EP.228
When I said it was a trivial request, the prisoners of the Kingdom of Stockholm in front of me looked at me with eyes filled with wariness.
They say that I, the commander of an enemy country, suddenly came to them and wanted to ask them something. I think they plan to read my thoughts to see what their intentions are.
Those who were not even as good as that idiot chose the wrong person to start a battle with.
Why on earth are you trying to make a deal with me when you are just a soldier and a prisoner…
“Lieutenant Alexei, we need to instill the concept into these kids. Let’s do a cartwheel right away. “Let’s just kill two or three of them and get started.”
“Yes, I understand! “If you plan on executing me, would it be okay if I brought my men with me?”
“I would like to show the scene of the person cutting off the head, but unfortunately, I want only a few people to know about my secret request. Instead, I will leave it to you to behead the Ishtaven bastards tomorrow.”
With those words, the lieutenant who was with me went to look for the cart wheel, and the expression on their faces gave me a concept.
To be precise, it meant that, like a typical prisoner, the fear and fear that he might die at any time began to be clearly visible on his face.
Anyway, now it feels like I can have a civilized conversation.
“Ask again. “Are you planning on doing me a small favor?”
And I just cut the neck of the guy kneeling in front of me, drew a little blood, and said,
“Are you planning on dying? The choice is free. “I don’t intend to force either side.”
Although I said this, I actually have no intention of killing him if he refuses.
This is because on the Europa continent, it is not a big problem to sell or kill prisoners taken after winning a war as slaves, but he is a person who has lived in the Republic of Korea for over 20 years and understands the importance of human rights.
When I started counting to five with my fingers, the guys in front of me answered in unison.
“Just ask me to do anything! Even if you tell me to bark like a dog, I am confident that I will bark like a dog!”
“I have a wife and children who are just waiting for me to be discharged safely in a year! Please just live! “Please just spare my life!”
“I will do anything if you let me live, Lieutenant General…”
As he said that, everyone put their heads on the ground and began to pray, and some even apologized so passionately that their foreheads were stained with blood.
Slowly, I felt ready to have a conversation with the people in front of me.
“Okay then, let me tell you about my little request. “First of all, I have completely secured the location of the opening into the walls of Oslo, where His Majesty your King lives, and when the guards stand and move around.”
You guys don’t know how much trouble I went through to gather enough information to be able to say this with such confidence.
“And the day after tomorrow at 8 p.m., we will enter Oslo Castle through the route secured by our kingdom’s spies, and we would like you to participate as well. “Do you think you would like to do me a favor?”
If someone were to overhear the conversation between me and the prisoners, they would say it was a threat emphasizing a favor, but since human rights do not exist for prisoners in this era, no one would say anything.
Was it because the prisoners in front of me knew that fact very well?
“If you just tell me to, I will jump into any hole, be it a hole or a fire!”
“So please don’t start that damn wheel!”
“I want to go home, Lieutenant General. Honestly, what kind of serf bastards like us would come to the military to enjoy wealth and fame?”
They seem anxious to prove their worth.
“Okay then, from now on, the 50 of you here as prisoners will enter the interior of Oslo Castle at my request. If you succeed in infiltrating like that, you will set fire to all the buildings you see around you and cause a commotion. “You’ll have fun playing with fire on a moonlit night.”
Perhaps it was so shocking that they were told to go into the royal castle where their king was staying and play warmly with fire, but even in a situation where their lives were at stake, the prisoners did not show much cooperation.
Well, to people of this era, the king is a god or something similar. It is natural to be reluctant to ask someone to set fire to the neighborhood where such a high-ranking person lives.
“If you don’t feel comfortable playing with fire on a moonlit night, please let me know at any time. However, please note that the cost of that choice will not end with death. Oh, I was actually going to give you a cartwheel if you refused, but I changed my mind. I just plan to win a victory over your king and hand over the identities of those who rejected you as human collaborators. “Then what do you think will happen?”
One of the criminal laws commonly adopted by countries including the Reich Empire, Francois Republic, and Stockholm Kingdom is that anyone who conspired with the enemy will be executed regardless of the reason.
The targets of execution include not only the traitor but also his parents, wife and children.
“Oh, there is no use in rejecting my offer here and trying to remain loyal. That’s because, no matter how much I think about it, I don’t think the high-ranking people of the kingdom who have received a list of traitors with your names written all over them will listen to you. “You will probably undergo a formal trial, undergo endless torture, and be hanged like your wife and children.”
In particular, the Kingdom of Stockholm is in a situation where it needs a ‘traitor’ who must sacrifice itself to the anger of the nobles and people due to a ‘tremendous defeat’.
So, in fact, the King of the Kingdom of Stockholm is extremely good and capable, so even if he knows that they are innocent, he will try to kill a very small number of those people in order to rule the kingdom in the future.
“Are you willing to risk your family’s lives here to remain loyal? Or will you listen to my suggestion and find a way to live? “Only those who will do my bidding should raise their hands.”
All 50 people here raised their hands, showing that they were truly aggrieved.
Some of them can’t hold back their anger and are crying, but even if they are prisoners of the Kingdom of Stockholm, when they listen to me, they are my subordinates.
“Sergeant Grakov, give them 5 gold each. In any case, you are embarking on a very dangerous operation for the Empire, so make sure you pay the price. Instead, those who received 5 gold will have their oaths disrupted.”
With this, they will think they are on the same team as me and will try to listen to me as carefully as possible.
“The soldiers of the scouting party that will accompany you will explain the rest of the story. However, if this operation is successful, as I promised, your idols will not be sold to the Kingdom of Stockholm. You can either return to your hometown with a large sum of 5 gold or go on your own and make excuses for disappearing and returning.”
In this era, unlike modern Korea, the resident registration system and soldier management system were not in place, so even if you deserted, you would not be punished unless you were caught on the spot.
There is not a single lie in my words.
“It would be a good idea to think carefully about whether you will return safely with a large sum of 5 gold or whether you will go against my words.”
After saying that, I left the barracks where the prisoners were housed.
“Is there a reconnaissance battalion commander?”
“This is Major Schott von Auburg from the reconnaissance battalion. “What business did you call me for?”
“As soon as the operation is successful, just release those 50 prisoners. “Don’t kill everyone just because they silence you.”
Major Short looked unconvinced by those words.
“Anyway, we are in no hurry to set fire to Oslo Castle and have 100 scouts under your command go around the castle, kill some soldiers and those carrying weapons, and escape. And who will believe them even if they tell the truth?”
Well, it could be used as one of the justifications the Kingdom of Stockholm uses to criticize us later on.
If you say bullshit like that, I’ll say, ‘No, no. All you have to do is cast ‘You write a novel really well.’
“And we will mobilize 3,000 Stockholm prisoners and listen to the beautiful songs of the Kingdom of Stockholm tomorrow night. So that we can completely draw the enemy’s attention.”
“The enemy’s attention will be focused on the prisoners outside the walls, so our scouts will be safe.”
“yes. And if the operation is successful this time, not only will you be promoted to lieutenant colonel, but I will also give you some help in getting you promoted to colonel in the future. When you retire, don’t you want to be at least the ‘Baron’ of Auburg?”
**
And the day after tomorrow at 8 PM.
Major Schott von Auburg, a member of the reconnaissance unit, prepared to secretly enter Oslo Castle with 100 battalion members and 50 Stockholm prisoners.
See next episode
