Chapter 201: 201

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There was nothing in particular that we could do just because we had figured out Henrietta’s goal.

Even if I were to make a fuss about it, the others would simply tilt their heads at me and ask ‘What’s the problem?’. There weren’t any problems on the outside, after all.

Our forces were increasing with each passing day. The northern lords (most of them were republicans), the nobles on the Empress Dowager’s side, the mercenaries hired by them……and Batavia’s army was going to be added on top of this. This was enough to easily make our military power reach 30,000.

“All right, Henrietta! If this is how you are going to play, then I will magnificently go along with your dance.”

I came to a conclusion after contemplating throughout the night.

Brittany’s cavalrymen were definitely powerful. This was proven in their previous battle as well. Brittany’s army of 10,000 soldiers may actually be capable of wiping out our 30,000 soldiers. But what about 35,000 soldiers? This would probably make it a struggle for them. How about 40,000?

What about a massive army of 50,000?

“Will you still be confident in your victory then, O arrogant and impudent queen?”

This was the moment a plan was devised. The other party was aggressively aiming for a strategical victory. On the other hand, I was solidifying our tactical superiority. If they’re aiming to become a sharp spear in order to pierce through us―then we simply have to become a mountain and crush them beneath us.

There was no reason to hesitate now. We will defeat Henrietta with an overwhelming number of soldiers!

I quickly went into action once I had set a goal. I was going to carry out my plan by any means necessary. First, I persuaded the northern lords again and made them circulate a manifesto throughout Frankia.

“I humbly accept this cause as I act as an envoy to inform the world. The foreign enemy, Brittany, and the disloyal retainers have deceived the heavens and divided the land, they have swallowed the nation and cajoled His Excellency the Emperor. They have caused the imperial palace to fall into chaos and begun to slaughter innocent people. There is no blade of grass that has not trembled before this sin and no river that has not been enraged by this evil.”

“We have received a secret order from His Excellency the Emperor and will raise a righteous army here. Until the day we have repulsed that vile foreign enemy, we vow to devote ourselves like warhorses that never rest. Those who have inherited the wills of the heavens! Rise up together with us to bring salvation to the people who have fallen into a mire and protect His Excellency the Emperor!”

Propaganda.

More propaganda!

Henrietta de Brittany, even if you are moving together with the Emperor, the cause is in our hands. The royalists may have the most members in the nation, but there are only a few people who would swear their loyalty to a foreign enemy like you.

I utilized every possible group I could influence like the assassins, the Liberation Alliance’s cabalists, and the servants of nobles to launch a major offensive. I put up a notice at every town in the nation.

The people from the Emperor’s side responded by claiming this was a conspiracy and an uprising. The information became so tangled up, that the people could no longer determine what was true or false. Nonetheless, this mess of a situation was the best possible battlefield for me.

You can’t figure out what’s the truth? Perfect. Power and rhetoric are the only things that can shine when the truth is obscure. I visited villages and cities without rest. I gave speeches all throughout the northern and eastern regions while on my pilgrimage.

“People of Frankia! What must we do now that the nation is in chaos? Goddesses, what must we do to receive your grace?”

I borrowed the power of a volume enhancement spell to make my voice echo far throughout the plaza.

“The Goddesses have spoken. First, your heart must not follow where your body goes. You must instead lead your body to where your heart is pointing! Second, do not try to find meaning on a path that has already been laid out for you. You must instead pave a path to where your cause is taking you! Third, only after you have done all this will our sky become so vast that nothing will ever be lost!”

I raised my right hand and shouted.

“The sky’s net will help the good and not let go of the weak! Protect our land from Brittany! People of Frankia, righteous people of Frankia―rise up!”

Crowds of thousands and crowds of tens of thousands cheered passionately as they were caught up in the mood. The sky shook and the ground lurched. The city itself became a single mass as it shouted.

“Yeeaaah! For the glory of Frankia! For the glory of Frankia!”

“Take the heads of our enemy! Kill those Brittany dogs!”

“Jean Bole! Jean Bole! Jean Bole!”

It was around this point that my ability to instigate had reached its peak since the start of the Crescent Alliance expedition. The people appointed themselves as a sacred army and started to protect me even though I hadn’t ordered them to.

Goddess Artemis’ priest, Jean Bole. Nobles and commoners who had heard rumors about me would show up wherever I traveled.

They would hold their breaths whenever I gave my speeches in low tones, and they would get riled up whenever my speeches became impassioned. Tens of thousands of people would cheer “For the Goddess!” in unison at times and they would also become absolutely silent during silent prayers.

I would spread the booklets I had prepared beforehand during these speeches as well. I gave them out regardless of whether they were royalists, republicans, nobles, or commoners. Once I had handed out about 3,000 booklets, the people started to reproduce them themselves.

“No matter what price we have to pay, we must destroy this lie that is holding us down…….”

“The Gods have ordered us to become the masters of this land!”

“Humans all have equal rights to the land and the benefits obtained from the land.”

The commoners who knew how to read would receive the booklets and read them to their friends and families. The contents of the booklets started to spread like a plague as people would gather together and create volunteer armies.

They weren’t simply volunteer soldiers. They were soldiers armed with an ideology. Furthermore, there was no army more tenacious and powerful than an army with an ideology…….

While speeches were immediately powerful, their effects didn’t last long. On the other hand, the booklets had a long-lasting effect. The booklets would remain in the places I had departed from, so the people would motivate themselves. Thus, about 12,000 volunteer soldiers had risen up.

The nobles were surprised.

They probably never imagined that the commoners would respond this fervently. Their morale increased again thanks to these unexpected reinforcements.

“There is no doubt. The Gods are holding their hands out to our great cause.”

“Let us advance to capture Brittany’s queen!”

I didn’t do this to only motivate others. There were nobles who started to worry about the future as well.

“I do want to praise their chivalrous that has caused them to rise up for His Excellency the Emperor’s sake, but…….”

“Is this not giving the republicans too much power?”

Be it the Empress Dowager’s side or the Emperor’s side, they were still nobles. They were concerned about the people getting ‘diseased’ more than necessary. I had to persuade these people using a different method.

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If we purge the enemy nobles, then we would gain the land they own. If we want to do that, then we must first defeat Brittany.

For the sake of victory, let us overlook the armies created by the people. They are benighted commoners anyway, are they not? Even if they raise their voices now, they will forget all about this after a while…….

Nobles always want to expand their territories. It was a valid means of persuasion. 

Negotiations happened several times. The nobles appointed me, the most popular priest among the commoners, Jean Bole, as the commander of the volunteer army.

“We acknowledge your contribution of persuading the northern lords and your valiant act of traveling throughout Frankia for the sake of saving it from its crisis.” This was what they said on the surface. The truth was actually simpler. You are the perfect person to stop the commoners from rampaging and leading the situation into something favorable for the nobles.

They were probably telling me to also take responsibility.

It didn’t matter. If anything, I was hoping for this.

In my original world, farmers were nothing more than a ragtag bunch with little training and morale, but it was different here. They would get attacked by goblins once every few years or several times in a single year. If they were unlucky, then they would even fight against orcs.

Every village had its own militia. They definitely didn’t lack training. The drafted farmers in my original world couldn’t compare to these farmers. Well, it wasn’t just farmers, but the knights of this world were much stronger than the ones in my original world as well.

In any case, I ended up commanding 12,000 fairly well-trained soldiers.

I had more than enough military funds since I was probably one of the wealthiest individuals even among the Demon Lords. There was no problem. Henrietta de Brittany. I will defeat you by any means necessary…….

“At this rate, we wouldn’t be able to lose even if we wanted to.”

“……I am ignorant when it comes to military tactics, but I have to agree as well.”

Jeremi, who had been watching all of my actions, shrugged her shoulders. Daisy nodded next to her as well. I looked like I was doing my damnedest even in the eyes of the leader of the greatest assassin group in the demon world and a prospect hero.

Starting propagandas, giving improvised speeches, and distributing books filled with ideologies.

I manipulated the relationships between nobles as their envoy, secretly helped the most renowned duke among them become the leader, acted as a mediator between Frank nobles and the commanders of Batavia’s army, and finally, I ordered our mercenary brigade to train the volunteer soldiers…….

“Kuh.”

I drank the vinegar water in a single gulp. The inside of my mouth felt tingly.

I guarantee that the past few days have been the busiest I’ve ever been in my entire life.

I wanted to show this to Lapis. Even the unflappable Lapis would applaud and praise me saying, “Amazing work, Sir Dantalian. Outstanding work. You are truly the most sincere and diligent individual out of all Demon Lords.”.

At last, our forces had finished gathering. 

***

Supreme commander: Duke Henry de Guise

Subcommander: Supreme Council Member, Anna de Bis

Ο

■First army: Empress Dowager’s noble army. Supreme Commander: Duke Henry de Guise.Infantry 24,000 (mercenaries, conscripts). Cavalry 5,000 (1,000 knights)

■Second army: Republic of Batavia’s army. Commander: Supreme Council Member, Anna de Bis.Infantry 15,000 (mercenaries, civilian militia). Cavalry 7,000 (150 knights)

■Third army: Frankia volunteer soldiers. Commander: Artemis’ priest, Jean Bole.Infantry 12,000 (farmers)

□ Total soldiers: Infantry 51,000. Cavalry 12,000 (1,150 knights)

***

Our military power was immense.

I was worried that Brittany would try to divide and conquer us before we could rally our forces completely, but it turned out to be a needless concern. Instead of aiming for us, Brittany replenished their forces back at their homeland.

Despite this, they only had 15,000 soldiers. If you include the Emperor’s royal guard, then they had about 25,000 soldiers. It wasn’t a small number, but sadly for them, we had a massive army of 60,000.

No matter how much Henrietta de Brittany runs wild, it was practically impossible for her to overcome an army that was more than 2.5 times bigger than her army. Furthermore, our commanders weren’t incompetent!

Not only was Duke Henry de Guise a man of dauntless courage, but he had the dignity to control the other nobles. I had met Anna de Bis before when I joined the Liberation Alliance. Anna was second to Paimon in terms of talent in the Liberation Alliance. She was most likely not incompetent.

And Jean Bole……I’m not particularly talented in military affairs.

However, I have the highly experienced mercenary captain, Jacquerie at my side. I was also charismatic enough to fully dominate the volunteer soldiers.

Three years was also enough to learn a thing or two. I had front-row seats when I watched General Zepar and Barbatos command their troops. Those were valuable experiences. I was confident that I at least wouldn’t make a mistake as long as I managed my troops while listening to Jacquerie’s advice on the side. 

If there was one rule that I had adhered strictly to throughout my entire life, then it was the rule to achieve victory before the battle. A winning army is an army that guarantees its victory before the battle.

Henrietta de Brittany, I have prepared a pitched battle as you desired. But it is unfortunate……. It seems I have already obtained an overwhelming victory before you could show off your talent. This is your loss.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Dant is definitely acting too confident. Something completely unexpected is clearly going to happen during the battle. The question is probably just how Dant is going to overcome it.

On another note, I only had a sore arm for a day after my first shot. Hopefully the second shot isn’t that bad, but I won’t know until the end of October. Like a month and a half gap between shots. 

Welp, I’ll see you guys in the next chapter. Might be soon.

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