Topal, the commander of the 40,000-strong Tumari rebel force, was a little, really a little, taken aback by the unexpected news.
"Really? The enemy is entering the Tishal Mountains on their own and preparing for battle? And with a force of less than ten thousand?"
"Yes, Sahal Din Topal."
"What the heck is this...?"
Topal frowned, ntally recalling the map, and halted his march to hastily assemble his command staff to resolve this perplexing problem.
"It seems that Hardion's darling has had a few successes and is starting to overestimate himself."
"He walked into a trap on his own two feet. He must have gone blind chasing the light of victory."
Everyone was delighted that Hardion's army, led by Carl, had entered the Tishal Mountains.
"Sahal Din Topal, this is your chance!"
In particular, Chandar, who had been ntioned as the top military commander alongside Topal when mustering troops in the northwestern region of Tumaria, but was pushed aside by a single vote, stepped forward with great enthusiasm.
"The Tishal Mountains are rocky terrain. The only way for the army to move is through the mountains, and even then, the path is rough, so once a battle breaks out, an orderly retreat is impossible. Here, we can annihilate the enemy in one battle and capture Hardion's insolent brat."
Chandar jumped up and looked down at the commanders sitting around him with piercing eyes as he spoke powerfully and eloquently. His words were absolutely correct, so everyone nodded in satisfaction and encouraged him.
"Sahal Din Chandar, we need to approach the Duke of Hardion more cautiously."
On the other hand, Topal sat like a rock with heavy, sunken eyes, dealing with the matter very cautiously.
"The youngling you speak of displayed incredible maneuverability, crushing Sahal Din Hidan's army, five tis larger than his own, without a hitch. And with less than 15,000 n, he completely took control of this vast land and now holds his sword at our chins. We should not underestimate the Grand Duke of Hardion just because he is only 18 years old. We must be wary of the extraordinary brilliance that shines so eerily even at such a young age."
The heated atmosphere cald down as Topal spoke in a calm voice. Now that they heard it, Topal's words were true. If Archduke Carl had really been nothing more than a brat, things wouldn't have gotten to this point. He was young, but that made him even more extraordinary. Chandar flinched at the reversal in the atmosphere caused by Topal's words. He was still standing alone, looking down at everyone, trying his best not to show his feelings.
"Sahal Din Topal, it is good. I admit that the Grand Duke of Hardion is a threat. But do not tell that you will throw away this golden opportunity, even as a joke."
A powerful voice echoed from Chandar's mouth, hidden behind his stiff beard.
"If we let this go on, we'll only be giving Hardion a chance. We can't recruit any more troops. If we continue to recruit due to the rebellion... the civil war, everyone will wither away before the war. And aren't there a lot of troubles caused by the monster that recently appeared in the Celle Mountains?"
"..."
This ti, Topal had no choice but to remain silent. Hardion had ample war-fighting capabilities, and additional support could arrive at any ti.
On the other hand, Western Tumari had already used up a lot of its strength in the civil war, and further reinforcent was impossible.
They were also struggling to deal with a giant reptilian monster that had recently co down the river from the Celle Mountains and wreaked havoc on nearby villages. If they missed the chance to annihilate the enemy and capture Carl here, they would be pushed back when Hardion's support arrived later.
Topal read the tension in the air and opened his mouth to try to persuade once again.
"Sahal Din Chandar. What you say is right. But that is not sothing we should consider. We have co here bearing the na of Sahal Din, and we must fight only for victory."
"What better way to victory than to attack an enemy who is trapped in the Tishal Mountains?"
"To us, it looks like the enemy's limbs, but at the sa ti, it is a battlefield that the enemy has chosen. We will never fight the enemy there."
"Well then, Sahal Din Topal, what kind of mysterious tactics could possibly enable you to defeat this formidable enemy of less than ten thousand n?"
Chandar trembled as if Topal was trying to avoid battle. But Topal did not waver and calmly presented a path to victory.
"We will block the passage through the valley to prevent the enemy from crossing the mountain range and trampling on our defenseless land. And we will do nothing until the enemy retreats."
"..."
*I won't do anything.* The supre military commander leading the army that would determine the fate of northwestern Tumari had declared that he would not fight at this ti.
"Are you trying to avoid combat?"
Chandar asked in a quiet voice. Was that really what it ant?
"Yes. I won't fight because I'm not sure I can win. And I'll achieve victory by not fighting," Topal said, his eyes shining with clarity.
There were always chances of winning, but there were too many uncertainties, and Archduke Carl's strategic and tactical insight was that of a master general. In Topal's view, the odds of winning were conservatively estimated at around 60%. It was right to avoid battles where there was a 40% chance of defeat.
"Archduke Carl seems to enjoy a bold war of maneuver. In fact, he moved much faster than we expected and established himself in the Tishal Mountains. This type of maneuver warfare has the disadvantage of being vulnerable to supply problems. If we block the valley at the entrance to the mountain range and stay still, Archduke Carl will have no choice but to retreat when his supplies run out."
"Hah! Hahahaha! Hahahahaha!"
Chandar's loud laughter echoed, as if erasing Topal's words. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire
"Sahal Din Topal! How convincing for soone who is afraid of Hardion's darling leading a force of less than ten thousand n and is about to bury his head in hiding!"
"Sahal Din Chandar. That's harsh."
The other commanders stood up awkwardly and tried to stop Chandar from crossing the line. But if it were going to stop here, he wouldn't have even opened his mouth in the first place
"So you're going to sit back and watch as Hardion's vassals retreat and receive additional support to trample on our lands?"
Flutter!
Chandar shouts loudly and waves his arms vigorously.
Everyone flinched at the sound of the long sleeves flapping.
"Sahal Din Chandar. Just by forcing Grand Duke Carl to step down, we can end this war…."
"Topal, I don't follow cowards."
Although Topal tried to calmly persuade him, Chandar had no intention of listening to Topal any longer.
He showed it by calling Topal without Sahal Din's na, and the atmosphere in the command center gathered around beca inevitably tense.
Topal's appointnt as the supre military commander was decided through a vote by the high-ranking nobles and nurous supporters who were the owners of each territory.
Chandar's attitude is nothing short of insulting.
However, that doesn't an we can blindly bla Chandar's actions.
Before we discuss right and wrong, this is because it is a right rightfully given to those who bear the na of Sahal Din.
"I am against that coward leading us!"
puck!
puck!
Chandar pulled out the sword from its sheath that was hanging on his waist and slamd it hard into the ground so that everyone could clearly see it.
Everyone's eyes are focused on Chandar's sword, which has dug half a span into the dry, hard floor.
"Sahal Din Chandar! What kind of rude behavior is this!"
"If you want to talk about rudeness, do it after the voting is over."
Chandar growled and warned the commander who was questioning him.
Voting has already begun, so if you have any complaints, it is right to speak up after winning the vote.
"We can win without fighting. Archduke Carl would lose all influence in western Tumaria simply by withdrawing from the fight under which he raised his banner."
"And they will trample our land with more troops and more supplies."
"Sahal Din Chandar, look at things from a broader perspective."
"It was you, Topal, who said to focus solely on winning the battle?"
"How much longer… How much longer must we shed the blood of innocent people in this senseless war before we are satisfied?"
Topal, who had been trying to persuade them calmly, finally couldn't bear it anymore and covered his face.
Soon, he spoke in a voice boiling with sorrow, as if pleading.
Topal, who even declared that he would avoid battle, leaving behind the glory and honor that he would enjoy as the supre military commander.
He was not only a great commander in terms of strategy and tactics, but he was also a great nobleman in terms of caring for his people.
However, in a situation where he was branded a coward by Chandar, showing such human emotions never worked well for him.
"… … There is so truth to what Sahal Din Topal said, but we cannot miss this opportunity. We have gathered our swords to fight, and we have co out to fight and win."
chin.
One commander, who had been sitting quietly and listening, takes out his sword from its sheath and places it on the floor.
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