I Became the illegitimate son of a duke

13 – War of the Burgon Succession (3)

“…To His Highness Claude of Burgon.”

“I will be happy to receive your loyalty.”

‘Inside, he must be all twisted, but he’s a nobleman whose emotions are the basics, so he’s really good at managing his expression.’

The first thing I did when I met my uncle was to swear allegiance.

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My uncle was a little reluctant to my request, but in the end he knelt down and pledged allegiance to me.

“Whoops…”

“…”

Chloe, who had been crying and crying about me going to the battlefield until a few days ago, is very happy to see this scene. He lowers his head slightly and smiles a fishy smile uncharacteristic of Chloe.

…You shouldn’t let your child develop bad habits.

I went through a lot of hardships, so I should give him a break after work.

“The Count of Nevers.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I want to unify the command… Will it be all right? So I can respond to the Carolingian Kingdom.”

“…”

I hate it.

The color of his face has completely changed.

Well… It’s only natural that it’s because they’re nobles who absolutely want to protect the territory and private soldiers.

I’ll deal with it later anyway, so I don’t have to worry about reputation, but for now, since I’ve got the enemy right in front of me, I’ll have to make sure I don’t do anything unexpected.

“I will recognize the military authority. However, you will be in charge of the Central Army together with me.”

“…Yes.”

I have to put this guy under my watch in order to prevent a misfortune that would cut my back or stab me in the back alone. The best surveillance is by me and my men.

Looking at those eyes, it seems that he knew to some extent that I was going to come out like this.

“Your Highness, I have brought you a map.”

While the relatives were chatting, the vassals brought a map of the terrain around Nevers to the command room.

Ah, finally here.

“Hmm…”

The vassals laid out a map on the huge table in the command room, and I let out a short saliva as I looked at it.

The area around Nevers Castle and to the northwest is completely plain, as you have heard. There are no forests, and there are only shallow streams of rivers, so it is very suitable for large armies to move.

‘This side gathered troops and goods from the duchy split in half and filled only 20,000 people, but the Carolingian kingdom, which is more than three times the size of the land, must have more than us. Wouldn’t it be at least twice?’

Dealing with such an army on the plains… Unless you’re a monster like Alexander or Genghis Khan, you can say that it’s suicidal.

Even though China, which had the North China Plain for nothing, continued to divide, it did not reunite as one. In a flat land like this, a weak country can’t stop the forces of a strong country.

‘But… There are lakes and swamps to the southwest.’

Assuming that the quality of the military is equal, the only thing that will decide the outcome of a battle at this point is choosing the right terrain.

You have to choose between holding a sit-in in Nevers Castle or using the swamp area.

A sit-in with a castle is stable, but the battle takes a long time, so the big uncle coming down from the north becomes a significant variable, and you can benefit from using the swamp… But it’s a lot of gambling.

…My head hurts.

‘Wow… If magic was as strong as seen in cartoons or movies, I wouldn’t have to worry about this… Um, wouldn’t it?’

Of course, there are more talented wizards in the populous and prosperous Carolingian kingdom than in us.

If the magic was that powerful, it would have been rather disadvantageous on this side.

I always complained about magic because I only used it to light candles, but now I’m rather relieved.

“…Your Highness?”

“Ah, ah… I forgot to focus, keep talking.”

It seems everyone was puzzled when I didn’t say anything.

The generals, knights, and mercenary captains who were discussing tactics with each other are looking at me in unison.

It’s still hard to get used to this attention.

“Has the organization or size of the enemy been revealed?”

“Yes, Your Highness. The Carolingian Kingdom has always used heavy infantry, heavy spearmen, and heavy cavalry, so it will be the same this time. The size is unclear as scouts have not yet returned.”

“Hmm…”

The gray-haired general who was active on the battlefield during his grandfather’s time said so.

It’s new, but I’m glad my grandfather left behind many good generals. It would have been better if diplomacy had been a little better.

“It’s been covered with iron, but…”

In contrast, our mercenaries are properly armed, but most are lightly armed.

…There is a big difference in weight class from the armaments of the soldiers? How the hell did Grandpa defeat these guys so terribly?

‘Wait…Heavily armed?’

Compared to most heavily armed enemies, most of our allies are lightly armed and swampy.

Obviously, I remember a similar incident.

In a previous life… So the history on Earth… That’s right,

Agincourt.

A battle during the Hundred Years’ War in which 6,000 English troops literally threw three times as many French troops into the mud and opened a slaughterhouse.

The French army, which was mostly heavily armed soldiers, was unable to fight properly, such as getting lost or slipping in the mud of Agincourt.

Even the English archers who used to shoot arrows went to the front line with hammers to build fortifications and broke French clams floundering in the mud.

Because of this phenomenal victory, the kingdom of France was put on the brink of destruction, and a treaty was concluded in which the French throne would pass to England in the next generation.

After that, Jeanne d’Arc, who is called the Holy Maiden of Orléans, appeared, and it became useless.

If you could imitate the Battle of Agincourt…

“General.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Is there a way to drive the Carolingians into the swamps to the southwest?”

“Oh…”

As expected, the general must have been in the military for a long time, and it seems that he immediately understood the meaning of what I was saying.

“Kuh… Do you want to accomplish a feat rather than a certain victory through a sit-in?”

The old general’s tone is extremely disrespectful, as if it contains the emotion [Can you handle it when you’re young?], But the expression is serious.

“So, whose grandson am I?”

After hearing my answer, the general smiled broadly without a sound.

Small wrinkles made the general’s face look like a Hahoe mask, but he couldn’t feel anything bizarre.

Are you seeing my grandfather in me?

“Really, really… Brilliant. But this experienced old man is too old to think of a way to drive the enemy into the swamp. The downside of heavy armament is that they know better.”

“As expected…”

Unless the Carolingians are fools, there is no way they would leave the plains to the northwest and set up camp in the swamps to the southwest.

It seems that they have been using heavily armed soldiers for a very long time, so they know very well the disadvantages as well as the strengths of heavy soldiers. That’s why I won’t come to the swamp area anymore.

As long as you don’t bait something… Bait… Huh?

“Bait?”

The battle of feudalism ends when the enemy general is captured, and the war ends when the enemy lord is captured. Japan during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592, which had a feudal culture, did not desperately run all the way to Hanyang to catch ancestors for nothing.

So the best bait… Is here, right?

The effect is excellent, so it must be as good as being beaten.

“Yes? Bait?”

“General, I’ve found a way to drag the enemy into the swamp.”

“What the hell is that… Yeah?”

The general, who had been smiling broadly until just now, hardened his expression in an instant.

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My finger was pointing at me.

Others in this room are responding similarly to the general.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to ask now, but what’s your name?”

“Arras… This is Victor Arras.”

“Okay, please take good care of Arras.”

Although his lips and eyes were trembling, Aras answered my question faithfully.

mmm, I like it because it’s faithful. Future work-

“Duke… What are you talking about…”

…Ah.

I forgot Chloe…

For Chloe, who values me very much, this strategy is—

“I was told that I would never… Be in danger… I would be in the rear…”

“Wait a minute Chloe… Calm down… Calm down…”

Chloe’s face is literally to die for. He is so white that it wouldn’t be strange if he died straight away from a heart attack.

Chloe’s eyes are moist, and her tone has almost changed to howling, but no one around tries to stop her. Rather, they strongly agree.

I was greatly embarrassed and tried to stop Chloe, and Arras, who saw that, took a short breath, and he spat out words as if sighing.

“Your Highness… Defending in a swamp is dozens of times more difficult than defending in a plain. Your Highness knows that, so didn’t you try to drive the enemy into a swamp? At that time, can you withstand the powerful Carolingian attack until reinforcements arrive?”

“Uh… That must be difficult, right?”

I lost a bit of dignity at Chloe’s reaction, and answered in a tone that sounded like Gingamin, and upon hearing that, Arras’ expression instantly changed to that of a grandfather looking at his immature grandson.

As expected, no matter how good the theory is, it’s no good for a person who has accumulated a lot of practice… Don’t look at me like that!

“Whoa… But the idea was great.”

“Huh…?”

“It doesn’t have to be the Duke himself in the swamp.”

For example, shouldn’t the enemy recognize that you are in a swamp?

Aras said that while looking at the towering banner of the House of Burgon and my duke’s uniform.