Chapter 228: Twenty-fifth Episode: Chapter 6-1 (1/2)
Chapter 228: Twenty-fifth Episode: Chapter 6-1
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
This year's summer at Italia was incredibly hot. The Prince from Titan was not afraid of the cold, but the heat. He hid in a palace near Rome and did not step out of this place at all. Historically, Italia, which did not adopt the monarchy political system, was once a union amongst a few countries. Rome was located in the center of the peninsula and was the largest country amongst all. Their rulers had left behind numerous magnificent architecture and glorious arts and wealth.
During O'Neil Andrew Morisette's first visit to the David Boren Palace, he had fallen in love with this delicate, ancient Rome-styled palace. He loved reading books at the corridor where camellia bloomed and working in the bright and wide room. The strange thing was this palace did not have a study room despite its down-to-earth design. The Titan Prince could only set his meeting room to be at the pavilion in the middle of the garden.
In the 7th month of Year 801, if there was one thing that was memorable to the Titan Prince, it had to be the endless meetings, planning discussions, coordination meetings, regular military meetings and dinner with the powerful ones. Excluding those meaningless dinners, even if Oscar was already tired of the debates and fruitless meetings, he still managed to gain some things... For instance, after coordinating the information from all aspects, the experts of the Analysis Division finally reached a conclusion on one thing – Deiss would first attack the Empire's northwest border between the 8th and 9th month.
Why would they say that? Upon analyzing the military news, the Steinberger family that was posted in Haussen Province had submitted a military memo to the Army Division early in the 4th month. The memo had sorted all Deiss units number that had engaged in battle with the Steinberger army between Year 798 and the 1st month of Year 801. Having one look at it... Alright! Deiss had stirred more than 60 incidents of different extent of severity during this period.
Most of the analysts and military experts could see that Deiss was training their units batches on batches accordingly. All friction at the border could be seen as a small-scale military spying. Until the 7th month of Year 801, the country had already sent 102 divisions to the southeast area of Steinberger. That was to say that the Deiss Kingdom had set half of their military strength at the combat frontline.
O'Neil Andrew Morisette was a little confused. The Steinberger people had not only once stopped the Deiss' crazy attacks with their Blackwood Fortress and their hundred-year experiences. If Queen Opareal Roulexberg was familiar with the history, or if the generals of Supreme High Command had learned their lessons, they would not have chosen this borderline that was difficult to attack. Even Marshal Alan thought the northern army region would be Deiss' main direction for assault. However, the Deiss people said, ”No, we shall not...”
This was truly illogical.
Following that, it was understandable that Deiss would set the time of the attack to be between the 8th and 9th month. It was currently the rainy season in the southern area. The rainy season in the north would be later by one month than that of the south. There were cannons in the Blackwood Fortress. The effect of the cannons would be greatly reduced during the rainy season. If it was a storm, it was unclear whether it was still possible to use fire weapons. Even though the bad weather would bring some trouble to both sides, for the Deiss who did not own advanced fire weapons, Steinberger would definitely be in a disadvantage.
If this still was not the matter which Prince O'Neil was the most concerned over, then the side-effects of the series of terrifying assassination movements should be considered.
That young war strategists of Faran was bombed into a pile of blood and mud. This made the Commander Board of Anti-Titan Alliance decide to launch the attack earlier than expected. Even though the exact time had not been decided, small-scale fights had already broken out in the border area in Burton Province.
The Hoilland King Luth VII had lost both his wife and son during a suicidal terrorist attack. This sudden tragedy almost rendered the King to lose his mind. When he almost committed suicide in the midst of grief, the joint report of the Hoilland soldiers stopped their King's stupid action. After a series of discussions, a modernized army armed with fire weapons then appeared in the largest army group in Westland history. The Hoilland King placed this unit, known as the Marine Ninth Corps, at the front of the battle, facing right at Titan's Doncaster Plains.
This way, the Anti-Titan Alliance finally realized the strategic position of encircling Titan from three sides. Even if the war had not broken out, the intellectuals could all see that the giant-like Titan had weaknesses in these three defense lines that could not be offset by their strengths.
Firstly, the Steinberger family that fought against the Deiss at the northwest border were not the God-chosen warriors. They did not have the armies as strong as the Andrew. When they faced one hundred thousand warriors of the Deiss Kingdom Army, the Steinberger only had a total force of sixty to seventy thousand soldiers that could be sent to the frontline.
Although a war was not basic mathematics, if the gap between the enemy and the country was as still it was now, then the Steinberger had little chance of winning the war.
Other than that, the more troublesome problem lied in the northern army region near the northwest defense area. Marshal Alan was right here at this defensive line. However, if the Deiss was to defeat Steinberger and head straight to Saijo Mountain... Not only could Alan not help with anything, he would look like a clown trying to get the trust of his soldiers. However, if Alan was to assist Steinberger by sending an army from the Northern Army group, the sneaky Deiss people might turn around and devour the weakened northern army.
Secondly, the west line of the Empire! Oh, God of Light! The generals, including Chief of Staff Marshal Robin Sparse, would have a headache at the mention of the western war area. The western border of the Empire cut through four provinces and was as long as three hundred kilometers. The Guards could not possibly disperse the Western Army Group in this vast land as if they were seeding.
According to the traditional defense strategy, the western army group would be divided into two. One portion of the army would be posted at Warren Fortress at the south, while the other would be at Jebron Fortress at the Shawob River. Therefore…. The western area would face the exact same problem as the northern area. There was a large empty hole in the defenses between these two fortresses. If the Anti-Titan Alliance was to concentrate their forces to attack one of the fortresses, half of the Western Army Group would definitely not be able to stand against such an attack. They could only either separate their army forces or give up the traditional defensive strategy and fight a war with the Anti-Titan Alliance that had the upper hand in terms of army forces and number.
At last, it was O'Neil Andrew Morisette's turn to be troubled! Seizing a country was not an easy task. A third of the elite forces of the Southern Army Group was trapped in Slovenia, while the remaining was dispersed around strategic positions in the Five Provinces. Even though the Faran had set their attack direction at Burton Province until Vielonna, in reality, the southern land was vast. They could not just abandon other places, could they? So, the Titan Guards only seemed to be strong. If they were all put into a war zone, it was still difficult to say who would emerge victorious.
In a blink of an eye, the Titan Prince had stayed in Italia for around half a month. The gold in which he had promised the Vatican had already reached Mirie Port. When Oscar presented these precious metals to the Pope, Elamus I smiled brightly for once in a lifetime. The face looking at O'Neil Andrew Morisette also became much friendlier, as if the Titan Prince had turned into a holy man.
The gold had shut the Vatican's mouth. The main members changed their attitude completely and ushered the local churches to advise the few Kings to remain calm and composed. This action seemed to be of no help. However, if the Westland Kingdom Alliance started the war without caring about the Vatican's opinion, Titan would have the reason to ask the Pope to initiate a judgment towards this illogical war. At that time... Surely Elamus I, who had lost his pride and trust because of the rejection of the Westland Kingdom Alliance, would not be very kind to them.
Speaking of that, without caring about the Vatican's attitude or their pride, just analyzing from the political situation of Westland, it was still incapable of solving the conflict between countries by war.
Tracing to its source, it was still due to the fact that these rulers wanted to confirm the ownership over the land to develop their countries! With ownership came resources, lands and wealth. With these, they could reconstruct the status and influences. Then, the war would surely come to an end. However, at the present stage... The defeat of Riel Kingdom had triggered the thirst of the invaders and the attack of Titan on Slovenia had induced the envy and terror of the invaders. In a conclusion, even if the Vatican opted for peace, a war was still inevitable.
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”After so much rubbish, what should we do now?” O'Neil Andrew Morisette's and the listeners' patience had a limit. When the Prince began to yell, the chaotic pavilion finally calmed down. The analysts and the intellects that assisted the Andrew family all shut their mouths calmly. It seemed that they did not want to cause any trouble at this time.
Marquis Glenn Alpré blinked, ”Actually... Everyone's opinion is very clear. You... should spend this autumn in Italia. There's a beautiful scenery and nice weather here. It is not too late for you to return to Titan when the war has broken out or carried out to a certain stage.”
”Stay in Italia?” Oscar could not understand this. ”Why at Italia? When the war broke out, the Empire will fall into a difficult position like never before. I...”
”Please take note!” Marquis Alpré interrupted the excited Oscar. ”The Empire is Her Majesty Empress Alanis' Empire. Titan is Morisette Dynasty's Titan...”
Oscar suddenly understood it, but he frowned in the next moment, ”It is not easy to be a hero! I understand what you mean!”