Chapter 267 – Chapter 26 – Wildfire
“I will report you! The forces of the eastern demons have broken through the borders of the Kingdom and are continuing their advance!”
“Looks like there was a small skirmish in the central area. We have not been able to contact the unit that went out on reconnaissance, and even if we send messengers, there is no response.”
“This is just news. The demons who came to the south started a siege! We are currently fighting!”
It was a progression not much different from the First Continental War.
Attack the center and the south to pave the way and prepare intermediate bases to continue the war.
Afterwards, he ate up all the land, which was only a signboard empire, and passed through the forest of fairies to the territory of the beasts.
It’s about going in at once and making it impossible to do anything.
Because the demons’ tactics were like this, the Western Union came up with a strategy that suited them.
“Avoid large rotations. We don’t know how the current enemy will step out, and who they might be involved with.”
Klaus’ location was still unknown, and that was the most burdensome problem for the Western Union.
Both the center and the south were important, so well-trained soldiers had been deployed.
The problem is that many of them were active in the First Continental War in the past.
Otherwise, it was another generation who grew up under the training of those veterans.
If Klaus suddenly appears in front of those soldiers, there is nothing more embarrassing than that.
If a man who is their commander, comrade-in-arms, and benefactor appears right before a battle begins, his morale will be greatly affected.
It may be better if it is a defensive battle, but it should be avoided in rotations where armies face each other.
It’s because you don’t know how even a small morale change will change, and what variable that change will turn your allies into a mess.
“The South stands firm, and the Center continues to lure enemies without over-resisting. Sooner or later, reinforcements from the Fairy side and Beast person side will arrive. If that happens, we will reversely surround the protrusion that was formed without them even knowing and eat it all at once.”
No matter how much the demons in the center break through and break through again.
If only the southern defense line is not broken, it will stop at the level of only half an attack.
And the South is so high that it won’t collapse easily even if Klaus comes.
If the soldiers fight as well as expected, they may not give up a single fort and make the war entrenched, eventually causing the demons to collapse on their own.
If you hold on to the enemies of the south and let only the enemies of the center enter.
It can strike the empty side from all sides and completely sever the waist.
If things went that way, the Western Union could successfully fend off their enemies without having to give up a single word of territory from the realm.
And as they expected, even as time went by, the demons’ forces couldn’t penetrate the southern part at all.
One fortress fell, but that was all, and even that was a small place where a thousand people could barely be stationed, so the kingdom thought it was useful to hold out for more than a week.
“A report on the central region?”
“It’s nice to keep stepping back a little bit, so I’m running. If we continue at this rate, the supply route will become too long, and we will have no choice but to sit on my grass.”
“I thought I learned some lessons from the last war, but demons are demons after all. To enter this deep even though you know for sure that you lost in the end due to supply route problems.”
“It looks like they were trying to procure items from our side while advancing.”
At the messenger’s words, Viscount Homburg smiled approvingly.
A person with greater prestige than his original title due to his splendid speech at the noble meeting.
As an aristocrat whom Grand Duke Joseph trusted especially, he was chosen as a commander of a fairly high level in this war.
Of course, it is absolutely not that he sat down because he had military service, or because he had the ability.
He is Viscount Homburg, who has only about the level of a kid passing through the road when it comes to war.
It was fortunate that he wasn’t a stone-headed man who was stubborn to show off his pride, or acted as he pleased, ignoring the words of his lieutenants.
Viscount Homburg moved in a line that did not overdo it and kept the plan.
Because I know that pointless mistakes or greed cause more damage than gain.
Archduke Joseph knew the viscount’s intentions, so he was able to entrust him with the commander like this, knowing that he had no military talent.
“Viscount. Why don’t we attack the demons who have flocked to the center?”
“Not a bad opinion. They must have heard the news from the South, so they will try to slow down to keep pace. Wouldn’t it be better to throw the bait once to prevent that?”
“No. Don’t do anything stupid If you throw halfway bait, you’ll be more suspicious. I’m just holding on to my position as if I’m not going to back down anymore. Anyway, in a long-term battle, the demons are at a disadvantage. You don’t have to hang out with me.”
The reason why Archduke Joseph entrusted such a heavy responsibility to Viscount Homburg.
Although he may be lighthearted in his words, he was not lighthearted in his thoughts.
Because he knew when to be serious, he was able to come close to Archduke Joseph with a single conversation.
And that part was being displayed appropriately in this place as well.
“We are intent on keeping the enemies in their proper positions in the center, as originally planned. Then, in case the southern part is in danger, a rescue force is immediately sent. Klaus will definitely aim for the southern region. Because that place is also the kingdom’s leash, and at the same time, it has the most forces supporting me. That traitor is sure to use his name to sway his soldiers.”
“If that’s true, wouldn’t it be a big problem?”
“So, on purpose, veteran soldiers from the Continental War were placed relatively behind. There are people in the front who have been trained by them and have not been particularly influenced by the name Klaus.”
“… To be honest, I’m worried. Right now, Klaus, aren’t there many people whose eyes suddenly change when that person’s name is mentioned.”
At the adjutant’s words, the Viscount Homburg nodded his head while spitting out swear words.
When the Continental War ended, the damn commoners still respected Klaus.
His respect was so great that at the news of his departure to the East, they shouted to the nobles that they had driven him out, rather than swearing at him as a traitor.
Even if it wasn’t so, just before the war broke out, another group of people from the kingdom near the border went into an uproar because of the fact that they had crossed over to the east.
Needless to say, most of them were survivors of the First Continental War, most of them former soldiers who had been active in the South.
He sent a hasty chase, but just in time the cavalry from the east rushed out to meet them.
Thanks to this, the kingdom eventually had to return without being able to capture or kill them.
It was such a painful loss that it was not simply the soldiers who passed over, but the circumstances of this side, and those who could guide geography and directions.
He was the Viscount of Homburg, whose teeth gnashed at the thought of that incident.
“It should never happen. That’s why I’m trying to keep it even stronger. No matter how Klaus was, it was very difficult to break through a fortress that was fully prepared for defense. Witnessing his failures will slowly change their minds.”
“Would you really?”
“Of course. Humans enjoy failure more than heroic success stories. Even more so for ugly things like commoners! I assure you, the moment Klaus finally fails to cross our line of defense, they will immediately turn around and raise their spears, calling him a traitor.”
They acknowledge that Klaus is their hero, the protector of the kingdom during the Continental War.
But at the same time, Klaus is a traitor who went to the East.
Even the Demons of the East were the ones who harmed countless soldiers of the Kingdom during the Continental War in the past.
No matter how much I love Klaus, if I keep hearing that he is attached to those who killed my parents, siblings, relatives and friends, how long will that last?
Politics is like this, biting off the other person’s weakness and not letting go.
Why does Viscount Homburg insist on a stable situation? Just for that part.
The most important thing in this war is to erase Klaus’ influence.
If there are still people who miss that man, all you have to do is show them how Klaus is failing and tell them that the person you trusted so much is the same commoner who is no different in the end.
That man didn’t win because he was great, but you won because you sacrificed!
The war that we all suffered and overcame together was swallowed up and used to the fullest as if it were his own, and finally betrayed and fled to the East!
If you put it this way, probably nine out of ten will eventually come over.
If Klaus is even shown being defeated, it would be the best picture.
Viscount Homburg checked the map of the kingdom while thinking that way.
“I will unconditionally defend this line that has been set now. When troops arrive from the rear, they push back little by little. No need to overdo it. Rather, they might be targeting us for overdoing it.”
After the strategy was decided, everyone nodded and dispersed from their seats.
Viscount Homburg, who was left alone, looked at the current situation with a sneer.
The enemies will want to recreate the look of the continental war, but they will want to use the card called Klaus somehow, but it is impossible.
Shouldn’t they be fools and let them recreate the nightmare of that time?
If you don’t give up the victory for a month, for a month, more than half of this war will be won by the West.
If you confirm that their sharp offensive doesn’t work much, the commoners who tilted their heads will eventually support them, and on the contrary, the demons will doubt their king.
‘Klaus. Stupid guy do you think you’re good I’d say you’re a little better than the other commoners. But if you take away all the good parts, that’s enough. If you make the South impenetrable and the Western Confederacy’s cohesion is incomparable to what it was then. How will you respond?’
It was the moment when I was just about to get up from my seat while laughing at the man who was called a war hero.
Suddenly, a messenger burst into the barracks as if almost rolling over, and, unable to breathe properly, opened his mouth.
“Come on, Viscount! Viscount!! It’s a big deal!”
“What. Could it be that the southern part was pushed back?”
“No. The South, the South is not the problem! The news is that the rear, the capital city and the central territory of the kingdom are falling one after another from the enemy’s attack!”
“… What?”
Did you say redheads in the middle of the night?
The Viscount Homburg just blinked his eyes in an unexpected situation.
Why is the rear going to be a mess?
Even though the enemies in the center have prepared a protrusion, it is only a small part.
All the forts in the south are still intact, right?
“What is that, say it straight! Why is the rear all of a sudden…”
Something is wrong, I can’t do this. I can’t…
“… No way.”
