The Story of Hero Among Heroes ~The Founding Chronicles of Arestia Chapter 65

Chapter 65 – Blitzkrieg

The Trevoir Kingdom is located east of the Brittany Federation . The Grants Princ.i.p.ality is at its east, and Redgear in the south . Despite being a small country, it managed to remain stable by establis.h.i.+ng a good relations.h.i.+p with the surrounding countries .
Its cities were beautiful; a testament to its riches .

And war finally reached it .

Although they received pressure to join the alliance to defend against Arcadia, the royal palace is still divided whether to go to war or to let Arcadia forces pa.s.s peacefully . This dispute is still ongoing .

The Trevoir Kingdom is a small country in which, unlike most other countries, the aristocrats hold the greatest power .

Despite the confusion, the King of Trevoir merely chose to keep watch silently .

[Your Majesty, we can still make it . Please send reinforcements to Brittany immediately]

[Are you out of your mind!? We can’t defeat the Arcadia Empire!]

[No, is it still possible to send help to both Brittany and Redgear at the same time?]

[If we lose, not only the king, but the whole aristocrat clans will also perish . ]

[No, the Thunder Emperor will surely pardon us if we surrender . But if we fight, we’ll die…]

[Pardon me!]

Several aristocrats looked on unpleasantly when the door was suddenly opened .

[You cur, do you know what we are currently doing here…]

[Pardon me! The Arcadia Empire forces are attacking!]

Everyone who is present were astonished by the news .

[The Brittany Federation has fallen . The Arcadia Empire’s forces are now in position to storm the palace!]

[I… . . impossible!?]

[You said Brittany Federation had fallen!? What is going on?!]

[Isn’t this going too fast?!]

In the middle of that uproar,

[So they’re here… it’s time for me to fulfill my duty as a king…]

King Louis said as he stood up .

Some of the aristocrats were already standing up and returning to their abode, probably plotting on how they would act in the future on the premise that Arcadia Empire won .

After declaring that the council is adjourned, Louis turned to his childhood friend Simon, who looked upset .

Both Louis and Simon were still in their twenties . Simon was the only person that Louis could entrust Trevoir Kingdom’s governing to .
Simon wasn’t born of n.o.bility; he was a regular scholar recruited through normal means .

[Simon, apparently our dream has come to an end . I wish for the day that we can change the country and uproot those aristocrats away… but this is it . ]

Loius laughed in sadness, but Simon quickly denied .

[Your Majesty, everything is not set in stone yet . According to the information I’ve gathered, the opposing forces are led by Ares Schwarzer . Allow me to go to negotiate with him so that our beautiful Trevoir will remain as it is]

Simon then continued .

[I may not return alive . Your Majesty, please do your best for Trevoir if that really comes to pa.s.s…]

Simon said so with a strong resolve .

Louis looked on .

[In that case, I will also do my duty . Summon the aristocrats once more; I’ll announce our surrender…]

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Ares oversaw the scenery of Trevoir Palace and the city around it from above horseback .

[It’s such a beautiful city . I wish that I don’t have to sack it if I could . ]

[That’ll depend on the other side . ]

The knight Vulcas then mentioned .

[There has been a lot of aristocrats trying to reach out to us since earlier . Perhaps in secret]

In that, Ares could only feel complicated .

[Against orders, they already went to seek their own reprieve . Despite ruling the land for generations as aristocrats… none of them actually care for the country nor its people . ]

[Reporting!]

Ares turned around at the sudden report .

[A messenger from King Louis of Trevoir has come]

[…speak of the devil . Well, shall we see what he has to say?]

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Even surrounded by the soldiers of the Black Legion, this person remained unmoved and calm, which somewhat sparked a little of Ares’ admiration .

(That’s a face of someone prepared to die . There is actually someone like that in this country, huh?)

It was Simon who appeared as the messenger .

[Thank you for receiving me . I’m here to convey my King’s intention to the Arcadia Empire’s forces . ]

Simon said so as I handed over Louis’ letter to Ares .

Ares read it, then handed it over to Vulcas . Vulcas was surprised upon reading the content of the letter .

[Surrender without a fight… . ?]

He looked at Simon who had a sad look on his face .

[Yes, that was my King’s response… unfortunate as it is, we have no troops to rival yours . ]

Simon continued without missing a beat .

[However, it is only under some conditions…]

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After Simon left, there were only Ares, Vulcas and Sigurd remained inside the tent .

[They’ll take responsibility with their lives . But in exchange, they want us to refrain from using violence and destruction to take over Trevoir…huh?]

[I have nothing to say but brilliant . ]

Sigurd was perplexed by Ares’ remark .

[Let’s march in to the palace for now . We’ve received permission from the King himself after all]

Ares took out a piece of paper from his notebook . Seeing that, Vulcas immediately spoke his mind .

[… . can I ask a question?]

[What is it?]

Ares turned around in response to Vulcas’ question .

[The letter from His Majesty and then this blitz attack…same goes with Brittany…Ares-sama seems to have antic.i.p.ated everything in advance . Just when was this strategy set up?]

[Before I left the Capital . ]

[This time everything went as planned . Well, there were deviations, but we managed to come up with different solutions . So all is well . ]

[…]

Ares’ reply caused Vulcas to feel upset . In other words, what happened up until now, and those letters had nothing to do with the Emperor . It was probably all written by this young man himself .

[…can I ask another question?]

[If it’s something I can answer, sure . ]

[Ares-sama, how many copies of His Majesty’s letter does Ares-sama still have?]

[I did ask His Majesty to write some]

[!? How come…]

[Uーn, that is something I can’t tell . ]

[Then… change of topic . What will happen to Prince Carlos and Archduke Saxon who are currently advancing?]

[Ah, those two won’t be able to breach Redgear . ]

[They are about to attack Redgear’s two great fortresses which were built specifically to defend against Arcadia . In addition to that, those fortresses are manned by famous generals such as Gold Tiger General Zion and Silver Bear General Garn . And more than that is Princess Liliana the Silver Princess Knight . Her presence is like a strategic weapon in itself . She can’t be ignored so easily . ]

[But…if given enough time . ]

[If they have time, then they probably could do something . Those two are Arcadia’s greatest generals . Eventually they’ll breach the fortress and march to the capital… however . ]

Ares laughed at the end .

[I would’ve already taken the capital before that . ]

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Inside Trevoir Palace

Ares was standing before the upset King Louis and many other aristocrats to accept their surrender .

[Well then, I will convey His Majesty’s decree . ]

Vulcas who was standing on the side opened and read Emperor Sephiros’ handwritten letter with strict and serious tone .

[Trevoir will be part of Holy Arcadia Empire, and the King of Trevoir, Louis Trevoir, henceforth, will be the Earl of Trevoir . Trevoir is to continue administrative works as is . ]

Everyone present was astonished upon hearing that Louis will still be holding the position of Trevoir’s de facto leader .

[The official papers will be given once we return to the royal capital . However, this decree can also serve as a valid formal grant, therefore cannot be attested against . ]

Ares added to silence the astonished aristocrats .

When Vulcas saw Emperor Sephiros’ handwriting, he couldn’t his surprise as well . How many more letters does this man have? Moreover, how come His Majesty allowed such a thing?

Keeping that question to himself, coughing once, Vulcas continued to read .

[Regarding Trevoir’s aristocrats… we guarantee that they can keep their property and wealth . However, their land will be confiscated . All aristocrats will be appointed baronet, and be stationed in the Arcadia Empire]

Hearing that decree, the aristocrats present were silent at first, but soon started to raise their voice .

[N-no way! I’m a duke in Trevoir! There is no way I can accept being demoted to baronet!]

[Land confiscation, you say!? Does Arcadia Empire not know about courtesy between aristocrats!?]

[This lord cannot accept that condition!]

Complaints started to fly one after another and soon the hall became too chaotic . Seeing this, Ares then said .

[Then do you want to fight for it?]

The hall which was noisy and chaotic gradually quieted down after Ares’s words .

[This place is but a small country . In Arcadia, you’re already fortunate enough to be considered as baronet . Know your place . ]

[The confiscation is against courtesy, you said? You’ve surrendered . We have no obligation to show any courtesy to you . This is us already giving you preferential treatment by letting you keep your property . ]

[And more than anything!]

Ares refuted the aristocrats’ argument one by one and added a decisive statement .

[If you don’t accept, then it’s fine . Just prepare to have your clan completely erased from the face of the continent!]

No one dared to counter argument Ares after that .

And from that day onward, the Trevoir Kingdom became Trevoir County . The aristocrats did not dare to rebel . Three days later, they packed their belongings and headed to the Arcadia Royal Capital .