Game Opportunity Becomes Reality Episode 155
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Game Opportunity Becomes Reality Episode 155
38. A New Era (1)
Most nations of Rondel adopt a class system, but there is one surprising point.
That is, they regard slavery and human trafficking as utterly despicable and thoroughly cut them off.
'Even if one's status differs, treating fellow humans like livestock is inappropriate.'
'Also, if you make people work, you must pay them a fair wage in return.'
This was Rondel's own form of noblesse oblige.
But a few nations ignored this, and the most representative was the Croysen Empire.
"You stupid slave bastards! You don't want to eat tonight!? Put some real strength into it!?"
-Whack! Whack!
"Aagh! I-I'm sorry."
Slavery still exists in the Croysen Empire.
The Imperial Family publicly denies the existence of slavery, but if you visit the Empire even once, you'll easily see slaves all over the streets.
You can even see slaves being flogged in public places, and the sight of a scrawny slave, barely clothed, being beaten was so cruel it could only be described as madness.
Truly treated worse than beasts.
Slaves of the Croysen Empire were regarded as mere consumables.
The international community estimates that over 50 million slaves exist in the Croysen Empire alone.
"Hey, the kids are watching. Do your flogging somewhere else."
"What's it to you? I'll beat my own slave if I want."
Many nations of Rondel condemn the Croysen Empire's slavery and demand its abolition, but it's useless.
The Imperial Family denies it, claiming these people are merely criminals assigned to labor and that they themselves do not keep slaves and they have the power to dress up that denial as the truth.
No matter how much improvement is demanded, it's like reading scriptures to a cow's ears either ignored or met with threats instead.
[The Kingdom of Rhinehearts' forces are expected to arrive at Duke Zeksis' domain, the gateway to the capital, within two days. The Rhinehearts army is divided into three corps....]
"Ugh, what the hell is the Imperial army even doing. Are we supposed to evacuate or what?"
"Why would we evacuate? Don't tell me you're scared of those mosquito bastards."
"How can I not be scared? They're right at our doorstep."
"Haha! Take a look at our Empire's grand army gathered on the Zeksis Plain! We were only caught off guard by surprise attacks and couldn't coordinate if we fight them head-on, there's no way our Empire loses."
The slaves of the Croysen Empire spend each day in hell.
Recently, one hope appeared for them.
'I wish this damn country would just fall apart already.'
That hope was the terrifying momentum of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts invading the Croysen Empire.
The Kingdom of Rhinehearts is the nation that criticizes the Croysen Empire's slavery most strongly.
If such a nation succeeded in bringing down the Croysen Empire, it was certain their own status would be lifted too.
Moreover, the Kingdom of Rhinehearts was one of the few nations where self-made success was possible regardless of status or gender, so they had no choice but to cheer for Rhinehearts.
To the slaves, the Croysen Empire was an object of despair and rage, while the Kingdom of Rhinehearts was an object of hope and expectation.
"I heard the Rhinehearts army will arrive here at Duke Zeksis' domain soon. So hang in there."
A construction company in Duke Zeksis' domain of the Croysen Empire.
'Slave No. 5,' who worked there as a day laborer, supported his staggering, beaten comrade and whispered those words.
At that, the slave, who looked like he might die at any moment, had malice well up in his eyes and forced his body up with great effort.
Slave No. 5 was something like a leader among the 35 slaves at that construction company.
He played the role of instilling hope in his comrades, and among slaves living day by day in despair, he was one of the few with an independent way of thinking.
"Let's hold on just a little longer."
That Slave No. 5 had recently been planning something.
When war broke out in Duke Zeksis' domain, he would start a rebellion, kill the masters, and flee toward Rhinehearts territory.
If the war ended in a Rhinehearts victory, that would be ideal, but in case they lost, he kept that contingency in mind as well.
If they succeeded in escaping and safely set foot in the Kingdom of Rhinehearts, even if the war were lost, they would be able to live new lives.
It was a way of thinking that couldn't be expected from someone born in a human ranch who had lived their entire life as a nameless slave.
And so, Slave No. 5 held the will to not settle for reality but to push forward.
"I like you. Slave No. 5."
"...!!"
Perhaps even heaven treasures those who seek to carve out their own fate?
And so, heavenly fortune descended upon him.
Slave No. 5 came to meet a stranger who had been sitting on thin air as if it were a chair, watching him who knew how long he had been there.
"W-Who are you?"
Just ten meters ahead, a supervisor was watching over the construction slaves at work, yet no one paid any attention to him or the figure beside him.
'A Mage?'
Thinking that only a Mage could do such a thing, he swallowed dryly as he faced the beautiful young man with silver hair and blue eyes.
The construction workers' clothes were all gray.
After all, it was a color that didn't show stains or grime easily.
But the silver-haired, blue-eyed man before him wasn't just striking in hair and eye color his clothing was the very epitome of splendor.
With a white coat embroidered with gold thread and metal ornaments hanging all over him, it wasn't hard to tell he was a noble.
'What purpose could someone like that have in speaking to me?'
A young man who exuded a sacred aura despite being male.
Thinking there was nothing good in getting entangled with someone so full of mystery, Slave No. 5 put on the most foolish expression he could.
"I am Adrian El Lawrence, Duke of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts and Supreme Commander of its army."
"What?"
But at the self-introduction that followed, Slave No. 5's mask shattered in an instant.
The Duke Lawrence of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts was famous enough that even a slave of another nation like himself knew of him.
After all, wasn't he the very man driving the Croysen Empire into a corner?
In sheer bewilderment, Slave No. 5 let out a hollow laugh without meaning to.
"Believe it or not, that's up to you. But if you want a new life, it'd be wise to believe."
"..."
"Before the invasion of Duke Zeksis' domain, there's something I'd like the slaves here to do."
Slave No. 5's eyes trembled violently.
'Is this a joke? But for a joke, the atmosphere...'
They had only exchanged a few words.
And yet, could one feel authority from the conversation?
Somehow, he found himself thinking that the other man might be real.
"So, what do you say? Will you hear me out?"
He was still suspicious, but for some reason, Slave No. 5 was already nodding.
* * *
"Can slaves truly be of help?"
In response to Vice Commander Taylor's question, I nodded while looking at the holographic display of Duke Zeksis' domain.
The holographic feed was split in two one was a general image that could zoom in up to 10,000 times, and the other was a 3D-coordinate layout of the enemy's deployment.
Looking at the Croysen Imperial army densely packed across the Zeksis plains, it wasn't hard to infer that this battle would unfold in a completely different manner from the numerical superiority we had fought with until now.
So I had to rack my brains for even the slightest advantage, and I came up with the idea of causing problems inside Duke Zeksis' domain to split their attention.
"A few slaves wouldn't be enough, of course. But in Duke Zeksis' domain alone, there are over 300,000 slaves. They're even stationed at various key facilities, surprisingly enough."
The operation I had in mind wasn't all that complicated.
Namely, at the start of the battle, using the slaves to trigger simultaneous acts of terrorism across multiple points.
And if we spread rumors that our Kingdom's army had infiltrated Duke Zeksis' domain, the Croysen Imperial army would have no choice but to panic.
If we struck all at once at those wary of a Trojan horse, we'd secure a strategic advantage with ease.
"But many slaves will die."
"We're the same we fight with our lives on the line. If they want to change their own fates, they too must fight."
The philanthropist Vice Commander Taylor averted his gaze quietly at my firm response.
"If we can whittle down the enemy's strength as much as possible in this battle, the capital siege will be far easier."
This single battle won't end the war.
And crushing the entire army before us in one fell swoop is even more impossible than that.
But it was clear that this was a pivotal moment that would decide the war's outcome.
If we achieved a great victory in this battle, at least the possibility of our Kingdom's army suffering a crushing defeat would disappear.
Even in the worst-case scenario, we could still broker a peace agreement, and the Kingdom of Rhinehearts would lay the groundwork to become an Empire.
"You're a strange man. You don't look like the Vice Commander of an army with an unbroken streak of victories. How should I put it you kind of dampen morale?"
At that moment.
'Bug,' who had been sitting quietly in a corner of the command room, approached, leading the Master-class autonomous-type Vanguard she had received as a reward for clearing the 8th stage fateful encounter quest.
Having cast off the maid's outfit she had been saving and now wearing the uniform of a high-ranking officer of Duke Lawrence's domain, she looked at Vice Commander Taylor with a face that clearly showed she didn't like him.
Though I didn't know who she was, it wasn't hard to tell that the beings accompanying her as guards were anything but ordinary.
Thus, Vice Commander Taylor stumbled back in bewilderment, and I smacked the back of Bug's head as she snarled at him threateningly.
"Have you no sense of rank?"
"Ow! Since when did I care about something like that!"
That much was true.
I scolded Bug out of consideration for Taylor's position as Vice Commander and heir to Marquis House Aragon, his mother's family but everyone in the command room seemed to agree with Bug's remark.
I suppose people with that kind of disposition are necessary in this world, but at least on the battlefield, they seemed unnecessary.
I walked over to the Vice Commander, patted his shoulder, and spoke.
"If the slaves deal a heavy blow, wouldn't that just be the Croysen Empire reaping what it sowed?"
Vice Commander Taylor nodded at my words while keeping an eye on Bug.
Bug, who never hesitated to speak her mind, was surprisingly popular.
Moreover, she had a strange talent for making people keep their guard up, which made me think she deserved a spot at the table.
I checked the time and spoke.
"Two hours remain until the operation begins. Everyone, keep your wits about you."
At that, all the staff officers, including Vice Commander Taylor, saluted me and answered in unison.
"Yes!"
* * *
-Age of Magic, July 1st, 2020.
Facing off across the plains of Duke Zeksis' domain, the Croysen Imperial army and the Rhinehearts Kingdom army were truly evenly matched.
It was an even level where it was hard to say anyone had the upper hand.
-Croysen Imperial army: 395 Heaven-Piercing Fortresses, 26,000 Vanguards.
-Rhinehearts Kingdom army: 402 Heaven-Piercing Fortresses, 24,500 Vanguards.
The two armies were 10km apart, but the mana barriers formed by both sides' Heaven-Piercing Fortress units collided, causing anomalies in the middle ground sparks flying and lightning striking down.
The largest-scale war in the history of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts.
The battle that would decide the course of that war began with Adrian's command.
[All forces, advance.]
As the entire Rhinehearts Kingdom army began its advance, powerful vibrations spread like an earthquake not only across the plains where the two armies were facing off, but also through the nearby cities.
And this was no different from a signal to the slaves that their liberation had begun.