Chapter 29
As Viktor's speech ended, the soldiers' opinions were divided.
"I might be able to see my mother again..."
"I wonder if my younger siblings are doing well?"
The conscripts, who made up the majority of the royal army, had no hesitation about surrendering.
Those who were forcibly dragged in due to money or threats from nobles always moved with survival as their goal.
Their support for Viktor was also based on the calculation that they had the highest probability of survival under his command.
Moreover, to reduce resistance from the kingdom's people they would eventually annex, the imperial army restricted forceful plunder or massacres throughout the war.
Thanks to this, things like reasons to fight or patriotism were never in their minds to begin with, and Viktor's confirmation that the empire treated occupied territories and prisoners moderately drove the final nail.
"General Viktor is right. If the empire doesn't mistreat prisoners or plunder occupied territories, why should we risk our lives?"
"That's right. Rather, what if the war escalates if we resist needlessly?"
Especially those conscripted in the latter half of the Northern War, or those who hadn't experienced defeat being constantly under Viktor's command, had little antipathy towards the empire and felt no aversion to surrender.
After Viktor took military command, most battles involved the Rus Kingdom army ambushing and then retreating, and in the end, they were in a situation of sitting in the castle waiting for an opportunity.
Rather, because their resentment towards the nobles who made them suffer was great, there were those whose hearts leaned towards surrender at Viktor's speech saying that resistance was for the nobles.
"If only the General would stay..."
"Didn't he say he's leaving tomorrow? How can we defeat the empire without the General..."
Or, there were those who lost hope at the fact that Viktor wouldn't remain.
Those who felt helplessness from the overwhelming defeats in the early stages of the war, and the forces of the 1st Corps where Viktor's influence was great, were like this.
They didn't trust the Rus Kingdom at all where people they didn't even know well had taken positions, and followed Viktor who was a more trustworthy subject.
Of course.
Although a minority, negative voices also came out centered on those who were private soldiers of nobles and noble officers.
"Isn't this like he's been bribed?"
"He said it was the Empress’ mercy, right? Maybe he's been enchanted by that woman."
There were soldiers who thought Viktor had defected during the time he went to the empire and returned.
"Surrender to those imperial bastards who killed Ivan..."
"I'd rather die than surrender to the empire."
There were soldiers who, for their own reasons, harbored resentment towards the empire and said they wouldn't surrender to the empire no matter what else.
"Abandoning the Rus Kingdom just to save myself. I can't do that!"
Very rarely, there were those who showed patriotism towards the Rus Kingdom, and,
"Isn't this all planned by that Viktor?"
"Didn't you see Vladimir, that bastard, confessing? What nonsense!"
"It's suspicious. The timing is too exquisite."
"He said he did it because he was afraid when the General came back! The plan itself was in place from before!"
Conspiracy theories that everything was Viktor's plan for surrender were also raised.
Although those mentioning conspiracy theories were ostracized even among soldiers because the evidence that Vladimir raised a rebellion was clear, and Viktor's subsequent actions as chairman were appropriate.
Viktor didn't leave such dissatisfaction unattended.
"Louise, was it? It wouldn't be strange if she seduced the General with that face."
"Hmm. Is that so."
"...General?"
As he had done the day before, he went around the barracks all day meeting soldiers and persuading them.
Although most said they would surrender, those with such great antipathy that they refused to surrender even in this situation mostly failed to be persuaded even when Viktor talked to them directly.
But the persuasion that continued until late at night moved the hearts of hesitating soldiers just by the attempt itself.
"To go this far for us..."
"General Viktor took on such dishonor for our sake."
"It must have been the General who wanted to protect the country..."
Public opinion among the soldiers rapidly leaned towards surrender.
As the trend was set, even those who were hesitating decided to surrender.
Noble commanders like the 2nd and 3rd Corps commanders, for whom it was advantageous for the Rus Kingdom to be maintained, tried to gather as many opposing personnel as possible, but they had little success because they had to move without being noticed by Viktor, who was still commander-in-chief, or the 1st Corps who would clearly follow his will.
Thus, when 9 AM that Viktor had mentioned came, an enormous number of soldiers gathered in front of Zabinsk Castle's main gate.
---
The total force stationed in Zabinsk was about 28,000.
"1st Corps Commander Anna and 7,952 others have arrived. Due to 2nd Corps Commander Yuri Igorev's absence, we're additionally leading 5,184 members of the 2nd Corps."
"4th Corps Commander Alexandrov Kalichin reporting. All 5,986 members of the 4th Corps have arrived. Similarly, in place of the absent 3rd Corps Commander Pavel Andreyev, 4,785 members of the 3rd Corps are temporarily under my command."
According to the reports of the gathered corps commanders, 23,907 in total followed my surrender order.
The goal was to secure enough to lead the trend by exceeding at least half, but this number was far more than the target I had set.
At this level, it seems everyone has gathered except for the minority who mentioned dissatisfaction.
Since more than half of the forces from the 2nd and 3rd Corps also moved, it might be that the corps commanders' control was weaker than expected.
"...Thank you. Since you have shown courage, I too will do my best."
"..."
"We will move to a point about 20km away from the imperial army's camp today. After preparing weapons, food, and tents, we'll depart immediately."
"Understood."
To minimize confusion among the soldiers and to not give time for those opposing to persuade and move soldiers, I had chosen the very next morning, but…
With so many following my will, there was no need to move urgently or to move carrying all the luggage with difficulty.
There's a distance of about 40 km from Zabinsk to Josef's camp.
To move without straining the soldiers, I wrote in the letter that we would camp for a day at the midpoint before heading to the camp.
As the terrain is also gentle up to the camp, it shouldn't be difficult to march about 20km over half a day.
"Prepare plenty of carriages so that soldiers can move carrying just one water bottle."
"Yes!"
Knowing well the horrors of full gear marches, I chose a method to minimize the soldiers' luggage as much as possible.
It might take a little more time, but with so many gathered, I'm not very afraid of time being dragged out.
I also need to treat them well from now on if I want to persuade them to become my strength later.
---
Two days ago, news that a rebellion had occurred in Zabinsk Castle and the king had been assassinated reached Josef Steiner's camp.
Although it wasn't known how the situation had flowed since then, Josef saw this as an opportunity and was secretly preparing to move troops.
He was waiting for Viktor to return while watching the unfolding situation.
He planned to attack the Rus Kingdom by insisting that since the king, who was the subject of the negotiations, had disappeared, the negotiations without a subject were invalid.
In Josef's eyes, this rebellion was an opportunity for the noble faction to rise again.
He thought that with the rebellion, the Rus Kingdom's strength would have weakened, and the imperial forces could easily win as they had finished reorganizing.
Once they win, they could greatly increase their power, and the Empress who declared the ceasefire would receive criticism for breaking the negotiations.
Of course, as it was a plan with high risk, he didn't intend to rashly attack the kingdom.
He only increased the forces guarding the kingdom's direction just enough to appear as if preparing for sudden situations.
Then last night, Viktor's letter was delivered to Josef.
The content was a notification that the Rus Kingdom army, represented by Commander-in-Chief Viktor, had decided to surrender to the Dragonian Empire, and would depart towards the camp with the surrendered soldiers at 9 AM the next day.
When Josef first received the letter sent by Viktor, he didn't believe it.
The statement that only the army, not the Rus Kingdom, was surrendering felt strange, and the sender was Viktor who had entered Zabinsk less than a week ago.
No matter how much of a hero he was, Josef thought there was no way Viktor could make the entire royal army surrender.
As there were no particularly suspicious movements visible from outside the castle, he didn't believe the letter at face value.
Rather, he felt it was more convincing that the situation had become complicated due to the rebellion, and Viktor had fled as if seeking asylum.
As he had already increased the guards, Josef didn't make any additional responses.
He expected that either the letter itself was false, or even if Viktor brought troops, it would be just a few of his close aides.
However, around 1 PM that day.
"General Josef! Viktor, carrying a white flag, is moving with the Rus Kingdom's forces!"
"What's the scale?"
A guard with an urgent look rushed into Josef's tent.
"The procession is endless! It's at least over 20,000!"
"Is it certain... No."
Josef, receiving the guard's report, suppressed his doubts for now and rose immediately for a response.
"...Take out all the temporary tents and prepare, and request additional supplies! Adjutant! Prepare a letter to send to Her Majesty the Empress!"
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
Once Viktor and the army had departed, they would arrive at Josef's camp the very next day.
As the treatment of prisoners was emphasized by both the Empress and the noble faction nobles, mistreating them was dangerous for Josef as well.
While preparing to receive the suddenly appeared prisoners, Josef quickly filled in the contents of the letter to send to the Empress.
With the royal army surrendering, the credit is likely to go to Josef who was guarding the border.
The kingdom that lost its army didn't seem likely to hold out for long either.
While restarting the war was a gamble even for him, accepting those who surrendered was an opportunity with certain rewards, so…
Josef moved his hands with a joyful heart.
"And increase the forces monitoring Zabinsk Castle! We need to keep checking the reactions of those remaining!"
"Yes!"
He didn't forget to increase surveillance to prepare for any movements the kingdom might show separately, as this surrender was close to Viktor's unilateral action.
"...I shouldn't just stay still."
Josef didn't stop here.
According to Viktor's letter, his army would stop at the midpoint between the camp and Zabinsk to camp, then arrive at the camp tomorrow.
To make it a little more certain that Viktor's surrender was his achievement, and to make it look like he was leading the surrender,
"Prepare horses!"
He decided to go out first to meet them before they came to the camp.
"The moving troops have stopped and are preparing temporary tents."
"Good. Let's depart!"
On the evening of the day Viktor's army stopped marching.
To avoid overly stimulating wariness, Josef left the tent with only a few officers.