Chapter 177: Twentieth Episode: Chapter 5 (1/2)
Chapter 177: Twentieth Episode: Chapter 5
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In Church Calendar Year 800 between the 4th and 5th month, this was probably the first year of Titan's defense war. It was also the very first and most unbearable period of Titan. The Guards who protected the west land of Titan kept retreating. They retreated from city, village and castles, leaving the darkness to the invaders and Titans who lived strongly on this land.
In Year 800, the people said it was the first year of war because no one knew when the war would last. In the darkness of the night, the iron heel and gleaming weapons of the invaders formed a sickly beauty in the eyes of the people. The darkness and the slavery that were about to come made the Titans trembled. They were shaken when their national dignity and pride were at stake. At this moment, the people would say the soldiers had run away, giving their beautiful home to the lowly lives from the west.
The ”lowly lives” of the west advanced into the west of Titan by more than 200 kilometers in half a month. Their fire torches shone upon the whole area, igniting fear in the hearts of Titans.
In the town where citizens lived, the holy people who refused to compromise welcomed the intruders in total darkness. Darkness turned the rows of houses into small villages and the unchanging streets into alleys which only allowed people to walk about with proper lighting. Sometimes, under this circumstance, the dullest streets became a series of ghost shadows.
At this time, only the army mailman with a lantern who walked about the place attracted people's attention like a light tower. The mailman held the letter from the units and ran hurriedly on Titan's land.
His horse was quick. The night wind pierced the torch, making the silhouette of this lonely knight floating as if he was a soul searching for heaven. The mailman was covered by starlight as if he was the sole survivor of this hopeless area in the dark.
We could clearly see from the map in Hamilton Palace that there were not many highways heading towards the inner land from the west of the Empire. More specifically, there were only three if the routes connected to towns and villages were excluded. One was from border station of the Thirteenth Region of the Guards. Via Xavish Province, the highway turned at Ludwilin of the Capital towards southwest direction into the special area of the Capital. Another was at the southmost borderline where the West Army Group was guarding. Via Rovenaille Province, the route followed into the Damorga Provine at the northeast direction from the border of Zorangash Wetlands. At last, they could enter the Capital from Damorga.
Finally, thank god! The Western Anti-Titan Alliance's main unit chose the most difficult route. After breaking through the border of Xavish Province, they marched towards the northeast direction. At the beginning of the 5th month, they took control of Xunier City. Xunier was a religious city that had quite a number of monasteries. At the same time, it was also the start point of the last highway in the west. The strong Jeblin Fortress sat in the middle of this highway, but they still needed to pass by the jetty on Shawob River to reach this fortress.
”Don't underestimate this jetty!” a general of high status in Anti Titan Alliance spoke, ”Titan soldiers built five castles at the nearby mountainous areas and the highlands there!”
”Vendi, are you worried?” Luth VII opened his sleepy eyes. He wore a smile and scanned the highest commander of his armed units with narrow eyes.
Marshal Lavendi Mulierce was a Hoillander and had a thick yellow beard which was the signature of the Hoilland nobility. However, Marshal Lavendi's expression was not optimistic. His face which was cared for delicately was filled with anxiety.
”Your Majesty! If we only have about 80 divisions and three hundred thousand soldiers, I think it is best that we stop now!”
Luth VII shrugged, ”Then please tell me. What do you mean by ”best if we stop now”? Until where is the right point to stop?”
The Hoilland Marshal was speechless. His King was correct! The true appropriate time to stop would only happen on the negotiation table. Since the Anti-Titan Alliance had already entered Titan, then there was probably no other way than winning against the strong and stubborn Titan. However, the problem was that they were not certain of their future victory!
But, Marshal Lavendi Muliercce was a famous military strategist in the Western Countries. His writings had always been the teaching materials for the military academy in many countries. Therefore, from the standpoint of this Marshal, such discussion of uncertain victory was probably just a humble official statement. If he was to speak the truth or do something, he would advise his King to go home quickly before Titan retaliates.
However, there were many things in the world that could not be decided by soldiers who were truly participating in the war. Lavendi did not speak the truth to his King, but he chose more acceptable words instead. Like just now, he told his King that the Guards of Titan built five castles near the jetty. His underlying meaning was that the Alliance did not have full confidence to take these important military places down.
”So, we could only spread out the central army group, go around the jetty and build five attack divisions!” General Bodia Gonvalri of Faran's Kingdom Army opened up the war map near the Shawob River.
”If that is the case, won't our army force be too spread out?”
Lavendi looked at the Faran General who had dark eyes and then at his King. At last, he could only sigh, troubled.
”My Lord, judging from the situation, we have no choice.”
Luth VII nodded. He waved his hands at the two highest commanding officers of the Alliance, ”Gentlemen, even if the Titans manage their west border for about three to four hundred years, in my opinion, their borders still have all sorts of loopholes! For example, the jetty that connects to the Jeblin Fortress, if it was me, I would build Jeblin Fortress at the jetty instead at the downstream area of Shawob River. This only gives more space for the intruding enemy to manage the strength of their army. There's no advantage whatsoever to Titans!”
Lavendi nodded, but he shook his head in his heart. His King was not a military strategist and so was used to looking at the problem with a proud and self-absorbed attitude. Take this jetty for example, if Lavendi was correct in his guess, then the space between the jetty and Jeblin Fortress was probably a huge trap set up by Titan! More specifically, this was a strategy trap that had been managed and perfected for four hundred years.
The five castles near the jetty were the baits that attracted and controlled their enemy. When their enemy was happily eating away at the juicy baits, the Titan Guards at the back of the front line would give Jeblin Fortress more than ten thousand soldiers to aid them. Once the enemy crossed Shawob River, then the plains between the fortress and the jetty were the ideal place to wage war. At that moment, the Alliance Army who had depleted a part of their strength near the jetty would have no way to guard against the retaliation army of Titan. If the war was lost, it was hard to imagine whether the Alliance Army who was at the downstream of Shawob River could make it back to the jetty. The flow of river would be the burying ground of countless foreign soldiers then.
Lavendi thought about it. As a Marshal, he had the obligation to inform the high ruler, but this ruler just had to be Luth VII of Kingdom of Hoilland. Lavendi pretended to be focusing when he glanced at General Bodia Gonvalri. He knew that this man was a smart one, but smart soldier should not have a higher-up who had an unfortunate look. Why wasn't he the subordinate of the Weden King? The Hoilland Marshal actually thought about this. If his ruler was Leoliam I, then he must be more comfortable than he was now.
”The mail is here!” the messenger shouted at the door. The soldiers in the room raised their sleepy heads immediately.
General Bodia, the Chief Commander of the Alliance Army took the report from the messenger. He informed Hoilland King of this red letter, then Luth VII waved his hands. General Bodia then opened the letter.
***
”Hehe! Our launch division finally saw the lights at the jetty area!” the Faran General smiled to the soldiers in the room.
It seemed that everyone there sighed in relief, but Hoilland Marshal furrowed his eyebrows, ”So soon?”
”There's nothing bad about this!” Luth VII took the message over cheerfully, ”Our soldiers are sick of waiting! I am happy to hear this!”
Marshal Lavendi did not speak a word. From his standpoint, their great launch was mostly thanks to the Titans. This message only showed that the ones sick of waiting were the Titan's Guards!
This transpired in the midnight of the 17th day of 5th month in Year 800. Only invaders would roam about in Xunier City at midnight. This city sat at a strategic center of a war zone. Even in such nights, the citizens in the city could still see the light in the tower of St. Louis Monastery.
The light of St. Louis Monastery! To be honest, St. Louis Monastery used to have no lights. This was the military infrastructure set up to protect the dark city. The lowly-lives from the west built three bronze plates at the top of the tower, then built fire in the tower.
By using the plates to reflect light, the dim light only shone upon a part of the city. The people were rather intrigued by this when they first saw this because the devout Titan believers thought they saw the mighty devil in the sky. The light formed wings in the dark. At the end of the pillar of light, the stars extended outwards.
The magnificent St. Louis Monastery was used by Hoilland King Luth VII as the command base of the war. This place gathered all officers of the intruders. When the soldiers arranged the plates to shine upon the door of the monastery, a team of knights rushed out. They galloped into the dark city and towards the front line via the highway which was shrouded in darkness.
Surely not long after, the Anti-Titan Alliance command base's order would reach the front line. At that time, the main army group of three hundred thousand men would divide into five advance units at the riverside about 20 kilometers long. Then, the five castles in which the Titans guarded would be in their control.
”Maybe, our castles will be destroyed once and for all in the enemy's attack!” Chief of Staff of Guards Marshal Robin Sparse glanced, unmoved, at Silverfox Alan.
The Marshal of Guards gave a sideways glance at his old friend who only spoke little. He knew Robin would not spit everything clearly.
According to the thought process of Silverfox, Robin would most probably say that sacrificing five strong castles was a great loss even if it was to complete the war arrangement to eliminate the enemy. But, Robin Sparse was that kind of person. He was purely a soldier. The way he thought about problems was relatively simple. Just from this defense war, thinking solely from the military aspect was far from enough. In Alan's opinion, Titan should not keep the enemy off the country. Instead, it should let the invaders enter without going back! So, from this point of view, he planned to sacrifice five military bases around Buzaberg Jetty. This included forty thousand soldiers of Guards protecting the bases.
Facing the question of Chief of Staff, the huge war room fell into an unbearable silence. This house with a circular roof which they used to decide the fate of the Empire was well-lit. The war map and all sorts of documents were scattered about. It seemed the staff still had no intention to arrange them.
”Those were all the defense forces of the Twelfth Region!” Marshal Robin made his tone harsher, ”General Bencil Donnis has no more mobile units. According to the order of Army Division, he gathered all his soldiers at the nearby areas of Buzaberg Jetty. If they were encircled and attacked, I believe not even a few of Twelfth Region could safely retreat to the other side.”
”Who said they will retreat?” Marshal Vann Hewitt Alan laughed coldly, ”They will fight as long as the last one is still standing.”
The war room fell into silence again. It seemed that only the heavy breathing of Titan soldiers could be heard. According to what Marshal of Guards was saying, the nearby areas of Buzaberg Jetty would be the bury grounds of forty thousand soldiers of the Twelfth Region. It was afraid that no one would accept such strategy because it involved countless lives.
”I am sorry, Alan! I will not sign this war proposal!” the Chief of Staff stood up impatiently. He sent a disdainful gaze to the hateful Silverfox, ”We can employ another strategy to eliminate the enemy completely. I can't accept such sacrifices! Moreover, are you sure the Alliance Army will cross the Shawob River? If they did not do so and chose to go around the jetty and stayed on guard, what will you do then?”
”Hehe!” Alan gave a cold laugh again, ”At that time, they will still be encircled! Excluding the Twelfth Region, the remaining eighty thousand soldiers of the Western Army Group and the aid from Valencia Fortress are not some sorts of decorations.”
”Then why are you giving up the units of General Bencil?” Marshal Robin placed his hands on the table in fury. He thought Alan was being unreasonable now.
”Because the river connects to a lot of places. The Alliance Army may escape from there,” Alan looked at the war map again. He knew his old friend was famous for his war strategy as well as his stubbornness. So, he did not plan to convince the Chief of Staff. He was only explaining the sacrifices he was about to make logically.
”It appeared that we can't come to a single conclusion,” the Chief of Staff gazed at his companion in the war strategy division including Alan. He left the seat alone.
Silverfox Alan shook his head. He could not say to be cheerful, but he was slightly excited.
As the Marshal of Titan Empire's army, he felt an unspeakable excitement when the enemy launched a large-scale invasion!
Silverfox's face was red with excitement. His companions and war comrades were observing the expression of the Marshal. Most probably, the people could only see the desire to fight was burning in the heart of the old Marshal.
”Give an order to the Commander of the Twelfth Region, General Bencil Donnis!”
A messenger and a clerk came forward in a hurry.
”Tell him, fight to your death! Never retreat!” Alan gave this war order calmly.
The clerk noted down the words of the Marshal accurately, but he stopped in hesitation in the end.
”Sir Marshal, without the signature of the Chief of Staff Marshal Robin Sparse, this war order...”
”I know, I know!” Alan waved his hands, ”Without his signature, this war order is not valid, so, send it to Hamilton Palace. Let our Highest Ruling Party make the judgment!”
”Yes, sir!”
Alan nodded. Even if he was no familiar with Alanis Alfa Morisette, but he knew that the Princess who was about to ascend to the throne was the same kind of person as him. They did not care about sacrifices, only the actual benefits brought by the sacrifices.
Therefore, analyzing the spirit of the giant Titan Empire, Alanis had already accepted Silverfox Alan's idea since the beginning. Even though she felt guilty for making such great sacrifices from the Twelfth Region of the Guards, but it was simply the sorry she felt in her heart.
The Hamilton Palace was in deep slumber as the light flickered. However, the nobles and military officers who walked about were energetic. The young ruler of the Titan Empire enjoyed some supper during dawn. The beautiful Princess invited many officers who held high positions in her palace over.
The imperial dining still kept its high standard. The palace chef prepared a grand meal for the highest ruler who had just recovered from her sickness. Even though the meal that was prepared during dawn was a little overboard, but the Titan nobles who were experiencing hard times now did not care much about it. They were in a war now. War let people lose their senses, except for hunger and fear.
Alanis had a good appetite. She cracked a joke to the palace chef that she could handle a huge goose right now. In the end, the chef actually prepared a grilled goose which was lightly seasoned for her. However, the Princess lost her interest as soon as she saw the goose. She finished her supper quickly and only had a wing off the goose.
The nobles who enjoyed the supper with Her Highness the Princess were mostly the officers in a different department in the government. They were the most elite people in the noble circle in the Capital and such intelligent people would not waste the time to discuss the front line after the meal. It seemed that the Princess was also the same. She once wasted her energy to try and understand the war map sent by the Army Division. But only through the aid of more than ten subordinates that she was able to understand the accurate meaning of those lines and red arrows on the map.
Alanis must admit that she knew nothing of military affairs. The military nouns that she knew were all heard from her conversation with her husband's knights. So, she was used to thinking about problems from a non-military point of view. Alan liked her way of thinking.
When she met the messenger from the Army Division in the Capital, Alanis only noticed a few words in the strategy proposal. It roughly means to completely eliminate the motive of the Western Kingdom Alliance to seek for compromise.
That was to say Alan's tactic could totally solve this problem! Alanis believed in Alan. This was what her father left for her. Alfa III once said that Alan was a loyal soldier, but Alanis still hated the Marshal of Guards a little. This hate came from the investigation report by the Imperial Military Intelligence Bureau and the background analysis about Southern Attack Incident.
Even though her husband Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette did not mention Alan's name when they talked about that case years ago, Alanis could clearly remember that she doubted Marshal Alan when she was first attacked in Year 791. Even though many incidents made her eliminated this possibility, it was not difficult to understand that she was able to think of Alan now that she thought about it. The Marshal of Guards was the same kind of person as her. They had an unspeakable synergy when it came to these sorts of things.
Like now, there was no signature of the Chief of Staff Marshal Robin Sparse on the war strategy proposal near Shawob River. Alanis immediately understood what had happened in the Army Division. But, she did not lean towards Alan in an obvious manner. Instead, she added a comment on the last page of this proposal.