Chris IV’s Defeat.
And Mansfeld’s Retreat and Death.
This has once again caused a huge ripple across the continent.
After the defeat at Lorend, the Imperial Army, which had begun to be treated like a mere puppet, proved that they were not to be underestimated.
Moreover, the position of Chris IV, who led this incident, became even narrower, forcing him to focus solely on regaining his own strength rather than concerning himself with matters outside the Kalmar United States.
And.
In this situation, Richelieu of the Franz Kingdom, who had supported Chris IV with immense funds, found himself in a rather complicated position.
“I never imagined Chris IV would defeat so quickly… I thought he would at least wear down the Empire’s strength and buy some time.”
Knowing the strength of the Northern Army, he personally believed that this war could end in either a defeat for the Imperial Army or at best a Pyrrhic victory.
However, the Imperial Army unexpectedly won against Chris IV without sustaining significant damage, a turn of events that greatly deviated from Richelieu’s calculations.
“Thank goodness there was a defeat for the Imperial Army at Lorend. Otherwise, things would have been perilously complicated. With this victory, the enemy is not only shaken but becoming even more solidified…”
As a chancellor of Franz, he needed to weaken the power of the Sacred Empire by any means necessary.
If they could stabilize their internal chaos and regain strength, it would be obvious where their blade would be pointed next.
Especially in a situation like now, where militarily they were elevated even further…
However, the long piece he had been relying on was much weaker than he had thought and got devoured by the enemy, thus Richelieu needed to find a new pawn.
“There are not too many suitable options… But since they are already indirectly allied with That Heretic Alliance and furthermore the Dragona Empire, it may be hard to obtain satisfactory results.”
When it came to deals and funding, Richelieu was well aware of the fundamental principles.
Through the fact that he had invested, they should be able to extract benefits from the other side.
In other words, the trade would hold significance only if he could put a leash around the other party’s neck through his investment. In that sense, the opponents he had his eye on, even if they offered assistance, would not yield much meaningful outcomes.
“This is troublesome… In that aspect, there has been no pawn as suitable as Chris IV. At this rate, should we just go all in and move ourselves…?”
If they couldn’t help and obtain anything in return, it might be better for them to take action themselves, Richelieu concluded.
But for that, it was essential to form some kind of pact with That Heretic Alliance, which was gaining influence within the Empire.
Thus, Richelieu immediately began drafting a letter.
Honestly, for the chancellor of Great France to send a letter to a mere local lord of the Empire… to be precise, to his young son, felt a bit humiliating.
However, Richelieu was not one to care much about such things.
He was a man who could decisively lower his head for the sake of national interest.
Moreover, the abilities of the other party he had seen so far were enough for him to recognize, so he had no qualms about showing humility regardless of age or power.
“Thinking about it, it’s quite a regret… If there were such talent in this country, it wouldn’t have been impossible to defeat the Sacred Empire with just the power of the Franz Kingdom…”
*
A letter that arrived before me.
As I looked at it, I began to feel a strange emotion.
“Richelieu… The Franz Kingdom requests an alliance from us…”
According to the original work, they always intervened from a distance in the affairs within the Dragona Empire, playing the role of taking the sweet part at the decisive moment.
From that perspective, the contents of the letter in my hand were showing, in many ways, that their movements were greatly different from the original story.
The essence of the alliance proposal was simple.
If we were to wage war against the Sacred Empire, they would also march from the west to attack the Empire.
This was a far more proactive attitude compared to just providing financial support and then claiming a share of the territory during the peace talks in the original story.
“Originally, they should have approached King Gustav to present themselves as sponsors… But now that we are the ones holding their hands first, it seems they’ve given up on that side.”
It was realistic for them to take action directly rather than being anxious as a second investor, uncertain about whether they would benefit or not.
Moreover, their movements would not be bad for us, who were poised for the final battle.
The actions of the Franz Kingdom would inevitably tie up the Imperial Army’s resources, which would weaken the enemy’s strength in some way.
Having come to that conclusion, I decided to accept Richelieu’s “earnest request.”
“The situation is unfolding more interestingly than I expected. If things go well, I might be able to acquire more than I had thought…”
*
On the sickbed lay Emperor Sijip Ferdinand of the Sacred Empire.
As he received the long-awaited news, a deep smile began to spread across his face.
“A victory? Really… Are you saying our Imperial Army has won?”
“Yes, Your Majesty! General Tilly and General Valenshtein have reportedly driven out the heretics from the north and punished the lords who rebelled against Your Majesty.”
“Haha! Splendid! Truly splendid! Indeed… Indeed, God has not forsaken us! A victory! An overwhelmingly complete victory at that!”
After the defeat at Lorend, Emperor Sijip had only exuded gloom.
For him, this victory was sufficient to erase the shadows of his previous defeats, and this was not only in his mood but also a tangible reality.
The lords who had been wavering between the Emperor and the heretics decided to submit under the Emperor, and the Franz Kingdom, which had supported this from behind, would also suffer significant losses.
Amidst countless enemies both inside and outside the Empire, this kind of shift in momentum greatly reinforced the Emperor’s authority and helped stabilize the Empire.
“Especially, it is said that General Valenshtein’s contributions were significant. He supported General Tilly at the decisive moment and determined the outcome of the war.”
“Valenshtein, you say! Indeed… I recognized that man’s capability at a glance. He truly is one to help elevate the Empire’s reputation.”
With a buoyant mood and a deep smile on his face, the Emperor was.
At that moment…
Seeing their lord in such a state, the courtiers who had quietly been observing cautiously began to speak.
“Um… Your Majesty. If it pleases you… may we share our thoughts at this juncture?”
“Hmm? What is it? If you have something to say, please do.”
The courtiers, who had been waiting for the right moment, saw this as their chance to speak now that the Emperor’s mood was soaring to the skies.
This was their opportunity to avert the worsening situation into which the Empire was slipping.
Thus, they voiced their proposal to the Emperor in cautious yet earnest tones.
“Your Majesty. Now Your Glory has been proven once more, and the numerous lords of the Empire are trembling in fear of Your might. How about we seize the momentum of this victory to aim for something greater?”
“Something greater…?”
“Yes, that’s right. Stabilize the Empire, and perhaps we could subjugate all the traitors… something big.”
“What is it? If there is a method, why could I not pursue it? Speak at once.”
The Emperor granted permission.
At this, the courtiers knelt before him and fervently exclaimed.
“Your Majesty! We implore you with our lives! Please!..
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