“What do you say? Do you think this old man has paid for his food?”¹
“Of course!”
Otto burst out laughing.
“Your Highness, you are a Hero! You have saved countless lives that would have perished on battle!”
“Hahaha. Not a hero.”
Wazir snorted.
“It’s nothing more than a cunning ploy by a presumptuous old man.”
“No.”
Otto shook his head.
“You’ve truly accomplished something great.”“Hahaha!”
“You’ve really worked hard.”
Wazir’s work was nothing short of magical.
It was an accomplishment Otto could never have dreamed of, a ploy he would never have dared to attempt.
It was possible thanks to Wazir, a highly esteemed politician, diplomat, and administrator on the continent. It wouldn’t have been feasible for a mere petty kingdom’s king to execute such a plan.
On the contrary, Otto would have been very likely blown to bits by having his head snapped off by some unheard-of man who would dare to speak of a surrender.
Why would Otto choose to take over the Slaine kingdom through all-out war, as opposed to diplomacy and strategy?
Lacking any reputation or connections, Otto had no choice but to use brute force.
“Then, since I’ve served you everything, it’s up to you to chew and gobble it up.”
“Of course.”
“And while we’re at it, why don’t you let Camille go?”
“Oh?”
“I heard you knocked him out and forcibly confined him.”
“Haha. Hahahaha.”
“If you do this much, the lad won’t have too hard a time, so let him go.”
“Okay.”
…but Otto was honestly a little scared.
‘What if he goes on a rampage as soon as I let him go?’
It’s one thing to be considerate, but when he puts himself in Camille’s shoes, who suddenly gets hit in the back of the head by a poker…..
*Shudder!*
Otto shuddered at the thought that Camille might try to stab him as soon as he was freed.
‘If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have locked him up!!!’
But he couldn’t keep him locked up indefinitely, so he decided to let him out with the intention of preparing for a couple of hits.
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After releasing Camille.
“Your Highness.”
Camille called to Otto with a straight face.
“May I talk to you privately for a moment?”
“N-Now?”
Otto broke out in a cold sweat as soon as he caught sight of Camille’s face.
‘Something’s not right with this entire vibe.’
The expressionless face of Camille seemed so intimidating that it felt like a fist could come flying at any moment.”
“I-I’m busy right now. Haha. Hahaha.”
“It’ll just take a moment.”
‘Yeah, it’ll only take a moment.
‘That’s how long it takes to throw a punch.’, came the sarcastic thoughts of Otto.
“It really will only take a moment.”
“…Okay.”
Otto walked toward a secluded spot to talk with Camille alone.
“What are you thinking?”
Camille narrowed his eyes and frowned at Otto through clenched teeth.
“Huh?”
“Why are you acting like you’re about to get beaten up?”
“Wasn’t it… a beating?”
“Are there knights who would beat their lords?”
“You used to just swing your sword at them.”
“….”
“Are you planning to kill me?”
Camille didn’t answer if there was a point.
Instead…….
“I just wanted to say… thank you.”
“Huh???”
“I know why you locked me up, I understand. Thank you for your consideration.”
Camille said sincerely to Otto.
“You’re not going to hit me?”
“Why would I hit Your Highness?”
“No. I forcefully knocked you out and imprisoned you.”
“Wasn’t that because you were worried about me?”
“That’s true.”
“Okay, then.”
“You’re not really going to beat me up, are you?”
“Well, if you want to, I can punch you.”
“Huu….”
Otto breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well, at least that’s good.”
“What?”
“We managed to take over the Kingdom of Slaine without shedding any blood.”
“What do you mean?”
“What happened was…”
Otto told Camille about the maneuver that Archduke Wazir had pulled.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Did we really stop shedding any blood?
“That’s the case?”, replied Otto still not fully believing how lucky the outcome unfolded.
“Really, I’m truly relieved.”
Upon hearing the story, Camille’s face brightened.
That means there would be little need to worry about fighting and killing old friends on the battlefield.
Of course, that’s not to say it won’t happen at all.
In any case, just the fact that human casualties will be significantly reduced allows Camille to relieve a considerable burden from his heart.
“If you understand, then get ready.”
“Huh?”
“We’ll occupy the capital within a month and storm the palace. Once we breach the palace, there will be battles. From there, it’s inevitable. Blood will be shed.”
“I see what you mean.”
Camille understood Otto’s meaning, and immediately moved to his feet.
There would be no war.
But there will be one great battle, and it will be fought in the royal palace.
In that case…….
‘Training.’
Camille has decided to spend a limited time honing his skills in preparation for the battle that will occur in the Royal Palace.
He needed to be stronger, if only so he can subdue and kill fewer people.
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The attack on the Kingdom of Slaine had taken quite a while.
As much as it would have been nice to jump right in, like baking beans over an open fire, it wasn’t possible.
Otto also needed a minimal reorganization to stabilize the occupied territory of the Kingdom of Baltin, and the same applied to those who had pledged their surrender.
The key figures of the Kingdom of Sleyne who had promised surrender to Otto began meticulous preparations before the rebellion.
This included arresting and imprisoning those loyalists.
No matter how tyrannical the current king was, there were still many loyalists to the dynasty, and they needed to be eliminated first.
Meanwhile.
“Eh.”
Otto had to painstakingly revise all of his carefully crafted strategies and tactics.
Thanks to Archduke Wazir, the strategy and tactics that he had planned to fight the Slaine Kingdom head-to-head had been rendered useless.
So Otto had to adjust his strategy and tactics to the new situation, which wasn’t easy.
‘Just in case.’
Otto was careful to plan his new strategy and tactics in the event that those who had indicated their intention to surrender were to betray him.
He had more than a Plan B, a Plan C, a Plan D, and beyond, so that he could regroup steadily in the event of a backstabbing, and so that he could fight back or retreat at any time.
“My God.”
“How are you so skilled at maneuvering troops?”
The military officers were in awe as their eyes watched Otto’s strategy and tactics.
Otto’s devised strategy was so flawless that there was simply no room for criticism.
However, Otto didn’t boast or appear arrogant at all.
‘I’ve done this many times before, and if I can’t do it, I’m not a gamer.’
Otto had raided the Kingdom of Slaine many times before, and had experienced many defeats.
The strategy and tactics Otto has developed against the Slaine are a product of experience, not military knowledge.
But not from the perspective of those on the sidelines.
While devising strategies and tactics for the preparation of the attack on the Kingdom of Slaine.
“…Why didn’t she show up?”
Otto was puzzled when Elise didn’t come to visit him.
The time had already passed for her to visit him twice, and she hadn’t even shown the slightest glimpse of her face.
‘Has she given up? No, she hasn’t. It can’t be.’
He was starting to get a little nervous that the person who was supposed to come hadn’t shown up.
‘Are you very busy? Well, beyond these walls is such a place. Huh. I can’t even go there.’
Curiosity got the better of him, and he thought about going to see her, but he couldn’t find the time, not when he was so close to capturing the Slaine Kingdom.
‘Should I write her a letter? No. I don’t want to bother her by sending her a letter when she’s in the middle of something.’
Otto considered writing a letter to Elise, but quickly abandoned it.
‘But… I really want to see her. Even though I shouldn’t.’
Otto found himself missing Elise and could only smile in self-admonishment.
At first, he’d been afraid of her as an object of terror, but then he realized that he’d come to love her…….
‘I’ll see her again soon.’
Otto thought to himself, and started walking.
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A month later.
*Thump* *Thud* *Thump* *Thump!*
The army of the Kingdom of Lota began to advance toward the Kingdom of Slaine to the West.
*Flutter!*
White flags fluttered from the fortresses that guarded the borders of the Slaine Kingdom, and the gates were wide open.
With the surrender of General Joseph of the First Legion, Lota’s forces crossed the border with ease.
Without shedding a single drop of blood.
Is that all?
The First Legion of the Kingdom of Slaine’s army, led by Joseph, even joined Lota’s army and marched toward the capital.
At the same time, small and large rebellions broke out all over the Kingdom of Slaine.
The rebels that rose up simultaneously immediately began advancing on the capital.
The Slaine army was unable to quell these simultaneous rebellions, nor could they stop the advancing Lota forces.
All they could do was retreat and fall back to defend their capital.
Thanks to them, the Lota Kingdom army led by Otto successfully advanced to the very gates of the capital of the Kingdom of Slaine without engaging in a single battle.
The result.
“Greetings, His Majesty King Otto de Scuderia.”
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
The leaders of the rebel forces that had encircled the capital together, rushed to Otto and pledged their allegiance.
“Welcome, everyone. As you’ve made difficult decisions, I assure you of both safety and status in the future.”
Otto warmly welcomed the rebels, extending a generous olive branch.
“Thank you for trusting this old man to do the right thing. You have made a choice that you’ll never regret, Phew.”
Archduke Wazir, who had followed them to the battlefield, exhaled a puff of smoke and offered a smile to those who had yielded.
“Would it be possible?”
“The Archduke’s words are correct.”
“What’s the point of remaining loyal to a kingdom that is already in ruins and hopeless?”
Those who had surrendered bowed their heads in the utmost respect to Archduke Wazir.
‘He is certainly a great man.’
Otto admired Wazir’s influence, but it was too soon.
“Who is the commander defending the capital?”
“Yes, Your Highness. It’s General Yolson.”
Joseph answered.
“Deliver my letter to General Yolson. Let me try to persuade him.”
“Understood.”
Wazir sent a messenger to the commander in charge of the defense of the capital of the Kingdom of Slaine, requesting that they surrender.
That same night.
“Hahaha. Yolson will surrender tomorrow morning.”
“…My God.”
Otto marveled at Wazir’s influence.
A single letter had gotten the commander of the capital’s defense to surrender.
‘This is a hero. What else could one call a hero?’
Certainly, Wazir deserves to be called a hero.
The ability to persuade an enemy to surrender without shedding a drop of blood was more valuable and special than any amount of force.
Otto understood what it meant to be truly strong, to win without fighting.
He realized again why they say the pen is mightier than the sword.
A force so powerful that it could subdue any opponent?
Of course, this would be ideal.
However, there are very few people in the world who have such power, and brute force cannot solve everything.
If someone uses force, they’re bound to get a negative repercussion, and that karma is never small.
Someday, when they least expect it, it will catch up with them.
It always does.
However, if like Wazir, one can subdue the enemy through persuasion, appeasement, and counsel without shedding a drop of blood, one need not worry about any side effects.
Because Wazir’s way was to win hearts and minds, not force.
“Soon the white flag will be raised and the capital will be opened. Those who guard the palace will never surrender, not unless the king is dead.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Otto nodded.
“It will be a hard fight. Especially for you.”
Wazir glanced back at Camille.
** ** **
TL/N:
1. If you are familiar with the Novel “TCF” (Trash Count of the Family), Cale likes to offer food to his allies and then expect them to do some task for him to repay for it.
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