The Third Road

In the small room, where papers and document were in every direction, Machiavelli sat at his desk. He wrote so feverishly that the plume in his hand broke into two, but he did not care about it, just put the broken parts next to all the other broken plumes, then he picked up another one and continued. He did not blink. Not even for a split second. His eyes were all red, but there was not a single trace of tiredness. Suddenly he threw away all the papers on the desk in frustration.

"No matter what plan I craft or how detailed it is. One question remains unanswered...How can I defeat Roland Wimbledon!?"

He slammed both of his hand to the desk which almost fell apart. The force made even the window move a little, and the ink on the table gushed out of its container, but he didn't pay attention to it.

"How can anyone, defeat an army that can move nearly as fast as messengers, have the power to tear down the biggest city walls, and can kill any well armoured knight in an instant?! No matter what strategy I plan to use I will never have the upper hand or a fighting chance!" He stood up and started circling around his desk." Not only that but, there is also information about witches who can give him an even bigger fighting edge." He picked up a paper on from the floor. "For example we have witnesses, about a big blue 'thing' high up in the sky. He picked up another paper. "The witnesses also confirmed that this... whatever it is... was also present when a big snow powder explosion happened in King's City." The connection is obvious. I also have data about an unsinkable steel ship...Just thinking about it doesn't make any sense! I was a FOOL! I collected all this information but never believed even the half of it. Now I am certain that all this, is the minimum he is capable of...

How can I fight against an enemy that has undisputed control over land, sea and even THE AIR! Humans don't have the ability to fly, then how do you have? It's like I am not fighting a human but a... god...I guess the only way is submission... No! I can't do that ! If I kneel, I won't be able to fight back, because I will put both Spring and Margherita in danger if I choose to plot or rebel. I was arrogant In the afternoon. I didn't' consider that witches can also harm other people...

Why do I want to rebel then... No it's is not because he is a Wimbledon, and not because he is from another world. It's because I fear him. I fear that during his conquest he will obtain absolute power and that his desire for power will overtake him. When that time comes no one will be able to stand in his way, because there will be no one else who can take up arms against him. The feudal system is cruel and unjust but, no person can ever take all the power and maintain stability, even if the King sells his soul to the devil. No man can rule alone, and if the king falls into temptation by power or by madness, all the nobles will join forces and remove the danger. Not for glory or fame but for their own benefit...but with the abolition of the system...

If you are truly interested about what a person's character really is. Give him the power to do anything. You will see how vulnerable humans really are...

I knew my younger brother better than anyone, he was a courageous and kind man, the true example of chivalry, but when our father made him the heir of the family. Ambition took hold in his heart, and he was unable to resist it.

Tell me Roland Wimbledon, or whoever you really are. Will you do the same thing as my brother? You will want to find excuses like 'Only I can do this' or 'It is necessary', maybe you will even crate an imaginary enemy just to keep yourself convinced. Like what my brother did with the local lords, and now I am locked in an eternal war with them. And what will happen after you die? Will your successors want the whole continent for themselves? With all the weapons you left behind as your legacy? Or will they fight among themselves and unleash the destruction on each other. Such horrifying scene is too hard for me to imagine...

Tell me, when you give a sword to an unarmed man. How will you take it back?

But what if he suddenly changes back to being the normal Roland Wimbledon? At the peak of his power? What is going to happen with the world then. An incompetent ruler with absolute power will abuse everything and anything he touches. No one will be able to stand in his way...

"It's impossible...I can't find the solution...No matter what I think of there is no way...I am too late..."

There was a terrified expression on his face. Like he was staring at death himself.

Then he went to his desk grabbed it's corner and shouted:

"Everything I know IS USELESS!"

Then the desk flew and did not stop until it hit the door. The desk fell apart instantly and its' pieces were everywhere just like the papers and documents...

Machiavelli was panting heavily, then he just looked outside of his window, where he saw nothing but darkness. "It is fitting..."

Suddenly a someone came in through the door. It was Spring with a horrified expression on her face.

She just came in and asked." I-I came here to...Look for snacks, do you have any?"

I am such a fool, of course I woke all of them up...or they weren't sleeping at all...' If you think of a lie at least make it somewhat believable." Maybe I shouldn't tell her this...

"I really do want to eat snacks you know. Margherita even tried to stop me, but I manage to distract her saying that the witch lady seems... suspicious." She gestured like he wanted to cast magic and started to grin.

Should I praise or scold you? I honestly don't know." You shouldn't have done that. Apologize to Morrigan in the morning, and don't forget about Margherita"

"Only if you also apologize to everyone for making us worry about you."

"I will." Machiavelli let out a gentle smile.

"By the way I love this new decoration. Can we keep it? "She said it laughingly. Then kicked into the papers and documents that were lying on the floor and brought down a wall of perfectly organized papers...

"I have prepared all of those for about an hour and a half..."

"They don't seem to help you anyway. "She grinned and shrugged it off. She looked around for a while then "I think there are no snacks here, I guess I will go back to my bed" She started to yawn

"Good night" What was I thinking? I am such an idiot...

"Good night" then she left and carefully locked the door behind her.

I won't achieve anything with anger or frustration...By the way today I made the impossible, possible!

Twice! In one afternoon! Logically speaking it shouldn't be hard to do it for the third time. There is just one question. How can I achieve it and, where did I go wrong?

Let's focus on the details I have in front of me. First of all. Where is Roland? What is he doing or going to do? What materials does he have access to? What are his overall strengths and weaknesses...?

No I have already done this twice. I am running in circles... I have to think of something else. But all I know about warfare, economics, diplomacy, politics, and philosophy is completely useless, like none of those can give me an answer...

A thought came to his mind...

"They don't seem to help you anyway."

My younger sister... Is a born genius.

I guess it runs in the family.

He rushed to grab a paper from the floor and a new plume. Then started writing feverishly this time on the ground.

None of those can give me an answer since they only show the knowledge of this world, they are completely obsolete. In order to see or have any hope coming to a conclusion I have to forsake everything I know about my world. Everything I have ever experienced, every conclusion I ever made, every thought up until this point is useless! I have to create an entirely new theory in every single field. He grabded the back of his head.

Now this is the true test of adaptability...

Let's start with the most important.

So what is, War?

All wars no matter what age we are in, have some sort of goal. Roland's goal is to unite all the kingdoms. In order to secure his absolute rule. But by doing this, he will make many enemies and with each new territory he takes he will inevitably lose some sort of control over all regions, because even if he is some sort of 'god' he can't be anywhere at the same time. The bigger his Kingdom gets the longer it will take him to respond to threats even if he uses magic, soldiers still have to go there eventually. Those solders that are on their way constantly can't get new technologies.

So Distance and Time are both my allies...

In this case the further I am from 'Border Town' the better my chances will be...However I can't fight with his army, there is no way that will happen. I have to lure his army in, destroy everything that they can use and then attack his supplies. Because, the further away an army is from their own borders. The more vulnerable their supply will become. So I have to move fast. Never start a fight. Harass their supplies. And cut of all of their food.

No matter how strong, noble, experienced a soldier is.

Without rations, hunger can claim the strongest of armies, and the colder the place is, the better. It is hard to give both warm clothes and food. Lacking just one of the two is fatal, they also have to bring everything with them and it will become their burden. Then their end...With each new invasion sent against me, the commoners will lose their trust in Roland no one want's to fight a pointless war, his army will no longer be invincible, and after that his Kingdom no matter how strong it is on the surface. Will start to fall apart because that is where his biggest advantage lays...

This is not a chivalrous war not even a just war. Just a big cat and mouse chase.

I will call it the Scorched Earth Plan, because even if he takes over the land nothing but scorched earth will remain for him to plant his royal flag on.

Now I have to find the place.

I can think of only one place that is suitable for this plan.

The Kingdom of Eternal Winter.