The figure sitting across from him.
Just a few hours ago, looking at General Tilly, who had smiled at him with unwavering faith.
Valenshtein wore a complex expression.
“Valenshtein! I… I trusted you… How could you do such a thing!”
General Tilly, surrounded by soldiers, wore an expression full of rage.
A magical sealing restraint was bound around his wrist, and to make matters worse, Hestia, who had the power to subdue General Tilly, was casting spells to restrain his movements.
And while looking at him, Valenshtein spoke in a bitter voice.
“…I’m sorry. But please forgive me for not being able to act otherwise.”
“Are you… truly going to become a traitor? You, who have received great favor from His Majesty the Emperor more than anyone else! Are you saying you will forsake that grace?”
“That’s not it. I am only trying to do what is right for this country and its people. You know well, don’t you, General? How this country is currently flowing. If we stay like this, this country, this empire will eventually become nothing but an empty shell.”
“So, you mean to point your sword at His Majesty, who has shown you kindness? Wake up, Valenshtein! You are a subject! A subject who has the duty to pledge loyalty to the ruler and guide him on the right path!”
General Tilly shouted defiantly, even with armed soldiers right in front of him.
He too was not pleased with the Emperor’s actions at the moment.
However, General Tilly was a person who clearly distinguished between what a subject should and should not do.
Just because the will of the master does not align with his own, or because the master’s path is wrong, if one tries to abandon the master, then they are no longer a subject.
The proper stance of a subject was to risk one’s life to offer sincere advice and to strive to change such a master, and that was true loyalty to the master.
But unfortunately…
Before him, Valenshtein was not a character with such steadfast loyalty as General Tilly.
“Please remain quiet for a while. I am also one who has respected you, General; I will ensure your life is preserved. Then…”
“This bastard! This traitor! Can’t you release this right now? Valenshtein! Valenshtein!!”
General Tilly roared in protest until the very end.
Leaving him behind, Valenshtein stepped out of the barracks and gazed at the group of soldiers assembled before him.
Suppressing the dissenters among General Tilly’s subordinates and absorbing those who agreed with him, his forces had grown even larger than before.
Total troops: 40,000.
These were the last bastion of the empire, and the current Sacred Empire emperor had virtually no means to withstand this massive army.
Realizing this fact.
Valenshtein drew his sword and shouted to the soldiers.
“I declare to the soldiers before me and the countless people of this empire!”
In addition to the 40,000 troops, many were gathered in this place to spectate or conduct commerce.
In other words, Valenshtein’s declaration here would immediately spread throughout the entire empire.
Considering that, Valenshtein shouted with a voice full of confidence.
“I, Valenshtein, have gathered soldiers at my own expense to serve the country, its people, and the will of God, fighting wholeheartedly for the empire, resulting in the shining victory known to all! However, despite my loyalty and efforts, the conditions in the empire have not improved at all! Due to successive famines, the people are starving, and amidst this, that empty-headed Emperor of Vienna is only inciting the division of the empire without facing reality!”
While recounting his achievements, he boldly criticized the Emperor, and his soldiers and the gathered crowd began to cheer loudly.
As Valenshtein said, despite winning the war, the situation of the empire continued to worsen.
The ongoing famine had ravaged their lives, and during this, the Emperor only advocated discrimination against heretics, providing no solutions.
Initially, it was possible to redirect anger toward those heretics, but as time passed, the people had no more energy or reason to pour their emotions into such matters.
They recognized that, like them, the others were just suffering neighbors.
“Therefore, I, Valenshtein, hereby declare at this moment! In fulfillment of the divine will of the Lord, I will draw my sword to cut down the will of the Emperor, which has plunged the people of the empire into misery, and restore this country to its former state! If anyone is ready to uphold God’s will and realize righteous justice, take up arms and follow me!”
“Wooaah!!!!”
“Long live Valenshtein!”
“Judgment upon the foolish Emperor!”
“For the will of the Lord!”
As soon as Valenshtein’s declaration finished, the soldiers and the people fervently began to cheer.
Although among them were planted instigators, there were also many who cheered sincerely.
Valenshtein’s words had precisely pinpointed the grievances that the people had long harbored, and to such an extent, the public sentiment in the empire had already drifted away from the Emperor.
Although they usually couldn’t openly express this for fear of losing their lives, they were still human.
They knew how to suffer through pain, and they felt anxiety and rejection toward wrongdoing and the current flow.
For them, Valenshtein’s call to rectify the wrongs was surprisingly resonating.
These soldiers, having been subservient to Valenshtein while being able to fill their bellies when others starved, possessed a basic strong sense of loyalty.
Receiving passionate support from the people and the soldiers, Valenshtein’s forces began to move resolutely.
The goal: the heart of this vast empire, the place where that ‘wicked’ emperor resided— the capital of the Sacred Empire, Vienna.
Originally, this army set out from there, and Valenshtein was making a resolute ‘return.’
*
“What… what did you say? Is that… is that true? That… that bastard Valenshtein dared?!”
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty… Right now, the 40,000 troops led by Valenshtein are headed this way!”
The words of the courtier, who spoke in a despairing voice with his head bowed.
In response, Emperor Sijip turned pale, shouting in an urgent voice.
“W-What nonsense is this… something must be wrong! There’s no way! Valenshtein would never point a sword at me…! W-Wait… where’s General Tilly? Contact General Tilly and find out the exact news!”
“General Tilly has already been captured by their hands! All military authority in this land… has now been seized by Valenshtein!”
“W-What did you say?”
At the courtier’s words, which were like a thunderbolt, Emperor Sijip sank helplessly onto his throne.
At this point, Valenshtein’s rebellion was something he could not have anticipated at all.
Up until now, Valenshtein had never defied the emperor’s orders or shown any ambition, and thus the emperor still trusted Valenshtein’s loyalty.
Of course, given that General Spinola was not present, it was dangerous to give too much power to him, so the emperor was preparing to keep him in check through General Tilly, but he was not in a position to execute that yet.
In this decisive moment, when the emperor’s power was at its weakest, Valenshtein chose to unsheathe his sword firmly.
And that blade was now… rapidly approaching the place where the emperor was, here in Vienna.
“Valenshtein… that filthy traitor dares!”
Thus, the furious emperor unleashed his deep wrath.
Then, he grasped the sword that had been placed beside him.
“Gather all the military forces inside the castle at once! Recruit anyone who can wield a weapon! I will personally behead that traitor Valenshtein!”
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