Chapter 80
Viktor's declaration plunged the meeting room into silence.
The Red Dragon Corps officers looked at Viktor with wide eyes, while the 5th Corps officers quietly observed Volker and Viktor's reactions.
"Hmm..."
Volker, facing Viktor who was glaring at him, with a nonchalant expression,
"May I ask what that statement means?"
He smiled as if relaxed.
"It means exactly what I said. Despite Her Majesty's orders, your 5th Corps doesn't seem to have any intention of starting an offensive."
Viktor looked around the room with burning eyes.
"Our Red Dragon Corps will march alone, sequentially bringing down Serona, Adense, and La Leon."
The Red Dragon Corps officers, who were momentarily flustered, realized Viktor's intention and looked at each other.
Some were already excited, shifting in their seats, while others quietly nodded, agreeing with Viktor's words.
On the other hand, the 5th Corps officers were surprised by Viktor's more intense reaction than Volker had expected, and looked at Volker with wavering gazes.
"..."
Florian tried to open his mouth to say something, but Volker raised his hand to stop him first.
"Alone?"
His voice was still low and leisurely.
"You're going to breach their fortresses with 10,000 gun troops and cannons? It's an extremely brave decision, but some might call it reckless."
"You might evaluate it that way, thinking the enemy's walls reach the sky and troops swarm inside."
Viktor responded without backing down at all to Volker's cynical tone.
"The Red Dragon Corps' strength is sufficient. We don't need cowards who are afraid of the enemy and don't follow Her Majesty's will, so we will fulfill Her Majesty's orders with our own hands."
"Cowards, what is this...!"
"Quiet! ...Are you prepared to take full responsibility for your words?"
"I am."
"Hmm..."
After throwing out a question, Volker fell into thought with his chin resting on his hand.
In his thinking, it was an offensive that could only fail, but Viktor's confident attitude bothered him.
However,
"The supplies will be distributed as Grand Marshal Gerhart previously instructed, so there's no need to worry."
"..."
"...The waste of time has been long. Well then, we'll take our leave now. Let's go."
"Yes, General."
Before Volker could answer, Viktor gathered his materials and stood up with the Red Dragon Corps officers.
"Ah. I almost forgot to say this."
Viktor, who was leaving the meeting room first,
"Her Majesty is always watching you, so keep that fact in mind."
Uttered these last words and left the meeting room.
After all the Red Dragon Corps officers had left the room.
"Insubordination?"
"They're probably just saying that..."
"Didn't they say it was a direct corps?"
The 5th Corps officers murmured in confusion.
"Is this alright?"
Florian, who had been blankly watching the officers leave, asked Volker in a trembling voice.
"What does the adjutant think?"
"...I think it's a reckless attack as you said, General. But if they somehow succeed in their solo operation, won't our position be that much narrower?"
"Well."
"We, we should call Viktor back now. If not..."
Unlike Florian, who was urgently asking, pressed by the weight of the word 'insubordination', Volker's face still wore a faint smile.
"Look here, adjutant. What did I say before?"
"...That breaching fortresses would inevitably result in heavy casualties, so delay the attack until a proper opportunity comes..."
"Right. I never said I wouldn't attack. I'm just waiting for the right time."
"You mean...?"
"Why do you think I let them go?"
-Bang!
Volker hit the desk, drawing the officers' attention.
"They tried to use us, but now it's time for us to use them."
"..."
"The Red Dragon Corps doesn't have enough troops to occupy all three fortresses at once. When the Red Dragon Corps starts their attack, we'll aim for other fortresses with weakened defenses and march. However."
He deliberately paused, intensifying the officers' curiosity.
"Our strategy will change depending on how the Red Dragon Corps performs. If they succeed in a quick breakthrough as Corps Commander Viktor said, we'll maintain a confrontation with the enemy and continue a formal offensive. But if they fail to break through, or if the enemy attempts a counterattack?"
"...!"
"The Red Dragon Corps' size isn't even half of our 5th Corps. The enemy's counterattack will likely focus on the Red Dragon Corps, which appears weaker. We'll take advantage of that gap and attack and capture the enemy's fortress with weakened defenses."
"Ooh...!"
"As expected of General Volker!"
Volker reassured the officers by presenting a realistic alternative.
The officers were quickly able to shake off their anxiety at the idea that they could use the Red Dragon Corps instead.
"Maintain our equipment so we can depart at any time, and distribute supplies. However, be careful not to be noticed by the Red Dragon Corps... No. There's no need to go that far. Prepare thoroughly."
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
"Adjutant, find out as much as you can about the Red Dragon Corps' attack targets and departure time."
"Yes, General."
Having thus prepared to move according to the situation, Volker dismissed the meeting and sent everyone out.
"...Hah."
He took out a cigarette from his bosom and lit it.
As the situation was still flowing according to his expectations, no anger was visible from him.
"..."
Exhaling gray smoke, he fell into thought.
His plan was built on the battles he had seen so far.
However, unlike the armies he had seen so far, the Red Dragon Corps was armed with guns and cannons, and not a trace of doubt was visible on Viktor's face.
"Hah..."
He kept fiddling with the documents containing battle cases of mercenaries who had used guns, which he had been reading until just now.
Of course, no matter how many times he read those documents, nothing changed.
He imagined the Red Dragon Corps being too strong, erasing the Esperian army before the 5th Corps could even stretch its legs, and,
-Thud.
He erased that imagination as he stepped on and extinguished his cigarette.
"...Hah."
And his trembling fingertips reached for another cigarette in his bosom.
---
I headed to another meeting room in the headquarters with the officers who had followed me out.
"..."
The officers followed me with solemn expressions, some with slightly doubtful looks.
"Miss Erika, did you record the conversation between me and Corps Commander Volker well?"
"Yes, but..."
"There's no need to worry. I stepped forward because I'm confident we can win, not because of an impulsive decision swayed by emotions."
"That, that's not what I meant to ask!"
Especially Erika, who didn't know our strength well, seemed very anxious, so I walked while answering her questions.
A moment later.
"Then, let's start the meeting."
We entered another meeting.
"What's the current situation of the Red Dragon Corps?"
"All 9,947 members have arrived without injuries. Since we rested for a day yesterday, we can depart as soon as tomorrow if the decision is made."
"The weather is clear, and the weapons are in good condition. We've brought all spare weapons, so there shouldn't be any shortages."
Alexandrov and Anna handed me the reports they had prepared in advance.
"...I see. Everyone, what do you think of this situation?"
"..."
After I had checked all the reports and spoke first, the officers looked at each other or at me, hesitant to open their mouths easily.
As they still seemed a bit worried,
"The 5th Corps will move when we move, so there's no need to worry about them."
"...Pardon?"
I added my personal opinion to alleviate that worry.
"Didn't you say he's a person who craves merits? Moreover, what they received was an imperial order, so although they spoke like that, they can't show no movement at all. Not if they don't want to incur Her Majesty's wrath."
"..."
The reason I came on strong and stimulated the 5th Corps, and mentioned Louise, was to induce their movement.
As Volker didn't seem to be a person without any thoughts at all, I think he will move for whatever reason.
"In my expectation, they'll likely advance after the Red Dragon Corps moves, moving passively while aiming for moderate gains, but I'm not certain. Although the possibility is small, they might suddenly become urgent and try to push troops into the fortress."
After finishing the explanation, I waited for opinions, but the officers just looked at me with sparkling eyes.
They didn't say a word, but I knew what those gazes meant.
As I also disliked Volker's attitude of trying to seize opportunities somehow,
"...I'll understand this as you accepting whatever instructions I give."
"!"
I first looked at the 1st Infantry Regiment Commander, Klaus Schultz.
"1st Infantry Regiment Commander."
"Yes, Corps Commander."
"Can our Red Dragon Corps win against 10,000 Esperian troops?"
"Of course! The enemy will be swept away before they even see our faces!"
After confirming his confident answer and the officers' reactions, I shifted my gaze to Boris standing next to him.
"2nd Infantry Regiment Commander."
"Yes, General Viktor."
"Can our Red Dragon Corps achieve an overwhelming victory even against 20,000 Esperian troops?"
"Yes! If we have your orders, General, we fear neither 10,000 nor 20,000!"
"Oh ho..."
Boris answered loudly.
Those with quick wits seemed to have already guessed my next words, their fingertips already twitching.
"Cavalry Regiment Commander."
"Yes."
"Then, can our Red Dragon Corps annihilate all of them even if we encounter 30,000 Esperian troops?"
"No matter how many enemies, we're not afraid. Our cavalry will trample any enemy we face."
After Heinrich finished his answer, I scanned the officers once.
"Do you all think so too? Are you certain we can annihilate 30,000 Esperian troops?"
"Yes!"
"That's right!"
"We are!"
As if they had been waiting for this moment, the officers answered loudly, and,
"Then."
I spread out the map and placed it in the center of the desk.
"From this La Leon, to Adense, to Serona."
As I pointed to each location, excitement filled the officers' faces, and,
"We will bring all these fortresses to their knees with our own hands."
"!"
"...Haha."
"..."
The momentary silence that followed my words,
"Excellent!"
"It's time to show our strength!"
"We'll teach those Esperian bastards what fear is!"
Quickly disappeared, overwhelmed by the officers' voices.
"The detailed plan is as follows. First..."
After their excitement had subsided slightly, I explained the strategy I had in mind.