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"Saxon and Hanover have already collapsed. And all the major states in Central Germany have fallen. If the Prussian army moves south, it can directly threaten Munich. If it moves east, it can join forces with the main force and launch another pincer attack on our army."
“I have prepared about 150,000 allied troops in the Bavarian direction.” At this point, Gisela no longer needed to hide his trump card and directly told Bella about it.
“The commander of the allied forces is my mother Elizabeth, and my wife… husband Leo, and of course his brother Ludwig.” Gisela instinctively wanted to call Nina his wife, but after thinking for a moment, she corrected herself.
"The King of Saxony and the King of Hanover are also said to have led troops to southern Germany, right?" Based on the information already available, Bella could easily deduce the composition of Gisela's so-called allied forces.
“Yes, it is the German Confederation army, centered around Baden, Bavaria, Saxony, Hanover, and Württemberg.” Gisela pointed to Munich, the capital of Bavaria.
"Because months before the outbreak of war, I had already transported my army's old weapons to Bavaria, and my mother left Austria at that time." Now, leaving aside other countries, Bavaria alone could raise an army of about 100,000.
“Your Highness seems to have been preparing for war for quite some time, unlike what those old fogies in the Vienna Parliament said, that you were caught off guard and unprepared.” Upon hearing Bella’s words, Gisela’s lips curled up slightly. She then turned around, lifted Bella’s chin with her slender index finger, and observed the girl’s every move with her clear blue eyes.
“My lovely little Bella, I’m preparing for war not this year, nor last year, but in…” Gisela pressed her head against the girl’s ear, and Bella could feel Gisela’s breath gently caressing her cheek.
Bella closed her eyes at the thought of it, then stood on tiptoe, her cheeks turning as red as ripe apples.
"It's a secret." Gisela breathed a warm breath into the girl's ear before distancing herself from her. Bella, her body trembling slightly, knelt on the ground. The imposing General Bella on the battlefield had such an adorable side; one wondered what her soldiers would think if they saw this.
Gisela, of course, could not tell anyone that she had been preparing for this since the beginning of her life. From recruiting Siemens to his acquisition and expansion of Skoda, to forming an alliance with the Rothschilds, and then to provoking a global economic crisis, every step of the plan was already imprinted in her mind. What seemed like a spur-of-the-moment decision was actually all part of the plan to save Austria, all in order to win the war with Prussia for control of the German region.
"Your Highness is truly wicked." Bella lay on the ground, her body trembling slightly, her dark green eyes even showing a barely perceptible daze.
"Would you like me to help you up?" At this moment, Bellagiosella gracefully put her left hand behind her back and then extended her right hand in front of the girl.
“No need for doubt! Your Highness, may I stand up?” Bella stood up unsteadily and looked at the map again.
"What are your thoughts on the upcoming decisive battle against Prussia?" Gisela asked the final question.
"Although I think I might be worrying too much, I still hope that Your Highness will keep a close eye on our northwest direction (Dresden direction). Although we have defeated the Second Army Corps, it does not mean that we have completely eliminated the Prussian threat in this direction."
“Northwest.” Gisela pondered, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the map, remembering that Nina had also mentioned this to her. The real Leo had said before he passed away that his sister had an exceptionally sharp eye, perhaps without realizing it herself, but in fact, her military command abilities far surpassed his.
"I understand. I still have some deployment work to do tomorrow, so I'll be leaving now. If you have any specific ideas, write them down here and put them on the table." Gisela seemed to remember something, and after briefly explaining the task to Bella, she hurriedly left the tent.
After watching Gisela leave, Bella once again turned her gaze to the cushion Gisela had been sitting on. Then, she tiptoed to the chair, hugged the cushion to her chest, and seemed somewhat enamored with it…
PS1: Ra!
Chapter 460 The Rebirth of the Two-Headed Eagle: Capter 79 The Battle of Kalpac (Vote Requested)
"Ah! It's His Highness's scent, and the lingering warmth..." Bella murmured to herself, her expression becoming incredibly intoxicated. She then curled up into a ball, like a hibernating hamster. Although she was the same age as Gisela, she showed no signs of maturity. Yet, who would have thought that this woman was the one who commanded the troops that had recently wiped out 2 Prussian soldiers?
Just then, Gisela's head maid, Lavalli, who was on cleaning duty, walked into the tent, and the scene immediately became awkward.
The gaze shifts to the other side of the camp —
"Lady Cecilia, what do you mean by this?" At this moment, Aponia looked at the person in front of her with her brows furrowed, like a lady of noble birth, dignified and elegant, her silver hair making her look even more extraordinary.
“His Holiness the Bishop has placed the power of choice before you. You can accept it or refuse it; it is your freedom. You should know that in the Thirteen Courts, Lord Otto will never make you do something you don’t want to do.” Cecilia stared expressionlessly at the table, where a red gem lay quietly, exactly the same as the red gem that Garibaldi had once crushed.
“I…” Aponia bit her lip, looking at the gem on the table with great hesitation.
“Aponia, let me ask you a question. If the bishop and Princess Gisela were to clash, whose side would you take?”
“I will stand by Your Excellency the Bishop.” Aponia lowered her head, clenched her left fist, and placed her right hand on her chest.
"Then why are you unwilling to accept this? You should understand that His Holiness the Bishop needs your strength."
"Lady Cecilia, you should understand the consequences of using such a thing." Redstone can boost magical energy to its limit in an instant, but like a double-edged sword, it also amplifies the user's negative emotions to an extreme degree. Loss of control and all sorts of unpredictable side effects are ever-present and difficult to avoid.
"So?" Cecilia picked up her teacup and continued to observe the gray-haired maid in front of her.
“I don’t want her to see me lose control.” Aponia raised her head, her purple eyes flashing with an unprecedented determination.
“Even if it means disobeying His Holiness the Bishop?” Cecilia said calmly.
Aponia gripped the cup tightly, her gaze lowered. Though she uttered not a word, her silence was like a heavy hammer, silently sealing her decision.
“Alright, I understand. I will tell His Holiness the Bishop about your choice, but I will still give you the Red Stone. Perhaps you will need it in the future, but not as the spearhead of the Thirteen Courts, but for your own sake.” Cecilia gently patted Aponia on the shoulder and left the tent.
Aponia gently picked up the red stone on the table. The gem seemed like a microcosm of Pandora's box, radiating an alluring light yet concealing hidden dangers. Its origin and place of origin, like a thousand-year-old church secret, were shrouded in a thick fog, always accompanied by mystery and the unknown.
Aponia lay on the bed with her arms outstretched, then looked up at the dome.
She seemed to still remember the scene of the first meeting between the man with long golden hair, always radiating a calm smile, and wearing a cross on his chest, and the poor, lonely little girl.
"I need your strength. Let's spread the gospel and defend our faith together!"
"I swear I will give you everything to defend my faith." That scene is still vivid in my mind.
“Your Excellency, people’s hearts change. Even Aponia wants to pursue the happiness in her heart.” Aponia gently raised her delicate, fair arm and slowly removed the black lace glove that had been clinging to her skin.
Everyone has the right to seek their own happiness, and even the gods cannot sway that right!
Christmas Eve, December 24, 1874
After a brief five-day rest, the Prussian Second Army Corps, along with parts of the First Army Corps, launched Operation Christmas Eve Offensive under the organization of the General Staff. Along the front from Kalpac to Sklars, nearly 200,000 Prussian main forces launched their final attack on the Austrian defenses after five hours of continuous artillery bombardment.
The Kalpact fortress on the Sudetenland front became the focus of this contest between the two sides, and the one defending it was the Imperial Allied Army's 23rd Infantry Division, which had previously made great contributions in the Italian War. They were also the former Imperial Defense Army's 23rd Infantry Division.
They faced four elite divisions from the Prussian First Army, known as the Iron Army. The history of this force can be traced back to the time of Frederick the Great. They were the spearhead of the Great's conquests across Europe and the first troops to accept Prussian military reforms.
Of course, the 23rd Division was not isolated. Their reserves even included Gisela's own St. Stephen's Regiment, which, while still called a regiment, had now reached the size of a division. On the other hand, the magical armored forces consisted of the Royal Magical Armored Regiment, commanded by Marshal Benedek's wife, Messiah, and including her, all seven magical wielders of the Austrian Empire who were involved in the war.
Similarly, Prussian magic users also gathered on the battlefield.
It is worth mentioning that in this battle, apart from the captured Goben, the missing Chloris, and Bismarck who was not in this unit, as well as Hindenburg in Silesia, they still had six magic users. The Jesuits, including the Grand Master himself and his two subordinates, actually had nine magic users in this region.
Both sides have put in their best efforts in this battle, and the fate of German hegemony hangs in the balance.
Starting at 9:00 AM, after nearly five hours of preliminary artillery bombardment, the Prussians once again employed the tactics they had used in Denmark, using their own magical units as cover, with soldiers hiding behind them and then advancing when the opportunity arose. Countless enormous black figures, like rolling waves, advanced towards the Austrian army on the several-kilometer-long front.
Having endured five hours of shelling, the Austrian defenders cleared the wounded while setting up all their machine guns in firing positions, awaiting further orders from their superiors. The mortar units further back also moved into firing positions, while the heavy artillery further back had already been adjusted at General Bella's request.
This was described by outsiders as a closely fought battle. Many European military commentators claimed that this war, which would determine the fate of the German region, would last for several years until both sides were exhausted. After all, history had already witnessed a Thirty Years' War, and no one doubted the intensity of the war in the German region. Moreover, other major powers would not stand idly by in the ensuing conflict.
PS1: Where are you all planning to go for the Dragon Boat Festival?
Chapter 461 The Rebirth of the Two-Headed Eagle: Captain 80 Greetings from the God of War (Seeking Votes)
Of course, Gisela will not allow such a national tragedy to happen again.
"Your Highness, the enemy's attack has begun." Bella turned her gaze to Gisela, who was already dressed in the "Snow Fox" outfit.
Gisela remained silent. She slowly raised her right hand, her long silver hair fluttering in the wind, while her purple eyes stared intently at the distant sky. Above the enemy forces, the Prussian magic users were displaying their full military strength as if in a show of force, and there were as many as nine of them.
"Hmph! Superficial..." Gisela sneered and waved her hand away.
Then, deafening cannon fire erupted, countless cannons spewing smoke and flames, sending shells into the sky like fireworks. In Gisela's view, these projectiles crashed straight down on the Prussian army on the distant horizon.
As the shells landed on the enemy in front of them, the mortar units in the position finished reloading and delivered their shells to the Prussians. Instantly, a huge explosion resounded across the plain. The shells struck the magic shields, scattering shrapnel everywhere, and the undefended infantry around them fell in droves.
Even so, the Prussian troops did not waver in the slightest. Stepping over the bodies of their comrades, they continued to advance slowly under the cover of their magical armor. The machine guns had no firing angle and could not harvest the enemy. The Prussians continued to advance.
Meanwhile, the Prussian magic armor also used its magic cannons to suppress the enemy's positions. The initial battle was more protracted than either side had expected, because neither side had an overwhelming advantage, or rather, neither side had revealed its overwhelming trump card.
“It’s almost our turn,” Gisela said to the magic-wielding girls behind her without turning her head.
"Slay all the crows of the three thousand worlds." Gisela clenched her hands as she faced the enemy in the sky. For some reason, Gisela seemed to feel a restlessness and unease originating from her own body, even though this negative state shouldn't be affecting her.
"Why did you switch back to the Light Wings? Didn't they say that this device has a very low magic energy utilization rate?" Jeanne asked, standing next to Gisela with her hands on her hips.
"As long as it looks good, that's all that matters." With that, Gisela flew straight into the sky.
"Huh?" Before Jeanne could even show her disgust, she saw Gisela rise into the sky, so she didn't say anything more. And so the Austrian magic user slowly unfolded in the sky.
"Sister Lana, why does my eyelid keep twitching?" asked Liana, one of the twins.
"Hehe! I think you might die in the upcoming battle." The black-haired, loli-like Transylvanian mage said, after producing several tarot cards from who-knows-where.
"Shut up, you little vampire!" With a loud thud, a heavy blow struck the black-haired loli's head, and her expression immediately contorted.
"You'll kill me if you do that, you country bumpkin from Galicia!" The black-haired loli yelled at the tall, burly blonde woman in front of her, clearly displeased. This magic user from Galicia, with Ukrainian blood flowing through her veins, had a straightforward personality, and she hated this pretentious brat the most.
"Your death is a service to the people! Don't think I don't know that you were collecting pretty girls back home to make your blood bags, calling it your 'familia'. Didn't you participate in the rebellion before?" The rebellion referred to here was the counterattack by the remnants of the Kingdom of Hungary three years ago. The black-haired loli in front of her was one of the two Hungarian magic users.
When the enemy was at the gates, she surrendered quite readily, binding herself and going directly to Benedek, crying uncontrollably and claiming she was forced into it. Ultimately, after much pleading, Gisela spared her life. Meanwhile, another mage who nearly killed Gisela was secretly executed by her, ostensibly in an accident. After her death, a new mage awakened and filled the vacancy.
This matter must not be known to the subjects, since there are few precedents in the world for directly executing a demon wielder. However, if she is not completely eliminated, she will always be a time bomb threatening the stability of the empire.
"I have the blood of the Bathory family flowing through my veins. If the Kingdom of Hungary hadn't been gone, I would have a share of the throne!" This Bathory family is the same family that Elizabeth Bathory, the dragon girl in Fate, belongs to.
This family is a prominent family in the Hungarian region. For a long time, the family served as Dukes of Transylvania and Kings of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Just then, Gisela turned around and fixed her scarlet gaze on the black-haired loli.
"I don't want to revive the Kingdom of Hungary, I didn't, I didn't!" The black-haired girl covered her mouth. She hadn't forgotten that she was present when Gisela secretly executed her companions. Just thinking about those bloody scenes made her shudder. Gisela's cold eyes seemed to pierce through her soul.
"We are fighting against overwhelming odds. If you find yourself unable to continue fighting, you may withdraw on your own. Your lives are the most important asset of the Empire. Victory or defeat is secondary." Gisela glanced at each of the girls present. It was an honor to fight alongside them. If she could clearly control the outcome of the battle, the only factor she could not measure was the battle she was personally experiencing.
“Your Highness, what are you saying? How could we possibly be deserters?” The first to speak was the straightforward older sister from Galicia.
"I have sworn to God that I will forever be loyal to the Habsburg family." The black-haired loli puffed out her chest, appearing exceptionally righteous.
To be honest, her reason for choosing to submit to the Habsburg family again was quite simple: she had never been truly loyal to Hungary. Her previous response to the rebellion was only because the Hungarian nobles had promised her privileges in Transylvania. However, now that all those nobles were gone, and she herself was in grave danger, submission wasn't an unacceptable outcome. After all, the fox had promised to provide her with medical blood packs regularly to satisfy his little quirks…
"Don't you call yourself a vampire? How come you believe in God?" Even Jeanne couldn't help but complain at this point.
"That's not the point!"
"Just be careful and protect yourself." At this moment, Gisela seemed to sense a very dangerous and aggressive gaze, so she turned around and looked in that direction.
At this moment, a black-haired woman was watching with great interest the white figure in the distance, and the silver-haired woman behind her.
PS1: Ra!
Chapter 462 The Rebirth of the Two-Headed Eagle: Capter 81 The Strength of the Black Saint (Seeking Votes)
Cecilia Shariat: Otto is clearly plotting something again. She doesn't believe that man would be so honest as to cooperate with others for mutual benefit. After all, his ambition is much greater than most people realize.
Unlike Cecilia, Black Saint was clearly more hostile to the other one. Even though they were far apart, she was filled with indignation, disgust, and hatred towards that fox. In any case, their rivalry had lasted for six years.
From the bustling streets of Vienna to the intricate power struggles on the Apennine Peninsula, the fall of Hungary, and finally the fateful war between Prussia and Austria.
It's time to end it all. Just as Lin Wei once promised the real Gisela, you can leave in peace. I will help you realize your unfinished dreams.
Amidst the laughter and chatter of Jeanne and the others, Gisela—no, at this moment she should be called Lin Wei—slowly raised her Saint Stephen's sword, pointing the tip at the culprit behind all the tragedies.
The battlefield remained unchanged, with the deafening roar of cannons and constant battle cries, as the Austrian and Prussian armies engaged in a life-or-death struggle.
At this moment, dark clouds gathered, and a heavy rain seemed imminent.
Above the sky, countless beams of light flashed, and the battle of magical energy between the two sides was about to erupt. Even the veterans who experienced this war years later still vaguely remembered the spectacular scene of 16 magical energy users fighting each other in one battle, a scene that had never been seen before in human history.
Gisela, who spearheaded the attack, raised her Saint Stephen's Sword and decisively launched an attack on her prey, which she had already identified.
Facing Gisela's attack, Black Saint did not hesitate to raise his shield and draw a strange curved sword from his waist. The scarlet runes on the sword exuded a dangerous and ominous aura.
"Clang." Gisela's weapon struck the scimitar heavily, bouncing off with a crisp clang. Almost simultaneously, both adjusted their positions using their flight devices and threw the darts concealed at their waists. The darts collided with the gears shimmering with dark inscriptions in mid-air, creating a massive explosion.
"You are still utterly repulsive." Black Saint stared coldly at the girl before her. Her calm tone made no attempt to conceal her deep-seated hostility towards Gisela, just as Gisela could spare anyone today except her…
"Hmph! I never care about the opinion of a dying man." Before the smoke cleared, Gisela unleashed her magic cannon, launching the first attack on Black Saint. Several white beams flew straight toward her target, then, just before contact, they spread out and transformed into countless points of light, forming a huge fan-shaped area filled with a dense, net-like white light that covered the direction of the attack.
Faced with the fierce attack, Black Saint's lips curled up, and he disappeared from Gisela's sight in an instant. The magic cannon's attack also missed its target and flew towards the ground, where it exploded in the open space in the center of the battlefield. The thick smoke dissipated, leaving a huge crater in the ground.
Gisela was not surprised by her opponent's agility. After all, she must have some strength to control the mysterious and powerful Jesuit order. If she were to be killed by her in one blow, it would make their contest over the past few years seem like a joke.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Gisela calmly searched for the enemy who had disappeared from her sight. Then, her fox ears twitched, clearly indicating that she had caught a sound, and she suddenly looked up at the sky.
This scene felt somewhat familiar to her, as she had suffered a similar fate in Denmark. Soon, as she had expected, the woman enveloped in an ominous black aura gripped a curved blade gleaming with a bewitching crimson light and slashed at her.
With a dull thud, Gisela, propelled by the immense inertia, plummeted to the ground while desperately trying to block the impact.
“Your attack patterns are too outdated,” Gisela said coldly. Then, she raised her right hand, and soon blue flames danced on her slender fingertips.
"Is that so?" After seeing the blue flames on Gisela's fingertips, Black Saint also raised her right hand and opened her palm, where a ball of dark red magical energy was gathering.
Trying to use the same old trick at close range? Gisela clearly wouldn't do that this time, because the woman in front of her was not someone to be trifled with, and it was obviously unrealistic to try to use the same magic-wielding tactics she used to retaliate against the woman during the train attack.
"The blue flame that devours everything, witness..." Gisela didn't want to delay for too long and directly unleashed her trump card. Unfortunately, before she could finish chanting, a strange thing happened.
The woman before her clenched her fist, which had just been filled with black energy, and slammed it directly at Gisela's magical shield. The fist passed right through it, striking Gisela's flickering, fiery fingers. Gisela's once fair and beautiful fingers were completely shattered by the blow, the bones breaking instantly...
"Tsk!" Before the intense pain could subside, a new attack followed. The woman's scimitar flicked forcefully, and Gisela's weapon, already weakened by the pain, slipped from her grasp. As she retrieved her weapon, she clenched her other hand into a fist and launched a series of punches.
The pain of each punch landing squarely on Gisela's body was relentless. Her ribs, abdomen, and arms—all the vital organs she could feel—were broken and deformed by her opponent's heavy blows, and her consciousness began to blur.
With a combo completed, Black Saint coldly observed the disheveled Austrian princess before him. Then, the sound of air being torn apart rang out again, and his heavy fist slammed directly into Gisela's chest. Even with the protection of her magic armor, Gisela almost immediately coughed up blood and fell to the ground without any struggle, like a puppet with a broken string.
At this moment, Jeanne, who was gripping the battle flag and resisting the attack of two Prussian magic users, felt her heart leap into her throat the instant she saw Gisela in trouble. She had rarely been so nervous for anyone else.
"Lana, I'm leaving them in your care." Jeanne Alter then ignored her two opponents and rushed towards the direction where Gisela had fallen without looking back.
The sky seemed ever more distant now. Even with her silver hair, she was fearless against any opponent, but this time Gisela still felt death so close, as her broken body was slowly losing even the sensation of pain.
"How did she manage to pass directly through the magic shield...?" Clearly, the Black Saint used some power that exceeded the normal rules.
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