Ch 5; Gamble (2)

Imperial Year, 378 may would've been recorded in future records as the most tumultuous year in the Empire's history. 

If we all break down and analyze, the start point of this mess came from the Northern border, where our long-standing enemy of the Demon race built their own country called Ferjya Federation. Because of our century long history, of course we've had a history of waged war with each other. 

However, these conflicts had never escalated to a critical point and oftentimes it ended with a long period of ceasefire. Yet there's a difference of perspective between high ranking officers who thought such an ending was the best, and the foot soldiers—by that extension—, the mass, that harbor dissatisfaction towards the other nation. 

This grassroot and hereditary hatred became a vicious cycle where the Empire and the Federation cannot have a day without lowering their attention to each other. 

And more often than not, this heated atmosphere burst, by some foolish individual or group that cannot think even a step ahead, consumed by their fervent emotion and then escalated the situation into active aggression. 

This year, it was no different. 

The north, despite its cold weather, was once again engulfed in the burning fervor of war. However, there's only skirmishes here and there and never large-scale assault, as both commanders had been instructed to not escalate the battlefield from above. 

At that time, Major General Ludwig von Helsing, and several officers under him were suddenly reassigned to the eastern border, and upon landing, commanded to be combat ready for a potential 'invasion'. 

The wording is clear. 

Major General Ludwig, as a noble hailed from military background, can't dismiss the heavy implication. 

If the north has Federation, eastern has Entente. Formed by two kingdoms forefront to the Empire and commonly known as 'Entente Alliance' or simply, 'Entente'. 

Other than Entente, there's also another kingdom but ultimately, the one who poses a real danger in the east is Entente. Yet, countless spywork over the century revealed that even if the Entente were to collaborate with Federation to open another front, it would very easily be curbed, possibly with little resistance. 

The entire Eastern region also has a symbiotic mutualism of goods trade with the Empire which has been maintained for a long time. 

Who would've thought what they assessed as a docile lamb decided to band together, forming a Coalition, and very quickly baring their fangs to the Empire. And as Ludwig informed through his family's channel, the size of that Coalition was enough to go toe to toe with the entire Empire's Eastern Division. 

As such, a geographically disadvantaged Empire, running a country in the middle of the continent, has to raise the alert level of the other region as well as quickly stomping the coalition while also sending a diplomatic team to pacify with the Federation. 

And this decision has proven to be correct because merely a week after the war officially broke with the Eastern Coalition, the south raised the banner of alliance and joined the fray. 

As Ludwig boards the carriage, his mind is full of worries on how to quickly end the southern war. After all, even at this moment, there's no telling what decision would the Federation choose, as from the insider information obtained, the opinion itself split into two factions of moderate and hardliner. 

Of course, in this case, the Empire fully expend their support behind the scenes to champion the moderate faction. 

The problem now is the south, and west. 

Ludwig hasn't heard anything about the west, as that region is currently busy with warring states war since years ago, but his guts is telling him even if that bastardly Coalition lose this war, the next one who would raise the flag would be them. 

Still, I had to focus on the current task. 

What was fortunate, is that the one given the highest command to deal with the south is that man. Siegmund von Erlang. A young tactical genius that's proven his capability twice. In the north, where he first debuted, and east. 

It was his tactics that saved the eastern region from getting blitzed by the detached lightweight cavalry. His insight that accurately assess the enemy would dispatch even before the declaration was, Ludwig thought, truly a divine move. 

With such genius as our Supreme Commander, there's a chance. 

Did heaven hear his prayer, by chance? Because once again, the Supreme Commander's unorthodox tactic has been proven effective. 

No, more than that, it was a total win for the Empire. 

When he first heard of the enemy's number the first time, Ludwig had honestly half-given up at that point. After all, the current paradigm heavily emphasizes numeral superiority before anything else. So, seeing the number 50.000 written on the report the next day sapped his optimism to the brink of depression. 

Only the Supreme Commander, after looking at the maps, thought differently. 

"Everyone, snap out. If you still have the energy to despair, stand up—do wailed after everything ends. If you can't believe in yourself, then trust me." 

Such words from the young man were bringing the officers there massive shame. The word 'trust me' should be an empty word for these realist officers but, when it's coming out from the Supreme Commander's mouth, somehow Ludwig and his fellow officers had an epiphany. That trusting the Supreme Commander will be the correct choice. 

They say the future is unpredictable. 

But Ludwig saw the Supreme Commander move as if he already knew what the enemy would do. Feeding them false information, luring them in his own chosen battlefield, perfect tactical maneuver using limited troops while also dealing devastating damage to the enemy. 

Two weeks of preparation time, and in just one battle, the Southern Alliance is no more. 

"W-We won?!" 

"The enemy lost at least half?? What kind of…"

"The Supreme Commander is that man, Your Excellency."

 

"Why don't you tell me that earlier?!"

It was a miracle, plainly speaking. The dictionary simply lacks the more definite word to define what had happened. If Ludwig had to use more grandiose word, it would be 'the god's will'. 

Moreover, the Supreme Commander, knowing the south region except for the Empire's territory would undergo a massive chaos if leave be and became a headache later, schemed his way to quell the chaos for now, and pacify the southern residence. Namely; 'demonize the current regime and stage a righteous coup', starting with Vedora Kingdom, the cornermost opposer from the last alliance. 

And since plotting a coup one by one to each small kingdom in the South would take an enormous time, the Supreme Commander whose standing rose more after this huge win, cannot oversee the process and has to delegate his work to Ludwig, his immediate subordinate. 

Thus, Ludwig was promoted to Leutnant General and became the Empire's watchdog of the Southern region. 

Should I agree, or should I not? 

Today, the Empire's Southern Watchdog, Ludwig, was contemplating whether to accept the 'invitation' from Vedora Kingdom's newly crowned king. 

The flowery words were excessive, but the content itself is straight to the point. 

"Borrowing our grains…"

It goes without saying the content was incredibly insolent. It says here Vedora wants to borrow, but with their current capacity, could they even pay back half of the amount requested here? Highly doubtful. And his requests aren't just limited to borrowing grains. 

Verbal support, intelligence, and even personnel i.e, knights support for escort. 

It was an overreach of the puppet king, mistaking the maintenance of his authority as the Empire's responsibility. 

However, what made Ludwig contemplating, was none other than that king's prediction. 

Surely, as the Empire's Watchdog, who's currently running a covert mission to de-throne various kings and install Empire's sympathizers and allies as the head of state, cannot not know the trouble brewing underneath the bloated Southern region. In the instruction the Supreme Commander personally wrote, a certain level of chaos needs to be introduced so that when the Empire ignites the fuse, the explosion won't burn them. 

He couldn't possibly not see that the movement of several countries has been dangerous lately. Yet, it was a move born from desperation, and he cannot easily solve this nor entirely blocks it. 

Because the Supreme Commander said, "The degree of chaos needs to be maintained under a certain level, or everything will blow up all at once and become the worst case scenario." 

Ludwig has worked while strictly following the Supreme Commander's various warnings. 

But reading the prediction, softly worded, but essentially a threat, Ludwig wavers. At the same time, he cannot dismiss it as nonsense or overstatement. 

Every precursor written here has been cross-verified with what we knew. The result, was an astounding 98% accuracy. 

What makes him incredibly astonished as he is wary is that, the amount of request written here was exactly the maximum he could expend under the pretext of mission. In other words, it still falls under his jurisdiction, without the need to additional report to his superior, but will halt or at least greatly slows the ongoing plan in other nations. 

What would… the Supreme Commander did in this situation…? 

Would he ignore and stick to the original plan? Or moving flexibly? 

"You are sharp, Sir Ludwig. Must there arise a situation where you had to choose over two or more paths, always choose the one that has the least burden, but maximum or similar benefit." 

"Huuuu… god, help me."

Thus, two days later, a reply flew from Empire to Vedora, and smoothly slid to the king's hand, who grinned wide knowing the first button had been tied. 

*** 

Three days later, at the summit. 

"There will be a re-organization."

"""!!"""

The king dropped a bombshell.