Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 528: Battle Situation from Velys

"If we still haven’t captured the Liya Tower Fortress before winter arrives, and haven’t broken through the first line of defense of the Valeria Empire, all previously agreed-upon arrangements will be nullified."

"At that point, I will personally go to the frontlines and hold each of you accountable for your failure in coordination."

Along the border between the two nations, Grand Duke Grant, the first noble to draw his sword in this Holy War, leaned back casually in his seat while reading the parchment in his hand. Behind him, his attendant maid gently placed her hands on the nobleman’s shoulders, softly massaging him.

From the summer surprise attack until now, the war had dragged on for over four months, and in just two more months, it would reach the six-month mark.

Even with the assistance of the Church’s Knightly Order, they still hadn’t achieved any decisive victories. They hadn’t even conquered the Empire’s first step, the toughest bridgehead still stood firm amid the wind and snow.

The King, stationed deep within the kingdom’s heartland, was extremely dissatisfied. In his view, the kingdom’s borders were guarded by the most elite Church Order Knights, supplied with war materials transported at the nation’s full expense, and promised rich rewards for victory. This mere fortress should have long since fallen beneath the kingdom’s iron hooves.

And indeed, despite the Valeria Empire’s advanced mana-powered war machines used for defense, the disparity in war potential between the two nations was enormous. The Kingdom of Velys, with its higher overall soldier quality, held overwhelming superiority in national strength. Not to mention, the entire nation had already entered emergency wartime status, with every able-bodied person fully supporting the frontlines.

In contrast, the Valeria Empire had only deployed Duke Charles’ personal guard forces. Even with continuous support from the Empress, their efficiency paled in comparison to the Kingdom of Velys.

A nation unable to unite its strength against an external threat could never match a war machine operating at full capacity.

After carefully reading the final line of the parchment, Grant could almost see the veins pulsing on the King’s forehead out of irritation.

But he couldn’t be blamed. Anyone in his position, having spent half a year achieving nothing while losing thousands of troops, would feel frustrated.

Think about it, after such a prolonged war, vast manpower resources meant for production were being drained into the battlefield. Fields went untended, game went unhunted, fabrics went unsewn. The resulting chain reaction would seriously impact the lives of commoners, and even some minor nobles were beginning to grumble.

No gains meant. From the moment they decided to wage war, every noble in the Kingdom of Velys understood this.

"Enough. Now massage my legs."

Grant set down the parchment and softly commanded the woman behind him.

The maid in her black-and-white long dress obediently crouched down and began kneading the man’s legs.

In the icy snowstorm, the soldiers preparing for battle huddled together in freezing barracks, warming themselves around small fires, their faces red from cold, their sword-holding hands covered in frostbite.

Meanwhile, the high-ranking noble commanding them lounged in a spacious command room, enjoying a massage from their personal attendant. Tea, silk, expensive porcelain, luxury wartime goods were all present. Even the room originally meant for office work had been specially furnished with a bed, where he could nap during leisure time or indulge his accumulated desires.

Feeling the rhythmic kneading on his legs, his muscles gradually relaxed. Grant rested his chin on his hand, his gaze drifting toward the window, where snow lay eternally unmelting.

He felt no worry about the King’s threats. The King’s demand was to capture Liya Tower Fortress before winter. Judging from the current situation, the Valeria Empire probably wouldn’t last that long.

Thanks to Kales, the overall commander of the Northern Knightly Order of the Church of Light, their offensive strategy wasn’t focused on breaching specific points. Instead, they maximized damage to the fortress walls, exposing the defending soldiers behind the effective lethal range of holy magic, thus efficiently eliminating the enemy’s fighting forces.

The Valeria Empire’s biggest weakness was manpower. This puts them in a dilemma, defending the nearly ruined Liya Tower Fortress would cost massive casualties, while abandoning it would allow the Kingdom of Velys to achieve their initial strategic goal and advance toward the second defensive line, which was far less fortified.

It was a straightforward strategy targeting the Empire’s weakness. No matter what the enemy chose, they could secure long-term success at minimal cost.

And most importantly, Grant didn’t need to send his own soldiers. He didn’t want his own forces further depleted, weakening his influence among the nobility. The Order Knights, clad in sacred armor and wielding holy light, were the perfect cannon fodder, the most expendable and least concerning assets on the battlefield.

Faith will drive them forward. Even if they died, a single remark from a bishop, such as "This Order Knight died bathed in holy light, his sword and armor filled with glory", would allow them to pay minimal condolence money to the families. It was truly a profitable transaction with nearly zero cost.

Thinking this through, Grant pondered other ways to minimize his own losses. He took out paper and pen, slowly writing under the lamplight.

"Due to the stubborn resistance of these greedy heretics, their refusal to accept the blessings of holy light, and their unwillingness to relinquish lands rightfully ours, thousands of our brothers have perished by the sword."

The Church of Light’s methods reminded Grant, faith could not only boost troop morale but also bind the soldiers.

For instance, portraying the fallen as great martyrs, lavishing them with praise, then citing national treasury shortages as justification to cut their compensation. Depending on the situation, they might even go further, adjusting salaries, reducing military pay.

Even if Grant withheld most of the supplies provided by the King, what remained was enough for the soldiers to live relatively decently, at least better than their pre-soldier lives. The firewood for warmth, the shelters from wind and snow, the bread they ate, all didn’t cost them a single coin.

If the soldiers or their families complained, they could simply promise grand rewards, after the Kingdom of Velys’s ultimate victory, the families of the fallen would receive wealth and land seized from the Valeria Empire, along with compensation and salaries far exceeding current levels.

With just an empty promise, they could firmly bind these people to their war chariot, making them willingly sacrifice themselves. Even in an already fanatically distorted domestic environment, they will continue to brainwash themselves.

Ah, he truly was a noble by nature.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. After finishing the last line, Grant gently patted the head of the maid beneath him, signaling her to wait for him on the bed.

...........

"Saintess..."

"Knight-Captain Kales, what is it you need?"

Hearing the woman’s melodious voice, Kales respectfully bowed and spoke softly.

"I’ve been struggling to understand a certain spell. I humbly request the Saintess’s guidance."

Now, of all times, to ask about magic?

"Of course."

Upon hearing this, Monica nodded gracefully and gestured for Kales to follow her to a nearby tent.

Her sharp heels clicked against the ground as they walked, isolating them from the other Order Knights. Kales moistened his throat, his gaze pure as he looked at the brown-haired nun before him.

"It’s about the casting process of the peak tier Magnus-level light-element spell, [Divine Judgment]. After the light-element particles complete the second phase of arrangement, I find them scattering and spontaneously leaking outward..."

Regardless of his true intentions, since he claimed to be seeking magical instruction, at least a basic pretense was necessary. Monica sat down elegantly with her legs together, listening attentively to Kales’ problem. Only after the man had finished explaining did she offer her answer.

"The error likely stems from inadequate preparation in the prior step. Light-element particles possess fluidity similar to wind, although they leave behind more visible elemental residue."

"This spell requires an explosive release of light-element particles. If Knight-Captain Kales can properly inscribe the magic circle in the preceding step, firmly anchoring the particles, subsequent leakage won’t occur."

As her words faded, Kales continued asking deeper theoretical questions. As the Holy Saintess, Monica naturally possesses exceptional magical talent. Coupled with her constant exposure to sacred relics, she had ascended to the rank of early tier Arcanist Mage a year ago, thoroughly mastering the principles behind such spells.

Continuing their discussion on the internal logic of the [Divine Judgment] spell, half an hour later, Kales had mostly grasped its key points. Looking at the saintly figure before him, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Saintess... Aside from magic, there’s another matter I hope you can clarify..."

Finally, the real issue?

Upon hearing this, Monica slightly narrowed her eyes, her golden pupils flickering with tiny points of light.

"What is it?"

"...It’s about the current battle situation."

The red-haired knight-captain curled his fingers slightly, the crisp sound of metal clinking echoed in the room.

"The new Church Knightly Order has been fully assembled and is ready for combat."

"But... Saintess..."

Kales carefully controlled his tone, keeping his voice from sounding too heavy.

"Some of them are still too young, barely seventeen or eighteen."

The newly promoted Order Knights were mostly under twenty, generally just reaching adulthood, with the youngest being mere seventeen-year-old youths.

"Their combat skills aren’t fully developed, and their understanding of magic is still lacking. Sending them directly to the battlefield seems too hasty."

Within the Kingdom of Velys’s invading forces against the Valeria Empire, besides the personal soldiers of major lords, expensive mercenaries hired mid-war, and royal guards dispatched by the King, the rest were Church Knights like them.

In terms of overall strength and elite status, Church Knights > Royal Guards > Lords’ Private Troops >> Mercenaries. This was exactly why, despite their youth, these Church Knights were still brought to the frontlines.

They truly possess the ability to sway ordinary battlefields where no Arcanist Mages were involved.

After hearing Kales’ words, Monica’s long eyelashes trembled slightly as she narrowed her eyes. After a pause, her red lips parted gently.

"So, Knight-Captain Kales means to suggest that your knights should ideally be held as a last-resort military asset?"

Kales nodded in response.

"Yes."

At the very least, these young men shouldn’t be sent to die on this frozen wasteland as they had been before. The nobles, who craved land and plunder, held the troops under their command yet watched them perish helplessly.

They were still so young, still unaware of what this world truly was.

Seeing the complexity in Kales’ eyes, Monica didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she gently stroked the strands of hair hanging at her waist, as if deep in thought.

Kales’ reasoning was sound, at least, Monica saw no major flaws in it. But the choice of whom to approach was peculiar.

Why her specifically? Has Kales received some information?

Alarms rang in her mind, yet on the surface, she remained calm and composed. After a few seconds, she spoke slowly.

"Regarding such matters, Knight-Captain Kales, speaking to me is of little use. Overall strategic planning should fall under the jurisdiction of the regional archbishop overseeing this area."

Although Monica held the ecclesiastical title of Holy Saintess, second only to the Pope in name and superior to regional bishops, she lacked direct authority in military decisions.

In other words, she could oversee regional bishops, but couldn’t issue commands to the Church Knights beyond her rank.

"..."

Facing Monica’s question, Kales remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"Saintess, your words are most wise."

"But... my own words alone carry insufficient weight."

As one of the earliest vanguards deployed to the battlefield, Kales, along with remnants of the old Order, had suffered heavy losses from mana-powered artillery bombardment, losing over half their strength. Objectively speaking, without sufficient intelligence, any knight-captain in that situation would have faced devastating casualties.

But the one who suffered the setbacks was a specific individual, one who could be blamed, punished, and made the scapegoat for the failure.

Although the Church of Light hadn’t officially reprimanded Kales, as the one executing the orders, he inevitably shared responsibility with the regional archbishop.

"So, you came to me?"

"Reporting to the Saintess... yes."

After speaking, Kales deliberately raised his head, meeting that stunningly beautiful face, his gaze concealing a trace of sorrow.

"And you’re so certain I’ll speak for you?" Monica asked.

"Besides, these newly promoted Church Knights might actually be eager to join the battle and dedicate themselves to the Lord."

Her subtle words hang in the air, seeing both reproachful and inquiring whether his faith remains pure. A thin layer of sweat formed on Kales’ back.

Observing Kales’ expression closely, noting that brief moment of tension, Monica roughly understood the situation. Her tone suddenly shifted.

"However, Knight-Captain Kales does make a valid point."

"Considering the knights’ combat experience, I will seriously discuss with the regional archbishop the appropriate timing for deploying this knightly force."

"As for you, Knight-Captain Kales..."

Monica pursed her lips, her voice suddenly layered with meaning.

"You should spend more time reading the New Holy Scripture."