Iron Powder and Spellcaster

"Let me tell you what the outcome of this civil war will be! Student."

Cornelis said in a deep voice:

"The best outcome is that the Western Army destroys the Hongchuan rebels and takes all of North Palat; the Southern Army defeats the Xinkendi rebels and recaptures South Palat; then, we integrate Palat's resources, march eastward, and make Veneta surrender;

"In this way, we can unify the political orders and completely put an end to the current situation of the republics acting independently, fighting each other, and fighting internally, and save the alliance from the abyss of self-destruction.

"Then, we must promote reconciliation, heal wounds, eliminate hatred, and unite all parties - this is no easier than military conquest. It is not an exaggeration to say that winning the soul is ten or a hundred times more difficult than destroying the body.

"But we must do it, because only in this way can the alliance truly become a country.

"Because only in this way can the alliance survive the war that the empire will inevitably impose on it.

"Because only in this way, there is a slight possibility that the pseudo-emperor will not dare to look south from the beginning.

"Only then will we be qualified to say that we have realized the aspirations of our ancestors;

"Only then will we be qualified to say that we have fulfilled the promise of the Alliance Charter;

"Only then will we be qualified to say that the Senas Alliance is a country that belongs to all Senas people."

"Long live the Alliance, and glory will last forever." Jason Cornelius's eyes were burning: "This is the best outcome we can expect."

Frittz listened expressionlessly.

Cornelius didn't care and continued: "And the second best outcome we can expect is that the Southern Front Army is completely annihilated, and at the same time the Western Front Army fails to achieve its strategic goals and even suffers casualties.

"Then Veneta will first annex South Palatus, and then take North Palatus, integrate the resources of the entire Palatus, and then destroy us-the United Provinces Republic, the Unified Alliance."

"Is this the second best outcome?" Fritz laughed dryly a few times.

"Why not? "Cornelis raised his eyebrows and pointed at the tip of his nose: "Me, you, the Federation, Veneta... It doesn't matter whether we or they are in the end.

"The only important thing is that the Union must be truly unified, otherwise she will never be able to get rid of internal friction! She will not be able to resist the invasion of the Empire! She will be divided and disintegrated by the enemy and defeated one by one!"

"If you give this speech in the square." Fritz commented calmly: "You will be considered alarmist and worried."

"Then let me tell you, students, those who think I am alarmist and worried are the most blind, ignorant, and frogs in the well!"

Cornelis raised his arm and pointed to the cabinet full of file boxes at the other end of the office, and said angrily:

"Because they don't understand how powerful our enemies are and how determined they are!

"They are still living in the victory of the last war, but we won last time because the enemy made a mistake.

"I have studied the Empire for sixteen years. When the next war comes, I can't find any possibility that Henry Lieyang will repeat the mistakes of the Mad Emperor."

Fritz turned around and looked at the huge file boxes that were only two boxes away from filling up three walls.

Although by nature, he would not easily believe any conclusion before personally investigating.

But at this moment, his inner intuition told him that what the former head of the headquarters said was true.

"So, let me tell you what the bad ending is." Cornelius took a deep breath and regained his usual dignity:

"The bad ending is-the Southern Army lost as expected, the Western Army won as expected, Veneta annexed Southern Palatus, and the United Provinces annexed Northern Palatus. No one could gain an absolute advantage over the other. Both sides then exhausted their strength in a long tug-of-war, and then the Empire took advantage of the opportunity and the Senas Alliance perished."

Fritz's heart skipped a beat.

"That's right." Cornelius sneered: "This is the script Henry Lieyang wants to see the most. This is why, even though the Palatine Civil War has been decided and the Alliance is about to go into full-scale civil war, the North has not made any military preparations for war - except for the massive expansion of the navy.

"Henry Lieyang even deliberately purged the Southern Army at this critical juncture and personally helped us remove the biggest stumbling block to the civil war."

For things outside the Alliance, officers of Fritz's level really have limited knowledge: "You mean, as long as the war starts here, the reconstruction of the Southern Army will be immediately put on the agenda?"

"Put it on the agenda?" Cornelius' throat sneered at the ignorant: "The purge of the Southern Army has stopped, and the reconstruction of the Southern Army has been on the agenda from the beginning, but it is just a hidden and inconspicuous way to advance.

"This is exactly what Henry Lieyang always does. It was like this in the Great Northern War, the Saracen War, and the war to suppress the Bohemians... Only when his hammer smashes your head, you will realize that he has been watching you all along."

"What's funny is." Cornelius didn't even realize that he was talking more and more, and he said bitterly: "I don't know how many people around us are complacent with the victory of thirty years ago, and laugh at Henry Lieyang for thinking they are so brave just because he is called a 'forsworn', and they dream every day that they can win the north again..."

"That's why you said, 'The Alliance cannot lose the King's Castle'? Otherwise, a 'bad ending' will be our destined fate?" Fritz asked softly: "But with the combat power of the Southern Front, how can it be possible to defend the King's Castle? ?”

Cornelius was stunned for a moment when his long speech was interrupted. He stared at the former student for a while, then shook his head in disappointment and helplessness.

"You still only saw the first level, student." Kanilis said coldly: "Think more - think more. If you can see this, and I can see this, then those people in the military headquarters Anyone can see this. So why are they still rushing towards this 'bad ending'?"

Fritz really couldn't figure out why the military wanted to commit mass suicide.

Finally, he lowered his head and decided to accept the status of being taught: "Student is stupid, please give me some advice."

There was no look of pride or arrogance on Cornelis's face. He just said calmly: "What I just told you is just a bad ending. After the bad ending... there is another worst ending."

"Please feel free to give me your advice."

Cornelius looked directly into the student's eyes:

"The worst outcome is that the Southern Front loses South Palato without any accident, and the Western Front wins North Palato without any accident. Veneta and the United Provinces are bounded by rivers, and the north and the south confront each other without moving forward. ”

Cornelius's gaze was as deep as a pool:

“Moreover, student, I can tell you that this worst ending is the most likely and feasible ending at the moment.

"As long as the Western Front takes all North Plato and the Southern Front loses all the king's castles, the old guys at the military headquarters will immediately push for a cooling-off, truce, and peace negotiation between the United Provinces and Veneta.

“You know what’s the scariest place?

“The scariest thing is not that no matter how hard the Veneta people bargain, they will eventually sign the armistice agreement.

"The most terrifying thing is that if the war ceases here, the civil war will be limited to Plato. There will be no head-on collision between Veneta and the United Provinces, and the two mountainous narrow areas will complete the 'cost-effectiveness' with minimal losses. Highest internal integration.

"In this case, Henry Sun will face a narrow land divided into two halves, but each is complete.

"I can tell you right now, student, Henry Lieyang will never take action rashly. Because it seems that the Senas Alliance has been divided into two, but if 'Northern Senas' is in danger, 'Southern Senas' will never sit idly by. ignore.

"So, he will change his strategy and shift his focus from military conquest to diplomatic means - you think Henry Lieyang's military level is already very high, right? I can tell you, student, Henry Lieyang's diplomacy His skills are even better than his military prowess.

“He will instigate confrontation between the North and the South and intensify the conflicts between the two sides until the estrangement between the two sides deepens day by day, until the conflicts between the two sides cannot be resolved, and until the people on both sides begin to hate each other.

"Then, Henry Lieyang will take action - he will always take action at the most appropriate time.

"He will pull one side and fight the other. It is even possible that he does not need to 'pull' at all, but one of the parties takes the initiative to surrender to him, crawling at his feet, kissing his boots, crying and begging the great emperor to lend a helping hand... …”

Cornelius was eloquent and eloquent.

Fritz felt a chill climb from his tailbone up his spine, filling his chest. The more he listened to his former boss's words, the stronger the chill became, and the deeper it penetrated his bones, making him breathless and making his body tremble. His soul trembled—not because the scene described by the former headmaster was so hopeless, but because Fritz realized that that was indeed the most likely outcome.

Cornelis suddenly slapped Fritz hard and woke him up from his daze.

"The above." Cornelis looked at the former student with a layer of beads of sweat on his forehead: "None of the above are the reasons why I said this ending is the 'worst'."

Fritz felt a strong sense of powerlessness: "Is there a worse reason?"

"Yes. Because war will never follow the plan of only one side. No matter how Henry Lieyang strategizes, there will definitely be people of insight among us who will fight back."

After saying that, Cornelis pointed to himself and said, "For example, me," and then pointed to Fritz, "maybe you too."

Cornelius's eyes were firm: "It depends on people, and we still don't know who will win."

"That……"

"I say this ending is the 'worst' because, if it really comes to this day, no matter whether Henry Lieyang's ambition is realized or bankrupt..."

Cornelius sighed deeply, his expression extremely lonely and sad:

“From now on, the people on this land will be separated from the south and the north, and there will no longer be any connection.

"The legacy of Field Marshal Ned Smith and the countless heroes who lost their lives in the Sovereign War without even leaving their names will be completely extinguished."

Fritz felt that a string in his heart was broken.

Cornelius was silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed and said loudly:

"So, the Alliance cannot lose the King's Castle! If the Alliance loses the King's Castle, the worst outcome will inevitably come.

"So even if we know that the Southern Front is abandoned, even if we know that those old immortals want to exhaust us, we must go to the King's Castle.

“So no matter what the cost, no matter what means we use, we must defend the castles of the kings.

“Not only must we defend, but we must defend our momentum, our status, and our values ​​that cannot be given up.

"We must be known to all the United Provincial Republics, the Army Headquarters must be forced to support us, and the Western Front must continue the war in South Palatu after wiping out North Palatu."

Fritz also cheered up again and nodded.

"So." Cornelis leaned towards the former student and asked: "That young officer - that young officer who is burdened with infamy, that young officer who is full of passion, does he want to bury himself in the War History Department? Or does he want to bury himself in the War History Department? Shine for the motherland again?”

Fritz thought for a moment, sorted out his words, and answered seriously:

"In fact, General, I don't fully agree with your concept of 'civil war to integrate the country'. At least so far, you have not convinced me. I still think that if we abandon the path of civil war from the beginning, we can still find a bloodless way. Integrate the country.

"Today's inevitable civil war is not only the result, but also the cause. Today's inevitable civil war is the reason why some people made up their minds from the beginning to unify the alliance through civil war and continue to advance towards it."

When Cornelis heard this, he snorted contemptuously. He didn't bother to speak again, turned his back directly, and waved his hand, indicating that the other party could leave.

But Fritz wasn't finished yet.

Cornelius heard the inspiring words of former students:

“But I agree, I agree with your definition of ‘worst ending’.

"What I did before today was to free the Piedmont from the endless preparations for war, which is the source of pain for countless poor people in the Piedmont. Compared with the pain itself, the most desperate thing is that there is no end in sight. .

"So I only pray for change, and I am willing to serve as a tool, even if my body is shattered, even if my reputation is ruined, even if I fall into hell forever - this is the direction I have never wavered. Before today, everything I did was to this end.

"And from now on, I will make it my goal to prevent the worst possible outcome for the Alliance as well as to defend the legacy of Field Marshal Ned Smith and all the heroes who died in the Sovereign Wars - until my last breath.

Fritz of Nice had shining eyes and resonant words: "So I will go, to Plato, to the Southern Front, as long as I can move in that direction - I will go anywhere, whether it is hell or heaven."

Cornelis looked at his former student for a long time, then suddenly laughed at the table: "What a pity that I didn't discover you earlier! The old marshal praised me for being able to recognize people with a keen eye, but in fact, I was blind and ashamed... But you also He’s not the first person I’ve missed. Hehe, not long ago, I discovered that I’d missed someone even more remarkable..."

Fritz was stunned for a moment, discovering for the first time that Jason Cornelius, who was stern, irritable, and never bothered to talk nonsense, actually had a nagging side.

"Hey, it doesn't matter, anyway..." Cornelis stood up and solemnly extended his hand to the companion and student in front of him: "Welcome to join."

Fritz also stood up immediately and held the hand of his companion and instructor: "Isn't it the 'bigger omission' you mentioned...?"

"Otherwise, which one could it be?" Cornelius smiled: "That's the one."

Fritz's heart moved, and he carefully organized his words: "Sir, actually, I still have two questions..."

"Just call me teacher." Cornelis waved his hand easily: "Although I stopped taking classes when you entered school, you are still my student. If you have any questions, just ask."

Fritz bowed, then frowned and asked: "First of all, I don't understand why you said Winters Montagne is the biggest enemy of the Southern Front?"

"Why?" Cornelis laughed dumbly, and then slowly put away his smile, as if he realized something very serious.

He pondered for a moment and said seriously: "Because he is."

[Orz]

[It’s really not the author’s fault. It was only in the second half of the writing that I suddenly realized that this section looked a bit like EW. However, when I conceived this plot in my mind, EW hadn’t started yet (crying)]

[After all, there is nothing new under the sun. History does not repeat, but history rhymes. What happens now can always be found in the past.]

[In the case of the 'worst ending', the best strategy for the Oathbreaker is the strategy mentioned in the book, and with his wisdom, he will definitely choose this strategy]

[It’s just that theory is theory and practice is practice. Whether you can reach your destination and the direction you choose when setting off are two different things. That’s why Cornelis said that there must be people of insight within the alliance to fight, change, and avoid this outcome—he himself is one of them]

[And, wow, it’s been four years. I’ve stopped updating so many times in the past four years. I’m so damn damn... damn...]

[I'm very, very, very, very sorry]