After confirming the Ottoman army’s retreat, the prince, along with Thomas, led his forces to reclaim central Greece.
There was no resistance anywhere. The Ottomans’ sudden withdrawal signaled to the cities of central Greece that something unusual had occurred, and the prince’s army, despite its fatigue, still carried the momentum of victory.
Moreover, was he not the very man who had burned an entire city to the ground in his fight against the Ottomans? But if he had been nothing more than ruthless, the cities would have gritted their teeth and fought back.
It was already too late for that.
The prince’s military achievements had spread throughout Greece.
Against the formidable Ottomans, he had somehow prevailed—an almost unbelievable feat.
Now, the cities faced a choice.
Had the prince truly achieved this, or was it mere coincidence?
Most cities chose to wait and observe. A smaller number submitted to the prince. Only a handful resolved to resist him.
That was their mistake.
The prince was determined to secure central Greece swiftly. Any resistance that openly declared itself merely presented an opportunity to be swiftly eradicated. He would not waste this chance. The thought of losing precious time by besieging each city one by one was unbearable. Instead, the prince chose a method that required no direct military engagement—diplomatic encirclement.
“Cities hostile to us will inevitably band together. If they unite, their forces will likely exceed a thousand. But those who have merely watched without preparing for war will not have stockpiled enough supplies to sustain such an army for long. Eventually, they will either strain their finances, resort to forced requisitions, or turn to plundering other cities.”
Morea had been stockpiling supplies ever since Murad’s ascension, anticipating a prolonged conflict.
Though many soldiers had been lost, the forces of Genoese mercenaries and the Epirus army had bolstered the ranks to nearly five thousand—an encouraging number.
The prince decided to use this to his advantage.
“That is why we will make an example of the undecided cities. Ivania, Justinian—I want each of you to take two thousand troops and protect the cities aligned with us.”
“As Your Highness commands, I will do as much as needed.”
Since proving herself in battle, Ivania had returned to her usual composed demeanor. There had been a time when she was reserved and expressionless, but the prince now felt a strange sense of relief as he turned his gaze away.
“And Thomas, you and I will oversee the dispatch of relief supplies to refugees near Thebes.”
“You intend to test them, don’t you?”
Sharp as ever, Thomas quickly grasped the prince’s intentions. The cities that had declared neutrality had done little more than watch the situation unfold. Sending supplies to such places would provoke different reactions.
The greedy would attempt to seize them.
The more discerning would see it as a bid for allegiance.
The paranoid would suspect the neutral cities of secretly siding with the prince.
“The first shipment will be genuine relief supplies. After that, our response will depend on how the enemy reacts. If they attack the cities, all the better. If they do not, we will send aid elsewhere. If necessary, we could even dispatch a small number of troops to assist in defense—but only as a secondary measure.”
The most difficult case would be dealing with those who tried to interpret the aid as a political maneuver.
But the prince had already devised a countermeasure. That was precisely why he intended to distribute supplies to multiple cities.
He had anticipated how the enemy would respond.
“The key moment will be after each of the cities near enemy territory receives their aid. Justinian, you will lead your forces toward one of the neutral cities, but ensure that your numbers do not exceed theirs. Engage them in a way that lures them out beyond their walls, but do not fight them—simply draw them out and slowly advance toward the enemy forces. Ivania, you will take a northern route and strike directly at the enemy’s heart.”
“Why take such a risk…?”
“To sow doubt.”
The cities that had declared neutrality would send out small forces to confront the Morean army but would not engage in actual battle. Even the most unquestioning would inevitably begin to harbor doubts.
“We will continue advancing without fighting either the enemy or the so-called neutral cities, allowing doubt to take root. That is the role you must play, Justinian. The enemy will have no choice but to remain wary of you. And when they finally turn their attention away, Ivania will strike at their heart. At that moment, the enemy will be forced to question the true intentions of the neutral forces.”
Had they been swayed by the prince, or had they truly mustered their forces to resist Morea? No one would be certain. What was clear was that the enemy would no longer trust the neutral forces so easily. They would have two choices—either send envoys to establish contact or strike first. If things ended there, the plan might fall apart.
“The crucial moment will come when the enemy and the neutral forces are locked in a standoff. Justinian, that will be the time for you, as a brother in faith, to act once more. But even then, you do not need to fight. Simply leading your forces closer to the enemy will be enough to disrupt any potential negotiations.”
Once the enemy failed to confirm the true allegiance of the neutral forces, they would be overwhelmed by the nearing threat. To escape, they would focus on pushing away the neutral forces standing in their way.
At that point, they would have only two choices—engage in battle or flee.
“With a single strike, resistance will be crushed. If they choose to fight, we will attack them from behind. If they flee, we will pursue them relentlessly and tear them apart. Either way, they will not have the luxury of falling back into a siege.”
Beyond that, a mountain of tasks awaited.
There would be no compromises.
This time, the empire would reject all those who had denied its authority.
The long-overdue rebuilding of the people’s assembly, the establishment of a judicial system, the formation of a new army, and the forging of alliances—this was only the first step in solving those countless problems.
But too much had already been lost.
Some might say it was too late—that simply fastening the first button would never be enough to gather all the spilled beads.
But standing still meant not even being able to reach for them.
Merely watching in despair would accomplish nothing—only time would pass.
They had to pick up each bead, one by one.
It would take a long time.
And some might slip away again.
But in the end, they would be gathered.
So long as they kept reaching out and grasping.
The prince did not turn away from the reality before him.
The empire had become a ruin.
The long war had taken more than just peace and stability—it had stolen lives and hope itself.
Even the remnants of past glory had crumbled into dust.
There was no time to cling to old glory.
The brilliance once carried by the name “Rome” had long since faded.
The empire could no longer afford to stake its survival on bygone traditions and ideals.
Instead, it had to endure the harsh reality before it and seize the future.
Amidst the ashes of everything that had burned away—
To retrieve something from the ruins, one must first plunge their hands into the ashes.
Leave a Reply