Chapter 115 - Siege Battle I

A month ago.

Routed by the Rozel Kingdom, Bartolo and Tonino (Carlo and Run added in) were holding a meeting in the DeMorgal Kingdom palace.

*Loud musical noise* Having just lost against the Rozel Army, what is our plan!! The counter-measure planning meeting now begins!! (Carlo)

Tentatively, the most prominent person in the meeting, Carlo DeMorgal, declared so.

The other members had grim expressions.

They were just routed not too long ago, so this was only natural.

Carlo is the odd one out for having such high tension.

Well there is only one real option we have here. We have to hold out a siege. (Bartolo)

Bartolo cuts in with the reality of the situation.

Carlo asks Bartolo.

But the numbers wont change right? Is a counterattack not possible, Bartolo? (Carlo)

Yeah, not possibl. Morale has visibly fallen. (Tonino)

Tonino answers Carlos question in Bartolos stead.

Now that morale has fallen so much, there is a very high probability that they would lose if they chose to fight a battle. Thus, Bartolo and Tonino have chosen to hold out a siege.

If it is a siege battle, there is no chance of losing due to low morale.

The problem there is with provisions. Run-dono, how many rations do we hold in storage in the royal capital? (Carlo)

At present, we have about two months worth in provisions stored. Right now, we are appropriating them from the surrounding villages and merchants. It is fortunate that we do not need to use the gold coins in the royal capital. As long as Rozel arrives in 5 months, preparations are easily doable. (Run)

Run Blouse replied.

While Run was unreliable in a fight, he is fairly competent in things like resource management.

Currently, he is in charge of managing the Coalition Armys arms and provisions.

Please buy up the alcohol as well. (Bartolo)

We cant be using our important war funds for your own interests. (Run)

Thats wrong!! Well, its true that I want a drink but its necessary to raise morale. (Bartolo)

On the battlefield, the one thing a soldiers wants is a good meal.

In a siege battle, food must be rationed out so in place of good food, luxury goods such as alcohol must be occasionally distributed.

If this isnt done then it would be impossible to hold a castle.

If possible, I would also like it if we could get some dried meat too (Bartolo)

*Sigh* well collect some if we have room to spare. (Run)

Run takes out some parchment and writes some notes.

Can I ask you a question? (Carlo)

What would it be? (Run)

Its better to cut down on food consumption right? Then would there be a problem with evicted the castle residents? They wouldnt want to be caught up in a battle either. (Carlo)

Carlo asks Tonino and Bartolo.

A special characteristic to siege battles is that it involves civilian non-combatants as well as combatants.

Those guys have lives and homes. They have no place to go if we kick them out. (Tonino)

Tonino answers.

People living in the castle town earn their livelihoods from the trading and handicraft industries.

If they were to be evicted, the people would lose their livelihoods.

During the siege battle, they can sell goods to the soldiers so keeping them around is actually preferable.

Besides, its not always a bad thing to have to take care of civilians. We can ask the citizens for logistical support afterall. (Bartolo?)

For example, letting the citizens nurse the injured.

Something like that is advantageous as the soldiers hands are already full with other matters.

In addition, a siege battle is one where even a novice can easily participate in. After all, just throwing rocks from above can kill a person. (Tonino)

If its just throwing stones, then even women and children participate.

Rather than citizens being a liabiility, their cooperation is what can make or break a siege. Carlo-sama, I am counting on you from here on. (Bartolo?)

You can leave it to me!! (Carlo)

Carlo gave out his enthusiasm.

Generally, many commoners do not think about the king too much.

Since they seldom leave their own villages, to them, the most important people were the ruling patricians.

They cant imagine an existence greater than the patricians.

Whatever the case, this is a kingdom.

The kings personal demesne, the royal capital, is, for better or for worse, greatly affected by said king.

Because there was no particular mismanagement on the previous King DeMorgal, he was thought of in a positive light.

His eldest, Carlo, is also has a good impression with the commoners.

In contrast, Aldo DeMorgal does not hold a good impression.

This is because Aldernians detest kinslayers.

In Aldos case, the time he held the royal capital was short, so the only thought the citizens held of him was that hes not good.

Well, the Gaulians are not hesitating in their looting at all, so I dont think getting the peoples cooperation willl not be that difficult. (Bartolo)

Bartolo shrugs.

Aldernian patricians and kings (when possible) do not really loot.

Aldernians share a common language, culture, and blood, and there will be problems afterwards, when the land comes under their control.

However, the Gaulians do not care about that.

To Gaulians, Aldernians are a foreign people with a different language and culture.

Therefore, there is no reason for them not to loot.

In addition, rather than perform agriculture, Gaulians are a people who hunt and live a pastoral life.

To them, the goal in war is steal and loot from the enemy, that looting is the right of the winner.

Also, the person in charge greatly affects the nature of an army.

In this case, the Rozel Armys top commanding officer is General Curiu. His assistant is Merlin.

The Aldernian armys commanding officers are the patrician, so there is a divide between the politicians and soldiers.

However, the supreme commander, General Curiu, is different.

He is genuine soldier and in no way a politician.

Thats why he does not think about the governance of the territory that comes after.

Also, his assistant, Merlin, is a sorcerer to begin with. She has no experience in political or military affairs.

She was originally the flat-face clans patriarchs, King Etzels, sex slave consort.

The opposition is to be massacred, My things are mine. Your things are also mine, and If you see a woman, take her. Violate her. Married women are to be plundered, are the values from the flat-faced clan that Merlin uses as a basis for the common sense in this world, so there are no restrictions on raping and pillaging.

Since its obvious that surrendering will lead to misfortune, there are very few who will raise their hands in surrender.

The side with the geographical advantage and peoples cooperation is the Coalition Army.

However naturally, Carlo, Tonino, and Run hold complicated expressions.

Even now, their countrymen were being slaughtered, so its hard to not do anything about it.

All thats left is to find some way to subdue their sorcerer (Tonino?)

Ill leave selecting personnel for that to you. There are likely more latent sorcerers in the DeMorgal Kingdom. (Bartolo)

In a seige battle, because the enemy has you surrounded, normally there is no way to contact the outside to get information.

However, if sorcerers are placed in surrounding villages in advance, then it is possible to exchange intel using messenger owls.

Nevertheless, the enemy is wary of such tactics so this is by no means easy to accomplish.

Excuse me for the interuption!! Permission to enter the room!! (Beefy Patrician)

Permission granted. Enter. (Carlo)

Carlo answers and a beefy man opens the door and enters the room.

This was one of the prominent patricians from Carlos faction who had been given special temporary command over the soldiers.

The residents of the surrounding villages want to be let into the walls (Beef Patty)

Hmm, I see (Carlo)

Carlo makes eye contact with Tonino and Bartolo.

Tonino and Bartolo give a light nod.

Let them in. (Carlo)

Understood! (Beef Patty)

The patrician with a happy experssion rushes off.

With this, the surrounding villages wont be killed.

Run, ensure we have a large amount of army provisions. (Carlo)

Understood. (Run)

Run sighs.

However, it wasnt like they could have abandoned them.

Now, it all depends on Ledus and the Rosyth Armys reinforcements (Tonino)

Tonino muttered.

They already received the letter from King Rosyth that he is doing his best to quickly arrive.

However, it could take a month at worst to capitulate the Equus Tribe, the Belvedere Kingdom, and the Eville Kingdom.

Runs older brother, Letis Blouse, is having difficulties suppressing the lands under Aldos faction.

At one time, they switched sides to the Carlo faction, but now, they are once again turning to the Aldo faction or better put the Rozel faction.

Even then because Aldo DeMorgal is borrowing power from the Gaulians, there is much antipathy about him so there are still patricians who remain a part of Carlos faction.

It is estimated that subduing the lands that are a part of Aldos faction will take a month.

In short, they need to last for a month.

Well, we can take a month. Past that is a really doubtful though. (Bartolo)

Bartolo shrugs.

In truth, Bartolo is inexperienced in prolonged sieges.

The Battle of Fort Terrier was three days after all; the numbers of soldiers were not that different from each other.

However this time, there will be 10,000 soldiers, coming in a month for the siege battle.

There are also some unknown numbers.

However, we must win at all cost. If Rozel wins here, then they will have a major base to the southern half of the Aldernian Peninsula (Carlo)

This will only increase the speed at which Rozel is conquering the Aldernian Peninsula and means future where Aldernians will be enslaved by the Gaulians.

We must definitively hold out here.

Still, its tempting to try for a peace offer and give some land. But then wed need to have Rosyth to concede land as well haaa why me (Carlo)

Carlo mutters some complaints.

Carlo is the one who, out of any of the previous DeMorgal kings, has the most hardships.

Now all thats left is to send a letter to the Fardam and Gillbed Kingdoms. If my country were to fall, its clear Rozel will be going after then next. Even if they cant provide reinforcements, they can at least apply some pressure on Rozels borders. (Tonino)

Tonino concludes with that and so the meeting is adjourned.

In this war, the most important battle will be the siege battle.

Eville, Belvedere, and Equus have all been defeated.

However, a Coalition Army defeat at this siege battle will mean the end of the DeMorgal Kingdom and the vassalization of the Rosyth Kingdom.

Even if other battles are won, were this one to be lost would mean the war is lost.

On the contrary, even if other battles are lost, were this one to end in victory, it would be a second wind to the war.

Truly, this siege battle is the key to the wars victory.

The DeMorgal and Rosyth Kingdoms no the Aldernian Peninsulas fate is at hand here.