Prussian-Saxon War
Robert von Lorenz, Corps Commander and Infantry Captain of the 12th Corps.
Ervin Waldeck-Lichtenau, Legionnaire and Cavalry Commander of the 19th Legion.
These two old men are practically the highest-ranking generals in the Kingdom of Saxony.
And the two legionnaires are at a loss for words.
"A rebellion? Why?"
"Because the king was forced to stay in the palace to watch the coronation, and this ambitious young man is trying to eat the kingdom of Saxony alive."
The words of Erwin the 19th made Robert the 12th shake his head.
His military talents were great, but politics was still foreign to him.
A soldier should be good at killing people, not at politics!
"Then why are you sending us towards the Prussian border?"
"..."
"If you want to take control of the Kingdom of Saxony, you'll need the help of the military.... Isn't it correct to call us to the Zwinger Palace if you want to appease us or imprison us?"
"Generally yes, unless you have a backstop."
"...!!!!"
"Moving us away from the Zwinger Palace and toward the border means that the Inspirer has already taken control of the Zwinger Palace through his entourage."
Erwin Waldeck-Lichtenau, the only legionnaire from a commoner background, not only in the Kingdom of Saxony, but in the German Empire.
A politically savvy man who had risen to command one of the largest legions in the German Empire, where the caste system was alive and well, he quickly realized what was happening.
He nodded at the logical words of 19th Corps Commander Erwin and 12th Corps Commander Robert.
Finally, his head seemed to spin.
"The reason for sending us in the direction of the Prussian border....is to take Archduke Albert, who will be descending from the Palace of Sanssouci, into our hands."
"Exactly. A sort of.... test of loyalty."
Are the Hohenzollerns superior?
Or was Bismarck's ability to solve everything with iron and blood just too good?
Several days passed, and still the news of his arrest had not spread to the provinces.
***
Robert the Twelfth, understanding the whole situation in his own way, stood up and clicked his tongue.
He looked at 19th Legionnaire Ervin, who was still sitting, and said.
"Tsk. Looks like the tables have already turned, so there's nothing I can do about it.... By the way, aren't you leaving?"
"I'm going.... But I think it would be better to wait a little longer and see how things go."
"Yes, but not too late. There are plenty of Junkers who'd love to take you down right now, just like I did in my younger days."
"Huh. Don't worry too much, I'll take care of myself..."
Robert shrugged and walked out.
No. Before he left, he had one last thing to say to Qin Yu.
Although they had different statuses, they were still comrades-in-arms who had fought together from the Austrian Empire to the French Empire.
"Please, my friend... I hope we don't have to decide to turn our guns on each other."
"Pfft. Get off your high horse."
"Tsk. I'm getting cranky in my old age. Anyway, I'm leaving."
"Okay."
In the end, the 19th Corps stayed on the Austro-Hungarian border.
Instead, the 12th Corps moved toward the Prussian border, following Georg's orders as the new sun rose.
***
-Click
As soon as Chin Wu left, 19th Corps Commander Erwin reached for a cigar on the desk beside him.
He struck a match and lit the cigar.
Soon the room was filled with thick cigarette smoke.
-Read more
He closed his eyes, lost in thought for a moment.
Turning to the empty room, he spoke in a low voice.
"Everything is ready."
"Yes. I've seen it, Commander of the 19th Legion, Ervin."
The Supreme Command Center, a highly secured room where the military tycoons of the Kingdom of Saxony gathered.
And here was a woman with no ties to the Kingdom of Saxony.
She approached slowly, her expression unchanged by the thick smoke.
"You have made a very good decision. This decision will allow the leader of the 19th Legion, Ervin, to survive."
"Yes. I must survive.... So you didn't abandon your friends, your country, your beliefs, and your honor?"
"Instead of giving up everything.... you could have kept your position and your family too, couldn't you?"
"..."
"The German Empire is clearly ruled by junkers and imperial overlords; how much longer could you have held on in your exalted position of legionnaire? You're barely hanging on, using your friends and patrons as a shield, but .... I'm sure you thought even that was getting old, didn't you?"
The woman's words made 19th Legionnaire Ervin smile.
He knew it was true.
That was why he couldn't say no.
What commoner could say no to the Hohenzollerns, the ruling family of the German Empire, offering to cover his backside?
"You are sure of your word?"
"Of course. The man I serve doesn't skimp on honeydew like the Junkers, and he doesn't throw away his promises like a broken one."
"So why don't you just tell me... Who does the bitch serve?"
"Mr. Ervin, commander of the 19th Legion, whom you know well."
"Of course. Who else would be the messenger of the Hoencholern family?"
"Uh... Right?"
The woman nodded at the words of Ervin's 19th Legion.
"The man who gave me the order to reconcile General Ervin's 19th Legion is... Chancellor Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, known for his iron blood."
"...!!!!"
You don't really think he was going to eat the Kingdom of Saxony, which was one-sixth the size of the Kingdom of Prussia, just to suppress the rebellion, do you?
Even if he did, the damage would be enormous if the armies of the two kingdoms clashed.
So he decided.
I chose to preemptively recruit legionnaires with a sense of inferiority, anger at the caste system, loyalty to their country, and love for their families.
The future of the only daughter of Erbin's 19th Corps looks promising.
***
Prussian-Saxon border.
The 12th Corps, led by Robert, arrives at the border and finds that...
Huh?
Georg, who was supposed to be at the Zwinger in Dresden, was at the border.
At the sight of him, Robert felt an unexplained sense of unease.
Could this be a rebellion?
"Archduke George!!!"
"Fuck!!!"
"..."
"I'm not talking to you, so don't mind me."
"How can I not care if you're not talking to me..."
"I'm talking to the Hohenzollern dogs, sent by eight assholes."
"If it's the dogs of the House of Hohenzollern…. Prussian army of war machines!"
Following Georg's gesture, the commander of the 12th Corps, Robert, turned his head quickly.
He hadn't paid attention because it was the normally friendly Prussian Kingdom Army near the border, but....
Damn.
They're pointing their representatives at us and spitting flesh!
And they're outnumbered by at least five legions.
A huge army, about 100,000 men in all, pointing their spears at the Kingdom of Saxony.
"This is ridiculous..."
As Robert stared in disbelief, Georg filled him in on all the facts.
And it made sense.
He understood why the Saxon army was trembling in the face of 100,000 Prussian troops.
"Damn... But why did only 12 legions arrive, not 19?"
"That's because... The head of the 19th Legion, Ervin, said he'd come after he had a chance to assess the situation a bit more..."
"What kind of bullshit is this?! You disobeyed my order as commander-in-chief?! This is why I shouldn't have made a commoner the head of a legion!"
"That's because..."
-thud-thud-thud-thud
-thud-thud-thud-thud
Georg's expression turned rotten at Robert's words.
"Yes... I thought it was a mutiny.... So much for being loyal to your brother."
"What do we do now? We can't stop five legions with just one."
"What do you want me to do, announce to the enemy that there are only twelve legions on the border? Spread the word as far and wide as you can."
"But then we will be helpless if we are attacked one by one?"
"It can't be helped. We can only bluff as much as we can and pray that they can't afford to attack us..."
"..."
Contrary to George's wishes, the Great Maltese and the Prussian Kingdom Army knew all too well.
The 19th Corps and its commander had been captured.
So you should have played nice.
You ignored it, and now it's stabbing you in the back at a crucial moment.