[FMMIKA] Chapter 267: The Might of France

In these past few months, the group of Chaldea had been engaged in a battle of wits with the forces of France. Although they've had their fair share of victories, they couldn't be ignorant of the might of France.

The once hopeless kingdom had changed and become the strongest empire with military power so fearsome, almost supernatural, all because of the Singularity. This was not something a few people like them could easily contend with.

While the lion may nap, they might gain some advantage, but once the lion gets serious, they'd be in serious trouble with their meager resources.

After everyone confirmed Mash's words, there was a sense of concern. Following that, Elizabeth voiced her question.

"Is it a French spy?"

"I don't know..." Mash shook her head. "But anyone who can take a hit from my sword beam without dying is undoubtedly skilled. It seems France is finally taking us seriously."

"Indeed..."

Mash's words left everyone in silence.

After a moment of silence, Marie couldn't help but sigh, "If only those French soldiers could help us as they did before, the situation might be better..."

Indeed, in the early days, Chaldea had received a group of French soldiers and a French Marshal, Gilles de Rais, not the twisted and lunatic Bluebeard Gilles but the knight Gilles before his corruption. Surprisingly, there were two Gilles in this Singularity.

Thanks to Jalter and Bluebeard's actions, everyone in the French territory, except for them, had joined forces with Chaldea.

At that time, Chaldea appeared to be on solid ground, and Ritsuka wasn't worried at all. Chaldea had the upper hand, whereas Jalter and Bluebeard, although they seemed formidable, appeared rootless and without a future.

But with Artorius's arrival, the situation changed.

The French soldiers under his control were strong and well-received by the people. With effective governance, an abundance of newspapers and telegraph communication, as well as the appointment of officials from his empire to oversee various administrative tasks, France had become a unified entity from top to bottom.

The steampunk-inspired technological revolution, coupled with increased wealth and improved living standards due to enhanced productivity, didn't end up solely in the hands of the 'bourgeoisie' or 'nobility', as it had in history. Instead, under Artorius's strong influence, it was distributed more equitably.

As a result, France's people saw Artorius as a saintly figure at a time when their hearts were most fervent. Thus, Chaldea couldn't hope for much support now.

One can tell by looking at the people around Ritsuka.

Apart from those Servants who were naturally aligned with Chaldea, the only ones they could persuade were the lowest of the low, those who'd kill and plunder for their own gain like bandits or pirates.

As for the nobles, merchants, and others who lost their interests due to France's rise, they also secretly cooperated with Chaldea, but it was merely for personal gain. Deep down, they still believed in France and the Emperor.

It was like a scorned woman protesting to her man.

As long as Artorius gives them a little attention and some benefits, they would sell Chaldea right away, along with their daughters, wives, and mothers for wealth and pleasure without hesitation.

In this sense, Chaldea's chances of gaining the upper hand in the French Singularity were nothing but a pipe dream.

Before the battle even began, Chaldea was already at a disadvantage.

Of course, not everyone in Chaldea was foolish.

Whether it was the queen or the saint, they had above-average knowledge and abilities. And let's not forget a freak like Gudako.

If they couldn't gain an advantage within France, they could always do it outside of France.

At the moment, France was engaged on all fronts, advancing north into England, south into Spain, and east into the Netherlands and Lorraine. Their multi-pronged approach to conquering lands had drawn in a multitude of enemies.

With Ritsuka's intellect, she certainly wouldn't overlook this.

"Let's form an Anti-France alliance!"

Confirming that France was beyond redemption, Ritsuka made a determined decision without hesitation.

"Send someone to the Holy See and have them give that self-proclaimed holy maiden a good thrashing!"

"And then, go to Spain, Portugal, Aragon, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, let's build an Anti-France alliance!"

As she spoke those words, Ritsuka's eyes sparkled with the fervor of a world set ablaze by war, as if she were already envisioning the magnificent scene.

Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple.

"Austria is in no shape to help right now; the Holy Roman Empire is in turmoil. The Hussite Wars in Bohemia are reaching their climax, and they won't be able to spare much strength for France, at least until the French army excessively occupies Holy Roman Empire territory."

Marie shook her head with some frustration as she spoke.

"Prussia hasn't been established yet. And Russia is in a similar situation. Ivan the Terrible was born in 1530, a hundred years from now. The Eastern part of Russia is also in chaos, with Slavs and Mongols at odds, so they won't be of any use."

"Tch... they're all a bunch of deadbeats. Is there no one useful we can send?" Ritsuka expressed her frustration. "What about the Swiss? Aren't Swiss mercenaries supposed to be tough? And Sweden, I remember Sweden had its moments, right?"

"The Swiss have a very poor relationship with the Habsburg family; it's impossible to ally with them. As for Sweden's rise, that's still in the sixteenth century. The current era in Northern Europe is dominated by the Kalmar Union."

"Oh, I see, the Kalmar Union. I know about that. So, what about the Danes? They united Northern Europe; can't they stand up to the French?"

"Absolutely not, as during this time, the Danes are on the brink of internal implosion due to the plague and continuous warfare. Peasant uprisings are rampant, and they have no strength to do anything."

"Ehh..." After a series of disappointments, Ritsuka felt disheartened. "They're all useless; none of them can be of any help."

In fact, it was true that Europe in the early fifteenth century resembled a motley crew. They were all in the category of 'neglected and unloved'.

If it weren't for Artorius's unexpected appearance, England and France at this moment would likely be just another bunch of deadbeats, spinning their wheels in poor-quality and low-level warfare.

However, everything changed with the arrival of the Dragon Emperor.

A great nation forged by steam and steel was on an entirely different level than the European deadbeats of the fifteenth century.

Ritsuka's dream of uniting all the Anti-France forces to overthrow France was now unlikely to succeed. Instead, it was more likely that the formidable France would crush all the deadbeat countries.

Counter Force seemed to have underestimated the difficulty of this mission.

If they wanted to confront the Dragon Emperor, they would need to bring in all the legendary military leaders from European history, such as Napoleon, Duke of Wellington, Marshal Ney, Archduke Charles, and Field Marshal Kutuzov. Instead, they were relying on a group of eccentric dragon women, insane cake enthusiasts, or useless holy maidens.

However, it was important to remember that no one could predict how the situation might evolve.

In just a few months, France's natural borders had expanded to the Rhine, encompassing the entire lowland and the west bank of the Rhine River.

Northern England and the alliance of Castile and Aragon in the south were in retreat. Mediators from the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor had been expelled by France.

The fate of the world now rested entirely in the hands of the Dragon Emperor.

"It's better to have something than nothing."

Though they were all useless, having more people was better than being alone. Ritsuka's plan was eventually set in motion.

They sent envoys to Castile and Aragon, to the Holy See, and to Austria. They also dispatched envoys to the Kalmar Union.

As long as Robin Hood didn't get caught, Chaldea's plan to build an Anti-France alliance would continue.

Before the Anti-France alliance was established, Chaldea's primary goal was simple—to ensure their own survival. They couldn't afford to be wiped out while trying to form an alliance against France.

Of course, Chaldea also needed to prove their worth and their strength to secure an important position in the upcoming Anti-France alliance.

The legend of 'Chaldea' and the 'Organization for the Preservation of Human Order' would likely be passed down among anyone involved in proper human history, regardless of time, place, or circumstances.

However, this didn't mean that Ritsuka, as Chaldea's Master, could simply become the leader of the Anti-France alliance. It would be challenging to even become a general.

After all, she was an outsider. Of course, it wasn't impossible.

Nobles could be promoted, and outsiders could be won over. It wasn't impossible to go from being a bandit to becoming a duke, and eventually a field marshal.

Ritsuka was determined to follow this path of proving herself through strength.

The key to proving oneself through strength was, of course, strength. They needed to demonstrate their worth to the deadbeat countries in Europe.

This was why Ritsuka had been roaming the southern part of France for some time. She wanted to use this method to prove her strength.