Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Give me a donkey(Bonus)
In this world, wars resembled the trench warfare of the Western Front in the First World War from Neonidas’ previous world. Trench warfare arose due to incredibly lethal magic and the dense human population. In Neonidas’s past life, technology was the primary factor that ended trench warfare in the next global conflict. However, in this world, the presence of magic made technology unnecessary. As a result, trench warfare had persisted for centuries.

There were, of course, a few ways to win trench battles. First and foremost, the defending side always had the advantage. However, if the attacking side greatly outnumbered the defenders, they could potentially win. Alternatively, if the attackers were led by a highly skilled and intelligent commander, they might succeed with a daring battle tactic.

However, it seemed that the war against the Empire wouldn’t be a trench warfare scenario. After all, the population of an average duchy in the empire was nearly the same as the entire kingdom of Hindonpon. This meant the empire clearly had the numerical advantage. Additionally, the empire’s mages, especially Allea, were extremely dangerous.

Because of this, it seemed the Hindonpon had chosen an “offense is the best defense” strategy. Then there were the Konotiger beasts. Words failed to describe how powerful these creatures were. They possessed extraordinary magical resistance and tremendous physical strength. Unless struck in their eyes or by other weak points common to all living beings, it was nearly impossible to bring them down with arrows.

Moreover, their tough shells and tails resembling the spiked clubs of dinosaurs made them unbeatable in close combat. A mere five hundred of these beasts could undoubtedly change the course of a war—perhaps even wipe entire a kingdom off the map.

Everyone in the room grew tense. They began whispering to each other, but unlike the others, Neonidas appeared completely calm.

“My lord… I believe we should request military assistance or speak directly with the emperor. Contrary to what we may think, Hindonpon Kingdom cannot be subdued with just one duchy,” said one of the viscounts.

“I’ve already told the emperor that we don’t need any assistance.” Neonidas replied

Instead, he had requested money from the emperor, who had promptly granted it. By tomorrow, twenty thousand gold coins would likely arrive at the Oreoned Duchy. Neonidas grinned. He felt great about earning such a sum.

“But my lord, how are we supposed to win this war? Even if we gather a half million soldiers, it will be incredibly difficult to win as long as the enemy has five hundred of these powerful beasts,” another viscountess interjected.

“Fifty thousand soldiers will suffice… Also, gather as many donkeys as you can. Right now, what we need most are donkeys!” Neonidas declared, and the room fell into a deathly silence.

“D-Donkeys?” the viscountess repeated, her voice nearly a shriek, her eyes wide with shock. “My lord, are you sure? Are we going to fight with donkeys?”

The other nobles in the room began whispering one by one upon hearing this. Some looked utterly stunned, while others bit their lips to suppress laughter. Everyone thought Neonidas had gone mad. Some even began to suspect that Neonidas had overthrown Marquis Alexsaz thanks to Princess Allea.

“Give me an army of donkeys, and I shall conquer the world… Ahem… Joking aside, stop talking and write down my orders.”

“My lord, could you at least tell us why we’re using these donkeys? For carrying supplies?”

Neonidas turned toward the source of the voice—Baron Tluran, who was temporarily governing Marquis Alexsaz’s city. “Hmm… Yes. Load the donkeys with firewood—not too much, but not too little either.”

The tension in the room gave way to sheer confusion. Neonidas’s words only raised more questions. Firewood? Donkeys? Baron Tluran stared intently at Neonidas. “My lord, with your permission, may I ask something?” he said. “Why are we loading firewood onto the donkeys? Don’t we have a more effective plan?”

Another viscount, gritting his teeth, responded to Neonidas’s words. “Are we seriously relying on donkeys carrying firewood to win this war, my lord? Is this truly a wise strategy? Please enlighten us about your plan, my lord.”

“Do you think I’d share my battle plans with you? If my mother were alive, I wouldn’t even tell her… Now, my dear friends, carry out the orders I’ve given you and stop overworking your small minds.”

In truth, Neonidas wasn’t joking. According to his plan, he could win this war with enough donkeys.

The meeting continued for some time. They debated issues like the war budget and other logistical matters for hours. Eventually, the nobles hurriedly left Neonidas’ estate in the late afternoon to begin mobilizing the army.

When night fell, Neonidas was alone in his study. He sifted through maps and documents on his desk, reviewing the details of his unconventional plan. Muttering to himself, he said, “Winning a war with donkeys… Some would call it madness, but this world was made for the mad.” His eyes fixated on the borders of the Hindonpon Kingdom on the map as he pondered the location of the battlefield.

If difficult terrain backed the enemy’s rear like mountains or hills, it would make things much easier. Soon, he identified three suitable locations for the battle, along with six additional fallback options.

Later, he summoned his most trusted guard captain. Sir Haldrek was someone loyal to him in either the original novel or Neonidas’s memories.

Before long, a soft knock came at the door. “Enter,” Neonidas called. The man who walked in wore heavy armor and moved with deliberate steps. It was Sir Haldrek, the guard captain. His graying hair and stern features reflected years of experience.

Standing before Neonidas’s desk, Sir Haldrek straightened his shoulders with military discipline and gave a slight bow. “My lord, you called for me,” he said, his voice carrying a mix of obedience and curiosity.

Neonidas’s gaze remained fixed on the map spread out on his desk. “I want you to deliberately spread the word that we’ll only be gathering fifty thousand soldiers for the upcoming war with Hindonpon Kingdom. Of course, don’t overdo it—just ensure that the spies among us will report this to their masters. Share this only with soldiers you trust. Perhaps during secret knight meetings, you can encourage them to discuss rumors about my supposed madness?”

Sir Haldrek listened intently. His expression revealed no shock or mockery, only silence. After a deep breath, he said, “Understood, my lord. It will be done as you command. Do you have any other orders?”

“No, that’s all. Thank you, Sir Haldrek. After the war, I plan to reward you personally.”

For the first time since entering the room, a genuine emotion flickered across Sir Haldrek’s face. He couldn’t understand why Lord Neonidas suddenly intended to reward him—after all, he was simply doing his duty.

Although Neonidas didn’t show it, he valued loyal subordinates and didn’t overlook rewarding them. After all, unlike a handful of easily replaceable noble fools, truly loyal people like Sir Haldrek were hard to find.