Yet all that had been burned down were the towns and villages themselves. The fields were left untouched, and the wells were still usable. The principality forces could still resupply in the field. Furthermore, they had found valuables in the burned-out towns. This had to be proof that the residents had evacuated in a hurry.
In the end, he came to the conclusion that the towns and villages in this area must have been attacked by monsters or brigands. Because of that, Julius did not advise Gaius to do anything.
The report of fire monster sightings is not inconsistent with the conditions at the site… But, still.
Was it not all a bit too convenient? That was how it felt to Julius.
I can’t help but feel there’s something off about the kingdom right now.
— It’s pandemonium.
While he looked off into the northwest, that was what Julius thought.
Chapter 4: The Lord of Altomura
— 32nd Day, 9th Month, 1,546th Year, Continental Calendar.
King Souma’s war, which began on this day, came to be called the Three Front War because the battle took place in three locations at the same time, or the One Week War due to its brevity.
Because of its incredible importance to both the Elfrieden Kingdom and the Principality of Amidonia, there are many historical idioms that came from this war. The expression “Lord of Altomura” was one such historical idiom.
It happened in the city of Altomura, in the southwest of the Elfrieden Kingdom.
It was a walled city in the middle of a grain-producing region, but Altomura was now besieged by a force of 30,000 troops from the Principality of Amidonia. Altomura had a garrison of only 5,000, and the city would surely fall in a matter of days if the enemy troops chose to press the attack. Even so, the new king had sent his forces to fight the rebellious General of the Army, Georg, so he was unable to send reinforcements.
Everyone must have believed the fall of Altomura was only a matter of time. However, with the Amidonian force laying siege to the city making no move to attack, a strange silence fell over the area.
Why had this situation arisen?
This was the work of one man. Right now, that middle-aged man was in the main camp of the principality’s army, bowing and scraping before Prince Gaius VIII. The man was thin and scrawny, with an easily-cowed look about him.
His name was Weist Garreau.
He was the lord who ruled over Altomura and all of the area around it.
Weist, who had a manor in Altomura, should have been the one heading up the effort to defend the city, but now, of all things, he was here prostrating himself before Gaius VIII.
Gaius sat on a camp stool, the Crown Prince Julius at his side. Then, still seated on his camp stool and glaring down at Weist, Gaius spoke.
“I see… So Altomura will open its gates to us without resisting.”
“Y-Yesh! We have no intent of resisting the forces of the Principality of Amidonia!” Weist answered, the words catching in his throat a little.
Gaius narrowed his eyes. “…Let us hear your reason.”
“I don’t need a reason. It’s impossible to defend against a force as massive as yours! Altomura is a city built on the plains of a grain-producing region, not terrain that can be easily defended. Our only defenses are the castle walls anyway, and we only have a garrison of a few thousand. In a situation where there is no hope of reinforcements from the capital, if such a massive force were to attack, the city would fall swiftly and inevitably!”
Gaius glanced to Julius, and Julius responded with a silent nod. He could see no contradiction between Weist’s words and their own understanding of the situation.
Having decided that there were no lies in his words… “Hmm,” Gaius grunted. “And so you say you wish to surrender to us?”
“Y-Yes. If defending ourselves is impossible, we are left with no choice but to cling to your mercy.”
When he heard Weist’s words, Gaius grinned wickedly.
For Gaius, Weist’s surrender was a godsend. He had dispatched troops to take advantage of the discord within the kingdom, but if the kingdom were to unify under either Georg or Souma, the weaker principality would be at a disadvantage. In order to prepare for a situation like that, Gaius would like nothing more than to take the city without suffering the loss of any troops.
“Very well,” he said. “Then open the gates at once.”
“P-Please, wait for a short while.”
Gaius’s brow twitched with displeasure. “Why?”
“C–Currently, the castle is divided between one faction that doesn’t want to fight and another faction that wants to resist to the bitter end,” Weist explained. “There are those in the resistance faction who say that ‘The Amidonians will kill us all even if we surrender,’ and some among the faction that don’t want to fight suspect that is the case, too.”
“I see… and are you one of them?” Gaius asked.
“P-Perish the thought! I am here to beg for our lives. I must never doubt the man I am negotiating with!” Weist hastily explained, breaking into a cold sweat as he did. “I–I trust you, but it’s an opinion that some in the castle hold. That is why, first, I have come to your camp to hear your thoughts, Your Princely Highness.”
Gaius thought deeply about Weist’s words. While he saw nothing wrong with them, still, was it wise to trust this man?
While Gaius was thinking, Julius, who was standing next to him, interjected.
“Even without persuading those in the castle, we can take Altomura at any time.”
“Yes. I am already well aware of that,” Weist replied to Julius, showing him the same obsequience. “However, there are many fools who do not understand that. Surely, His Princely Highness would not wish to lose any of his soldiers due to those people’s foolishness. If you will guarantee us our lives, I will go and bring everyone in the castle around to the same point of view.”
As Weist’s head bounced up and down like a grasshopper, Julius felt nothing but disgust for the man.
Are the nobles of the kingdom all so peace-addled? Julius thought. It must be because there were no great wars during the reign of the last king. Perhaps it is little wonder that a fierce general like Georg would give up on this country.
While Julius was thinking that, Gaius slapped his own knee. “…Very well. If you open the gates, I will guarantee the safety of everyone in the castle. Return inside at once and convince your people.”
When he heard Gaius’s words, Weist thanked him as he rubbed his forehead on the ground. “Th-Thank you! I will excuse myself at once!”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Weist quickly left the main camp. As he watched the man scurry away like a mouse, Julius asked Gaius a question.
“Was that all right? He didn’t seem like that important of a person…”
“Hmph. Once he opens the gate, we will be the ones in control.” Gaius wore an evil smile. “I have no use for a little mouse that flatters his enemies. Once he has outlived his usefulness, I will part his head from his body and use it to decorate the gates.”
“…I see.” Julius backed down, seemingly satisfied with the answer.
When Gaius rose from his camp stool, he sent orders to his generals, saying, “When the gates of Altomura open, enter the castle and occupy it at once.”
However, even once the sun had gone down, the castle gates showed no sign of opening.