Now that's two up in a row.

　Bartolo sipped his drink as he watched the gates slowly open.
　Four days after the first battle, Bartolo had already fallen two cities.

　The first city had fallen in three days and the second in one day.

　There were reasons for this overwhelming speed.

　The first reason is that the walls of the city are not strong and the excavation is shallow.
　After all, this is a city-state with a population of less than 10,000.
　Once the city is surrounded, it is easy to make it fall.

　The second is siege weapons.
　It was expected that the Cilician cities that had just been conquered would revolt.
　Therefore, Almus and Bartolo had prepared a large number of siege weapons in advance.

　It was very effective.

　And third.........


　If you surrender before your hammer strikes the wall, we will increase your taxes and impose reparations, but you will still have the same autonomy. If they surrender after they hit the walls, they will be spared their lives but not their property and autonomy. And all the inhabitants of the city who do not surrender until it falls will be enslaved. This time, after hitting the walls with the Hammer (Aries), they surrendered before the city fell. Therefore, I'll forgive your life.

　Bartolo drinks happily.
　Then he looks down at the messenger who told him to surrender and orders in a chilling voice.

　'The three thousand inhabitants of the city, evacuate outside the city walls. You will have one hour to leave. The only luggage you may bring is your clothes. No money is to be carried in the city.
　Oh, no, no... at least not the farm tools...
　Do you want to die?

　Bartolo said ruthlessly.
　The messenger paragraphed and accepted Bartolo's words.

　An hour later, all the inhabitants of the city were locked outside the city walls.
　After confirming that they were safely outside, Bartolo told his soldiers.

　'From now on, you are allowed to plunder the city, but you are not allowed to rob each other. You are now allowed to loot, but you are not allowed to rob each other. Bring back all the looted property once and for all. Afterwards you will share it according to merit. You have three hours to complete it.
　

　The soldiers enter the cities with joy.
　The Cilician cities are far richer in wealth than the Adelian cities and villages.

　They are cities worth plundering.

　Soldiers break into houses and take everything from paintings, pottery, goldsmiths, silversmiths, jewelry, coins, glass windows, farming tools, weapons, and even the wood and stone of houses.

　In no time, the city was reduced to a tattered ruin.

　When the looting was finished, Bartolo ordered that every part of the city be sown with oil and black powder.
　All the work was finished and the sun was setting at the same time.

　'Come on, light the fire,'

　Fire was set on the city at Bartolo's command.
　The fire ignites the oil and black powder and quickly engulfs the city.

　The city burns brightly and the area around it becomes as bright as daylight.

　''Nice, nice view. Hahaha!!!!''

　Bartolo was in a good mood and drank his drink.
　The Cilician Adelnians watched him with tears in their eyes.




　'Are you sure?　Do it with such flair.
　'His Majesty has ordered me to forgive those who have surrendered. His Majesty has ordered that those who rebel are to be beaten to a pulp. No problem.

　Bartolo replied to Rosward, who had a worried look on his face as he sipped his drink.

　The first city fiercely resisted and fell and then became an urban war.
　Bartolo burned the city to the ground, killing all of its leaders and transporting all of its inhabitants back to their home country as slaves.

　The second city surrendered early after the fighting began because they knew how the first city had ended up.
　That only saved their lives.

　It may seem brutal, but it was a very effective method.
　As a result, there would be fewer casualties in the war.

　Rosward understands that, of course.
　What worries Rosward is how Almus feels about it.

　The laxity of Almus's occupation policy is known not only to his vassals and the entire country, but also to the surrounding countries.

　'Think back, Mr. Roseward. "Think back, Mr. Rosward, when has Your Majesty ever forgiven a traitor or a rebel for betraying you?　The enemy is the enemy, so it is natural to rebel. We forgive the strikes because they have not led to rebellion. But an armed uprising would have been a tough act to follow, wouldn't it?

　Almus is only kind to his enemies and allies.
　He has a history of mercilessly purging traitors and rebels.

　In addition, the case of the commoners besieging the mansions of wealthy families is a bit of a special case and is excluded.

　"His Majesty didn't give me any specific orders either. That means the decision was left to me. His Majesty won't be mad at you either.
　'That's fine if you don't mind, but by the way, what do you want to do after this? According to the map, there's a city of 5,000 people a short distance away from here?

　Will we take this place after dawn?
　Bartolo ponders Rosward's question for a moment.

　'Hmm, since we're allocating a thousand men to escort the prisoners... is it tough to capture a city with two thousand troops?　It's time for the enemy to recover from the battle of four days ago. ........Okay, let's stop our march here. We'll continue after His Majesty's reinforcements arrive.







　He's doing it in a big way...

　I watch a red glowing dot in the distance.
　It is swaying in the swaying wind.
　It is probably the flames of the city that Bartolo set ablaze.

　''........well, it might be difficult to subdue it without being as strict as this.

　There's a saying: candy and a whip.
　I guess you need both to rule a country.

　The Cilician cities were given candy (autonomy), but not the whip, because they thought it would be faster to end the war.
　They thought it would be quicker to end the war.
　But it has backfired.

　From now on, I'll have to be harder on him.


　"But General Bartolo's good, isn't he?

　Ron, who was watching the flames alongside me, muttered.
　Bartolo has smashed four thousand with three thousand troops and has already captured two cities.

　That's a lot faster than a normal commander would be able to do.

　'At first I thought he was just a drunk. You were a capable drunk.''

　It doesn't change the fact that he's a drunk.
　I've never seen that guy sober.

　He's gonna die of hepatitis. That guy.

　You said the estimate was about 15,000, right?　Since General Bartolo killed four thousand, does that mean there is only about ten thousand left?
　Well, that is if they have the fortitude to fight. I'm sure a few cities are already thinking about secession.

　You may not have to secede, but you will certainly be reluctant to go to war.
　A coalition of city-states is like that.

　Probably, the number of the enemy is not more than eight thousand.

　Incidentally, the reinforcements I'm leading are three thousand, and a thousand who once broke away from Bartolo's army to escort the prisoners away.

　I'll be joined by Bartolo's two thousand tomorrow, bringing the total to six thousand.
　The numbers are a bit disadvantageous, but not by that much.

　''What I'm interested in is what Rezad is doing.
　I sent Earl to see if he could help. According to the letter he sent me, he promised me positive neutrality. But there's always the possibility that the senator will support you on his own.

　Rezad is a nation of merchants.
　Each one of the great merchants is more powerful than the country.

　This means that the decisions of the state are not very reliable.

　There may be some pro-Lossians, like Ains, but there will be many anti-Lossians as well.

　'We'll smash them before they start doing weird things.

　The game begins tomorrow.






　Your Majesty, he's been waiting for you.

　Bartolo didn't seem to have moved from the city that had fallen yesterday, so he was able to join them immediately.
　The city had already been burned to the ground and turned into a mass of black coal.

　''Thank you for your efforts. ''By the way, how did you defeat four thousand men?　I've read what the letter said but I want to hear it from you.

　I asked Bartolo what the new tactics were and why we were able to win.
　Bartolo speaks in a good mood, grinning and smiling happily.

　'Well if we see the effects of the next battle, we will officially make it our country's tactic. By the way, have you released your scouts?　Do you know where they are and how many there are?

　Bartolo unfolded the map.

　'Your Majesty, this is our current location. A day away from here is a city with a population of ten thousand. It is the center of this rebellion. At present, there are some seven thousand men assembled in this city.
　What about the cities and villages along the way?
　'It sounds like you're going to abandon me. Well, it's not too late. I think it's the right decision. Probably all the cities in the road will surrender.

　Well, the cities won't be close enough to each other to fight a battle they can't win.
　If they've abandoned us, it's natural to think that there's no need to fulfill the righteousness.


　''Do you think it's going to be a siege?''
　No, that's not possible. Unless the enemy is very stupid. From what I've heard, this city is not designed for siege warfare. Besides, I'm sure the enemy knows the power of our siege weapons. Probably, they will try to settle this in the field. There are more enemies than us.

　In a siege, the defender has an advantage.
　However, when you are in a siege, you lose the means to attack.

　This is because attacking the enemy by opening the ramparts is too risky.

　Basically, siege warfare is a battle that requires reinforcements from your allies.


　The country is still in turmoil. The sooner it's settled, the better. ...Can you do it?
　'Of course. Who do you think I am?

　Bartolo grinned and showed him a grin.

　'Well, I'm counting on you. I'm sure you'll win this one for sure.'

　I tapped Bartolo on the shoulder.
　'When the war is over, we'll have to get you a good drink.