Marquis Handenburg said gloomily. Wimpffen gave him a piercing glare. De Poitiers stepped between the two. As the main commander he understood the necessity to buffer subordinate generals’ conflicts.
But then… someone knocked against the door.
“Who? We are in a military council,” said Wimpffen.
“A delivery from the royal family. It came this morning.”
The delivered goods were a gorgeous punnet where the royal arms had been carved. A letter with the Finance Minister’s stamp was attached to it. The moment he saw it, the complexion of De Poitiers changed. He started to read the letter voraciously. After finishing reading, De Poitiers muttered cheerfully.
“The Finances Minister congratulates with premonition!”
De Poitiers with his digit opened the box top. Wimpffen and Handenburg looked into it as well. Upon seeing what was lying in the box, both of their eyes popped wide.
“Ooooooooooh! A field marshal’s cane!”
Indeed, it was a splendid field marshal cane that was carved from ebony with a golden royal family's crest on it. Staring at his own reflection on it, De Poiters gave a joyful cry.
“Normally, there should be official regulations to pass. ‘This cane is reminder of the successful victories under your command.’ With a congratulation note from the Finance Minister. Though the war has not ended yet, the Allied Forces had a successive string of victories now. The enemy army shut itself up in the capital and will not come out. Encircling and winning a final victory was only a matter of time. The last decisive battle and it is said, and confirmed by finance minister’s signature, that I will command with the field marshal cane.”
“Congratulations, Your Excellency.” Handenburg and Wimpffen shook hands with him.
“Well… with all what has been said it is all in my grip. We cannot get too careless now, no carelessness!”
De Poitiers said, but could not hide a wide grin on his face.
Booom! Boom!
At that moment sounds of loud explosions resounded behind the window.
“What’s happening?”
With a suspicious expression on his face, De Poitiers approached the window, still gripping the field marshal cane.
The window was facing the plaza. There soldiers ran around pointing fingers at something. He noticed emblems on their capes.
“Aren’t they from the La Shien unit?”
This was the eastern block, while these patrolling units were responsible for the western side of the town. Why were they here? Moreover, why were they fully armed…
Marquis Handenburg stepped next to De Poitiers as well.
“They mustn't be soldiers from my army either. I did not gave an order to march…”
Then they both looked at each other…
Soldiers turned their guns aiming towards the two people standing at the window.
And then a sudden volley came.
The last thing that De Poitiers saw was a sight of the field marshal cane riddled by bullets, shattering it into small pieces.
Frozen from shock, Wimpffen saw De Poitiers and marquis Handenburg, who stood by the window, fall. He could not understand what was happening.
The next moment officers jumped into the room.
“Revolt! Revolt started!”
“Revolt?”
“Rossa’s unit, La Shien’s unit and part of Germania’s army stationed in town's Sai district caused the revolt! Their clashes with our army are happening in various places! It’s too dangerous to stay here!”
Then the officers saw shattered pieces of window and the bodies of De Poitiers and Marquis Handenburg lying on the floor, and stood upright in front of Wimpffen.
“Y-your orders, Supreme Commander!”
The breakdown of the Allied Forces stationed in Saxe-Gotha happened fast.
Commanders were surprised by the sudden revolt. Or maybe one should say that the cause of the revolt was what made them confused. Moreso, because there were no reports about discontent rumblings from soldiers, nor disorders.
It’s as if revolt really started from nothing.
Soldiers were at a loss as well. Comrades-in-arms, with whom they fought and celebrated victories together until the other day now attacked them with lifeless expressions and weapons in hands.
“Shoot!”
Even if the commanders shouted so, musketeers could not pull a trigger, bowmen could not shoot the arrows, spearmen could not throw spears.
“…We c-cannot shoot, sir!”
“No! You idiots! Revolts are part of the enemy king’s army!”
Though the commander tried to cast a spell at the slowly approaching expressionless soldiers… he saw a commander in their front lines and shook his head.
“Marco! It’s me! Maurice! What are you doing?! Why are you turning your wand at us?!”
The only answer was a bullet. It hit the ground at his feet, and the commander ordered to retreat.
“Damn! Retreat! Retreat now!”
“W-where to retreat...?”
“As if I know! Retreat anyway!”
In the morning, the defensive lines were broken by the King’s army.
And… finally, a report from the Redoutable was brought by the dragon knight scout.
It said that Albion’s main army of Londinium began to move, aiming straight for the city of Saxe-Gotha.
On the outskirts of the city's temporary headquarters, Wimpffen made a decision. Obviously, as he was now the main commander of all operations.
“We‘ll retreat to Rosais. It‘s no use staying here.”
And the order to retreat was given to the whole army under his command.
The army excited over the victory that marched forward now returned as a defeated army, reduced to 30,000 people due to revolt. All faces looked exhausted and the mood of despair floated around.
General De Poitiers was a betrayer and organized the revolt, no, the general was killed, they all were manipulated by an unknown magic and were made to kill - within the defeated army, the truth mixed with various rumors.
However for commanding officers and soldiers such rumors helped to survive. Only animal-like survival instinct whirled in the heads of men who ran away.
The confusion became even bigger once it became clear that Albion’s main army joined the revolts in pursuit.
Troops of Allied Forces positioned in thin and long groups retreated down the highway that lead to Rosais.
Among them, there were Louise and Saito too.
With a sword over his shoulder, Saito called out to Louise who was trudging next to him. He hadn’t talked to Louise since the second morning of the Advent Festival when he returned to their room. But even though they hadn’t talked to each other for almost ten days… only poignant words came out.
“So where is this honor in war?”
Louise looked down.
“Look around.”
A group of officers rode pass them on horses at a full speed shouting, “Out of the way! Out of the way!” Infantry units, surprised, stood by the side of the road. Musketeer and spearman showed no reaction though. Everyone discarded their heavy weapons as they were escaping.
“Now they don't think they can survive. Yesterday they all were shouting 'Long live the king’s military victory! We have to win for the absolute justice to honor the fallen soldiers!', and now they're enraged at their own colleagues?”
“I hope Guiche and Rene are alright…”
Saito said looking distant.
Saito woke up with the shouts “Revolt! Revolt!”. He went to a temporary command headquarters… it was already gone. All the members had run away. After the messenger with an order to retreat came, they immediately left their weapons.
Saito turned around. Scarron, Jessica, Siesta and all the girls from the 'Charming Fairies' inn followed after them.
Why was there such an uproar and why was the order given to retreat? He ran after Siesta and the other people from the inn followed him.