Even after the design for the flag of a unified Italy was decided, the trials and tribulations continued. Seamstresses from Florence, Genoa, and Milan, all claiming to be the best with a needle and thread, were mobilized to create flags of all sizes, while carpenters and blacksmiths were put to work crafting flagpoles and finials.

“The flagpole and banner to be raised proudly before St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome must be ours!”

What began as a matter of pride had escalated into a full-blown conflict of egos, particularly concerning military uniforms. When the black Florentine uniform was declared the official dress for the unified Italian army, every soldier was mandated to wear it. However, as the ground war settled into a stalemate, soldiers found themselves with idle time, which they spent altering their uniforms—especially their caps.

Florentine soldiers started embellishing their caps with black grouse feathers. Not to be outdone, soldiers from other cities adorned their caps with feathers of various hues. Initially, they used natural feathers from pheasants and other birds, but before long, brightly dyed feathers flourished from their headgear. Hyang observed the kaleidoscope of colors crowning the military caps and shook his head in disbelief.

“Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet… Is this an army or a squad of Power Rangers? Then again, at least they haven’t touched the rest of the uniform, so maybe not?”

As time went on, the feather decorations were no longer enough. The brooches connecting the feathers to the caps and the cap badges affixed to the front grew increasingly ostentatious. Imperial and Swiss soldiers, catching the glint of gold- and silver-plated ornaments, smacked their lips and murmured under their breath.

“Well now… those would make for perfect targets. You don’t think they know that, do you?”

***

Despite all the petty squabbles, preparations for the southern campaign proceeded smoothly, and finally, the day of the departure ceremony arrived. On a dais erected in a Florentine plaza, Hyang, Lorenzo de’ Medici, and the leaders of the allied cities took their places. To their left and right, the spectator stands were packed with nobles and citizens from the allied cities, alongside those of Florence.

The Imperial military band struck up the “Infantry March” as columns of soldiers marched across the plaza, heading south toward Siena. This ceremony, however, was also fraught with complications.

“As this is a campaign for the unification of Italy, we will yield the vanguard to the Italian forces.”

Hyang’s magnanimous gesture was met with beaming faces from Florence and the allied cities, who eagerly accepted the honor. But then came the next problem.

Who would lead the Italian procession?

“It should obviously be us, Florence! We were the first to begin the war for unification!”

“That may be true, but it is not right for Florence to claim the lead on that basis alone! Are we not all allies now?”

“He’s right! Besides, Genoa has been tasked with holding back the French and Spanish while you march south! If you take that into consideration, it is only fair that you yield the vanguard to us!”

“If we’re making such arguments, then give the honor to Venice, which has suffered the greatest losses! No city has been ravaged more by foreign powers in this war than ours!”

Finally, Hyang, unable to watch them bicker any longer, stepped in once more.

“Simply have the soldiers march in an eight-column formation, with each city taking two columns. Place a standard-bearer with the Italian flag at the very front, followed by the standard-bearers of each city. Wouldn’t that solve the problem?”

“Ah!”

At Hyang’s suggestion, the city representatives’ faces brightened, and they readily agreed. Back in his chambers, Hyang heaved a long sigh and grumbled to himself.

I think I’m starting to understand just how much of a headache King Solomon must have had.

During the ceremony that proceeded after so much back-and-forth, as the Imperial Army passed before the dais, the Imperial military band ceased their repetitive rendition of the “Infantry March.” In its place, the “Imperial March” began to play.

The heavy, oppressive weight of the “Imperial March” filled the plaza as the Imperial Army, led by a standard-bearer carrying the Imperial flag, crossed the square.

“Salute!”

At the command of Lee Si-ae, who followed the standard-bearer on horseback, the Imperial soldiers turned to Hyang in perfect unison and roared.

“Allegiance!”

In response, Hyang respectfully placed his right hand over his heart in a reciprocal salute. The sight left the leaders and nobles from Genoa, Milan, and Venice utterly stunned.

So this is what a truly powerful army looks like!

The combination of the heavy, soul-stirring music and the disciplined, sharp movements of the marching soldiers was beyond impressive; it was awe-inspiring.

Is this what the Roman legions, known to us only through legend, were like?

All the while, Da Vinci and numerous other artists frantically sketched the scene, trying to capture the moment.

***

As the southern campaign began, the deployment of the combined Imperial and Italian forces was as follows:

• Total forces: Approximately 250,000.
  • Imperial Army: Approximately 100,000 (including Swiss forces).
  • Florentine and Allied City Armies: Approximately 150,000.
• A force of 50,000, consisting of 30,000 Genoese troops reinforced by 20,000 Imperial and Swiss soldiers, would check the French and Spanish armies.
• A force of 30,000, combining 10,000 Milanese and 20,000 Venetian troops, would guard the northern borders of Milan and Venice against any Habsburg advance from the south.
• Of the 25,000 Swiss soldiers stationed in Switzerland, 18,000 would utilize the Alps to monitor and intercept any movements from France or the Habsburgs, serving as the first line of defense.
• Reserve forces of approximately 30,000 and 20,000 would be stationed in Florence and Bologna, respectively, ready to be deployed to the north or south as the situation required.
• Of the remaining 100,000 troops, 10,000 would be garrisoned at the Siena defensive line to secure supply routes and maintain the line.
• The remaining 90,000, composed of 55,000 Italian and 10,000 Imperial soldiers, would march south toward Rome. The Italian forces would serve as the main body, with the Imperial Army providing fire support.
• A force of 25,000, primarily Imperial troops, would strike San Marino to seize control of the Duchy of Romagna, located east of the Apennine Mountains. Ten thousand of the reserves in Bologna were to be ready for immediate deployment to the San Marino offensive if needed.

Thanks to the butterfly effect of Hyang’s intervention, the Duchy of Romagna had been established considerably earlier than in the original timeline. However, as a consequence, its territory was much smaller. In the history that might have been, San Marino was its southernmost city, and the duchy occupied a vast area between Genoa, Florence, and Milan, with Bologna at its center. But now, the duchy was a minor state with San Marino as its northernmost point, its southern border brushing against the Kingdom of Naples.

It had only managed to secure its southern territories thanks to the patronage of Pope Alexander VI. Nevertheless, it was more than capable of launching guerrilla attacks through the Apennine Mountains to harass the advancing Imperial-Italian coalition. For this reason, the Imperial and Swiss forces, masters of mobile and mountain warfare, were tasked with leading the assault on San Marino.

***

Siena.

Inside the coalition headquarters of the southward-marching Imperial-Italian army, Yu Eung-bu gazed at a map and muttered to himself.

“Plans always sound plausible, don’t they?”

It was a colossal plan, setting nearly a quarter of a million soldiers in motion. Even for the Empire, maneuvering an army of this magnitude was not a familiar affair. The most recent comparable events, the Liaodong War and the Battle of the Yellow Sea, were now relegated to tales of the past.

Among the highest echelons of the current Imperial military, very few had experienced those wars, and even they had been mere junior officers at the time, unable to see the bigger picture. This was why Yu Eung-bu was on edge, scrutinizing the situation with intense focus.

If only we had a fast and reliable means of communication, my mind would be much more at ease…

The Imperial Army’s heliograph was superb in its accuracy and speed. However, to be used effectively, it required tall, sturdy signal towers. While it could be used on the front lines and had proven useful, a low, temporary watchtower simply couldn’t unleash its full potential. Its utility at the front had been largely thanks to the balloons that served as relay stations.

The Imperial Ministry of Defense had drafted a plan to establish a long-range communication network using these balloons and had conducted experiments. The results, however, were a mixed bag of success and failure. Communication via balloon was indeed possible, but like signal towers, it required a balloon to be airborne at regular intervals.

The costs of producing and maintaining the balloons, the physical limitations of the crew, and the constraints of nature—they couldn’t be flown if the wind was even moderately strong—led to the project being shelved. As a result, long-distance communication still relied primarily on mounted couriers, messengers, and carrier pigeons.

Isn’t there some kind of groundbreaking method?

After pondering for a good while, Yu Eung-bu suddenly let out a small chuckle.

What am I doing… I’m not His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus. Get a grip!

Steeling himself, Yu Eung-bu examined the map. The Imperial-Italian coalition, having departed from Siena, was advancing south in two columns. One was headed for Rome via Perugia, while the other was advancing toward Rome along the coastal road via Grosseto.

The Perugia route was also tasked with cutting the line of communication between the Duchy of Romagna and Rome. The Grosseto route was charged with securing the plains that lay on the path to the capital. For the Grosseto column, the Imperial Navy was sailing south, shadowing the army’s advance to prevent a repeat of what had happened to the Spanish army when they marched on Genoa, only this time with the roles reversed.

The outcome of the battles at Perugia and Grosseto will determine what comes next.

Yu Eung-bu’s grave expression reflected his deep contemplation of the map. Perugia and Grosseto, two of the most influential and northernmost archdioceses within the Papal States, held significant importance. The response of the archbishops, provincial heads, and church armies in these regions would determine how the dioceses further south would react.

A coalition victory would undoubtedly boost the morale of the clergy and their armies. However, a narrow victory or signs of faltering would embolden them to mount a fierce resistance.

Considering that alone, it would be best to put our Imperial forces at the vanguard, but…

Doing so would surely stir discontent among Florence and the other allied cities, which was why the Imperial Army had been assigned a fire support role. The problem was that, with the exception of Florence, most of the allied soldiers were not mercenaries but raw recruits gathered through levies.

They had displayed high morale when leaving Siena, but the slightest hardship could cause their spirits to shatter, turning them into a disorderly rabble. If that happened, even the more experienced Florentine army might collapse. This was the fear that gnawed at Yu Eung-bu as he stared at the map.

“Marshal! A report from Perugia!”

“Yes? What’s the situation? Has a major battle broken out?”

“They report a bloodless entry!”

“Huh?”

The answer was so far from his expectations that Yu Eung-bu’s face went blank for a moment.

A bloodless entry?

“Yes, sir!”

A moment later, another officer entered and reported to Yu Eung-bu.

“A report has just arrived, sir! The coalition army has made a bloodless entry into Grosseto!”

“What the…”

Standing there in a daze, Yu Eung-bu quickly collected himself and issued an order.

“Tell them to send a detailed report as quickly as possible!”