Chapter 57: Revolution Era - Hero
The next day:
Thanks to Eris’ healing, I was nearly back to full health, yet being treated
as a sick person was frustrating.
To alleviate the suffocation, I was swinging my sword in my room when I heard
a knock on the door.
All the visitors had come by yesterday, and after Ballian’s urging, the army
had marched out in the morning, so there shouldn’t have been anyone left to
visit.
Perhaps a servant?
“Come in.”
I lowered the sword I had been swinging and was wiping off sweat with a towel
when I froze at the sight of the person who entered.
“...Pierre.”
“Christine.”
Christine, who seemed to have rushed here, her face slightly flushed, opened
her fan and covered her mouth with it.
“I, I’ll be outside!”
As Christine’s gaze swept over me from head to toe, Lina, the maid who had
followed her in, quickly shut the door behind her and left, startled.
After an awkward silence, I hastily wiped off the sweat with the towel and
threw on my clothes.
“Ah, welcome. I didn’t hear you were coming, um.”
“I heard you were injured in battle and recuperating...”
Christine, with a somewhat subdued look in her eyes, snapped her fan shut.
“...You seem to be in better shape than I thought.”
...What should I say?
Thinking of what she must have felt, hearing that the person she promised to
wait for was injured, made it hard to speak.
“It’s all thanks to Eris’ good treatment that I’m better.”
The words I finally managed to reassure her felt embarrassingly inadequate
even to me.
Christine slowly approached me, placed her hands on my chest, and leaned
against me.
“You’ve been sweating, you smell.”
As I felt her forehead against my chest and my embarrassment grew, Christine
responded in a slightly muffled voice.
“Just for a moment, let’s stay like this.”
I felt a slight dampness seep into my chest.
Without saying a word, I slowly wrapped my arms around Christine’s slender
shoulders.
***
After a little time had passed.
Christine returned to her composed demeanor as if nothing had happened and sat
opposite me.
However, it was only the atmosphere that was calm; seeing her worn out by
fatigue, I couldn’t hide my feelings of guilt.
While I was away, she must have been busy dealing with affairs in the capital,
and upon hearing the news of the battle and my injuries, she rushed here
without rest.
Even so, Christine took the opportunity to update me on the situation in the
capital.
Maximilian Zidor and the radicals have formally established the Revolutionary
Party.
After the creation of the Revolutionary Party, the moderates started the
Liberal Party, and our associates formed the Central Party, each beginning
their activities in the parliament...
It feels like the National Assembly is finally moving away from its makeshift
operations to function as a proper political institution.
“The National Assembly has found complete stability. Maximilian Zidor’s
Revolutionary Party has begun to propose somewhat negotiable issues instead of
radical policies like universal suffrage irrespective of property or the free
distribution of land.”
It seems even those who were in extreme opposition to us and the moderates,
causing trouble in the end, have learned something.
“Personally, I think it’s a bit of a positive direction.”
I nodded in agreement with Christine’s addition and offered her a piece of
apple on my fork.
Christine raised her eyebrows slightly but quietly accepted it with her mouth.
“I don’t think they’ve completely given up on radical reforms. But agreeing to
push for whatever reforms are achievable under the current circumstances, as
you said, is a positive sign.”
I watched Christine chew and swallow the apple and then asked,
“How about the Liberal Party?”
“For now, we’re maintaining a cooperative relationship. However, the situation
involves absorbing defectors from the radical faction, and we’re trying to
persuade their members to expand our influence...”
Christine seemed to choose her words carefully before continuing.
“I think the alliance will gradually fade over time. Our goal is to expand our
influence as much as possible before that happens, so the Central Party can
match the size of the other two parties.”
This time, I offered Christine a strawberry.
Although she had silently accepted it before, this time she gave me a
disgruntled look and asked,
“Are you treating me like a child?”
“A child would eat when hungry even if left alone, but not you. Anyone would
think you came to visit me, not the other way around.”
Instead of responding, Christine began to chew on the strawberry.
I suppressed a smile that was about to break out and spoke,
“I trust you’re doing well, but I hope you can hurry if possible. For now,
we’re all somewhat cooperative under the banner of standing against foreign
threats, but if I’m right, the Germanian Empire will soon seek to withdraw
from this war.”
After swallowing the strawberry, Christine looked somewhat puzzled.
“How can you be so sure? Withdrawing now would be a blow to the empire’s
prestige.”
“This isn’t their war; it’s a conflict ignited under the pretense of calming
the empire’s ruling class shocked by our revolution and supporting their ally.
With significant losses to even the imperial forces, they wouldn’t want to
endure further losses.”
Christine still looked skeptical, so I added,
“Moreover, if King Louis disappears, Empress Cecilia of the empire can claim
the right to the throne of Francia. Having fulfilled their alliance
obligations, they’d rather prepare for the next war than desperately cling to
King Louis.”
“...That’s a point I hadn’t considered.”
Only someone with knowledge from before the regression, like me, could think
of this at this stage.
Princess Cecilia was married off as a symbol of reconciliation between the
Francia Kingdom and the Germanian Empire right after their war, long before
the civil war.
At that time, with princes in line, no one cared about the young princess’
rights to succession. Who could have imagined the empire would bring up her
rights after all the princes had died?
After pondering for a moment, Christine looked at me as if seeing something
anew.
“So, is that why you protected Princess Eris, no, Princess Essiliste?”
I smiled slyly and offered another apple to Christine.
“Exactly. The empire dreams of installing the empress on the Francia throne as
a puppet once King Louis is dead. Wouldn’t you be curious to see their faces
when the long-missing princess reappears to claim the throne?”
After gulping down the apple, Christine sighed softly.
“I thought you only intended to use the princess as a figure to bridge the gap
between us and the revolutionary government. I was wondering when you’d make a
move since you hadn’t said anything.”
“That’s why I’m telling you now. With Eris gaining immense popularity from
this battle, if we propose to install her on the throne to avoid war when the
empire brings up the succession rights, few would oppose.”
Christine gave a light smile.
“Now I clearly see the picture you had in mind.”
“The most challenging moment for us will be just before that. Once we root out
King Louis and Duke Lorraine’s forces from Francia and the war winds down, the
real political battles and checks in the National Assembly will begin. I’ll be
on the battlefield, so your role here is crucial.”
When people start to feel safe during a national crisis, they often begin to
look after their own interests.
“Just as you trusted and waited for me, I will trust you and head to the
battlefield.”
Hearing my words, Christine laughed incredulously before responding.
“It’s quite something to say that after giving me such a scare, but I’ve
worried you before, so I’ll let it slide this time. After all, you did fight
well.”
At a loss for words, I quietly offered a strawberry with my fork, and
Christine chuckled, accepting it with her mouth while gesturing to someone
behind her.
Then, her maid Lina, who seemed quite satisfied with herself, approached and
placed a bundle of papers on the table.
Hmm, a newspaper?
The moment I saw the illustration on the front of the newspaper, my mouth
dropped open.
After swallowing the strawberry, Christine’s eyes held a hint of curiosity.
“The drawing prominently features Eris emitting light from her hand, while I,
sword in hand, lead the revolutionary forces toward a witch floating in the
air. It’s as if it belongs in an ancient book of heroic myths...”
Christine, who had been leisurely savoring the strawberry, slowly swallowed
and then wore a mischievous expression.
“You can guess the mood in the capital, right? For the first time, people are
praising you not just as the son of the Blue Knight but as the hero, Pierre de
Lafayette. Congratulations.”
...I had somewhat anticipated this, but seeing it firsthand is more
embarrassing than I thought.
“...Thank you. But this is just the beginning.”
After all, there’s still a long way to go before I can surpass the Blue
Knight.
***
After suffering a major defeat and losing Wilhelmina von Weinfeldt, the
imperial forces had to retreat before they could even regroup. It was then
that Raphael Ballian led the Francia revolutionary forces in a counterattack.
Recognizing the futility of further conflict, Archduke Leopold had no choice
but to concede Bahua and retreat once more.
In the Duchy of Lorraine.
Archduke Leopold was visiting a makeshift infirmary, looking over his soldiers
who lay wounded. Once hailed as the mightiest of the empire, now less than a
third of these proud soldiers remained unscathed.
Unlike Ballian, who had launched a counterattack with his fit soldiers,
leaving the wounded in Reims, the retreating archduke couldn’t afford to do
the same.
He had brought as many wounded as possible, but many were lost during the
retreat.
Some were left behind simply because there was no other choice.
As the archduke looked over the beds of his cherished subordinates, a soldier
recognized him and attempted to salute.
Realizing he had lost his right hand, the soldier’s face darkened, and he
could only manage a nod of his head.
The archduke returned the salute and turned away.
Having received the order to retreat from the homeland yesterday, this war was
no longer in his hands.
Archduke Leopold and his soldiers would leave this land without any glory to
their names.
He let out a bitter laugh.
He had always had confidence in his military.
Though he had found it challenging even to confront the great king of Krafte,
everyone had thought it was merely because that man was a monster.
He had never imagined himself being defeated by anyone other than the great
king.
While he had found Raphael Ballian and Pierre de Lafayette interesting, it was
merely out of concern for the next generation, nothing more.
There are many excuses. The presence of a saintess, an irregularity, allies
not fulfilling their roles.
But none of that changes the fact of the archduke’s defeat.
Despite the bloodshed, he couldn’t secure even a modicum of honor for the
bodies of his cherished subordinates.
Perhaps he, once celebrated as a hero, was just an old man unable to keep pace
with the times.
Had he retired instead of clinging to his position in his old age, he might
have preserved his and his subordinates’ honor.
In front of the remorseful Archduke, King Louis appeared.
The once-bold knight, favored by the Knight King, approached alone after
dismissing his attendants, looking like a coward with an extremely anxious
expression.
“Your Majesty.”
“Archduke Leopold, is it true that the Germanian Empire’s forces are
withdrawing?”
The Archduke nodded affirmatively.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Archduke braced himself for what King Louis might request of him next.
“Take me with you!”
However, King Louis’s next words felt like a blow to the Archduke’s head.
“What did you say, Your Majesty?”
“Take me to the Empire, Archduke .”
The Archduke was at a loss for words, speechless.
King Louis, interpreting this silence in his own way, began to plead
desperately.
“Duke Lorraine, that old traitor, cannot be trusted. If left here, I will be
captured by those rebels and suffer indignities! We are allies, and the
Empress of the Empire is my sister, is she not? Take me with you. If the
Empire can drive out these insurgents and restore my kingdom when they are
able, I will offer anything for the Empire!”
Seeing King Louis, nearly mad with fear, fervently pleading, Archduke Leopold
felt a sense of emptiness.
How many of his men had died for the false pretext of restoring this man’s
kingdom?
How much blood had been spilled in the civil war and revolution that this man
had sparked?
In that moment, Archduke Leopold truly felt compassion for both his men and
the people of Francia.
And with that, he also felt a surge of anger and spoke out.
“His Majesty, the King of Francia.”
Without waiting for King Louis’s flinching response, the Archduke spoke
coldly.
“If Your Majesty truly wishes to be the honorable ruler of the knightly
kingdom, the sovereign of this land’s people, the leader of the glorious
Germanian Empire’s allied nation.”
Looking straight into King Louis’s eyes, the Archduke delivered his final
words.
“It would be best for Your Majesty to end your life now, to preserve your
honor and protect the people of this country.”
“What did you say?”
“I shall take my leave now. May you remain in good health.”
Archduke Leopold turned and began to stride away.
Left alone, King Louis screamed in rage.
“Cowards of the Empire! We were allies! How dare a defeated soldier insult the
king of this land!”
The old hero did not look back.
“Let me see my sister, Cecilia! Where is the law among blood relations that
allows this?”
The next day, under the command of Archduke Leopold, the Germanian Empire’s
forces departed for their homeland.
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