Friedrich, engulfed in despair and confusion over the unexpected fall of Palatinate, hurriedly asked the most important question he had to address before hearing the exact details.
“W-Well… what happened to my family? My wife and children… D-Don’t tell me… they’ve already fallen into the enemy’s hands…”
Although he was a lord and prince ruling a region, he was also a father and husband. His family’s safety was his top priority.
To this, Anhalt quickly relayed what he had learned.
“You needn’t worry about that. As soon as the war broke out, your family fled securely east to Lorend to prepare for any emergencies.”
“Phew… that is indeed a relief.”
“Yes, they originally intended to come to Bohemia, but due to unforeseen circumstances… Thankfully, Lord Moritz of Lorend is a trustworthy individual, so you can rest assured about their safety.”
Exhaling deeply in relief, Friedrich listened as Anhalt provided additional explanations.
After confirming his family’s safety, Friedrich looked at Anhalt with worry and questions.
“But why did our Palatinate fall so easily? Didn’t the Emperor’s main forces suffer defeat here in Bohemia?”
“True… but, um…”
Friedrich’s inquiry about how things came to such a state made Anhalt hesitate for a moment before carefully stating what he had to say.
“There was… a betrayal.”
“Betrayal?”
Friedrich’s face showed surprise at the unexpected revelation.
Though Friedrich had led the main force to Bohemia, the Palatinate still held considerable wealth and strength. He had the means to prepare for the war, and upon Anhalt’s suggestion, he hastily hired a large mercenary group to bolster his insufficient defense.
The renowned 9th-grade mage known as the “Mercenary King”—Mansfeld Ernst—commanded a mercenary force of 15,000 men.
They had promised substantial financial support to protect the Palatinate and had been successfully repelling minor incursions from the Emperor’s side, fulfilling their duties fairly well for some time.
However…
Their seemingly loyal attitude was swiftly overturned by a surprising attack from another Imperial army.
Not from the distant region, but from the massive territory to the west—Esban, where a mighty army was stationed.
The 25,000 Emperor’s troops led by 10th-grade mage General Spinola marched towards the Palatinate as soon as Friedrich set out for Bohemia with his 7,000 men.
Instead of traveling by land, Spinola’s forces landed on the Empire’s mainland south of Roland by sea.
This unexpected ambush found the Palatinate defenseless with its leader absent. However, the true reason for their decisive defeat lay not in external circumstances but within.
Mansfeld, who led the mercenary brigade and was essentially tasked with the Palatinate’s defense, was quite shrewd.
Typically, mercenaries are expected to wield their swords even in unfavorable situations for their employers. Those who value the honor of being a mercenary often fight until death, showing their resilience.
That was the expected conduct rooted in pride, and Anhalt had hired Mansfeld believing he would demonstrate such bravery.
However…
Mansfeld was not that romanticized a character.
He prioritized personal ambition and the welfare of his own troops over honor or pride.
Though he was known for his military strength within the Empire, even if he and his mercenary brigade fought with all their might, there was a chance they could withstand Spinola’s assault.
Yet…
Mansfeld had no intentions of risking his life to fight a formidable opponent for the sake of his employer.
To him, mercenaries were assets, everything he had, and he would never put them at risk for fleeting honor.
Thus, when the enemies launched their surprise attack on the besieged Palatinate forces, Mansfeld harbored no thoughts of offering life-risking assistance. Instead, he secretly sent a messenger to Spinola to negotiate.
Asking for a decent amount of money to step out of this war.
Spinola, already worried about Mansfeld’s army, eagerly accepted the terms.
Though he had to spend more money than expected, the benefits of capturing the Palatinate would far exceed those costs.
With the deal struck, Mansfeld abandoned the collapsing Palatinate and fled south with his mercenaries.
Ultimately satisfied with the significant profit he made from this ordeal.
And… the ramifications of Mansfeld’s betrayal delivered a lethal blow to the already precarious Palatinate.
The small defensive force that had tried to protect the Palatinate ultimately couldn’t hold out and was annihilated, leaving the Palatinate to fall into the hands of the Emperor.
Just as it had unfolded in the original story…
“…What on earth… how did things end up like this…?”
“…”
Friedrich expressed his fury uncharacteristically.
Seeing this, Anhalt could only lower his head and shake in fear.
Having already disappointed Friedrich with his disastrous command during the Battle of Baeksan, Anhalt felt the weight of his failures.
His reckless advance had cost the Palatine great losses, and instead of fighting to the bitter end, he had irresponsibly fled, feeling the threat to his life, racing off to the Kalmar United States.
Though he did return after hearing the war ended in victory right after reaching Kalmar, Friedrich’s trust in Anhalt had already cracked significantly.
Moreover, it was Anhalt who had initiated the hiring of Mansfeld, who played a crucial role in the Palatinate’s occupation.
Given that every action he took ended poorly, Anhalt found himself completely speechless.
As he awaited his lord’s judgment with everything he had, he heard a voice from outside the door.
“Your Highness, it’s Santana.”
Friedrich, calming his bubbling emotions, prepared to welcome his “friend.”
“…Hah… Anhalt, please step aside for a moment.”
“…Yes?.. Ah.. N-… yes.. understood, Your Highness..”
Anhalt left the room, failing to raise his head as he exited.
Once he was gone, Santana and his maid entered the room, and Friedrich began to recount the dreadful events that had transpired with a heavy heart.
“Ah, I see… the Palatinate…”
After hearing the situation from Friedrich, I spoke with a bittersweet tone.
While it had been foreseen through the original work, hearing it from the horse’s mouth stirred feelings of regret.
“What… what shall we do now? My family has crossed over to Roland, but we can’t just sit back and do nothing, can we?”
Friedrich’s tone carried a sense of urgency.
Seeing him distressed, I spoke calmly to calm him down.
“What did Anhalt say?”
“Anhalt? His words are no longer of any use! Your opinions matter more to me!”
“…”
Friedrich resolutely dissed Anhalt in a manner he had never done before.
This made me momentarily reflect on how I had gained an unexpected level of trust from this prince.
“Wasn’t it you who saved Bohemia from disaster? Don’t you have any good ideas?”
Friedrich earnestly sought my help again.
I spoke in a calm voice to quell his agitation.
“Just give me a moment. Let me sort my thoughts before I speak.”
“Is… is that so? Ah, I understand, I’ll wait.”
Thus, after calming down the prince, who was desperately seeking advice disguised as a solution to his impending doom, I began to organize the current situation once more in my mind.
Though it wasn’t as dire as it could have been, I still found myself feeling overwhelmed by the precariousness of Bohemia and my future.
