Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 88 - Cracks in the Empire’s Foundation

88 Cracks in the Empire’s Foundation

At first, he had assumed William had been overwhelmed by the flow of the discussion, that he had simply failed to keep up with the momentum of the council.

Now, he realized he had been wrong.

He had not seen the true flow of the meeting at all.

"Regardless of the Marquis’s true intentions, his plan must have been quite appealing to the First Prince," William continued. "Ending the war quickly would reflect well on his leadership. If this campaign succeeds swiftly, his reputation will soar."

"Then… this strategy was chosen purely for political reasons?"

"That, and because my own proposal must have sounded absurd to them. To the nobles, the Marquis’s plan was the far more ’realistic’ one."

William could understand their reasoning.

For centuries, the Grand Accord had been upheld. The idea of it being shattered now was unthinkable to them.

But that was precisely the problem.

In his past life, Krefeld’s rebellion had become infamous—not simply because they had won a battle against the Empire, nor because they had been razed to the ground in retaliation.

What made their rebellion legendary was that it was the first time in history the Grand Accord had been completely and utterly broken.

From that point forward, war had changed.

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When people spoke of the beginning of the Empire’s dark age, they all pointed to this moment—Krefeld’s defiance.

"And soon enough, the Grand Accord will be seen as nothing more than a relic for fools."

A bitter smile played on William’s lips.

This moment marked the beginning of a slow, inevitable descent into an era of unchecked warfare.

At first, he had merely hoped to mitigate the damage, to prevent unnecessary casualties.

But with the Marquis’s plan now firmly in place, there was little left for him to do.

At most, he could focus on ensuring the safety of the troops under his command.

"Well… it can’t be helped."

William exhaled softly.

He had given them ample warning.

But if they were too blinded by ambition and self-interest to grasp the truth, then they would have to suffer the consequences.

In the end, I stand to lose nothing.

For now, they dismissed him as an eccentric.

But when the world crumbled in accordance with his words, the eccentric would become a prophet.

William cast one last glance toward the war council tent.

He could hardly wait to see their faces when that day arrived.

"Then, let us begin the war council."

The next day, William was summoned once again by the First Prince.

The previous meeting had only established their general strategy before adjourning. Now that the overall plan was set, it was time to discuss the specifics of their operation.

"Direct your attention to the map."

Jurgen, one of the First Prince’s closest advisors, gestured at the large map spread across the table.

"As you can see, the route to our first fortress is completely unguarded. For the time being, we should be able to advance quickly without fear of enemy attacks."

Just as he had said, the path ahead was remarkably clear.

There were no wide rivers to cross, no dense forests perfect for ambushes, and no steep mountainous terrain to slow them down.

The only settlements dotting the landscape were small rural villages scattered along the border.

"Since ancient times, the outer regions of Krefeld have been nothing but open plains, offering no significant geographical advantages. As a result, not a single fortress has ever been built there."

"Because fortifications would be difficult to defend and easily bypassed?" the First Prince mused.

Jurgen nodded. "Precisely. The enemy understands this, which is why they have effectively abandoned the outer lands. We will not encounter real resistance until we reach our first target—Bodiam Fortress. If we march quickly, we should arrive within five days."

Bodiam was a natural stronghold, a fortress city positioned at a strategic chokepoint.

Even compared to Bornholm, where William had previously been stationed, it was an imposing defensive bastion.

Even with a full arsenal of siege weapons, taking the fortress would be no simple task.

But fortunately, the coalition had brought a trump card from the royal family.

"When the time comes, the Imperial Mage, Lord Blasker, will take the field alongside his five apprentices. No fortress, no matter how strong, can withstand his magic."

The moment Jurgen spoke the name, the room stirred.

A gruff, elderly mage in a crimson robe responded. His arched eyebrows and sharp gaze reflected a strict and uncompromising temperament.

"Hmph. Alone, it would be difficult. But with my apprentices assisting me, it should be possible."

William’s eyes gleamed as he studied the old mage.

Blasker Linvale. To think I would see him in person.

Blasker was the undisputed head of the Empire’s Pyromancy School—one of the few officially recognized magical academies.

Despite being a mage, he was an anomaly: fiercely loyal to the Imperial throne.

According to history, he had given his life defending the capital, incinerating nearly two thousand enemies to save the Emperor.

By the time William had become a mercenary in his past life, Blasker had already become a near-mythical figure.

If even half of the stories about him are true, bringing down a fortress wall should be trivial.

Of course, the real question was how many times he could unleash such devastating magic in succession.

If high-tier mages could freely cast their most destructive spells, the world would have already been ruled by them.

"Naturally, a destroyed fortress loses its defensive value," Jurgen continued. "But since our objective is rebellion suppression, we have no need to capture the structure intact."

In fact, it would be far wiser to completely demolish it, ensuring the enemy could not reclaim and use it to block their retreat.

With only one direct route leading to Bodiam, they could not afford to have their escape path cut off.

"There are three possible routes from Bodiam to Krefeld’s capital," Jurgen explained. "However, we will determine the best path after the fortress falls. Until then, we cannot predict how the enemy will respond."

As his explanation concluded, he scanned the room, silently inviting questions.

Most of the nobles remained silent, nodding in approval of the plan.

But then, William spoke up.

"I have one question. I do not see any major rivers along the route. Are there reliable water sources along the way?"

Water was the most critical supply in any military campaign.

A soldier could survive longer without food than without water.