This Kingdom Needs a Coup

Slightly twisted, but seeing the enemy despair always feels good.

Not because of personal grudges or life’s hardships, but the despair of someone whose plans and strategies have crumbled, leaving only ruin.

The emotional outburst from admitting defeat and the humiliation that follows.

If you ask why, it’s nothing special.

Watching them in that state gives me a sense of victory.

“How well did I do to make them mentally break like that?” That kind of pride wells up.

So, for example… like Duke Barellmont standing outside the ducal castle.

“Yes, why are you there?”

Sitting leisurely on the fortress walls, munching on hardtack.

The Duke, leading his battered troops, panting in a wretched state.

The contrast couldn’t be more striking. Just a few years ago, our positions were almost the opposite.

After finishing the hardtack and washing it down with water, I answered his question.

“Because I’ve taken over this castle. While you were leading your troops out.”

“In just half a day, you secured the entire fortress…?”

He blinked in disbelief.

Of course, it was hard to believe. Even I thought this castle was well-built.

High and thick walls. Though the design was a bit outdated, its military value was high.

It could even be useful as a defensive stronghold on the Northern Front.

But what can you do? It’s already fallen.

Blame yourself for neglecting such a good fortress.

“After searching around, I found quite a lot of good stuff. Fine wine, jewels, administrative documents… and people. Bring them.”

“Yes.”

At my gesture, the adjutant brought over our precious hostages.

“Darling!”

“Grandfather! Please save us!!”

“Yulia? Pavel??”

So, the grandmother’s name was Yulia? Now I know.

I stood the Duke’s wife and grandchildren, bound with ropes, next to me, allowing a brief conversation.

The Duke, momentarily stunned, soon erupted in rage, pointing and cursing at me.

“You spawn of Satan! Do you have no humanity?! How dare you take innocent women and children as hostages!!”

“What are you talking about? Aren’t they your relatives? The immediate family and spouse of a rebellion leader are naturally involved.”

Why seek mercy and morality in war?

As long as it’s not outright civilian slaughter or genocide, any means to win is fair.

If hostages are needed, of course, you take them.

No matter the criticism later, winning to save your own is the right choice, isn’t it?

This isn’t the age of chivalry. What’s with this naive talk?

Anyway, high-ranking nobles are good at politics but lack a sense of reality.

“Let’s cut the chatter and get to the point.”

Sighing inwardly, I held the hostages’ shoulders and declared to the Duke.

“Give up your resistance and surrender. You have no chance of winning. If you disarm your troops and follow orders now, I promise leniency.”

Compared to the nobles boiled alive in the capital, these are moderate terms.

But whether it was a lack of reality or anger clouding his judgment, the Duke kicked away this golden opportunity without hesitation.

“Ridiculous! Who would give up like this?! Prepare for a siege! We’ll retake the castle and regroup our forces!”

“…What did you just say, sir?”

“Didn’t you hear me? Prepare for a siege! We must enter the castle to plan our next move!”

The Duke’s subordinates’ eyes wavered.

With the central army, barely damaged, closing in from the rear, a siege that would take at least a few days?

They must have thought their lord had finally lost his mind.

In this situation, that’s all they could do, but what’s possible and what’s feasible are different.

So, they all hesitated, showing no real action.

“Sigh.”

Incompetent people with high status are the most annoying.

Clicking my tongue, I changed the conversation’s target from the Duke to his vassals and officers.

“Soldiers there! I offer you a proposal. Arrest Duke Barellmont and lay down your weapons now. If you do, I promise leniency and your lives!”

“What, what? Don’t listen! It’s just the rebel’s trickery!”

Though he shouted in panic, the tide had already turned.

“…Sorry, sir. We want to live.”

“We surrender! Please spare our lives!”

It didn’t take long for the vassals to gag the Duke and raise the white flag.

* * * *

And a couple of hours later.

When our main force finally arrived at the ducal castle, we could begin the post-war processing.

“Disarm the soldiers and release them. They were just ordinary people; no need to harm them. Let them go, except for mercenaries and criminals.”

“Yes. I’ll execute it immediately.”

“Don’t forget to confiscate the goods from the merchants and porters following the army and send them away.”

First, let’s clear out the unimportant and troublesome small fry.

“As for our Duke…”

“Damn it, release me at once! How dare you treat the descendant of a family that’s been loyal since the founding of the kingdom like this?!”

“Too noisy.”

Next is the highest-ranking one.

I let him speak briefly to hear his testimony, but he just roared in anger.

“Who forced you to rebel with a sword and threats? You must take responsibility for the situation you caused.”

“You were the one who tried to destroy us first! Like you did with Duke Loengram’s family!!”

“That was because Duke Loengram ignored the king’s orders. Not because I suddenly wanted to kill him.”

Though it was a fabricated order made to build justification.

But procedurally and evidentially, it was clearly an order directly from Karl VII.

Refusing it made him a rebel, so there was no issue in suppressing him.

“If you hadn’t gathered an army, I wouldn’t have led the central army here. Don’t confuse the sequence of events.”

Well, if it had come to that, I would have created justification like with the Loengram family.

Duke Barellmont, scared and creating justification for us before we even moved, I’m grateful. As a reward, I’ll send him to the guillotine instead of a boiling pot.

After uprooting the remaining major families, maybe I’ll hold a public execution for the heads of the houses.

“Tie up the Duke’s wife and load them onto the carriage. We’ll take them to the capital for trial.”

“Just kill me, you bastard! Don’t insult me further, just kill me cleanly–ugh!”

After loading the struggling old man like luggage, the remaining were the Duke’s vassals.

Officers captured or surrendered on the battlefield and all the vassals remaining in the castle.

Mid-level managers and executives who served the Duke in military, administrative, and other fields.

They must have been involved, directly or indirectly, in exploiting the commoners under the pretext of war.

Though the severity of their crimes varies, they can all be considered criminals.

‘Too valuable to kill.’

But unlike the capital, I couldn’t just sweep them all away.

Now, every educated and experienced individual is precious.

Having already devastated the central government, destroying the local administration would leave no way to run the government.

Without them, we couldn’t even collect taxes in the duchy.

For now, sparing them with appropriate punishment is the best course.

‘Fortunately, I have a good method.’

Having reached a conclusion in my mind, I spoke.

“Listen!”

Clearing my throat, I declared loudly, as if giving a speech.

“You are all criminals. You exploited the people, forced an unjust war, and even rebelled against the government. This is a grave crime that cannot be forgiven lightly.”

Starting with intimidation. Mentioning their crimes and emphasizing the consequences to instill fear and terror.

Watching their faces turn pale, I then offered a semblance of hope.

“However, there is a way to atone. You cannot undo your wrongs, but you can repent and be forgiven.”

“R-really?”

“Yes! Through labor!”

Labor will set you free (Arbeit macht Frei).

…Not literally, of course. It means working to earn leniency.

“You all have expertise and skills in your fields. Military, finance, civil engineering, right?”

“Y-yes! I was the chief accountant of the duchy!”

“I specialize in facility management! I can handle any construction project!”

Watching them eagerly promote themselves, I made a brief declaration.

“Good. Swear to use your talents and skills for the country! Suffer for just ten years, and you’ll be free!”

“Wahhh!!!”

And thus, I secured valuable administrative slaves.

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