Chapter 200 – Johannes Reformation War (2) *Illustration of Jeanne, Commander of the Inquisitors of the Holy Kingdom of Johannes*
Johannes Reformation War (2)
Despite the birth of three princesses, as soon as the festival ended, the empire activated a quasi-war state and began preparing for war.
The western and northern armies marched toward the occupied area of Tesseito in the northwest of Zenon and gradually put pressure on the Tesseito army. Following Juno’s imperial order, the Imperial Guard Corps, which had quickly completed training around Adria, also began marching west. .
Because it was a movement of such a large army, it was impossible to move it secretly, and the movements of the imperial army were quickly reported to Duke Tiruen, commander-in-chief of the Tesseito army.
“Your Highness the Duke! The movements of the Balkan Empire Army are unusual!! We have received intelligence that their entire Western Army is moving north, and the Northern Army of the Balkans is also moving towards us!!”
“Ugh… Is it finally starting? It’s been almost a year since the declaration of war… The emperor seems to be trying to keep his word…”
Duke Tiruen, who had fallen asleep for a while due to exhaustion from hard work, got up and returned to his desk upon hearing a report from his subordinate who woke him up.
“Some people predicted that with the birth of the princesses, he would begin work to stabilize his power a little more, but it turns out that His Highness the Duke was right.”
“Of course. Such upright people never forget something that hurt their pride. They are the type of people who only get angry after paying back several times…”
Although it was slightly different from the truth, Juno’s actions were the same as he had predicted, so Duke Tiruen looked at the map, thought for a moment, and then opened his mouth.
“Adjutant! Send a letter to Pope Johannes! Tell him to move as promised.”
“Uh… Can I just send it as is? What else can I say…”
“Okay. Just send it as is, without adding any more words.”
To maintain secrecy, this was known only to a few of the highest officials, including the King and the Duke of Thiruen himself. As the Duke of Thiruen watched his lieutenant write the letter, he began to make a final check in his head of the troop deployment he had been preparing for a year.
‘That greedy pig, the Pope, has no choice but to listen to my orders in order to protect his divine power… Johannes’ Inquisitor unit, which the emperor will trust, will march east and attack the northern army of the empire… If we tie up the northern army like that, we’ll open hell for the imperial army.’
Duke Tiruen, who had come up with various scenarios to annihilate the imperial army in his head, held an audience with the king along with several of his staff and generals who followed him and swore his victory, before moving into space to the occupied area of Teseito on the Zenon Plain.
However, the Duke of Tiruen, who thought the imperial army would advance immediately, was completely wrong.
About a month later, the Balkan Western Army and Northern Army, which reached the border of the Zenon Plain, encamped in the imperial territory and began stationing, and the newly created Guard Corps also established a camp slightly south of the Northern Army, as if it had no intention of attacking. We packed up and started preparing for a long-term war.
Kwaang!!
“What on earth is this? Wasn’t he the third prince who became the emperor of the empire when I saw him? I thought he would attack right away if it was his nature…”
Looking at Duke Tiruen, who was pounding his fist on the desk in frustration, Count Joachim Mulla, the commander of the royal cavalry of Tesseito and one of the masters, asked him.
“Your Highness the Duke. How about we attack first? Our cavalry power is overwhelmingly superior to that of the Empire. So, how about we conduct mobile warfare and inflict small blows on them?”〈 Br〉
“Or, there is a way to send a few cavalry units to the enemy’s rear and deal a blow to the enemy’s supply. Even if the enemy’s garrison is located in Balkan territory, it is far from the Adriatic, so if it causes a slight blow to the enemy’s supply, they will definitely It will shake”
His advisors, including Count Mula, expressed numerous opinions, but the Duke of Tiruen rejected their suggestions to go on the offensive.
“No matter how much our troops have the advantage in mobility, small-scale engagements are too risky. We must not forget that the enemy has as many as five Masters. Don’t we all know that the presence or absence of Masters makes an absolute difference in small-scale battles? Besides, it’s too easy to be chased if you rush into the imperial territory.”
“Your Majesty! There are three Masters gathered here. Moreover, two of the enemy Masters are on the throne of the Empress and have just given birth, so it is clear that they will not appear on the battlefield yet. The enemies are also unable to advance hastily because of this. It’s clear!!”
“I also think what Count Mula said is right!! If time goes on like this, their defenses will only become more solid!”
The remarks of the two masters, the cavalry leader Count Mula and the infantry leader the Marquis Grace, became more heated, and as other staff members also expressed the need for an offensive, the Duke of Tiruen eventually raised his voice by pounding on the desk.
Kwaang!!
“Didn’t I say no? If things continue like this, will their defense line only become thicker? No, our army’s defense line will become even thicker, and the initiative here in Zeno will increasingly be transferred to us. Why are you so anxious that you can’t fight? War is fought. Don’t you all know that the best way to win is to win without fighting!!”
“Of course I know that, but…”
“The Balkans are probably well aware of that as well, and they won’t just sit still…”
The two masters, who had been silenced by Duke Tiruen’s angry voice, nevertheless carefully expressed their opinions, and only then did Duke Tiruen lose his temper and tell them his plan.
“Of course, I know that well? But no matter what the Empire does, time is on our side. Especially since they trust the Holy Kingdom, their backlash is bound to play a big role…”
When the Pope announced that he was on his side, only then did Tiruen’s staff sigh and become confident of victory in this war.
“Your Highness is right. Then our cavalry will make thorough preparations to annihilate the trapped imperial army at once.”
“We will also intensively train the movements of our long spear soldiers so that they are not pushed back by the heavy infantry of the imperial army.”
“Yeah. I only trust you!”
Thiruen, who was smiling as he looked at the trustworthy masters under his command, returned to his barracks and lay down on his bed, trying to control the anxiety that pricked his heart.
‘Hmm… Do they really not know… Does the empire really believe in the Holy Kingdom? No… It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it. Anyway, all I want is to restrict the movement of the northern army… Because if I do that, the Holy Kingdom’s role is over… And I will win this war, and tear the mouth of that arrogant woman who insulted my wife Charlotte in the last duel. !!’
No matter how he thought about it, Duke Tiruen thought that there were no other variables unless the castle was overthrown, so he went to sleep and burned off the anger from the last duel.
In this way, the Tesseito army was relieved that there was no movement of the imperial army, and prepared for war more thoroughly, establishing border defenses and setting up traps.
However, because they were only focused on the inside, they did not notice that one corps disappeared during the night from the capital corps garrison.
A few days later, south of Lake Hauril. Johannes-Balkan border
Jeanne Bleumain, the commander of the Heresy Judges unit in charge of the military forces of the Holy Kingdom of Johannes, read a letter sent to him and his eyes widened.
‘To my sister Jeanne. How have you been? My beloved brother? It will be known within the Holy Kingdom that I died while carrying out a mission in the Balkans. But I am still alive as a saint of Ikaris to uphold his will. And after receiving a new oracle from him, I returned to Johannes. And I need your help to fulfill Ikaris’ oracle. So, can we meet for a moment? Midnight tonight if you still believe in her sister. Let’s meet at the Hauril Lake border checkpoint guarded by your unit. My sister who loves you so much. From Angelina’
When he saw the letter, Jeanne’s hands trembled.
“Adjutant, Adjutant! Who sent this letter? Who did it receive it from?!!”
“Ah, a sister at the temple asked me to tell the captain… Kekkek… Wh, what is it about?”
Her aide, who was grabbed by the neck by her excited Jeanne, screamed and begged to be released, and only when the aide was about to faint did Jeanne release her hand from her neck and fell into deep thought.
“I can’t believe it… My sister apparently heard that she failed in her sacred mission given to her by Monk Ikari and that she is in bondage to the evil Balkan Emperor… Uh, how…”〈 Br〉
Angelina was peacefully beginning her missionary work in Adriatic according to her changed doctrine, but the Pope intentionally blocked information and the news did not spread throughout the region, so Jeanne, the head of the Heresy Tribunal, could not help but be surprised by Angelina’s news.
‘Is it fake… No… The divine power felt in the letter clearly belongs to my sister… Even if the person who sent this letter is not my sister, it is safe to say that she is at least dealing with her sister’s new illness… So. I have to go out to this place first!!’
After being lost in her thoughts for a while, Jeanne finally decided to go out at the time and place written in her letter and got up.
“Captain! Where are you going?”
“I’m going to patrol the border checkpoint for a while, so don’t worry. It’ll be a little late today, so you can go to bed now. I’m sorry for strangling you earlier!!”
“What’s strange about you, Captain? It’s not just for a day or two… I’ll sleep first then!! Come slowly. Slowly!!”
Jeanne gritted her teeth for a moment at the sound of the arrogant adjutant’s voice, but as she was running out of time, she walked quickly and arrived at the designated guard post, where she looked at the unconscious junior Inquisitors and the woman with short pink hair who was treating them. My eyes were red.
“Uh, sister… Sister!!!”
Before she knew it, tears were forming in Jeanne’s eyes and running down her cheeks, and at the sound of her voice, Angelina also turned around and smiled brightly at her younger sister.
*Inquisitor’s unit commander Jeanne’s casual clothes illustration*
