Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 970

970. Everyone’s a Sucker But Me… (7)

Fueled by resentment, the French and Spanish forces coordinated their efforts to prepare their defenses. They constructed more robust trench lines, focusing on defensive measures, and refined their command structure to ensure seamless cooperation between the two armies. This process served as a chilling reminder to the commanders of the French and Spanish forces of the Empire and its army’s fearsome power.

“The Imperial Army, those crazy bastards, what the hell have they done now?”

Despite the initial show of unity between the French and Spanish forces, their subsequent actions were fraught with constant minor and major disruptions, chaos, and conflicts. However, in all previous battles, such issues never surfaced between the Imperial Army and the Florentine Army. Even during the Battle of Pavia, where the Florentine Army suffered the greatest losses, the tangled threads unraveled instantly whenever the Imperial soldiers stepped forward, leading to the swift collapse of the French forces.

The Spanish army had also realized this through the Battle of Alexandria. Despite shuddering at the mere mention of the Empire and its army, the French and Spanish forces quickly and efficiently established a united front. Had the Imperial Army commanders and instructors witnessed it, they would have immediately given it a ‘pass’ grade. While the French and Spanish forces, having received a ‘deep lesson’ from the Imperial Army, were preparing accordingly, the Italian army advancing north was not. The biggest reason for this was a misjudgment of the French and Spanish forces.

-They have already suffered significant damage from the Imperial Army and the Florentine Army and have lost a substantial amount of their strength.

-Judging from the results of the battles, they do not seem to be as strong as expected.

-Since the battle, they have been holed up in Turin and its surrounding areas, cautiously observing. This is probably because they have not been able to replenish their lost troops.

-Recently, they have been preparing to retreat.

“If that’s the case, they will try to escape rather than fight. We can gain merit without much effort.”

The commanders of Milan, Genoa, Venice, the Kingdom of Naples, and the Romagna Duchy, who made this judgment, pushed the Florentine and Imperial armies to the rear. In particular, the commanders of the Kingdom of Naples and the Romagna Duchy most persistently kept the Florentine and Imperial armies in check.

“A sure victory is at hand. We absolutely cannot miss this opportunity.”

As the last to join the fray, the commanders of the Kingdom of Naples and the Romagna Duchy had no intention of yielding the honor of victory. After enduring such fierce checks, the Florentine and Imperial armies were pushed to the rear. The Florentine commanders were furious, but the Imperial Army commanders stepped in to appease them. However, that did not mean the Imperial Army commanders were entirely pleased either.

The Imperial Army commanders, watching the ‘fools’ advancing excitedly, muttered in a cynical tone.

“They take war too lightly.”

“Did we fight too well?”

The Italian army, which had advanced triumphantly north, encountered the Franco-Spanish allied forces near Turin. The Italian army’s offensive, launched after two days of rest, was disastrous. The report sent by the Imperial Army, which followed behind, described it as a pathetic failure without exaggeration.

* * *

Upon confirming the information brought by the scouts sent out just before reaching Turin, the first thing the commanders of the five factions did was to divide the area. They divided the area where the French and Spanish forces were stationed into five equal parts and proceeded with a lottery.

“Crazy…”

The Imperial Army commanders, who witnessed this, barely suppressed the curses that were about to burst out and offered advice.

“The strength of each unit is different, so it does not seem reasonable to allocate areas by lottery. Considering the strength, it would be better to divide the vanguard and the rearguard and reduce the offensive routes…”

“Don’t worry!”

“We’ll take care of it ourselves!”

Ishiae immediately stepped back upon seeing the commanders of the five factions shouting before he could even finish speaking.

“I understand. I’ll look forward to it.”

The Imperial Army commanders, who watched the scene from behind, muttered in unison.

“Let’s see what you do on your own.”

As if aware of the commanders’ feelings, Ishiae gathered the Imperial Army commanders after the meeting and issued an order.

“You learned about the conquest of Tsushima Island [a Japanese island located between the Korean Peninsula and Kyushu] at the military academy, right?”

“Yes.”

“The biggest mistake our army made there is being repeated here. A lottery, ha!”

Ishiae shook his head, mentioning the mistakes made during the conquest of Tsushima Island in the first year of King Sejong’s reign [Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea, reigned from 1418 to 1450], and issued an order.

“Seeing those idiots acting like that makes me uneasy. Just in case, prepare thoroughly.”

“Yes, sir!”

Unaware of being watched with disdain by the Imperial and Florentine armies from behind, the armies of the five factions charged towards the trench lines of Turin, aiming for immediate glory. And they collapsed miserably.

* * *

The biggest reason for the disastrous defeat was the complete lack of cooperation between the five factions. If the troop size and firepower of the five factions were combined and calculated, they were superior to the French and Spanish forces. If the commanders had coordinated and fought properly, they could have achieved the desired results.

However, because they failed to do so, they suffered a disastrous defeat. As the five factions, which had advanced with great fanfare, collapsed miserably, the French and Spanish forces launched a counterattack. It was then that the Imperial Army, which had been observing the situation from behind, immediately carried out a massive bombardment. As a wall of shells was erected, the French and Spanish forces quickly returned to their trench lines and went on the defensive. The problem was what happened after the battle ended.

“We were just unlucky today! This will never happen again!”

“That’s right!”

The commanders of the five factions insisted on attributing it to ‘bad luck’ and remained stubborn.

-If we show a disappointing performance to Florence and the Empire here, we will continue to be led around by them! We must avoid that at all costs!

Ishiae, watching the five factions stubbornly clinging to their pride, immediately stepped back.

“I understand.”

Returning to his tent, Ishiae gathered only the Imperial Army commanders and the Swiss Army commanders.

“It’s better this way. Now that they’ve been burned, they won’t act rashly. But they won’t yield to us either, and the stalemate will continue.”

The commanders nodded in agreement with Ishiae’s assessment. Ishiae smiled slightly and continued.

“I repeat, it’s a good thing. Thanks to those idiots’ foolish actions, France and Spain will also hold out, and we will have more room to maneuver. If that happens, we can stab Spain in the back more easily.”

* * *

And the situation unfolded as Ishiae had predicted. After that, three more attacks followed, but they all ended in failure. Having suffered significant losses in manpower, the commanders of the five factions finally requested assistance from the Florentine and Imperial armies. Upon receiving the request, the Florentine army immediately moved its artillery corps to the front lines and joined the battle. However, the Florentine army’s outdated Imperial-made cannons were insufficient to break through the trench lines of the French and Spanish forces. They requested assistance from the Imperial Army as well, but the Imperial Army did not move.

“Why!”

“We are a bit short on shells.”

In response, the commanders of the five factions immediately sent urgent reports to their leaders.

“Why isn’t the Empire moving!”

Han Myung-hoi, in response to the complaints from the leaders of the five factions, replied with an expression that it was nothing significant.

“We are having difficulty moving immediately due to a shortage of supplies.”

“The Empire is short on supplies? That’s nonsense!”

“Well, some people have been holding us back, so we’ve spent quite a bit on war expenses.”

Han Myung-hoi, having subtly rebuked them, continued while drinking black tea.

“The soldiers dispatched to Italy are also very tired. So, we need to rotate the soldiers, so unfortunately, it is difficult to move immediately.”

“The front lines are desperately requesting assistance right now!”

“Even so, what is impossible is impossible. And isn’t this an Italian matter?”

“Ugh…”

The leaders of the five factions groaned, but it was difficult to continue being stubborn. It was because of the words they had uttered themselves. In the end, the five factions gathered additional troops and sent them to the front lines. Meanwhile, France and Spain were also in a similar situation, being held back. Upon learning that the Empire had stepped back, France and Spain immediately started their wishful thinking.

“If we do this right…”

-The most powerful enemy on the Italian front is the Imperial Army.

-But the Imperial Army has stepped back. According to intelligence, this is due to a shortage of supplies and troop rotation. This will take a long time.

-The Italian army without the Imperial Army is not strong. This has been confirmed in the battles we have fought this time.

-If we don’t miss the time until the Imperial Army returns, the opportunity is ours!

Having made this judgment, France and Spain immediately began to deploy additional troops to the Turin area. The problem was that the Italian army was not strong, but it was not weak either. As the battle continued, the Italian army transformed from a disorganized rabble in the early stages into a reasonably decent army.

In the end, a war of attrition broke out in the Turin area. While the eyes of France and Spain were focused on Turin, the Empire properly struck Spain in the back.

* * *

After the Imperial Navy nearly annihilated its naval fleet, Spain lost its ability to monitor the seas. To compare Spain’s current situation to a person, it was like being one-eyed. And that remaining eye was fixed on Turin.

And the Empire did not miss this opportunity and moved. A fleet carrying troops and supplies departed from Shinji [Likely refers to a port or region within the Empire] and headed straight for Gibraltar, and in response, a significant number of troops from Italy retreated and headed for Gibraltar. The Portuguese Navy also played a role in the Imperial Navy’s capture of Gibraltar.

The Portuguese Navy coordinated the schedule between the Imperial fleet coming from Shinji and the Imperial fleet stationed in the Mediterranean, and constantly attacked Spanish warships and ports, conducting diversionary operations. This active cooperation from the Portuguese Navy was not simply because they were allies.

-If the Empire seizes Gibraltar and Algeciras, Spain will not be able to go out to sea!

-This means that one of the most powerful competitors will disappear!

-If Spain is unable to advance to the sea, Spain’s national power will stop growing!

-If that happens, the dynamics of the Iberian Peninsula will change! Not only will the political dynamics change, but the size of the territory may also change!

Having harbored such ambitions, Portugal actively cooperated with the Empire.

* * *

The Empire’s capture of Algeciras was a devastating blow to Spain. Having sent a significant portion of its proper land forces to Turin, Spain was unable to react immediately. The Spanish forces stationed in Algeciras and Gibraltar were second-line units and were swept away by the Imperial Army without putting up proper resistance. The defensive fortresses built on the ports and coasts collapsed under the Imperial Navy’s bombardment, and the landing forces landed smoothly.

The Imperial Army had already grasped the characteristics of the buildings and cities in the Mediterranean region from Italy and was accustomed to urban warfare. The Spanish army’s attempt to hinder the Imperial Army’s landing through urban warfare failed, and the Imperial Army pushed into the mountainous areas surrounding Algeciras and Gibraltar. The moment the Imperial Army, having seized the mountainous areas, planted the Imperial flag on the summit, Algeciras and Gibraltar became complete Imperial territory.

And this was the moment that signaled the defeat of Spain and France in the war over Italy and the Mediterranean.