The Brown Region decided to seek survival not through an alliance with Bohemia, but through a contract with Mansfeld.

Accordingly, Mansfeld began to move with his army towards the direction of the Brown Region, where the employer was waiting, after receiving the advance payment.

“I’ll pay the rest after reaching the Brown Region… Definitely a smarter bunch than that foolish Friedrich.”

It seemed evident that he was not trusted, given his past actions in the Palatinate and current movements.

However, since this was something he had anticipated, Mansfeld paid it little mind and began to march his troops.

“By the way… I remember Duke Carlos not being particularly sharp; so, who exactly is planning this?”

It was highly probable that someone was controlling the situation at his side.

Filled with curiosity about who that person might be, Mansfeld started heading north.

However, while leading his grand army, Mansfeld had no choice but to halt his march.

“What? General Spinola?”

“Yes, Commander. He is advancing his army towards us. It seems he intends to block our northern march.”

“Ha! So he’s making a move, huh? It’d definitely be a headache if we joined the heretic forces up north like this.”

Although there was a history of a contract to avoid battle, that was merely a one-time deal.

To Spinola, who occupied the Palatinate, Mansfeld remained a potential enemy.

It was natural to be on guard seeing his army move for the heretic forces again.

Of course, Mansfeld had no intention of halting his movements according to the contract, regardless of whether General Spinola was cautious of him.

“What should we do?”

“Advance. Let’s shake off those bothersome pursuers. If they try to block us, we’ll break through.”

“Understood.”

Unlike before, Mansfeld showed a bold demeanor.

However, he had a firm belief regarding this matter.

“Spinola is definitely not a fool. Attacking me during such tumultuous times in the Palatinate? Absolutely impossible. He knows that would hurt not just me, but him as well.”

The Palatinate region, thrown into chaos right after being occupied by the Emperor’s forces, required a significant military presence to maintain order.

They also needed to keep a close watch on the movements of nearby ‘enemies’ including Bohemia.

Thus, General Spinola needed to conserve his strength and could not easily engage even though a potential enemy was on the move.

At least until the reinforcements summoned by the Emperor arrived.

Knowing this very well, Mansfeld began his march north without hesitation, while General Spinola and his troops felt frustrated, watching.

However, this ‘parallel’ march ended sooner than Mansfeld expected.

The reason for this was none other than Mansfeld’s employer.

The Brown Region began to strike against the northern Palatinate and nearby areas.

And they did so in a manner that both Spinola and Mansfeld hadn’t anticipated.

*

In doing work, the most important thing was to clearly distinguish between friend and foe.

Sometimes, uncertain allies could be more dangerous than clear enemies.

From this perspective, we needed to define that distinction with clarity.

Especially in a war zone where blood and flesh flew.

“Rather than having allies ready to stab me in the back, it’s much better to have enemies charging at me with weapons.”

With this judgment, I deliberately set risky conditions to ensure the lords seeking an alliance had no choice but to commit to our side.

In the process, maximizing our benefits in Bohemia and filtering out those lords who merely intended to profit.

Moreover, crucially…

By clearly separating those who didn’t wish to ally with us, the worst-case scenario of being stabbed from behind was effectively eliminated.

“In this level of contractual bondage, they can’t stab us in the back. Of course, we have to make sure we do our part too.”

So, after confirming that the arrangement with the surrounding lords was wrapping up, my gaze turned towards the other items Polena held…

Specifically, the list of those who rejected our alliance and chose to walk an independent path.

“About 70% of all the lords have accepted our alliance proposal. However, there are still quite a few who have not. A notable example is Duke Carlos from the Brown Region, alongside the lord of Baden.”

“Hmm… Brown and Baden…”

Hearing familiar names, while confirming the somewhat expected outcome, I slowly nodded and began to examine the materials Polena had handed over.

“Word has it that the lord of Brown intends to bring in Mansfeld’s mercenaries instead of forming an alliance with us. It seems he wants to seize some initiative in this situation.”

Polena was accurately analyzing and discussing the situation.

Once again, I quietly admired her extraordinary insight as I nodded in agreement.

“I think you’re right. Once an alliance is formed, they’ll have to operate under my leadership in Bohemia, willingly or unwillingly. Although the safety of the territory can be assured, they’ll have to forfeit much of the gains in this war.”

While the chaos brought on by war was undoubtedly a major crisis, it also presented opportunities.

The heights of power could crash down to the ground, and those who were once low could rise to the heavens… a time of tumult where fortunes could swing wildly.

In that sense, many lords chose to grasp the lifeline of Bohemia to secure their safety amidst the storm, but a few decided to search for treasures in the tempest by embarking on dangerous ventures.

And in that regard…
I began recalling a certain individual mentioned consistently in the original work, closely associated with this Brown Region that was now before my eyes.

“The rejection of our proposal by the lord of Brown… it must surely be because of that woman, right? The one referenced in the original work…”

Honestly, her name was almost unknown at this point, yet through the vivid memories of the original content, I could tell what was about to transpire.

The craziness that so-called madwoman would unleash soon.

However, regarding this matter, it wasn’t the right time for action.

“Well… not that I have the means, but crucially, just observing this will benefit us.”

Dealing with a mad person, whether as an enemy or ally, was always a headache.

In the original work, Friedrich had inadvertently got entangled here and ended up in a dire situation, losing the capacity to recover, while Tilly and Spinola had to go through hell because of her antics.

In that light, I had to choose either to leash this woman tightly or keep a distance, and the conclusion had naturally led to perfectly drawing a line with those guys.

“Mansfeld and Christian, from now on, you guys take care of your own issues. We’ll sit back and enjoy the show while you mess things up.”