
Until now, considering that he was the brother of the former demon king and the uncle of the current demon king, he had been keeping the minimum courtesy, but since he raised the army so openly, there was no need for that anymore.
The concern about giving them a justification for being rude to the immediate royal family has also disappeared.
Conversely, he rebelled against the king, and he had the perfect weapon.
As a loyalist, it was to win the cause for sure and enter.
“How big is the enemy?”
The cautious step forward is none other than Ferdinand Else.
He was an aristocrat who had been one of the influential figures of the neutral faction until recently, but he was a nobleman who made a decision and changed ships after receiving tips from Klaus a few months ago.
His own forces were not so small, and above all, he was a soldier with battlefield experience that could be said to be the most valuable resource for the current Julia.
Because of this, unlike other neutral aristocrats, he was given the opportunity to enter the meeting room like this.
Of course, Klaus’s influence also played a part.
“According to what has been confirmed so far, the left army has 4,000 troops, the right army has 6,000, and the center has at least 5,000 troops. In addition to that, the nobles who heard the news are leading soldiers to join one after another, so we are expecting that it will be close to 20,000 if not possible.”
If it was close to 20,000, it would be an enormous size that would be more than twice as bad as the number of troops Yulia could mobilize, or even three times worse.
Right now, both the west and the east have not been able to recover half of the damage from the continental war that ended five years ago.
In the meantime, the fact that he had gathered 20,000 soldiers meant that Yulia’s uncle had a lot of power.
Those gathered at the conference hall seemed to know that part for sure.
As soon as they heard the number of 20,000, everyone’s expression darkened, which was clear evidence.
Even Ferdinand momentarily bit his lip and almost muttered, “That’s not good,” So it was obvious how nervous the people gathered in the conference room must have been.
“…”
Julia looked at her servants without saying anything amidst the tension.
Since the king was silent, the servants started discussing what to do.
Some camped in a suitable place and argued for defense, while others shouted that the enemy had to inflict great damage before they reached the Devil’s Castle.
Some of them are right, and some are wrong.
So no one could easily answer who’s opinion was right or wrong.
But a bigger problem was that none of them had much experience in a large-scale battle like this one.
‘Most of those under Yulia are in charge of administration or rear affairs. It’s not that there aren’t people who can fight at all, but even if they did, thousands of people against thousands, this was the end of the battle.’
Of course, among the neutral aristocrats who wanted to join Yulia, there were certainly those who had similar experience in the Continental War as Ferdinand in the meeting room.
However, Klaus kept insisting that Yulia refuse to let such people send letters saying that they too would join this time.
The reason was that they really did not come purely out of loyalty, and that they tended to subtly ignore Yulia, so they took such measures because if they led soldiers, their command authority could be shaken.
Thanks to this, Yulia’s side can mobilize fewer than 5,000 troops.
Someone said that they should send a request for reinforcements to those who would soon surrender their allegiance, but it was unclear who would come with only pure loyalty and the certainty of not suddenly betraying if the situation was unfavorable.
“…”
As the argument continued to come and go, Klaus remained silent.
After all, there is only one answer at the end of this debate.
In a large-scale battle like now, a person who made a major that anyone could not help but acknowledge.
It was because there was only one person left here to find such a person.
And after a few minutes, when the demons who had been expressing their opinions fell into a lull and the meeting hall became quiet, Julia finally opened her mouth by asking if everyone had expressed their opinions.
“I listened to all the opinions of those gathered here. Not everyone is wrong, and not everyone is right. But there is one thing I must tell you. In other wars, if you lose a battle, you can withdraw and reorganize your army. But not now. If you lose even once, everything is over.”
Yulia’s words were like sharp daggers piercing the pinnacle.
Everyone seemed to have overlooked that part because they were only giving their opinions, but if they were defeated, it was clear that they would be pushed out without a chance to reorganize their battle lines, and the Devil Castle would fall here.
That meant there couldn’t be a single mistake, that is, someone everyone could understand had to lead the army along with Yulia.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Finally, as Klaus wanted, all the demons gathered at the table looked at Klaus.
Some with expectant eyes, others with a bit of a vigilant energy.
Someone else still had a repulsive feeling about having to involve humans.
That’s how they react to each other in different ways.
“Klaus.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Demon King.”
“I want to hear your opinion. Not just me, but everyone here will.”
When Yulia said that, Klaus slowly got up from his seat.
Then he moved his steps and stood right in front of the map.
“We will have to fight those who raised the flag of treason here.”
Those who confirmed where Klaus pointed with his hand.
Soon they all let out a very embarrassed sigh, “Huh?”
Even Ferdinand, who had gone through many battles in the Continental War, looked at him, saying, ‘Does that make sense?’
“All quiet.”
The meeting hall, which was about to become noisy for a moment at the command of the demon king, fell into silence again.
After silencing all of her subjects, Yulia looked at the direction Klaus pointed and said.
“Klaus. If my eyes are right now, isn’t the terrain very unfavorable to us and conversely, very advantageous to the enemy?”
“That’s right.”
“If the enemy fights in a state where they have reached that point, they will most likely try to draw our forces into the concave terrain. Is that all? All the high ground will be occupied by the enemy.”
As he said, the place Klaus said was the worst terrain for the allies.
The place Klaus said was a place to avoid battle, even if the enemy had to fight it before they reached it or give it up.
“Are you worried about the difference in troops and are thinking of fighting in the canyon rather than fighting in the plains, Klaus?”
“That’s right.”
“Even if it’s a battle in a canyon, it’s a battlefield where we have to give all the advantageous terrain to the enemy and be swept inside. Even the number of enemies exceeds the number of allies.”
“I know, Your Highness the Demon King.”
“Even so, you will make that place your battlefield, you mean?”
At the king’s question, Klaus nodded his head.
Then, as if they couldn’t stand it any longer, some demons began to express their doubts.
Looking at the current situation, it doesn’t matter if it’s not, but it makes sense to break through the canyon road made of narrow roads and go inside.
Every section of the history of war has argued that this makes no sense.
There was nothing wrong with their claim.
Even Ferdinand, who knew very well about Klaus and why he was called the Devil of the South, nodded his head unconsciously.
“If we’re going to fight in Jeong Gorge, we’d rather go first and encamp…”
“It is meaningless. How can we defend such a wide area when the number of allies is so small?”
“Then it’s a battlefield that doesn’t even make sense! This means buying.”
At least the demons who had some experience in small-scale battles shouted that this was nonsense.
However, Yulia only stared at Klaus, who was standing still in front of the map.
How many minutes had passed in that state, Ferdinand, who had been silent until now, stood up to speak.
“According to the people gathered here, the strategy just presented is completely absurd. The number of troops is also different, but it is not to protect the canyon, but to give it up and then attack. If our enemies had heard of the meeting here, they would have snorted at it as foolishness. But I think everyone is forgetting for a moment who is discussing the strategy because of that ridiculous strategy.”
The meeting hall, which had been tumultuous at Ferdinand’s words, fell into silence for an instant.
It was such an absurd strategy, I forgot about it for a while because it was impossible to realize.
What kind of man was the person who suggested that nonsense?
“Klaus.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Demon King.”
“Even to me it seems embarrassing to even say that the strategy you have proposed is a strategy. If you disagree with me, say it now.”
“Looks like it. Right now.”
“Does that mean it won’t happen later?”
“It will be.”
Looking at Klaus’ confident appearance, no one could easily open their mouth.
Tens of thousands of demon soldiers died at the hands of that man.
They lost the war because they couldn’t pierce a single person, because they couldn’t overcome just one human.
The person who did such a ridiculous thing is talking right in front of me.
Between the thoughts that it would be ridiculous if it was like this, ‘No way? Could it be that it could fully bloom?
“Come closer.”
At Julia’s call, Klaus stepped in front of her and politely knelt down in front of her.
Then she gave the man in front of her the sword she was carrying.
It was the clear will of the monarch that he would entrust all command authority to you from now on.
“There is no one who does not know what kind of activity he did in the past continental war. I want to hope that the legend will be rewritten under me this time. Will you be able to live up to my expectations?”
For some reason, a pleasant smile hung on Yulia’s lips as she said that.
In response to his wife’s reaction, Klaus also drew a smile on her lips and replied that he would.
