Chapter 215: Twenty-fourth Episode: Chapter 7-1 (2/2)
”Say something practical!” Oscar was had lost his patience ”It was you who inspired him to use the face of the pro-war faction to...”
”Yes!” said the Slovenian Secretary of State with a cunning smile. ”If he wasn't a staunch pro-war faction member, he would not be the commander of the Maratore garrison area.”
”So... if the Red Tigers launched an attack in this direction, your son-in-law will make things easy for my knights?”
The old Marquis waved his hand. ”As the liberator of nearly a million believers of the Light in Slovenia, you can be a little clearer with your words. You should say that… when your knights intend to enter the battlefield, my followers would open the country's door for you instead of making it easy. ”
Oscar shrugged. He didn't have the habit of being opinionated. So he made light of that ”Religious Slovenian Liberator”. However, regardless of how it was put, the Titan Prince still stood up from his seat.
”Friends! A toast, for the free believers of the God of Light!”
The sound of the toast resounded throughout the entire space, and the huge dance floor was rocked with numerous figures wearing blue Guard uniforms. Titan's military was about to embark on an unprecedented journey. They had the conviction to win, and the courage and determination to sweep away all the obstacles in their path.
General Eugene Mir Bradley, Commander of the Southern Army Group spread out the crowd. The old man looked light and swift. With just a few strides, he agilely climbed onto the stage full of musicians.
”Imperial soldiers!” the old general bellowed, and the noisy dance floor immediately quieted down.
”Having had a drink of encouragement for our journey, what should we do next?”
”Find a woman! Ravage her all night!” an officer as bold as a tiger shouted in between the crowd.
General Eugene waited for the roars of laughter on the scene to settle down before resuming, ”It's still not time yet, lad! Next, we must clarify the purpose and intent of this trip and not the ones stated in our battle plan!”
The scene became absolutely quiet. The soldiers of the Titan Empire stood erect with their hands on their sides. Their female companions and wine glasses were cast aside.
”Slovenia, the sea! That will be our destination! But this place in which we have never understood before is not our final destination. The significance of seizing it is also not written in the final page's written connotation of the Lighthouse Strategy.” General Eugene said while lifting a bright silver religious mark. The God of Light, Sapriuses, was cast into the image of a man. This image made the soldiers on the scene feel awed. Pious believers had already made prayer signs over their chests. ”In Slovenia, the religious believers lived no better than pigs and dogs. They were enslaved by pagan aristocrats and bullied and humiliated by the pagan people! For centuries, the Slovenian freedom of religion policy had not been as free as it sounds. The price for freedom of belief is the suffering of the religious believers; endless suffering! The rulers tax them, instigated incidents of bloodshed, created national oppression, and created everything unreasonable, unequal and unfair in the world, all for their faith.”
”No! This is not right!” An angry cry finally burst out from among the officers on the dance floor.
The Commander of the Southern Army Group nodded in the direction from which the bellow issued from. ”Yes, men, this is not right. The God of Light is the symbol of everything sublime in the world!” Eugene raised the image of God above his head. ”Sapriuses is the father of our lives. The most high God that created the world and constructed the spirit! His people are all brothers and his faith is sacred! Today we will make a vow. We are ousting the pagan devils that have seized Slovenia, just as we ousted the strong Persians four hundred years ago with the Andrews side by side!”
The shouts of the soldiers turned into a din. They waved their fists and waved their weapons. Their breaths reeked of alcohol and their visions were unfocused. The senseless rage had made them get carried away. They only knew to follow the commander in making a vow at the top of their lungs. They vowed to uproot the pagan belief of Slovenia, vowed to transform the pagan cities in Slovenia into ruins and vowed to tie Slovenia's pagans at the stake, letting the fiery flames burn them for half a month.
”Yes, half a month! That means we have only fifteen days, at most, sixteen days!” General Eugene placed the image of God on the stand where the conductor placed his sheet music. ”This is the time set by our commander, His Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette. We will occupy the entire Balgan peninsula in half a month! Does everyone know what this time implies?”
The soldiers did not answer. They were also pondering over this issue. The actual area of the Balgan Peninsula is equivalent to slightly more than half of that of Titan.
”It implies that our commander did not calculate the casualties, all sorts of sudden situations, and possible tenacious resistance into the time. This implies means that when we set foot on the territories controlled by the evil pagans, we can only advance and advance! Advance without stopping, advance relentlessly! Until every one of our columns, every corps, every division, every group, and every soldier stands on the predetermined position of foretold success!”
The General of the Guards suddenly drew out his sword. ”Guards, advance!”
The vast space immediately erupted with the hysterical shouts of the military. Just when the collective volume was about to shatter one's eardrums, the crowd knowingly lowered their momentum. The Commander of the Southern Army stood on the conductor's platform, beaming. He blinked several times at the soldiers. ”Now go and find yourselves a woman. Tomorrow, we leave the barracks and charge for the battlefield.”
It was the old officer again who walked into the people's line of sight. ”General, if we come across a pagan woman, what should be done?
General Eugene frowned with impatience. ”Then treat her with a little more leniency!”
The military body once again erupted with ear-piercing roars of laughter! However, women should indeed be treated with more leniency, especially during the period of war. However, such leniency was more often than not, accompanied by slavery and rape. The Titan soldiers were descendants of the Roman warriors. In the tradition of the Roman warriors, they often did such things because victory signified the authority over wealth and women. As compared to politics, this was the theme of war. Otherwise, the soldiers would be dissatisfied.
After retreating from the front of the stage to backstage, General Eugene was sweating all over. He undid the collar of his uniform and deliberately ignored the medals all over it.
The Chief of Staff of the Southern Army Group, Lieutenant General Tantalus Piche, poured a cup of sobering tea for his Commander. He offered the teacup to the Commander with both hands, but Eugene was still indifferent. The old man spread his hands to the Chief of Staff, who was at the prime of his life. ”Tatan, do you believe it? I actually blurted all those lies just now! I actually lied in the name of the God of Light! If I knew earlier, I would have let you do it.”
”You are more convincing than I am!” Tantalus blinked. He turned a deaf ear towards the old General's complaints. ”What's more… if the soldiers and officers aren't given a convincing reason, what would be the purpose of going to Slovenia for war? Naturally, we cannot explain to them the importance of the seaport and the region. We can only use the most superficial reason to appeal to the military. ”
”Gold and women?” Eugene snorted. ”If only I hadn't known what you were doing except for the fact that you were spreading rumors of gold all over Slovenia in the military.”
The Chief of Staff spread his hand and said, ”Slovenia is rich in gold, and our soldiers even received a gold mine distribution map from the merchants there. They know what they should do!”
”Oh no...” Eugene covered his face with his hands. ”They will become robbers, they will become rapists, and murderers ... and you are the instigator. ”
Tatan's face became cold. ”You should have been aware of this when I was working with you on the Lighthouse Strategy. Isn't it a little too late to start complaining now? Besides, the person you should find fault with is His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil. Of course… if you dare…”
”Why wouldn't I dare?” The old general looked up stubbornly.
The Chief of Staff scoffed in disdain. ”Then go ahead to Vielonna to try your luck! But don't drag me into it. I wish to follow the troops to set out. At this time of tomorrow... we will enter Slovenia, a country controlled by pagans that are all evil.”
Eugene turned his head away; he hated such a way of speaking. However, if he were to be honest about his resentment and anger towards O'Neil Andrew Morisette… that Prince of the Empire would probably not be too pleased about it.
To put it more precisely, Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette was indeed not pleased. When he learned that Catalina Don Holmes insisted that the location they were to meet at was at the Faran-Titan border…