I play a Evil God in Otome Game

Chapter 148 Empire vs Republic(1/?)

As the artillery bombarded the Magnus Line, the sky adopted a heavy atmosphere of war. For two days, the relentless shelling caused severe psychological and material damage to the Republic soldiers stationed at the Magnus Line.

As trees burned, portions of the forest were slowly seized. A military operation involving nearly 200,000 soldiers advanced rapidly, displaying its strength.

Two swift cavalry units prepared for a pincer attack, while the light artillery cavalry readied themselves to breach the Magnus Line. Meanwhile, the war council discussed strategy and the current situation inside their grand tent.

"General, we are ready. The operation can commence," the Lieutenant General reported. Bernard nodded in acknowledgment before reviewing the report. "Good. If this keeps up, breaking them is only a matter of time."

"Now that everything is ready, deploy the Death Legion," Bernard said calmly. The Death Legion was a special unit created as a gathering place for anti-Imperial elements within the army. Despite its grand name, it was ultimately a death sentence for its members.

Since the war began, the Death Legion had been sent into the forest, where they consistently faced defeat. With each deployment, higher casualties awaited them. This way, both the traitors were eliminated, and the enemy was gradually worn down.

"Notify the cavalry to prepare for a two-pronged pincer maneuver. Light artillery riders should start advancing to breach the front. Inform the mages to clear the way," Bernard ordered.

The commanders saluted and left to put the plan into motion. The cavalry began maneuvering around the forest for the pincer attack, while the enemy, with an army of approximately 100,000, had already fortified their central position and deployed shield bearers on the flanks with additional infantry stationed behind them.

Their plan was solid, but it had one critical flaw: their overreliance on the forest. Trusting the forest for protection, the Republic had not stationed additional forces on their left flank.

This flank primarily consisted of elderly men and inexperienced farmers, which fit perfectly into the Empire's strategy. The cavalry emerging from the forest would strike the unsuspecting enemy, while the light artillery disrupted the central forces, naturally breaking the Republic army at its strongest point.

Archers positioned on the right flank would target the enemy, while the cavalry assault would further cripple the already broken army's most experienced soldiers.

To boost morale, George himself would lead the cavalry. For a long time, he had been working with Bernard to refine the strategy.

George, both a warrior and a capable commander, was prepared. As the eve of the battle arrived, the Death Legion continued their skirmishes with the enemy.

The right wing of the Magnus Line showed remarkable resilience. The central forces, bolstered by archers, held their ground effectively.

"Today, we are not here to be defeated by the enemy! We are here to build rivers with their blood!" George roared. As the disciplined soldiers stood firm, George continued, "We will not stop until their heads fall, until they fear us, and until we have avenged their actions! I do not ask you to defeat them—I ask you to utterly destroy them!"

"Let's go!" With George leading the charge, thousands of cavalry riders surged forward. While they prepared to strike from the corner of the right flank, long-range magical arrows fired from the forest, stunning the enemy forces.

Suddenly, a second cavalry unit emerged from the forest, quickly surrounding and paralyzing the left flank. Meanwhile, the light artillery cavalry targeted the center, rapidly unleashing their firepower.

"Mage!"

Turning around, the enemy commander was shocked to see their mage dead. Filled with fear, he turned to the light artillery. As the artillery rained down on the Republic soldiers, the Death Legion swiftly retreated.

The Empire, determined not to let the enemy escape, quickly advanced with cavalry in small pincers to hunt down fleeing units. The Legion of Death encircled the remaining soldiers.

As the Empire ruthlessly advanced, everyone, including those wishing to surrender, was killed. The first line of defense was shattered. Now, the goal was to reclaim the remaining territory before the Republic could redeploy its forces.

Within an hour, supply camps closest to the area were seized by unanimous decision. Over 20 villages were captured. Most of the population, being predominantly of Drachenreich origin, welcomed the soldiers with cheers.

The army, rapidly advancing into the rural areas of the Aurelion Republic, finally reached the second line of defense after a day's march.

Commanded by Eden, the Empire's second siege army of 50,000 quickly moved to reinforce the main army's flanks.

This time, the plan was to envelop the Republic using the Turan tactic by advancing from the Empire's main army's right and left flanks.

With a crescent formation, cavalry from three directions would crush everything in their path, while the paladins in the center would aim to capture the main command center directly.

This was the final phase of Operation Fallen Eagle: to completely dismantle the Republic's Magnus Line. So far, the progress was faster than expected. If the Republic issued a full mobilization order, it could gather a manpower of up to 500,000.

Destroying the Magnus Line before this could happen would clear the way for the Empire to march on Sarden.

"The Empress has sent her congratulations," a commander reported respectfully. George nodded, signaling for him to leave. As the commander departed, George, Simon, and Bernard continued their discussion.

"Our light artillery cavalry suffered damage. Unfortunately, we won't be able to utilize them for a week," Bernard said with disappointment. Unlike Bernard, George was concerned about something else entirely. "So, what should we do? Should we wait for reinforcements from the Empire, or should we attack early before the opportunity slips away?"

Hearing George, Simon frowned, clearly uneasy. "If we miss this opportunity, we might suddenly face nearly 300,000 enemies."

"That would be bad. For now, I suggest securing the supply lines and breaking through the final defensive line," Bernard proposed. George nodded but still hesitated.

His concern wasn't about winning the battle—it was about the local population's reaction. Unfortunately, there was already deep animosity between the two nations, fueled by significant ideological differences between their peoples.

"The more we provoke the public's anger, the higher their participation in the war will be," George stated seriously. Simon, recalling Empress Morrigan's orders, joined the conversation. "Regardless, the Empress instructed us to be ruthless. Even if the citizens of Aurelion hate us, disregarding Her Majesty's wishes would anger her. I believe we should enslave them all."

"I didn't expect such words from you," George said with a surprised smile. He didn't oppose Simon's statement. After all, this was war. It wasn't just a clash of armies on battlefields—it affected everyone, including civilians.

Unfortunately, civilians were never spared from the impacts of war.

"Fine by me," Bernard sighed, reluctantly accepting the notion. He set his emotions aside for the moment. "Still, we must not forget that, in the end, we are obligated to convert them to the Faith of Creation. If possible, we should approach the populace diplomatically."

George and Simon agreed to this suggestion. After a 40-minute meeting, plans were finalized, reports were reviewed, and the War Council disbanded to initiate the operation.

One and a half days of rest and preparation would suffice for the Imperial army. By tomorrow afternoon, the final phase of the operation would commence, and the Empire would take another step forward.