As Governor Janus said, their army departed the next day. Or at least half of their army did.
After Janus and his Lieutenants racked their brains for a solution on how to bring their 10,000-strong army and all the provisions that it’ll require 300 km within two weeks, they came up with a simple answer - it’s impossible. Not without enough trains to carry the load.
However, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t find a solution to their problem. The most important task for their army is to be able to quickly reinforce Bohemia as soon as possible in case of an attack, so they must do something about that before anything else.
Luckily for them, Janus got wind that one of the trains Caelum scheduled to depart today is 2 units short. Thus they decided that that’s what they’ll be doing - Janus and his personal unit along with Alec’s own unit would depart on that train and head straight for Bohemia. Another train would be available in a week at the city of Damania in the Sarsbury Region, which would take away another 8 units from the main army and thus transport a total of 5000 troops to Bohemia within 2 weeks. The rest would then march towards the city and arrive within two more weeks. They will be late, but the city won’t be defenseless.
***
The journey to Bohemia was quite a long trip, and oftentimes we found ourselves and the train stopping every now and then because of a malfunction. It’s mostly just for an hour or two at a time, but it still adds up.
Janus didn’t like wasting time, though, and so he utilized these breaks as a means of drilling our soldiers. It was only on the third day of the journey that I found out that Governor Caelum was also aboard the train, though he didn’t really order his soldiers around like Janus does. Instead, some of his Commanders would just be watching us perform our usual drills like marching and line shooting.
Both armies looked at the other with envy, ours because the other doesn’t have to do anything in these brief moments of respite and Caelum’s because they don’t get to do anything except sit around, walk, and watch.
By the end of the week, we finally reached the city of Figaro where Caelum and his soldiers would be unboarding. Upon arriving, Janus told me that the train would be restocking on both coal and silver on this port for a couple days before departing again. He told me to use this time to simulate some potential combats in this city, giving me a map and a book.
“It’ll be a useful exercise,” he said. “Figaro is the fortress of Rhapsody. History shows that during the Minervan invasion, this city withstood the siege laid for almost two decades.”
“That’s an exaggeration,” I replied. There’s no way that’s real - I’ve already read history books and the Siege of Figaro only lasted for two years at most, and that was after spending the entirety of the first 16 years of the 30-year War stockpiling on food.
“Maybe so, but still…” He stared at the direction of the city gates that Governor Caelum is currently inspecting. “I believe it would be useful knowledge for the Commander of my special units.”
“Of course, Governor.” In any case, I’m not in any position to disobey the direct order of my general, especially when his logic is sound.
***
I spent the rest of the day with my Captains, going around the city to inspect its defense and surroundings, asking the local militia what’s what and invoking Governor Janus’ name when I had to.
“What do you think?” I asked my Captains and Paul as we stood atop the city wall. “We’ve seen everything the city has to offer by now.”
“It doesn’t seem to be any special…” Maverick was the first to offer an answer. “There’s the walls and food stores but really, it’s just another city on the plains.”
Anais, on the other hand, looked confused. “There must be something we’re missing,” she said. “How would this city last for that long with just… these?”
“It’s not really that deep.” Valent spoke next. “This city’s defenses are outdated. Whatever they accomplished in the past does not matter now when they’ve clung so hard to it.”
The other two, Cecil and Louis, remained silent.
“Paul?”
Paul stared off into the distance, seemingly pondering something. “I don’t know…” he said. “If I take everything here at face value, I’m bound to agree with them. However…”
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“Something doesn’t line up,” Louis finally spoke. “It’s true that the city’s defenses are outdated, and that’s most likely why the Kytherean Empire would be attacking Rhapsody first - to get a border with Lorraine.”
I nodded at him. “That’s exactly right. If Figaro falls, then the Empire will be able to split our forces between United Kyther and us, not to mention gaining a direct border.”
“So why aren’t we committing more soldiers here? Even if Bohemia falls we’ll still have Figaro as the buffer.”
“Umm…” that was Cecil. Of the captains, she’s the youngest here and so she’s still quite timid. “I think… I think they want Figaro to fall.”
The other captains and Paul were shocked at her proposal.
“Explain,” I said.
“Well… think of it, why would they send us all over to Bohemia if our aim is to prevent Kyther from invading us?” She seems to be second guessing herself, but still continued. “It’s because they want to use Figaro as bait to destroy the Kytherean Army and win the war. Governor Caelum will probably put a fierce resistance here for as long as he can but retreat at the first sign of danger.
“After entering the city, the Kythereans will probably take their time to resupply before continuing on. That would give us time to pivot around Figaro and cut off their escape route while Governor Caelum and the other armies at Sarsbury start to lay siege.”
Anais thought for a bit, then she began to nod. “That could be possible,” she said. “If we manage to pull that off…”
“Then the Kytherean advance would be destroyed here at Figaro.”
That voice came from behind us. I turned around, only to be greeted by the long, white hair of Governor Caelum.
“Quite impressive that you’ve figured all that out,” he said. “The Duke was adamant that this plan would not be leaked at all.” His gaze was fixed on Cecil for a moment, before shifting back to me.
The Governor seemed surprisingly lax despite the impending war about to approach us.
“Do forgive our careless spouting of state secrets,” I smiled.
“No one told you anyways, so it shouldn’t matter.” He turned his back and then began to leave. “It seems that that old man brought us an interesting youth after all.”
He disappeared without another word.
***
We spent the next day waiting simulating battles here at Figaro. The match was between me and Janus. It seems that he’s practicing how to besiege the city as he’s set up positions outside the wall, focusing in a particularly low part of it.
The battle will end by sundown, and the conditions were either the capture of the wall or the capture of Janus himself.
I had my soldiers lined up the wall in relatively thin lines. For this battle, I’ve been given 5 cannons which I then gave one to each company and had it lined up across the front wall. They will be manned by 20 soldiers each. Louis’ company will be my personal guard.
We covered the entire area of the battlefield, able to rain hell on the enemy.
The battle began by noon, with Janus’ soldiers taking up defensive positions outside of my cannon range. This caused me to wonder what the old man was planning, as this would lead to nothing but a stalemate - the siege lasting another day. I watched him carefully as he gave his orders, but it stayed the same.
His soldiers stood from afar, unmoving. Their gazes are trained at the top of the wall, as if a snake waiting for any sort of movement from its prey. Does he want me to attack?
And more importantly, should I?
The moment I order my soldiers to attack, I’m certain that they will be taking advantage of it by launching their own…
“My Lord…” I heard Paul’s voice from behind me. “If we don’t do something now, the battle will end with a draw.”
“I know that… but what should we do in this situation?”
Paul went silent. As I suspected, there’s just no way to attack them below without losing the battle. Still…
“Fire the cannons,” I ordered. “Launch them on the soil below.”
The soldiers did as I told them and, soon enough, a dust storm kicked below. It rose above the horizon line, obstructing the view of the enemy camp… and our own descent.
I brought Louis’ company with me, leaving Paul to take command of the wall. The cannons kept firing ahead of our advance and, just as I’m sure we’re about to hit the enemy, I ordered the soldiers I had to launch their ‘smoke bombs’ - balls made of incredibly flammable materials with the ‘fire’ rune etched on them.
We reached the enemy line just as the smoke and dust settled, but there was no enemy to be found.
“AHAHAHAHA!” I heard laughter and cheering from above the wall.
“Magnificent work, boy!” Governor Janus said through a receiver that he left where his camp was. “But you’re far too slow! You hesitated too much! On the battlefield, every second counts!”
It was clear. I lost this simulation, and Governor Janus won.
“But still, that was quite the solution you came up with! Unfortunately for you, it also provided us with our own cover! The soldiers you left couldn’t defend as well when they were focused on supporting you!” Much like his booming voice, I saw him smile from this distance. “You’d have to be faster next time!”
***
The next day after the simulation came fast, which meant that we’re now headed straight for Bohemia itself.