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I told Bartolo to hold out for a month. In other words, we have only 1 week left before my time limit runs out.

Whether or not Bartolo’s efforts will have been meaningful is dependent on what happens here...

”This isn’t good...” (Almus)

I scratch my head.

If Bartolo is defeated, the Rozel Army will be able to run amok inside our country. At that point the only thing we could do is surrender.

I don’t know whether I should feel appalled or impressed by the cold-hearted foresight possessed by the vassal alliance of King Belvedere’s abandoned towns and Patricians; as soon as they caught wind of the Belvedere Army’s crushing defeat at our hands, a majority of them saw the writing on the walls and surrendered to me.

All that’s left is for King Belvedere himself to surrender.

That will be difficult though as there is still hope for King Belvedere yet. King Eville is currently invading our country.

There is a very real possibility that King Eville can defeat us and that’s why King Belvedere won’t give up.

I must hurry and get both King Belvedere and King Eville to surrender and then go reinforce Bartolo...

”Your Majesty, King Rosyth.” (Rosyth Soldier)

”What is it?” (Almus)

”A message from Lord Bartolo...” (Rosyth Soldier)

”Give it here!!” (Almus)

I quickly go to where the soldier’s letter is on a fast horse and tear it open.

Impatiently, I make a mess opening it.

[To your majesty, King Rosyth.

By the time you read this letter, I think I should be in this world no longer.]

”WHAT!!!” (Almus)

[By that I jest.]

*Irritation* [1]

I unconsciously throw the letter to the ground and step on it.

After that, I hurriedly pick the letter back up, brush of the dirt, and resume reading.

[I will briefly summarize the current situation. At the present, our army is holding out. Fortunately, there is the well in the royal capital for water and an abundance of food. It seems harvest this year was excellent. There is enough food to last five months if you were to save it.]

It seems my biggest fear that we would run out of food in a siege is no longer an issue.

That’s a relief.

With that much food, we would be able to feed everyone within the walls of a large city for over a year. And in the case of a siege breaking out, that can be extended to 5 years.

Though in Bartolo’s case, he’d need 5 months of preparations for a siege that long...

[However, Rozel have called their reinforcements back home. Information from a spy says that Rozel have called back 40,000 of their troops. I am unsure on the details but... it seems they are being divided into 4 divisions with the first regiment arriving a week from now.]

40,000 is it...

There’s no way our country can stand up to that kind of military power. That kind of power is enviable.

Though, it seems they will need time to gather that power.

Four divisions... would be about 10,000 soldiers as a conservative estimate I think?

Which means after one month of gathering manpower, the total number of soldiers could become 50,000?

[As I previously reported, we have enough food to last us 5 months. That is, if we only took food into account. Morale among my men is swiftly declining. There is fear that I don’t quite understand growing among them. It seems there is a skilled assassin in the enemy ranks who turned one of my army’s centurions into eighths. [2]

This is certainly one of the causes for this fear. We can hold out for one week; I can guarantee that. However, once the first of the enemy divisions arrives... I do not know how long we could endure.

Two to three weeks is really the time limit on this. Please think over this.

I request for reinforcements as soon as possible. Also I propose to open diplomatic negotiations with Gillbed and Fardam.

From, Bartolo Pompeius Mela

P.S. I will accept the responsibility of my defeat after our victory.]

”... the responsibility of my defeat” huh...

I don’t feel the need to particularly question this. Whether we win or lose, at this point will all come down to luck.

It’s not like it’s Bartolo’s fault. Well, after I come in with reinforcements I will revoke the imperium (absolute commanding authority) granted to him. Then I will say he can erase the sin of defeat from this battle in the next one. That should be good enough.

Losing Bartolo over a single defeat would be ridiculous.

Well then, it seems like my time limit has been extended to two weeks...

”Hey, Ron. You got any good ideas?” (Almus)

”Nope.” (Ron)

What a splendidly prompt reply. Well, Ron is just the captain of the Praetorian Guard. It can’t be helped. [3]

I turn my gaze over to Gram. Ah, he turned away.

I suppose an arrow can’t take down a castle wall, huh.

”Roswald. How about you?” (Almus)

”We could always try to get the horses to run up the ramparts.” (Roswald)

In other words nothing I suppose.

I’ll try asking Soyon and Lulu. Maybe I can get a different perspective from magicians.

”Well, we could try dropping bombs from the sky using hawks... that way we could launch an ambush on the enemy.” (Soyon)

There are a lot of falcons on the other side too. Carrying the bombs would weigh our hawks down more and would quickly be hunted by the other hawks.

”Lulu, what are your thoughts?” (Almus)

”Um... how about using the ballistae to launch bomb spears over the wall?” (Lulu)

”Those huh. While I do want to test that out, the castle gate is strong enough that, unless we hit it multiple times, it won’t break. Moreover, to get within firing range, we would need to enter the enemy’s firing range too...” (Almus)

Basically, whichever side can extend their firing range will also increase their power.

Since the laws of physics exists, it can’t be helped.

If we make any careless attempts, our ballistae will get destroyed.

”Sieging a castle sure is tough... it can’t be helped.” (Almus)

Should I call for Alexios?

”Alexios. Do you have any plans? I don’t have much time to spare. I want the castle to fall as fast as possible.” (Almus)

I called Alexios to hear his opinion.

Alexios is a foreigner. Moreover, he isn’t even originally from our ally, Lezzad. He’s a Povenian. [4]

The other vassals must be upset that an Aldernian king is so simply asking the opinion of a Povenian (and not them).

It’s hard being popular... just kidding.

That kind of discord is only going to invite distrust towards me which could factor into the collapse of the country.

I’d like to avoid that as much as possible.

However, I’m more worried about the country collapsing because of Rozel rather than from internal discord at the moment.

After all, you can’t make an omelette without cracking some eggs. [5]

”Actually, those were my thoughts exactly. I’ve asked my wife to look into something for me. Melia!” (Alexios)

”Yes. Here your highness. I interrogated some of the prisoners of war about the structure of the walls and had magicians from Lezzad examine it as well. Some of it includes speculation on my part well but...” (Melia)

I receive the paper from the woman known as Melia. It seems she is Alexios’ wife.

They are quite the good-looking couple.

According to a rumor, these two had eloped to the Aldernian peninsula.

Well, it’s fine if they’re happy in the end I suppose? There seem to be a common pattern those attempting to elope. Romeo and Juliet for example.

Thinking this, I unravel the paper.

This is quite the detailed map.

To be able to finish this in 3 days... Melia seems to be very skilled.

However, the more I look at the map, the more I see there is no weakness I can exploit.

And I start to understand the fragility of my own country’s walls.

I hand the map back to Melia and ask her a question.

”So, do you have a plan?” (Almus)

”I’m sure you have come the same conclusion but the castle’s structure is very strong. A frontal attack on it would probably take years. It seems King Belvedere has previously prepared a stockpile of food in the event of a siege.” (Melia)

I know you want to say somthing so say it.

Get to the point already!!

”In short, the siege will take us a year. It could take maybe 3 weeks should many things go in our favour I think? If we dig under the castle walls, they should come down easily. However, the enemy has probably already anticipated this possibility as they most likely dug a tunnel under the walls as a counter to this.” (Alexios)

... Even Alexios is saying that this is impossible.

This is impossible for me as well.

But if we let this be, it will mean the end of the country...

”Peace is a beautiful thing. It is fortunate that King Belvedere is a coward. If he is threatened, he will yield.” (Alexios)

”But if they are able to endure, how can we win? How do we break King Belvedere?” (Almus)

In the first place, there is no way someone who can win a drawn-out war would just capitulate from one short decisive battle.

Time is on King Belvedere’s side.

”That’s not what I’m saying here. The northern and central patricians and cities have formed an anti-King Belvedere alliance right? Given time, more will rise up and join that alliance. That king will probably panic. What’s more is that King Eville can’t tell if the Rosyth Kingdom is at its breaking point. If we push him into a corner just a bit, King Belvedere should capitulate. This all really depends on him capitulating.” (Alexios)

”And what do you mean by ‘push him into a corner’ exactly?” (Almus)

”Specifically the plan is to...” (Alexios)

Alexios shows an nasty(evil) looking face as he explains his plan to me.

A catapult roars as it fires pots into the sky.

The high-powered Cretian-made catapult launches those pots over and lands it inside the walls.

”The pots contain human excrement, broken corpses, gunpowder, a kind of container with 50/50 gunpowder and oil inside... how crude.” (Almus)

Well, using excrement and corpses is a valid tactic in siege warfare.

”All that’s left is the letter I suppose. It would be bad if I forgot that.” (Almus)

In a pot with a corpse I also put in a letter.

I put in four different kinds of letters.

First is information on the captured prisoners of war.

Second is information on the identities of the dead.

Third is false information that Bartolo and his Allied Army look to be winning.

Fourth is a recommendation for surrender.

A letter is light enough that a hawk could be used to scatter them from the sky.

Unfortunately they have as many hawk users as we do.

”Still, will they really capitulate with this?” (Almus)

”They won’t. But the pressure on them will increase. It is because many Cretians live in the Belvedere Kingdom.” (Alexios)

In other words, there are many people who can read the letters.

I’m sure King Belvedere will give out an order that forbids people from picking up the letters...

There is information on family who survived written.

They will be compelled to pick them up.

”Well, for now, how about we talk with Ains and Gehenna’s representative.” (Almus)

Presently, the one who holds the highest authority is myself. The reason being is that Lezzad and Gehenna’s support came in the form of reinforcements.

Moreover, I do have to keep up appearances.

We need the specifics on what happens postwar especially. Then we need to discuss King Belvedere’s terms for surrender.

Author’s note:

Next will really be the end (of Belvedere).

Translator’s note:

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Fairly easy to translate this time. Not too many difficult sentences so I’m happy.

[1] It originally said [イラッ] for those who were wondering. It’s the Japanese onomatopoeia for getting irritated. There is no good english equivalent for this so I just put that Almus gets upset. Rightly so I might add; not funny Bartolo. (Ok maybe kinda funny) ↑

[2] The original term was [百人隊長] which the previous author used “kentarch” as the translation for. While this is the correct translation from Japanese to English, I want to use “centurion” from now on as it is much more “Roman” sounding. For those who are curious the main the difference between the two terms are mostly linguistic and historic. A kentarch was a Byzantine (who were mostly Greek which would be the Cretians in this setting) commanding officer who commanded an army of 100. A centurion, on the other hand, commands an army of 80 heavy infantry under the Roman Empire. The Byzantines were also called the (Eastern) Roman Empire but, in this case just pretend that a centurion is the same as a kentarch and commands an army of 100 instead of 80. I can change it back if you guys really want me to but I thought “kentarch” sounded too Greek (which again, it is). ↑

[3] Yay more Roman terminology! So the Praetorian Guard were the imperial guards of the Roman Empire who also served as military police if I’m not mistaken. Since the Japanese said [近衛隊長] which translates to “imperial guard captain,” I decided to call this imperial guard what its Roman equivalent. Also I could call Ron’s position specifically the “praetorian prefect” but I was afraid I would only confuse people since most people do not have dictionary knowledge of Roman army composition and titles. Unlike centurion, praetorian prefect is not a very well known position. If you don’t mind this let me know so if/when this title comes back I’ll just use “Praetorian Prefect” as his official title. ↑

[4] Upon thinking about it, Pothenia, Poffenia, or Pophenia don’t quite look or sound as good as Povenia. Until I find a better translation for ポフェニア, I am going with Povenia. ↑

[5] The omelette in question is victory over Rozel and the eggs is the trust his vassals have in Almus. They’re being broken because Almus is relying on a foreigner for war support and not his vassals. Just to clarify in case of confusion. ↑