Chapter 70 - Seven Days War VII

Author: 桜木桜 (Sakuragi Sakura)

Translator: Isekai Shousetsu

Disclaimer: This is a fan translation only. All rights belong to the author. Since the translator is around JLPT N2-N3 only, he cannot guarantee the translation is free from error. If you enjoy the story please support the author by buying the light novel or by visiting the manga serialization even if you can't read j.a.panese.

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For me, the winning conditions are that I become King and Julia becomes mine.

It's not like these conditions are difficult to achieve.

If I had forcibly married Julia, even without some accomplishments under my belt, I would become king.

The real problem is what comes after.

As expected, who would follow as new king a stranger whose ability you don't even know.

Furthermore, would Regal DeBell just sit quietly and allow that to happen?

The answer is no.

We'll fall into civil war.

In order to obtain peace after victory, it is necessary that I win through this civil war.

This civil war's victory condition is to force all the clansmen to submit to me.

It's not like it's necessary to destroy Regal. It would be fine if he would just submit to me. That however is impossible.

Now then, it will be a civil war but….

Winning won't be difficult.

Rosythian crown territories, royal soldiers, plus Ars soldiers.

If I add all of these to the Ars factions' soldiers then all of them would be enough to bring down the DeBell faction.

However, another problem is up until when the h.e.l.l should I fight until it could be considered a victory? Furthermore, I'll be risking exhaustion.

It's not like you can clearly identify the enemy.

There's a chance that some people in the Ars faction might grow uncomfortable seing me on the throne and thus betray me.

There are also those from the Neutral faction who continue to give vague answers when asked who they will support.

You won't be able to know who on earth they'd support……..or when they would betray someone.

It's also said that the time limit until a foreign country might intervene is around one month.

Will it really end in just one month?

It'll be a mess if another country were to intervene.

The Belvedere Kingdom, the De Morgal Kingdom, the Ebill Kingdom, the Equus tribe…..

They won't hold themselves back.  Under the pretense of expropriation, they'd probably come and steal until exhausted the kingdom's food provisions; and kidnap then sell into slavery our citizens caught in the confusion.

Rather than the war, they'd probably focus on doing those things.

In the first place, the battlefield of a civil war is naturally one's own country. You'd be burning down your own country's land and would have your own country's soldiers kill each other.

That is a civil war.

After this ends, I wonder what will I have left in my hands?

As for me, what's necessary is not victory.  Victory is just the pre-requisite.

More than that, I need to win while limiting the damage, limiting the deaths, and if possible without causing war. That's all there is to it.

In order to achieve that, I need achievements befitting of kings.h.i.+p. I'll need to pre-emptively strike the DeBell Faction. I also need a just cause to do just that. Furthermore, I need to prepare my troops without, as much as possible, giving the DeBell faction an opportunity to prepare.

With that, the level of difficulty has increased in one stroke.

In this war with the De Morgal Kingdom, what I wanted was an achievement befitting of kings.h.i.+p.

However…..To receive a sudden stroke of good luck such as this. Well, no, I actually forcibly made it happen.

I never thought I'd be able to successfully put all things in place.

Fifth Day

The 1000 remaining soldiers of the Rosyth army promptly pulled out from the Blouse territory.

Then, they immediately arrive in the Ars Territory.

They wer welcomed with cheers and applause by the Ars Territory's citizens.

"Then, Ron. I'll give you 500. Be on standby here in the Ars territory."

"Understood."

I temporarily pull out 500 from the Rosyth army and a.s.sign them to Ron.

Then, I talk to Muzio.

"Hey, are you going home now?"

"N? The contract has ended so we're going home. Would it be better if we stay?"

"No, it's fine if you go home…..However, if you stay, then I promise to show you something even more interesting."

I grinningly laugh.

Muzio nods with a perplexed expression on his face.

"I understand. Then we'll stay for a little longer. Well, there's still the conferral of honors, after all. I won't be able to go home without my close friend's big moment."

Sixth Day

At last, the Rosyth army has arrived at the Rosyth Royal Palace. The citizens welcome them with great applause.

"As expected of Lord Almis!"

"Iya, so wonderful!!"

Here come the former DeBell factionmen rus.h.i.+ng to Almis' side. They are clansmen who didn't even partic.i.p.ate in the war. They had heard of the Rosyth army's victory so they immediately changed sides.

While politely dealing with them, Almis holds audience with the king. They are surrounded by the clansmen who partic.i.p.ated in the war, their families, the former DeBell turncoats, and the DeBell faction members who came to wait-and-see how things would go.

Furthermore, they are surrounded by the citizens living near the palace.

"Now then, oh Almis Ars. You have faced great hards.h.i.+ps in this war. What do you desire as reward?"

"Well then….."

While being attentively watched by the clansmen, Almis firmly declares:

"I desire the hand of Princess Julia, this country, and the crown."

The clansmen fall silent.

King Rosyth immediately hands over his crown, scepter, and mantle to Julia standing on his side.

Then, he pushes her from behind and declares:

"Behold, take as you please."

Almis immediately rushes to Julia and kisses her without minding the people's gazes.

"With this, you've become mine. I won't ever let you go, you know?"

"…….Yes. I know."

Julia sweetly smiles.

Almis then takes the crown and scepter while Julia puts the mantle on his back.

He then stands before the great clansmen.

He raises his scepter and is met with great cheers.

""Long Live the New King!!! Long Live the New King!!""

The clansmen who knew about Almis' succession beforehand raise cheers and applause.

The neutral faction are left with bewildered expressions while the turncoats show their relief that their decisions were correct.

Finally, the DeBell faction's clansmen were seething with rage.

Almis then violently bangs the staff into the ground.

Everyone falls silent.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. The war is not yet over. We have yet to purge our country with the De Morgal army from within. Lord Carlo!"

"Yes, yes, King Rosyth." [TLN1]

Carlo steps forward with a seemingly irked face. One by one, he reads out names. They are names of DeBell faction members headed by Regal himself. The turncoats' names were not read out.

A large part of them were not here but those whose names were called out showed uneasy expressions wondering about what was happening.

Tetra, with an expressionless face, then comes forward to declare:

"The aforementioned names are people who have sold out this country to the De Morgal Kingdom and secretly colluded with them against us. In other words, they are traitors. Now then, what are we to do with them, King Rosyth?"

Almis laughs and answers.

"The penalty for treason is death. That's only natural, yes?"

Immediately, the number of DeBell turncoats multiplied rus.h.i.+ng to Almis so as to cling for mercy.

They've understood that they're to be executed and thus immediately went over the fence in the confusion.

"It-it's a misunderstanding! We humbly support the succession of the new king! Long live the new king!! Long li—"

A turncoat's head goes flying.

Bartolo draws first blood.

"I'm sorry but there's no seats left for you in this s.h.i.+p."

The clansman's head tumbles around like a ball.

All the DeBell Clansmen-traitors-who witnessed such simultaneously and immediately run for their lives.

However, they are intercepted by imperial guards who disguised themselves as citizens.

One by one, they were executed.

Almis surveys the other clansmen stricken with fear.

"Now then, is there anyone here who hold dissatisfaction with my succession?"

n.o.body answers.

"Is there anyone here who are traitors?"

n.o.body answers.

"Is there anyone here thinking of helping out the traitors?"

n.o.body answers.

"Well then, is there anyone here opposed to having the traitors executed starting now?"

n.o.body answers.

Almis nods in satisfaction.

"Bartolo! Raymond!"

Almis summons the two.

The two retainers kneel in front of Almis.

"What is your wish, oh our King?"

Almis declares while looking at the two.

"All the soldiers here are together 6,000 strong. Bartolo, Raymond, I'll bestow each of you a thousand soldiers. Go and kill all the traitors. I'll take the remaining 4,000 and go kill Regal DeBell."

"Yes sir!!"

The two deeply bow their heads.

Then, Bartolo asks Almis.

"By the way, our esteemed king. Would it be fine for us to execute up to nine degrees of the traitors' kin?"

"Yes, there would be no problem with that."

"Even women and children?"

"So long as they're within nine degrees of consanguinity."

Bartolo nods, satisfied with Almis' declaration.

Thus, Almis rushes over to Muzio.

Muzio, naturally surprised, cannot help but show a dumbfounded expression.

"My dear friend. Certainly, the next king also inherits our alliance, yes? Well then, won't you come work for my country once again?

Muzio laughs and answers.

"Naturally! My dear friend. Let's take down our enemies together!!"

Thus, the Seven Days War.

The sixth day ends and the seventh day begins.

Author's notes:

The second volume will end two chapters later. (TLN: It says so on his notes so it ends with Chapter 72. However, syosetu includes Chapter 73 and 74 into the second volume. IDK why.)

Translator's Notes:

Note 1↑: Just in case it still isn't clear yet. This King Rosyth now refers to Almis.