The Duke’s Eldest Son Escaped to the Military - Chapter 156

The incident in the capital that shocked the entire Empire finally officially ended with the closing of the victory ceremony.

The festival for a new beginning had started. However, instead of a festival filled with cheers, it became a festival filled with worries and trepidations after shocking news spread once again.

The officials couldn’t enjoy the festival, an event that they hadn’t held in a long time, as they fell into the vicious cycle of overtime.

“Ah! I haven’t even taken a bit of rest!”

One of the officials’ heads drooped down, which made the dark circles under his eyes reach his chin. The festival was like rain during drought but they were actually being overworked to the point of death instead of enjoying it.

While the Central officials were in a desperate situation, the Southern and Western officers that had been dispatched to the Center were also feeling like they were going to die. All of the Southern officers enjoyed the festival and drank lightly. However, their fun was immediately stopped by the sudden news as they ran towards the communication room.

“Did the Southern Allied Army really lose?”

The Southern Commander rushed to ask the intelligence officer and the communications officer the moment he heard the news.

“That’s right, sir. They are requesting the Empire’s Southern Army for help.”

The communications officer immediately relayed the information that they had received from the South after seeing the hurried look on the Southern Commander’s face. The information relayed the shocking news of the collapse of the Southern Allied Army. There was even additional news about the collapse of the kingdoms that maintained the front.

“Then… the South is done for.”

The communications officer tilted his head at the words of the Southern Commander. He looked like it was not the case at all.

“They’re still maintaining their frontlines?”

“…How?”

The communications officer spoke tremblingly when the Southern Commander looked at him with his high momentum. The Southern Commander couldn’t understand how they could still maintain the frontlines despite the destruction and collapse of the South’s main forces.

“That… I don’t know it well but from what we heard, the other-worlders are winning.”

“What? What kind of bullshit is that?”

The Southern Commander looked at him as if he was speaking something absurd.

With the collapse of the Southern Allied Army, how could the other-worlders gain victory?

“The other-worlders… are surprisingly showing amazing performances.”

“Ho… Is this all of the news?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Hoo… Let’s wait for now.”

The communications officer was depressed after hearing the Southern Commander’s words.

While the others were busy enjoying the festival, all they could do was stay stuck in this place as they waited for any communications, something that they did not know when would come.

Fortunately, the Southern communications officer was not the only one in this depressing situation. After all, the Western communications officer was also toiling about and waiting at the Central Communication Facility because of the sudden development in the West.

The road to hell was lonely when one traversed it alone but one could endure it if they had a colleague along the way.

The Southern communications officer sighed deeply as he watched the Western Commander strode inside with the same urgent and hurried aura. Since he was a communications officer himself, he knew full well that the commander would definitely explode in this situation.

“What bullshit did you mean when you said that the Western Kingdoms had fallen?!”

“From what we had gathered, the corrupt and fallen birdmen had ended all of their attacks on the Empire’s Western region and had focused them on the Western Kingdoms.”

“Did they give up on the Empire?”

“That seems to be the case.”

It was a fortunate situation for the Empire.

However, it was a problem for the Western Kingdoms.

Originally, the fallen and corrupt birdmen were being pushed back by the Western Kingdoms and the Imperial Western Army, albeit separately. But they ended up having to endure it with just their own troops.

“Hoo… I wondered why I was suddenly so leisurely…”

The Western Commander sighed deeply as he mussed up his hair.

There weren’t any attacks by the Death Corps and the birdmen before so he thought that he was lucky enough to be able to send support to the capital just before it collapsed completely. However, it seemed like it was a trap.

This situation had made it clear that the bastards from the void had predicted this situation. They had realized that their plans in the capital would fail so they had devised a second plan.

“What’s the situation in the Western Kingdoms?”

“The birdmen’s surprise attack broke two kingdoms’ frontlines. The resulting war resulted in the destruction of three small countries while the remaining kingdoms were already at their limits. But the frontlines did not collapse thanks to the intervention of the Divine Nation.”

“Which kingdoms had their frontlines broken through?”

“It’s Throun and Bardan. Fortunately, their countries were maintained since they weren’t able to pierce through their king’s road*.”

The Western Commander rubbed his chin in thought after hearing the communications officer’s report.

“Is there anything that we can do to help right now?”

The Western Commander asked as he looked at the intelligence officer but there was nothing that they could do. Since the destruction of the Western Command, they were only recently able to gather their remaining troops and create a new and plausible system. In other words, they did not have any room to help others.

“Hoo… Just watch the situation first and collect information until we receive a request for support.”

“Yes, sir.”

The information officer and the communications officer both bowed their heads after hearing the commander’s orders. The information officer ran around trying to find ways to help gather and compare that information that he had gathered so far with the current incident in the Western Command while the communications officer waited endlessly for the next communication.

While the Western and Southern officers were moving busily, Iron was also moving busily. It seemed like he was not enjoying the festival at all.

Although he had escaped the grasp of the Central nobles and aristocrats while using the Northeastern Commander as an excuse, they still bothered him. Since there was still a chance that he would become the Capital Defense Corps’ commander, everyone was busy trying to grab onto his line in advance.

Just like the victory ceremony, Iron had no choice but to attend this essential banquet even though he loathed the numerous nobles who had attended to create connections.

He felt bothered by the nobles and aristocrats that kept on pestering him. He felt especially annoyed and tense when the nobles and aristocrats began pushing on the women’s clothing and encouraging them to make trouble.

They would usually bother the family heads first but perhaps it was because Lioner, the Lion Family Head, was openly releasing his momentum that none of them dared to get close. Or maybe it was because he still hasn’t managed his image that everyone was pushing themselves to him.

“Ha… Should I go around spilling my energy too?”

Iron sighed deeply as he mumbled to himself.

He did not know how he became that famous. Fortunately, the lower nobles from the other regions did not dare to make splashes in front of him. However, it wasn’t just the nobles who were aiming for Iron.

“Oh… You want me to come to the East?”

“Right. There’s a problem with the sea route in the East… I thought that it would be easily solved if you came and helped. Besides, it’s also beneficial to the Northeast, right?”

“That might be true, but…”

Seeing Iron hesitate, the Eastern Commander looked at him with a subtle expression on his face.

“The trade route across the North, I heard that you’re the one who thought about it? Help me out a bit.”

“…I will have to discuss it with the others.”

“Alright. I look forward to your favorable response.”

The Northern Commander ran up to him after he escaped the burdensome gaze of the Eastern Commander.

“Do you want to drink?”

The Northern Commander brought some expensive alcohol for a talk. He took him to the terrace and spoke subtly as he took a light sip from his glass.

“Until when will you stay in the Northeast?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“It’s hard to create a new unit for you in the Northeast, right?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Iron looked at the Northeastern soldiers apologetically. It would be troublesome for them to make such a decision especially at a time when their corps were already having a hard time filling in their troops.

“Hmm… Then, why don’t you just come to the North?”

“Yes?”

Iron looked at Jayden Wicks in surprise.

“It might be hard to establish a new corps for you but… I can still put you as a commander in a place that’s not worse than a corps.”

“Uhm…”

“They can’t give you the Northeastern Commander’s position yet but they’d have to give you a position as a commander one of these days. The situation in the Northeast is not that easy… However, there are many seats open in the North.”

There were many senior officers who had died during the fight with the elves that was why there were many positions open in the Northern Command. In addition, they had a lot of broken fortresses so they could immediately place Iron in one of the fortresses and make him the commander of the said fortress.

“Besides, aren’t we close to Leonhardt Territory? You should come and see your family from time to time.”

“Uhm…”

“Think about it. It’s good that you are loyal to the Northeast, however, you still need to think about your future. You have grown so big that it will become burdensome for the Northeast.”

Jayden Wicks clinked his glass with Iron before turning around to leave.

Iron came out of the terrace with a constipated expression on his face after the burdensome conversation with the Northern Commander.

Then, he saw Ariel hesitate before approaching him. She looked like she had been waiting for him to come out of the terrace for quite some time now.

Iron grinned when he saw her shyly approaching him in her dress, not in her military uniform.

“The dress looks good on you?”

“Th… Thank you.”

“Speak comfortably. This is a personal event but you’re still too stiff.”

“R…right.”

She blushed after hearing Iron’s compliment.

“The others?”

“They… Over there.”

Looking at her embarrassed expression, Iron tried to tell her to go and stay with the rest of the unit. But she just grabbed her clothes tightly and tried to say something. However, all she did was open and close her mouth in hesitation. At first, he thought that she was just shy and embarrassed but that was not the case at all.

“What is it? Do you have something to say to me?”

“That…”

Ariel hesitated for a long time before speaking carefully.

“Will you please go and meet with Family Head Sigurd?”

“The supreme-rulerly Sword Family Head?”

“…Yeah.”

Iron tilted his head in confusion upon hearing Ariel’s request.

“Hmm… Well, I see. But why did you take so long to ask that?”

“That…”

Ariel closed her eyes tightly in shame. She looked like she couldn’t speak anymore.

Iron coughed seeing her embarrassed as she headed to where Family Head Sigurd was.

“Sorry for calling you out of the blue.”

“No, it’s no bother. But why did you call for me…?”

“Uhmm… Actually, I called for you because of this friend.”

Family Head Sigurd glanced sideways as he said so. Then, the Southern Commander appeared.

“Hoo… Just like you heard, the situation in the South is not that good.”

“Yes, I heard it.”

“Please help us a bit.”

Sigurd’s eyes widened imperceptibly when he heard the Southern Commander openly ask for help. This only meant that the situation was dire enough since the proud Southern Commander bowed down and openly asked for help.

“David, you…”

“I’m someone who is prideful. But… the situation right now is really terrible. I’m already in a position where I need to spread myself thin just to support things here and there.”

“It’s that grave?”

“To be honest, I think it will only take less than a month before the South collapses.”

When Iron’s face turned serious after learning that the situation was extremely dire, the Western Commander immediately rushed from afar.

“You promised me that we will say it together! Why did you say it by yourself? You’re a bastard with no conscience!”

The once quiet and reserved Western Commander was pointing angrily at the Southern Commander before turning to look at Iron.

“I’m also in a hurry.”

“…Yes?”

“The Western Kingdoms have collapsed. The next target will be us.”

“Isn’t the Divine Nation there now!”

“Aren’t the other-worlders in your region?!”

“There must be a crowd of chosen ones in yours?”

Family Head Sigurd approached Iron while the two commanders quarreling and grabbing each other’s collars when he saw him watching the scene in embarrassment.

“Let those two morons fight… Can you come and talk with me for a bit?”

“Ah… Yes.”

Iron carefully followed the supreme-rulerly Sword Family Head after hearing his words.

“I will be straightforward. How about going out with my daughter?”

“…Yes?”

The supreme-rulerly Sword Family Head looked at him with a subtle change in his expression when he saw Iron’s confusion.

“I heard that you know each other well… since you fought battles together, I’m sure that you have gotten close with each other, right?”

“Yes? What…? I know your daughter?”

The supreme-rulerly Sword Family Head tilted his head upon hearing Iron’s question.

“Huh? My daughter has not told you yet? Ho…”

The supreme-rulerly Sword Family Head looked somewhere else with a puzzled look on his face when he felt like he had made a mistake. Then, he suddenly hesitated as cold sweat dripped down his back.

There, at the location where the supreme-rulerly Sword Family Head was looking, was Ariel glaring at him with fierce eyes.

***

Notes

*King’s road [왕도 (wangdo)] – I translated it literally but it can mean two things and a metaphor. It can refer to the ideal form of politics, the one advocated by Mencius (referred to as the second sage right after Confucius). Basically it’s saying that a government should be based on benevolence. It says that the wangdo should begin with providing for the living and burying the dead without any regrets. It can also mean the royal authority that comes naturally from making people move to obey them. It is the king’s road if their authority comes from respect and it’s paedo if the authority comes from fear. It can also be a metaphor for shortcut. Or can really just be literally the king’s road the one similar to the Imperial Road that was mentioned before too.