NOVEL WEB Chapter 175: In War, It Is Important To Deceive The Enemy (4)
“Double agents, you say? But we’ve already lost our honor, and we’re neither officers nor nobles anymore. No country would trust or value us now.”
As expected of the talent the Crown Prince had chosen to be close, even in a tight spot, they made valid points about their situation.
“In normal circumstances, that would be true. But if you bring the right gifts when seeking asylum, they’ll see you differently, won’t they?”
I picked up some documents from my desk and distributed one to each of the five.
“Isn’t this Imperial Army level 2 classified? It lists the deployment and numbers of the Eastern Corps!”
“This is the Imperial Army’s recruit training program and tactics doctrine for junior officers. I don’t know whom you plan to give this to, but isn’t it too risky?”
“Uh… this is the Imperial Army’s training schedule, content, and detailed records.”
I selected these documents to hand over to the Ostaricans to make them fully trust these men.
Moreover, before we go to fight the Ostarican army, I plan to use all my authority and, if needed, enlist the help of my father-in-law, who was a Marshal, to rewrite the military doctrine from scratch.
Receiving this information wouldn’t be of much help to the Ostaricans.
Instead, they’d treasure this information only to find that it led them astray.
And because they’d plan their battles against the Reich Empire in a misguided direction, they’d pay a severe price in actual combat.
So, I was handing it over with the certainty that it wouldn’t be a loss in the long term.
“I think these gifts are enough to deceive the Ostaricans. What do you think?”
The lieutenants before me nodded vigorously and answered.
“There’s no fool of a country that wouldn’t accept asylum-seekers carrying not one but dozens of level 2 military secrets.”
“At first, they might be skeptical, but as they verify each piece of information we bring using their spies, they’ll realize everything written here is true. Then, naturally, they’ll have to trust us.”
“Isn’t the weight of trust and expectation His Highness has placed on us right here in this information? We’ll risk our lives to complete any mission given to us.”
While they must indeed succeed, the risk the Empire was taking was actually not significant.
Because the current combat doctrine had many inefficiencies, I planned to change everything using methods similar to those I previously commanded in the Yeager battalion.
Anyway, the combat system itself would completely change, soon making this information obsolete.
But telling them this fact would demotivate them significantly, so it was best not to mention it.
“Now, I’ll give you your official orders. Just follow these instructions precisely.”
“Yes, understood. Just give us the order.”
“Quickly get your affairs in order. Within three days at the latest, take this information and seek asylum in the Grand Duchy of Ostarica. Then, get commissioned as officers there.”
The dishonor and disgrace these lieutenants had endured, having lost all honor and been dishonorably discharged, were beyond words.
If I were to divorce Laura and be unable to meet or raise my son Friedrich, I might completely lose my mind at that point.
Moreover, in the Imperial Army, they’d be treated worse than convicts, not to mention losing officer privileges.
They were in such a state that even starting over as serfs would be impossible.
In a way, one might think death would be more merciful.
Given this situation, it wouldn’t be too strange for them to choose, as the next best option, to take level 2 military secrets to a potential enemy like the Grand Duchy of Ostarica and seek a new beginning.
If I were an Ostarican general, I’d probably think this way,
‘These madmen have very clear reasons to surrender. So, once the information they bring is verified to match reality, there’s no need for further doubt.’
However, as the saying goes, to deceive others, you must deceive not only your allies but also yourself; merely passing on classified information and having its truth verified to gain trust was still not enough.
“Initially, they might imprison you out of suspicion, maybe even threaten you with torture. But the information I’ve given is all genuine military secrets. So, they’ll verify it themselves, and soon all suspicion about you will be cleared. Then, the next step will surely be your commissioning.”
At this point, it would be foolish not to commission them as lieutenants.
How useful would that be?
‘If someone brings us useful information, even a dishonorably discharged fool deserves a chance for a fresh start in our great country!’
This would be a great promotional opportunity, and they might use these men to lure numerous traitors from the Empire.
“So, what should we do once we’re commissioned? Just act moderately to avoid suspicion? Or…”
Confucius said that doing something half-heartedly was worse than not doing it at all.
Therefore, if you were going to betray someone by stabbing them in the back, doing it ambiguously would surely get you caught.
Yes, if you were going to do it, shouldn’t you do it better than Count Bern, who stabbed me and the Imperial Army in the back?
“Until a predetermined signal, even if it involves the Empire and the Grand Duchy of Ostarica, you must fight for Ostarica’s interests with your lives on the line. Do not spare your lives; go to the front lines and fight for Ostarica. If anyone asks what your dream is, say it’s to become a general of Ostarica and take the head of Peter Yaeger. Only by doing so can you be evaluated as competent officers by everyone.”
Hearing this, all five lieutenants showed incredibly surprised expressions.
“Let me say this again, if you ever meet a traitor who has betrayed the Empire and fled to Ostarica, curse His Majesty on the spot, insult the Crown Prince, and express a desire to annihilate the Imperial Army. Then, fight as Ostarica’s pawn to make that a reality.”
“…Doing so, wouldn’t we be harming the Empire…?”
They were still talking nonsense without understanding their position, but I’d overlook it since it came from their loyalty to the Empire.
“If you could do even a hundredth of what I do, maybe I’d worry. But don’t. I, Peter Yaeger, as a person, am so competent that I could defeat a division of Francois with just the rank of a junior officer, lead a battalion to decapitate the enemy’s headquarters and deputy commander. In actual combat, even a colonel might easily contribute to a war’s defeat through mistakes, but it’s impossible to turn the tide of battle with just one’s own unit.”
Then, I took a deep breath and added some advice for them.
“Do you want to be like me? Or escape a fate akin to that of a damned serf? First, objectively assess your capabilities. If you realize you’re less capable than your superiors, just follow orders without question or doubt. Even if you’re ordered to jump into fire, do it. Without such determination and mindset, you won’t be able to achieve enough to wash away your dishonor and return as officers of the Empire. Remember this well.”
Even if they return, the succession rights in their families would have already passed to the next in line, and that fact couldn’t be reversed.
Even as lieutenants, being treated as nobles with knighthoods was far better than not being treated as people, as was their current state.
“One more thing, if you do as I said, the Ostarican command will recognize you as officers of Ostarica. But don’t let the joy of that moment make you forget your loyalty to the Empire.”
At my words, the lieutenants expressed their discontent at having their loyalty to the Empire questioned and spoke out loudly.
“Even though we’ve been dishonorably discharged as ‘noble trash,’ your words are harsh.”
“Even in death, we will not forget our loyalty to the Empire.”
“We will surely live to repay this disgrace…”
That was something they’d have to prove with their actions.
When they would be later reinstated for their merits as double agents, that would be the time to decide whether they’d be forgiven or not.
Moreover, if you look through history, every traitor had deceived others after speaking in this manner.
“You are not Deus. Thus, in your current state, worse than serfs within the Empire, becoming officers treated as quasi-nobles in Ostarica, you’ll want to find solace there. If you receive more recognition there, the temptation to continue living as you are will overflow. If you get promoted and accumulate some wealth in Ostarica, you’ll start thinking about abandoning the Empire entirely and just living there.”
Ultimately, humans were such beings.
Once their basic needs were met and they were given a minimum level of stability, they were creatures who wished to settle down in their current state, regardless of what status they held before.
Although it was quite different, if I were living in modern Korea, Laura would be a beauty beyond my wildest dreams as a marital partner.
Having received her love and obtained the overwhelming status and power of a general, now, I wouldn’t even think about wanting to return to Korea, to the point where I didn’t miss the taste of cola, which I couldn’t live without before.
“But remember, if I were the general or emperor of Ostarica, I would use you for a few years and then purge you when the value of those secrets fades a bit. And that’s inevitably going to happen. I’d like to encourage you and treat you to a meal, but I won’t. Just leave now. Since you won’t have much baggage anyway, immediately seek an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince and, within 3 days, set off on the road to asylum in Ostarica with the documents I’ve given you. The intelligence service will monitor you until right before your asylum, so don’t even think about running away.”
With those words and my wave of the hand, the five lieutenants left their seats, shedding tears as if lamenting their fate.
Now, after meeting His Highness the Crown Prince and receiving heartwarming consolation and encouragement, they would regain some confidence.
Then, they would embark on the road to asylum and move thoroughly according to the plan.
“Then, to thoroughly reorganize the military doctrine, we need to train one division to serve as a model…”
In my office, I began writing a letter of intent to my father-in-law, Marshal Benner, and His Majesty the Emperor.
“In two months, when my leave ends, I, General Peter Yaeger, wish to serve as the organizer and commander of the 7th Guard Division. At the same time, I intend to write a new military doctrine to completely replace the one handed over to Ostarica. Please grant me permission.”
-Count Peter Yaeger, General of the Reich Empire’s military-
“Ha, I’m really glad that His Majesty left Anya and the northern cavalry under my command. And since Laura has given birth to Friedrich, I suggested she might demobilize and focus on childcare for a while. But she insists on assisting me… How could I possibly break that stubbornness? It’s something I can’t help.”