Chapter 75: Field Marshal

“…How should I put it…? More than anything, I find myself truly grateful—from the bottom of my heart—that Brigadier Willard is on our side.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

It had been one surprise after another, but fortunately, none of my misunderstandings had led to any fatal mistakes.

Better to take it as a blessing that I’d realized it now, rather than later—when it might have cost lives.

“Haah…”

A quiet, indescribable sigh slipped from my lips.

And in the very next moment, a sharp knock echoed through the room.

“What is it?”

General Newsbeck’s gaze shifted away from me and toward the door.

So—it had come. The true purpose of today’s meeting.

I rose from my seat as well and stepped behind her, taking my place as her subordinate.

“The Field Marshal has arrived.”

“Very well. Let him in.”

At her command, the soldier guarding the headquarters opened the door.

“You’ve come.”

Through the doorway stepped a single man.

“Field Marshal Carland.”

He was the de facto head of the Lunoa Kingdom’s military.

And he was the same man who had commanded the disastrous defeat on the western front.

“Add ‘Your Excellency’…! General Newsbeck, how dare you order me to come here? Who do you think you are? You should have come to me!”

Field Marshal Carland began complaining the moment he entered the room.

“Hmph.”

General Newsbeck merely scoffed, dismissing his outrage with a cold snort.

“The fact that you came here obediently at my command already tells me everything I need to know.”

“…”

“His Majesty the King has summoned you. You’ll be surrendering those rank insignia soon enough.”

“…Tch.”

Her words struck hard—unyielding, merciless.

Field Marshal Carland bit his lower lip and lowered his gaze.

“A field marshal has no business coming all the way to the front. You must have clung to the western theater to preserve your position. Had you remained in the center and overseen the whole army as a field marshal should, even someone as incompetent as you might have held onto the post a little longer.”

“Victory in the west… that is where the glory of the Lunoa Kingdom lies!”

“And yet you lost. That makes your argument rather pointless.”

Exactly.

Just two more years—that was all I needed.

If the western front had remained locked in stalemate, we could have continued crushing the Rosha Empire, leaving no opening for other nations to intervene. Then, at the end of it all, we could have secured a white peace through diplomacy.

But now… all of my plans had been reduced to nothing.

“A defeated man like you no longer has the right to speak. You’ve lost a strategic stronghold, after all.”

“…”

Field Marshal Carland lowered his head and fell silent.

“Your honor has fallen to the ground. Think carefully about how you intend to survive in the rear.”

“G-General Newsbeck…!”

Hearing words that amounted to a death sentence from General Newsbeck, Field Marshal Carland raised his lowered head.

A distorted smile crossed his face, and for the first time, his call to General Newsbeck included the proper honorific.

“Don’t try to curry favor with me now. It’s unbecoming.”

General Newsbeck cut him down instantly, her voice colder than steel.

“Tch! You’re just a woman—who do you think you are!? With an attitude like that, no wonder you’re still unmarried!”

“—Hk!”

“…Ah.”

Oh no.

That was nothing more than a petty, worthless insult—yet somehow, it landed perfectly.

A direct hit.

General Newsbeck… does want to get married, after all.

“…Ooh…”

“General Newsbeck, there’s no need to take that to heart.”

“Ooh!”

“You’re an exceptional individual. You’ve achieved greatness as a soldier and earned countless accomplishments. Words like that aren’t worth your attention.”

“That’s right! I have Brigadier Willard, after all!”

“…Hm?”

Wait.

Didn’t that… sound a little strange?

“‘Words like that’!? How dare a mere brigadier twist my words that way!”

As I tilted my head in confusion, Field Marshal Carland cut in from the side, his voice rising again in agitation.

“Field Marshal Carland, what’s required of you is information. We’ve already received the documents. Now that you have completed your handover to General Newsbeck, you should answer His Majesty’s summons without delay.”

“A mere brigadier dares speak to me that way! Who do you think you are!?”

“Don’t forget that I’m a member of the Willard marquess family, Field Marshal Carland. Or do you wish to lose your place in the Carland ducal house as well?”

“…Ghk.”

The Willard marquess family and the Carland ducal family were close.

No—more accurately, the balance of power favored us.

The Willard family had lent the Carland family a considerable sum of money, so in practical terms, the Willards held the upper hand.

“Please take your leave, Field Marshal Carland. Thank you for your service.”

“…This… this wasn’t how it was supposed to be… I was going to win in the west… become a hero…”

At my words, Field Marshal Carland collapsed weakly to the floor.

“Take him away.”

I gave the order to the soldiers waiting outside the room.

“Stop this—!? Let go of me! Do you have any idea who I am!?”

Held under both arms by the soldiers, Field Marshal Carland was dragged from the room as he shouted and struggled disgracefully.