Evade The Hero and Flee!

Chapter 293

Side Story – Memories of a Certain Princess (44)

After bringing the imperial order to Ast allowing him to take any action he wanted in this war, Ast really started going wild. 

“What? If that place gets destroyed, will the people’s food supply not become insufficient? What does that have to do with us? Rather, wouldn’t it be very good if future enemies become hungry and have no strength left to fight?”

When the others began objecting to his plan to turn the enemy’s major food production area into a sea of fire, Ast tilted his head with a twisted posture.  

“Oh my, these stuffy people… We didn’t come here to play or not to fight a war, did we? It would be great if everyone could become happy, but we should take care of ourselves first. It’s you before others, isn’t it?”

Even when Renia argued that he was going too far, Ast cleanly ignored her. No, he started pushing even harder.  

“Officer Renia, what a good point. As expected, you are different from me who only has a honorary knighthood in name. You are an excellent knight who knows the virtues of a true knight. But you know what? Anyway, if a war drags on, the war fighters are bound to go crazy. An army is not a normal group. Think about it normally. Other than assassins or evil organizations, where else officially kills people? Say it proudly. Nowhere. The only ones who can legally kill others in broad daylight are soldiers and executioners who execute convicts.”

Ast sat down at an even more twisted angle in his chair. 

It was a rude attitude and posture that made strangers want to hit him even if they didn’t know him.  

But because of the imperial order with his words written on it, no one could point fingers at Ast.

“Hmm… Was I too harsh?”

The Emperor, my father, gave him permission to do whatever he wanted, and he’s really putting that to use, huh.  

I really want to hit him but I have to hold back because of the imperial order. My subordinates who don’t know must feel a bit sorry.

“The military is a group that is legally allowed to commit murder only in wartime. Well, it’s similar for the magicians of the Magic Tower or the knights of the country, but they have different pursuits. Knights are taught to protect something, and the Magic Tower approaches magic through scholarship. However, the military is different. To protect the country, they are taught how to kill something. While monsters may be the goal during peacetime, they also learn how to kill people in preparation for times like this when war breaks out.”

Despite the serious topic, Ast spoke with a smile.  

With Renia and the other military officials rendered speechless, another general spoke up in Renia’s place.  

“I understand Ast’s point well. However, is there a need to specifically burn the enemy’s foods? Wouldn’t the enemy troops starve enough if we just destroyed their granaries?”

“Yes, that’s true. If we occupy that area, we may obtain agricultural produce from the fertile land. But that is uncertain. Rather than leave a threat for uncertain gains, I suggest we eliminate the threat and give up the uncertain gains.”

Ast’s words silenced the others. It was such a logical argument… Or at least it seemed that way.  

The words were full of logical gaps, and the excellent generals before him could not have failed to notice them.

However, in war, there was something called momentum. And right now within the military, Ast had the best momentum out of anyone.  

He had crushed the enemy’s vanguard alone and earned my father the Emperor’s recognition, allowing him to carry out imperial orders.

With Ast speaking so confidently, it was difficult to put on the brakes.

“Everyone remains silent, so can we proceed according to Ast’s opinion?”

The silence continued for over a minute.  

There were no more useless meetings than those that wasted time in silence.  

And so I suggested ending the meeting, and the other generals did not object either.  

That was how Ast’s scorched earth tactics were approved.

“Good. Everyone rest up and prepare for war.”  

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Ast, stay behind.”

I held back Ast who was among the generals bowing their heads before leaving.

“What is it, Your Highness?”

After sending out even my attendant Renia for a bit, I faced Ast alone with all the others gone from the room.  

“Why are you trying to employ this kind of tactic?”

Scorched earth tactics. It was certainly not a bad tactic.  

It meant destroying everything that could be used favorably by the enemy – Not just food, but roads, capital within the land, industrial foundations, etc.

“Didn’t I already explain earlier?”

“I heard it. That long-winded explanation filled with sophistry. We’re not at the stage where we need to use scorched earth tactics yet.”

There were two major cases when scorched earth tactics would be utilized.  

The first was when a country’s military carried it out within their own territory. It was a strategy utilizing the military’s overwhelming scale.  

It was an effective tactic for countries with vast territories or special geographical features and characteristics – frigid regions with bitter winters like the North, or deserts where procuring food was difficult.

Here are some key points about scorched earth tactics.

The method is simple. 

Block the enemy’s supply routes as much as possible, and make it so your own territory cannot produce food.  

By doing that, the enemy’s massive and powerful army will face food shortages. Without engaging them in battle, the huge number of troops will starve to death, becoming a burden that shackles their own feet.

The other case is when retreating from enemy territory.  

This tactic is used when a previously winning war suddenly faces new variables, forcing the abandonment of occupied land.  

When leaving the land, take all necessary supplies, and destroy anything the enemy can use, preventing them from planning for the future.  

An additional effect that can be obtained is hampering the enemy troops.  

Simply seeing their own cities burn is enough to sap soldiers’ morale. This is even more so for troops whose hometowns are affected.

Commanders are then faced with a dilemma.  

Should they immediately chase the enemy for revenge, or allocate manpower to aid the destroyed areas?

The former utilizes soldiers’ anger to increase combat power, but commands may not go through well, risking huge losses if the enemy ambushes them.  

As the chaser, failing to catch up or losing sight of the enemy must also be considered. I’ve heard many commanders prioritize rebuilding cities first.  

Those in higher positions inherently dislike taking responsibility for their own actions, tending to choose safer options.  

While international condemnation can’t be avoided, scorched earth is certainly a usable tactic.  

Besides, Ast usually prefers playing it safe, so it’s not odd for him to act this way.  

If the timing was better, I wouldn’t have doubted him at all.

“Is there a need to employ scorched earth tactics right from the start of the war?”

It would be one thing for a nation to scorch its own land, but there’s no reason for us as the aggressor to immediately destroy everything.  

Not only would we lose our own footholds, rumors would spread of our ruthless forces annihilating everything, potentially spurring greater resistance.  

Importantly,

“Even at the cost of human lives.”

Scorched earth tactics undoubtedly aimed to destroy everything the enemy could use.  

Food, supplies, production infrastructure, roads…and humans as well.  

A nation might evacuate its own people, but scorched earth usually meant massacring the enemy nation’s civilians.  

“There’s no guarantee the people who lost everything won’t take up arms against us. You know that well, right?”

I would have understood if Renia said that.  

No matter the war, no matter the military necessity, she was the type who couldn’t bring herself to point blades at ordinary civilians.  

But Ast was different.  

“Leave threats behind? Ast? You spout crap about hating war but not people, right?”

Ast, who had quietly listened to my words, smiled with upturned lips.  

To an ordinary person, it would have seemed a faint yet chilling smile.  

Discussing tactics that could take or spare tens of thousands of lives while smiling like that – He definitely wasn’t normal.

“Everything is in service of the first plan.” 

“First?”

The first plan Ast spoke of – 

“Could it be that business of making you Commander-in-Chief?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

After being stunned briefly, I quickly began deciphering Ast’s words. 

Soon I grasped what he was after.

“Not just achievements, but also building a power base and support in the kingdom?”

“That’s right.”

Ast’s reason for sparing the enemy citizens – it was a means to increase General Reliqus’s support base.

“The ruthless imperial army that destroyed their homeland! There was no one who could stop them until Reliqus appeared!”

Ast’s exaggerated words and gestures made him look silly, like he was acting. 

But knowing the implications behind them, it was a chilling performance.

“What if he fails to manage the people? As you know, the General is a typical villainous noble. Among nobles who treat commoners like trash and slaves, he’s unmatched even in the Empire!”  

Would someone like that really save citizens who lost everything?

I highly doubted it.

“That’s where we as kingmakers – No, Commander makers – Must take action.”

“…We create his power base in a foreign nation? Is that possible?”

Even domestically, building support was difficult. 

Duke Reliqius was labeled a useless fool squandering his ancestors’ legacy by nobles, and outright human trash by citizens. Changing public image would take ages even for an Imperial.  

No, his reputation was so horrendous that even the imperial might couldn’t transform it.

“I really think this is impossible.”  

Changing perceptions seemed too difficult. Even if that succeeded, nothing would change if his personality remained rotten.  

“It’s possible. No, considering the General’s usual conduct, it may be easier.”

Yet Ast showed no trace of such worries, wearing a refreshed expression instead.

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly as I said. The General is irredeemable trash without military strength, talent, or basic diplomatic skills expected of a high noble, unlike former Generals.”

“Right. So he can only suppress others by relying on his family’s achievements and authority.”

“Yes. Thus he’s surrounded by sycophants, not talented people.”

“Precisely why we planned to make him Commander-in-Chief.”  

“And that makes him easy to use.”

Trash can’t be recycled. The solution is separation and collection.  

Unlike me who thought that way, Ast insisted trash could be utilized outright.

“He may be trash but he’s no fool. He likely understands others gossip about him despite his delusions of grandeur.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because only those fully aware of their own worthlessness rely on money and power to oppress people.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes. It stems from lacking personal ability, so they keep up appearances through other means.”

His words resembled conviction.  

“You seem to grasp those feelings well. Could it be that you think that way about me too?”

“How could that be? For someone of Your Highness’s caliber and talent…”

Ahem!  

After a small cough, Ast continued.

“Your…Your beau…Tiful High…ness?”

“Isn’t that more unpleasant to hear? Wouldn’t speaking your mind clearly be better?”

“Still, openly insulting royalty in their presence is going too far.”

He just admitted he almost openly insulted me to my face.

“In any case, General Reliqius is petty trash. Such a trash suddenly turned hero would surely strive to appear impressive.” 

“And if not?”

“Oh, um… Then I guess all the citizens here starve to death?”

Ast’s words indicated utter disinterest in that outcome.  

They were thoughts that made me doubt he possessed humanity at all but…

“Right. Anyway, the enemy’s circumstances are none of our concern.”

It may be terrible to say, but nowhere does Ast’s personality shine more than in war.

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