I will be crowned king

"Yes, they are coming."

Under the dim yellow kerosene lamp was a map of the vast expanse of land spread flat on a baggage box. Several white and black chess pieces were piled messily, and almost all of them were concentrated near Aiden.

"According to the results reported by Arthur Herred, the landing enemy set up a beachhead camp in the salt village on the border of Aydin, and turned the entire fishing village into a heavily guarded fortress, with a strength of at least 10,000 People up and down.”

Bernard, the deputy commander of the expeditionary force with a calm expression, stood up, took out five black "soldiers" from the iron box next to the map, and stacked them at the location of "Salted Village" on the map.

"Not only that, he also discovered a fleet on the sea level... Considering that it was impossible for Clovis to go around half the world, he traveled thousands of miles for this 'secondary war' and transferred the Beigang fleet to Hantu. Come on, we can basically conclude that what he saw was the 'former' empire's Hantu Fleet."

When the word "front" was mentioned, all the knights and counselors present trembled instinctively, lowered their heads, and carefully looked at the figure sitting on the main seat with the corner of their eyes.

Everyone knows how high the commander-in-chief Caspar Hered has placed on this fleet - especially after discovering that the original plan was a complete pile of rubbish, he asked "I Where is the fleet?"

And now this fleet that has been "missing" for a long time has finally appeared, but...

"continue."

The gloomy-looking old man rested his elbows on the armrests, held his chin in his hands, and stared at the map, making it difficult to see what his mood was at the moment.

"As commanded."

Deputy Commander Bernard nodded slightly and replaced the white "knight" representing the fleet on the map's coastline with a black one:

"Considering that our fleet has been captured, Commander Tasien's current whereabouts are unknown and he is very likely to have been captured by the enemy. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that the Hantu army is aware of our logistics reserves, troop formation and early strategic deployment."

"Of course, what I said is only a possibility for the time being." Bernard added:

"Please remember that Commander Tasien is an extremely good Imperial Knight and a talented person with outstanding abilities. He is loyal and unswervingly loyal to His Majesty and the Empire - therefore, no one is allowed to do so before there is definite evidence. Did you hear clearly that he was doubting his loyalty?!"

"understand!"

Although everyone disagreed in their hearts, everyone present still expressed their belief that Lord Tasheen would definitely be loyal to the empire and would never live in an ignoble way.

"I don't care if that old ass Tasien dies or not, he has never accomplished anything in his life anyway, so death will be an advantage for him!"

The irritable Casper snorted coldly and said with disgust on his face: "It is because he is too incompetent that I refuse to hand over the advance army to him - even though Lawrence is also a smelly and tough old man who likes to support his good-for-nothing son. , but it’s much better than him, continue!”

"...as you command."

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and Bernard continued to explain: "In addition to the fleet and the Hantu Army of about 10,000 people, the force that landed in Salt Village also included the force that Claude François The 'mercenary' Clovis army."

As he spoke, he paused slightly and took out three silver cuff pins from his jacket pocket, and casually put them together with the five black chess pieces.

"As for the name of this unit, the Hantu prisoners we captured have very confusing names for them. They are all kinds of names. For the convenience of labeling, we temporarily call them the 'Grey Shirts' - because it is said that The biggest feature of this army is that everyone from commanders to ordinary soldiers wears gray military uniforms."

Before he finished speaking, the knights present all showed mocking smiles.

Although the accuracy of rifles and artillery after the seventy-fifth year of the Saint's Calendar gradually improved, resulting in many military uniforms and armor designs that were too eye-catching being gradually abandoned, the gray military uniforms...

Apart from the beggarly "levy regiments" of the Clovis people, what regular army would wear this?

"Yes, this is a conscripted corps." Bernard couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips, and then said seriously:

"But both in terms of strength and equipment level, they are not inferior to any Clovis regular army. Although the news about them is very confusing, based on the principle of leniency in predicting the enemy, it can be tentatively assumed that they have at least one infantry division. Size, five line infantry regiments, one cavalry battalion and one artillery battalion."

"Cooperating with the rest of the Hantu army, the enemy force that landed in Yanzhan Village was about 15,000 to 25,000 people, and it can be said to be 'outstanding military achievements'... It took only one day to conquer the heavy troops. The garrisoned Iron Bell Fort."

"And according to rumors, this army conquered Eagle Point City before and annihilated the most elite Guards Corps of the Iser Elf outside the city. Even the commander of the legion himself was captured alive by him..."

While speaking, Bernard's eyes couldn't help but look towards the end of the map table, looking for a slender figure with blond hair and a single ponytail.

But unfortunately, there was only an empty chair at the end of the seat, and there was a flash of disappointment in Bernard's eyes.

Not just tonight, it seemed like he hadn't appeared in a military meeting for a long time.

As for Louis Bernard, Bernard originally planned to take the opportunity to mock him and avenge him for letting his plan be rejected by Caspar Hered at the summit tower. Now it seems that this kid is still Quite interesting...

"So please do not underestimate them - of course, they only have five thousand people. Unless the number can be doubled, it will not be enough to completely reverse the situation; but if it is a threat, that is another matter."

Bernard pointed to the location of the Wild Stone Castle on the map. Several white chess pieces had been surrounded by a large number of black chess pieces on three sides: "The enemy landed from the Salt Village. Whether we attack the Wild Stone Castle or return to support the summit tower, these five thousand The human 'Grey Shirt Army' can threaten our rear and flanks, and cooperate with the vast army to block our retreat."

"So...this is a swarm of flies?"

Casper suddenly grinned and showed a ferocious smile.

"You described it very appropriately." Bernard nodded and affirmed the officer's evaluation:

"As an enemy, this group of Clovis people is not worth mentioning at all. Their meager firepower and ridiculous lines... Unless they are defending a fortified city, in any case of wild encounter, we are sure to defeat them within four hours. Annihilate them.”

"But as long as they exist, they will always pose a threat to our strategic plan to annihilate the Hantu army - when the war is at its fiercest, not to mention five thousand Clovis, even five thousand... livestock. There is a possibility of turning the tide of the war.”

"I even suspect that even the fact that Arthur Herred, who was accidentally hit, can come back unscathed and bring this news to us is also part of the plan of this group of Clovis people."

………………

"So, I was actually used?"

Arthur Herred's eyes widened and he said with a look of realization.

"I just said it was possible." Louis Bernard, who frowned slightly, looked helpless and sighed softly:

"Maybe I'm overthinking it."

"It's more likely that this is the truth, but you just don't want to admit it." Arthur stared straight at the young knight's face and said in an extremely confident tone:

"Because you know him, you know Anson Bach the best among us!"

"yes."

Louis laughed bitterly at himself: "If repeated defeats can be called 'understanding'."

"Of course, why not?!"

Arthur, who interrupted Louis' "self-deprecation", stood up abruptly, his expression looking extremely excited.

"Louis, Louis Bernard, I really don't understand you, no... I should say that I have never really understood you, you are such an enviable guy!"

"envious?"

Louis was stunned, his eyes full of confusion reflecting the expression of his best friend's gnashing of teeth.

He said...he...envyed me?

A dignified member of the royal family - although his relationship with the current His Majesty is far away - a gifted person who has inherited the power of the "Dragon Knight" bloodline. The Imperial Knight said that he...envyed me?

"Yes, can't you?!" Arthur's eyes widened:

"I mean... you have a brother who cares about you so much, a good sister, a gifted person, and the heir to the Principality of Adlan. You are either jealous or worshiped by others. You have commanded tens of thousands of people... Elf His army is said to be on good terms with the princess of the Yser Elf..."

"But except for the first two, I don't want the rest."

Louis couldn't help raising his right hand and whispered "added".

"Damn, is this the point?!" Arthur was a little hysterical:

"Put your hands back and you are not allowed to ask questions until I finish speaking!"

"But……"

"No buts!"

"but……"

"No buts! No, no! No-no-!!!!"

Arthur was so excited that he was trembling all over and yelling heart-wrenchingly like a lion ready to bite.

Under his "force", Louis finally chose to remain silent and retracted his hand obediently.

"I know... you must have experienced a failure beyond my imagination. I also know that the death of Kroger Bernard must have touched you greatly." Arthur sighed:

"But what I really want to say is that the guy who has failed so many times and lost so many battles is now on the battlefield - what does this mean?"

"If you really give up completely, you can reject me at that time; you are one of my few friends. If you reject me, I will probably be very sad...but I will probably understand in the end."

"The guy who could obviously reject me has now become my deputy commander, and has also become the planner of the expeditionary force's offensive plan, which made my brother-in-law Bernard make a big fool of himself."

"Tell me, is this what a guy who has completely resigned himself to his fate and given up resistance would do?"

Putting his hands on Louis' shoulders, he asked expectantly.

Looking at the pair of eyes that were almost close to his face, as if they were shining with some kind of brilliance, the young knight's throat twitched slightly: "Can I...answer?"

"certainly!"

Arthur, who leaned forward again, said with absolute certainty, the two of them almost touching each other cheek to cheek.

"I...of course didn't give up."

"Hmm~!"

"It's just fear."

"Uh-huh?"

"The battlefield... has never been a place for glory. It is a place where a group of people struggle desperately to survive." Arthur's wide pupils reflected Louis' plain smile:

"Knights may fantasize about winning honors and merits, flowers and praises...but when they actually step onto the battlefield, they will understand that those are meaningless."

"In that hell, what you need is not victory, flowers, praise, or recognition from your enemies. What you need is... to live, to live."

"If you are a high-ranking commander, you may be able to pursue more, but your soldiers only long to live - no matter how much glory, wealth and victory are promised, when faced with life and death, they will always choose the former."

"Are you saying that the soldiers of the Empire...are all cowards?"

"No, I mean I am an incompetent commander." Louis raised the corners of his mouth slightly and chuckled self-deprecatingly:

"Even such the most basic and basic thing cannot be guaranteed to them."

"But do you care?"

Arthur asked back, and gave the answer before he could speak: "You care about these very much! Because if you didn't care, you wouldn't agree to come back - because you know that I have never fought in a war, and I am reckless. I ran to the battlefield in despair and could do nothing except lead myself and others to die!"

"I need you, we need you, Louis!" Arthur's eyes widened:

"Only you know that guy named Ansen Bach, and you have told me several times how dangerous he is - without you, no one else would have been able to imagine that it was him, not Ludwig Franz. We captured Eagle Point City and completely annihilated the Ysel Elf Guards Corps!"

"We have to let others know how dangerous this guy is!"

"No, no need."

Um?

Arthur stepped back in astonishment and looked at him in confusion.

"I mean...there is no need to worry about Anson Bach anymore." Louis Bernard said calmly:

"I must admit that this guy is very powerful and can often make many unexpected moves; but this does not mean that he is omnipotent and can really create miracles."

"He is just an ordinary mortal - if he was the one commanding the vast army, or if the army in his hands was not five thousand, but ten thousand, the situation might be different."

"But it's a pity... or it's fortunate that the commander of the Hantu Army is Claude Francois, and the real main force of the Southern Army is far away in the Elf Kingdom of Iser. Even if he comes here now, he is unable to save the day. .”

"The Hantu people may not lack wisdom, but they seriously lack experience, and they don't even know how huge the gap is between a truly modern army and a 'pretending to be modern' army." Louis chuckled:

"They'll know right away."