Chapter 12
From the second day the operation commenced.
Around the Royal Capital Lahator, carriages and carts that had been carelessly roaming about began to be seized by the hundreds each day.
"Halt! There will be a brief inspection. What are you carrying in your cargo hold?"
"Huh? This is iron ingots to be delivered to a merchant near the Royal Palace--"
"Iron? You mean metal? That's military supplies! Confiscate it all immediately!"
"What? There's no such law! Don't do this to fellow citizens of The Kingdom!!"
"Don't worry, we're not just taking it. We'll write you an IOU, so you can get it back later."
Basic resources and raw materials like iron, copper, and gunpowder were just the beginning.
"Didn't you say this road was exclusively for food transport?"
"Yes. They said they created a separate route because the volume is so large."
"Let's confiscate it and eat it ourselves. We can extort compensation from the Royal Family or the Nobility later."
"Should we try making some alcohol? It's delicious when brewed with rice."
"That's a good idea. Make me a strong one later."
Essential foodstuffs for survival like flour, rice, and potatoes,
"What are these new recruits doing coming to the Capital?"
"We are the Eastern Reserve Forces and their instructors assigned to the newly established Capital Defense Division. Where, uh, is the training center?"
"Ah! Volunteers, were you? Welcome, recruits! The Revolutionary Army welcomes passionate warriors like you!"
"Huh? The Revolutionary Army? What are you talking about? And why are you taking our clothes--uwaah--"
And the abduction of troop resources.
In addition, various replacement parts for weapons, luxury goods like ceramics and silk ordered by the wealthy, administrative documents sent from the provinces, and so on.
We intercepted every kind of resource that the Royal Capital would normally have taken and used them thoroughly.
Just like a giving tree, we were sucking it dry to the very bottom.
Despite the fact that we began the Siege Warfare at a disadvantage, the situation was increasingly turning in our favor.
"There haven't been any reports of something happening inside, have there?"
"No. Control seems to be maintained. Strangely enough."
Of course, perhaps aware that the situation was only getting worse with time, those stuck in the Capital tried to make some desperate attempts.
They launched several surprise attacks with special forces made up of the Nobility's family Private Soldiers, Guards, and remaining regular troops.
The most recent attack was just four days ago. The 20th day since the siege began.
'Brave warriors of The Kingdom, charge at once! Wipe out all those despicable traitors!!'
'Run without fear of death! The Goddess protects us! Victory will be with us!!'
That night was unusually dark. Thick clouds obscured the moon, making it hard to see even right in front of you.
Seeing the limited visibility as an opportunity, the Capital bastards swarmed out and launched an assault on our Revolutionary Army's headquarters.
They attempted a mass charge with nearly 8,000 troops, trying to capture the command center in one fell swoop.
Unfortunately for them, they were brutally crushed before they even got close to headquarters.
'Idiots. What's the point of a surprise attack if you yell and scream while charging? Gunners, load your Muskets. Spearmen, kneel and point your spears forward.'
'Commence firing in volleys, starting from the first rank! Let's teach the Capital scum what real Battle is!'
We're the ones who fought to our heart's content in the Snowfield of The Northlands. In an environment where wearing a white cloak and pants and lying on the ground provides perfect camouflage, and natural cover abounds.
What do you think is most needed to survive in a place where attacking and defending are a pain in the ass, and ambushes are ridiculously easy? Awareness.
The enemy's unusual behavior, subtle changes in the battle situation, minute shifts in their patterns of action.
You have to reach a level of judgment where you can draw inferences from such vague and trivial circumstantial evidence. Otherwise, you die.
Not just me, but all my subordinates could die. Because of just one small mistake.
'It's really... disheartening to think I've been fighting under the command of such incompetent fools all this time.'
But from that perspective, the Capital's desperate attempts were the epitome of clumsiness.
Reducing the number of daytime guards while preparing for a surprise attack, cooking dinner for an unusually long time in the evening. Isn't that too suspicious?
I prepared for it just in case, and they fell right into the trap. They neatly crashed and died after we simply formed a Battle Formation and Deployment.
We just formed a crossfire with cannons, magicians, and Gunners, and they crawled right into the middle of it, as if begging us to kill them.
I roughly estimated that we took down about 4,000 of them there.
Adding to that the cumulative losses from previous surprise attacks, it's at least between 7,000 and 8,000.
Regardless of troop type or affiliation, we've killed more than half of the trained combat soldiers in the Royal Capital.
With the remaining forces, they can't turn the tide of the war. Absolutely not. Unless they have a brilliant commander like Alexander the Great or Napoleon.
But if they had someone like that, they wouldn't have attempted such a pathetic surprise attack the day before yesterday, would they?
"Were we continuing the Propaganda about lenient treatment and the safety of civilians in case of surrender?"
"Yes! Every day, we send those who know how to use Loudspeaker Magic to broadcast it inside the walls."
"Does it seem to be working?"
"Public sentiment definitely seems to be wavering, but it's still not quite..."
"Then tell them to keep doing it until it works. We must win the people over to our side."
We even had a a few spies infiltrate while the fortress gates were open during the surprise attack.
They are mainly from the intelligence department and report the current situation in the Capital to me daily.
Since the fortress security has also become lax, they sneak up at night and throw reports over the wall, or shoot them with arrows to share information. Scouting the enemy camp is so easy.
'It really won't be long now.'
With the war progressing like this, I began to feel that the moment of decision was approaching.
We've monopolized the supplies and the power gap has become insurmountable, so all that's left is surrender or self-destruction, isn't it?
And all the reinforcements from the outside that could be seen as the only remaining breakthrough have now stopped.
"Brigadier General Ellan, commander of the 19th Division, wants to know if we really don't need to be wary of the approaching units."
"Those guys? It's fine. They seem to have lost the will to fight, even if they have the strength."
The Divisions I disrupted with my sabotage and the units that departed from the Western and Eastern Regions have arrived one after another near the Capital, having seemingly resolved their internal conflicts.
However, far from attacking us, they have set up camp two or three days away and are simply observing.
It's as if they're expressing with their whole bodies that they don't want to get involved in this fight. And that's probably actually the case.
"Those commander buddies already know. That the tide has turned."
What they saw when they arrived at the Capital was the Revolutionary Army blocking all roads and controlling the flow of goods.
They saw us choking off the Capital's lifeline, while the higher-ups in the Capital were just taking it without being able to stop us.
So what would they think? Ah, the outcome has already been decided. We won't gain anything by interfering. Wouldn't they judge it roughly like that?
"Besides, our cause isn't just any cause. If we play our cards right, we could even overthrow the country and establish a new dynasty."
"....Did you want to become King?"
"....No way. I'm someone who was pushed into joining by you guys. Just being able to normalize the state affairs is enough for me. I'm not interested in the throne."
Moreover, if they attack us, public sentiment within the city will be stirred up.
There's sympathy for their comrades who were unjustly forced to abandon the Front Line, so fighting will only demoralize them.
Even if they disregard such side effects and try to intervene, their treatment after the war will be difficult.
"Anyway, they'll stay put until everything is over. We just have to reward them appropriately afterwards."
"....I don't quite understand. Reward? Suddenly?"
The higher-ups in the Central Region are bastards.
Instead of rewarding loyalty, they backstab, shift blame, force idiotic orders, and so on.
They pick and choose all the worst things to do.
Roughly how bad is it? Enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the late French Kingdom or late Joseon that I read about in books in my past life?
It wasn't well known before, but the Queen's Diamond Jewelry Incident has made the reality widely known throughout the country.
In other words, everyone now realizes that even if they risk their lives to defend the Capital here, all they'll get in return is blame for not stopping it sooner and having their achievements stolen.
"The reward for tacitly cooperating with us. Well, something like retaining their positions or providing them with troops and supplies should be enough."
So they chose to observe.
Implicitly sending a message that they won't intervene, so please go easy on them later.
They wouldn't expect treatment as meritorious subjects.
Just clearing them of responsibility and ensuring no disadvantages in their military careers should be enough. If we guarantee their treatment as they wish, they won't complain.
"If you understand, go back and check on the soldiers' condition. This Siege Warfare will be over soon."
"Understood."
* * * * *
After this, we continued to block the supplies entering the Royal Capital and waited patiently.
For about a week.
"Open the gates and charge in to seize the Royal Palace?"
Finally, a defector appeared from within.