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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Solitary Indulgence
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Viktor, that thorn in his side, had been shoved into solitary confinement, and up until that point, Andrei Komarov was in an excellent mood.
He couldn't stand seeing a mere commoner strutting around as Commander-in-Chief, and it grated on him even more that people praised Viktor as superior to everyone else.
Though he'd never set foot on a real battlefield, Andrei was convinced that if he did, he'd outperform Viktor by a wide margin.
In wargames with the kingdom's other officers, he always dominated overwhelmingly, and eventually, they all started refusing his invitations for wargames or duels, either out of fear or with endless excuses.
To him, Viktor was nothing more than a lucky commoner upstart.
The Imperial Army's defeat at Viktor's hands was simply due to their incompetence, Andrei believed. If he'd been in command, the enemy wouldn't have even gotten a glimpse of the Ruth Kingdom's capital.
That disdain made Andrei's blood boil at the sight of Viktor, who seemed to be feigning nonchalance even as he was dragged in.
The strange questions, the fake displays of meekness and compliance—none of it sat right with him.
Locking him in solitary was Andrei's impulsive decision, fueled by raw emotion.
Of course, Count Savinkov, his commanding officer, had only instructed him to keep Viktor in a suitable place until the negotiation team arrived, but to Andrei, that sounded like permission to put him wherever he wanted.
Elated, Andrei had stuffed Viktor into solitary to crush his spirit.
A few days of misery in there would peel away the facade and reveal his true colors.
"The food we put in isn't being touched,"
the guard posted at the door reported.
"Is that so? Let him do as he pleases. We'll be releasing him in a few days anyway."
Andrei didn't give it much thought even after the guard's report.
Skipping a meal or two for a day or so wouldn't cause any real issues, so he had no desire to bother with Viktor, who was only making trouble for himself.
He ordered the guards not to report further unless necessary and headed off to a party hosted by the nobles.
---
'The General Viktor has been arrested by the Royal Guard!'
Starting with the soldiers who witnessed the arrest firsthand, the rumor spread faster and wider than the kingdom's nobles had anticipated.
With most of the troops gathered in the capital, word that Viktor had been seized by the Royal Guard raced through the ranks like wildfire.
Rumors of an impending armistice circulated alongside it, but since the connection was obvious, the army's mood soured.
Everyone knew.
How many officers had been replaced and how many soldiers had died before he became Commander-in-Chief.
In contrast, the 1st Corps under Viktor's command from the start had earned the moniker Immortal Legion for its remarkably low casualties.
The conscripts, who made up the bulk of the forces, were just young men desperate to survive and return home, and junior officers already faced high mortality rates anyway.
Viktor had won the affection of nearly every soldier except the noble-born high commanders.
After the early string of defeats that made the Imperial Army a terrifying foe, Viktor—whose overwhelming victories against them—had become the Ruth Kingdom's last hope.
Compounded by the nation's need for a figurehead, he was revered almost as a hero by both the military and the populace.
When such a man was suddenly thrown into prison, discontent began bubbling up among the troops.
The timely rumor that his arrest was to hand him over to the Empire only fanned the flames.
Word even spread that General Viktor was locked in the palace basement dungeon, refusing food entirely, sparking calls to storm the palace and free him right then and there.
Indeed, many approached Anna, seen by some as Viktor's de facto successor, and even a few noble-born commanders sympathetic to him made contact with her.
Though Anna, wary of security and slim chances of success, declared a temporary hold, those already prepared to draw their swords began checking their authority and troops, bracing for what was to come.
In their private gatherings, the word 'rebellion' was uttered openly—the situation was that grave.
The nobles and Royal Guard on duty weren't entirely oblivious, but officer purges and the resulting grumbling were commonplace, so they didn't take it seriously.
After all, the malcontents were always a minority, easily purged or suppressed by force.
The nobles feared only that Viktor might outright reject his arrest, not the spread of mere complaints.
Once tempers cooled, they figured they could eliminate Anna and Viktor's followers, then hand the ringleader himself over to the Empire a few days later, solving everything.
Only a tiny few genuinely worried about the brewing crisis.
The nobles, unburdened by concerns, reveled in having effortlessly plucked out the aching tooth that was Viktor.
They even threw a party in the palace with the puppet young king propped up on the throne, and word that the nobles who sold out General Viktor were carousing only poured oil on the soldiers' rage.
The war had halted, but tension in the Ruth Kingdom's capital was mounting higher than ever.
---
[Heroic Victory!]
[Imperial Army Troops: 1,500
Imperial Army Casualties: 724
Ruth Kingdom Army Troops: 6,200
Ruth Kingdom Army Casualties: 5,882]
"Ha."
It had been a grueling battle.
The scenario involved defending the city with garrison troops against a Ruth Kingdom counterattack, but cranking the difficulty to max made the enemy kingdom forces far stronger than the real ones.
The early kingdom army would flee mid-victory without constant rallying and scatter in panic at the sight of Imperial knights, but in this simulation, every one of them was a fearless warrior ready for battle.
Their cavalry and ranged units were weak, and they attacked in scattered waves, allowing me to win through desperate divide-and-conquer tactics. If they'd massed and charged all at once, our lightly armed guards would've struggled to hold.
With the battle over and tension easing, a ravenous hunger hit me—like I hadn't eaten in days.
"Starved that long, huh."
I'd handled necessities and sipped water in between, but scrimping on meals to fill my stomach with liquid had left me hollow.
No sleep at all probably contributed to the fatigue.
Diving into a game this freely was a rare treat these days.
Thinking back, this was who I used to be.
Before coming to this world, I'd skip meals and sleep during holidays, glued to my computer for days—that nostalgia flooded in.
Removing the cloth I'd used as a blindfold instead of an eyemask, I saw midday sunlight streaming through the window.
After forcing my eyes open at dawn, I'd covered them completely with clothing, so I'd lost all track of time.
"...No clue."
Just knowing the sun was up told me nothing about what day it was.
Estimating from simulation time was futile—too many battles, and I hadn't counted.
It didn't matter much anyway.
I trusted the twitch in Andrei's eye when I mentioned three days and he shuddered.
If he was wrong, a few more days of sim wouldn't hurt.
Bread crumbs scattered on the floor suggested they were at least delivering meals properly, so in some ways, this beat suffering as a commander.
Seeing food only sharpened my hunger, though, so to avoid post-meal drowsiness, I left it be.
"Just a bit more, just a little longer."
Things would get busy once I reached the Empire.
To claim my place, to pursue my deferred dream of world conquest—I'd have to hustle.
Who knew when I'd next get to indulge like this without risking lives, so I quenched my thirst with water, lay back on the bed.
Blindfold back on, simulation starting—
*Clank. Clank. Creeeak.*
Someone opened the door. I removed the blindfold and sat up.
After a moment, the blocking door swung wide.
"Ha. Ruthless, aren't you? The ropes are... Oh, never mind."
The now-familiar silhouette stepped through the open doorway.
"Andrei."
"You haven't touched a single meal, they say. What's your problem, huh?"
Andrei scanned the solitary cell, eyeing me with a mix of dismay.
The guards behind him stole glances at me like I was some curiosity.
"What're you talking about?"
"Three straight days lying there chugging water. Some kind of protest?"
Already three days gone?
Hearing that made me feel the exhaustion acutely.
"Yeah?"
"...Let's go. Drag him out."
Maybe it was how blissfully I'd lost myself in worry-free simulations.
Being kicked out of solitary felt a tad regrettable.
"I could stay longer."
"...He's lost it. Take him quick and tie him down."
"Understood."
Two guards entered and supported me.
"Ah... such a shame, what a shame."
"...Pardon?"
Leaning on the guards' arms, I left the cell behind, regret lingering.