Chapter 88: Going After the Fake Romie

Chapter 88: Going After the Fake Romie

“Yet another bunch of escaped nobles.”

The garrison troops shook their heads when they saw a bunch of people holding colorful flags staggering in their direction.

Following the White Knight’s defeat, Sophia capitalized on the opportunity and furiously advanced her troops, clearing away all the enemies in the way. She stomped on a number of important Hungarian fortresses before arriving at its capital, Budapest.

The bulk of Hungary and the nearby nations’ soldiers had joined the alliance army and died alongside Hunyadi, so they struggled to put up a defense against the Eastern Romain army. Due to that, Sophia’s conquest had been smooth-sailing.

The swift collapse of their fortresses induced fear among the Hungarians.

Hungary’s king and high nobles rallied their troops to make a last stand at Budapest, but at the same time, quite a number of officials and nobles didn’t think that there was much hope left for Hungary and fled to the nearest Holy Romain Empire.

Just recently, a group of them arrived at Vienna with their family and retainers.

“Do you think the Eastern Romain Empire’s Basilinna will be able to take down Budapest?”

“That doesn’t sound plausible.”

The soldiers scratched their heads as they spoke. Despite having heard about recent developments, they still found it hard to believe that the little hamster known as the Eastern Romain Empire had become capable of biting.

“Budapest is Hungary’s capital. It’ll be tough for the Eastern Romain Empire to take it down if the people there are determined to fight to their dying breath.”

“She should still be quite far from Budapest. I heard our superiors saying that it’s just an intimidation tactic; she’ll probably just plunder a bit before returning.”

“Oi, you should know better than to chat on duty!” a commander berated the soldiers. “You, you, you, and you, go and check those entering the city!”

“...Fuck!” the soldiers cursed under their breath.

Most of the nobles seeking refuge here had relatives or friends in the Holy Romain Empire. Checking them was a waste of effort, and they might risk offending someone powerful too.

The commander always dumps the worst jobs on us.

Just as they had expected, the other party chased them off as soon as they approached.

“Scram!” a middle-aged man dressed in opulent clothes berated.

The soldiers could only disregard their commander’s furious glare and sheepishly back down. Someone as unreasonable as that was obviously a noble. Unless they were tired of living, it was best not to get involved with people like that.

...

“That’s surprisingly smooth-sailing...”

It was an open secret that Empress Frederina’s military capabilities were non-existent—even her own subordinates were reluctant to discuss military matters with her, let alone kings from the other nations—but Sophia didn’t expect it to be this disastrous.

“But I should still personally oversee the siege on the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Brothers, charge with me! We shall take down Vienna and curb the fake Romie!”

...

“Bad news, Your Majesty!”

Frederina was still groggy when her aide dragged her out from her love bed with her male lover.

A bowl of cold water was splashed on her face before she was dragged onto the palace walls. What she saw bewildered her.

“What’s going on?!”

Her palace was constructed on elevated ground, which was strategically advantageous and granted her a bird’s eye view of the city, but it was precisely because she could see everything that she started sweating profusely.

It was midnight.

Vibrant flames danced under the dull, grayish sky, painting the sky beautiful but ominous crimson. The entire city was blazing under the flames of war, and suffocating smoke drifted upward to veil the sky.

Frederina was stunned.

Led by a blood eagle flag, countless Eastern Romain soldiers dressed in superior armor and draped in red robes roared in excitement as they charged ahead and massacred anyone who stood in their path.

“The Scourge of God has attacked Vienna?!” Frederina was scared out of her wits.

“Your Majesty, it isn’t the Scourge of God!” her aide said, “That flag over there is the blood eagle flag, not the blood twin-headed eagle flag. It’s the Eastern Romain Empire’s Princess Sophia!”

“Sophia?” Frederina took another look and realized her aide was right. She exhaled in relief. “That’s good, that’s good.”

We should be able to hold our ground if it’s only Sophia.

“I didn’t think the rumors were true. How old is she to be leading an army to war? Why isn’t Constantin keeping her in line? And... she’s a lunatic! Another fucking lunatic!” Frederina slowly lost her composure.

Why is she attacking us before properly settling Hungary? Isn’t she afraid of the Hungarians cutting off her path of retreat?

Ah... The current Hungary doesn’t even have the troops to cut her path of retreat.

“The Scourge of God is over there.”

Another aide cut off Frederina’s thoughts and pointed in another direction.

“!!!”