ch9

“The Papal States are being pushed back helplessly.”

Thud. Black pawns and bishops stormed into the Papal States.

The white pawns were helplessly pushed back, and soon, could only look on in vain at the dagger aimed at their king.

But a faint smile bloomed on my lips.

“Since that day, I’ve often imagined what the result would have been if things had gone this way. Heh.”

To have the opportunity to actually do it. I felt quite delighted.

I immediately picked up the receiver.

The next morning,

With the crimson rising sun at their backs, beneath fluttering flags,

“Fire!”

콰앙!! 콰앙!!

The Savoy-Two Sicilies Kingdom’s Field Gun spewed fire towards the Aurelian Walls, which had protected the Papal States for over 1000 years, and Rome for over 1500 years.

The walls, built in ancient Roman times, crumbled like biscuits against the modern Field Gun.

“Advance! Advance!”

빰빠밤빰-!

With the cheerful sound of trumpets, the Bersaglieri advanced through the collapsed walls.

The Savoy-Two Sicilies Kingdom’s army marching on Rome numbered 70,000, while the Papal States’ army numbered only about 15,000.

“We surrender.”

Most of the Papal States’ army simply waved white flags and surrendered.

With the exception of a few sporadic skirmishes, they had virtually achieved a bloodless entry into Rome.

But they overlooked one fact.

That most of the army surrendering did not mean that all of the army had surrendered,

That there were still 2000 devils remaining in Rome.

Bang!

The door to the Apostolic Palace, where the Pope resided, burst open, and soldiers in drab gray uniforms entered.

“W-Who are you?!”

The Pope and Cardinals were startled by the soldiers who burst through the door. But as their identities were soon revealed, the Pope let out a sigh of relief.

On their shoulders was the black cross, the symbol of the Teutonic Knights.

“You scoundrels! How dare you commit such an act when His Holiness the Pope is unwell in body and mind!”

The Cardinal pointed his finger at them and rebuked them.

But for some reason, the soldier at the very front ignored the Cardinal’s words and knelt before the Pope, passing him by.

“Your Holiness. Barbarians are currently storming into the city of Rome. We, the Teutonic Knights, are deeply concerned that if Your Holiness remains in Rome, the barbarians may harm Your Holiness’s sacred person, and we wish to escort Your Holiness to a safe place.”

Stripped of its embellishments, it was virtually a declaration to kidnap the Pope himself.

“How dare a knightly order blessed by God betray the holy Pope—”

The Pope raised a hand to stop the Cardinal.

He vaguely knew. That the object of the soldiers before him’s loyalty was not religion, but the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

‘But…’

In modern times, the world was so full of heretics that it was difficult to find a country friendly to the Vatican.

England had created the Church of England and abruptly left the embrace of Catholicism, France was oppressing its brothers and sisters under the name of the Republic. Savoy-Two Sicilies was eyeing the Papal States’ territory, and the Tsardom of Rus’ was calling itself the Third Rome and viewing the Papal States as something that should eventually be placed under their feet.

What about the neutral countries that were maintaining neutrality in this war? Not to mention the pagan Scandinavian kingdoms and the Ottoman Empire, the Iberian kingdoms, once devout Catholic countries, had hidden behind internal turmoil, leaving the Papal States in crisis behind.

On the other hand, the Holy Roman Empire had helped the Papal States whenever a crisis arose, using diplomacy and sometimes force.

Naturally, the Pope himself, and even more so as a religious figure, could not help but feel favorably towards the Holy Roman Empire.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

“Three things. If you grant me just three requests. I will follow you.”

The Pope, who seemed to be contemplating for a moment while tapping the armrest of his chair, finally opened his mouth.

“First, acknowledge my inviolability and privileges.”

Most of the Pope’s requests related to religion should be granted; this was already an order received from the Emperor.

“Second, after the war, acknowledge Romagna, Marche, and Umbria, once territories of the Papal States, as territories of the Papal States.”

The Holy Roman Empire had no intention of directly ruling Italy after the war.

“Finally, increase the number of Teutonic Knights to 10,000 after the war.”

The Pope probably knew that the Teutonic Knights were, in name only, a knightly order, but in reality, belonged to the Imperial Army. Yet, to make such a request… it was virtually a declaration to become a puppet state of the Holy Roman Empire after the war.

The Vice-Captain of the Teutonic Knights, Ludwig von Hohenzollern, smiled and replied.

“Understood.”

The Savoy-Two Sicilies Kingdom’s army entered the city of Rome,

And soon, hell unfolded before their eyes.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Shit, Graziani is dead!”

The Teutonic Knights had supplied all their knights with C96 Pistols and Cavalry Sabers.

This was mainly for symbolic reasons; it was a kind of propaganda to treat each knight as an officer of a regular infantry unit.

And thanks to that, the Teutonic Knights were literally running wild in the city of Rome.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Kuh-ack!”

In the city of Rome, with its many narrow alleys, a short, light, and fast-firing pistol had an overwhelming advantage over a long and cumbersome bolt-action rifle.

Even at a long range, the Savoy-Two Sicilies army could not rest assured.

They never knew when a rifle bullet would fly from the buildings lined up along the range to shatter their heads.

However, hiding inside the buildings was not the right choice either.

Clang!

“A, a grenade!!”

Boom!!

The narrow buildings were the perfect environment to be turned into fresh minced meat along with their comrades.

“N, no… I don’t want to die…”

“Get up! Show those vile German bastards the pride of the Italians—”

Bang!!

In the city of Rome, it was not uncommon to see an officer urging his soldiers on suddenly turn into a cold lump of meat.

The city of Rome was hell.

A hell inhabited by 2000 devils.

Bang!

Count Ciano, the general of the Savoy-Two Sicilies Kingdom’s army, slammed his desk in a fit of rage at the disgraceful sight of being stuck in the city of Rome by a mere 2000 men.

“Damn it, it’s the German Empire again. Again!!”

His face was flushed red. It looked as if it would burst if pricked with a needle.

“But according to the data, the Teutonic Knights have only about 2000 troops.”

On the other hand, the Savoy-Two Sicilies Kingdom’s army deployed to occupy Rome consisted of as many as seven divisions, including three Bersaglieri divisions, which were among the best in terms of training and morale.

“The difference in strength between them and us is so overwhelming that it is embarrassing to even compare.”

Rome would fall into the hands of the Italians. This was as good as a predetermined fate.

“But this is… nothing more than a bloody entry that leaves no room for excuses.”

In the Christian world, the Pope’s position was higher than one could imagine.

A position right after prophets like Moses. Even now, when the age of religion was waning and the age of reason, logic, and science had dawned, the Pope’s every word caused a great stir around the world.

And now, the Savoy-Two Sicilies Kingdom was. Forcibly occupying Rome, ignoring the Pope’s resistance.

If they had achieved a bloodless entry, or at least caused a minimal number of casualties, they could have somehow excused themselves to the surrounding countries. At least they could have maintained their dignity as a civilized nation! But now,

“Already one battalion has been annihilated. Literally annihilated!”

Count Ciano ran his hand through his hair to calm his anger. A clump of his hair fell out.

“By tomorrow. Kill all the German rats in the city of Rome. That’s an order!”

“Yes!”

Once again, the sound of trumpets announcing the advance echoed through the city of Rome.

The soldiers looked at their comrades, who had turned into minced meat, and thought. It couldn’t get any worse than this.

And as always, beneath the worst, another worst was waiting.

That night.

“Haa…”

Giovanni, a soldier of the Savoy-Two Sicilies Kingdom’s army, dragged his tired body and slumped against a pillar.

“How many survived?”

“Just the two of us. The rest went inside the building to avoid the bullets and then, boom.”

The thought of the pieces of entrails flying out of the window made his skin crawl.

“Crazy… it’s crazy…”

He tried to calm his heightened emotions and washed his face with his dry hands.

He had never heard of such a thing. As if they were using people… like consumables?

“Why are you so scared again.”

He tapped Giovanni’s helmet and said.

“You have to survive and confess to Anna, who you’re always singing about, right? Isn’t that right?”

Giovanni closed his eyes for a moment and imagined the face of the girl who was waiting for him in his hometown.

“Yeah. I have to survive tomorrow too… Hehe.”

“Get some sleep. It looks like we’re going to be rolling around tomorrow too.”

He smiled slightly and closed his eyes.

Thwack.

“Uh, ugh?”

There was something very, very cold on his chest. Like swallowing ice. No. He felt like his body was gradually turning to ice.

And it’s hot.

Hot, hot. He felt like he had been thrown into the fiery pits of hell.

His instincts screamed. If he stayed still like this, he would die. Struggle with all his might.

He tried to scream with all his strength.

“Ha, heh,”

But all that came out of his mouth was the sound of air leaking out.

He turned his gaze to look at his comrade.

He was collapsed with his Adam’s apple cut by the sword of a man in a gray uniform.

Ah… I can’t… I have to let them know…

“A… Anna…”

And so, two young Italians became cold corpses.

And from that spot, a dozen Teutonic Knights appeared.

“Your Holiness. This way.”

“Ugh… Ah, I understand…”

The Pope frowned at the strong smell of blood. But he had already crossed the Rubicon.

There was no turning back.

The Pope forced himself to close his eyes and followed the knights.

And soon, a small truck with a black cross painted on it came into his sight.

“W-Where are you trying to take me now?!”

“To ‘a slightly safer place’.”

Click, he said, opening the door of the truck.

“….”

Yes. There was already ‘no turning back.’