Chapter 1
Like a cliché, it all started with a traffic accident.
A truck speeding through a red light crushed a pedestrian on the crosswalk, and that pedestrian just happened to be me - a common story.
And when I opened my eyes, I was reborn as a low-ranking Noble of The Kingdom.
Carolus von Roytel.
The second son of an impoverished Baron family with a territory in the barren and poor southeastern region.
That was me.
I had never read a novel or played a game with this kind of setting, yet here I was, thrust into another world.
But surprisingly, it wasn't that uncomfortable.
I missed having a cellphone, but my relationship with my family was good.
My parents cared for me and my older brother, and my brother always cherished me, his younger sibling. The vassals were loyal, and the people of the territory respected us, their lords.
Although we weren't wealthy, we never starved, and I enjoyed a pleasant childhood. Unfortunately, I had one fatal problem.
My future was uncertain.
The title and territory were to be inherited by my older brother, and our family, unlike others, couldn't afford to give a generous share of the inheritance to the other siblings.
I received my share of the meager family resources, but it amounted to only a horse and a suit of armor.
At this rate, I would either become a wandering knight or starve to death on the streets, so I had to find a way to survive.
The conclusion I reached was to enter the military academy.
Graduation guaranteed a commission as an officer, and tuition and living expenses were covered for four years.
Being a commander was an honorable position in any era, so even if I was poor, I could still gain some honor.
Fortunately, the military in this world suited me quite well.
In my previous life, I had served in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and it wasn't that different. Except that the weapons and tactics were a bit more outdated.
Using my social skills, I yielded the top two ranks to high-ranking Nobles and graduated with neither high nor low, but decent grades.
The region where I, a newly commissioned Captain, was assigned was the Northern Region. It was the border area adjacent to the Northern Union Empire.
A region perpetually covered in snow for most of the year, and with generally peaceful relations between The Kingdom and the Northern Union Empire.
My plan was to quietly gain experience as a Platoon Leader here, then transfer to another region, become an elite officer, and gradually rise through the ranks.
Yes, that was the plan.
If only the war with the United Empire hadn't suddenly broken out.
* * * * *
The Empire, invading under the pretext of a diplomatic blunder by our Kingdom, launched fierce offensives everywhere, whether the pretext was true or not.
Through the flat and hilly Western Region, as well as the narrow mountainous terrain of the Eastern Region. Even into the Northern Region where I was stationed.
Despite the Snowfield at the border between the two countries, making even marching difficult, let alone Battle, the Empire sent down a massive army.
Tens of thousands of troops, supplies to sustain them, and various weapons.
They were determined to crush us with a meticulously prepared force.
In comparison, we had only 5,000 troops. Our entire Northern Army was smaller than their Vanguard.
What should my decision have been in this situation? Surrender?
Even if I was reborn, the Kingdom was still my country. I couldn't choose to abandon it.
So I fought.
I fought tooth and nail with our meager forces. I ambushed troops at strategic points, dug traps, and fought tenaciously.
As a Platoon Leader, I personally charged into the enemy with a sword and Musket, engaging in hand-to-hand combat.
There were so many Rifleman deaths that I often disguised myself, infiltrated enemy lines, and sniped enemy commanders.
I endured until the number of scars on my body exceeded double digits and I couldn't even count the number of Battles I'd participated in.
I clung to life and persevered while my fellow officers who joined at the same time died, and the soldiers under my command were completely replaced.
After struggling and striving for over ten years...
I was promoted to Deputy Commander of the Northern Army and somehow became a general known to both friend and foe.
...Well, it wasn't a bad feeling. Having a reputation meant possessing honor and authority.
It was also nice to be able to oversee the entire Front Line and exercise large-scale command.
The war, which continued throughout the 10 years I spent rotting in a single unit without a transfer, continued even after I became Deputy Commander.
New recruits were constantly being sent to the Front Line, and hundreds and thousands of lives were lost in monthly engagements.
Neither side could inflict a decisive blow on the other, but we steadily inflicted damage on the Empire and defended our territory.
Perhaps if this continued for another 3 years, no, even 2 years. If we could succeed in defending without giving the United Empire an opening...
A truce might have been possible. Both we and the enemy were exhausted, so there was certainly hope.
It definitely would have been. I believed it without a doubt and urged the soldiers to hold on just a little longer.
Unfortunately, my country didn't have the patience to endure that period.
* * * * *
"Retreat, you said?"
"That's right. A full retreat."
The sudden order I received after being summoned to the Command Center.
The declaration to abandon the land we had bled for over 10 years for, I couldn't believe my ears.
"Why? Our forces are still fighting evenly."
"I don't know. It's an order from above, so I'm just following it."
The Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army answered perfunctorily, as if he didn't want to engage in a long conversation.
This fat pig with a belly full of lard spoke as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and it made my blood boil, but I held back. Despite his appearance, he had many Connections in the Central Region's political circles.
If I challenged him, not only me but also our unit, and even the entire Northern Army, could suffer.
"But there must be a reason, sir. Surely Central Command didn't just send a retreat order without any explanation?"
"Hey, Carolus. Why are you so defiant today? Didn't you hear me say to prepare for retreat?"
"It's because the order is utterly incomprehensible! After ordering us to hold the line and fight to the death no matter what, now you demand a retreat?!"
I'm the Deputy Commander of the Northern Army. Excluding Central Command, I'm one of the top 5 ranking officers in the Kingdom's Army.
Is this such an urgent matter that they can't even explain the reason to someone like me?
I haven't received any reports of other Front Lines collapsing. What's the reason for suddenly changing our defensive strategy now?
I was furious. I couldn't understand the Royal Family and Central Command's decision to render all the past sacrifices meaningless.
But what I couldn't understand the most was the hypocritical attitude of the human pig in front of me.
--SLAP!
"You little shit! Just do as you're told! What's with the defiance, you soldier?!"
"....I apologize."
"I won't say it twice. Go and prepare for the retreat! Pull all the units back to the rear!"
With him ranting and raving, slapping me, I could only lower my head.
It was obvious that further conversation would be futile.
I had to grit my teeth and quietly leave the barracks.
"Lieutenant General Roitel, are you alright?"
"Do I look alright to you?"
As I trudged through the camp, a young Captain approached me. My adjutant.
He was commissioned in the middle of last year, but due to being constantly deployed to fierce Battles, he was promoted faster than me.
"What did they say to you?"
"Retreat. They're saying to pull back the entire Front Line."
"....What??"
A look of disbelief. I thought the same. But the Commander is being unreasonable.
"What's the reason? Are we out of supplies?"
"They didn't tell me, so I don't know. That's what I'm going to find out now."
I pulled a cigarette from my pocket, lit it, and gave an order.
"You know Lieutenant Colonel Kaisel from Intelligence, right?"
"The one with the long mustache? Yes."
"He should be stationed at a nearby unit. Go and ask for his help. Explain the situation here first."
I'd saved his life once, so he'd probably do me a favor.
For now, let's tell the Commander that we're thoroughly preparing and buy some time. A full retreat isn't something that can be done easily.
If I stall, I should be able to hold out for a month or two.
The Commander-in-Chief only knows how to act important and boss people around; he doesn't know anything about actual fieldwork. I've always been the one handling it.
He doesn't even know how to read and interpret supply storage documents, so I was confident I could easily fool him.
So I stalled, buying myself time to gather information, and...
"Lieutenant General Roitel. Lieutenant Colonel Kaisel is here to see you."
"Let him in."
The truth I finally learned was utterly shocking.
"They're abandoning the Front Line to reduce military spending because they lack funds to buy the Queen's Diamond Tiara...?"
I, the officers of The Kingdom, the brave soldiers...
We fought for these vermin?