# Enhanced Translation
This era's people are romantics. Especially all those uncivilized—pre-modern medieval humans excluding Krasilov and Kalion, and among them, the nobles were even more so. (Let's not lump Kalion in with them, as it's simply an asylum for the mentally ill.)
Though they possess vile, realistic, thorough, and calculating aspects, they live with a piece of romance hidden in a corner of their hearts.
This was something Ivan's cold intuition and experience could support. Everyone he had seen until now was moderately selfish, but at some point, they would suddenly burst into flames as if their hearts were set on fire, and burn themselves to ashes.
But Ivan is not like that. As a cold, modern urban man, he chose to live in reality rather than die for romance.
Therefore, his wars always begin quietly in the dark night, outside of sight, with dishonorable ambushes, and end just as quietly.
"Stop."
Ivan lowered his body and gave a hand signal. There was no verbal response. Only the sense of the group coming to a halt. Ivan didn't bother turning around to check.
He was quietly observing the military camp ahead.
"Type 3."
At Ivan's words, someone approached him. It must be Elfihera Grikenkos. Type 3 required Elfihera to step forward.
After a brief incantation, sparks crackled in her hand. She formed a circle with her index finger and thumb over one eye, and extended her hand holding the spark straight out.
With a small boom, her hand recoiled with a strong kickback. The fireball flew and struck its target precisely.
-...!!!
-!!!
Commotion broke out in the camp. Torches blazed on the stockades and watchtowers as people began running around.
After confirming the direct hit of the fireball, Ivan stood up and said:
"Withdraw."
One of the Albinian Crusader Army's supply warehouses went up in flames. The same thing was happening throughout the region at this moment.
Not everyone agreed with his strategy. Even though the military camp was seething with anger, these were fundamentally knights.
"Shouldn't we engage in a proper charge now?"
The knights' dissatisfaction was understandable. They were warriors who had spent their lives honing their swords, and where they shone brightest was in a cavalry charge. Knights are most efficient as a military unit when mounted on horseback, slaughtering through enemy lines.
But at the same time, they are a group composed of superhumans. Keeping this level of military power idle until a charge occurs is extremely inefficient.
Superhumans operate on a different level from ordinary people in terms of sensory abilities like hearing and sight. They can distinguish objects at distances that would be unimaginable to ordinary people.
Even without scout training, there were no better resources in this country for minimal reconnaissance in enemy territory. Equitania's intelligence assets were practically nonexistent compared to Krasilov's.
"We must achieve victory before we fight."
"But the enemy hasn't fully assembled yet, while our preparations are insufficient?"
"If we launch an offensive now to drive away the enemy, then what? Are we merely fighting Albinia and Elsros? In a situation where we must handle all six southern nations, we must minimize battle casualties."
Ivan wasn't skilled in strategy. He wasn't particularly versed in tactics either. But he was an agent from an intelligence group who knew Equitania's national power precisely.
Therefore, he thought this war would end as soon as it began. Equitania had a wide border relative to its population, and lacked the troops to block all of the enemy's advance routes.
They might be able to hold out against one country, or even two. But the opponent was all six southern nations, and it was impossible to handle them even momentarily.
If engagement occurs, there will inevitably be casualties. Even suffering the same level of damage, Equitania's losses could be fatal at every moment compared to the enemy's.
So, engagement must be minimized. Better yet if there's no outbreak of war at all.
"If war breaks out, I will not participate in the military command of Equitania's army under any circumstances. But before that happens, please."
Ivan swept his heavy gaze over the camp commanders.
"Please, follow my words. I don't claim I can handle every situation, or that my operations are perfect in all cases. But one thing. I will ensure you don't die in vain."
"..."
"Equitania cannot fully bear all the wars that will arise. You must fight on battlefields where you are absolutely necessary. Until then, your lives are this country's last bastion. Please, preserve yourselves."
At Ivan's words, the excited audience fell into deep contemplation.
The romance they desire would be grand charges, brilliant battles, and satisfying revenge. To claim the lives of knights who died in other theaters as their price.
But it cannot be. Ivan had to prevent such things, even if it meant forcibly blocking their honor and romance.
Dirty and boring tasks must be done. Because war is not entertainment. Chivalric literature is enjoyable because it is fiction.
Reality is more severe. Most of the war process happens in ledgers. Materials, finances, troop mobilization status written on pages.
"Lord Yeremov."
An older knight met his eyes and spoke.
"Do as you wish."
"...Thank you."
"Let's maintain our current policy. Deploying all knight-level forces, organizing individual units of minimum 3 and maximum 5 people as scouts. Is that correct?"
"Precisely."
At Ivan's answer, the old knight exhaled deeply and looked around at the commanders.
"You seem displeased."
"Lord Conti. But..."
"Are we at a tournament right now?"
Each commander closed their mouth and lowered their eyes. The knight slowly continued.
"This is not the usual small border friction. Nor is it a territorial war. They will not take prisoners. They will not demand ransom money. Because we are heretics."
"..."
"Consider that we're fighting demons. There are no prisoners, and if we retreat, the territories we lose won't be subjugated but burned. Will the dead citizens blame the enemy or us?"
Equitania's Shield. Their nickname was shield, not sword. They were men who swore to protect the land. Men who swore to protect the weak, justice, the royal family, and their people.
"So don't worry about getting your feet wet in the mud. Would the enemy acknowledge our honor if we die honorably? Or would there be any of our people left to praise our honor?"
The commanders nodded without answering. The meeting ended briefly. It concluded with continuing the same operation of persistently striking the enemy's supply routes and retreating.
After everyone left, Ivan quietly bowed his head to the knight who remained until the end.
"Thank you."
"It was what needed to be done."
"I am not a citizen of this country. I probably don't have more experience than you. It couldn't have been easy to trust my command."
"Trust you? Me?"
The knight laughed softly.
"What I trust is my lord. Since he has never misjudged anything, if he trusted you, there must have been a reason."
The knight didn't wait for an answer, patted Ivan's shoulder, and left.
"So don't betray the trust our monarch places in you. That's all."
Looking at the departing knight's back, Ivan briefly thought.
A wise monarch and vassals who completely trust him.
If he were to put himself in their position, yes. He would have done the same. If the late king had ordered him to serve under some foreign general, he would have complied without any resistance.
That's why Ivan was a little jealous of the knights in this place.
Their appearance was his ideal. This is probably what he had longed for in the distant future.
After tapping the table twice, Ivan silently left the tent.
There was a bitter taste in his mouth.
The Albinian court literally felt like they were sitting on a bomb.
A large-scale crusade organized by five allied countries had begun, but it was Equitania that actually started the war. Despite the excommunication order, they had raised an army solely with their own national power and begun their invasion.
It's absurd, but understandable if seen as a last desperate struggle. They must have thought it through. Since it might take a few more months for the crusader army to fully assemble, they decided to strike Albinia first.
This much is possible. They can bear a certain level of loss. But.
"Elsros has swept through three cities with unstoppable momentum, yet our army is only retreating?"
"Your Majesty, it's not a retreat since there was no engagement. The villains cowardly raid our rear, and when we dispatch response forces, they retreat again and hole up in their fortresses..."
"Are you saying that's not a retreat?"
"Your Majesty. The enemy hasn't dared to occupy even the smallest of our villages. It's merely a small border dispute, victory is just a matter of time..."
"A matter of time!!"
The king shouted, stomping the floor heavily.
"I will dismiss Count Fabrini who keeps repeating these incompetent battles! If the enemy's tactics consist only of night raids, isn't it enough to prepare for night raids? Even I know this obvious fact!!"
"Indeed so, Your Majesty."
"Go!! I delegate command authority to Count Tomasi! Order Count Fabrini's detention!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The courtiers bowed their heads in response. The king gritted his teeth and said:
"When will support arrive? What is everyone doing? Even if troop mobilization takes time, does it make sense that there isn't even material support? Is this truly a crusader army? Or are we the only ones being consumed while dancing to the Pope's words?"
Elsros has destroyed three cities. Logically, among the two fronts of Elsros and Albinia, there's no reason why only the Albinian front forces would be stronger. Both Elsros's advance and the crusader army ultimately desire Equitania's destruction.
Is our army weak? No. Unlike Equitania, Albinia's legions had soldiers and commanders with direct experience in the Great War.
Even before that, the six southern nations were strong armies that had experienced endless territorial wars before the Great War. Given the intertwined nature of the six countries, it's impossible to say they lack war experience regardless of nationality.
Then this difference is obvious.
"The Pope...!!"
He must have abandoned us and joined hands with Elsros.
After bearing all possible losses and emptying the treasury with excessive war mobilization, if Elsros finally occupies Equitania—
Then he intends to strike us down and share nicely with the other countries.
There's no evidence. But diplomacy isn't a court of law. Clear evidence isn't necessary.
The command of the Elsros front was equally confused.
"Again?"
"Yes, sir. All the warehouses in the castle are completely empty."
"Damn it. When are the military supplies supposed to arrive?!"
After defeating the Royal Knights at Portabella, Equitania's forces retreated with their tails between their legs. How they had laughed at the sight of them abandoning even their castles and fleeing at the slightest border provocation.
But now it's different. All three castles were empty. All nearby pastures and farmlands had been burned, and not even a single rotten grain of wheat could be found in the small slash-and-burn farming villages.
An army is a monster that consumes food and funds by its very nature. Even in the midst of continuous victories, people need to eat to move.
A sensible commander doesn't try to secure all provisions through plunder. (All such nations have perished.) But at this point, with all rail lines damaged and the enemy fled, the supply lines couldn't keep up with the advance speed.
Traditionally, blitzkrieg was a skill only possible for a well-prepared army. Elsros had merely conducted a light preliminary reconnaissance.
"Retreat... we should at least abandon Viarto and withdraw to Castello. We've advanced too deeply!"
"How can I possibly authorize a retreat?"
From the royal perspective, how would the current victory reports sound? They've secured vast Equitanian farmlands never before captured, and advanced using only their national power without any battle casualties.
To abandon a city and all nearby territories and retreat from this position? Saying such a thing to the king would cost one's head.
"Wait. Albinia still hasn't marched beyond the border even once?"
"Yes, sir."
"They remained stationary even after hearing our victory reports?"
"Yes."
"..."
Commander Theodor gritted his teeth and shouted:
"The Pope... this man...!!"
His words startled the command staff, who looked around nervously. Fortunately, there were no priests in their camp, as priests who had lost their holy power were useless on the battlefield.
"What does it mean that those Albinian pigs didn't move an inch while we swallowed three territories! Would those bastards not know how weak these Equitanian idiots are?"
"S-sir. What do you mean?"
"They've abandoned us!! If we continue to advance and behead Equitania, if we devour Equitania solely with our own strength without rear support, they can conclude the crusade with a victory without lifting a finger!"
"But sir, if we do that, all the military achievements would be ours alone..."
"Would the other pigs of the six southern nations sit idly by? We'll have depleted all our resources through war, and we can't defend both Equitania and Elsros simultaneously! Will the Pope protect us after the crusade ends? Even if he promises to, who would listen to the Pope's words!"
It's a time when holy power has disappeared. Can the Pope pressure monarchs as he did before?
No. The current crusader army was organized only because everyone's interests aligned. They are wolves gathered with the intention of dividing the resource-rich land of Equitania among themselves.
As the saying goes, when the hunt is over, the dog is boiled. Even in lands without the term "tosakubyeong" (using someone and then discarding them), this logic itself is not new.
"We must advise His Majesty. Stop the advance and wait!"
"Yes, sir!"
By the time the armies of Elsros and Albinia abandoned their advances and focused on defense before the second week of the war...
The Pope was grinding his teeth and shouting at the envoy.
"Why is even material support difficult!"
"Our current situation is also..."
"What situation!!"
The Lorencian envoy, with an extremely apologetic expression but not at all apologetic eyes, looked at the Pope and continued:
"However, Your Holiness. This is different from the crusader army's promise."
"Promise?"
"Leonor's legion is currently deployed at our country's border. I don't know what they're thinking, but since Leonor has revealed its ambition to invade by exploiting our vulnerability, we cannot fully support the crusader army."
At the Lorencian envoy's words, the Pope was about to burst into anger but paused momentarily.
Leonor? Suddenly deployed troops to Lorencia?
Why on earth?
For the answer to this, we must check the court situation in Leonor.
-Prepare to die.
In response to a letter from a thug nation (a conquering monarch's country that was on the verge of continental condemnation just half a century ago), Leonor attempted a sensible response.
-It wasn't us. It really wasn't us.
This summarizes their grand excuse. Leonor cannot respond to Krasilov alone. Perhaps if the crusader army were fully organized. Especially not in this situation where everyone is watching each other and cautiously dipping their toes in and out.
But as mentioned earlier, diplomacy is not based on material evidence but on suspicion. Leonor's excuse was not a sufficient "reason for acceptance" to the Krasilov court, so.
-Cry, prove your innocence by crying.
Faced with this grand threatening phrase that could be summarized thus, the Leonor court immediately began wailing loudly. In other words, they answered that they would catch and deliver the bad guy.
Of course, Leonor would never genuinely attack Lorencia. Internal division in the crusader army is a sin worthy of heresy judgment, and the Pope is currently in a frenzied state.
So there are no military operations. Just enough performance to say "we did our best" is sufficient.
Leonor's legion was immediately deployed to the Lorencia-Leonor border.
At this point, when 2 out of the 5 allied countries are saying "direct participation has become difficult."
The Pope looked at the map with a darkened face and lamented.
In the church's long history, there had never been a more shabby crusader army, with the premonition that even after the war ends, the church's authority would never be the same.