"So you mean we need to control the city guards' movements in the shortest time possible, adjusting the war intent according to our plan," Alice said calmly, without excessive enthusiasm, which put Rosen at ease.
"Yes," Rosen nodded.
"I thought we'd be attacking the kingdom directly. If that were the case, a thousand soldiers would suffice," Alice said. She wasn't underestimating Valos Barrier's city guards; it was simply a fact.
From their initial observations, many guards had likely never faced truly brutal combat. One telltale sign is emotional numbness visible on their faces.
This indicated that the force wasn't exceptionally powerful.
Most mid- and high-level officers, however, were Vick's personally cultivated confidants. Alice's team would gradually replace them to execute a smooth transition of power.
The key was controlling the number of loyalists: obedient ones stay, disobedient ones are eliminated. Rosen could have done this before, but without capable warriors to replace them, Valos' existing army would descend into chaos, potentially causing a mutiny—a result Rosen did not want.
Now, with Alice bringing enough elite soldiers, there was no need for restraint. Lantis-born warriors were formidable, with unwavering loyalty, ready to sacrifice everything for their queen.
"War will erupt soon. Stay alive and don't get carried away," Rosen warned. He wanted Andia as a base, but losses among Lantis soldiers had to be minimal, or it wouldn't matter.
"Are you worried about me?" Alice asked, surprised.
"No, not at all," Rosen quickly denied.
"While I'm gone, she's fully under your care," Rosen said, pointing to Xia.
"Thank you," Xia said, extending her hand politely.
"And the queen?" Alice asked, holding out her hand.
"I sent her on a task."
"You sent the queen to do errands? Shouldn't she be serving our queen? She didn't come with you to suffer. You miserly man," Alice said, raising an eyebrow. Rosen was speechless. Even MR.5 prioritized himself first—it seemed their lackeys shared that trait.
"She's well taken care of. We have money. Now, back to business: security is on you tomorrow. Disobedient soldiers are eliminated; obedient ones will save you time and trouble," Rosen said. With Valos now effectively independent, the plan was to establish a foothold, defeat the punitive army, absorb nearby barriers, and later execute a decapitation plan.
Rosen needed nominal recognition from a prominent noble. Only with a strong noble's acknowledgment could Xia's position be "legitimate."
Rosen had set his sights on the low-profile Duke of Blois. Among the three major dukes, Remontet was slightly troublesome, and with Hathaway discovered, Remontet likely suspected Rosen's intentions.
War would muddy the waters, distract the World Government, and allow events to unfold naturally.
"Understood. Let's go," Alice nodded, leading most of the Lantis soldiers with Xia's commission directly to the walls. Lisa remained with Xia, along with some Vanguard members.
"These people can be useful too," Rosen noted, watching former duke's guards. He knew that hatred could unlock potential.
"Good."
"Dingel, come with me to the Duke of Blois' estate. Hopefully, he's as smart as you said," Rosen said. Blois Barrier wasn't far from Valos. Ordinary people could reach it in half a day on foot; with Rosen and Lantis soldiers, a short half-day sufficed.
Rosen brought 2,000 Lantis soldiers, including 50 Vanguard warriors. The duelists weren't brought to avoid drawing attention.
"Not all nobles are bad, but someone like the Duke of Blois must stay low-profile to avoid politics. Convincing him to support Xia is risky—he'd become a rebel too," Dingel said calmly.
"Do you think I'm persuading him? No, I just need him to issue a statement. His willingness doesn't matter. He just needs to know he has no choice," Rosen said coldly.
…
At the city guard building, Vick was uneasy. He had stationed 200 elite soldiers at his residence, fearing a political power shift with Alice's arrival.
Should he flee? Too late. Soldiers were already stationed around, and gathering forces would expose his intentions. He had missed his best chance. He should have acted when confirming Alice's army belonged to Rosen, but hesitated in the presence of that monstrous man.
Now, formidable soldiers patrolled outside. Vick feared assassination.
"Commander, intruders have breached. All guards are down."
"What? I assigned 200 elite soldiers! How did they get in?" Vick panicked.
"These 'elite' soldiers? My ordinary men could beat them. Seems they've only fought the weak or beasts," Alice said, entering boldly with 50 Vanguard and 100 regular soldiers.
"This is over," Vick thought miserably.
"I came to see the commander, but you barred everyone. I had to force my way in. Soon, I'll issue orders; you follow or die. Obey, and you survive with merit. Disobey, and die on the battlefield. I'll take your position. Time-consuming? Yes. But if you're foolish, that's on you," Alice said bluntly, leaving no political nuance.
Vick sighed, realizing he was just an ordinary man. Resisting was self-destruction. Helping Princess Xia was the only sensible choice.
"Captain Alice is right. We fight for Princess Xia and will follow orders," Vick admitted.
"Good," Alice nodded. This avoided complications. If Valos' forces further dwindled, resisting the 80,000-strong punitive army would be nearly impossible.
(End of chapter)