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Chapter 286.

It wasn’t that difficult for Malecia to take command of the fort and move the soldiers. He was treated as a lowly mercenary by royalty and nobles, but there were many people in the army who owed him their lives.

"How is it? Will you be able to stall the imperial army until Teacher-nim comes?" Beta asked.

Malecia smirked as he looked inside the fortress. "Honestly, it’s a 50 percent chance."

Beta did not hide his surprise. "The odds are that high even though you’re dealing with someone who’s supposed to be a great madosa?"

"That calculation is actually the probability of our opponent coming at us full force."

"What do you mean?" Beta tilted his head, not understanding Malecia.

"It’s just as I said. If the opponent comes at us with his entire might, we won’t be able to stop him. If he doesn’t go all out, we’ll be able to stop him,” Malecia replied.

Beta laughed playfully. "Ah! So the odds are fifty-fifty. Aren’t you pretty confident? I mean, you’re saying that if the great madosa doesn’t move, then you’ll 100 percent be able to stop them.”

When Malecia heard that, he smiled bitterly. "No, I’m not that arrogant. I don’t think there’s more than a 20 percent chance of him using his full power."

This implied that within the remaining 80 percent, there was a 30 percent chance of defeat.

"Doesn’t that mean that if we purely defend in the siege, we have at least a 60 percent chance of stopping them? That’s a good chance!" Beta said hopefully.

Malecia shook his head. "No, war is a series of battles. Winning one battle doesn’t mean winning the war."

Beta grew silent again, and he said, "That means we have to repeatedly fight battles with a 37.5 percent chance of defeat."

"Yeah, we’ll have to persistently continue battling with a 3 out of 8 chance of losing until our main force gets here."

At Malecia’s confirmation, Beta sighed. The number of troops stationed in the fortress was significantly smaller than the enemy’s vanguard. Of course, that was not a decisive disadvantage that would ensure a loss in a siege defense.

"And I’m sure our chances of losing will increase if we have to keep fighting without rest."

However, even if they were in the advantageous position of defending in the siege, it was not without drawbacks. The disadvantage during a siege defense was that the enemy determined when they would fight. In short, if the imperial army used their numerical advantage to attack in three shifts, the kingdom’s army, which had relatively few numbers, would have to fight day and night without rest.

"It’ll be a miserable period."

At Malecia’s words, Beta smiled bitterly. "We’ll die of exhaustion. Wouldn’t it be better for us if the enemy’s great madosa just fought us at full power?"

Malecia nodded in agreement. "If the great madosa comes out with all their might, no matter our resourcefulness or whatever, the only answer is to run away. I’m not crazy enough to think I can beat a natural disaster."

"Hahaha, I agree with that," said Beta.

Malecia grinned and continued to analyze and reinforce the fortress.

* * *

The march to Shellen Fortress was easy. Normally, we would have to go through the occupied territories and disband its defending forces to protect our rear, but we simply moved on. Despite this, we were never attacked. The chief of staff laughed bitterly at the reality of not being attacked. "As I expected, the empire and this place are just like each other.”

This was a place that didn’t have an open railroad like the empire. In other words, a large portion of the vanguard who attacked the empire was made up of troops from the frontline territories. Most nobles would only have a minimal amount of troops to defend their territories, as many had died or were captured in Dresden. Under such circumstances, it was natural for the lords to stay still. After all, if they attacked us recklessly and lost, their territories could be destroyed.

"Well, inhabited areas are all like that."

If they attack us, our advance will be delayed, and as a result, we will lose time to attack the fortress. That would be the worst situation for us, but to the enemy, it was the best way to reverse their unfavorable situation. Nevertheless, the fact that no attack was made meant that their land and property were more precious to the lords than the safety of their nation.

"Foolish. If they’re smart, they should realize that they can only survive by at least pretending to attack with their lives on the line,” scoffed the chief of staff.

I shrugged. "People typically can’t help but be nearsighted in times of crisis."

The lords here wouldn’t survive whether the empire won or lost the war. If the empire wins, it will demand war money and territorial concessions, while the kingdom would pass this burden on to the frontline territories. This is because if the kingdom lost the war, it was caused by the frontline nobles’ inaction in preventing the empire’s advance.

On the other hand, if they were victorious, it was clear that the kingdom would state a similar reason and exclude the frontline territories from any conferment of honors. There was even a chance that they might try to seize the nobles’ money and territory.

"Tsk tsk, all you have to do is pretend. Then you could turn the crisis into an opportunity.”

If they bought time by just pretending to attack, the first possibility could be avoided. It was a great opportunity to find a foothold and advance into the central political arena. Fortunately, they didn’t realize that opportunity lies on the other side of disaster.

"If they were able to think like that, they most likely would’ve already received a better territory or been the center of politics. In that case, they would not have been lords of territory on the border."

The chief of staff nodded at my words, convinced. "Hmm, is that right?"

For your information, when those at the borders were called great lords and knights for being watchmen of the border, it was mostly fiction. Even if there was such a title, it was nothing more than a conciliatory title for the central political community to take advantage of. Still, I’m glad there’s no idiot who ‘actually’ decided to attack us, enchanted by such a title.

"By the way, what kind of tactics are you going to use initially when targeting Shellen Fortress? Our staff members have come up with many pretty good ideas," said the chief of staff.

The other staff members also looked towards me and the chief of staff, carefully paying attention. Before the war began, everyone seemed unhappy with me taking command, but after experiencing the Battle of Dresden, that atmosphere disappeared neatly.

"Well, we should use a basic strategy and go with Vice Chief of Staff Major General Warble’s three-shifts tactics.”

Wobble clenched his fist at my words. "All right! Everyone hand it over."

When Warble reached out his hand, everyone took money out of their wallets. It seems that they made a bet on whose tactics would be used first. At that time, the staff manager raised his hand and shouted. "I have an objection! Major General Warble’s strategy is a ’basic method!’ But isn’t it the first time we are using it?"

When the staff manager stated this opinion, everyone put the money back into their wallet. As the money disappeared before his eyes, the vice chief of staff shouted urgently, "No! What do you mean basic?! It has to be ingrained from beginning to end to be called basic! So, even if my tactics are being called a basic tactic, this would be the first time they’re used!"

"That’s not true. The purpose of the three-shifts tactic is to let our troops rest without giving the enemy a break. As such, shouldn’t we look to the first objective of having our troops recover as the basis for our tactics?"

According to the chief of staff’s belief, if it turns out to be true and I use another tactic after the battle begins, the initiator of that tactic would win. The vice chief of staff, however, refused to accept the staff manager’s disagreement and countered. "That’s sophistry. The three-shifts tactic starts when the entire army is divided into three divisions!"

"If it’s in three shifts, we can attack using each army without a need to separate into three groups. There’s no need to change it when it’s already divided, so Major General’s starting point is ambiguous.

"You want to fight, Brigadier General?”

"Of course not. I am just pointing out the inconsistency in Major General’s logic."

The vice chief and manager continued arguing with each other. I intervened in the debate between the two and turned it into a discussion on how the enemy would react.

"You’re very proficient in turning useless discussions into productive ones,” the chief of staff admired.

I smiled playfully and took out some jerky from my pocket space, and chewed it. "It’s nothing. Lieutenant General Isaac, would you like some?"

"Thanks."

The chief of staff and I watched the two discussing and hinted at topics from time to time as if adding firewood. As expected, watching a fight is the most entertaining thing about it, even if it’s a verbal fight.

* * *

After Malecia was forcefully sent to Shellen Fortress, he reorganized its military structure for three days and strengthened the fortress’s security. In addition, he absorbed a part of the defeated vanguard that retreated from Dresden, improving the fortress’s strength.

"Thanks for your hard work."

At Beta’s thanks, Malecia smiled and climbed up the fortress walls, playfully saying. "It’s too early to hear thanks. Don’t you mean that I need to start working hard from now on?”

Beta nodded as he climbed up the wall alongside Malecia. "That’s true, as well. Teacher-nim does sometimes work people hard.”

"It’s sad that I can’t deny it even if I want to."

Malecia sighed sincerely. At this, Beta smiled lightly and asked, "By the way, is there anything you want to do after this war?”

"What I want to do?” Being asked a question he had never thought about, Malecia stared at Beta.

"You know, like going on a trip to the South and relaxing while drinking coconut juice?”

"Are you talking about a vacation?"

When Malecia grinned, Beta nodded. "Rest is the driving force behind work."

"I’m not sure; I don’t think too much about other things when I’m working. It’s not too late to make a vacation plan after the war." Having climbed to the top of the fortress walls, Malecia headed for one of the towers.

Beta shrugged as he followed Malecia. "Well, that’s true too. Wow, a lot of people are here. I guess it’s true that, at the Dresden front, the empire received very little casualties."

Beta was astonished by the tens of thousands of troops seen outside the fortress.

"The bad news always turns out to be true.” Malecia sighed, pulled out his sword, and shouted, "No one should think about rest! Either you die and rest, or our allies arrive and you rest! It’s only one of those two options! It’s a hell of a day!"

Everyone swallowed dryly at Malecia’s cry, and he continued, "But don’t worry! Three days! We just need to endure three days! If we last three days, it’ll be our victory!”

At Malecia’s declaration, the tension turned into a roar that shook the fortress. A trumpet sounded to signal the beginning of the battle.