NOVEL WEB Chapter 88
Upon arriving at the Royal Palace, I found that the commanders remaining in Falahart Castle, including Iren, were gathering one by one.
After exchanging a light nod with her, I took an appropriate seat and waited for the commanders to assemble.
Not long after, Yuri, confirming that everyone who was supposed to come had arrived, spoke seriously from the throne.
“To all of you, I apologize for calling you here suddenly in the middle of your duties. Since you’ve probably heard the gist on your way here, let’s skip pleasantries and get straight to the point.”
Yuri closed her eyes briefly, then slowly opened them and began speaking.
“The Serpina Army has invaded Jestrom Castle with over 70,000 troops.”
Jestrom—it’s the place located above Falahart, which used to be the capital city of the former Charan Army—currently guarded by Epinal as its Lady.
From Yuri’s rough explanation, it seemed that Jestrom Castle currently housed around 53,000 soldiers, this place had 60,000, and Raclaine Castle held about 69,000 soldiers.
“Here’s the situation: first, I’ll share my thoughts. Losing Jestrom Castle would create various difficulties. We’ve worked hard to expand our territory, so naturally, we want to defend it. I’m considering sending reinforcements to fight back, but what do you all think?”
Upon hearing this, Jinoru bowed his head and responded.
“It might be possible to stop them, but I’m worried about what comes after.”
“After?”
“If we send reinforcements and deplete our forces here, there’s a possibility the Serpina Army could send additional troops this way.”
“Hmm, won’t that be fine? They can’t attack three castles at once, right?”
“That’s true… but if we keep consuming soldiers like this, we might end up at a great disadvantage.”
“So, Jinoru, what’s your opinion?”
“Surrendering Jestrom Castle could also be a viable option.”
“Surrender… huh.”
While Yuri pondered, lowering her head slightly, Jinoru continued sharing his thoughts.
“The Serpina Army is a powerful nation. Fighting on three fronts against them would be too much for us. Since our soldiers don’t grow on trees, it would be wise to concentrate our well-trained troops in Falahart Castle and Raclaine Castle, creating a strong defense line to prevent the Serpina Army from invading recklessly.”
“But will that be okay? Surrendering a castle is still surrendering, isn’t it?”
“If we must give up a castle, Jestrom, which is harder to defend due to its northern position, would be better than Raclaine, which holds a more critical location.”
“And after that? Just defending won’t be enough after giving up the castle, right?”
“I suggest forming a temporary alliance with the Hesna Army or perhaps the Roland Army.”
“Alliance?”
“Yes. Both armies face the same calamity as we do with the Serpina Army. Fortunately, our army doesn’t pose much of a threat to them. By forming an alliance and building a defensive line, even the mighty Serpina Army wouldn’t dare take us lightly. And if the Brance Army moves in support, things would look even better.”
Even if the Serpina Army is a powerhouse, it’s clear they’d face trouble if all nations started fighting on multiple fronts. In that sense, Jinoru’s solution seems like the most optimal course of action available to us now. Honestly, if I were Yuri, I’d have evacuated the troops, generals, and supplies from Jestrom safely and reinforced the defenses at Falahart and Raclaine Castles. Evenly redistributing Jestrom’s 50,000+ soldiers between here and Raclaine would create nearly impenetrable defenses, with roughly 80,000-90,000 soldiers per castle.
Though losing territory stings now, in the long run, this strategy would be far more efficient.
As frustrating as it may feel, smaller nations need to play the long game to beat stronger ones. No matter how dirty or underhanded, perseverance and waiting for the right opportunity are key. That’s why Jinoru’s “castle abandonment” strategy resonated with me.
But…
“Please hold on a moment, Lord.”
Someone nearby raised their hand—a commander whose face I vaguely recognized but didn’t remember clearly.
“Glenn, please explain yourself.”
His name is Glenn. The young man with brown hair earnestly addressed Yuri.
“Once a castle is lost, retaking it is extremely difficult. Expanding our territory means having more citizens under our banner, which directly translates to national strength. From our Aishias Army’s perspective, where every castle matters, it’s hard to accept abandoning territory without even trying to fight, no matter how wise the strategist advises. And!”
Glenn pounded his chest with his fist.
“Who are we? We’re the Aishias Army, bound together by the red flag and shared blood! Currently guarding Jestrom Castle is none other than Epinal Rosenkross, our finest general. She is supported by Emma. Even the best generals would find it tough to capture Jestrom with just a 17,000-soldier advantage.”
The difference between 50,000 and 70,000 isn’t overwhelmingly unfavorable for defenders. Given the skill levels of generals involved, especially SS-tier Epinal and Emma, victory seemed plausible.
“True, sending reinforcements could leave our other castles vulnerable, and our troop numbers aren’t infinite. However, neither is theirs. Plus, they’re already facing off against the Brance Army. Thus, it would be unwise to hastily abandon the castle.”
“So, you’re suggesting we send reinforcements?”
“No, I believe reinforcements aren’t necessary. With Epinal and Emma’s capabilities, along with the strength of our Aishias Army, we can repel the enemy without them. I humbly request entrusting the decision to Epinal.”
“Hmm…”
Given Epinal’s nature, she’d likely choose to fortify the castle rather than retreat.
As Yuri contemplated, I mentally summarized both sides.
Jinoru suggests evacuating troops to strengthen our current defense lines—I agree with this approach.
Glenn insists on trusting Epinal. While bold, it’s not entirely unreasonable given Epinal and Emma’s skills.
At this point, it was time for my decisive input.
Though Yuri hadn’t explicitly asked, earlier she did say:
“Should we send reinforcements to fight back?”
Since the question was posed, I could provide an answer. I framed the query carefully in my mind.
“Is it correct to fight against the Serpina Army?”
The response came almost instantly.
[We will win initially.]
“Huh?”
What does this mean? If Epinal and Emma are indeed exceptional, this implies victory is possible—but why phrase it this way?
If it says “initially,” something else must follow…
Perhaps this isn’t the most efficient path?
To clarify, when do we use phrases like “we’ll manage initially”? Usually when the method isn’t ideal…
“Swoen?”
Suddenly, someone nudged my side.
“Swoen.”
“Oh.”
I snapped out of my thoughts thanks to Iren standing beside me. Looking up, I saw Yuri watching me intently.
“Is everything alright? You seem troubled.”
“No… it’s nothing. I was just deep in thought. My apologies.”
“Swoen, what do you think? I’d like to hear your opinion.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Didn’t you notice the ambush during the fortress battle? I’m curious about your thoughts. What do you think?”
“So… are you asking whether we should defend Jestrom Castle or not?”
“Yes.”
“…Hmm.”
Since the system indicated “we will win initially,” abandoning the castle might not be necessary. Still, something felt off about this being the ultimate answer.
“The strategist’s advice makes sense, but as Glenn said, we will win. Epinal and Emma are brilliant generals.”
“Ah! So you agree too!”
Glenn smiled approvingly, but Yuri caught something in my tone.
“You said ‘we will win initially.’ What does that mean?”
“Well… Epinal will likely hold off the enemy, yes.”
“Hmm?”
Just as I struggled to articulate further, unexpected help arrived.
“Swoen, do you think there’s another way?”
“Huh?”
This time, Jinoru, listening quietly beside Yuri, asked me.
“Another way?”
“Do you believe there’s a more efficient method?”
“Ah!”
Jinoru’s question clarified the unease I’d been feeling. Yes, “we will win initially” implies “though winning, it’s not the most efficient way.” This led me to ask internally:
“Would withdrawing troops as Jinoru suggested be more efficient?”
No need to rush verification. I quickly formulated another query:
“Is there a more efficient method than fortifying and holding Jestrom Castle?”
The answer flowed smoothly.
[You must personally meet with Serpina and negotiate. That is the most efficient method.]
Now, amidst everyone’s expectant gazes, I found myself holding the compass of truth, adrift in the vast sea called “what does this mean?”