Chapter 204 : Chapter 204

Chapter : 204

Count ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Steffen.

This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍count was generally recognized as the commander-in-chief who led the Holy Empire Emperor’s armies.

For ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍decades, he had served at the Emperor’s side, and whenever the imperial army marched, he had not relinquished the post of commander-in-chief even once.

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍commander with abundant experience in war, and one who enjoyed the Holy Empire Emperor’s trust. In this Elang Kingdom expedition as well, it seemed only natural that Count Steffen would be the commander-in-chief.

Though ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he had suffered a crushing defeat in the County of Campania and lost territory, had the reputation he had built not been immense?

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍yet, in this deployment against the Elang Kingdom, an upset occurred.

-I appoint Count Josef as commander-in-chief for the Elang Kingdom front. All remaining nobles, including Count Steffen, are to obey the orders of Commander-in-Chief Count Josef as though they were my own.

A position he had never once lost had been taken from him.

And on top of that—

“Count Josef, you say?!”

“You must not endure this. Even now, go to His Majesty the Emperor and speak. How could a mere mage command?”

“Your Grace, Count Steffen! Just give the word. We will go and persuade His Majesty the Emperor.”

The post had been handed to Count Josef, Count Steffen’s rival at court.

Worse still, he had been ordered to serve under him, which was humiliation of the highest order.

“Silence! His Majesty the Emperor made this decision with full consideration. How dare you chatter on!”

“B-But….”

“That is enough! Anyone who continues will be disciplined with whipping. Watch your tongues, and do not give Count Josef any reason to find fault with you.”

Count Steffen suppressed his vassals’ angry complaints with stern authority, but in truth, the one most displeased and furious was Count Steffen himself.

That Count Steffen and Count Josef were rivals was an open secret.

The Holy Empire Emperor knew it well.

‘And yet he treats me like this…?’

Was the Emperor intending to discard him?

Or was it merely a warning appointment, meant to reprimand him for his recent defeat?

He could not know the Emperor’s true intent, but given the temperament Count Steffen had observed at close range for so long…

‘It is probably both.’

-GRIND.

Humiliation and indignation surged.

But what could he do?

As Count Steffen had told his vassals, nothing would change. He could only accept the situation as it was.

So Count Steffen decided to hold his breath for the moment, and watch for an opportunity.

An opportunity for his political enemy to blunder, and for Count Steffen to reclaim his tarnished honor.

---

-BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

Drums sounded, and at once the soldiers began forming a phalanx at the shouted commands.

They had practiced it relentlessly. Even when they met the enemy unexpectedly, movements ingrained through countless drills flowed without obstruction.

It was the very image of elites among elites.

Magician Agpiel watched from beside me in admiration, but there was someone who could not do the same.

“Hm.”

That was me.

“Hmmm….”

“Stop sighing. The ground will sink at this rate. And what if the soldiers around you see it?”

“Ah—! Ahem. Thank you, Magician Agpiel.”

Realizing my mistake, I cleared my throat and straightened my posture atop my horse.

“Does it trouble you that the commander-in-chief is not Count Steffen?”

“Of course it does. It is better to fight someone I am used to than some completely unknown Josef—Josef? Count. I do not know anything about him.”

War, after all, was about raising one’s chances by lighting up the darkness of uncertainty.

Why else would The Art of War emphasize the importance of intelligence?

And there was no need to rely on some dusty ancient text.

Even StarCraft, our Korean folk game(?), was a game where scouting mattered tremendously.

You had to know what cards your opponent could play, but I did not know Count Josef’s cards. His temperament, his strengths, how he handled people, whether he had rich experience in war—none of it.

“When I see you like this, you seem excessively cautious.”

Magician Agpiel clicked his tongue.

To be honest, with the level of preparation this young noble had, he was more thoroughly prepared than most—no, than anyone. With armies of this size, was it not ultimately strength versus strength?

Petty stratagems should not have much influence on victory or defeat.

Still—

“Now that I think about it, your words have merit. Count Josef….”

“Hm? Do you know him well, Magician Agpiel? Is he a commander with much battle experience?”

“Well…. He does not have much battle experience, but if you let your guard down, it may not be good….”

What did that mean?

I frowned, and Magician Agpiel spoke with a careful expression.

“I remember now. Count Josef. If I recall correctly, he is Count Steffen’s political enemy—and a remarkably capable court magician.”

“A court magician?”

“Yes. I remember him as a mage who wields lightning. A very powerful magical mystery.”

“Huh….”

That was even more surprising.

A mage serving as commander-in-chief was strange enough, but a lightning mage?

“Can he truly use magic freely? Enough to affect a war?”

In fantasy novels, mages sometimes decided the course of battle. A single Hellfire fireball, and a thousand soldiers vanished.

Thankfully, it did not seem to be that kind of story.

“…Your imagination is quite something.”

After giving me a look of mild contempt, Magician Agpiel clicked his tongue.

“If one could wield such magic, why would an army even be needed? A mage is still only human. The kind of mage you are imagining belongs to myth, a ridiculous tale. At best, he can kill a few people. Of course, killing from a distance is impressive enough.”

“Ah!”

Only then did relief wash over me.

If it was only that much, then I did not have to treat the mage as a deciding factor in the war.

Though the idea of a spell that could kill from afar was still chilling.

“That lightning… will probably come for me, will it not?”

“Hm…. Against you, a high noble? That might be difficult to deal with afterward.”

But Magician Agpiel soon reconsidered. He seemed to recall rumors about Count Josef.

“No. Perhaps it will be aimed at you. I have heard that Count Josef, the court magician, is a man of a very insidious mind. They say he will use any means necessary.”

“Ugh…. That is bad news.”

I had planned to stand at the front and crush them, but now I had to rethink it.

If I were sniped by a lightning mystery, would that not be disastrous?

“What are you worrying about? I am here, am I not? Lightning is weak to the wood attribute, so I can block it with protective magic.”

“Is that so?”

“It is. So trust me and do not worry. Go out front and command proudly.”

But that bold confidence did not last long.

Magician Agpiel soon snapped, grumbling as he raised his voice.

“Tsk. In moments like this you are as timid as a little girl! Fine, I will stay right beside you. When you talk like that, it makes me uneasy!”

Truly, he was a man of deep affection.

---

When the Holy Empire Emperor’s camp spotted the Margrave of Bellua’s army moving in the distance, it erupted into commotion.

“They are moving!”

“Impudent bastards. Let us intercept them at once.”

“Yes. Those well-fed Elang Kingdom dogs will never be able to stop us, Your Grace, Count Josef!”

They were desperate to earn merit.

The nobles who followed the Holy Empire Emperor were watching Count Steffen’s misfortune with gleaming eyes.

The more someone was cast out, the more opportunities arose to seize the vacant place.

And had Count Steffen not held many positions within the Emperor’s court?

If they earned great merit in this battle, they could gain an excellent chance to strip those positions away.

‘Jackals.’

Count Steffen, of course, was not unaware of their schemes.

But with battle imminent, he had no intention of engaging in an emotional quarrel.

“No. We must move with caution, Commander-in-Chief. The Margrave of Bellua’s forces are elite, and his command is not to be taken lightly.”

Count Steffen offered advice as rationally as he could.

To be ruled by emotion was the work of novices. First, victory. He could endure today’s humiliation for a time.

Of course—

“What?”

Count Josef and the nobles under him had no intention of listening.

“Our Count Steffen has become quite timid.”

“Hahaha. Indeed, Your Grace, Count Josef. After losing battles, he has—ah. How many times have you lost now? Twice? Once to the Kingdom of Aragon, and once in the County of Campania.”

“Now, now, do not be too harsh. They say the Margrave of Bellua is an excellent commander. That brat.”

They dismissed Count Steffen’s counsel instead.

“How well can that child fight, even if he is good at war?”

“Exactly. I have heard that the Holy See supported him in his past wars. Were not his victories ultimately because of the Holy See? Now he has no support at all, so his true skill will show.”

“We should simply push through with force. The troops we brought are elite, hardened by civil war.”

Where should he even begin correcting them? Count Steffen felt a headache throb at their stupidity.

‘Tch.’

Had he not underestimated that same enemy and suffered a crushing defeat?

“They too are troops tempered by long wars. Do not take them lightly. Especially the defensive strength of those long pikes is tremendous. Their formation scarcely breaks.”

“Hmph! Then we should strike quickly.”

“Exactly. We must strike and shatter them before their pike phalanx fully forms. And yet someone who knows that suggests we should wait until their formation is complete. Tsk.”

“…….”

Count Steffen had tried to advise them with all the patience he could muster, but he had reached his limit.

“Fine. Do as you please, Count Josef. But if you lose this battle, that will not be my responsibility. Let that be clear.”

“Hmph. Is that a threat? It is what I want to say. If we win this battle, you get none of the credit. I intend to report this to His Majesty the Emperor—‘certainly.’”

“Do as you please!”

-THUD!

Count Steffen slammed the table and rose to his feet.

If that was how it was, what reason did he have to stay here? They were not going to listen anyway.

With that thought, Count Steffen left the tent with an angry expression and summoned his men.

“Prepare the cavalry at once.”

“…Pardon? Are you planning to charge there?”

“No.”

At his subordinate’s question, Count Steffen shook his head.

Was he mad, to charge into that?

Into a phalanx packed dense with long pikes?

So Count Steffen said with a scowl,

“We will wait. Count Josef said he would handle it, so let us watch how well he does.”

Count Josef….

That man would pay the price for looking down on him.

The monstrous Margrave of Bellua.

He would learn, in full, what overwhelming power like a calamity truly meant.

Count Steffen had no intention of helping until Count Josef’s army collapsed.

Never.