Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 157
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Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 157
38. A New Era (3)
There are a total of twenty nations on Rondel.
If we were to rank these nations' national power into tiers, they could be divided into four categories: in order of strength, superpowers, great powers, middle powers, and ordinary nations.
[Superpowers]
-Bringham Empire, Elysian Coalition, Croysen Empire, Prius Republic
The superpowers are commonly called the Four Great Empires.
Among the superpowers, if the Bringham Empire is the undisputed number one, the Elysian Coalition follows behind as the perennial runner-up, while the Croysen Empire and the Prius Republic trail two or three steps behind, vying for third place.
[Great Powers]
-Kingdom of Rhinehearts, Kingdom of Lucias, Chase Kingdom, Holy Land Everhill
The great powers include four nations belonging to the Defteron Continent, alongside the Bringham Empire and the Croysen Empire.
The gap in national power among the four great powers is not as large as that among the empires, but it could be said that while the Kingdom of Rhinehearts and the Kingdom of Lucias are a step ahead, the Chase Kingdom is chasing behind them.
The Holy Land Everhill is a bit ambiguous though its scale is small, its symbolic weight is enough to make even the empires yield, so it is placed in the great power position.
[Middle Powers]
-Walter Kingdom, Lyseth Island, Kingdom of Roberto
The three middle powers serve as a baseline between ordinary nations and great powers.
Middle powers are evenly distributed across each continent, and being situated among ordinary nations, they are often treated as regional powers.
The Walter Kingdom, which plays the role of the elder brother among the Southern Three Nations (dark-skinned nations) of the Defteron Continent, is one such case, and Queen Sia Rin's Kingdom of Roberto, which plays the role of the hegemon among the Eastern Six Nations, is another.
[Ordinary Nations]
-Jordi, Gricia, Izes, Paulo, Zeon, Pan, Norden, Gai, Vice
The nine ordinary nations cannot be called outstanding, but neither are they lacking in any way.
Basically, unlike Earth, the nations of Rondel have a well-balanced power structure, so being classified as an ordinary nation did not mean being a poor, impoverished nation or a backward one.
Even the Gricia Kingdom, the smallest among the ordinary nations, has a population exceeding sixty million and possesses nearly a hundred Heaven-Piercing Fortresses.
In fact, the citizens of ordinary nations ate better and lived better than the citizens of the Prius Republic, which had been corrupted by rot so a nation's strength did not necessarily reflect the prosperity of its people.
"Until now, the situation on the Defteron Continent has remained locked in place."
But looking at this national ranking table, something strange stands out.
That something is the fact that major powers, including the world's strongest nation, the Bringham Empire, and the Croysen Empire, are overly concentrated on the Defteron Continent.
The Defteron Continent has only four ordinary nations.
In addition, two superpowers, four great powers, and one middle power are located there.
A region where nations above the rank of ordinary nation outnumber ordinary nations themselves.
Thanks to this, the balance among nations bound by alliances or cooperative relationships had never been disrupted for hundreds of years.
But recently, changes have been occurring in this continental situation.
That change was the war between the Kingdom of Rhinehearts and the Croysen Empire.
"However, due to the Kingdom of Rhinehearts, the balance among nations that had remained unchanged for hundreds of years is rapidly collapsing."
"So what is it the Duke wants to say?"
This was a result no one had anticipated.
Naturally, it was only to be expected that the nations bordering the Croysen Empire or the Kingdom of Rhinehearts on the Defteron Continent would find their heads spinning with complications.
The great hall of the royal family of the Kingdom of Lucias.
At the words of Olivia Riverdale, the Duke and master of the Riverdale Mage Tower, who was Adrian's senior, the King of the Kingdom of Lucias narrowed his brow.
The King showed a reaction of not understanding what Olivia was trying to say, and she clicked her tongue inwardly at his expression before answering.
"Our Kingdom of Lucias must also enter the war."
"Enter the war? You mean attack the Croysen Empire now?"
"Yes."
The political system of the Kingdom of Lucias is peculiar.
Though the Riverdale Ducal House, which holds overwhelming power in the kingdom, maintains the position of the royalist faction, its authority in fact surpasses that of the royal family itself.
If the Riverdale Ducal House were to declare itself the noble faction and decide to suppress the royal authority, it could do so without difficulty.
For that reason, the royal family had no choice but to live in constant anxiety, and the Riverdale Ducal House was caught in an endless cycle of having to periodically certify its loyalty.
"The Croysen Empire may be struggling against the Kingdom of Rhinehearts, but it is a traditional superpower that has maintained its imperial status for ages. With the Bringham Empire to the north demanding our attention, we should willingly risk invading the Croysen Empire? That I cannot accept."
The King looked at Olivia, who was pressing him toward the national decision of war, with an expression that seemed to ask what she was thinking.
In response, Olivia calmly continued her explanation.
"Rhinehearts and our kingdom may be rivals, but because we face the common enemy of the Croysen Empire, our relations are fairly amicable. But if Croysen collapses in this war, we will share a border with Rhinehearts, which will have become a vast empire. Do you think we could remain on friendly terms as before?"
The Croysen Empire alone was already dreadful, but if a grand empire combining the Croysen Empire with the Kingdom of Rhinehearts were to emerge, the Kingdom of Lucias, which already shared a northern border with the Bringham Empire, would find itself suffocating.
Her argument was perfectly understandable.
"So, you're saying that on this occasion, our Lucias should also seek to strengthen its national power? And that the means is territorial expansion."
"Correct. Fortunately, the Croysen Empire is being overwhelmed without a moment's rest. We absolutely must seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"And if Croysen should manage to drive Rhinehearts back?"
"That possibility is gone after the defeat at Duke Zeksis' domain. Even if Croysen is not destroyed, it will lose vast territories to the Kingdom of Rhinehearts. Their defeat is all but certain."
But whether due to his usual antipathy toward the Riverdale Ducal House or his faith in the Croysen Empire's strength, the King showed a negative reaction.
"I don't think so. In the end, the Croysen Empire will win this war. Not only do they still have more military strength than the Kingdom of Rhinehearts, but they have yet to reveal their hidden cards."
Olivia's expression twisted visibly.
An empire of Croysen's caliber would surely have prepared one or two contingencies for a state of emergency.
The hidden cards the King referred to clearly meant those contingencies.
But to make a judgment overturning victory and defeat based on a move he had never even seen with his own eyes Olivia simply could not understand the King.
Still, she was a professional.
A figure with deep bones in politics.
Quickly composing her expression, Olivia changed her approach.
"Then how about this?"
"What?"
"If the Croysen Empire comes to us asking us to remain silent, even at the cost of their own bloodshed, that is when we move. Their making such a request would mean that even they acknowledge that defeat is pressing heavily upon them, would it not?"
In truth, regardless of whether their defeat was more or less certain, the Croysen Empire would have no choice but to pull troops from the Lucias front in order to secure a sure victory.
In other words, the request was bound to come regardless.
But the King, perhaps not thinking that far, nodded his head this time unlike before showing that he found it reasonable.
'To be this simple... It is truly painful to have an incompetent person sitting on the throne. I envy the new King of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts and his decisiveness.'
When Olivia subtly looked at him as if to ask whether he would refuse even this, the King reluctantly nodded and said he understood.
"Very well. Should such a situation arise, I shall consider it favorably."
Having drawn the answer she wanted from the King, she gave a courteous salute.
"I thank you for your thoughtful judgment, Your Majesty."
But contrary to her honeyed words, her eyes as she left the great hall of the royal family were cold.
And the day after Olivia brought up the matter of war, just as she had predicted, the Croysen Empire sent a request proposing a troop movement in exchange for ceding a portion of its territory.
* * *
"So they intend to dip a foot in, do they? That's the Duke Riverdale for you."
I clicked my tongue briefly at the news that the Kingdom of Lucias was preparing to invade the Croysen Empire.
The total force the Kingdom of Lucias could mobilize was about 30% of our kingdom's strength.
The remaining 70% had to be kept stationed toward the Bringham Empire front, so that was the best they could do.
Roughly 120 Heaven-Piercing Fortresses and about 7,000 Vanguards.
With things already slipping, more nations joining the war and the front lines expanding was bound to be extremely painful for the Croysen Empire.
Moreover, once the Kingdom of Lucias entered the war, it was clear that the Jordy Kingdom, which had only been watching the situation, would also quietly try to dip a foot in.
"What would you like to do?"
I gave Gregory a simple answer to his question.
"Actually, it's helpful for us right now, so let's leave them be. Once the war ends, we can negotiate and squeeze it out of them afterward."
If we say they took unfair advantage of our losses and demand compensation, the late-joining nations will have no choice but to make some concessions.
After all, our power has grown too great for them to simply ignore us.
"Understood. Then what about that man?"
With that, Gregory pointed at the holographic screen.
On that holographic screen, the Supreme Commander of the Croysen Empire was standing in the middle of an open field, shouting something loudly.
[I am Marquis Zerga Heidel, Supreme Commander of the Croysen Empire! In the name of the Empire's honor, I challenge the cowardly Supreme Commander of the Rhinehearts Kingdom army, Duke Adrian El Lawrence, to single combat!]
[Duke Lawrence! If you are a man, accept this duel! I will surely make you pay for your cowardice!]
Just like that.
As he spewed all sorts of provocations, Vice Commander Taylor tried to hold me back.
"Supreme Commander, Your Excellency! You must not fall for this. He is a renowned swordsman said to be on the verge of Grandmaster. Besides, it defies common sense for a Knight to challenge a Mage to single combat."
His consideration for me is admirable, but with the enemy's Supreme Commander coming out and acting like that, it was hard to just ignore him.
Besides, taking him out would boost our morale why bother refusing?
"Y-you intend to go out, don't you? Absolutely not. There's a high chance it's a trap."
Of course there is.
No, not "of course" it's a hundred percent.
Because I can see it directly through the Myriad Mirror.
That man is wearing modified Vangard equipment, ready to self-destruct if things go wrong.
Is that not a noble spirit of sacrifice?
"If I fall for such a cheap trick, then I deserve to die. I'll be back."
"Your Excellency!"
As I made my move, Arcia spoke to me.
[Should I go too?]
Since she was stationed at her main camp (the 2nd Army), she spoke to me via holographic communication.
Arcia had a worried expression, but seeing the sullen-faced fox beastkin draped around her neck like fur made me let out a small chuckle.
"No, it's fine. It'll be over soon anyway."
[Understood.]
With that, Arcia stroked the tail of Supreme Elder Iris Maryagny as if petting a fur scarf.
Elder Iris seems to have accepted her position as a comfort doll.
"Make sure to record the footage well so it can be sent straight to the media."
I left the command of the army to Vice Commander Taylor and walked out of headquarters.
Then I opened the outer passage of the Heaven-Piercing Fortress and used flight magic to approach the duel challenger, who was still hurling insults at the top of his lungs.
"Hmph! You actually showed up, without an ounce of fear!"
"Old man, you're the one who called me here?"
"Wh-what? Old man?"
I looked past him at the main camp of the Croysen Empire spread out behind him like a folding screen.
In the sky, over 400 Heaven-Piercing Fortresses floated, and on the ground, about 25,000 Vanguards stood in formation.
We had inflicted about 30% casualties at Duke Zeksis' domain last time, but with the Dragonland front forces joining up, they had recovered their original strength.
In fact, despite suffering multiple defeats, the Croysen Empire side was still superior in overall power compared to us, who had taken 10% losses in the last war.
Seeing this, the Empire really is huge.
'But once I get past that one man, this war is over.'
I curled the corners of my mouth and set my sights on Marquis Heidel, the Supreme Commander of the Croysen Empire, with his shaved head and large X-shaped scar.
"You will die here today. The Rhinehearts Kingdom will suffer great harm because of your reckless actions."
"You called me here, so why do you keep saying weird things? If you're going to do that, I'll just leave?"
"Wh-what?"
When I made a move as if to turn around, his eyes shook uncontrollably.
A look of utter bewilderment.
I don't know why he has such a long tongue.
It's not like he'd win a war of words anyway.
"Ahem, I commend your courage. Then let us begin the battle staking the honor of both armies."
Marquis Heidel's tone changed.