Virgin Knight Who Is the Frontier Lord in the Gender Switched World - Chapter 50

Inside the carriage.

We were in a carriage rented from a carriage rental service.

Helga, the chief retainer, was controlling the horse, serving as the coachman inside the carriage.

Inside were simple, long benches fixed in place, where Martina and I sat side by side.

Martina was the first to initiate the conversation.

“Did the negotiation succeed?”

“It failed.”

“I thought as much. It was impossible from the start. Convincing Anastasia, the First Princess, and Duchess Astarte under these circumstances…”

Martina sighed.

I had asked, knowing it was impossible.

But I was merely confronted with reality.

I had no power.

Or, more accurately, I had no source of power or persuasive information.

There was nothing that could serve as a foundation for persuasiveness.

“Lord Faust, I believe there’s no need to rush into advocating for a national total war effort right now.”

“If we do not start now, we will be too late for everything.”

I negated Martina’s words.

“On what basis do you say that?”

Martina questioned.

I responded with a brief silence.

The basis I couldn’t reveal was too similar to Yue-dono’s tale of Toktoa Khan and what I knew of the Mongol Empire from my previous life.

Weak, indeed.

As Anastasia, the First Princess, clearly pointed out. Indeed, the notion of Toktoa Khan’s westward conquest mirroring the Mongol Empire’s invasion of Europe lacks any basis at this stage.

Even with the knowledge of a reincarnated individual.

But it’s too late.

Far too late.

I replied to Martina.

“Martina, what do you think we lack in opposing the nomadic tribes?”

“A countermeasure to the Parthian shot, perhaps? In a case close to us, Claudia von Reckenber simply used a longbow that exceeded its range to break through.”

“That’s right; the confusion caused by long-range weapons and the enemy’s battle formation, which cannot cope with high-speed movements, causes disruption.”

The side with longer spears, a means of attack, wins.

A principle that has remained unchanged since ancient times.

My citizens of Polydoro, when called for military service, form small tercios, equipping them with crossbows and specially ordered 6m pikes. However, not everyone can be so equipped due to our poor territory; some are armed with swords.

“Martina, what is combat on the plains?”

“It’s a melee battle. Knights, as cavalry, are vital weapons for trampling over infantry. That’s what my mother, Caroline, taught me.”

Combat in the medieval era differed from modern advanced mobile warfare, boiling down to maneuver warfare.

In an era lacking powerful firepower, if the forces were equal, the side with superior mobility would always win.

And Toktoa Khan’s hypothetical Mongol Empire consisted entirely of cavalry.

In contrast, the combined forces of Anhalt-Virendorf, comprising a few thousand knights and peasant infantry led by lord knights, numbered 20,000.

Furthermore, their chain of command was utterly disjointed.

A vassal’s vassal is not a vassal.

Such feudal relationships are fatal to the Mongol army.

Communication devices like crystal balls make command somewhat functional in this fantasy world.

Yet, peasants are unlikely to follow orders from another lord, sometimes even disobeying the Queen’s commands.

In other words, they do not coordinate.

But what about the hypothetical Mongol Empire?

The methods used to destroy Yue-dono’s former Feilon dynasty are identical to those of the Mongol Empire.

“Martina. Due to their tribal system, nomadic nations can easily appoint a new commander if one falls. If the leader orders, they can coordinate to penetrate, flank, encircle, and maneuver with just one command. Toktoa Khan’s hypothetical enemy nation can do this with tens of thousands of troops.”

“A system feudal lords cannot replicate.”

In the Virendorf campaign, when Reckenber, the frontline commander, was defeated in a duel, the entire Virendorf army halted.

That led to our victory.

Such a scenario is improbable against the hypothetical Mongol Empire.

“I have detailed discussions with Yue-dono. Toktoa Khan’s forces numbered around 100,000, all cavalry. It’s unlikely that all of them will come west, but I estimate about 70,000. This is not certain, either.”

The western expeditionary force of the Mongol army consisted of 50,000 Mongol soldiers, 20,000 conscripts, and specialists from the Han and Persian peoples.

In the Battle of Wahlstatt, there were about 20,000 cavalrymen.

This knowledge from my previous life does not guarantee certainty in this fantasy world.

Hmm? Persia?

Was it Parthia in this world?

Whether the Khwarezmian dynasty has fallen or is currently being invaded is uncertain.

But it hardly matters now.

I can’t obtain information at this moment.

Even Anastasia, the First Princess, doesn’t possess such information.

She might have been more willing to listen to me if she had had it.

For now, I can only wait for private correspondence from Queen Katarina, who mentioned seeking information through Parthian merchants, or perhaps Queen Liesenlotte will leak information obtained from the Holy Gusten Empire to me.

“Do you think we can win if we were to fight?”

“We cannot win. But isn’t your assumption a bit too pessimistic?”

“It’s not an assumption, according to Yue-dono. Yue-dono’s dynasty had troops of well over 100,000 and was led by Toktoa Khan. Yet, they lost. It’s not just a matter of numbers; it’s despair, and that’s why I’m in such a hurry.”

Chinggis Khan, from my previous life, existence was a bug in the world itself.

The fifth angel blew his trumpet.

I saw a star fall from heaven to earth.

He was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.

And from the pit rose smoke like that of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.

The Book of Revelation is the fifth of the seven plagues.

A plague of locusts.

He can be likened to such an existence.

We must think of countermeasures now.

Time is of the essence.

There’s no time for centralization and such.

How many decades do you think that would take?

Commands need to flow from the top down.

Lords and peasant infantry must follow orders without question.

At the very least, that’s what’s required.

Yes, at the very least.

“Why do I have to risk my life for such a shitty minimum standard?”

“Do you intend to risk your life?”

“It’s already beyond help.”

Unification of military command.

Unless we enter an era of centralization, this, too, will be impossible.

But one strike is enough.

To unify military command for just one battle.

That should be possible.

No, it must be made possible.

My mind races.

Doctrine development.

The Mongol Empire’s military tactics at Wahlstatt were textbook perfect.

We must convey these expectations to the Holy Gusten Empire through the royal family and leave the rest to them.

It seems the Holy Gusten Empire has far wiser people than I do.

Start building a bulwark against the threat now.

Even without knowledge of reincarnation, a genius in the Holy Gusten Empire can read the situation this far.

Leave the rest to that woman.

“Lord Faust?”

“What is it?”

Ignoring my thoughts, Martina murmured.

As if to ignore my anguish.

“Why don’t we run away?”

“What?”

Martina’s words took me aback.

What is this 9-year-old girl talking about?

“I thought of persuading Lord Faust to reconsider. I thought about it quite a bit. To convince you that Toktoa Khan would never attack from the far east of the Silk Road.”

“They will definitely attack. Absolutely.”

“Where does your certainty come from? But if you’re that convinced, let’s run away. To the ends of this world.”

It’s because of the nature of the nomadic tribes.

They know nothing but plunder and slaughter.

Just that.

Only that.

That alone is their culture.

They won’t stop plundering, satisfied with the taxes from the rich lands of the destroyed Feilon dynasty.

They’ll stagnate, satisfied there.

That’s the mindset of agricultural peoples.

In this other world, I’ve finally understood what I couldn’t in my previous life, what I learned in textbooks.

A group that plundered and slaughtered its culture, having intelligence but lacking rationality.

From the history of my previous life, that’s the only way to describe the culture of the nomadic tribes.

No one would believe it.

In this world, only a part of the Holy Gusten Empire and I are convinced of Toktoa Khan’s invasion.

“You mentioned running away earlier? Where to? There’s nowhere to run.”

“To the depths of the Holy Gusten Empire. Lord Faust, you are extraordinary. You will be treated well anywhere.”

“Martina.”

I called out gently.

Ah, even with intelligence beyond that of a 9-year-old, is that so?

The world ends with the Holy Gusten Empire.

It’s as if she’s suggesting we flee to an island nation like Britain.

I couldn’t help but smile a bit, which made Martina pout.

“Why are you laughing?”

“I was hoping you’d suggest fleeing to an island nation.”

“To an island nation where we don’t speak the language? I’ve barely heard of its existence.”

She likely doesn’t know the geography.

Well, the geography of this other world is similar to my previous life’s, albeit a bit distorted.

It’s probably fair to say it’s close to Germany or Poland.

To the north of these Anhalt-Virendorf countries, grasslands stretch far and wide.

What an amusing geography this world has.

“You’re laughing again.”

“My bad.”

I returned an apology to Martina, who pouted. My wasn’t directed at her but rather at the peculiar geography of this fantasy world. Nevertheless.

“I won’t run.”

“And why is that? Though I suppose there’s no need to ask.”

“All of my possessions remain in my lands and with my people. I could dig up my mother’s remains and flee if it were just me.”

My mother would lament. Why have I abandoned our lands?

“Ancestors bind people, and the land binds people.”

“Yes.”

“But I do not deny that.”

This notion that ancestors and the land bind people recalls a phrase from a speech by Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany. Hopeless. Hopeless. Hitler’s speeches hit the nail on the head. They represent everything we, the agricultural people, cling to. It’s something we cannot let go of.

“Well, it seems Martina has come to understand, so let’s go.”

I ruffled Martina’s blonde hair, which felt pleasantly soft to the touch due to its child-like quality. Martina, slightly annoyed, brushed my hand away and muttered.

“Where are we going?”

“To the church.”

I answered shortly. Martina seemed a bit puzzled, not entirely understanding why we visited the church.

“To the church? Are we turning to God for help?”

“Yes, precisely. Turning to God.”

That’s what we’re doing. It’s good that we’re in a fantasy world where magic, miracles, and legends exist. Thanks to that, I can show my resolve. It’s akin to performing seppuku, in a way. Unless I do this, no one will recognize or understand. Nay, even then, they might not understand. But I have no choice but to proceed. I must be mad. Truly mad. Perhaps there’s a better way; maybe I should beg wiser men for their wisdom. But neither Anastasia, the First Princess, Duchess Astarte, nor the intelligent 9-year-old Martina offered the answers I sought. Driven to a certain madness, this is my only course of action.

“Lord Faust, weren’t you disliked by the church? For favoring the crossbow, which the Pope banned.”

“Even so, there was a church for my 300 villagers, right?”

“Well, yes, but that’s not the point.”

That.

Martina referred to the church faction, the great church in the royal capital. Our carriage arrived in front of it.

“Lord Faust, we have arrived in front of the grand church.”

“Thank you.”

I responded to Helga, the chief retainer, and exited the carriage. The Cologne Sect. This grand church belonged to a minor monotheistic faction called the Cologne Sect. Indeed, being a minor faction, it was a small church despite being called a grand church. This other world, after all, is dominated by monotheism. In the current Western world, doctrines split into bizarre numbers over interpretations or differences in worship practices. The theology of Valhalla, the Nordic myths, blends into the monotheism of this world. It’s confusing. Cluny, Cistercian, I understand sects similar to those from my previous life, but not beyond that. Frankly, it’s best to give up on grasping all the sects of monotheism in this world. Religion is complex and troublesome. Well, there have been saints in the past who achieved incredible feats akin to magic, hence miracles, making monotheism dominant. That’s all I need to understand. And that brings us to the Cologne Sect. Simply put, regarding the crossbow looted from enemy bandits, which I have in Polydoro, when I asked the sole priest there, no, the mother priestess in this world…

“Let’s make good use of it. It’s a blessing from God.”

That was the Cologne Sect’s answer in a world where the Pope banned crossbows. Mad, indeed. Even if rejected, I continued to use the crossbow extensively to reduce the casualties among my people.

“Stay in the carriage, Martina.”

“I want to go too.”

“I’m telling you not to come.”

She would undoubtedly interrupt the conversation with the Cologne Sect priest. Even in my increasingly disturbed state, I understand that. That’s why it’s a nuisance.

“This is an order to the knight-in-training. Martina, stay in the carriage.”

“…Understood.”

Martina couldn’t refuse. Well then, shall we go? I stepped down from the carriage, instructed Helga to keep an eye on Martina, cutting off even Helga from this task. From here on, it’s just me. Now, will madness prevail or reason? Before presenting my petition to Queen Liesenlotte, let’s proceed with the preparations for madness. Chuckling to myself, I entered the church.