Chapter 290: The Manipulation from Afar
About a month had passed since the fall of the Holy Capital of the Prava Divine Nation. During this time, Iris had utilized the automated machines and materials sent to her, continuously developing the territory within the Divine Nation. She had activated two large-scale mining facilities and completed the installation of two large Printers.
Naturally, other manufacturing facilities and transportation routes were also being improved. For The Tree, this represented a significant expansion of internal affairs.
On the other hand, the Prava Divine Nation’s external campaigns had come to a complete halt. A considerable number of priests and monk soldiers remained on the front lines, but they did not advance further, instead establishing a defensive posture. Monk soldiers were seen moving between the villages and towns serving as their bases, dealing with intruders while maintaining their positions.
With only a small number of troops, a breakthrough was impossible, but when gathering forces for a large-scale offensive, monk soldiers from the surrounding areas would also converge.
As a result, the front lines had fallen into a complete stalemate.
“The northern side is the Piata Empire, and the southern side is the Eadia Beastin United Kingdom. Both have approximately half of their territories seized by the Prava Divine Nation,” explained Amagio Silverhead, pointing to a map displayed in three-dimensional holography.
“The Reidia Kingdom, Tara Lind Principality, Godaman Principality, and Kati Andal Litin Principality are as you know. Almost all military strength has been withdrawn to defend the Holy Capital, leaving them with no remaining forces. You are sending your troops to eliminate the remaining monk soldiers there.”
“Indeed. The control over those four nations is entirely in the hands of The Tree now,” Iris replied.
The four nations, having already lost their autonomy, were under provisional governance by Communicator Androids. Thus, there was no need for concern regarding them.
“The problem lies with the Piata Empire and the Eadia Beastin United Kingdom. Their political centers have shifted eastward. The Piata Empire has established an exile government in the neighboring Belerforesti Nation, and the Eatia region is gathering nobles in the former royal capital.”
“It’s not a situation where they can surrender just yet, and there might even be plans for a counter-offensive,” Iris noted.
“That’s right. According to information from our operatives, a large-scale counter-offensive operation is reportedly being planned,” Amagio confirmed.
The only reconnaissance conducted by The Tree regarding these nations had been through satellite imagery. The bots had a limited operational range, and without relay bases, they could only venture about a hundred kilometers at most.
To gather information from the interior, they would need to rely on the intelligence network of the Kingdom of Reputari.
“Well, there’s no need to worry about them for a while. We’re investigating supply depots, but it seems that about 70% of the supplies we send are disappearing along the way,” Amagio added.
“Seventy percent is quite a lot!” Iris exclaimed.
“Some may be lost due to damage, but most are likely being embezzled. From the carriers to the warehouse managers, gate guards, and local feudal lords—every time they move, the supplies dwindle.”
“The security situation is a complete mess,” Iris sighed.
Due to the numerous countries and towns they passed through, only about 30% of the supplies sent from the Kingdom of Reputari reached the front lines. However, if they were consumed along the way, it still served the purpose of providing supplies, so it couldn’t be deemed entirely negative. Moreover, if the front lines remained in a stalemate, that would be preferable.
“Given the situation, even if they wanted to counterattack, gathering supplies is quite difficult. For now, it’s best to maintain the illusion that they’re holding the front lines,” Amagio suggested.
“The issue is that weapons and ammunition are running low. There’s a chance that a civil war could break out. Although we have little information, it seems there are those hoarding firearms,” he continued.
“Hmm… Should we send a delegation? I need more information,” Iris pondered.
If they could establish an intelligence network with bots, they could monitor all logistics. However, currently, they were only landing on the coastline. The main roads were mostly under control of the enemy. Still, they couldn’t send Communicator Androids prepared by Ringo; it would be too conspicuous.
“Even just equipping our people with communication devices could make a significant difference. But investing that much in technology is…” Amagio hesitated.
“Are you against distributing electronic products?” Iris asked.
“The technology isn’t up to par. In the long run, if we don’t build a solid foundation, it won’t contribute to national strength. If we intend to develop to a certain extent, we should focus on education rather than product exports. However, this is, in a sense, an emergency. What should we do?” Amagio mused.
In any case, it was necessary to keep a tight rein on the nations to prevent them from spiraling out of control. Alternatively, they could prioritize information gathering and prepare to respond if an explosion of conflict occurred.
“Is it possible to politically intervene from the Kingdom of Reputari?” Iris inquired.
“That’s difficult. We have an embassy and a strong voice, but both the Piata Empire and the Eadia Beastin United Kingdom are essentially half-collapsed as nations. Even if we make some promises, they might break them immediately,” Amagio replied.
Iris contemplated this. If it was a political issue, Ringo would likely struggle in that area. She would need Amagio’s assistance.
“Well, let’s take this opportunity to strengthen our relations. Perhaps we should create a dedicated department for supply transportation… I don’t think the northern nations were considered that important,” Amagio suggested, seemingly preparing to advise the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Reputari. Although he had intended to retire, he seemed to be stepping back into the limelight through his involvement with The Tree. His capabilities were highly regarded, and the current government officials were eager for him to return. If he expressed his intentions, he could easily be placed at the top again.
“Thanks to the expanded Argument Brain structure you prepared, my thought acceleration and memory storage have increased hundreds of times. I can now manage the steering of the nation with one hand. Honestly, I would prefer not to have to keep giving orders continuously,” he added.
“Oh? Don’t you have any pride as the nation’s leader?” Iris teased.
“If possible, I’d like to delegate it all to a capable AI. It would be foolish not to learn from a successful example that’s right next to me, don’t you think?” Amagio replied.
“…Hehe?” Iris giggled.
Amagio was indeed exceptional. He had a sharp mind and had undergone physical enhancements. Furthermore, by connecting to the AB Structure, his processing capabilities had dramatically increased. However, when faced with a superintelligence like Ringo, even his abilities would seem trivial. It was only natural to feel that struggling when such an example was right beside him was foolish.
“Well, that’s fine. I can only build trust from here on out. For now, both the Empire and the United Kingdom are in such disarray that controlling them from the outside is impossible. We need to insert some degree of influence here, whether through food aid or weapon supplies,” Amagio concluded.
“I heard that the Piata Empire is experiencing increasing damage from the Demon Forest to the north,” Iris noted.
“That’s true. The Empire’s leadership has fled abroad, causing disarray on the ground. From the satellite photos, it appears that a significant number of villages have been swallowed by the forest,” Amagio explained.
According to Amagio’s predictions, the chaos would likely continue for at least six months to a year. If they could maintain some form of the invasion front during that time, the chances of both nations collapsing due to internal strife would be high. If they could reach that point, securing the territory would be almost guaranteed. The collapsed nations would be gradually absorbed and merged with the surrounding nations, including the Kingdom of Reputari, while ensuring the protection of lives.
“That said, with weapons and ammunition from Paraiso, we might be heading into a war-torn era,” Amagio added.
“The ammunition has an expiration date, and if we tighten the supply, we should be able to control it, right?” Iris suggested.
“Probably. Well, we won’t know until we try. Firearms are precision machinery; if they can’t be maintained, they could become unusable in a few months,” Amagio replied.
“That’s true… I believe that if we advance, we could annex everything. But you understand, Amagio, that doing so would be quite troublesome,” Iris warned.
“You could just place a governance AI and leave it be, you know?” Amagio countered.
“That depends on the definition of happiness for the AI. Honestly, I can’t empathize with that, so I can’t recommend it,” Iris stated firmly.
She had no intention of actively protecting or guiding humanity that held no interest in her. This seemed to be the common perspective among the AI of The Tree.
Amagio is doing his best, unlike the reclusive queen.