After confirming that Gilbed's army was retreating, Bartolo did not force himself to pursue them, but turned his 30,000-strong army to the southwest.
　The target point was the southwest region of King Gilbed's country, which was once part of the former western countries that had been invaded by King Gilbed's country (see episode 75).

　There were three reasons for marching into this land.

　Firstly, one of the princes of King Gilbed's country is enclosed in this land.　

　Secondly, the inhabitants of the land were oppressed by the Gilbed King's country, and the discontent of the Gilbed King's country was growing, so that annexation would be easy.

　Thirdly, a small number of soldiers from the Gilbed King's country had been forcibly recruited or volunteered from western countries to escape heavy taxation, so cutting out the western countries might reduce the morale of the Gilbed King's army somewhat.

　That's all.

　Bartolo spent about two days in the southwest region.
　Originally, there was almost no defensive force in the southwest region, since most of his troops were originally devoted to Romalia.

　Under these circumstances, there was nothing that the prince of King Gilbed's country who was entrusted with the protection and governance of the region.......the third prince, the third son, could do.

　He tried to flee from the southwest region in a flash.
　But..........

　No, they hate you too much. Too much hate.
　Kill me.
　'You can't say that to a thirty-something year old man...'

　Bartolo looked down at the third prince, who was tied and rolled over, and smiled bitterly.

　

　He was bitterly resented for having imposed an oppressive regime to restore the independent-minded western nations to the colors of Gilbed's country.

　However, that was not the only cause.
　Of course, we must not forget that the Romarian kingdom had sown the seeds beforehand.

　And after another week of reverence for the ruling class of the southwest region ... the powerful people of the old western countries, Bartolo began to march further north.



　Meanwhile, Ron and the three of them had divided their armies equally and then set out to secure the area around the King's Capital.
　They dropped the small forts around the king's capital one by one.

　It seems that King Gilbed's country was not very wary of a surprise attack on the capital, and there were still few troops left in the forts around the capital.

　Ron and his men dropped and destroyed the forts, dropping three or four depending on the day.
　If even one fort was left behind, it could become a base for the rebels.

　Fortunately, the area around the king's capital was under the direct control of the king, so there were no great families, or in other words, no local government with great military power.

　''Hmm, but is it a good thing that we missed the Dauphin?''
　But Mr. Ial says it's better that way.
　I don't know what she's planning to do, but...

　After spending a week occupying the land around the royal capital, Ron and the others begin to groan when they hear that Gilbed's army has re-established itself by welcoming the crown prince to the city.

　Seo-yeon, Lulu, and Leah joined them to discuss the matter.

　''Isn't that it?　Like it's still better to put it all together and clean it up at the meeting?
　But wouldn't it be easier to destroy each one?
　I think some people think it's better to have it all together, so it can be done at once and in a short period of time.

　The Federation and Allied forces have yet to engage in a large-scale battle.
　After all, if they don't win the war head-on, won't it be difficult for the powerful families on the Allied side to switch sides?

　The six of them considered that.

　But the problem was that the Gilbed army had fled to the northwest.
　Sixty thousand troops had already grown to ninety thousand, including thirty thousand of King Fardam's country's reinforcements.
　Three days later, King Fardam's powerful army of 30,000 men would be added to the total, bringing the number to 120,000.

　In addition, there were still two princes in the west and north, King Gilbed's second and fourth sons, the second and fourth princes, respectively.
　They are in charge of ruling and commanding the great tribes of the western and northern provinces of Gilbed's kingdom.

　Many of the great tribes in the western and northern provinces have followed Gilbed's request and sent their soldiers out.
　However, that doesn't mean they can't squeeze out about ten thousand troops each if they are forced to.

　If a total of 20,000 joined together, it would be a very troublesome force.
　So far, we've succeeded in expanding our territory itself, but....　
　In fact, the enemy's troops have hardly been able to be cut down.

　There was still a good chance that the direction of the wind could change.

　The six of them received a letter from the hawk.
　The six of them read the contents of the letter and looked at each other and said, "That man (Ial).

　'We don't want to make an enemy of that man (Ial) alone.

　And.



　By the time Bartolo, Ron and the others had secured the occupied territory, Ial was visiting the second prince of King Gilbed's country

　You have a decision to make.
　But we can't betray them so easily, you know.

　The content of Ial's approach to the second prince is simple and straightforward.
　He said, "I'll make you king of King Gilbed's kingdom and you must surrender. This is the only way to get the crown prince to surrender.

　Even if the Dauphin was captured or killed, as long as the Second Prince was still alive and well, Gilbed's army would be able to rebuild.
　Then I would not capture the Dauphin, but let him swim free and cut down the Second Prince.
　That was the ploy that Earl had in mind.

　The condition was the return of all the land around the royal capital.
　And the preservation of the fiefdoms of the second prince's powerful faction.

　It's an unbeatable condition.

　Anyway, the second prince would not be able to become the king.
　On the contrary, there is a good chance that he will be killed when the Dauphin ascends the throne.

　If that's the case, the best option is to betray him now.
　But he's also the royal family of a country.

　As expected, it hurts his conscience to turn over so easily, and above all, Gilbed, Fardham, and Domorgal still have a large army left.
　It's too premature to betray them.

　Ial took the second prince's intentions into account and made another condition.

　''Then let's do this. Do not send reinforcements to the Dauphin. The reason is the defense of the territory, isn't that enough?　We will ask you again after our victory if you will side with us. And we hope to hear a better answer then. ....although in return, we cannot give back all of our lands, and the great families must be prepared to make some changes in their trade, reduce their seals, and transfer their property.

　Hmmm, all right. All right.

　The second prince thought for a moment and then gave his answer.
　Thus, after the victory, the Kingdom of Romalia had succeeded in getting a bargaining partner and at the same time cutting down its troops.





　While Ron and the others and Bartolo were working to occupy the territory, Almus was meeting with an emissary from the Kingdom of Roselle.
　He was a certain pudding diplomat.

　''Your Majesty the Great King, our country is prepared to intervene armedly in this war, depending on the conditions...''
　'Oh, isn't that a promise to remain favourably neutral with no armed intervention?

　Almus laughed nastily and the diplomat choked up.
　Originally, the Roselle Kingdom did not think that the Romarian Kingdom would fight so well.
　On the contrary, they thought that there was a high probability that they would be defeated.

　Therefore, they promised to maintain a favorable neutrality in the sense of 'We will not intervene with armed forces, betraying the Romarian Kingdom, which is likely to lose, and following the three northern nations'.

　But.........
　The Kingdom of Romalia is stronger than I thought.

　If we take a joint operation with the Kingdom of Romalia here...
　We might be able to regain our lost ground.
　I thought to myself.

　Ha, I'm just joking. We can't afford to worry about the amount of our share of the war. Please do me a favor. ...but on three conditions.
　Excuse me?

　Armes stuck three fingers out and said.


　" - Declare war on all three nations.
　　　The Kingdom of Roselle must also sign a ceasefire with any party that has made peace or signed a ceasefire with Japan.
　　　The territory that can be promised is limited to that which was once lost. The native territories of the three countries are to be decided at a post-war peace conference.

　That's all.

　Oh, I see. I understand. Well, I'll let His Majesty know as soon as possible.

　Two days later, the Kingdom of Roselle entered the war.

　This meant that King Gilbed's kingdom was invaded by Roselle in the northern part of the country, and he could no longer expect reinforcements from the northern region.





　The day after Roselle's entry into the war.

　I was in a meeting with King Carlo of King Domorgal's country.

　It was King Carlo who requested a meeting.

　The two of us faced each other in the middle of a standoff between our respective armies.

　"So how can we help you?
　Again, its not like ... you know what I mean.　Surrender.

　Carlo held up his hand to show me.
　I chuckle.

　'Isn't that fast?'
　''I thought it would be more profitable to surrender early and watch Gilbed Fardham and the Romarian Kingdom crush each other rather than continue to fight on two fronts between the Roselle Kingdom and the Romarian Kingdom. Well, it depends on the conditions.

　Carlo's face is mischievous like that, but his eyes are very serious.
　After all, this guy is very good at reading the direction of the wind.

　But this choice was the right one.

　We, the Kingdom of Romalia, desperately need to defeat the United Guilbet Fardham Army in a battle.
　To do so, we must send even one army westward.
　It was the only time to sell them.

　If King Gilbed's country and King Fardham's country won this war, we could ignore the peace treaty with our country and invade again.

　It's very practical and reasonable timing.

　Such a momentous decision would not be made by an ordinary monarch.

　'You're a great monarch,'
　Haha, not at all........praise won't add to the territory you're cutting, will it?

　As a result of negotiations, a peace was signed with King Domorgal's country.
　There are four conditions.

　King Domorgar's country must join the Romani Federation. (But it will no longer participate in this war.)
　When the Kingdom of Roselle claimed the territory of King Domorgal's country at the post-war peace conference, the Kingdom of Romalia was to stand on the side of King Domorgal's country.
　Send the crown prince to study in the kingdom of Romalia.
　Of the five hundred tarangs of compensation, two hundred tarangs shall be paid in a lump sum and the remaining three hundred tarangs shall be paid over ten years.

　That's all.

　Thus, within two weeks after the beginning of the Great Northern Conquest, King Domorgal's country surrendered.

　The success of the third operation, "The Division of Enemy Power," cut off the southwestern and northwestern regions of King Gilbed's country and King Domorgal's country, and politically and militarily both Fardham and Domorgal were greatly reduced in power.

　And Almus hurriedly sent his troops to King Gilbed's country.

　Four days later, Almus, Bartolo, Ron and the others, and Alexios joined forces.
　It was about eighteen days since the war began.

　And the fourth operation. The fourth operation, "The Destruction of the Enemy's Ability and Will to Engage in War by Decisive Victory," began.