The Useless King

Warsaw.

Royal Castle.

Stanisław II studied the markers of enemy invasions on the map with a grave expression, murmuring bitterly to himself, "Everything turned out exactly as the Crown Prince predicted. We should have followed his advice..."

Royal Minister Małachowski had just analyzed the current situation for him. According to the latest intelligence sent back to Warsaw, Poland was now beset by enemies on all sides—Russia in the east had launched simultaneous attacks on Lithuania and the West Bank of Dnieper. A week earlier, Prussia and Austria had successively declared war on Poland as well.

Staszic, Speaker of the House of Lords, lowered his head beside him and said quietly:

"Yes. We placed too much faith in the alliance."

Had they deployed even some defensive measures in Poznan back then, the Prussian Army could not possibly have captured three western provinces in just a few days.

Even more dire was the fact that the Lithuanian Corps had been driven back step by step under Korezenikov's fierce assaults, and Minsk was showing signs that it could no longer be held.

Only after a long while did the King of Poland let out a heavy sigh and look to Małachowski. "Then what does the Military Committee recommend?"

"Your Majesty, Warsaw still has five newly formed regiments," the latter said. "General Bilak needs at least four regiments to stabilize the line."

Bilak was the commander of the Battle of Minsk.

Staszic's brow furrowed tightly. "So that means we have no troops at all to send to the West Line?"

"I'm afraid that is the case..."

The several senior Polish officials in the room all looked despondent. Poland had already exhausted every ounce of its strength, yet it still could not withstand the siege of three great powers.

Could surrender truly be the only