The Imperial Army bursting with cheers of victory, expressing their joy.
Even though there were dangerous moments and General Tilly’s side suffered considerable damage, the war ended in the empire’s victory.
A victory so valuable it easily overshadowed the defeat in the Lorend Region.
In particular, the complete destruction of Mansfeld’s mercenary group, which had long been a headache and a target for eradication, was a tremendous achievement for them.
“Good job, Valenshtein. Without your help in this war, it wouldn’t have been easy,” said one.
“I only did what I had to. I’m just sorry I couldn’t provide assistance sooner,” Valenshtein replied.
“To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations for you, but through this, I’ve realized I’ve misjudged you. I will definitely repay you for today’s events in some way in the future.”
“Thank you for saying that. I will continue to support you as an officer for the empire, just like today,” Valenshtein affirmed.
Sharing their joy in victory, the two clear away their previously uncomfortable relationship and forge a new bond.
Thus, the essence of human affairs was simpler than expected.
When a goal is achieved and joy is shared, that organization can transform into a stronger and more resilient entity.
In reality, there may still be lingering disappointments or points of contention between them, but such feelings can easily be overshadowed by the simple emotion of joy.
On the other hand, even those who originally shared a deep bond could find their ties shattered by the trial of defeat.
Like these two in this very moment…
“Why didn’t you just let me die back then! Why did you do something so pointless!” one shouted.
“How could I do that? Didn’t you forget our promise, Mansfeld? Didn’t we agree to build a future together once this war is over? Even if we lost, are you really thinking of abandoning that promise now?” replied the other.
“It’s all over now! It’s all over! How many soldiers do we have left? Not even a few thousand remain! What can we do with this!”
“Still, you have to hold on! Just as before, we can bounce back again! Please do it for me, for the sake of the promise you made to me! I’ve come this far, counting on that promise!”
“I couldn’t care less about such garbage promises! It’s become unreachable… it would be better to stop expecting anything!”
“…Do you mean that?”
“Do you think I would joke around in this situation? If you’re going to keep blabbering useless nonsense, get out right now!”
“…”
Mansfeld’s words, filled with despair and anger, triggered a cold expression on Christian’s face as she gazed at the man before her, disappointment starting to show.
Once captivated by his pride, cunning, and ruthless charisma, she had given him her heart.
Yet in this moment, the Mansfeld before her had none of that left.
What appeared in her eyes was merely the form of a defeated person, bereft of any will.
Above all, the harsh words he had just uttered…
His dismissal of their promise felt like a betrayal worthy of stripping away the last remnants of her lingering affection.
“…I understand. Then I will take my leave now.”
“Bang! Bang!”
Christian, speaking in a cold voice, lowered her head.
But Mansfeld merely responded indifferently, chugging from his bottle.
He no longer had the strength or will to hold onto anyone.
Even if that person was the woman he had promised a future with.
To him, now branded as a loser, there was no thought of holding onto anything anymore.
“Then farewell… Mansfeld.”
Thus, Christian left Mansfeld’s camp, leading only a few soldiers who followed her.
However, neither she nor her army, already suffering from a bad reputation, could establish footholds anywhere, and ultimately, Christian wandered the world until she contracted an epidemic and died.
There were tales that a vengeful God sent a pestilence to strike her down for her cruel deeds, but the truth of those tales was never confirmed.
Meanwhile, shortly after Christian’s departure, Mansfeld’s defeated soldiers began trudging southward.
Rumor had it they were seeking a new employer in Benetsa or perhaps intending to join the Turkish front in the Kingdom of Hungary.
Yet…
No matter which path they took, the name of Mansfeld’s mercenary group would vanish from the world after that.
Having already been physically and mentally shattered, Mansfeld was unable to recover during his march southward and ultimately died on the way.
According to a soldier who had once belonged to his mercenary group, Mansfeld continued to march with the support of his subordinates until his last breath.
It was because he could not bear the thought of dying in bed, despite being an aristocrat who had once dominated the world.
Of course, regardless of whether it was true, his end was a meaningless and futile stand of a loser…
*
“Dammit!”
“Y-Your Lordship, hold steady!”
Chris IV, back in Mark’s Lord’s Castle, simmered in anger over the defeat he had suffered with all his might in the war he led.
“Mansfeld! That damn bastard… that bastard ruined everything! If he had fought properly, we could have won! Where the hell is he now? What is he doing?”
“We’re sending people to find out, but so far we haven’t heard any concrete news…”
“If you find him, tell him to bring his head here! How much investment did I place in that bastard? To betray my trust like this? I will never forgive him!”
Had Chris IV lost due to his own mistakes, he wouldn’t have been this angry or felt so wronged.
However, in this war, he had done everything he could, and victory had even seemed within reach at one point.
Although it appeared that General Tilly was gaining the upper hand, matters could have quickly flipped if Kaalon, the 11th-grade mage, had been unleashed at the crucial moment.
But just before that powerful card could enter the fray, Valenshtein’s army rushed in, sending everything into chaos, forcing Chris IV to mar an almost certain victory with the humiliation of defeat.
“Not only did we fail to defeat the enemy, but we couldn’t even hinder their advance. Is the mercenary king’s so-called talent truly that limited? What on earth did he do to be trampled by that rookie Valenshtein?!”
Of course, it was Chris IV who had employed Mansfeld, but he had plausible reasons, so he refused to admit his fault in this matter.
In truth, it’s only natural for people to blame others when they experience failure.
For Chris IV, Mansfeld served as a perfect psychological trash bin for placing the blame for his defeat.
So, while cursing Mansfeld, Chris IV grappled with his fury.
Just then…
“Y-Your Lordship! T-Trouble!”
“What is it? What happened?”
A servant rushed into the room in a panic.
In that instant, Chris IV feared the Imperial Army had invaded.
However…
“!”
Right before him appeared someone he never expected to see, causing him to run over and bow respectfully.
“Y-Your Majesty, King Gustav!”
“It’s been a while, Chris IV. How have you been?”
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