Book 12: Chapter 4: The Four Generals
A space fortress where the ships of the Imperial Guard gathered.
In addition to the regular military fleet, there was a private fleet of those who are known as the "Grand Nobility" gathered there.
Cleo, who was watching the scene from inside the fortress, realized the word "violence in numbers".
"As far as the eye can see, the place is filled with naval vessels. I feel sorry for Liam who has to deal with this many vessels. There are six million ships--tens of millions if you add in the logistics."
He spat out words of sympathy, but his expression was thinly veiled in a smile.
Next to Cleo was the Marquis of Hampson.
He is a large, wild man with just a handful of long hair swept back, but he wears a suit.
In his hand he held a glass of liquor.
"He must have decided that only a fleet of this size could beat him. It would be an honor for the Duke of Banfield, not a pity."
Cleo was eager to hear Hampson's true feelings.
"Do you really believe that?"
Hampson smiles wryly at Cleo, who looks at him as if he doesn't understand.
"As a military man, yes. But I'm a lord in charge of the border. Banfield looks like a fool for being put in this situation."
"Liam looks dumb?"
"Isn't he?I don't know if it's a sense of justice or what, but he keeps defying the Crown Prince and is being sent out with an army of conquerors. Liam is a fool for creating this situation."
Liam is the one who created this situation.
The fact that the two are not in the same room together makes Cleo feel better.
But at the same time, he can't help but think.
(None of you who didn't support me will ever be in the same situation, though. Every one of them is going to slip up on me as soon as I become Crown Prince.)
Hampson, who is hundreds of years old in age, supports Cleo as second in command.
Hampson must think it troublesome to assist a young man who knows nothing about the situation.
However, he follows without complaint because Cleo is the crown prince, the next emperor.
"I see. Liam is a fool."
"Pity the people who have a fool of a lord. After all, if this army of conquerors gets into Banfield's territory, they will take everything. Whatever wealth Banfield has amassed will be ours."
The purpose of the conquering army is not limited to defeating Liam.
He will be thoroughly destroyed as an example to ensure that no noble will ever rebel again.
The planet is destroyed so that it is uninhabitable, and all of its wealth is taken away by the conquering army.
The locals of the realm are also - at every turn.
As they are having this conversation, the other leading figures gather around.
A large man, reaching two meters in height, was wearing a modified military uniform of the regular army. The coat given to the general is designed to look like a space pirate.
In addition to a pirate hat with a skull, the man wore an eye patch.
The man's name is Cozmo.
He is a general in the regular army.
"If you're talking about looting, count us in. My men are excited to hear that we can raid that Banfield's territory."
Laughing coarsely, Cozmo is dressed like a space pirate even though he is a member of the regular army.
Hampson lets out a small sigh.
"A pirate general, huh? Of course, I'll make sure you guys get your share. The Banfield family has always been very focused on internal politics. Most of the planets they have are treasure troves."
Cozmo licks his tongue.
"That's nice! He's got a lot of people who hate him because he's a pirate hunter. He'll be working even harder than usual. He's got a fleet of over 60,000 men, and the Banfield family has nothing left. We're not leaving anything to the Banfield family."
Cozmo was once a pirate. And all the personnel in the special-assignment fleet he leads are former space pirates.
After being captured by the empire, the fleet was formed by the fiercest of the fighters who overcame the grueling selection tests and deadly training to join the regular army.
In the empire, they were called a looting fleet and were forced to do dirty work.
They are led by a large man named Cozmo, who has a machine implanted in his left eye.
He used to be a brutal man famous among space pirates, but now he is a dog of the empire and has risen to the rank of general in the army.
Standing next to Cozmo was a young man with purple hair.
His name is Tride - the head of the Moss family, and his title is viscount.
The reason the viscount was invited to this event is because he has that much power.
"For me personally, though, the achievement of defeating the Duke of Banfield is very appealing. I am also promised a knighthood if I succeed in this conquest."
Unlike Cozmo, he was more interested in prestige and rewards than in plunder.
When Cleo, who did not know Tride, nodded his head, Hampson gave a brief introduction.
"The Crown Prince doesn't seem to know, but the Viscount is a well-known aristocrat. He rose like Banfield in the provinces, and his power is greater than that of a lowly count."
A man who was rising like Liam - that was Tride.
He was an impoverished viscount who had reformed and developed his domain, and was also a military force to be reckoned with.
He was a man of great power.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, please allow me to make your acquaintance. For this conquest, the Moss family prepared an elite fleet of 20,000 men. --It is a fleet as elite as the fleet of the Banfield family."
Cleo's eyes narrowed when he heard that their fleet was as good as Liam's.
"Is it true?"
"Yes, sir. In addition to the personnel trained to the level of a regular army, all of the naval vessels are state-of-the-art. 'Your Highness the Crown Prince - it wasn't just Banfield who was amassing strength."
There are also nobles like Liam who are accumulating power on the frontier.
Knowing this, Liam's existence became a little smaller in Cleo's mind.
"If Liam can do it, does that mean others can too?"
"Yes, it is so. The only thing you have to do is to admit defeat when it comes to swordsmanship. The One-Flash is too dangerous. I'd like to leave that to the last sword saint."
The man in front of whom Tride looked was a beautiful man with long hair, dressed like a Western knight. He was holding a sword called a rapier, which specializes in stabbing.
He is Dustin the Sword Saint.
He is the last sword saint of the empire.
"Three others were defeated by One-Flash. But still, it was an extraordinary swordsmanship hidden in the past. I can't help but wonder why it has never been revealed to the world."
Despite his young appearance, his speech is in the first person, "I He spoke like an old man."
All of them were powerful men of the empire.
Cleo asked the assembled group,
"I have a question for you."
When they all turn their heads towards him, Cleo's eyes narrow and his expression becomes serious.
"To Liam--can you beat the Banfield family?"
He led a huge army of six million men to challenge the Banfield family, who were only one. Naturally, it is a battle that should be won.
Hampson looked at him strangely.
"Does the Commander-in-Chief doubt his victory now?"
As if agreeing with Hampson, the others did not seem to understand what Cleo meant. Therefore, Cleo asked in more detail.
"It is a war that must be won. But you don't think it's enough to win, do you? Even if we win, if we suffer heavy losses, Liam's name will remain."
The people of the empire may talk about him as the frontier lord who gave the empire a blow.
What Cleo wanted was an overwhelming victory.
"Could you pull off an overwhelming victory against that Liam?"
Knowing Liam, Cleo was worried.
Would he be able to win overwhelmingly against the strong Liam with all the participants here? Hampson raised the corner of his mouth at this concern.
"Banfield will certainly be strong. He is the only person in the history of the Empire to have invaded the capital of the High Kingdom. But so what?"
Tride giggled as he hid his mouth.
"The wounds from the battle with the High Kingdoms have probably not healed yet. Even if he had healed, the difference in quantity would not be reversed."
Cleo, thinking that Liam was being underestimating , glared at the assembled group.
"Many of us have been hurt by Liam for saying that, haven't we?"
Tried shrugged his shoulders and gave a serious look.
"'m not belittling him, you know. I'm more of a fan of his. We are both the inheritors of a devastated territory, and we are the ones who have developed it. I know how hard he worked."
"Respect Liam? You--"
"Oh, don't get me wrong. I respect him, but I would kill him without hesitation for the development of the territory. If that's what it takes, there's no reason not to do it."
Tride, who was in the same situation, even respected Liam as a person.
But even such an opponent could be killed in a war.
Cozmo crossed his arms and turned a disgruntled face to Cleo. It is not Cleo who he is dissatisfied with, but Liam.
"We pirates know how scary Liam is. But even from our point of view, I don't think we're going to lose this fight. I promise you an overwhelming victory."
Cleo looks at Dustin.
"Liam is a user of One-Flash. Can you beat him?"
Dustin smiles and gives a surprising answer.
"If the data is correct, I don't think so. There is no one in the Empire who can beat him."
"What!?"
When Cleo was surprised by his answer, Dustin shook his head.
"Your Highness, if this were a one-on-one, flesh-and-blood battle, I would not stand a chance. But this is a battlefield. There are only a limited number of places where Liam's One-Flash can be used. There is no need to fight him head-on."
Dustin, the Sword Saint, rightly fearing Liam, chose not to fight.
"In the first place, he is the commander-in-chief. He will not appear on the battlefield. Even if he did, it would be best to run away and not fight him."
"There are other One-Flash users out there."
"I will deal with them. They will appear on a mobile knight, won't they? Even if I can reproduce One-Flash with their mobile knight, it will be over if we surround and strike them."
He said that even though he was a sword saint, he would avoid a fair fight.
Cleo starts laughing.
"--You guys are dependable."
In front of his men, who would be foolish enough to challenge Liam by underestimating him, Cleo thinks.
(These guys would have won an overwhelming victory over Liam.)
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