Chapter 209 : Chapter 209

Chapter : 209

“Push ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍them back—! Do not let them climb up!”

“Commander! ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍The west gate is being pushed back right now!”

“What? ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Send in the reserves, quickly. The sun is going to set soon. We only have to hold!”

Sir ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Biden shouted himself hoarse.

As ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍expected of the army led by Crown Prince Charles I, who supposedly commanded the finest elite troops in the kingdom.

Not ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only was each soldier’s combat power formidable, but it was also clear they had practiced siege warfare extensively—their movements flowed as naturally as water.

A massive barrage of arrows and trebuchets.

Then, without pause, the assault continued with siege towers, battering rams, and ladders.

They kept pressing without giving even a moment to breathe.

As a result, some sections of the wall were nearly taken—if only temporarily—under the enemy’s onslaught.

“The Duchy of Aquitaine’s troops—should we not send the duchy’s knights over there?”

“A-about that… they just charged out on their own a moment ago, Commander.”

“What?”

At the absurd report, Sir Biden let out a hollow laugh.

They charged out without orders?

Were they not the troops he had deliberately kept as reserves?

‘Gngh…’

Of course, it was not the first time knights had behaved like that—and he himself was a knight as well.

Even so, he could only sigh, again and again.

Only now could he understand why the Margrave of Bellua had always been plagued by headaches over the knights’ behavior.

‘At least I should take it as a positive that, in a dangerous moment, they made the right call and held the line.’

Better that than suffering and doing nothing.

Somehow, Sir Biden felt he was starting to resemble the Margrave of Bellua.

“If the knights have been committed, then so be it. Send the crossbowmen at once to support them. We have to drive every one of the ones who climbed up back outside the walls.”

“Understood!”

Watching the messenger hurry away with the order, Sir Biden wiped sweat from his brow.

He had been commanding so intensely that his entire body was already drenched.

“Here.”

“Ah, Magician Azuela. Thank you.”

“It is nothing. I am not helping much, so I should at least do this. How does the battle look?”

Magician Azuela asked with a shrug.

She thought they were holding well enough that she would hear something fairly positive.

But—

“Hm…”

Sir Biden looked around, then spoke cautiously.

“It is not good, Magician Azuela.”

“Right, of course it is not good… Huh? What did you say?”

What kind of nonsense was this—like someone waking up and smashing a roof beam?

Azuela blurted out in shock.

Sir Biden clapped his pot-lid-sized hand over her mouth.

“Shh, shh. People will hear.”

“Mmph! M-mouth—!”

“Ah, I apologize.”

“Ptoo, ptoo, ptoo.”

With the unpleasant taste in her mouth, Azuela spat and grimaced.

A moment later, having calmed down, she asked in a low voice.

“Ugh… so why is it not good?”

“Our losses are too severe. In practice, the main strength of the defenders is our Margrave of Bellua’s troops, and they are being badly hurt on the front line.”

“Hmmm. If this continues, we will have to fight with the Duchy of Aquitaine’s soldiers, who have low proficiency?”

“Exactly.”

It was truly not good news.

If they took even heavier losses under these continuing attacks, would it not become difficult to defend?

Even Azuela, who knew nothing about armies, could see that the Duchy of Aquitaine’s soldiers were of poor quality.

“There is a way… right? Do not tell me this is the end?”

“Why would you say such a thing?”

“Ahohoho… you kept speaking so negatively. I am sorry, Sir Biden.”

“First, I intend to place the Duchy of Aquitaine’s soldiers in the front line, and position our pike troops behind them.”

The pikes that had been so useful in Bellua were, in this cramped siege battle, more inconvenient than expected.

Of course, it was good to jab from afar, but the problem came when the enemy clung right up to the walls.

There was hardly any room to thrust a spear.

In fact, in a battlefield like this, soldiers with shields and swords—like the Duchy of Aquitaine’s existing troops—seemed more advantageous.

Or spears of a more moderate length.

When Azuela heard that—

“And what if they get pushed back? They look completely awful.”

“…Never say that so loudly in front of others, Magician Azuela.”

“Ahem. Ahem. It was a mistake. A mistake. Ohoho.”

“In any case, to prevent that, I plan to form reserves out of the troops we have left. And we will support them together with the Duchy of Aquitaine’s knights… my friends.”

“Hm. Those knights looked like they did whatever they wanted.”

“…….”

“Ah—oops!”

Now she understood why her lord had called her a halfwit magician.

Sir Biden’s evaluation of Magician Azuela sank once more.

Embarrassed, Azuela cleared her throat and hurried to speak.

“Ahem, ahem… I will lend a hand, then. If I focus on healing the wounded, that will help, right?”

‘Oh!’

For all that she was a magician, Azuela had finally offered something worthwhile.

Sir Biden nodded, genuinely impressed.

“I would be grateful for that.”

“Just trust me!”

“Yes. I will.”

As the sun began to sink, the day’s siege finally ended.

-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

-Withdraw!

With the drums signaling retreat, the army led by Crown Prince Charles I pulled back swiftly like an ebbing tide.

“Hah!”

That long battle was finally over.

“What are our casualties?”

“It seems roughly one thousand casualties, Your Highness.”

“What? One thousand?”

“Yes. Their resistance was far more formidable than expected. In particular, those tightly packed pikes and those crossbows… With that power, every shot dropped soldiers one after another.”

“That is right. Even the knights we sent up were useless. They pierced even layered armor in a single blow, Your Highness.”

“Hah…”

At his vassals’ reports, Crown Prince Charles I could only click his tongue.

In a battle involving thirty thousand men, a loss of one thousand was not enormous.

But this had been only a single engagement.

In a siege, one becomes two, two becomes three and four—ten, even.

By simple arithmetic, it meant nearly half his soldiers would be consumed just to take that city.

Of course, as the days passed, their defense would weaken.

But still.

“Those elite troops… they must have been the Margrave of Bellua’s army, yes?”

“Yes. The long pikes and the powerful crossbows. They matched our intelligence precisely, Your Highness.”

“I had heard they were an elite corps comparable to the central army, and it seems it was true. To think my sister would join hands with the Margrave of Bellua, who possesses such a force…”

If he had known it would be like this, he should have allied with the Western Nobles’ Alliance and gone to the capital where the Duke of Bourgogne was.

He had made a mistake.

He had expected to seize his sister’s Duchy of Aquitaine easily, but it was far sturdier than he imagined.

From the start, it felt as though the first button had been fastened wrong.

“It will be difficult to force our way through with strength alone, will it not?”

“Yes. Considering their level, the losses will be too great. Even if we take the city, I believe what comes after will be the problem.”

“That is right. We have heard that in the east, the Emperor’s army of the Holy Empire was defeated by the Margrave of Bellua.”

“Even if we capture the city, we will have to face the Margrave of Bellua after that, and it will not be easy if we are battered to pieces.”

“Hmmm…”

No good news at all.

Crown Prince Charles I’s worries deepened.

He had ignored the attacks on his supply lines and rushed here to finish things quickly—only to find he had no quick way to settle the objective right before his eyes.

And yet he could not simply turn back.

He had mobilized an army of thirty thousand and spent enormous war funds.

If he returned with no gain, the coming winter would be a truly dreadful season.

“Then what about trying to win them over instead, Your Highness?”

“Win them over?”

“Yes. As I understand it, the Duchy of Aquitaine has complicated internal factions. In particular, there are political forces that do not follow the Duchess of Aquitaine, Maceania.”

“Hm. That is true. We have not yet properly suppressed the pro-Catalia faction and the local powerholders. And with a war like this erupting, it must be even more difficult.”

“Then how about we keep applying pressure openly, while offering secret proposals behind the scenes?”

“To open the gates?”

“Must they open the gates? To be honest, this war happened because of the Duchess of Aquitaine, did it not? The rightful successor of Aquitaine is, in truth, Your Highness.”

“That is right. A woman inheriting based on some stale succession law from the Hispenia Peninsula—it is nonsense.”

“Enough.”

As his vassals’ denunciations grew too heated, Crown Prince Charles I raised a hand to stop them.

No matter what, it was not a pleasant experience to hear his own blood insulted.

“Ahem. I apologize. I became carried away, Your Highness.”

“No. Continue. So… what do you propose, based on that legitimacy?”

“Tell them to betray the Duke of Aquitaine.”

“Betray?”

“Yes. In truth, to call it betrayal is not quite right. It is loyalty to the rightful successor.”

“And the method?”

“That, surely, they will arrange themselves. They can secretly open the gates, or ignite an uprising inside, or… poison them.”

It was a truly sinister and brutal scheme.

But from Crown Prince Charles I’s perspective, it did not sound so bad.

If it could end the war quickly and decisively, was that not truly for the sake of the realm?

“Hmmm… then the poison for that poisoning will, by co-incidence, be given to our collaborator?”

“Yes, Your Highness. By coincidence, it will be placed before their desk. A lethal poison, where even a single drop is fatal.”

“Heh heh heh… It is not a bad idea, but…”

Crown Prince Charles I trailed off.

Not because of noble honor, nor because it was cowardly.

It was simply because, if they did it like this, it was certain the offer would be rejected as insulting.

They needed an appropriate pretext, and an appropriate reward.

“Good. Then we will do this.”

“What do you mean, Your Highness?”

“First, take a letter bearing my seal to the person you believe can be brought over. Tell them that if they pledge loyalty to the rightful successor, I will forgive their sins thus far and grant them a portion of the direct domain of the Duchy of Aquitaine.”

“That is far too great a reward, Your Highness!”

“Yes. No matter how important a traitor may be—”

“Enough. What is wrong with you? Later we can make an excuse and not grant it, or simply confiscate it, can we not?”

It was the sort of thing a villain would say.

But to the vassals who had long served beneath Crown Prince Charles I, it was nothing new.

“Heh heh. That is true.”

“I was foolish. If a man betrays once, why would he not betray twice? It is entirely fitting treatment.”

Birds of a feather flock together.

At their reaction, Crown Prince Charles I nodded and continued.

“And… we must give them a justification they can truly choose.”

“A justification?”

“A justification that the war is turning badly for them—enough that they can betray their lord without hesitation.”

Endless sequential attacks, without even time to sleep, day and night.

Through that, Crown Prince Charles I intended to throw the men holed up in the capital of the Duchy of Aquitaine into utter chaos.