Loser System and Berserker Me

Chapter 89: Whipping Vienna In Place

You bastards! Why can’t you finish your words in a single breath?! I’m going to get a heart attack at this rate!

Frederina stiffly turned her neck over, only to see a blood twin-headed eagle flag flying in the direction where the aide was pointing at. She fearfully asked, “What are those metal monsters?”

The Holy Romain Empire’s soldiers squeezed out every last bit of their strength to fend against their enemies to their dying breath. Unfortunately, their desperate resistance was futile, for they were up against none other than the Metal Fortresses.

The Holy Romain Empire’s soldiers were well-trained, judging from how they determinedly maintained their formations even as the enemies tore through them, but their efforts were in vain.

No matter how well-trained they were, how could they stop an enemy they couldn’t even hurt?

All their attacks, be it through swords, spears, or crossbows, bounced off the Metal Fortresses, failing to stop them even in the slightest.

The Metal Fortresses easily trampled over their shields and breached their defense lines, forcing them to retreat again and again.

And they were already considered the lucky ones, for there was another monstrous existence rampaging on the battlefield.

“Who else dares to challenge me?”

Shu Yichao charged into the Holy Romain Empire’s army formation with Galewind, and the result was similar to a bowling ball smashing into a basket of eggs. Anyone who stood in his path was crushed.

“Your Majesty, what should we do?” the aide asked.

From the looks of it, Shu Yichao’s troops were stronger than they had expected. The troops stationed in Vienna were not enough to fend against them.

At this point, they could only pray that Frederina had a solution.

“…” Frederina’s teeth clattered in fright as she stared speechlessly at her aides.

You seem to harbor some kind of misconception about me. I know nothing about war! How am I to know what we can do in this situation?

Though I guess, compared to my aides who are used to living in luxury, I, who often liaise with the knights regarding military matters, can be considered a military talent.

“First order the guards to secure the imperial palace,” Frederina ordered, “then send someone to negotiate with the Scourge of God. Everything is up for negotiation as long as he withdraws his troops.”

…

“Basilinna!” one of the Eastern Romain Empire’s new army commander excitedly entered Sophia’s tent and respectfully reported, “The barbarian empress of fake Romie has sent an envoy over to negotiate peace with us!”

Delighted smiles appeared on faces in the tent, but the solemn mood persisted.

It was just a year ago that they lived under the terror of the Ottomains’ shamshirs.

Things had changed a lot since—the Khitan Caesar had crushed the Ottomains, whereas they were enlisted into the army and had fought several battles under Constantin XI’s command…

Even so, they never thought that they would march to the Holy Romain Empire’s capital with their Basilinna and their Caesar, and force the powerful Empress Frederina to beg for mercy. This was unbelievable.

“Oh?” Sophia tilted her head. “Invite envoy in. Let’s see what the Alemanni chieftain has to offer us.” (T/N: Alemanni is a confederation of Germanic tribes that were absorbed into the Holy Roman Empire.)

Laughter broke out in the tent.

Soon, the envoy entered the tent and bowed with a fawning smile, “Esteemed Princess Sophia.”

The tent was deathly silent. A cold atmosphere slowly seeped across the room. The new army’s commanders looked at the envoy as if he was a dead man.

Startled, the envoy realized that he had misspoken and quickly corrected himself, “O’ great Basilinna!”

The atmosphere slowly warmed up, telling the envoy that he had salvaged the situation for now. He proceeded to list Frederina’s offers, though he stuttered a little out of fear. The offers include cessation of territories, compensation, and becoming a vassal state and paying annual tribute.

It was almost as if Frederina would agree to anything as long as Shu Yichao refrained from attacking the imperial palace.

With each offer the envoy listed, the eyes of the new army’s commanders glowed even brighter. When the envoy finally left, they let out resounding cheers that reached even the sky.

“Long live our Caesar!”

“Long live our Basilinna!”

“Long live the Conqueror of Vienna!”

But Sophia didn’t smile. She took the envoy’s gift list and the letter stamped with Frederina’s seal and coldly murmured, “Those dishonest people.”

Hm?

The new army’s commanders swiftly fell silent.

“Basilinna, you’re referring to…?”

“She wants to negotiate for peace?” Sophia shook the letter in her hand. “Why doesn’t she come in person then? Is there a need to guard her palace before our Caesar? It won’t even last an hour before our Caesar’s forces. She’s scheming something.”

“Is it possible that…” someone suggested, “It’s just blind speculation on my part, but could she be afraid that our Caesar will behead her if she comes in…”

His mouth was clasped by the person beside him before he could finish his words.

“Hmph! That barbarian!” Sophia sneered.

Her words were the law for the new army’s commanders, so naturally, they cheered in agreement with her.

“That despicable scum!”

“Your Majesty, issue your order! We’ll stomp the palace and drag that barbarian out!”

“It’s fine.” Sophia’s lips curled up. “We can play along with them for the time being. Send a sharp-witted one to greet that female chieftain. Tell him to find ways to let the palace guards know that we have started negotiation.”

…

In the palace…

“Your Majesty.” The envoy looked for Frederina as soon as he returned. “The Eastern Romain Empire’s Basilinna has accepted to our terms, but she demands the addition of a few more conditions.”

Frederina quickly looked through the letter and exhaled deeply. She hammered her legs, which had gone numb from all the trembling.

“They are ultimately just two kids.”

While the Khitan Caesar and Sophia were vicious on the battlefield, they were lacking when it came to politics.

Peace negotiation? Like hell I’d negotiate with you!

Even though Frederina had been looked down on due to her incompetence in military affairs, that didn’t mean that she was easy to deal with. She knew that she couldn’t lower her head even when her capital had been breached, or else she would be dethroned.

Thus, her only option now was to… flee!

She planned to placate Shu Yichao and Sophia while finding a way to flee from Vienna.

Once she was out, she would gather the soldiers scattered over the Holy Romain Empire and flee to the Eternal City. A sizable army was already gathered there for the upcoming Crusade.

It would be embarrassing, but at least she would be alive.

Besides, she could claim that she had escaped alive from the clutches of the Scourge of God. No one else had been able to do the same.

And at the very least, she fared better than the White Knight, who lost a six-year-old girl.

However, Frederina was overthinking it.

After quelling the resistance elsewhere, Shu Yichao turned his sights toward the palace, which was still filled with red dots.

【Eyy, my host! How did you reach the Holy Romain Empire so quickly?】

System 12345 popped out.

【Hold on, you need to hear me out first.】

The screen had spoiled, so System 12345 tried to link a smaller screen to capture the feed.

【Argh! Why is this small screen bugging out too?!】