I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

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“That’s an unacceptable opinion.”

Walter Hellhound stood up sharply from his designated seat in the Imperial Assembly and spoke firmly. The man standing on the platform today was Baron Koesernis. The issue he brought forth was the demilitarization of the Imperial Royal Army and the return of the commoners to their territories.

“If you cannot accept demilitarization even in the current situation, how long does the Hero plan to maintain the current size of the army?”

“Until there is a dramatic reversal in the situation. I cannot return the soldiers brought to face the enemy’s main forces until we destroy them, Baron.”

Walter’s tone was resolute. However, today, Koesernis did not seem willing to back down easily.

“I express my sincere respect for the efforts shown by the Hero this autumn. Truly! Thanks to the Hero, the Empire is still alive. I am not ignorant of this fact. But Hero, we cannot survive by fighting alone. Due to the Demon King’s army’s great offensive aimed at this autumn, agricultural production in various regions has already suffered severe damage. If the commoners cannot return to their territories by next spring, how do you plan to handle the food crisis and internal collapse that will hit the Empire?”

“But if we withdraw the army in winter, who will defend the border fortresses, Baron?”

“I’m not suggesting we withdraw all the troops! Now it’s Eramenia’s turn to bear more of the burden. Eramenia is certainly a great power, but isn’t the support given by the Elves insufficient?”

“That part… will improve. At least, I hope so. I can’t say for certain due to diplomatic issues.”

Walter spoke with a slightly uncertain voice. Koesernis took advantage of the ambiguity in the Hero’s attitude and launched an attack.

“Esteemed members, do not view Douglas Koesernis as a villain. Do not think that this insignificant Baron is eager to hinder the great Hero’s struggle! I respect him greatly. When I return home, I teach my children that the Hero and his companions are the true heroes of the Empire and that they should learn from them. But alas, the commoners in my territory say they have no father to give them such encouragement, or that they do not know whom to emulate or respect because their children do not return from the battlefield. Is this what must inevitably occur in our country?”

“Your assertion is truly obstructing our military operations, Koesernis. You are publicly forcing me to completely reverse the situation in this war by next spring. You know what that implies as a strategist!”

It meant that, in some sense, the Demon King had come to recognize that Walter must achieve some form of success within the winter. There is a significant difference between not knowing whether Walter’s strategy was to engage in a war of attrition or a major offensive, and the clear indication from the Imperial Assembly that Walter’s directive was now ‘to execute an offensive within winter.’

If the Imperial Assembly accepted Koesernis’s proposal, the Demon King would anticipate and prepare for an offensive from the Empire within winter. Even if Walter had been planning an attack since the initial documents were drawn, it would become problematic.

“But Hellhound, if we had discussed this in a different manner than through the Imperial Assembly, would you have listened to me?”

“I have been listening to everyone’s opinions. I just choose to make decisions based on my will.”

“That’s precisely the problem! There is no way to influence the Hero’s decision except through the Imperial Assembly! Even the majority of the Imperial Assembly belongs to the royal faction, and the local nobility sacrificing soldiers like us have no decision-making power. Is this really a rational reality? Is it a fair reality?”

Walter slumped back into his seat, annoyance evident as he adjusted his glasses multiple times. Rose, who had been sitting beside him, whispered in his ear.

“You look exhausted today.”

“Of course it’s exhausting since their arguments make sense. Damn it. It’s true I’ve been pushing too hard. While having more soldiers is better, convincing them of that is another issue…”

In any case, they couldn’t infinitely draw troops. At some point, a compromise had to be reached, and the point at which to compromise was the crux of this debate.

Walter had already firmly told Count Harker that ‘there would be no more conscription,’ but Koesernis wanted more than that. Harker had not attended today’s assembly. Even if he had been present, he likely wouldn’t have actively restrained Koesernis, but his absence meant that the discussion would likely escalate, raising the possibility of the assembly falling into chaos again.

“Most of the local faction nobles think we are just overreacting, believing that even if we reduce our troops a bit, we can somehow withstand the enemy’s attacks. We’ve been holding out with fewer troops after all.”

Rose poked at Walter’s discomfort. He nodded slightly at her words.

Of course, no noble would speak outright in such a way as to confront Walter directly. For instance, suggesting, “Isn’t 80,000 troops enough to defend the borders?” could lead to Walter responding, “Then tell me how you would block all attacks from the Demon King’s army with those troops,” which would be quite a predicament.

In any case, being recognized as overly capable can be a disadvantage. Because of Walter’s almost divine status, most nobles overestimated his ability to manage with fewer troops.

“Hero, please speak! Isn’t the discussion not over yet?!”

Koesernis shouted loudly. Walter, looking weary, took off his glasses and waved his hand dismissively.

“I request a recess. I’m too exhausted right now.”

At Walter’s words, Koesernis flinched momentarily. It seemed he was about to shout, ‘Are you fleeing?’ but since he wasn’t demanding an immediate vote or dismissal of the meeting, pressing the great hero like that would likely sway sympathy towards the Hero.

Koesernis nodded once, acknowledging the Hero’s request, and returned to his seat.

A 30-minute recess was announced, and the assembly members began to rise to attend to their needs, one by one. Walter, who had requested the recess, seemed to lack the energy to move, slumping in his chair.

Rose continued to stick by the Hero’s side, whispering in his ear.

“Will Princess Margaret do well? If we could receive more troops from Eramenia, it would certainly make things easier.”

“What Princess Margaret does is up to her. I can’t interfere. Moreover… to be honest, I’m not even sure if she actually went to request troops or if she just went home to nurse her heartache from unrequited love…”

“No way! I can’t believe Margaret would return home for that reason!”

“Isn’t that so? I hope for some good news… Richard can be so stubborn, yet there’s a softness to him that makes him unpredictable.”

“Hey, show a little more respect.”

Rose chided him with a stern expression. Walter chuckled and nodded as he adjusted his glasses once more.

“King Richard possesses a strong will, but in matters involving his daughter, he can soften. The only beings capable of persuading him are his wife and daughter.”

“My father should learn from that.”

“Why? The Emperor tends to listen to you quite well.”

“No. The problem is he listens too well to others besides me. The Emperor of the Audrich should really fix that tendency to be a sycophant.”

“Hey, show some respect for the royal family.”

“I’ll just go ahead and roast my father directly. If you have objections, go tell him yourself.”

As the two looked at each other, they both smirked and laughed simultaneously. Once Walter had a good laugh, it seemed that the fatigue accumulated from his earlier argument with Koesernis had nearly disappeared.

Despite everything, they enjoyed just looking at each other.

“So, how do you plan to lead the discussion from here?” Rose asked.

Walter tilted his head, unsure of himself.

“Well… I could try to stall for time and then push for a vote, which might eventually lead to a rejection. But winning a vote after being overwhelmed in discussion is not a noble approach…”

Thirty minutes passed quickly. Douglas Koesernis had already prepared to continue the discussion and was clearing his throat on the platform.

Overall, the local faction nobles took their seats earlier than the members of the royal faction, showing enthusiasm for the discussion. Even if they didn’t win the vote, they still had hope that if they could best the Hero in logic, they might gain some compromise or concession regarding their desires.

“Then, Hero, will you answer us? Can war that destroys the economic foundation of the rear nobles truly be considered a war that properly protects the people of the Empire? Simply not losing land does not mean we are winning the war. Is it not important to govern the stronghold that we have, rather than just protecting it?”

“If we lose the strongholds on the front lines, the ones behind will soon become the front lines. The way regions experience war may vary, but its essence remains the same.”

Walter replied dryly. That answer was too fundamental to bring about a significant change in the atmosphere.

“If that’s the case, who produces the supplies to sustain those strongholds on the front lines? Our support for the Empire is not just manpower; it includes all processes involved in producing, cultivating, and creating! How can serving the Imperial army be the only way to aid the Empire? How can we say that the youths of our territories can only fight for the Empire if they wield spears and shields?”

“The situation will normalize. However, that will not happen before next spring!”

“Then will it be before next summer? Agriculture must be cultivated. There is a limit to the number of years we can withstand with reduced production. Even if we ration, the stockpiled supplies in our granaries are dwindling!”

“It’s not just spring or summer that is the issue. The prerequisite is the change in the war situation. If I were to impulsively adjust this, based on what the Baron has said, the Demon King would counter accordingly. How did we obtain the head of the Lich this time? The enemy never anticipated that raid! If we are pressured with the obvious obligations that ‘we must see results by next spring, next summer,’ we will be forced to conduct the war at the enemy’s will!”

“Is that an excuse to impose endless waiting without hope on our people?”

“Please understand, Koesernis! I’m a busy man facing the North and the sword. I have no time to waste arguing with the South!”

Walter Hellhound, now nearly pleading, revealed that he had already somewhat acknowledged defeat in this debate. It meant he could not fully refute Koesernis’s arguments with perfect reason and logic.

In such a situation, even the royal faction would hesitate to vote down Koesernis’s demands outright. Even if they lowered the figures presented by Koesernis slightly, Walter was likely to be urged to reach a compromise about stripping certain soldiers of their armor or delaying the demilitarization timeline.

Walter was mentally prepared for such a scenario. In the current situation, even if Eramenia were to send supporting troops, if they were to decrease in numbers, simple maintenance might be possible, but retaliation or offensive action would soon become impossible.

If he could not transform their defensive posture into an offensive stance, the time of suffering and endurance would grow longer. Even Harriet’s glasses did not offer a clear breakthrough in the dark situation, and Walter’s attempts to gather every resource possible to bolster the border were being obstructed by strong opposition domestically.

The biggest issue was that Walter himself could not help but admit the problems with his policy. While capable as a commander, as an administrator, the Hero was merely average, and he could no longer soothe the anger of the suffering nobles with mere good words.

Ultimately, Walter decided to pursue a compromise and, with a heavy heart, slowly opened his mouth.

“Alright. Then Baron…”

At that moment, a booming voice suddenly echoed throughout the Imperial Assembly, ringing clearly in everyone’s ears.

“All rise! His Majesty Emperor Anton of the Audrich Empire has arrived at the Imperial Assembly!”

Immediately, all members, including Walter, hurriedly stood up. The Emperor was not originally scheduled to attend today’s assembly. When Walter looked back at Rose in surprise, she stuck out her tongue and grinned.

“Did you call him?”

“My father is a sycophant, after all.”

It seemed that among the members who had left during recess, there was someone who had acted on Rose’s instructions. Anton Caprice strode confidently into the assembly, quietly surveying the members before announcing in a soft voice.

“I’ve heard that the discussion has become excessively lengthy and dull. I find this regrettable, and I propose to freeze voting on this issue and postpone discussion indefinitely. Those who oppose may remain seated.”

No one sat down. Legally, if more than half of the members had remained seated, the Emperor’s proposal would have been rejected, and they would have to return to the palace, but no one dared to act with such gall in front of the Emperor of the Audrich Empire.

If the Emperor had unilaterally declared the demilitarization proposal null, it could have become a problem, but the Emperor was respectfully requesting a freeze and postponement. To oppose this would be tantamount to openly defying the royal family, which could put them in a difficult position.

“Very well. Then I understand that all members respect my opinion. I shall take my leave now. The session is adjourned for today.”

With only those words, the Emperor turned and walked back the way he had come.

As he left, the Emperor briefly lifted his head and looked at Walter Hellhound’s seat. It was as if he were saying, ‘I can’t just let things go like this every time.’

Walter felt a strange sensation and shivered.

“How was it? Did it go well?”

“For now, I’ve let out a sigh of relief. It seems that having a reliable backer counts…”

As soon as the Emperor fully exited, murmurs and commotion stirred among the provincial nobles. Koesernis, who had almost managed to gain a compromise from the Hero just moments ago, exhaled deeply, clearly unable to hide his dissatisfaction as he stared at the entrance where the Emperor had left.

Just as Walter hurried toward the exit of the Imperial Assembly, Douglas Koesernis looked at him and muttered in a complaining tone.

“It must be nice to have the royal family on your side.”

Walter did not respond. Rose, who had been right next to the Hero, stuck her tongue out at Koesernis from a distance.

“What a rude Baron.”

“That old man can prove his worth in a pinch against the enemy. Today, I was a bit emotional too, but I still can’t be completely hostile.”

“Even so, let’s be a little kinder with our words.”

“While it’s a bit of a stretch, he is a man with some tactical insight. I think a day will come when we will have to help each other.”

“Hmm, alright. That’s good enough.”

Rose lightly patted Walter’s head. Walter struggled to enjoy her touching, as he felt his mind fade away contemplating how much longer he would have to continue these struggles.