NOVPUBI have a mission of historical significance.
To liberate the entire Albanian continent, not just the Toscani Empire, from the corrupt Deous Church and bring freedom to everyone.
Furthermore, I must deliver the true faith and culture to those who have been offering human sacrifices in the New World, alongside a handful of lead.
At first, this all began because of my own greed, but now it feels more like a duty to advance the world.
"I simply wanted to make a lot of money, and that's how I came this far."
In the process, I had no qualms about staining my hands with blood, and sometimes, I had to pull out wisdom that was better left sealed deep in history.
People in the future will undoubtedly condemn me for what I've done...
But honestly, I have no regrets.
I did my best, and at least I didn’t commit any grotesque murders or tortures for my own pleasure.
The world has developed over decades, maybe even close to a hundred years.
"Pastor Stefano rejected wealth and power to save those oppressed by religion, but my path has been very different. I’ve enjoyed all the wealth, taken multiple beautiful women, and amassed all kinds of power."
Still, it’s strange that I once helped such a man.
Now, I can’t even help him anymore, though.
"Anyway, I’ll take care of the trash who profit off religion and try to dominate others."
I’ll make a better world.
The order of the advanced world will be led by the Toscani Empire.
Now, I’ll stop getting lost in thought here.
"General Ducat, may I come in?"
"Come in."
General Ducat looked at me with surprise when I entered.
"What? You’re wearing military uniform without being told to? My goodness, Deous, have you finally decided to give up being a merchant and walk the path of a soldier?"
"No, that's not it..."
"Ah, Marquis Ragusa will be happy if he hears this. Wait a moment, I’ll call for a messenger to inform the Imperial General Staff and have them prepare a new post for you. Even though the Imperial Marshal is a bit of a blockhead, he’ll gladly give you a position, especially for you."
"Please, hear me out. I’m not here to become an officer. I’ve simply worn the uniform out of respect because I’m visiting you, a general, at the staff headquarters."
Even the man who showed up in a checkered shirt to present Apple’s phone still wears a suit to a wedding.
Though I have no intention of becoming a soldier, it’s proper for someone with an honorary military rank like myself to wear a uniform when visiting the staff headquarters.
At this, General Ducat suddenly looked disappointed.
"I thought you had earned enough money and were now pursuing honor."
"I’m not suited for military life."
"...You? That’s quite the funny joke. If the others in the staff headquarters hear it, they’ll probably be laughing their heads off."
Most people choose to do what they’re good at rather than what they want to do.
But I was a successful merchant in the Toscani Empire, and when I was forced to serve in the military, I streamlined logistics thoroughly and even built an economic colony in Ifriqiya.
If you have multiple skills, you should do the one you’re best at.
"I’ve brought what the Toscani Empire’s army needs most right now."
"The Imperial Army already has enough supplies, and our logistics network is fine. The soldiers' morale is sky-high. Our General Staff believes that we’re well-equipped to crush those idiots from the Holy Empire."
"War doesn’t always follow common sense, does it?"
"Well, war rarely goes according to common sense or logic."
Humans are not gods, so we can’t control every variable.
Even in a game where five people just need to cooperate, if I make a mistake or someone starts sending waves of suicides, there’s no solution.
"Stockpiling food is all well and good, but if you store too much, it’ll spoil. However, other resources—gathering as much as possible is always beneficial. And what I’ve brought is a weapon that will transform the Toscani army into a great crusade."
I had already given the Emperor a bit of a spoiler.
I told him we should bring the Sultanate in and destroy the Holy Empire, making it a mess and then retaking the land lost to the heathens.
I hadn’t said anything like this to anyone else, so it was no wonder General Ducat looked so shocked.
General Ducat’s face turned pale.
"A crusade... You, of all people, are talking about it. If anyone else had said such a thing, I would’ve thought they were just mimicking. But hearing it from you, Count Rothschild, I feel like you could actually create a real crusade, one that would surpass the ones 400 years ago."
It’s truly possible.
There have been people who achieved this using nothing but brutality and nonsense, far inferior to religious beliefs and ideology.
The Japanese army, believing that mental fortitude could defeat the Western powers, unsheathed their swords and charged machine gun positions during WWII, completely disregarding tactical sense.
They trained officers for four years at military academies, and the soldiers were drilled with nationalistic fervor, beating them with "patriotism training sticks."
So whether they were avoiding punishment or charging to honor the Emperor, they would charge without hesitation, even in the face of machine gun fire.
But what happens if you mix religious fervor and ideological beliefs with that kind of mental fortitude?
You create invincible infantry that, with just mental fortitude, could dominate a battlefield, where 500 men would defeat 10,000.
"Right now, there is no soldier in the Imperial Army who dislikes His Majesty. It’s not just a 'report with a bit of exaggeration'—it’s truly the case. When military chaplains speak of His Majesty’s grace, the soldiers often end up in tears."
"...I never imagined I’d see such a sight. It’s not even the officers, but regular soldiers who have such unwavering loyalty to His Majesty."
"When it comes to morale and fighting will, the Toscani Empire’s soldiers are better than those of other nations' officers. This is a huge advantage."
In the era of line infantry, the probability of hitting a target with a single bullet was extremely low.
Some would say that if you fired 100 shots, only 5-8 would hit.
‘If 50% of 100 shots hit, then the whole tactic wouldn’t even make sense.’
But when properly aimed using matchlocks, the accuracy at the typical range of 50 [N O V E L I G H T] meters for line infantry is about 84%.
It’s hard to understand why the accuracy would differ so much, considering they are using the same weapons to kill. The reason, however, lies in the soldiers' fighting will.
Soldiers are people too, and they dislike killing.
Even against heathens, the instinct remains
