Youjo Senki - Volume 12 - Chapter 1.2

NOVEMBER 22, UNIFIED YEAR 1927, THE ILDOAN FRONT

Colonel Calandro, who led the Ildoan army’s last stand against the Empire, had been able to achieve all of his tactical objectives by fighting a delaying action.

He had succeeded in buying as much precious time as possible.

That wasn’t all, though. Through fierce resistance and scorched earth tactics, he’d managed to push back the Empire, even if only temporarily. His performance was worthy of being studied in future military textbooks as a prime example of how to use time and space on the battlefield.

At the same time, he would most certainly go down in the history books in a very different manner. He would no doubt be remembered as the commander who turned the land he was supposed to protect into mountains of ash. Setting aside the prior, Colonel Calandro knew the latter would become his legacy in the annals of history.

How could one who loved his nation so much go on like this?

The colonel simply had to set aside his personal feelings while he labored to parlay his tactical victories into political victories. The fact that he maneuvered on the political side of the war even as he fought on the battlefield was what made him a balanced, and arguably ideal, officer.

He had repelled the initial Imperial offensive, creating a brief pause in their advance as they quickly reorganized their forces.

Not letting this chance pass him by, Colonel Calandro brought a limited armistice proposal to an old acquaintance who just so happened to be leading the Imperial forces. Using his personal connections and the law, he tried to acquire a resource more valuable than diamonds for Ildoa: time.

Being the good Imperial citizen he was, Colonel Lergen was more than happy to cooperate. With his assistance, a provisional twenty-four-hour cease-fire was scheduled to come into effect the next day as they began negotiations for an armistice.

While tensions were high on both sides, the two armies scrambled to collect their dead and tend to their wounded while avoiding one another. The attempt by Colonel Calandro to buy as much time as he could during this lull by initiating negotiations with the enemy commanders was the perfect strategy from a tactical standpoint.

Thus, in order to acquire more time, the colonel made his way to the Imperial Army base.

His efforts would turn out to be quite a success. An incredible coup that achieved much more than anyone had expected. Despite bringing about these utterly shocking results, Calandro himself quivered as he rushed to send a telegram back to the capital.

“The Record of the Armistice Negotiations with Colonel Lergen”

As the title of the report suggested, the forces on the ground agreed to a temporary armistice.

- Agreement to evacuate the citizens in the north.

- The establishment of a seven-day cease-fire period.

- A continuation of the current cease-fire.

- The allowance for temporary surveillance to be performed by both sides.

- Military operations to recommence after the seven-day period.

- More detailed report upon return to the capital.

It was a sweet and simple report that left out far too many details.

The man who received everything he could’ve hoped for from the negotiations found himself looking up at the ceiling and sighing.

“That monster…”

He questioned who came up with his moniker.

“The Great… What a crock. More like the Terrible.”

The colonel recalled what he had witnessed only moments earlier and shuddered as a chill ran down his spine. He took out the cigars he’d received from the enemy during the talks and began smoking in an attempt to quell his trembling. He could taste the high quality of the cigar as its smoke filled his lungs. It was a provoking feeling.

As he blew out a stream of smoke, he thought:

Ah, the people of the Empire truly are the masters of surprise attacks.

He should have picked up that something was off when he encountered an old mage officer acquaintance of his, standing at attention and awaiting his arrival.

Lieutenant Colonel Tanya von Degurechaff.

He could still clearly remember the days when he was placed under her care as a military observer visiting the eastern front.

He’d let his guard down. Regularly bathing in the blood of her enemies, Degurechaff was the Imperial Army’s most highly prized warmongering mage to ever exist. She was a grizzled veteran known better by the name Rusted Silver as opposed to her official title, White Silver.

Why was she attending a commanding officer? Calandro should’ve realized then and there what he was walking into.

And yet, because this was his one and only chance to make some much-needed gains on the war front, he happily danced in the palm of his enemy’s hands.

“Allow me to show you the way, Colonel.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel.”

Her working directly with the General Staff must’ve meant that she had a close relationship with Colonel Lergen.

That was the extent of the suspicion he felt as he made his way to the house where Lergen was supposed to be waiting for him. Except, when he arrived, the man he found waiting for him was much older than he had expected.

“What’s this?”

Calandro was met by the gaze of an older general who was smoking a cigar, which seemed to be his posture for the coming negotiations.

Then he saw him grin.

“You must be Colonel Calandro. My apologies, but Colonel Lergen is busy in the field. I hope you’ll accept me as the Imperial Army’s representative for these negotiations.”

Before him sat a man he’d read about over and over again in the reports. General Zettour, the Deputy Director of the Imperial Army General Staff who had ordered the Empire’s offensive on Ildoa.

It was shocking to see the very man who was the root of all of Ildoa’s problems just sitting in a chair and smoking a cigar at his leisure. This was the enemy commander who had forced Ildoa to burn its own countryside.

He was sitting right there, out in the open. Right as that thought crossed Calandro’s mind, so did another. He quickly realized the significance of a mage officer being present for the negotiations. Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff was this man’s guard dog. With a guard dog like her at his side, General Zettour had nothing to fear from a lone middle-aged Ildoan. It was sad, but this was reality.

Calandro definitely wasn’t suicidal enough to throw his own life away in exchange for the enemy leader’s. He knew the instant he reached for his sidearm, Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff would turn him into minced meat. He’d seen it happen enough times on the eastern front.

He also knew full well what would become of the negotiations should he point a gun at the other party.

His rational mind was all that kept him within the bounds of the law after coming face-to-face with his sworn enemy.

But still…as an Ildoan, Colonel Calandro needed to ask one question.

Why?

He didn’t expect an answer, but he still wanted to ask nevertheless.

“Why did you do this?”

So he did, and the man, sitting with his cigar, sneered at him.

“Why? You’re asking that now?”

The disappointment and astonishment in the general’s tone was visceral.

He wore a bitter grimace, something he barely made an effort to show.

What struck Calandro the most was the general’s eyes. How they ridiculed him with their gaze. Despite his astonishment at Calandro’s question, the monster known as General Zettour bared his fangs.

“That’s a silly question. It’s so ridiculous that I can’t even bring myself to laugh. There’s a proper time and place for jokes, Colonel.”

“What do you mean it’s a silly question?! I want to know what you were thinking, General Zettour, when you started…”

“When I started what? Hmm, I suppose that’s a further testament of your stupidity.” Calandro was at a loss for words as the general continued holding his cigar out in one hand. “It was your nation who squeezed the trigger. Armed neutrality, my foot. I can swear to you in good faith that, from a purely militaristic standpoint, we never wanted to invade Ildoa.”

“The armed neutrality alliance was meant to keep the Unified States neutral! It was meant to keep countries outside of the continent from meddling—”

“—Listen.”

General Zettour was grinning. With a polite tone, he had cut Calandro off mid-sentence.

It was the exact same way a teacher would treat a rambling student. There was a kindness in his tone and gaze reserved only for a mentor trying to help a delinquent student.

“Colonel Calandro… You, and your country, are the victims of a grave misunderstanding.”

Calandro fidgeted in his chair as he watched the intellectual representative of the Empire nod to himself and take out a box of cigars.

“Here. Have a cigar.”

“With all due respect, General, I don’t think we’re in a position to enjoy pleasantries right now.”

He rejected the offer, bearing in mind that the two nations were at war, but all this did was make the old man sigh once more.

“How remarkably un-Ildoan of you. The call for diplomacy is at its highest during open conflict. You should know this. I won’t demand you pay your respects to an Imperial general, but I probably should ask you to do so for an elder.”

“I shall graciously accept…”

Calandro let his head hang low, which drew a response from General Zettour that was neither comforting nor self-deprecating despite the words he laid out in his hoarse voice.

“It’s strange for a failed citizen of the Empire to have to talk down to a successful Ildoan. Now, I suppose I should think of a proper answer to your question.”

“Then…why did these hostilities come about?”

“It’s simple.”

Smoke blew across the table. In contrast to the veil of light smoke he blew out, General Zettour shared the all too grim truth with the colonel.

“You pulled the trigger. This much is simply fact. From my standpoint, your country started all of this. You really went and did something entirely unnecessary.”

Maintaining the same tone from the very beginning, General Zettour held his cigar between his lips. Slowly, he took another pull. There was something grand and magnificent about his bearing.

The monster that dominated the meeting was the essence of a true general. Without even taking a bite of the prey that presented itself before him, the devil known as Zettour continued to flaunt his own thoughts on the matter.

“And so we simply reacted. You forced our hand. The most one such as I can do after you’ve set the stage is play my humble part.”

“General?”

“We are on a tight timetable and you tried to delay our plans. If you mess around on the tracks, you get hit by trains. Do you understand yet?”

He looked at Calandro with the same disappointed eyes meant only for a delinquent student. Without even attempting to his hide his astonishment at this point, General Zettour furrowed his brow.

“You’re quite narrow-minded, aren’t you, Colonel Calandro…? You would’ve never made it through the Imperial Army General Staff curriculum. Do they just hire anyone around here?”

As if thinking of something on the spot, General Zettour turned his attention to Degurechaff to his side.

“What do you think, Lieutenant Colonel? I know you have a strong opinion when it comes to education. Do you have any advice for your Ildoan friend?”

“Each country has its own education system and standards. It isn’t my place to comment.”

He glanced back at Calandro once more, turning away from Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff, whose firmly attentive posture never wavered.

“Yes, I see. It appears things are peaceful enough in Ildoa…for this to suffice. I must say, I’m jealous.”

The general was laying on the sarcasm thick. On a surface level, it was nothing more than a snide remark. And yet, Colonel Calandro could detect hints of actual jealousy in the man’s voice.

“Should I take this as a compliment? Though your words are quite cutting… For some reason, it feels like your jealousy is genuine.”

“That’s because I do envy you, from the bottom of my heart.”

“Come again?”

“For you are still a person. You still have your humanity. I’m sure of it.”

The friendly old man flashed a pleasant smile before offering the cigars again.

“Now, allow me to explain why your nation’s actions incurred our wrath.”

Calandro sat on the edge of his seat, watching the smoke leave General Zettour’s mouth as he touched upon the truth that was far too bitter to accept at face value.

“It’s quite troublesome, really, for the Federation to get so bigheaded.”

“The…Federation…?”

Calandro blurted out his question but stopped immediately when he saw the general’s intense gaze that screamed, Silence. It was clear he wouldn’t allow any interruption. Calandro quickly piped down, and the great general nodded in satisfaction before continuing his story.

“This was why I was against General Rudersdorf’s plans to invade Ildoa. Why on earth would we even consider kicking our only channel for diplomacy out the window?”

This was the rational reading of the situation. A simple conclusion anyone could make. Even a child could see that attacking a friendly neighboring country despite being on the brink of collapse was a terrible idea.

“The Empire will be closing up shop no matter how this turns out.”

General Zettour said this like it was a joke, but it was exactly as he said.

The most the world’s enemy could do was fight back. But, as they wouldn’t be able to win in the end, all that awaited them was their eventual defeat.

Calandro saw this.

So did all the experts of the world.

And even the Empire, if only it could take a step back to look at the bigger picture, would’ve seen this as well.

So how had this come to pass?

“Let me tell you something. To greedily devour our flesh is no small task. If the world seeks to consume us, then we won’t go down before giving the world a dose or three of poison.”

They wouldn’t die without a fight.

Did this mean they would embroil the world into a quagmire, dragging whoever they could down with them? General Zettour could tell Colonel Calandro was a bit confused by the very notion.

“The world is my enemy.”

Those strange words left his mouth not in a frenzy or deliriously, but with complete presence of mind. There was something strange about all of this, but the colonel couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“I refuse to let the pathetic Federation beat me. Let me promise you this. I would rather die the world’s enemy.”

These were grand words. Practically absurd if they had been said under almost any other circumstances. Colonel Calandro’s instincts were screaming out at him.

General Zettour must be a broken man. How could any sane person speak like this?

Despite what his instincts were telling him, Calandro could see that the general was rational and lucid.

There was a visible intellect that could be observed in his gaze alone. As terrible a monster as he may have been, this general of the Empire was nevertheless a monster defined by his great mind. General Zettour was sober as could be. An intelligence officer as trained as Colonel Calandro—one of Ildoa’s foremost agents—couldn’t deduce anything more than the fact that General Zettour’s mental state was incredibly stable. His fanatical words and ruinous argument came from a man with the eyes of an enlightened saint who spoke from a place of absolute purity.

If there was anything ever to fear in the world, it was this gaze. Realizing he was being overwhelmed, Colonel Calandro silently smoked his cigar, puffing out smoke as he attempted to collect his thoughts.

The small diversion helped him switch gears. Gathering his emotions in an instant, Calandro made a heroic effort to glean the true intent of the monster before him.

“I won’t let the Heimat perish, no matter what happens, what I must do, and what stands in my way. I refuse to let anyone or anything stop me.”

The colonel was beginning to understand. He could almost sympathize with the general’s plea. The frightening planning that went on in this man’s mind was born from the purest of hopes.

“Whether he be God or the devil, I will show no mercy to him if he defies the Heimat. Remember this, Ildoan. This is the true nature of a con artist born from the depths of total war.”

He was serious.

General Zettour’s words made this abundantly clear.

“I will be borrowing the northern part of Ildoa as my playground. I’d really like to fight a clean battle there, if I can.”

It was clear what he was getting at when he mentioned “clean.” Of course, it was difficult to accept his promise at face value.

“Do you…honestly expect us to just believe you…?”

“I only told you this much to make up for all the trouble I’ve caused so far. If you wish to ignore me, I’m not so narrow-minded that I’d try to force your hand. Though I am quite livid at the way you tried to use the Federation against us.”

“When exactly did we ever affiliate with the Federation, General?”

“Don’t play coy with me. The moment you tied yourselves to the Unified States through armed neutrality. The Federation will get far too bigheaded…if the Unified States delays their entry into the war any longer.”

The way he said this was so nonchalant.

By the time Calandro processed what this meant, his mind had frozen. The colonel knew what each of the words the general said meant. He understood what they meant as a sentence, what their context was.

And yet, the conclusion he needed to reach was all but lost on him.

“But… General! You don’t mean to say…?!”

“Mean to say what?”

“That this is all just to get the Unified States to join the war?!”

General von Zettour responded to this with nothing but a smile.

His expression alone made the answer clear even if he didn’t say anything in response. The eyes communicate just as much as the mouth. The answer was undoubtedly yes.

“I’m a man willing to burn his own Heimat down to the ground. Strange. I figured you of all people would understand considering what you’ve done to your nation.”

An urge born from sheer panic to put an end to the monster sitting before him flashed through Colonel Calandro’s mind once more as he watched the general smile again.

And without missing a beat, the guard dog sitting behind the colonel chimed in, as if to reassert her presence.

“I’m surprised, General. I didn’t expect you to speak this much with the colonel.”

“I’m sorry for keeping you here so long for such a tedious assignment, Colonel Degurechaff.”

General Zettour playfully shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

“That being said, I wish to maintain a good relationship with Ildoa. I hope that we can find a mutual point of understanding and eventually cooperate to build a better future.”

There was the thinnest veil of sarcasm in their exchange.

It served as a terrible reminder for Colonel Calandro that this was the man who had shaped and molded the infamous Devil of the Rhine.

“Please excuse my subordinate, Colonel Calandro.”

The colonel looked behind him to find a small aerial mage bowing her head in apology. At a glance, she appeared to be nothing more than an amiable young girl with a small frame, but Calandro knew that she was a hellhound more than capable of ending his life at any moment.

“What do you say? Do you think we can build a future together? The Empire won’t ask for everything Ildoa has. If we can guarantee our safety, we will limit the damage as much as possible.”

“Y-you want me to trust you?”

“You’re free to feel however you want. But bear in mind that I am public enemy number one. Try and picture what will happen if you choose to refuse our hand.”

His eyes were so gentle as he spoke. With the same soberness visible in his gaze, the general continued to warn Calandro.

“You don’t honestly believe I’ll go down without taking an Ildoan peninsula or two with me, do you?”

He could probably do it—no…he definitely could, if deemed necessary. Likely without any regard for morality, justice, or military law.

“I don’t need your trust. You’re free to believe that I’m just some hopeless villain who will set the world aflame. A heartless monster that can’t be reasoned with.”

He was a monster. The monster who had brought the flames of war to Ildoa.

“Or you can believe that this is all a frantic bluff made by an old man asking you to fight against the world alongside him. Either way, you’re free to try and fight us the good old-fashioned way as well.”

The general had likely seen right through Calandro’s desperate attempt to appear calm. The monster stood up with a suave bravado, carrying a small box as he approached the colonel.

“I’ll tell you what, my Ildoan friend who was once our ally and now our enemy. You’re free to do whatever you wish. The Empire will respect whatever decision Ildoa makes. As such, we will accept the terms of your cease-fire.”

“What? You’ll accept all the terms…?”

“But of course. We’re here to fight war the right way. I must say, it was quite the successful negotiation. Good work, my friend. Whether as an ally or an enemy, I appreciate your desire to fight this war like a true gentleman.”

As he said this, the general placed a box of cigars on the table before Calandro.

“I see you must go. I’ll lead you out.”

This was Colonel Degurechaff’s way of telling the colonel to get the hell out.

The pure oxygen that entered his lungs as soon as he exited the camp tasted so utterly sweet. Calandro quickly made arrangements for his report to be sent via telegram. As soon as he finished writing, he whispered out loud, “That monster…”

The only thing human about him was his appearance.

His logic, his cunning, and his forked tongue had to be signs of the devil.

“The Empire…”

Chills kept shooting down his spine.

“Did the war…create that monster…?”

Tanya is here to attend her boss’s meeting with an important business partner. A person in a position of power would only ever assign a task like this to somebody they highly trust, for the most part. This means Tanya being present for the negotiations with Colonel Calandro is likely a good indicator of her boss’s evaluation of her. Nevertheless, this isn’t necessarily cause for celebration. You see, being called in to perform such a task means that Tanya is deeply entrenched in this organization.

For someone who’s currently considering a job transfer, it’s a complicated position to be in.

“Thank you for your vigilance during our meeting with Colonel Calandro.”

That being said, it’s a great opportunity for Tanya to learn how her boss truly feels.

Which means this is a perfect moment to take advantage of the opportunity by showing appreciation and sharing in a bit of lighthearted banter.

“It was my pleasure. By the way, what did you think of the colonel’s health? He seemed awfully pale during the negotiations. I only hope it isn’t flu season here.”

It’s not uncommon to catch a flu during the winter months.

My superior responds with a knowing nod.

“I believe he may have a case of common sense. Fortunately for us, we’re fully immune to it, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Do you suppose you may have gone a bit overboard with your threat…?”

“I merely stated the obvious.”

Tanya nods in agreement while keeping her incredulous remarks to herself like the good subordinate she is. There was no way to avoid being caught off guard by her superior’s train of thought. To think anyone could look this far into what would become of the country after the war.

His is a perspective that already took into account nearly all the events leading up to this moment. It would be a bit more understandable if he was also from another dimension. Just like the Cold War, the Federation and the Unified States will likely be at odds with each other after the conclusion of this war. The power that plays the largest role in bringing this war to an end will have immense political influence when it comes to deciding the new world order.

The fact that my boss has the foresight to understand the imperative of keeping Communism from being the sole victor of this war is nothing short of incredible. I’m truly impressed.

Even as a person from another world, I feel a profound respect for General Zettour’s vision of the future. He really is an amazing boss.

If I could get a letter of recommendation from a man like him, it would be a real asset in jumpstarting my second career.

If only we lived in a regular society.

I’m sure you’d be the magnanimous type to send your subordinates off in comfort.

“Is there something wrong, Colonel?”

“It’s nothing, sir. I was just reminding myself how incredible you are.”

“Look at me, Colonel. Do you see a tail anywhere? I’m but a man. There’s no fork in my tongue now, is there? I’m just a normal, honest man.”

“You are also a Zettour, sir.”

Seeming to have taken a liking to my retort, General Zettour smiled.

“Hopefully it will take on the meaning of devil in the future. I’ll pray that it does.”

He seems very pleased with himself.

A quick, clever response always stimulates an intelligent mind.

If the name Zettour becomes a common noun, then there must be a lot to look forward to.

“Our future prospects seem quite exhilarating, don’t they? You shouldn’t compliment an old man too much, Colonel. I’m satisfied with leaving my mark on history as the world’s greatest enemy.”

“I think that much is a given for you, sir.”

Tanya says this from a place of exasperation. But for General Zettour, who has fully committed to his chosen path, it’s apparently the highest praise he could hope for.

I’m sure it came off as me giving my blessing.

Which would explain why General Zettour wants to share his exuberance with Tanya.

“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, one can only hope! Look forward to it, Colonel. The same goes for you, too. You could leave your mark on history in the grandest way. Let us carve our names in history, together.”

Unfortunately for my elated superior, I have little desire to join him in this particular endeavor.

“I have no intention of leaving my mark on history.”

“It’s too late for that… Any books worth reading are bound to have scathing comments regarding us.”

Does he want us to be eternalized as symbols of hate for good people to fear for the rest of time?

He must be joking.

That may be acceptable for a patriot such as General Zettour, but for an individualist like Tanya, this sentiment is incomprehensible.

“That’s a dreadful future to look forward to.”

If my name ever shows up in a book, I want it to be as a famous author.

This is the moment where I reminisce about a past promise I once made. It wasn’t meant to be anything more than just playful words.

But compared to General Zettour, General Rudersdorf was such a thoughtful man. There aren’t many superiors out there who would recommend their employees live off royalties!

“Speaking of books, General Rudersdorf was supposed to sponsor a picture book I was going to write after the war. That is sadly something that will never come to fruition now.”

“A picture book?”

Tanya nods to her boss, who was surprised by the sudden remark.

“It will be a story about a poor girl, me, who is afraid of the war. The General Staff was going to fund it. He made a promise in jest to publish a book about poor little Tanya. I was hoping to target a home with children who wish for peace.”

“Rudersdorf? He agreed to such an entertaining business endeavor?”

Tanya nods with a grave expression.

“I was hoping to one day live purely off the royalties from my best-selling books.”

“Life doesn’t always go as planned now, does it?”

It sure doesn’t, I think in agreement while giving the deepest of sighs.

“I’m always asking myself how things got to be this way.”

“I feel the same way, Colonel.” General Zettour shows a somewhat lonely expression before continuing. “But that is why I’ve chosen to forge my own destiny. I will solemnly see my duty through like any good person would.”

“What is your plan?”

“We’ll concentrate our divisions. Secure local superiority. Employ mobile warfare. You can expect good results, Colonel. We have twenty-two divisions operating in Ildoa.”

That’s top secret information he’s nonchalantly sharing… Though I guess regular information pales in comparison to General Zettour’s true intentions.

The soldier in Tanya thinks deeply about the plan Zettour has calmly spelled out for her.

“You could also say we only have twenty-two divisions. Though I suppose twenty-two is an impressive number considering the state of the war.”

General Zettour smiles at Tanya as she shares her expert opinion.

“Should Ildoa manage to mobilize its entire army… They would have somewhere in the region of one hundred forty divisions if we’re looking purely at numbers.”

“That is a ratio of seven to one in terms of our manpower difference. The General Staff sure is unreasonable to pit the Imperial Army up against an enemy seven times larger.”

“You’re one to talk, Colonel. Need I remind you who was responsible for Dacia?”

“I was quite the rascal in my youth. Not only that, but fighting with the Grand Duchy’s forces was more like target practice as opposed to an actual battle.”

“That is correct. It wasn’t the quantity of their soldiers, but their quality. The same will ring true for Ildoa.”

I wouldn’t be so sure… And I share those suspicions with General Zettour.

“Allow me to detail my experience in engaging them thus far, sir. The Ildoan forces are far superior to what we faced in Dacia.”

“That will be true for forces arrayed on their border, and perhaps along their coast as well.”

General Zettour rubs his chin in a pleasant manner before shrugging his shoulders.

“But mobilizing reserves isn’t something that can be done overnight. Tell me, has our army been sticking to schedule?”

This, of course, reminds me that our army has in fact not been able to maintain their schedule. As usual.

Even perfect mobilization plans always find a way to go off the rails.

That goes for the Empire, which had its train schedule in order thanks to plans for a civil war. It’s a convincing argument, but with Ildoa being nowhere near as worn down as the Empire currently is…

“You believe there will be holes in Ildoa’s mobilization plan as there were in ours?”

“My guess is their military is in dire straits right now. Their equipment is state of the art. Should they manage to get the people they need mobilized, they may be able to get fifty-five divisions’ worth of functional soldiers. According to what can be gathered from Colonel Lergen’s reports, the forces they have available on the front lines are quite limited.”

Supposedly, more than half of Ildoa’s one hundred forty divisions are just for show.

Compared to that, all twenty-two of the Empire’s divisions are battle-ready.

Which makes the power ratio two to seven.

The Empire has a clear advantage when it comes to actual combat experience. On top of that, we do enjoy what is admittedly limited aerial superiority, and we’ve already penetrated several key points in their defensive line thanks to our surprise attack. All things considered, victory isn’t impossible.

And while it’s technically doable, this is a moment where Tanya should push back against her superior.

“Even if their forces are just for show, they should be able to promptly establish and maintain a rudimentary defensive line. Look no further than the eastern front for a real-world example. We’re all too familiar with their ability to scrape together a ragtag defensive line even in defeat.”

The soldiers the enemy can call upon are far from ideal—they can barely move in tandem with one another.

But what if the ragtag band we’re about to fight is fully committed to defending their country? I can tell the answer just by looking at First Lieutenant Tospan. Should he receive the orders to defend his post, a serious officer like him would stand and fight until new orders demanded he retreat.

As difficult as it is for me to understand, the man possesses the spirit of a true patriot.

“A human is an animal that is willing to die for its country. As long as they can fire a gun, they can pose a threat.”

“For the remaining seventy divisions, it’d be praiseworthy if they can even hold their ground with their guns. The lion’s share are nothing more than conscripts forced to serve.”

General Zettour brushes Tanya’s remark to the side, which makes her come up with a new, wholehearted concern.

“Those seventy divisions, however, are still a part of a larger organization. Their patriotism and love for their homeland may bring about a reckless tenacity.”

“Colonel, you’re assuming the seventy divisions will command any real stopping power.”

That’s right, I think with a nod.

“Should they have the personnel necessary to command the divisions, it will be possible to mobilize quickly. While actual mobile warfare may not be possible, they will certainly be able to hold a line. With their standing army as the core, they may even pull off counteroffensives.”

They are, in a sense, similar to the Salamander Kampfgruppe. With the aerial mages at its core, their unit could accomplish missions on a provisional basis. It’s true that Ildoa’s front line is disorganized…but this is only because their line collapsed under our first assault.

“What makes you think they have the capability?”

“So long as the enemy has the framework to bring a division together, they can hold the line. All they have to do is put guns in the reserve soldiers’ hands and position them in bases and villages.”

Tanya’s advice, coming from a place of experience, draws a lighthearted chuckle from General Zettour.

“Ha-ha-ha, so you wager that’s what the Ildoan Army will do with its divisions?”

“What else can they do? I believe they have their numerous division command centers set up for a reason, and what other reason could there be besides domestic defense?”

“They’re posts.”

“I’m sorry, sir?”

A possibility beyond my wildest imagination catches me by surprise.

“So their divisions, instead of representing combat-ready units…they’re just a posting?”

“It may be difficult for a soldier as decorated as yourself to process this, but you’d be surprised how much trouble can come from high-ranking officers who wish to remain in the army.”

For someone like Tanya, who’s desperately trying to make a career change, there’s absolutely nothing attractive about such a post when she’s doing her best to leave the company. In fact, now that I think about it, the army is kind of like a baseball team that doesn’t allow free contracts.

Does a player who wants to become a free agent have the same perspective as a player who wants to renew their contract no matter what? Of course not.

“There are a large number of officers in Ildoa. Now, to have enough spots for all of them…they would need, what…seventy? A hundred forty divisions? But what if all they needed was the command post?”

“I’m astonished. They have no soldiers or weapons, but still have the gall to call themselves commanding officers?”

I’ve seen managers without direct reports before, but to think there would ever be a command with no troops!

General Zettour flashes Tanya a comforting smile.

“Let us begin bullying the weak, Colonel.”

“Just give the orders, sir.”