Chapter 4: Now That Things Have Come To This, I'm Going To The Capital (1)

The next morning.

As I spent time handling similar tasks as yesterday, my subordinates came to visit me once more.

"Lieutenant General."

"Why are you here again? You all have a mountain of work to do."

"It's about what we talked about yesterday. We discussed it all night together."

Dozens of people crowded into the cramped space, which contained only a campaign bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. They naturally surrounded me and began to speak one after another.

"We thought about it hard. Whether we should meekly accept that shitty Retreat order, and how we should persuade the soldiers."

"If we retreat, we even calculated where the new Defense Line should be set up. But, there's no answer."

"No matter how much we review it, if we retreat from here, the only future we see is everyone's demise. This damn Kingdom, as well as the Lieutenant General's and our careers, and even the soldiers' lives."

What the hell are these guys suddenly talking about?

If they have complaints, they can come for counseling. Why are they suddenly coming to me as a group and pleading? Are they seriously trying to mutiny against me en masse?

While I was pondering this question…

My subordinates all knelt on the dirt floor and looked up at me, pleading.

"So, Lieutenant General, to be blunt, would you like to join us in overturning this country?"

Overturn.

This word could only have one meaning. The implied intention was too obvious to find any other meaning.

"....Are you asking me to lead a Coup d'état?"

"It's not a Coup d'état. Call it 'Normalization'. Normalization for the Royal Family and the country, which have become completely twisted."

"That's fucking it, you idiot!!"

Soldiers are saying they'll lay their hands on Royalty, so if that's not a Coup d'état, what is it?!

Even if the term is nicely packaged, the essence is still the same.

We can’t stand the way the government is being run anymore, so we, patriotic soldiers, are going to step up and fix it ourselves.

Naturally, there will be resistance from the vested interests in the process, so suppressing or threatening them by force is essential.

Eventually, the existing political system will be discarded, and it will be operated recklessly.

We have a social agreement to call that Treason, you idiots.

"Then, Lieutenant General, are you going to stand idly by while the country goes down the wrong path?"

"Even if it's the wrong path, it's the politicians who chose it. Soldiers like us shouldn't interfere in politics."

Having lived in a country where civilian control was common sense, I couldn't help but feel aversion to my subordinates' idea.

Starting an uprising because you don't like what the government is doing? Are we some kind of Chun Doo-hwan and Hanahoe gang? No matter how great the anger, this is not right.

The moment we rebel, we become undeniable traitors.

We could all be hanged on the gallows together. The chances of a rebellion started with this justification being recognized by the people are also low.

However, the fury of these men had already gone beyond the realm of such rational thinking.

No. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that I didn't understand.

The resentment of the people against the centuries-old corruption and failures of The Kingdom.

"But if it isn't us, there's no force to stop those politicians! Who will stop those Dukes and Grand Dukes from rampaging?"

"There's The Three Estates. If they block this measure--"

"The Three Estates have been dysfunctional for over a hundred years! What can an institution that the Nobility only uses to raise taxes do?"

"....."

I couldn't refute it. Even I internally denied what I had just said.

The Three Estates are originally an Assembly where the three classes of Nobility, Clergy, and citizens gather to discuss national affairs.

However, the voting rights are given by class, not individually, and the Nobility and Clergy always unite, making it far from a real Assembly.

It seems that it was somewhat decent in its early days, but now it has long since been reduced to a place where high-ranking officials announce laws to exploit the people.

It was obvious that it would be useless in preventing the Monarch's mistakes.

"Even if the citizens riot, it's the same. Do you think they'll listen if tens of thousands of people rush to the palace? They’d rather deploy the Royal Guard and the Military Police to suppress it!"

"Lieutenant General. This country is far removed from gathering public opinion and rational governance. Nothing will change without the use of force."

It's hard to expect the angry citizens to act when they hear the news of the Front Line retreat.

In a democratic society, demonstrations are an expression of the voters' opinions and a political activity. However, in a monarchy, it's a life-or-death struggle and a cry against the political establishment.

The meaning the ruling class accepts and the shock they feel are different. Mostly in a bad way.

The high-ranking people in this country that I've seen so far.... They would probably try to kill everyone.

Rather than compromising, listening, and wasting time, they would kill everyone so that no one would dare to resist. How dare commoners defy the Nobility?

"Lieutenant General, we understand that you are usually stubborn about these things. But please think again. Nothing will change if we don't act."

"If this continues, the career and reputation that the Lieutenant General has built will be completely shattered. Do you want your entire life to be denied?"

"....Wait, wait, give me time to answer. Let me organize my thoughts--"

"If we stay put like this, the entire Northern Army will be completely disbanded!"

Someone delivered the final blow to me, who still couldn't make up my mind.

Looking in the direction of the voice, it was Major General Mauer. The commander of the 2nd Division of the Northern Army, and a comrade two ranks below me.

"What do you mean by that?"

"The majority of the Northern Army are guys conscripted from the Great Plains region. As the Lieutenant General knows."

As he said, most of the soldiers making up the Northern Army were young men who lived in the plains near the Northern Region.

The population density is high because it's not directly connected to the battlefield, and the distance is close.

There are quite a few troops who were recruited locally, trained, and then sent directly to nearby units. Even my direct brigade is 80% enlisted in that way.

"What does that have to do with the current situation.....Oh."

"You seem to understand? What will happen to the unit if the Front Line retreats."

I tried to ask a question but stopped midway. Because I realized what he was trying to say.

Beyond the Snowfield of the Northern Region is the Great Plains, right in front of us.

If we retreat as ordered by the higher-ups, we'll have to form a new Front Line in the middle of the Great Plains and build defense facilities.

Will the morale of the soldiers, who had to flee not because they lost a Battle, but because the country has no money due to extravagance, be maintained?

There's no guarantee that the Royal Family's responsibility will remain hidden forever, is there?

It would be stranger if they didn't subtly desert with their homes so close.

Within a month, no, that's too long. Probably within two weeks.

There was a high probability that more than half of the troops would flee and the defense strategy itself would collapse.

"This is crazy."

If I don't retreat, it's a dishonorable discharge for disobeying orders. If I retreat, it's unit disbandment + taking responsibility and being socially obliterated.

What kind of a fucked-up dilemma is this? Either way, my life is over.

Major General Mauer grabbed my frowning hand. Holding it firmly with both hands, he looked up at me and pleaded in an earnest voice.

"Lieutenant General, please change your mind and join us. Please lead us bravely, like when we fought the Empire soldiers. Please, I beg you."

"""We beg you, Lieutenant General!!"""

My subordinates bowed their heads in unison and pleaded.

Overwhelmed by their momentum, I almost stumbled backward, but I couldn't. Major General Mauer was still staring intently at me.

At that will, determined to get an answer right now, I desperately racked my brain.

'What should I do?'

First of all, I absolutely cannot refuse.

These guys have already come to me prepared to risk everything.

They're inviting me to join because of the camaraderie we've built fighting together and because of my reputation, but they'll do it themselves even if I'm not there.

From the perspective of those committing Treason, the fewer people who know the truth, the better.....naturally, silencing will follow.

They won't just lock me up somewhere. They'll probably try to deal with me for sure.

Being thanked while getting a bullet in the head is absolutely not an option.

I don't want to die yet. I want to live a long, long life until I die of old age. Why did I fight so hard for over 10 years?

Then, if I accept?

'I have to take the lead.'

In terms of rank, achievements, respect, and other factors, the leadership will fall to me.

These guys probably came here after getting prior consent, knowing this in advance.

In other words, I become the leader of the rebels.

If that's the case, I have to succeed in this uprising by any means necessary.

I can't just ambiguously say that I'm going to protest to the King or correct the politics. I just have to completely overturn it.

So that no one in the world dares to punish us and is forced to praise us as patriots.

Only then can I live, these guys can live, and I can protect my family.

Die right now, or gamble on low odds and take a risk.

After a brief moment of contemplation, I finally made my decision.

"....Alright. Let's do it, you bastards."

"Thank you! You made the right decision, Lieutenant General!!"

"You won't regret it!"

I don't know if I'll regret it or not, but oh well. Let's try a Coup d'état, pretending I don't have a life.

In the end, if we fail, it's Treason, if we succeed, it's Revolution, isn't it?