Chapter 115
Chapter 115 - Siege Battle I
A month ago .
Routed by the Rozel Kingdom, Bartolo and Tonino (Carlo and Runé added in) were holding a meeting in the DeMorgal Kingdom palace .
”*Loud musical noise* Having just lost against the Rozel Army, what is our plan!! The counter-measure planning meeting now begins!!” (Carlo) [1]
Tentatively, the most prominent person in the meeting, Carlo DeMorgal, declared so .
The other members had grim expressions .
They were just routed not too long ago, so this was only natural .
Carlo is the odd one out for having such high tension .
”Well . . . there is only one real option we have here . We have to hold out a siege . ” (Bartolo)
Bartolo cuts in with the reality of the situation .
Carlo asks Bartolo .
”But the numbers won’t change right? Is a counterattack not possible, Bartolo?” (Carlo)
”Yeah, not possibl . Morale has visibly fallen . ” (Tonino)
Tonino answers Carlo’s question in Bartolo’s stead .
Now that morale has fallen so much, there is a very high probability that they would lose if they chose to fight a battle . Thus, Bartolo and Tonino have chosen to hold out a siege .
If it is a siege battle, there is no chance of losing due to low morale .
”The problem there is with provisions . Runé-dono, how many rations do we hold in storage in the royal capital?” (Carlo)
”At present, we have about two months’ worth in provisions stored . Right now, we are appropriating them from the surrounding villages and merchants . It is fortunate that we do not need to use the gold coins in the royal capital . As long as Rozel arrives in 5 months, preparations are easily doable . ” (Runé)
Runé Blouse replied .
While Runé was unreliable in a fight, he is fairly competent in things like resource management .
Currently, he is in charge of managing the Coalition Army’s arms and provisions .
”Please buy up the alcohol as well . ” (Bartolo)
” . . . We can’t be using our important war funds for your own interests . ” (Runé)
”That’s wrong!! Well, it’s true that I want a drink . . . but it’s necessary to raise morale . ” (Bartolo)
On the battlefield, the one thing a soldiers wants is a good meal . [and probably also sex]
In a siege battle, food must be rationed out so . . . . in place of good food, luxury goods such as alcohol must be occasionally distributed .
If this isn’t done then it would be impossible to hold a castle .
”If possible, I would also like it if we could get some dried meat too . . . ” (Bartolo) [I do like jerky]
”*Sigh* . . . we’ll collect some if we have room to spare . ” (Runé)
Runé takes out some parchment and writes some notes .
”Can I ask you a question?” (Carlo)
”What would it be?” (Runé)
”It’s better to cut down on food consumption right? Then would there be a problem with evicted the castle residents? They wouldn’t want to be caught up in a battle either . ” (Carlo)
Carlo asks Tonino and Bartolo . [You serious Carlo?]
A special characteristic to siege battles is that it involves civilian non-combatants as well as combatants .
”Those guys have lives and homes . They have no place to go if we kick them out . ” (Tonino)
Tonino answers .
People living in the castle town earn their livelihoods from the trading and handicraft industries .
If they were to be evicted, the people would lose their livelihoods .
During the siege battle, they can sell goods to the soldiers so keeping them around is actually preferable .
”Besides, it’s not always a bad thing to have to take care of civilians . We can ask the citizens for logistical support afterall . ” (Bartolo?)
For example, letting the citizens nurse the injured .
Something like that is advantageous as the soldiers’ hands are already full with other matters .
”In addition, a siege battle is one where even a novice can easily participate in . After all, just throwing rocks from above can kill a person . ” (Tonino)
If it’s just throwing stones, then even women and children participate .
”Rather than citizens being a liabiility, their cooperation is what can make or break a siege . Carlo-sama, I am counting on you from here on . ” (Bartolo?) [2]
”You can leave it to me!!” (Carlo)
Carlo gave out his enthusiasm .
Generally, many commoners do not think about the king too much .
Since they seldom leave their own villages, to them, the most important people were the ruling patricians . [Essentially the vassals who own the land directly . ]
They can’t imagine an existence greater than the patricians .
Whatever the case, this is a kingdom .
The king’s personal demesne, the royal capital, is, for better or for worse, greatly affected by said king .
Because there was no particular mismanagement on the previous King DeMorgal, he was thought of in a positive light .
His eldest, Carlo, is also has a good impression with the commoners .
In contrast, Aldo DeMorgal does not hold a good impression .
This is because Aldernians detest kinslayers .
In Aldo’s case, the time he held the royal capital was short, so the only thought the citizens held of him was that “he’s not good . ”
”Well, the Gaulians are not hesitating in their looting at all, so I don’t think getting the people’s cooperation willl not be that difficult . ” (Bartolo)
Bartolo shrugs .
Aldernian patricians and kings (when possible) do not really loot .
Aldernians share a common language, culture, and blood, and there will be problems afterwards, when the land comes under their control .
However, the Gaulians do not care about that .
To Gaulians, Aldernians are a foreign people with a different language and culture .
Therefore, there is no reason for them not to loot .
In addition, rather than perform agriculture, Gaulians are a people who hunt and live a pastoral life . [Basically tribal nomads]
To them, the goal in war is steal and loot from the enemy, that looting is the right of the winner .
Also, the person in charge greatly affects the nature of an army .
In this case, the Rozel Army’s top commanding officer is General Curiu . His assistant is Merlin .
The Aldernian army’s commanding officers are the patrician, so there is a divide between the politicians and soldiers .
However, the supreme commander, General Curiu, is different .
He is genuine soldier and in no way a politician .
That’s why he does not think about the governance of the territory that comes after .
Also, his assistant, Merlin, is a sorcerer to begin with . She has no experience in political or military affairs .
She was originally the flat-face clan’s patriarch’s, King Etzel’s, sex slave consort . [3]
”The opposition is to be massacred,” “My things are mine . Your things are also mine,” and “If you see a woman, take her . Violate her . Married women are to be plundered,” are the values from the flat-faced clan that Merlin uses as a basis for the common sense in this world, so there are no restrictions on raping and pillaging . [I think that’s a thing in history in general tbh]
Since it’s obvious that surrendering will lead to misfortune, there are very few who will raise their hands in surrender .
The side with the geographical advantage and people’s cooperation is the Coalition Army .
However naturally, Carlo, Tonino, and Runé hold complicated expressions .
Even now, their countrymen were being slaughtered, so it’s hard to not do anything about it .
”All that’s left is to find some way to subdue their sorcerer . . . ” (Tonino?)
”I’ll leave selecting personnel for that to you . There are likely more latent sorcerers in the DeMorgal Kingdom . ” (Bartolo)
In a seige battle, because the enemy has you surrounded, normally there is no way to contact the outside to get information .
However, if sorcerers are placed in surrounding villages in advance, then it is possible to exchange intel using messenger owls . [like Harry Potter :D]
Nevertheless, the enemy is wary of such tactics so this is by no means easy to accomplish .
”Excuse me for the interuption!! Permission to enter the room!!” (Beefy Patrician)
”Permission granted . Enter . ” (Carlo)
Carlo answers and a beefy man opens the door and enters the room .
This was one of the prominent patricians from Carlo’s faction who had been given special temporary command over the soldiers .
”The residents of the surrounding villages want to be let into the walls . . . ” (Beef Patty)
”Hmm, I see . . . ” (Carlo)
Carlo makes eye contact with Tonino and Bartolo .
Tonino and Bartolo give a light nod .
”Let them in . ” (Carlo)
”Understood!” (Beef Patty)
The patrician with a happy experssion rushes off .
With this, the surrounding villages won’t be killed .
”Runé, ensure we have a large amount of army provisions . ” (Carlo)
” . . . Understood . ” (Runé)
Runé sighs .
However, it wasn’t like they could have abandoned them . [But I mean that was an option]
”Now, it all depends on Ledus’ and the Rosyth Army’s reinforcements . . . ” (Tonino)
Tonino muttered .
They already received the letter from King Rosyth that he is doing his best to quickly arrive .
However, it could take a month at worst to capitulate the Equus Tribe, the Belvedere Kingdom, and the Eville Kingdom .
Runé’s older brother, Letis Blouse, is having difficulties suppressing the lands under Aldo’s faction .
At one time, they switched sides to the Carlo faction, but now, they are once again turning to the Aldo faction . . . or better put the Rozel faction .
Even then because Aldo DeMorgal is borrowing power from the Gaulians, there is much antipathy about him so there are still patricians who remain a part of Carlo’s faction .
It is estimated that subduing the lands that are a part of Aldo’s faction will take a month .
In short, they need to last for a month .
”Well, we can take a month . Past that is a really doubtful though . ” (Bartolo)
Bartolo shrugs .
In truth, Bartolo is inexperienced in prolonged sieges .
The Battle of Fort Terrier was three days after all; the numbers of soldiers were not that different from each other .
However this time, there will be 10,000 soldiers, coming in a month for the siege battle .
There are also some unknown numbers . [4]
”However, we must win at all cost . If Rozel wins here, then they will have a major base to the southern half of the Aldernian Peninsula . . . ” (Carlo)
This will only increase the speed at which Rozel is conquering the Aldernian Peninsula and means future where Aldernians will be enslaved by the Gaulians .
We must definitively hold out here .
”Still, it’s tempting to try for a peace offer and give some land . But then we’d need to have Rosyth to concede land as well . . . haaa . . . why me . . . ” (Carlo)
Carlo mutters some complaints .
Carlo is the one who, out of any of the previous DeMorgal kings, has the most hardships .
”Now all that’s left is to send a letter to the Fardam and Gillbed Kingdoms . If my country were to fall, it’s clear Rozel will be going after then next . Even if they can’t provide reinforcements, they can at least apply some pressure on Rozel’s borders . ” (Tonino)
Tonino concludes with that and so the meeting is adjourned .
In this war, the most important battle will be the siege battle .
Eville, Belvedere, and Equus have all been defeated .
However, a Coalition Army defeat at this siege battle will mean the end of the DeMorgal Kingdom and the vassalization of the Rosyth Kingdom .
Even if other battles are won, were this one to be lost would mean the war is lost .
On the contrary, even if other battles are lost, were this one to end in victory, it would be a second wind to the war .
Truly, this siege battle is the key to the war’s victory .
The DeMorgal and Rosyth Kingdom’s . . . no the Aldernian Peninsula’s fate is at hand here .
[1] The original Japanese used「じゃかじゃん！！」which is basically a generic loud instrument sound (but it’s supposed to be じゃんじゃか so I dunno) so that was the best I could do for that first bit . Willing to take any better ideas though . Also the wording of this sentence makes a lot more sense if you know how Japanese people kinda talk in meetings better than people talk in meetings in English . It’s a cultural difference shown through the language I think . Could be wrong though .
[2] Honestly that last bit about him saying [よろしくお願いします] kinda came out of left field to me but whatever . Also I thought it was pretty obvious that it’d be a terrible idea not to have your citizens stay in the capital . Where would they even go right?
[3] The text says that she was a sex slave and also wife to the guy? That’s kind of a weird way to put it but I think what they mean is that she was the consort-queen rather than a concubine (concubines are not married to a person) but was in reality and practicality a slave? As a side note, Etzel is an old (1200s) German name for Atilla the Hun mentioned in the Nibelungenlied so I’m thinking that’s where they’re getting this from . Though if that’s true then Atilla is alive by like what a whole millenium? Eh, this is fantasy so artistic liberties and whatnot lol .
[4] I’m guessing they’re saying there could be more than 10,000 soldiers on the enemy’s side I think?
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