Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord

【Cosworth Yelinetta】

I received a report that my younger brothers were all defeated and taken prisoner. It was such a shocking piece of news that my vision turned pitch black with anger.

"…How could they possibly lose with that much equipment? Not just the Black Orbs, but also Wyverns, and even Earth Dragons were deployed, weren’t they?"

Without thinking, I crushed the glass in my hand. Hearing the unpleasant sound of the shattered glass, the soldier who brought the report shuddered.

"W-well… the Kingdom of Scuderia has also developed new weapons and apparently possesses incredible fortress-building technology…"

"Fortress-building technology…? Are you saying that the fortress cities within the domains of Scudetto, Marquis Fertio, and Count Ferdinand were tougher than expected?"

I asked in a low voice, and the soldier shook his head from side to side.

"N-no… they have the technology to build bases from nothing in less than half a day. Because of this, the Werner Fortress in the southwest fell… Prince Istana tried to recapture it immediately but was defeated. Currently, we’ve been forced to retreat to the southern fortress city."

"Istana? Even if the fools like Unimog are excusable, Istana was defeated? Then we must recalculate the strength of the Scuderia Kingdom’s forces. Yet here I am, having conquered two countries though small, while my foolish brothers failed. It seems I am truly the one fit to be the next king."

I snorted, and the soldier, who had been bowing his head, nodded repeatedly with a fawning expression. What a spineless man.

Sighing, I stood up and brushed my hair back.

"Return to the capital! I, Cosworth Yelinetta, first prince, will take direct command! This will be an all-out war with the Kingdom of Scuderia! We will crush them utterly!"

【Istana Yelinetta】

"How disgraceful. With our eldest brother Cosworth returning, those below me, the second prince, will find their claim to the throne meaningless… Well, if things go badly, we might have to seek further aid from the Solstice Empire, but that would put the very existence of our historical Yelinetta Kingdom at risk. We cannot afford any more defeats."

Saying this, the Hellenic magician corps commander lowered his chin with a serious expression.

"Yes… but to be honest, it won’t be easy given those fortress cities. If possible, we should temporarily retreat to the capital, regroup, and prepare for a different battlefield..."

Hellenic muttered this and bowed his head. He made the suggestion but probably didn’t expect it to be accepted. After all, proposing to retreat all the way back to the capital right after losing an important base was risky. Cosworth might even order his execution if he heard it.

Yet, it was clear he was prepared to face severe consequences. And his suggestion was probably correct.

"…I doubt our eldest brother will allow it, but depending on what you suggest, I might consider it. So, Hellenic, how do you think we can turn the current situation around?"

I asked. Hellenic grimaced, thought deeply, then slowly spoke.

"Steier Knight Commander, who went out with newly deployed artillery to recapture Werner, was killed in action. Believing the enemy left only a small force, we tried a surprise attack using artillery, but we couldn’t achieve any real success and were defeated. The knights who fled reported that the Werner Fortress had become completely different. This can only be explained by that terrifying construction technology."

"I understand that too. That’s why I’m asking what kind of different battlefield you have in mind."

I said, and Hellenic nodded deeply.

"In other words, we need to create a situation where the Scuderia army cannot build bases. We need to deliberately revert to the style of warfare that was mainstream over a hundred years ago…"

Hellenic spoke vaguely about his plan, prompting me to furrow my brows and exhale deeply.

Long ago, no country could train many professional soldiers; people who cared for farms were forcibly turned into soldiers. That’s why magicians, who could wield great power alone, were highly valued and feared. But the establishment of professional knight orders changed warfare. When knights, skilled with bows and horses, appeared, magicians found it harder to display their full might.