Episode 73
* * *
There was only one reason why the Holy Swordsman was forcing his son to participate in the battle.
It is a feat.
Like the ‘Black Prince’ of the Duke of Saxony, whose fame spread throughout the empire… … I want to achieve brilliant feats on the battlefield and make the fame of the Count’s family spread throughout the empire.
No matter what, Philip was the only son of the Holy Swordsman and the eldest son of the Earl’s family. Therefore, until the Holy Swordsman could give birth to the ‘best vessel’ worthy of his holy sword and that child grew up, he needed to be a pillar who could support the Earl’s family, even if only formally.
It should have been so.
‘호부 밑에 개새끼도 그런 개새끼가 없다지?’
‘Even the Holy Sword of the World seems to have no choice when it comes to raising children!’
‘Haha, this is the end for the venerable Counts of Brandenburg.’
‘Look at the eldest son of the House of Saxony in comparison! The world is so unfair!’
But no matter how much he tries to hide his son’s incompetence, he cannot cover up the truth.
He thought of the nobles gossiping about the incompetence of their son, who was a loser with no talent for swordsmanship or anything like that.
It goes without saying that the Brandenburg Counts’ family will fall to the ground if they are unable to hold the Holy Sword.
Furthermore, the crushing defeat in the black-and-white round had the effect of driving a wedge into the gossip of the nobles. They laughed at him behind his back as if the ‘fall of the Counts of Brandenburg’ were a done deal. They kept talking about the eldest son of the House of Saxony, that damned ‘black prince’!
That’s why it had to be proven.
He had to establish a military achievement that would prevent anyone from casually insulting the eldest son of the count’s family, and flatten the noses of those who dared to ridicule the count’s family.
In a sense, Seonggeomsa was no exception in being unable to escape the ‘shadow of the black Confucius’ and suffering from an inferiority complex.
* * *
Loire River. The border between the so-called ‘New Kingdom of Britannia’ to the north of Britannia Island and the ‘Imperial Territory’ to the south.
In order for the independence army to reclaim the kingdom’s capital, they had to cross the bridge over the Loire River and head towards imperial territory.
That’s why the Imperial Army also split their main force of 40,000 men and stationed a large force of close to 20,000 men at the key fortress ‘Bell Fort’ guarding the bridge under the command of the scoundrel of the Count’s family, Philip.
“You don’t have to do anything.”
Again, with a warning that’s so loud it’s almost like nails are being driven into your ears. Just suck your thumb there and that’s enough.
“Don’t try to do anything.”
Even if the power of the Holy Virgin is strong, it will be impossible to take down a fortress guarded by this number of troops. However, without breaking through this fortress, the capital of the kingdom can never be reclaimed.
Even if Philip was a complete idiot with no talent at all, I didn’t care. I didn’t trust Philip. These days, I trust ‘Belfort’.
It’s not for nothing that Belfort is called the Fort of the Bullocks.
After that, it will be up to his father, the Holy Swordsman, to exaggerate and spread the tale of the heroic battle of Belfort as the eldest son of the count who risked his life to defend the fortress against the forces of traitors.
So that the entire empire can tell the tale of the exploits of the eldest son of the Counts, Philip!
It was a father’s desperate struggle to establish the prestige of himself, the count’s family, and his scoundrel son.
* * *
By then, Dale’s situation was very miserable.
He gave him only a thousand troops, including 500 from his own Black Armor Company and 500 more Imperial troops to make up the difference, and he threw them into a corner farthest from the main front line.
It is a de facto demotion.
In order to prevent the ‘Black Prince’s activities’ in advance, the Holy Swordsman Count Brandenburg took action. It was a truly vile and petty method.
“No, that little punk is going to guard Bellport?”
“Yes, that’s what they say.”
Soon after, news came that the Holy Swordsman had appointed his son Philip as the commander of the garrison at the key stronghold, ‘Bell Fort’.
“Oh my, this is true.”
Dale burst out laughing in disbelief.
It wasn’t hard to guess the Count’s intentions. The lustful Philip bravely defended the fortress against a group of traitors… … and he probably intended to exaggerate his achievements to establish the prestige of the Count’s family.
While the world’s ‘black prince’ is stuck in a corner here, sucking his thumb.
‘Everyone is busy taking care of their own rice bowls, they’re busy.’
In fact, none of those gathered here doubted the ‘victory of the Empire’. No matter how miraculous the victory of the Virgin Aurelia was, the battle did not immediately lead to victory in the war. And the Empire was by no means a country that could be easily defeated.
That is why the Imperial Army’s minds were filled with the same question: how much of the victory pie they could take.
‘There is no other bean powder like this one.’
In a sense, it was a political struggle that was even more intense than the war with the independence army.
“Sir Yones.”
“Please speak, Confucius!”
“Want to make a bet with me?”
Sir Jonas tilted his head for a moment at the sight of Dale continuing to speak calmly.
“Hey, you bet?”
“How many days will it take for Fort Bellport to fall?”
At Dale’s words, Lord Jonas swallowed in surprise.
“No, but even so, aren’t there 20,000 imperial troops stationed in that fortress?”
In addition, it includes a magic power that can block enemy area-of-effect magic.
“Do you know why geniuses are called geniuses?”
“Well, well.”
“A talent given by heaven, the ability to see the unknown that ordinary people cannot dare to predict.”
Are you trying to brag about yourself out of the blue?
“In that respect, Prince Philip is truly a genius given by heaven.”
No it wasn’t.
“Then isn’t there really no need to worry even more?”
“No, he’s a genius at defeat.”
“… … .”
Sir Yones was dumbfounded by those words and closed his mouth.
“How can ordinary people like us dare to understand the thoughts of a genius?”
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Dale continues talking as if it were someone else’s business.
“The power of genius is to make possible whatever seems impossible… … .”
To be honest, by Dale’s standards, it’s nearly impossible for Fort Bellport to fall.
But genius is someone who makes the impossible possible. At least in that regard, Dale did not doubt Philip’s genius.
“There’s no way a holy swordsman could understand Prince Philip’s genius.”
So Dale continues.
“So, how many days will it take until the fortress falls?”
“Hey, I’ll take a week.”
“I’ll take three days.”
* * *
3 days later, Fort Belle Port.
“The traitors are retreating!”
It was an overwhelming feeling to stop the offensive of the Britannian independence army and fill the heart of the garrison captain, Philip.
Mercury was successful. It was a victory.
“It is I, Philip of Brandenburg, who has triumphed!”
Not the eldest son of the House of Saxony, but this Philip!
I imagined the tales of bravery the imperial nobility would tell about this victory. Just as the ‘Black Prince’ had done in the past. ──The eldest son of the count’s family who risked his life to bravely block the rebels’ attacks and defend the fortress!
It will be a great epic of victory that the people of the empire will sing in the future. It will be a tale of heroism that will decorate the first page of that heroic biography.
‘No, this is not enough.’
But it is not enough to decorate the first chapter of a heroic tale that will reverberate throughout the empire.
‘I cannot allow this little victory to be the first chapter of my epic.’
I thought again of the young eldest son of the House of Saxony. The greatest genius in the empire. The countless stories of victories he had achieved.
That’s why Philip’s victory had to be more splendid, more magnificent, and more grand.
A heroic victory that will never be outdone by the fame of the ‘Black Prince’. A victory that will not fade in front of the performance of the greatest genius of the empire.
“Don’t let those guys go alive like this!”
That’s why Philip raised his voice.
“Prepare for battle! We will lower the drawbridge of the fortress and go out to pursue them!”
“Ha, haona, Prince Philip!”
“Shut up! How dare you go against the eldest son of the Count’s family!”
At those words, one of the Knights of St. Magdalene was startled and tried to stop Philip. However, as Dale said, the Knights of St. Magdalene were not enough to handle ‘Philip’s vessel’.
“Anyone who disobeys my orders will be executed immediately!”
Philip shouted.
“Everyone, prepare to go! We will wipe out all the fleeing traitors!”
To escape from the ‘shadow of the black prince’ that torments him like a nightmare, and finally achieve a shining victory.
“Everyone, follow me!”
Philip of Brandenburg.
“My era begins now!”
His heroic biography was only just beginning.
* * *
A week later, the fortress of Belfort fell and Philip was captured.
The natural barrier separating the Britannian Kingdom and the Empire, the fortress of Bulrak, a key strategic point for the Imperial Army that blocked the crossing of the Loire River, was easily destroyed without any significant casualties on the part of the independent forces.
In addition, all of the imperial forces guarding the fortress were annihilated, and the fortress’s garrison commander, Philip, also fell into the hands of the Britannian independence army… … and was reduced to the position of demanding a large ransom.
As a result, the Britannian Independent Army’s stamina was exhausted through the long-term defense of Fort Bellport, and while the sluggish attack and defense continued, the main force under the command of the Holy Swordsman attempted a detour to the rear──.
The plan to wipe out the Britannian independence army also ended up as a bubble.
* * *
After the fall of Fort Bellport.
Across the Loire River, the Britannian army began to advance at a rapid pace.
And the goal of their independent army… … In Rheims, the stronghold within the Empire and the capital of the former Kingdom of Britannia, the Imperial military leaders gathered once again.
Except for one, the scoundrel of the count’s family who was captured by the enemy and became a prisoner.
“Well, the saying that there are no pups under the tiger father is meaningless.”
Dale, who had suddenly returned from a demotion, coldly mocked me.
“It wasn’t enough to annihilate five hundred Knights of St. Magdalene in a black-and-white rotation… … .”
He did not hesitate to become a part of the bean powder organization and continued to taunt the s*x inspector.
“To drive nearly 20,000 sons of the empire into a corner.”
“… … .”
“They say losing is also a talent, but this isn’t something that can be achieved with ordinary talent.”
The Holy Swordsman clenched his lips so hard that they bled.
“I wonder what the ‘people of the empire’ will say about Prince Philip’s historic defeat.”
A historic defeat. That is exactly what it says. It was a shocking defeat that would become an indelible disgrace to the Count’s family and would be remembered for generations to come.
Blood flowed down the lips of the Holy Swordsman, as if he was desperately resisting the urge to swing the Holy Sword at any moment.
The ending of those who couldn’t escape ‘Dale’s Shadow’. It was truly a ridiculous sight.
“I’m just curious, how on earth did it fall?”
“The first battle began, and shortly afterwards… … .”
Taking Dale’s words, Lady Scarlett opened her mouth.
“Her Majesty the Prince Philip sent his main force to pursue the fleeing enemies who failed to capture the fortress.”
“No, you sent the main force out of the fortress?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“Then we must have all died in an ambush.”
“Haha, as expected, you are Prince Dale.”
Lady Scarlett smiled calmly as if it was someone else’s business. She was not bothered by the crushing defeat that was too much to laugh off. She was no exception to the fact that ‘everyone had their own purpose’ in this battle.
“After that, the Britannian Independence Army disguised themselves as Imperial Army armor and entered without bloodshed, led by the captured Prince Philip.”
As if he had chased down a fleeing enemy and annihilated him, and returned with great pride.
“So you asked to be let into the fortress without any problem?”
“That’s right.”
“… … .”
“I heard that he shouted victory with great dignity and majesty.”
Because he was afraid of losing his own life. Once again, veins popped out on the forehead of the Holy Swordsman.
The fortress fell, and Philip was taken prisoner. Belfort, known as the impregnable fortress, was taken virtually without bloodshed.
I can’t help but praise the strategy of the Britannian Independence Army. But before that, I never thought I would fall for such a transparent trick.
“I’m so shocked I have no words.”
Within weeks of the Imperial landing on the island of Britannia, a force of 40,000 men, half of whom were annihilated… … suffered catastrophic losses, handing over key fortresses and crossing points on the Loire to the enemy.
Philip’s performance was truly that of an ‘out-of-the-ordinary strongman’ who turned the tide of the battle.
That’s why.
“I’m screwed.”
Dale muttered as if it were someone else’s business.
