Revolutionary Army Headquarters in Valois.
The leaders of Francia gathered, including the visiting Counciln and Queen Eris.
“Hmm, so you propose returning the Prisoners of War.”
Revolutionary Party Councilman Talleyrand slightly narrowed his brow, then spoke again.
“I am deeply grateful for Her Majesty the Queen's efforts in converting 2,000 of them. But that still leaves 10,000.”
“We won the last Battle thanks to the Marquis and Her Majesty’s actions, along with Reinforcents, but the enemy also received Reinforcents and still outnumbers us. Isn't returning so many too much……?”
Even the moderate Liberal Party Councilman Nicolas Brisseau was skeptical…….
“We’re treating these prisoners too well in the first place. How about putting them to hard labor instead?”
Count Anjou, the Central Party Councilman, ever the forr knight, was predictably aggressive.
Truthfully, we were treating the prisoners quite generously.
No forced labor, proper als provided, and the luxury of direct treatnt by the Queen.
“Even so, I don’t want to keep them indefinitely.”
But Eris's will was firm, and I spoke up to support her.
“It’s fine now while the Battle is in a lull, but holding onto that many troops costs money, and we have to divert so of our own forces to control them.”
It might be different if we had built specialized detention facilities for such n, but we haven't.
“Hmm…….”
“And I don’t believe they’ll beco an effective fighting force even if they return to the Imperial Army.”
Hearing my words, Talleyrand glanced at and asked.
“For what reason, Marquis?”
“Because we treated them well.”
Unlike soldiers fighting with cold steel in the age of knights, Line Infantry have to approach within range of enemy fire, maintain formation, and fight.
Naturally, it’s not sothing one does in their right mind, so extre thods are inevitably used to deploy them onto such dangerous battlefields.
Our Revolutionary Army is different because we fight under the banner of popular revolution and for ourselves, which makes it our unique case.
The most common thod is maintaining order through brutal beatings, harsh discipline, and strict punishnt.
If you flee or break ranks, you die anyway, so you may as well pray the bullets miss you and fight.
“Since they fight packed together, a single deserter can cause a chain collapse of the line, so the military imposes harsh discipline. But these n have already learned that if they just surrender, we treat them well.”
Just having such n among the prisoners is like having a crack in the wall, and worse, as living people, they can talk to their comrades and spread the truth.
“When they return, they will knowingly or unknowingly spread word of how we treated them, and such rumors are not easily controlled simply by suppression. Especially among those who share the fate of risking their lives on the battlefield.”
“Hmm…….”
The Counciln fell silent for a mont, lost in thought.
“And one more thing, I don’t believe a battle will break out imdiately, even if we send them back now.”
“How can you be sure……?”
eting Talleyrand’s questioning gaze, I turned my eyes to Christine.
eting my glance, Christine, fanning her black fan as always, opened her mouth.
“We bribed so of the residents who refused evacuation from Alsace-Lorraine, the likely Occupied territory, to act as Spies. They report that the enemy is preoccupied with fortifying urban areas for defense and stockpiling supplies for a long war.”
“Oh…… When did you manage that? You are quite capable, Countess Aquitaine.”
Christine acknowledged Count Anjou’s admiration with a slight nod and turned her gaze back to , allowing to continue.
“Based on Countess Aquitaine’s investigation, we should assu they’ve judged it difficult to completely subjugate us imdiately, or lack the capacity to launch an active Offensive. That’s why we also intend to maintain this standoff and turn it into a long war. In such a situation, it’s better to hand over the prisoners, who only drain our food and money, back to them.”
“While your reasoning is sound, we are currently in a situation where our Territory is occupied. There are residents evacuated from Alsace-Lorraine who beca refugees, so simply continuing the standoff is problematic.”
Christine answered Nicolas Brisseau’s point.
“The Aquitaine Trading Company will hire them, allowing them to make a living by employing them in war material production, supply, and transport.”
“Umm, the Aquitaine Trading Company……?”
Nicolas Brisseau looked slightly uncomfortable.
For the Liberal Party, fundantally supported by capitalists, Christine’s growing influence must be botherso.
Trade with the Holy Theocracy? The trade blockade was lifted when Eris, the Saintess, ascended the throne, but only after the Aquitaine Trading Company, which had monopolized trade for so long, had already secured all important sectors.
Since I initiated trade with Kroxx, the Aquitaine Trading Company naturally took a large share.
Similarly, trade with the Kingdom of Alps, using the mithril received from Kroxx as trade material, is almost exclusively handled by the Aquitaine Trading Company.
Aquitaine holds the key to dostic and foreign trade, handling not only war material procurent and supply but also almost all naval construction.
In short, the backbone of Francia’s economy and military industry is already under Aquitaine’s influence.
“If you have another alternative, I am willing to listen.”
However, when Christine spoke with a gentle smile, Councilman Brisseau cleared his throat and replied.
“No, no. I thank the Countess for her dedication.”
As if the capitalists playing money gas in Lumiere would ever think about employnt asures for the refugees evacuated from Alsace-Lorraine.
Their numbers are in the tens of thousands; without prior preparation, no such asures could possibly materialize.
“As ntioned, the residents remaining in the Alsace-Lorraine region are extrely few, and even those who chose to stay. If we can ensure the evacuated residents don’t have to worry about their imdiate livelihood, we can suppress imdiate dissatisfaction.”
I looked around at the Counciln once more and spoke again.
“We are in a situation where our Territory is occupied, but in reality, that region is empty Unoccupied Territory. If we buy more ti, the officers and troops currently being trained through the Grande École program will be deployed, making us even more advantageous.”
It was a bit unexpected for that they completely gave up the Offensive and switched to defense, but it's not a bad strategic decision.
Grand Duke Leopold must be hoping we'll smash into his solid Defense Line by trying to Recapture Alsace-Lorraine while he rallies his Stragglers.
But we have no reason to do that.
“On the other hand, the Empire, having suffered a major defeat with far superior forces in a war started to claim the Francia throne, is now facing a prolonged war. Simply maintaining the war and continuing military expenditures will put pressure on the Empire, not just economically, but politically.”
Strategically, defense might be better than a reckless Offensive, but this is a war started by a foreign-born Empress with insufficient justification.
Regardless of whose decision it was to change the strategic objective, the Feudal Lords who were forced to dispatch troops and pay for the war won't understand the circumstances.
“So, we should hand the prisoners over to them, wait patiently while reinforcing our strength. Then, cracks will inevitably appear in their army and their leadership.”
There were no further objections.
Seeing that the Counciln seed to have made up their minds, Eris opened her mouth.
“Councilman Talleyrand.”
“Speak, Your Majesty.”
“I entrust the Prisoner of War exchange negotiations to you.”
“It shall be done.”
As Talleyrand gave a slight nod, Eris spoke, her violet eyes gleaming.
“It would be right to return the prisoners unhard, as they were rely dragged into the Empire's war,”
“but there's no need to show leniency to the invading Empire. Since we're sending them back anyway,”
“I trust you'll squeeze everything possible out of them.”
Oh, did Eris really say that?
While Christine and I smiled, half surprised and half proud, Talleyrand, who had frozen for a mont with wide eyes, soon twisted his lips into a smirk and bowed deeply to Eris.
“As Your Majesty wishes.”
*
Sumr ended, and autumn began.
When they occupied both Alsace and Lorraine less than a month after the war began, the mood in the Imperial Army was quite optimistic.
Few had seriously considered the possibility of the Empire losing to Francia, a ss due to a long civil war and revolution.
The supply line disruption activities carried out by Francia imdiately after were extrely annoying, and the shock of the supply contamination incident was significant, but even that was considered rely a temporary difficulty.
However, after the last Battle, where they suffered a crushing defeat and lost tens of thousands despite believing they had perfectly trapped the enemy, the Imperial Army lacked confidence in whether they could seize Victory in this war.
Grand Duke Leopold sat in his command post, looking over reports.
When the Francia side made the unprecedented offer to release prisoners in an ongoing war, the Empire was reluctant.
Since they weren't launching an Offensive imdiately, taking back a large number of prisoners whose condition was unknown would clearly just drain money.
But they couldn't refuse.
Many of the prisoners were not from the Kaiser's direct forces but from troops conscripted from the Feudal Lords.
Since the troops of the Feudal Lords, who had cooperated in this weakly justified war fought for the Empress, were now prisoners, it wasn't a matter that the Empire could simply abandon.
The problem was that the man nad Talleyrand, who ca as Francia's representative, seed to know the Empire's internal affairs very well and tried to strip them bare relentlessly.
Recalling the negotiation situation, which felt more like a forced sale than a prisoner release, Grand Duke Leopold frowned.
After reading the report for a while, Grand Duke Leopold looked up at Duke Heinrich with a drained expression.
“So, the morale of the soldiers is dropping further because of the rumors spread by the returned prisoners.”
“Regrettably, yes. Your Highness.”
The Grand Duke felt bitter about being practically forced to buy back the prisoners from Francia, but he still tried to show so consideration for the prisoners who must have suffered hardship after being captured fighting under his command.
Yet, the prisoners he actually t were suspiciously healthy, making it unclear whether he should feel relieved or sad.
Seeing how things were unfolding, it seed he should feel neither, but rather anger.
Grand Duke Leopold pressed his forehead, looking extrely fatigued, and uttered words he couldn't believe and didn't want to believe.
“……Their Queen toured the infirmary, treated the wounded, told them there would be no Battle until the new year, so they should return safely and enjoy the holidays, and even saw them off? The prisoners? Personally?”
“Y-Yes, that is correct…….”
Duke Heinrich replied with a grimace, then hesitated before adding.
“The returned prisoners uniformly call their Queen a benevolent Saintess-Queen and seem to hold her in high esteem…….”
Grand Duke Leopold let out a hollow laugh.
If the enemy had attacked, this atmosphere would have subsided quickly.
There might be unease, but in a situation where you die if you don't fight back, such minor kindnesses would quickly be forgotten.
However, hostility and tension are also ntally taxing emotions. They cannot be maintained by forcing them on subordinates when there has been no battle for months.
And now, amidst this atmosphere, they were just going to face off until next year?
“Perhaps we should have launched an Offensive after all.”
Right now, they still had more troops thanks to the Reinforcents.
But the Grand Duke also knew that was no longer possible.
The news that there would be no battle for the ti being was what the front-line soldiers desired most. It had surely spread throughout the entire army already.
But to order the soldiers, who were relieved at the prospect of no fighting, to abandon the positions they had painstakingly fortified and go on the Offensive again?
Their already low Morale would plumt to rock bottom.
“……There is nothing we can do.”
A deep sense of powerlessness perated the Grand Duke's resigned words.
He thought he could force the enemy into an Offensive while holding Alsace-Lorraine and fight a defensive battle, but instead, they openly released poison and seed content to kindly wait until the Imperial Army self-destructed.
The Grand Duke almost wished their Queen's words were a Deception, and that Marquis Lafayette would launch a surprise Attack against them.
Then at least the Grand Duke's betrayed n might burn with vengeance and regain their Morale.
……The problem was, even the Grand Duke himself knew Marquis Lafayette was not that foolish.
“Still, now that we have information that there will be no Offensive until the year's end, shouldn't we report it to superiors…….”
At Duke Heinrich's hesitant words, the Grand Duke's frown deepened.
He had already gone over heads to directly petition the Kaiser and barely received permission for a defensive war. What on earth would the Kaiserin say when this news reached her, likely being hounded by the Feudal Lords?
Grand Duke Leopold sighed as if the ground would collapse.
“……We must report it.”
In the tactical battle against Marquis Lafayette, Grand Duke Leopold had certainly achieved Victory.
In the initial phase, he ultimately secured Alsace-Lorraine, and though slightly set back in the struggle over supply lines, he had turned the Marquis's trap against him, luring him into one instead.
If not for the Barbarians' Reinforcent Army, Victory would have belonged to the Grand Duke.
Grand Duke Leopold had undoubtedly fought successive Battles worthy of his title as a renowned general of the Empire.
Nevertheless, as the Battles continued and the war dragged on, the situation worsened steadily.
It was sothing different from the terror shown by the Blue Knight's overwhelming martial prowess, or the imposing pressure of the army led by the King of Kraft, which seed the embodint of discipline itself.
Feeling as though every situation was becoming a noose, slowly tightening around his neck, the Grand Duke shuddered and lanted.
“We are still losing this war.”
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