Chapter 220
The war seen by a lord and the war seen by soldiers are not the same. This is not about principles such as purpose and righteousness, rewards and losses.
Simply put, war signifies results rather than process. Direct confrontation occurs only at the last moment of war.
Until then, the lord and military leadership must fiercely engage in ‘desk work’ such as supply, transportation, marching routes, response strategies, grand strategies, and army formations.
In contrast, once soldiers are conscripted, they are largely useless until the battle. They may be utilized for transporting supplies or guarding and patrolling, but that is not their main role. Each of those tasks incurs non-combat losses and costs.
Therefore, at this point, Ivan had nothing to do.
To be precise, he could offer tactical advice. Or perhaps he could use his experience to predict the enemy’s invasion route.
However, his role was limited to ‘guarding the saint’ and ‘guest chambers,’ and the king of Equitania was a sufficiently wise man, understanding that it was more beneficial for victory if a single commander established the strategy rather than crossing the line into excessive domestic interference.
Isn’t it a common saying on Earth? “An incompetent commander leading a legion is better than a legion led by competent commanders.” He didn’t want to create variables that could arise from potential conflicts over command.
After all, he wasn’t particularly talented or skilled in commanding large forces.