Book 12: Chapter 10: Banfield Territory Defense (5)
Liam's mansion on the main planet of the Banfield family.
It was Rosetta, the acting head of the family, who received a report from Klaus there.
"The main fleet of the enemy is attacking?"
"Ha. Some of the defense bases have been breached. The projected course of the enemy fleet is definitely the main planet of the Banfield family."
The enemy target predicted by the General Staff was definitely the main planet of the Banfield family.
"Is the number really three million?"
"We are expecting at least three million ships. Reinforcements seem to have arrived, and the number of ships in the main fleet is higher than at first."
Klaus reported the situation in a matter-of-fact manner, but he seemed more nervous than usual.
Rosetta, who expected a tough battle from Klaus' appearance, looked down and then looked up.
"I'm going to ask you straight-forwardly. --Can you win?"
Rosetta's question was not about feelings or enthusiasm.
Klaus also understood this and answered honestly.
"It would be a miracle if we win. I will advise Rosetta-sama to escape."
Rosetta heard this and made up her mind.
"--Is there still no word from my darling?"
" No, I haven't. I have not heard from anywhere that Liam-sama has been defeated. If he had been defeated, the enemy would have advertised it."
It was impossible to contact Liam.
In this case, it was Rosetta's job to make the decision to escape.
However, there were circumstances that prevented Rosetta from escaping.
"Information is coming in from the enemy forces that they have taken out Darling."
From the conquering army, there was information that they had taken out Liam, who was moving around the battlefield.
Klaus denies it.
"It is false. If Liam is defeated, it will be announced widely in the empire. It is a lie if he has not done so."
If they defeated Liam, it would be a great achievement in the current empire.
They will make a big announcement and honor Cleo.
The reason they don't do that is because they didn't really defeat Liam.
If it turns out to be a lie after the announcement, the credibility of the empire will be damaged.
Therefore, unless there is solid evidence, it will not be announced in the empire.
"The problem is that there are bad rumors circulating among the territories. In fact, on our planet, the government is being inundated with inquiries about the safety of our people, demanding the truth."
Klaus looks bitter.
He must have guessed what Rosetta meant.
"--Nevertheless, as a knight of the House of Banfield, I wish to say this. As long as Rosetta-sama and Edward-sama are alive, the House of Banfield can be rebuilt again and again."
Rosetta smiled sadly at the words of Klaus, the first knight.
"If I leave the main planet, the people will make a fuss. The army would not want that, would they?"
"I suppose so."
If the people on the main planet, which was to be protected, started a commotion, the effect would reach the army.
From Klaus' standpoint, he could not hope for that.
Rosetta conveyed her decision.
"I will remain on the planet and reassure the people. Edward is the only one who will make preparations to escape. I will ask for your help in case of an emergency."
If Klaus is defeated, Rosetta will share her fate with the planet.
Hearing Rosetta's determination, Klaus also made up his mind.
"Ha!"
After finishing the communication, Klaus calls out to the knights and soldiers surrounding him.
"We will intercept the main fleet of the imperial army."
He mutters without showing his expression to anyone, and the people around him, sensing Klaus' resolve, responds.
"Ha!"
The main planet of the Banfield family is defended by 600,000 ships, although they will be intercepted by a large fleet of at least three million ships.
A reserve fleet has been dispatched to the planet Tia is defending, and the number is less than it should be.
Klaus thinks about what he can do.
(As a commander, all I can do is to keep the people around me from getting anxious. I have entrusted the deployment of defensive equipment to the best men. I have entrusted the deployment of the fleet and the commanders to my subordinates, who are reliable. If this doesn't work, it will all be my fault.)
He has done all that needs to be done.
Klaus is concerned about his own abilities, but fortunately he has excellent people under him.
He placed excellent people in command and divided it into his own job to follow up.
Then, he receives a communication from his dependable subordinates.
The faces projected in the small window projected in the air are the subordinates that Klaus has relied on many times on the battlefield.
"Your Excellency, you failed to persuade Rosetta-sama, didn't you?"
"How unlike you."
"That's where I praise Rosetta-sama's spirit."
The subordinates who were talking lightly were commanders of fleets commanding tens of thousands of ships each.
They are dependable subordinates who have gone along with Liam's reckless behavior many times and have overcome difficulties each time.
"I admire your guts to speak lightly even at a time like this."
(No, you guys are really great. You are more suited to be commander-in-chief than I am.)
In the face of his subordinates who were more capable than he was, Klaus wanted to replace him as commander-in-chief even now, even though he knew it was impossible.
Well, he understands that it is impossible, and he can at least anticipate the confusion if he says it.
Therefore, he never speaks of it.
"It's only three million. We are on the defensive, with the advantage of being on the ground. In addition, His Excellency has put up an ironclad defense as we requested."
They were able to fight easily because they had adopted the opinions of their excellent subordinates and placed defensive facilities.
"If you consider it a five-fold difference, we can push them back enough. Besides, if we cut it down by 20 to 30 percent, the enemy should retreat."
Klaus was relieved to hear his subordinate say that this level of success was nothing to worry about.
"That is very encouraging."
Then the last one raises his eyebrows and questions.
"What I can't understand is that the empire has moved such a large force, and almost the entire fleet is now in combat. What about the supply lines of the imperial army?"
Klaus was aware of his subordinate's question.
"I guess that's how confident they are in their supply lines.--It was said that Liam-sama was going to hit the enemy's supply bases, but this opens up the possibility that he has secured several of them."
It seemed that Liam hitting one of the supply bases would not make much difference to this situation.
Still, it would not be pointless.
However, Klaus had one thing to say.
"--I originally wanted Liam-sama to command maturely on the main planet. Why would he go to the front lines?"
Klaus complains, and his subordinates, who have known him for many years, look at him sympathetically.
In the first place, it's bad for Liam to go to the front lines even though he is the general-in-chief.
"I am sorry to hear that."
"Isn't that a sign of trust in Your Excellency?"
"The unspoken ones are saying that you are rubbing Liam-sama the wrong way, sir."
Klaus' face twists slightly at the last one's words.
"That's a terrible accusation."
(I'm doing my best to stop him, too, but he says it's okay and pushes through.)
At the same time.
There was movement on the planet Tia was defending.
"The imperial offensive has intensified."
Tia, who was in command from the fortress, sensed firsthand that the enemy was intensifying their offensive.
In fact, the data also showed this.
The second-in-command was not happy about it.
"Some of our defensive facilities and bases have been completely exhausted. If the enemy offensive intensifies any further, we will be in danger."
The allies are also feeling vulnerable to the enemy's offensive.
But Tia was different.
She raised the corners of her mouth.
"The commander of the enemy forces is the Marquis of Hampson, right?"
The second-in-command was unaware of Tia's intentions, but he answered her question by recalling the information he had gathered beforehand.
"Yes, indeed. He is the head of a marquisate family that is in charge of the borders of the empire. He has a lot of experience in actual warfare and has participated in many large-scale wars. But you know that, don't you, Tia-sama?"
Tia, who began to laugh, sensed Hampson's impatience.
"I've got that guy's fighting style drilled into my head. That's why I found this behavior suspicious."
"Huh?"
Ignoring the oblivious adjutant, Tia gives the order.
With a more dignified and relaxed manner than ever before, she tells them.
"If we can get through this, victory will be in sight. Until then, endure!"
On the main planet of the Banfield family, an urgent announcement was being made from the government office.
A large screen was projected in the air, and the news was delivered as an emergency broadcast to the terminals held by the residents.
Rosetta is there.
"Today, the military has reported that the main fleet of the Imperial Army is marching toward this planet. I urge you all to remain calm and not to be distracted."
It was an announcement that a large army was advancing toward the planet, and at the same time, it was a request not to make any unnecessary noise.
The announcement has caused a flurry of activity in the territory.
Some of them have begun to flee, and some of them have started a movement to win their freedom by cooperating with the empire.
Most of the citizens thought that someone they had seen somewhere was making noise again.
And in the bar, the master, who seemed calm, and a regular customer were talking across from each other at the counter.
"I miss it. Was it over a hundred years ago? Such things this to happen."
The master polishing the glass looked nervous but calm as usual.
So were the customers, but this one was smiling.
"Those were the days of the Gores Space Pirates. That time I finally prepared myself for death and regretted downing my favorite drink without even tasting it."
Looking out of the store, they see a group of panicked citizens.
Most of them are young and don't know anything about those days.
The older adults were chastising them.
The master raised his glass and held it up to the light in the restaurant to see if there was any polish left.
"The Lord is still the front line, apparently. It was the same back then."
"In the empire, the noble lord is the first to flee, but that man is a real oddity."
"Instead, his wife is probably the one who stays behind."
"Master, the usual."
Customers order drinks from the master in the daytime.
It is still before the restaurant opens, but the master also serves them drinks.
"Here you go."
The customer accepts the drink, downs it in one gulp, and places the empty glass on the counter table.
"The young people don't understand anything. The same goes for the immigrants from elsewhere."
"That's true."
The master chimed in, and the customer frowned.
"A hundred years ago it was even worse than it is now. But the Duke-sama still managed to defeat the enemy. But what about now? There are many people we can rely on now, including Klaus-sama. I wish they would make an uproar when they're in more of a pinch."
The master heard this and agreed with a troubled laugh.
"You're right."
"Isn't that right? After all, it's Duke-sama. How can he be defeated like this?"
For the people who have lived on the main planet of the Banfield family for a long time, they are not afraid of Liam's absence or the fact that the imperial army will be their enemy.
If there is a problem, it is that--
"But, you know, the citizens should be calmer."
The guest says this with a pout, and the master agrees with a broad smile.
"Surely they must!"
This content is taken from free web nov𝒆l.com