Semi-Coercive Imperialist - Chapter 103: Your Faith (6)
──With this recent victory, part of the Kingdom of Zerpha’s encirclement has been lifted.
The Royalist faction could now breathe a little easier, but the nation was already split east and west. The civil war would drag on for quite some time.
During the remaining time, I stayed in the royal palace and spent my days with Crown Prince Alonso.
Meals. Horse riding. Reading. Golf, and so on. Throughout all these activities, we communicated in Zerphan. It was my own effort to build rapport.
“……Just as expected.”
The royal palace garden. A transparent, open space free from eavesdropping.
There, I was summoned by the Crown Prince. Lately, he had grown more comfortable around me, and he had many things he wanted to say.
“As expected, the generals’ demands have increased. Now that the encirclement has been lifted, they’re demanding priority rights to supplies and provisions.”
The Crown Prince let out a sigh.
“I feel like I ascended to this position far, far too early.”
The King of Zerpha, who was seriously ill, was already beyond hope. That was precisely why the civil war had broken out.
“Haa…….”
I placed a hand on his shoulder as he sighed.
“……Your Highness Alonso. Please don’t burden yourself with excessive worry.”
However, even I could not move the Empire any further than this. It was a matter of justification.
Countless eyes from the Western Kingdom were already watching Zerpha. The moment the Empire showed any ambition, they would immediately form an alliance.
“You are the sole heir to the throne of Zerpha. While everyone else seeks to use Your power, only the Empire worries about the loneliness you will bear as the one who sits alone upon that throne.”
Instead, I was buttering up the Crown Prince.
Just as I had been doing all along, I treated him with utmost respect whether in front of him or behind his back, never treating him like a puppet.
“The Empire, the Empire alone, regards you with the highest esteem.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes looked at me.
Eyes worn down by the ways of the world and bruised by betrayal. A person who had grown up too much like a flower in a greenhouse to handle these turbulent times.
“Whenever it becomes too difficult for you.”
I held something out to him. The Crown Prince absentmindedly grabbed my hand.
“No. Please don’t take my hand.”
“Ah.”
I shook off his hand and instead placed the object into it. A leather notebook, just about the size of a palm.
“What is this……?”
“It’s a so-called ‘Twin Notebook’ made by flattening the highest-purity mana stone until it’s as thin as paper.”
An artifact crafted by cutting a single massive raw Mana Stone into two pieces.
It looked like a notebook, but in truth, it was essentially a mana stone.
Since the mutual Mana synchronization rate between them was 100%, writing or leaving any mark in one notebook would be reproduced exactly the same in the other.
In other words, it allows for completely secure communication with no fear of mana waves being intercepted.
“If you write in this, I will be able to read it instantly from the Empire.”
A wide communication range reaching from the Empire’s center to the royal palace of Zerpha. Granted, this thing was insanely expensive, but still.
“Let me try writing something.”
I wrote a sentence in the notebook.
[You are the true root of Zerpha and a friend to the Empire.]
That sentence was transmitted to Crown Prince Alonso’s notebook as well.
“……Knight Maximilian.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes welled with tears. I looked straight into them and nodded.
“Please don’t worry about supplies. Even if I have to empty my own personal fortune, I will make sure the people of Zerpha do not starve. All you need to do is wait and trust me.”
At the mention of using my own wealth, the Crown Prince finally burst into tears. He held the notebook to his chest like a treasure.
“Please always keep in mind. This Empire is by Your Highness’s side.”
“……Thank you.”
Crown Prince Alonso of Zerpha looked like he was about to break into full sobs.
Truly, he was far too powerless, too fragile, and too weak to rein in the military’s greed.
“Why are you crying? There is no reason for Your Highness to cry.”
“No…… it is not that…… in a way…… it feels as though my father, who can no longer even open his eyes, has sent you, this knight, to me…….”
To put it bluntly, he was someone who would willingly sell out his own country.
…….
After parting ways with the Crown Prince, I ran into Leon in the corridor of the royal palace. Leon was wearing a combat uniform covered in dirt; he must have been training.
“Max. How did it go?”
“No idea.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
A major turning point had occurred on the front lines. The encirclement had been broken, and the future had changed.
But knights were not soldiers. From now on, it was the soldiers’ responsibility.
“What about us, then?”
“We leave tomorrow. I’m going to write the report.”
“Report?”
“Yeah. I’m the one in charge, remember.”
I had participated in this mission as a knight. And since I was also the one responsible for this expedition, I had to prepare the report to submit to headquarters.
“Hmm… Ah, but, do you think Major General Schweitzer will be okay? He looked super pissed. He was muttering all kinds of curses to himself.”
I chuckled and nodded at Leon’s words.
“It’s fine. You go get some rest.”
“Okay~”
I returned to my room and sat at the table. I spread out a blank sheet of paper and pondered for a moment.
From here on out, Lieutenant Colonel Kai Han and Major General Schweitzer would take the lead in Zerpha.
Lieutenant Colonel Kai Han was my man, but I had no way of predicting what Schweitzer might do. He was someone who inherently hated staying still.
Therefore—I planned to give him a carrot.
I quietly closed my eyes and recalled memories from before the regression. All the books I read as a fugitive after the fall of the Empire. I dug into those memories through the virus.
[Schweitzer was not a strong person. Rather, he was an extremely dependent person. A monster who grew up feeding on praise, constantly craving recognition for everything he did……]
──Excerpt from 「Faces of the Imperial Era」.
Schweitzer was practically the founder of blitzkrieg.
However, the only things he was recognized for, both within and outside the Empire, were civilian massacres and brutality. Even in his final words before execution, he emphasized the “battlefield”.
Of course, his extraordinary military talent was only re-evaluated after his execution, but I needed that talent right now.
I picked up my pen.
I would fill this report with the words he most wanted to hear, recognition and praise for the ‘battle’ he so desperately longed for.
──[Operation Result Report: Strike on Zerpha Encirclement]──
Author: Sentinel Knight, Maximilian Ebenholtz
1. Operation Overview and Achievements.
(Omitted)
……The success of this operation was due above all to the swift and daring maneuvers of the Durkon Legion. Major General Schweitzer broke through the front line at a speed beyond the enemy’s expectations, serving as a model of rapid assault that deserves to be recorded in the Empire’s military doctrine.
I would like to describe this lightning-fast maneuver as “Blitzkrieg”.
Additionally, Major General Schweitzer demonstrated exceptional insight and decisiveness in reading the flow of the battlefield. In particular, his tactical judgment in precisely identifying the moment when the enemy’s encirclement was at its thinnest and concentrating firepower accordingly was nothing short of admirable……
4. Recommendation
In my capacity as a knight, I hold Major General Schweitzer’s military acumen in high regard and recommend that his experience and knowledge be actively utilized in the establishment of the Empire’s future mobile warfare tactics.
─────────
…….
The next morning.
We finished preparing to leave Zerpha. With the encirclement around the Alcantara Region lifted, safe airspace had been secured, and a Canilan-made transport aircraft was scheduled to come pick us up soon.
Knock knock─
While I was packing, I heard a knock at the door.
When I opened it, the 0-year recruits were standing awkwardly at the entrance.
“Ah, Sir Knight.”
Royce, Dare Tan, and Hannah. Each of them held out a large duffel bag.
“?”
I looked at them with a puzzled expression. Royce nudged Hannah on the shoulder.
Hannah unzipped her bag.
“Ah, um……”
Inside the bag, all the equipment issued for this operation had been neatly organized.
“This is the expansion backpack, this is the ultra-compact communicator, and this is the lightweight leather armor. In addition, various miscellaneous items. All have been thoroughly washed and maintained.”
Hannah reported in a clear, precise voice.
“……?”
I still did not understand, so I tilted my head.
Seeing that, Royce quickly added,
“No matter how poor she grew up, she wouldn’t do something like switching gear.”
“W-what? What do you mean poor?!”
At the mention of being poor, Hannah reacted explosively first.
“Ah.”
Only then did I understand. They had mistaken the gear equipment temporarily loaned for the operation.
Well, each item was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Altogether, it was close to two million. That was equivalent to about three to four years of a knight’s net annual salary.
I gave a short reply.
“No need to return them.”
“……Sorry?”
“Keep them. They’re your equipment now.”
I zipped up the duffel bag and pushed it into Hannah’s arms. She awkwardly cradled it against her chest.
“As your superior officer, I’m awarding it to you. You did your part in this operation, so you more than deserve this much.”
They were going to face even harsher battlefields ahead, and to me, that amount of money was nothing.
“……Is it really okay?”
The 0-years’ eyes widened. Especially Hannah’s face, it was quite a sight. Her expression lit up like she had just received the whole world, and her arms trembled.
Her nose and the corners of her mouth couldn’t stay still. They quivered, twitching like spasms.
“Finish the rest of your preparations before the transport arrives.”
I turned my back. From behind, I heard a cry of “Thank you!” along with the sound of bickering that followed belatedly.
“Poor? Who’s poor─” “You are, obviously.” “Like you’re rich?”─ a squabble of words, but there was laughter and joy in it all.
***
Meanwhile, in the field tent of the Durkon Legion.
“Damn……”
Major General Schweitzer looked outside from within the tent.
The environment had changed 180 degrees. From a luxurious penthouse to a rugged battlefield stinking of dirt and gunpowder.
“……How boring.”
He muttered absentmindedly.
The battle was over. The enemy had retreated, and the Durkon Legion had been assigned the meaningless task of guarding the Alcantara Route for the rest of the civil war.
“No matter how hard I bust my ass, I still can’t beat one damn Supreme Commander’s son.”
Just as he was letting out a self-deprecating laugh while recalling his conversation with Maximilian─
His adjutant walked in.
“Sir. The report on the recent operation has arrived.”
“Report? What report.”
The adjutant held out a thick file of documents.
“Ah, well, it’s—”
“Forget it.”
Schweitzer was about to wave his hand dismissively out of annoyance when he saw the author’s name written on the cover.
[Author: Sentinel Knight, Maximilian Ebenholtz]
“……A knight’s report?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
Knight reports go directly to Sentinel, and from there straight to headquarters.
In other words, it’s a massive pain in the ass. Because knights were the ‘Sword of the Empire’, the concept of overstepping authority did not exist for them.
“Gimme that.”
He sighed and took the report.
The knight of Ebenholtz. No matter how much of a hero he was for subduing Genen, the way he had done it was heavy-handed. Proof that Maximilian himself was that kind of person. A high-ranking noble who lived off his own self-importance.
So, surely, this report would be full of him praising himself.
That’s what Schweitzer thought as he opened it.
──1. Operation Overview and Achievements──
After the outbreak of the Zerpha civil war, in response to the Crown Prince’s request for support…….
──────────────
At first, he planned to skim a few pages and toss it.
[……The success of this operation was due above all to the swift and daring maneuvers of the Durkon Legion.]
“Hm?”
But then, certain sentences caught his eye.
[Major General Schweitzer broke through the front line at a speed beyond the enemy’s expectations, serving as a model of rapid assault that deserves to be recorded in the Empire’s military doctrine.]
“What’s this.”
Schweitzer furrowed his brow. He leaned his head forward a little more.
The report detailed his achievements in full.
The guerrilla warfare conducted by Maximilian and the other knights was downplayed as auxiliary, while the offensives of the Durkon Legion and the Berton Battalion were described in grand scale.
[I would like to describe this lightning-fast maneuver as “Blitzkrieg”.]
Blitzkrieg. A single word that perfectly described Schweitzer’s style of commanding the legion.
“Blitzkrieg?”
Schweitzer rolled it around in his mouth while tilting his head. As he continued reading the sentences, he checked the name of the knight written at the top paragraph again.
[Author: Sentinel Knight, Maximilian Ebenholtz]
It was definitely Maximilian’s report.
“But still……”
Schweitzer opened the report fully.
Line by line, he began reading more carefully.
Before he knew it, he was holding a pen in his hand,
And underlining sections like:
[Exceptional insight and decisiveness in reading the flow of the battlefield. In particular, his tactical judgment in precisely identifying the moment when the enemy’s encirclement was at its thinnest and concentrating firepower……]
He underlined passages like this.
“Well, he sure knows how to separate personal from professional matters.”
Maximilian had accurately grasped the reason for the victory and did not inflate or downplay any achievements just because he liked or disliked someone.
Schweitzer nodded repeatedly as he continued reading─ until, suddenly:
[……In my capacity as a knight, I hold Major General Schweitzer’s military acumen in high regard and recommend that his experience and knowledge be actively utilized in the establishment of the Empire’s future mobile warfare tactics…]
“…….”
Schweitzer flared his nostrils in silence. Though he had already finished reading to the last page, he naturally flipped back to the first.
As he began rereading it thoroughly from the beginning, one particular phrase sparkled like gold dust, something he found deeply satisfying.
“‘Blitzkrieg,’ huh……”
Blitzkrieg, as in advancing at lightning speed.
It was the first time someone had so precisely understood and praised his combat method.
Some bastards just said all he did was move fast and dismissed him as a “speed specialist” or some nonsense like that.
Scratch, scratch.
The ink in his pen ran out as he underlined more. Schweitzer ordered his adjutant to bring more ink.
“Here it is, sir!”
“Yeah. By the way, this report, has it already been submitted to headquarters as-is?”
“Yes. It should have been. Is there a problem with the contents…?”
“No. Nothing like that. You’re dismissed.”
“Loyalty!”
He refilled the ink and resumed underlining.
No, he pulled out his notebook and began copying down the more noteworthy sentences by hand.
Perhaps because he was the son of a high-ranking noble, his writing had a certain elegance to it.
“……Hmm.”
After a second full read-through, Schweitzer finally closed the report, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.
He caught a strangely pleasant scent of earth wafting in from outside the tent and, for no reason at all, opened the report again.
Spinning his pen, he began reading again from the first page, swish swish swish─.
“Hm~”
After a third full read-through, Schweitzer raised his eyebrows and closed the report.
The faintly fragrant smell of soil drifted in once more from outside the tent, and again, he reopened the report.
He spun his pen and scribbled down notes as he read from the beginning once more.
As if savoring a novel, he repeatedly read and pondered over Maximilian’s report.
