Days had passed since Friedrich and his army arrived in Bohemia.
News of the emperor’s army departing from the capital Vienna reached Count Turun, the 13 nobles of Bohemia, and the commanders from Friedrich and the Palatinate, who gathered to discuss their plans.
“The emperor’s army has finally set out.”
“I hear they may arrive within ten days at the earliest.”
“What’s the scale of their forces?”
“I can’t give an exact estimate, but I’ve heard it’s definitely over 20,000.”
“Well… that’s not a small number…”
“I doubt their military might is less than ours.”
The nobles expressed their concerns while discussing the latest reports brought by scouts.
Watching their anxious faces, the father, who was the commanding officer of the Bohemian forces, spoke with a burning resolve in his voice.
“It matters not how many enemies we face. The important thing is to consider how we will achieve victory against them.”
“Count Turun is right. The war has started, and all that’s left is to fight. It’s more important to discuss how we will respond rather than being afraid of the enemy.”
A middle-aged man voiced his agreement firmly with his father’s words.
Count Hoen Georg of the 13 nobles, also an excellent mage, revitalized the previously downtrodden atmosphere with a determined demeanor.
“That’s true. In fact, this war was already foreseen from the moment we rose for a noble cause.”
“Even if the enemy is numerous, this is our territory. If we fight with our lives, we will surely win.”
“Moreover, isn’t this war a righteous crusade against the church’s tyranny to uphold the true will of God? Surely, God will bless us.”
The nobleman’s comments lifted the tense atmosphere in the meeting room, turning it into a passionate discussion once more.
At that moment…
Seeing this, Anhalt, who sat next to Friedrich, spoke brightly as if it were his time to shine.
“Indeed. As I’ve mentioned, this war is a crusade to fight against evil with a just cause. If we unite our strength under the will of God, there’s no reason for us to lose, and related to that… I see it as crucial to address a significant matter for our victory.”
Riding the wave of enthusiasm, Anhalt made his point.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but frown slightly. Still, the nobles, unaware of what was next, focused their attention on the word “victory.”
Then, Anhalt smoothly continued, looking around at the nobles.
“An old saying goes that two cooks spoil the soup. An organization with two heads cannot operate normally, and an army with two commanders cannot achieve victory.”
Showing that he’s not just fooling around with the surrounding powers and the heretic alliance, Anhalt naturally led the discussion.
However, knowing what he’d say next, and also what the outcome would be, I found his conduct rather irritating.
And then, Anhalt spewed words that perfectly aligned with my expectations.
“In that regard… I believe we should first decide who will be our coalition’s commander here before discussing tactics.”
“The commander… you say?”
“Well… that is indeed a reasonable point.”
Anhalt spoke confidently.
In response, some nobles looked slightly uncomfortable but still agreed with what he was saying.
In a critical situation like war, it’s essential to have a commander to make the final decision.
In regard to this, Count Hoen casually remarked.
“The commander should naturally be Count Turun, the lord of Bohemia, who already has command over our army, shouldn’t it?”
“I also agree. Since we’ve entrusted our army to Count Turun, it would only be right for him to take the position of commander.”
Count Turun, already wielding authority as a military commander and rich in battle experience as a mage, was naturally the right choice for commander.
However, Anhalt gently interjected with a calm voice.
“Of course, given the situation, that’s the expected route. But as mentioned earlier, our strength is lacking compared to the emperor’s. What we need now is to attract more support from other nations.”
With that statement, Anhalt subtly scanned the surrounding atmosphere.
He then cautiously turned towards the observing Count Turun and continued.
“And unfortunately, I see it as inadvisable for Count Turun to become the commander.”
“Anhalt, what kind of disrespectful words are those!”
“What does the appointment of a commander have to do with support from foreign nations?”
With that, Anhalt began laying the groundwork for a larger narrative while subtly pulling the public opinion in the direction he desired.
He exchanged glances with the nobles he had prearranged his speech with, then turned to the supporters of Count Turun who were frowning in protest.
“Ah, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying Count Turun lacks ability. Rather, I believe it is crucial to clearly define this war as one not merely between Bohemia and the emperor, but a conflict between our heretic alliance representing the will of God and the corrupt forces of the church.”
“Um…”
“Are you implying…?”
Some nobles reacted as if they had caught on to something in Anhalt’s words.
With a smile, he continued speaking.
“Yes. If we wage this war under Count Turun’s name, it might be interpreted merely as a local disturbance within the empire. However, if we march to war under the name of Prince Friedrich, the leader of the heretic alliance and the emperor’s son-in-law from the Britten Kingdom, things would change dramatically.”
Indeed, there was a significant difference in perceived weight between an army led by Count Turun, a mere regional noble, and one led by Friedrich, a prince representing the heretic factions across the continent.
It would provide a solid justification for foreign monarchs to get actively involved in this matter.
“Certainly… considering it in the abstract, that does look much better. The issue lies in the fact that it’s merely an appealing representation…”
With that thought, I quietly began to watch Anhalt artfully swaying the nobles.
Arguing that appointing Friedrich as commander could lead to the King of Britten bringing troops, and if anything were to go awry, the Kalmar United States up north wouldn’t stand idly by.
A simple change of commander could yield infinite benefits, Anhalt began to turn the nobles’ hearts.
And… observing his performance, I slowly looked at my father, who was watching intently beside me, as I said.
“What do you think? Am I right?”
“Um… Indeed, it seems to be unfolding just as you said.”
My father spoke with admiration, clearly impressed by Anhalt’s actions.
However, at that moment, I clearly recognized that the one my father was genuinely marveling at was not the chatterous Anhalt but his own son sitting beside him.
