Episode 168 Krafte War – Selection (1)
Bahua City.
Although the introduction of the residents had already been completed and the revolutionary army was well into the fortification of the city, there were still residents who could not give up and remained.
“Oh my, you guys! “How did you buy this house?”
“Uh, uh, ma’am, you must not interfere during the operation!”
“Do you not have a mother? “You would say that even if I were destroying your mother’s wall!”
“Oh no, that’s…”
“You bad guys! It’s not the tax I paid to feed and clothe you! But why don’t you protect my house!”
Giselle Darby, who was looking at the struggling soldier and the woman holding him, sighed and approached.
“What’s going on, soldier?”
“Major So!”
The woman who came striding forward grabbed Giselle’s sleeve faster than the soldier could reply.
“Someone got permission to tear down the walls of our house!”
“This is an order from His Excellency the Marquis de Lafayette, Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army. “In order to demolish the fence, which would be easily torn down in the event of a street battle and make it difficult to deploy troops, and build a more reinforced defense line.”
“Oh, we are citizens too, so we have to protect our home! “Isn’t the revolutionary army here to protect this country, even if it means shedding blood?”
Giselle Darby sighed deeply and gave an order.
“Take me out of the city. … as politely as possible.”
“Yes old!”
“Come here, ma’am. There are still carriage rides to other cities. “I will take you there.”
“You bad guys! Let it go! My husband also died fighting in the revolutionary army, so kick him out of the house! “How could you do this to me!”
I think it is necessary and an excellent tactical decision, but there is no way civilians would realize that.
They just feel unfair and angry that they will be kicked out and their hometown will become a battlefield and be devastated.
When Giselle saw the woman being dragged away by her subordinates, she sighed in despair.
“Are you having a hard time, Major?”
Then, at the voice I heard, I slowly raised my eyebrows and looked away.
“Sergeant Durand.”
Leon Durand.
It may seem like a sergeant is very comfortable talking to a major, but in reality, his military rank is only nominal and he is a man hired as a personal escort for Lieutenant Louis Daquiten, so he is treated as a half-mercenary even within the military.
Giselle, who naturally became acquainted with Louis because she cared about him, smiled awkwardly.
“It’s not something I really want to do either. Being in a position to listen to complaints. “It wouldn’t be surprising if their offensive began, but there are still people like that left.”
“Haha, thanks to the higher-ups, you are having a hard time.”
“…That high person alone takes responsibility for all complaints. “It’s not my place to whine.”
“Hmm, is that right?”
Giselle gave Durand a questioning look.
“…?”
“Usually high-ranking people don’t seriously care about the grievances of those below them.”
“Sergeant Durand, even though you are treated exceptionally within the military, these words and actions are inappropriate for your rank.”
“Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry, Major. But isn’t that true? Anyone who can decisively issue an eviction order to a large city like this must have achieved some feat in battle-”
Durand’s words were cut off by Giselle’s low voice.
“He is also someone who risks his life and fights alongside the soldiers on the front lines. Although he already had nowhere else to go, he decided to fight in the streets, which would be politically burdensome. “If you are a person who cares about your own success or politics, you should not start a street fight while invoking the complaints of the residents…”
Giselle paused for a moment and then spat out in a cold tone.
“It would be cheaper to replace all the soldiers in the field to protect this city.”
“Wow. “Are you more cool-headed than you think, Major?”
“We are simply aware of the reality that the lives of individual soldiers are politically undervalued if we can somehow achieve victory. “But His Excellency the Marquis did not make that choice, and that is why I respect him.”
Leon Durand chuckled.
“Well, it might be a little different from common generals. But isn’t it because she is the fiancé of the Count of Aquitaine?”
This time, Giselle Darby’s face was hit.
“That’s for sure. Because of that, I thought well of him before I met him, but aside from that, after seeing him in person, the Marquis himself was enough – no, just for a moment. “How does the sergeant know that?”
Giselle Davy met Christine D’Aquitaine only once, on the day of her graduation after completing the Grande École course.
When Louis first met, he said that he was indebted to the Countess of Aquitaine, but he wouldn’t have said that he was grateful to her in private, right?
How on earth would a foreign mercenary know that she had feelings for Christine Daquiten?
Although full of doubts, Leon Durand actually had a very complex and subtle face when he received Giselle’s question.
He’s smiling bitterly, but it doesn’t seem like he’s just trying to avoid the situation, and his expression shows pity – what about pity?
“What does that expression mean?”
“Well, well… I’m realizing that the truth is not always what you think.”
At this point, Giselle’s expression and tone of voice became stiff.
“Please explain properly, Sergeant.”
The only thing I can say is that it is not a relationship that was made simply through Lewis, but a relationship between a major and a sergeant.
Or rather, it was something that encouraged that to happen.
Leon Durant shrugged his shoulders as if there was nothing he could do and opened his mouth.
“Do you know how Ellen Darby died?”
* * *
Revolutionary Army Headquarters Commander-in-Chief Command Center.
I asked, unable to hide my surprise at the sudden news brought by Louis Desget.
“President Nicola Brissot came this far?”
“Yes that’s right. You are requesting a meeting with His Excellency the Marquis. Judging by the looks of it, it seems that His Excellency the Marquis was unaware of this. “For now, I’ve taken you to the guest quarters, but what do you want to do?”
Deje also asked with a look of complete surprise on his face.
“Hmm…”
The Krafte army’s offensive is imminent, and the leader of the Liberal Party is coming all the way to this dangerous front line.
And without prior contact?
I’m sure they didn’t come to protest the evacuation of the residents from Bahua.
To be honest, I wouldn’t have anything to say if I just sent him back, but to put it the other way, it would mean that he came with something important enough to meet me, right?
Anyway, since the beginning of the revolution, the President of the Liberal Party has had a cooperative relationship and has never been hostile.
The Revolutionary Party’s power has collapsed, the Center Party has taken control of the National Assembly, and Christine is in charge of the Franzian economy, so it feels like things have become a little uncomfortable between them, but at least they won’t hear good things about having someone who came this far go away empty-handed.
“Let’s meet first.”
“All right. “Let us serve you.”
I followed Desget outside and took in the view of the city, where all the residents had been introduced and fortification was in full swing.
A prosperous city in central France has been transformed into a desolate and tense place.
“Haha, doesn’t it look like a huge fortress? “Well, the process is a bit noisy.”
“Ah, I received the report. “It’s not unreasonable.”
There have been several reports of significant backlash during the process of evacuating residents and strengthening the city, but there is nothing we can do about it.
It was surprising that the Krafte army belatedly sent troops to their home country ahead of the decisive battle, as it was an unbecoming choice for a great king, but even so, if they engage them again in the field without a clear plan, the damage will be enormous.
It’s a pity for the residents here, but if they lose the war in the first place, there will be no one to compensate them.
Once the war is won, we have to find a way to somehow provide compensation.
After walking around the city with Desais for a while, we were able to arrive at the guest accommodation where Nicola Brissot was waiting.
…It’s a private house, but it’s just guest accommodation.
“Then I will leave now, Marquis.”
“Ah, good job on the guide, Commander.”
It’s not my position to do something like that.
Louis Desais seemed to understand as well, smiling and saluting.
“Because all front-line officers are busy.”
After sending Desget off, I entered the building and Nicolas Brissot, who had been waiting in a chair, slowly stood up.
“It’s been a while since I saw you, President Brissot. “Please understand that I came late as it was a sudden incident.”
Brissot answered with a wry smile, perhaps because of the bone in his words.
“This old man who came without prior notice must be the problem. It’s been a while, Marquis de Lafayette. “You look healthy.”
It sounds strange, perhaps because it was said by an already old lawyer-turned-politician who is over 50 years old and has grown gray hair.
“The president is still correcting it.”
“Hehehe, it’s strange to hear this from a marquis in his prime. “I am part of a generation that is already fading away…”
“You are saying that the Liberal Party members will not welcome this.”
Brisso smiled bitterly after hearing what I said.
The Revolutionary Party, which is clearly radical and has the identity of being the successor to Maximilien Isidore, and the Central Party, which is a gathering of conservative forces centered around nobles who abandoned the old system and joined the revolution.
In contrast, the moderate Liberal Party did not have such a strong image, except for Nicolas Brissot, who had been with the revolution from the beginning and remains its president to this day.
Wouldn’t everyone be upset if Nicola Brissot were to retire?
“Do you like coffee?”
“Oh, coffee is good.”
After hearing Brissot’s answer, I made some coffee that had been prepared in advance, prepared a portion for both of us, and sat down across from him.
I said I didn’t need coffee in front of the damn king, but in fact, the king’s coffee was quite delicious.
We spent time with each other leisurely, savoring the scent of coffee.
When I didn’t say anything, Nicola Brissot spoke up.
“Do you think you can win this battle, Marquis de Lafayette?”
“Well, victory or defeat can happen at any time on the battlefield. We just do our best to prepare as thoroughly as possible and reduce variables to achieve victory. As you know, their great king is greater than anyone he has ever faced, so we cannot guarantee victory.”
“Yeah, I see.”
Although it was a routine statement from the commander-in-chief, Brissot was silent for a moment, savoring the aroma of the coffee as if he was mulling over my answer.
What on earth are you here to talk about that you’re stopping so hard? There’s a lot of work to do.
As the doubt deepened, Nicola Brissot slowly opened his mouth.
“Haven’t we known each other for quite some time?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Nicola Brissot was the first to express interest to us as we sought contact with the revolutionary government that was the republic at the time.
He contacted Christine first, so we were able to negotiate with the revolutionary government.
Although the negotiations were leaked to the revolutionary government and led to an unprecedented situation where Maximilien Isidore followed…
Thinking about it now, it’s all just a memory.
As I was naturally laughing, Brissot opened his mouth again.
“At that time, the Count of Aquitaine contacted the revolutionary government first. “To be exact, it was probably your request.”
“That’s right, President Brissot.”
An answer I gave without much thought.
“…Before our revolutionary government even knew of your existence, you, the nobles of the old system, recognized us not as rebels but as subjects of negotiation and reached out to us.”
But as Brissot continued to talk about him, I also felt a sense of alienation.
“I was very happy at the time. “I was sick and tired of the bloody revolution, and it was encouraging to see that there was someone among the nobility of the old system who could compromise.”
Nicola Brissot’s expression
was not one of good memories, but of clear doubt and caution.
“But now I’m starting to wonder. How was such a thing possible? How was it that the Marquis de Lafayette and the Count of Aquitaine, unlike the nobles of the old system, were able to consolidate their power in the south, stockpile such incredible capital and military power during that disastrous civil war, and reach out to us?”
I knew that conspiracy theories were circulating within the revolutionary government.
But anyway, there is no evidence and good things are good things, so it has become a blur.
But why come now?
Why at this timing?
“How were you able to lead the revolutionary government amidst the chaos and turbulence, despite your enormous weakness as aristocrats of the old system?”
Nicola Brissot’s tone of voice is calm, but his eyes are sharp as if they are looking right through me.
“…Marquis de Lafayette. “Didn’t you know that a revolution would occur and how it would unfold amidst the chaos of the civil war?”
While I was trying to decide what to say in response, Nicola Brissot slowly shook his head and then spoke again.
“There were people who had such doubts, but they thought it was realistically impossible. However, it makes sense if you think that the occurrence and development of the revolution was led by a marquis who joined hands with some kind of force.”
Nicolas Brissot touched his coffee cup with his hand, was silent for a moment, and then spoke.
“Marquis de Lafayette, Count of Aquitaine. “How did you make a deal with the devil and acquire a huge fortune even before the revolution broke out?”
This.
Is this something that can be found out at the level of Krafte’s informant?
“I ask you, Marquis Lafayette. You, the guardian of the revolution. “You are the one we trusted to protect Francia against demons and foreign powers.”
The person that came to my mind at this moment was not the Great King.
Paimon…!
“…Are you really on Franzia’s side?”
