After the welcome that my siblings gave me and after telling them several war stories, which were somewhat exaggerated to tell the truth, the training of the future order of the roses began, but not without first bringing a gift to everyone: armor of knights to measure for them.
Everyone was surprised and immediately put on my gift, for my brother Diabo I had brought not an armor similar to mine with a red tunic that reached a little below the knee, on top of this there were several steel plates joined by strips of leather, and then a large purple cape.
"Wow that's great!" He said moving, getting used to the armor.
Stroking her head smiling, I then turned to the girls. "All right! Let's see how far you've come."
And so, the training began, the girls fought each other with the sword. I could see how they had a lot of potential; I'm not surprised since many of them will become true beasts, I would even say that some would be on par with the monster that is Shino Kuribayashi.
While watching how they practiced, I noticed that Diabo had a hard time keeping up, even though he is older than the girls.
"No, brother, if you stand up straight, you're only going to fall." I went to help him with his posture, I had to adjust him manually seeing that it was difficult for him to even imitate me. I took his shoulders and arms to accommodate him from behind him as I explained how he should hold the sword firmly. Although he was pretty bad, he really tried, listening, nodding and trying everything I taught him.
Everything normal Until here, unfortunately he trained with Bozes who, seeing two boys quite close, her fujoshi chip began to activate. watching me behind Diabo, holding his hands as I whispered things in his ear and he nodded submissively to all my instructions. It is also worth mentioning that due to the plate armor on top of the tunic that Diabo wore, it made it look more like a skirt, which did not help the nascent imagination of the drill girl.
/
Having already finished with the training, I had gone to my room, I would have to wait a week until the senate reconvenes.
Lying in my comfortable bed, with a delicious dinner and very good wine, I was tempted to stay here and send someone else north.
"Hmm... I would have liked to spend more time just having fun but... That bastard is going to die by my hand, I'm not going to leave him unpunished and retire after the arrival of the JSDF, keeping the power in the shadows. "
I had made up my mind, it was time to declare war on my father and fight for influence openly, I immediately began to write several letters to various people and some rehearsals of what I was going to say before the Senate.
/
Meanwhile, in the throne room. Marcus and the Emperor were having their classic chats about Prince Zorzal.
"My lord, it is more than certain that the prince will request more reinforcements for his campaign. How will we deal with this?"
"We won't do anything, I already predicted this scenario." The emperor replied calmly. "If you ask for more reinforcements, you will not only ground those senators that you are not a military genius, but it will also return the discussion about whether to weaken the borders or not. Thus, with your well-timed visit, you will not only disappoint them by his true military skills, but will also give a very bad first impression to those senators who opposed sending more soldiers, which is almost half.
"Your majesty, you are always one step ahead of others." His right hand said surprised.
"Being one step ahead is vital if I want to keep the empire as the most powerful force in the world. By the way, someone keep an eye on Sadera's treasury, I want to know if Zorzal spends even a penny."
/
Having already spent 3 days since I came back, I was completely forgetting everything I set out to do, god this bed was comfortable enough to leave it and go back to the front.
I had a hard time getting up, although of course, having two beautiful women sleeping next to me, Luserina and Moon, did not help me want to leave this palace.
"Mmm~~ Master~" Moon purred close to my ear, still half asleep.
For her part, when the elf woke up she simply arranged her clothes to leave. That reminded me that every time I spent the night with her, she never waited for me to wake up, she always got up and left before I could even say anything to her.
"Luserin." I called her before she takes off, which she turned away from.
"Is there something master needs?" She asked without much emotion.
Sitting up in bed, careful not to wake Moon. "Are you okay? Or is there something bothering you?"
"It's nothing, now if you'll excuse me, I have to help in the kitchen." Turning back to leave.
"Is it because you think I'm heartless enough to get rid of you if I get bored?"
Hearing that, she feels as if a chill runs down her spine. She knew that I knew that she spoke badly behind my back and talked to the others about freedom. Trembling and thinking she was going to be executed for it, she turns to me to show me the marks on her body.
"These scars were made by that bastard Canus you became friends and associates with. Don't complain about what I call you if you hang out with trash like that and others." Believing that her life was already close to over, she was going to make sure to say everything on her mind.
"And that's not the only thing. Now you even went to a war to get more slaves like me! Villages burned, children separated from their families, women raped and countless people massacred... I don't know what you're playing at playing nice master But I'm not going to fall for that."
Saying that, she leaves, leaving me in complete shock without being able to answer her anything.
Still sitting on the bed, thinking over everything she said.
"...I'm a hypocrite."
I told myself, bringing my hand to my face.
"How different am I from the real Zorzal? I'm just not a sadist like him and I'm not that stupid..."
Getting up to go to a mirror, looking at Zorzal's reflection.
"In the end you got used to what you didn't have to get used to..."
Wanting to laugh at myself in this state.
"I remember arriving and being horrified by slavery... I am now a slaver... I was furious to see that Swiss woman being raped... Many more were raped when I enslaved them."
My entire campaign to devastate the Helvetica tribe began to replay in my mind, I witnessed things that my modern world self would have considered horrible and disgusting... However I got used to it too quickly.
"It's not my fault, this world is too cruel." I told myself to excuse myself.
"...No, that's an excuse. Did I become like this because this world is cruel or because this world allows me to be cruel?"
That question began to eat at my mind, trying to find the answer.
"No, it was necessary to do that anyway. If I want to become emperor, kill Molt, and stand up to the JSDF, I need to seize power as quickly as possible."
Almost convincing myself, I was about to look away from the mirror, but I couldn't.
"...Why do I want to become an emperor?" That new question hit me like a strong wave.
"This... doesn't make sense... I don't need to confront the Japanese, in fact I could collaborate with them to get rid of my father... It wouldn't be very different if another country came in, it would just be to join their side if the door opens in a modern country or kill myself if the gate opens into a world like Harhammer."
"If that's the case then…why get my hands dirty? Why go risk my life instead of living life to the fullest?"
All these questions overwhelmed me for several days in a row, I had tried to spend those days drinking wine but my palate in this body was not used to it, so I just put it aside because of the bad taste, but because this body was not used to it I got a little drunk.
I was already getting ready to sleep, until I heard someone open the door to my room. At first I thought she was a servant, so I didn't pay much attention to her, I didn't look in her direction until I felt that person sitting on the bed, it was Saskia.
Yes... I remember that the first time I saw her I had insulted her quite a bit, although it was to get even with Duke Canus that did not give me the right to speak so harshly of her in her presence... And now I went to war to enslave to theirs. I wouldn't be surprised if she hated me too.
"Master Zorzal... I heard you're not feeling well... why?" she spoke in a concerned tone
"Why do you care about me?"
"What do you mean?..."
"... I am at war with your people, enslaving yours... Don't you consider me someone without a heart as Luserina says?" I asked again, somewhat unsure of what she would answer.
"Well... I'm sad about what happens to mine. But I don't think you're someone without a heart, it's war and that's how it works. Besides, you've been very kind to us! You gave us more than we could have imagined as slaves!
That wasn't enough, after all he was someone who was hypocritically supporting and expanding slavery.
"By the way!" Added the Gali girl. "When they came here, I had heard that the slaves were beginning to be treated better by the duke after I left... That was because of what he said at the party, right?"
Hearing that I was surprised, not because I didn't know about it, but because with all the bad things I had done I had forgotten the only good things I had done, although they were quite insignificant in comparison.
"You were able to make us better treated in just one night! And you're the only one who cared about us! Though you had to say some mean things about me…"
"I... sorry about that night..." I said ducking my head towards her, which alarmed her because a prince had humiliated himself before a slave.
"P-please master! It's not appropriate for you to apologize to someone like me!" Pretty nervous. "But even so, I'm sure that if you succeed in your goals, everything will be better."
"The problem is that I have no real goal beyond being emperor." I almost laughed.
"Tell me, master, what things have you been doing in Helvetii? Besides of course looting." she asked.
"Well... The slaves are freed since that way we would have a local population loyal to the empire... And we offer the smaller and more oppressed tribes to align with us in exchange for benefits, also implement a code of conduct during the plunder cities." I answered, explaining each of these aspects.
"See? There you are doing us a good thing, if you were someone without a heart then you would just kill and enslave everyone no matter what." she told me smiling.
"Huh? I'm still the main cause of all the suffering and-"
"Such is war." She answered with a coldness that made me a little nervous. "Besides, with your code you have managed to greatly reduce the suffering of war, so you are not the heartless monster that Luserina says."
"But I've been supporting the slavers who have made them suffer so much and-" She cut me off completely, she was much more assertive than usual, it's almost like she wanted me to get up and continue the war.
"She has lived her entire life in an elven village, she thinks slavery is weird but no matter how much we complain it will always exist. Unless someone powerful enough rises up to destroy that system with a big pile of corpses. " she replied. "You had to insult me to make us be better treated, to achieve any change you first have to get your hands dirty."
She stood up to extend her hand to me.
"Make this world a better place?" wondering surprised. "It is true that the Japanese would improve the quality of life of many... but they simply could not cover the entire empire... And although my sister Piña could take care of that, she would still be limited by not knowing well the values of my world and because Molt would be there to give him ´advice´ on how to rule..."
After thinking about it, I decided that it would be a good reason why to try to do something, this world will continue to suck if I just don't do anything.
"Do horrible things to make things better or do nothing and let horrible things happen around me? Fuck it, I'm going to do it, and to do that I'm going to take the throne."
I said, taking Saskia's hand and taking on that responsibility.
/
Saskia came out of Zorzal's room, a triumphant smile on her lips.
"I made it!"
She exclaimed, turning a couple of times happiness.
"Those Parisians are going to suffer for everything they did to me. The city of Les is going to burn and my people will be freed!"
She never believed that she could take revenge in any way on those who conquered and enslaved her tribe.
"And that prince is... interesting. I thought the only thing I was going to get was a quiet life, which wasn't bad. But it seems like I can get something else if I get close to him."
Happy, beginning to dance gracefully down the hall, humming a song.
"Although I'll have to wait a couple of years for that, it seems the prince isn't going to touch anyone under the age of eighteen."
/
Getting out of bed, after a very good breakfast that made me recover my energy, I began to put on my red tunic, and then put my gold-plated plate armor next to my elegant purple cape. Washing my face well, seeing my reflection in the water.
"Don't get used to this again."
Ready, I began to walk to the chamber of the imperial senate, as soon as I entered, I was surrounded by senators, and in front of me was the emperor, my father, who smiled as if he had already won this meeting.
"With the arrival of Prince Zorzal, this new assembly of the senate begins to revisit the subject of the Gali invasion, now with the point of view of the commander in chief who directs the forces." Marquis Casel said, beginning the meeting.
"Is this about the few reinforcements sent to the front lines?" Cicero asked, hearing this question the emperor gave a slight smile.
"That's it, son, walk straight into the trap, you should have stayed in the front and ended up calling in reinforcements little by little." The emperor was quite confident, however what I would request would be a real surprise not only for him, but also for everyone in the senate.
"It is not so, Your Excellency Cicero, I am here to request approval for the Gali who choose to cooperate with the Empire to obtain Imperial citizenship and be allowed to rule their territories as subjects of the Empire."
A silence took over the Senate chamber, everyone was processing what he had just said, convert those barbarians into full-fledged citizens?
"Has he gone mad?!" The emperor nearly screamed at the madness his son had proposed, but then calmed down. "No, no, this benefits me, it will be a long time before they take the prince seriously again after this."
"Your Highness! What does this mean?!" Cicero yelled indignantly, and others also yelled for explanations.
"Of course, I have a very good reason for doing so...basically to use them as cannon fodder." I said coldly.
"Cannon fodder?" another senator asked confused, like everyone else in the room.
"Of course, they, seeing that we generously reward those who support them, will gladly fight for us, and when that happens, we put them in the areas of the battle where casualties are most likely, keeping our forces as complete as possible."
I explained, the pro-war generals seemed to like the idea of using them as bait. "And these are not the only advantages, it will be easier to control the Gali territory once the war is over, since they are imperial citizens, they will be forced to take care of themselves and help maintain order in the region against possible revolts, since they will be seen as traitors by the conquered, it's a win-win."
I wasn't putting it up as a form of reward, but as a way to get the barbarians to kill each other.
This idea delighted all the senators, applauding in unison.
"The Crown Prince is a true genius!"
"Those barbarians won't see it coming!"
"Long live the empire! Long live Prince Zorzal!"
And so, the senate approved giving Imperial citizenship and equal rights to the Gali with an impure motive.
The emperor began to break out in a cold sweat on his forehead when he saw how his son convinced all the senators to approve something impossible. And that cold went down his back when he saw how Zorzal gave him a defiant and triumphant smile, he couldn't do anything but clench his fist in anger.
"Old Man, I have no idea what the hell you planned but it didn't work out." I felt completely satisfied to see that face of horror on that bastard. "Very well, since the senate decided to unanimously support my proposal I withdraw, I must get ready to return to the front lines and bring victory to the empire." With that said, I stepped back, waving my cloak for a touch of epiquism.
"That brat is openly challenging me!" Molt was furious, but there was nothing he could do now.
Already going to his throne, meeting Marcus on the way.
"Marcus! I want you to ban Zorzal from using the national treasure!" said the emperor in his anger.
"B-but your majesty! To do that would be to declare war on the prince. We also need a justification!"
"We're already at war with him, and say we can't spend any more war money as an excuse."
"Alright sir, this morning the prince withdrew a large amount of gold."
/
As soon as I got back to the palace, I went to the garden where the girls used to spend time, when they saw me, they all got tense, although Luserina was the one who was the tensest.
"Tomorrow I will leave for the north again." I knew they were worried about what Luserina had told me, although I wasn't upset with her.
"When you come back, we'll have a feast!" Saskia said happily, she wasn't worried about anything. "Actually, we can toast now." Picking up a wooden cup and trying to find something to pour into it, finding nothing, he dipped the spleen into the water fountain to fill it up. "This toast is to you!"
When the rest of the girls saw me smile at what Saskia did, they did the same.
"Let's toast in your name!" They said, and I did the same, I took a wooden spleen and filled it with water from the fountain.
"Let's toast..." I said in a low voice, to then drink all the water.
They were all behaving as usual, chatting with each other, until I approached Luserina and gave her a bag with several gold coins.
"Master?" The elf asked confused.
"You're free." I Spoke. "Any of you who have a place to return to will be released."
"Why?" The elf was more and more confused. "After everything I said..."
"Well... Let's just say I can do you guys something nice once in a while." He said joking. "Get ready, tomorrow you can leave the city with me." I said going to my room.
The girls were silent because of what I just said, several minutes of silence later, tears began to come out of Luserina, falling to the ground.
"Thanks... I'll be able to go home." Murmuring through tears.
In that, Saskia takes her by the shoulder and crouches next to her to hug her.
/
/
The next morning, having already prepared the horse to go with my guard to the battlefield, I was waiting for some people before leaving, no, they were not my siblings or any of the girls, Luserina was already riding beside me, what he was waiting for was my reinforcements.
Soon, various engineers of all kinds began to meet on the outskirts of the city, the letters I sent the first day were helpful.
"We are ready to go now, your highness." A gentleman told me, so I nodded and decided to go with them, too bad I couldn't hire wyvern riders and I didn't have the time or patience to go to Rondel to convince them to send some mages.
/
The emperor was throwing his golden cup of wine at Marcus, completely furious.
"I told you to ban Zorzal from using the treasure! How was he able to hire so many engineers?!"
"I-I'm sorry your majesty! But he got money some other way..."
"That bastard... he's using the loot money..." Trying to calm down little by little. "No, it's not a cause for concern yet, since he didn't request new reinforcements from the senate, it's impossible for him to hire wyvern riders or imperial mages since they're from the empire or Rondel... So if he wants reinforcements he'll have to hire mercenaries, and the loot money will run out sooner or later.
He told himself trying to calm down, however, the next news would make him alarm again.
"Sir... Zorzal implemented a new looting system that has allowed him to squeeze every last coin from each city taken..." He said, beginning to explain that new system and the benefits it brought, which made the fear begin to flood the chest of the old emperor.
"He... thought of all that?" He hadn't felt this fear since he had his firstborn killed. "I should have left him aside instead of Diabo. Now if two of my sons die under suspicious circumstances the nobles will become suspicious and it will be impossible to hide."
/
"Sir, why have you sent the technicians to Helvetii and we are going to the Ice and Snow mountain range?" One of my knights asked. Now we were all bundled up because we returned to the winter weather.
"Because we are going to hire the volraldenfor war." Seeing the mountain range in front of me. "Luserina, here our path separates." Observing her.
"Yes, on the other side of the mountain range is the forest of the High Elves." She answered, although he was not going to cross the mountain range, he was going to go around it to the south. "Sir... Thank you for letting me come back... I regret everything I said to you."
"Don't regret it, because you're right." I answered quite calmly. "Everyone will think what they want of me."
"I see... If one day I have the opportunity to return the favor, I will"
Nodding her head, she continued on her way on horseback, watching it recede over the horizon.
"Guys, come on, we have business to attend to."
We began to walk deeper into the mountain range, between the mountains.
"Sir, why should we negotiate with those dirty demi-humans?" One of the knights said. "We should give them an ultimatum to submit in exchange for not killing all those lesser beings." He didn't hide his disgust with them.
"Watch your mouth, or are you saying that in more than 500 years the empire hasn't been able to defeat a mere inferior race? Are you saying that the empire is incompetent?" I said seriously, I knew someone was listening to us and I didn't want to make them angry.
"N-That wasn't my intention!"
"Well, the next time you insult an inferior race of being, make sure that we have at least conquered them, otherwise you are insulting not only the empire, but also the entire human race that was unable to defeat a being at the same time." What do you consider inferior?
"But prince." Another knight spoke. "Why come yourself? There are plenty of trained negotiators in the military."
"Out of respect and curiosity, I want to know if the Volralden are really as strong as they say they are." I replied. "Besides I'm not an idiot, if I send an imperial negotiator, he'll treat them like dirt and the negotiation will be such a fiasco I'd even bet they'd want to support the Gali."
"If you want to know how strong we are, all you have to do is draw your sword, brat!" Someone was heard shouting from above one of the boulders.
"Who dared to speak that way to your highness?!" The knights were about to draw their swords.
"Don't draw your swords!" I ordered quickly. "Unless you're a suicidal idiot!"
More and more Volralden were starting to come out of boulders, rocks, bushes from all directions, so the knights put down their swords as they saw that there was no chance.
"Wow~ an imperial nobleman who doesn't have his head up his ass." Said a werewolf who seemed to be the leader.
"My intention is not to fight you, but to fight you, hiring you and your men." I said as calmly as possible, but I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't nervous, as I was completely surrounded by one of the strongest physical races in all of Falmart.
"So, you want to hire my services! What a surprise, normally you guys come with impossible demands on what we should submit to you."
"That is not the case now." I responded by showing a bag with several gold coins. There's more where they came from, so... What do you guys say?"
/
Kingdom of Lacedaemon: southern Morea. Hellenic Polis.
Admiral Delias was reviewing the Lacemodian fleet, he had learned that the kings had requested a peace treaty with the Republic of Anat to attack the empire if it showed weakness.
However, the admiral did not like that plan, he considered that those of Anat were dishonorable cowards, when they fought in the last war in Morea those of Anat took refuge behind the soldiers of the other polis, and when the battle came they fled like the rats that they are, those Anathian rats only fought by sea.
But not anymore, due to recent efforts to increase their naval strength, with a fleet of 500 triremes currently in port, they would be more than capable of sinking any enemy fleet.
a small group of 50 ships were preparing for war exercises. In that, some novice sailors were speaking more against the empire than the Anathians, the admiral could not understand that, although the empire had threatened to conquer Hellas in the past, they did not seek to exterminate them, in fact it could be said that the culture Hellenic greatly surprised the Saderans when they came into contact with the first Polis, one could even say that they are the only ones whom the Imperials consider their "equals", but that was not the case with the Anathians. Throughout the centuries they tried to spread their republican and democratic ideals to the other Hellenic cities through war, and it has always been hostile to them, threatening their culture and way of life.
"Admiral!" An alarm voice brought him out of his thoughts. "A large number of ships appeared on the horizon! Anathians! There are more than a thousand!"
"Those treacherous cowardly rats!" The admiral spat; the other sailors hurled similar curses. "Get the hoplites on the ships! We're going to fight them!"
"Admiral! We only have 50 ships ready!"
"Perfect! Let those 50 do enough time for the rest to prepare!"
Although the situation looked very bad, the Lacemodians were expert soldiers, novice sailors but expert soldiers trained from children to be great and powerful warriors, so they did not hesitate to set sail to face the enemy. Even the admiral himself climbed aboard one of those ships.
"Admiral! 120 ships are heading our way."
"Looks like those rats are underestimating us!" Laughing. "Let's make those bastards suffer! Show them the true power of Lacedaemon!"
All the sailors and hoplites raised a war cry as they advanced.
The Anathian ships began to shoot arrows against the deck of the ships.
"Hoplites! Shields!"
The brave soldiers of the kingdom took cover from the volley of arrows, they were shot Until the ships of the republic were in range to board, overrunning the ships.
"Kill every Anathian rat that dares to board the ship!" Admiral Delias exclaimed as he plunged his sword into the stomach of an enemy hoplite, then slammed the circumference of the shield into the jawbone of another, ripping it off in one fell swoop.
The Lacemodean hoplites were true beasts in combat, blowing limbs out of any poor devil who came near, using the shield as a weapon if they were using the sword to disembowel another, if both hands were occupied then they would throw their enemies off the ship with one hand. strong kick or giving a strong hit with the head.
However, they were outnumbered and surrounded by enemy ships, boarding their ship from all directions, little by little they were taking the ships, first one, then two, until almost half of the ships had fallen under the control of the republic. However, this took a long time, which gave enough time for the ships in the port of the kingdom to get ready and leave to support their comrades.
The clash of ships was brutal, the 120 ships could not avoid being slaughtered by the kingdom.
"Now! Go ahead!"
The admiral harangued, full of blood and viscera of his enemies, advancing with his entire fleet towards the blockade.
After that he noticed 100 enemy triremes approaching, which annoyed him even more, although it seemed strange to him that there was a certain mechanism on the tip of those triremes.
-Tsk! Are they making fun of us?!
But when their ships were about 20 meters from the enemy, from the tip of that strange mechanism a strange liquid began to come out that went directly towards the Lacemodian ships, but this was only noticed by someone who was paying close attention, because only a few moments later that jet of liquid turned into fire, a fire so powerful that it consumed the target and burned everyone aboard in a heartbeat. No matter how many years the hoplite had spent training, his ultimate fate was to scream in pain and agony as his body was engulfed in flames.
"By Emroy, what the hell is that?" the admiral whispered in terror as he saw how 100 of his ships were reduced to nothing.
That spectacle left everyone paralyzed, believing that what they had seen was an illusion, it was not until the enemy burned another 100 ships in an instant that they realized that this was real. Never in their lives had they been so terrified, not even when they were fighting against thousands being a few hundred, however now they were afraid, their shields, weapons and training would be useless.
"Turn around! Retreat!" Ordered the admiral, he had never retreated from a battle in his life, but now he didn't care about his honor, he just didn't want to die in such a horrible way and without even being able to defend himself.
Thus, from a surprise naval attack, the Republic of Anat successfully blockaded the ports of the kingdom of Lacedaemon, starting the third Morean war and the eleventh war between the two polis.