Chapter 285 – 285. Duke’s Thirteenth Sabotage (1)

– One –

“I repeat! His Majesty the Emperor has declared emergency martial law, along with a wartime mobilization order, starting today at noon, to protect the people residing on the Islands from the threat of malicious rebels! From noon, all entrances to the Islands will be sealed. All necessities and foodstuffs will be requisitioned and distributed by the Islands Defense Forces, and compensation for this will be paid at once after the situation is over! , Which is a special situation,”

Soldiers dressed as the National Guard are shouting the same thing all over the street.

Enemies unknown, but presumed to be rebels, are coming towards Jedo.

I was told that the number might well exceed 120,000, maybe 130,000.

Rumors like that spread far and wide across the islands.

From mouth to mouth, from the media to subscribers.

The soldiers of the Islands Defense Force were very nervous because they had to face such armed forces directly, but they were not frustrated.

“Lastly, I inform you! We are accompanied by 50,000 imperial troops, including the invincible Islands Defense Force, and masters from the Distillery family!”

“Whoaaaaa!”

“Long live the Emperor!”

In preparation for this situation, under the leadership of Viscount Uwebol, the Imperial Faction succeeded in residing 50,000 Imperial Army and Distillery family masters in the vicinity of the island.

If it hadn’t been for the 50,000 Imperial Army to defend the Isles together, or if it hadn’t been for the generals from House Distillery.

It was clear that the morale of the Jedo Defense Forces and the residents of the Jedo Islands was sorely lacking that even words could describe it as disastrous.

Subjects residing in the system have already experienced a forced blockade last spring.

It was an absurdly long forced blockade perpetrated by the rebels.

“It will be different this time.”

“Ah. Last time, how anxious were the incompetent aristocrats wasting their time? This time, ‘those’ distillery generals are with you!”

“Shh! Be careful with your words. Even though the vicious aristocrats are incompetent at managing state affairs, they’re like ghosts when it comes to catching bastards who curse at them!”

“The country is in trouble… I don’t know why such incompetent things sit on top and make people’s lives so difficult…”

“That’s true. It’s from the mouths of the merchants who deliver food to the imperial palace, but I heard that incompetent imperialist vassals often obstruct the proper administration of state affairs by covering the emperor’s eyes. In the last incident, it was definitely due to their chaos. What happened must be clear!”

“You bastard bastards… Even if you put a stone on the table and ask them to do the country’s work, I will do better than them!

Therefore, there was great anxiety about the second civil war in a year, and it caused considerable dissatisfaction among the subjects due to the direct blow to the people’s livelihood.

Such grievances created an environment sufficient for widespread slander against politicians, whether true or false.

Right now, the system, no, throughout the empire, public opinion about the rulers was plummeting to the worst.

“By the way, did you get the proper compensation for the materials that were requisitioned last time?”

“Nimiral, there’s no such a dog or a reward. The amount of compensation was smaller than your baby.

“What?! Is that true? They really only gave you that?!”

“…Isn’t it normal to be resentful of being told that your dick is small?”

Not a single word from the person standing next to him was ignored.

“So. If you can hide the materials that are subject to requisition, hide them. Far from compensating for damages, as soon as the materials are requisitioned, the damage itself is permanently compensated.”

“Damn it…”

Big.

The person who was ignored while hanging by the side clears his throat.

“Something? Do you have something to say?”

“The Whisky family compensated for the remaining two-thirds of the amount, didn’t you guys know that too?”

“What, what, what?!”

“Tell me in detail!”

As the two brush up, the nose of the man with the bird’s eye, who had been ignored, rises.

He sighs and speaks leisurely.

“I’m saying this because it’s you guys, but in fact, few people know this information. Only those who knew knew were rewarded.”

“So, did you keep your mouth shut even though you already knew?”

“You know that good information alone, is this a bad friend?”

The bird-eyed man glared sharply at them.

“No, when do you guys territorialize me as a vagabond, and then put up a fight for not sharing information with me?”

“Kuh, kuhuhm…”

“Gee, don’t be so petty about the past. I apologize to you like this.”

“Later, when things calm down, I’ll forgive you if you buy me a beer or something.”

“Yes, yes.”

“I promise I’ll do the same!”

As the two urgently shouted, the man with the eyes widened a smile and nodded her head.

“This time, a notice was sent down to the merchants supplying to the Whisky family. If you do not receive proper compensation for the materials requisitioned to the imperial family, the delivery confirmation for the requisitioned materials, the compensation statement, and the estimate at the time of purchase If you bring it, I will compensate you for the loss.”

“Huh… It’s the symbol of a true noble family…”

“Um, um…”

The other two men admire.

They seemed to be becoming followers of the Whisky family.

“But why was that good deed not widely known? If it had been more widely known, people like us could certainly have been rewarded, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s what you mean…”

A black-eyed man looks around.

They keep a keen eye on their surroundings to see if anyone is listening to their conversation.

Fortunately, no one is around them.

No soldiers from the Islands Defense Forces have yet to declare a disbandment order.

There was plenty of room for conversation.

“The royal family and imperial nobles actively prevented the Whiskai family’s good deeds from being widely known. In other words, they have thoroughly cracked down on merchants who deal with the Whiskai family.”

“Oh my god…”

“Did you mean that you were forcing the subjects to suffer losses because they were afraid that the imperial family would be slandered because of the difference in the compensation plan?”

“Well, that could be the case, or maybe there are other good intentions from the higher up.

“Sickness…”

“Sea Pearl…”

The faces of the two men rot.

The black-eyed man shrugged his shoulders smartly and moved closer to them.

“Don’t go anywhere and talk about it. High-ranking people may be arguing with each other, so be careful not to get chidogon while quivering in vain.”

“Huh…!”

“Yes, keep your mouth shut, and if you suffer losses due to requisition, prepare the necessary documents for compensation and visit the Whiskey family quietly. ?You guys can prevent financial loss, and the Whiskey family can continue their good deeds without unnecessary checks, how perfect is this?”

“That’s right!”

“I will do as you say.”

The two men nod enthusiastically.

As much as their gestures, they will become ardent followers of the Whisky family.

“Hmm… Soon, according to the declaration of martial law, it’s time for the curfew to begin. I’ll go in soon. Take care of yourself, too.”

“Okay. Take care of yourself too.”

“After the situation is over, meet safely and get a drink from us!”

The black-eyed man was already heading towards his alley with his body turned.

Without looking back, he waved his hand at the two men and greeted them.

Jerk, jerk, jerk.

He moves his steps and smiles faintly.

“It’s the day I want to see the old man… I hope you’re doing well there…”

Muttering to himself, he disappears into the alleyway.

As if he had never existed from the beginning, he disappeared without a sound.

– 2 –

“Why on earth are you trying to lure enemies to the walls of the system, Lord Glenfiddich?”

The Marquis of Caymus frowned and asked.

Across from him sat Brigadier General Glenfiddich with a calm expression.

However, he seemed embarrassed to answer the Marquis of Caymus’ question.

“…Can I be honest with you?”

“I want you to be honest.”

“Because when the warden was reserving judgment on the change of operations, he heard a voice.”

“Voice…?”

“Yes, sir. I couldn’t see her, but the voice of a young woman suddenly rang in my ears.”

“Ah… Hey, Margarita…”

Viscount Uwevol laments.

His face was very pale.

“Hmm? Ah, indeed. She claims to be a close friend of Viscount Uweboll, so it’s only natural that he knows who she is.”

“Exactly…”

Brigadier General Glenfiddich did not ask Viscount Uweboll why his complexion was so bad.

However, he clearly understood that there was an uncomfortable relationship between them that he was not aware of.

“She added that she still regards Viscount Uwevol as a close friend.”

“Keuk… I understand for now. I think it’s better to skip that story for now. If I get a chance, I’ll explain that part separately.”

“Yes. Anyway, I followed her advice. I do not completely agree with her words, nor do I believe her, but there are parts in line with my judgment, so I inevitably changed the strategy to a defensive battle that relied on the wall. .You may be embarrassed by the suddenness, but if you listen to what I have to say, you will understand why I ordered such a change of strategy.”

The Marquis of Caymus and Viscount Uweboll nodded as if to talk quickly.

Brigadier General Glenfiddich straightened his posture and opened his mouth.

“The biggest reason for switching to a defensive war is that, as a result of referring to all records of engagements related to the last island blockade, unknown rebels with mighty arms were not captured.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, Your Excellency Marquis. The rebels were neither killed nor captured, and there are no eyewitness reports even after that. Judging from that, they infiltrated the system and got the help of the collaborators inside the system. If they join the approaching rebels now and provide fire support from the rear when the rebels engage in a giant battle with the imperial army, it seems that devastating damage will be done to the imperial army and the island defense forces no matter how well I defend myself. .”

“That’s right…”

Whoops, whoops.
Swoop, squeak.

Brigadier General Glenfiddich creates closed curves along the walls of the island with his fingertips.

The circumference of the outermost wall of the outer castle alone would be well over 60 km.

“Even if that unknown strongman joins the rebel group, if you block the enemy’s offensive by leaning on the walls of the system, the defense equipment located throughout the walls will dramatically increase the survival rate of your allies. Just placing those who fall into overhanging embankments or defensive spires will ensure the survival of many of them.”

“Right.”

“On the other hand, in the case of a giant battle, there is no way to prevent mass destruction by unknown rebels. Looking at the previous battle record, a small elite group of members of the Imperial Task Force and agents of the Imperial Central Intelligence Agency were able to break through the siege. However, it can be seen that there are no survivors. Therefore, it is impossible to know the enemy’s attack method, and it is difficult to devise an effective defense method accordingly. In that case, it is much safer to rely on the castle wall and prepare for the enemy’s attack in a standard way. I think it’s a way to defend.”

The two imperial nobles nodded.

Suddenly, Viscount Uwe Boll opened his mouth and asked Brigadier General Glenfiddich a question.

“For the present situation, the strategy you proposed seems a very reasonable solution, but why were you hesitant to implement it?”

“It may be reasonable, but if it goes wrong, it could cause property damage to the citizens of the system, and even cause loss of life. Because of that, I hesitated to change the strategy.”

“I see. Then why did you decide to carry out Margarita’s message?”

“Hmm…”

Swoop, Swoop.

Brigadier General Glenfiddich rubbed the bristling chin harshly.

Perhaps it was closer to making a judgment in the realm of intuition rather than logical reason, he couldn’t give a reason easily.

“It’s fine even if it’s for a rather random reason, so I’d like you to tell me exactly why you made your decision.”

Brigadier General Glenfiddich nods.

When Viscount Uweboll brought up a rather difficult story first, he seemed somewhat relieved.

“In fact, if you switch to siege warfare, you can spend months fighting against the enemy’s attacks and wasting time. If you wait long enough, it will be autumn and the weather will cool down and winter will arrive. Couldn’t we force them to fight on the battlefield?”

“Ah…”

“However, that is an act that harms the dignity of the imperial family. It is an effective strategy to win a bloodless victory against well over 100,000 enemies, but it will give the aristocrats an excuse to attack politically.”

“That’s right. They will certainly apply political pressure, saying all sorts of things, such as saying that the prestige of the imperial family has fallen to the ground, and that we have to harden you.”

The Marquis of Caymus shook his head with a frown, as if his head hurt just thinking about such a situation.

Viscount Uweboll’s expression did not differ too much.

“Yes. So, while maintaining defensive operations, we needed an anti-war hand that could quickly end the war.”

“But because of the rampage between the Regal and the aristocrats, aren’t there any weapons suitable for mass destruction or soldiers capable of performing it?”

“Yes. That’s why I was hesitant to come up with a means not to prolong it. However, after hearing that mysterious voice, Mrs. Margarita’s message, I was able to make up my mind.”

“What did she say?”

Gulp.

Viscount Uwebol swallows dry saliva.

Likewise, the Marquis of Caymus, who knew all about his circumstances, seemed very nervous.

“She affirmed that unusually powerful unknowns will not be participating in this battle. And, one more thing, she added that she is preparing and sending a surprise gift to quickly break the siege of the Isles.”

“Ah…”

It was more normal advice than expected.

The two imperial nobles let out a sigh of relief.

“How could she be so sure that those mysterious, powerful rebels weren’t taking part in this battlefield?”

“According to an intelligence organization she manages separately,”

Listening to Brigadier General Glenfiddich’s words, Viscount Uweboll snorted inwardly.

It was because I was now convinced after months of research that I could have obtained information with their special abilities, but that it was impossible to run an intelligence organization with the assets they possessed.

It was clear that being a separate informant would be a simple bluff or deception to hide their special abilities.

“It is said that those who set out to blockade the islands at that time are stationed near the border of the northern outback.”

“… It gives me goosebumps the more I hear it, that you know so exactly what even we didn’t notice.”

“Yes.”

Brigadier General Glenfiddich nods as if agreeing with her.

“Still, there is a possibility that the information is false, so I thought that I had to strengthen my defenses to verify her message while watching the situation. I intend to subdue it.”

“That would make sense. What did she say about the separately sent gift?”

Brigadier General Glenfiddich shakes her head.

She didn’t seem to hear him in detail either.

“I don’t know exactly, but she said that the gift could completely destroy Regal’s reputation.”

“Um… That’s difficult…”

The Marquis of Caymus is in trouble.

However, Viscount Uwevol soon brushed aside his worries about it.

I had to think about it, because it was clear that I would not know before the situation broke out.

“It would also be good to observe the situation and determine the authenticity.”

“Yes, I am of the same opinion.”

“And Brigadier General Glenfiddich.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Your decision is a sufficiently reasonable and efficient countermeasure. Therefore, we will unconditionally handle the ensuing political offensive or the systemic scandal. You’ll just have to put up with the noise of the , so don’t worry too much.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Swoop.

Viscount Uwe Boll extends his hand towards Brigadier General Glenfiddich.

Chuck.

They hold each other’s hands

On Viscount Uwebol’s palm, you can feel the calluses unique to a warrior who never neglects training.

The touch brings trust.

“Then I will step back, Your Excellency, Marquis.”

“I see. I should be busy preparing for the Mercury, but it took up a lot of time.”

“No. I’m just doing what is necessary for the safety of the imperial family and the empire, so please don’t worry.”

Chuck.

Bowing down to them,

Jerk, jerk, jerk.
Srrrr.

Brigadier General Glenfiddich disappears from the conference room.

Two nobles look at his back with heartwarming eyes.

As he disappears, the Marquis of Caymus cautiously opens his mouth.

“Why don’t you bow down and apologize to them, then re-establish an alliance with them?”

“There are no permanent enemies here, and no permanent allies, but it seems too presumptuous to change stance so quickly, sir.”

“The important thing is the practical benefit. Even if it hurts a little, if we can get the practical benefit, wouldn’t it be worth reconsidering?

“… Before the 2nd Expeditionary Force comes out, we will send an emissary to the North to try to find out if they want to re-establish the alliance.”

For some reason, Viscount Uwebol felt as if the sound of the wind, resembling a snort, had passed in his ears.

I hoped it was an illusion.