I Became the Strategist the Monarchs Obsess Over

Chapter 39

Meanwhile, in Duke Chronor's Dominion in the North.

The previous Duke Chronor was defeated by the Crown Prince, losing both territory and soldiers.

As a result, the vassals' trust in Duke Chronor had hit rock bottom.

In a centralized society, trust in the leader was important, but in a feudal society, it was far more critical. In feudalism, vassals were not entities offering unconditional loyalty; rather, they entered into contracts based on equal exchanges with their lord.

Vassals offered military service and taxes to their lord. The lord, in turn, protected the vassals. However, Duke Chronor failed to honor even the most basic contract due to unreasonable strategies, leading to inevitable contempt from the vassals.

This is why rebellions were breaking out across the North. The vassals gathered every bit of their forces to launch uprisings. These uprisings posed a serious threat. The rebel army, led by the vassals, numbered 10,000—a staggering number of soldiers, making it hard to imagine where they had been hiding in the North.

On the other hand, Duke Chronor's forces amounted to only 5,000, even after gathering all he could. The number of soldiers recruited and those lost to rebellion was almost equal, so the total never increased or decreased.

10,000 against 5,000. This was a battle Duke Chronor was destined to lose. However, the problem was that not all rebels were united under a single banner.

The rebel forces could not unify and instead raised their individual flags in various places, leaving them vulnerable to being defeated piecemeal by Duke Chronor.

Although Duke Chronor lacked strategic insight, he had lived his entire life on the battlefield and was strong. Personally leading his army and cutting down enemies at the forefront like a madman, Duke Chronor's exploits gradually subdued the rebels one by one.

Chronor believed this rebellion would soon come to an end. Rebellions had always existed since his youth, and executing one or two ringleaders would usually quiet things down for some time.

However, this rebellion was unlike any Duke Chronor had faced in his lifetime. A lord who had lost trust and vassals filled with dissatisfaction over lost soldiers. Moreover, common folk, impoverished by prolonged civil war, were taking up spears and swords, turning to banditry or joining the rebels. This vicious cycle of poverty perpetuated the rebellion, and the rebellion perpetuated the poverty.

A vicious cycle that continually weakened Duke Chronor's Dominion. Someone had to break this political chain of misfortune. Everyone thought so.

However, that someone was not Duke Chronor. Unable to withstand the stress of ongoing rebellions, Duke Chronor had succumbed to alcohol.

"Why... Why do the rebellions never cease..."

Duke Chronor gulped down beer straight from a keg placed before him. Being a giant, he was a heavy drinker and could consume the strong Northern beer without easily getting drunk.

Duke Chronor had always taken pride in his drinking prowess, but this time he cursed himself for it. After all, it was a situation where he needed to be drunk to endure.

He had lost the war. And it was due to his own misjudgment. This led to countless vassals losing soldiers and territory, which infuriated them and fueled constant rebellions. Who could endure such circumstances easily?

Amid this situation, someone's voice called out.

"Father~ Are you drinking again? If you keep drinking like that, it's bad for your liver~"

Duke Chronor was startled for a moment. He thought Emilia had said those words. Has she gone mad? He turned around with that thought in mind, only to realize it was not Emilia who had spoken.

"Dorothea."

A face identical to Emilia's. The same voice. But with contrasting features—shoulder-length short hair and an ever-smiling face. Outwardly resembling Emilia, yet entirely different inside. That was Emilia's younger sister, Dorothea.

Meanwhile, the escort soldiers observing the scene gulped nervously. Several vassals had been beaten to death by Duke Chronor's bare hands after advising him to stop drinking. Moreover, Duke Chronor had been mercilessly violent even toward Emilia. The soldiers fully expected Duke Chronor to soon land a harsh slap across his second daughter's face. That's what they thought. But...

"I drank a little because I had a bad day."

Surprisingly, Karl von Chronor did not display any violence toward Dorothea and merely said those words. The escorts were stunned. The fact that someone could advise Karl von Chronor and live to tell the tale!

'Could it be that Karl von Chronor has a soft spot for his daughter...?'

No, considering how harshly Duke Chronor had beaten Emilia the day before, that thought seemed unlikely. Perhaps it wasn't that he had a soft spot for his daughter, but rather, he might have a weakness specifically for Dorothea.

Meanwhile, Dorothea was indignant.

"Is it because of those vassals again? Losing some territory in a war isn't that big of a deal, right? The Crown Prince lost over 20,000 men, so at least you saved face, didn't you?"

At those words, Karl von Chronor felt an indescribable emotion. While everyone else criticized him, there was one person who stood by his side. It felt as though he was reminded of his mother, whom he had lost as a child, through his second daughter.

However, consumed by his twisted machismo, Karl von Chronor was embarrassed by the fact that he felt such emotions toward his second daughter. Trying his best to hide his expression, he said:

"It's a rebellion of ignorant fools. It will be subdued soon enough."

"But I heard this rebellion is quite large."

At those words, Karl von Chronor flinched.

"Large? Where did you hear that?"

"I've been gathering rumors from people outside while wandering around. They say the nobles are preparing a large-scale rebellion. Day by day, soldiers are gathering at the vassals' camps. Yesterday, a certain noble had only a thousand soldiers, but today, they have three thousand."

At those words, Duke Chronor was visibly shocked. Could this be true? If so, wouldn't they soon surpass the Chronor Army?

"Those damned bastards! Another rebellion! How persistent they are! This time, I'll cut them all down at the root! My sword! Bring me my sword! And summon the soldiers..."

At that moment, Dorothea embraced the Duke from behind.

"Father... Are you going to war again? I'm scared that my one and only father might get hurt... Please don't go..."

Duke Chronor was bewildered by his daughter's sudden hug. Being over two meters tall, Duke Chronor's towering frame resembled a building rather than a person. And no one hugs a building. As such, no one had ever treated Duke Chronor so familiarly before.

"My daughter..."

Chronor felt a surge of emotion at that moment. However, that didn't mean he could avoid going to war.

"My daughter, but if I don't go to war, won't the rebels gain more strength? I need to lead the army and crush them early to make them give up the rebellion. I must leave now."

"But...! I don't want you to die!"

"Even so, if we don't fight..."

"Then send my sister instead!"

At those words, Karl von Chronor flinched.

"Your sister... Are you talking about that Emilia?"

"Yes, Emilia von Chronor. I heard she became a Sword Master recently. If a Sword Master leads the army, the soldiers' morale will rise. When else are you going to use her if not now?"

"But..."

Duke Chronor had always led his armies personally. Without him at the forefront, the soldiers wouldn't follow. In every rebellion suppression, he had always led personally. That was how he had won against armies larger than his.

Moreover, there was a significant problem. Emilia von Chronor was a woman whose true intentions were impossible to discern. Outwardly obedient and well-behaved, she might be plotting something sinister.

'If I give her soldiers to suppress the rebellion, she might use them to start a rebellion of her own.'

That's why Duke Chronor had always taken personal command. If he handed soldiers to a vassal, they might declare independence with those troops.

Thinking that, Chronor concluded he couldn't give soldiers to Emilia. But...

"Father..."

His second daughter, Dorothea, continued to act charmingly.

"I don't want you to die. Don't go to the battlefield. Let someone else fight the war."

Normally, the Duke would have ignored her, but in his weakened state from numerous wars and his hollowed-out heart from drowning in alcohol, he couldn't resist Dorothea, who wasn't afraid of him and acted so affectionately.

"Then..."

Chronor made a decision.

"Since you insist, I have no choice. I'll send Emilia instead."

"Father!"

With those words, Dorothea jumped to hug Duke Chronor around the neck. Duke Chronor laughed heartily, holding her waist to keep her from falling. However, in the midst of this display, Duke Chronor failed to notice the significant smile on Dorothea's lips.