NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 64: The Failure
Three months later, the attack on the Elderan Empire ended in failure. As the empire's forces marched through the forest, they were ambushed by the RGB musketeers and Elderan's army. Out of the ten thousand soldiers that set out, over three thousand perished within the forest. This news cast a shadow over every faction except for Shadowstep. Shadowstep had abstained from participating in the attack, thus avoiding heavy casualties. Their only losses occurred during a rescue operation to extricate coalition soldiers from the forest.
"Your Highness, I regret to inform you that our troops have failed in their attack on Elderan," Johann reported in the throne room, surrounded by several noble commanders. Upon hearing that three thousand of his men had already been lost in the war, King Andre massaged his temples in frustration and swiftly called off the attack.
"So, what's your excuse?" he demanded of Matthew from the Bron faction, Sully from the Merchant faction, and Trinity from the Slane faction, who commanded the attack. Also present were Richard, the second son of Count Shadowstep; Duke Luca, the head of the Merchant faction; and Duke Slane, the head of the Slane faction. Duke Bron was unable to attend, as he was holding the western front, so he had appointed a representative from the Shadowstep family who was near the capital—either Richard or Alucard, the third son. Richard was chosen because he has not made a blunder in the capital during his tenure. Claire and Heracles were also present but merely as spectators.
"Sir, we led the vanguard of the attack. However, Sully's forces did not participate in the attack! They are cowards!" Trinity accused. "These lowborn merchants should never have been allowed to join us in the first place."
"What did you say? You arrogant fools recklessly attacked the Elderan Empire with only 400 mages. Are you mad? Did you learn nothing from the military academy?" The argument escalated, with accusations flying until the Shadowstep family became a target of blame.
"This failure occurred because Count Shadowstep did not provide any support!"
"Sir Sully, my father and brother were unable to participate due to their assignment. We were tasked with protecting the fort at Shadowsteps and securing the supply lines," Richard, the second son of Count Shadowstep and Zach's brother, promptly deflected the insult. He then retorted, "Moreover, we have provided assistance by supplying the army with a complete map of the forest. The fact that your troops could still be ambushed only speaks to your lack of skill."
The truth is, Shadowstep was excluded because they have been perceived as hogging glory by successfully repelling Elderan's previous attacks. Currently adopting a passive stance, Shadowstep also needed time to recover after defending their city. Thus, they embraced the role of guarding the back line with delight. King Andre and Duke Bron, who were observing remotely, could only sigh at the outcome.
"What kind of incompetent commander gets ambushed in their own country?" Prince Heracles added insult to injury as he reviewed the document detailing the attack. Claire, his fiancée, also attended the meeting but was excluded from examining any documents, as she had not officially married Heracles yet.
"My king, the purpose of this gathering is not only to discuss our offensive failure but also to share news from Elderan. We have received a letter from Elderan proposing peace," Johann continued.
"Ah! Peace is good!" Claire exclaimed with a sweet smile.
"Yeah! Peace is good! As expected of the wise Princess Claire," Duke Luca and the Merchant faction concurred with nods of approval. However, the Slane and Bron factions were not as receptive.
"Peace? After they launched a unilateral attack on us?"
"Peace? With the Western nation? Where will our dignity stand if we sign a peace treaty after such a humiliating defeat by a barbarian country?"
"Johann, what's your opinion?"
"The terms of peace are not unfavorable. They propose making the forest a buffer zone and establishing a border gate there for international travel," Johann explained.
"Your Majesty, if we accept these peace terms, we stand to gain significantly. We could enhance our trade with the West, exporting or importing goods more freely. Moreover, we could send our intelligence officers there as scouts or spies. This would reduce our reliance on Reapers for gathering information."
"Duke Luca, don't let your greed dictate your decisions," Richard cautioned.
"You know I'm right! We've been over-reliant on Reapers. Without them, we are practically blind! Who was it that tipped us off about Elderan's impending attack? Who disrupted Elderan's assault by eliminating a jammer? Who captured a mole hiding not in the slums, but right here in our very castle?"
"Are you implying you were responsible, Duke Luca? To my knowledge, the nobility under your faction has shown the most treachery."
"We're all in the same situation. Many of my nobles were originally from your faction, Slane. And this military expedition was led by Bron's faction."
The debate grew more heated. Had Duke Bron been present, he would surely have countered that most of the ineffectual imperial soldiers hailed from Luca's faction. However, it's undeniable that the empire expanded too swiftly, necessitating a vast recruitment drive. This period saw many peasants elevated to nobility, including the Shadowsteps. The Western war claimed the lives of many brave and competent soldiers, while numerous inept ones remained safe within the capital, contributing to the empire's decline.
Even the Shadowsteps were not exempt from fault. Count Shadowstep and Zach courageously fought at the front, while their third son, who fled from battle, remained safely behind as a guard in the capital. Should Zach and Count Shadowstep fall in this war, the line of succession would naturally pass to Alucard, the third son, or Richard, a mere military administrator in the capital. Elidranthia, being a woman, would not inherit the Shadowstep title unless directly decreed by Count Shadowstep.
"We shall listen, if they so wish," the king responded.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The envoy from Elderan will arrive shortly. They, too, are keen to discuss a peace treaty."
"Nice!" Claire's smile stretched from ear to ear. Had it been Heracles or any other noble from the empire who had reacted in such a manner, they would have been executed on the spot or reprimanded harshly for treason. However, Claire hailed from the Western nation, and her endorsement was seen as a positive sign that the Western Front sought a peace agreement with the empire.
"Good. Peace is beneficial."
"Very well, let their ambassador come to us."
"Your Majesty! I must object. Allowing these barbarians into our borders will incite the wrath of the theocracy!" a member of the Slane faction protested, kneeling.
"We are not seeking friendship with the Western nation. We aim to recuperate. Our losses were significant. Do you have any additional mages or soldiers to offer, Duke Slane?"
"That's…"
"If so, you are free to launch another attack."
"...Very well, I will consider the ceasefire agreement. We do indeed need time to recuperate."
"Their proposal is a bit too favorable to us. Do you understand why?"
"Yes. I believe their failure to invade us played a significant role. Even with our losses, they would still have to pay a heavy price for their failure."
"But I've also heard they didn't lose many soldiers, correct? They were merely stalled in the forest."
"We've learned that Elderan is on the verge of a financial crisis," Duke Luca replied. "They may propose some trade agreements in addition to the peace deal. I hope Your Majesty will take this into consideration?"
"Do you have a proposal, Duke Luca?"
"I trust Your Majesty's judgment on trade deals. Our warehouses are at your disposal."
"I see. Thank you. This could provide us with a strategic advantage. Richard, please inform Count Shadowstep and his son, Zach, to come to the capital. They deserve to be honored."
"What?" Trinity and Matthew exclaimed in surprise.
"Hmm? He is the one who truly succeeded in this war, isn't he? He managed to defend the Shadowstep county for many months, even without adequate support. Moreover, he saved our army from the forest after the failed expedition. Thanks to him, the army was able to escape."
The three commanders clenched their teeth in silence. Envy was painted in their eyes. But they could not complain any further.
"Johann, what do you think would be an appropriate reward for Count Shadowstep? Would promoting him to Marquis or Margrave be sufficient, or would it be excessive?"
"I believe promoting his title without offering land or additional support would be imprudent, my king. We can't afford to elevate someone to the status of margrave without any tangible gains from this war."
"Our losses are indeed significant. However, this must not prevent us from recognizing and promoting outstanding officers. Let's elevate him to marquis and then we can negotiate a deal with him regarding the gate. He should receive a share if they are interested in establishing trade."
"I see. That would be a prudent approach, milord. Nevertheless, we must tread carefully. Shadowstep has remained neutral; he might align with Elderan if we impose too much on him."
"How about arranging a marriage between Ludwin and their daughter, Elidranthia? I've heard Ludwin is quite fond of her. This union would also appease the theocracy, wouldn't it?"
"Excellent! Although they are dark mages, a marriage between mages is a rare event, even in the theocracy. Moreover, uniting a level 8 with a level 7 mage is a commendable decision, Your Majesty." Slane bowed deeply, his smile wide.
"Heracles, as the crown prince, how do you get along with your brother?" King Andre inquired. However, Heracles frowned, not simply affirming but instead redirecting the question to Claire.
"Claire, do you think you can get along with Ludwin?"
"I believe I can manage. He isn't as fixated on mage supremacy as I initially thought. Eli, too, is kinder than I expected, despite her intimidating appearance."
"I see. Well, that's good then. Heracles, remember that our Althemer Empire pledges allegiance to the throne, not to mages. However, we cannot thrive without them. Please, treat your brother kindly. This meeting is now adjourned."
With that, King Andre departed. Unbeknownst to him, Heracles' heart was no longer with the throne but yearned for the simple life of a commoner. He longed to shed his burdens and live contentedly with Claire, weary of the constant machinations and schemes that unfolded before him. Even in that moment, he found the behavior of the nobles in the throne room repugnant, their smiles and deference to the king mere facades to further their own interests.
Slane's loyalty lay with the theocracy rather than the throne, Luca was driven by greed, and Bron harbored a deep-seated animosity towards the Western nation. Heracles wished to distance himself from these factional disputes.
Yet, destiny had other plans, particularly for Claire, who harbored ambitions of her own. Despite her nation being a republic, she retained her status as a princess—a role that extended beyond a mere title. She wielded significant influence not only within the borders of her own Lustria kingdom but across the neighboring Western nations as well, unlike her brother and parents, whose influence was confined to their palace.
With her unique position, Claire possessed extraordinary powers and garnered support from many who stood to benefit from a peace treaty, both domestically and abroad.