booknovelhub
Chapter 503
Chapter 503
Chapter 503
Chapter 503: The Ducal Conference
"Thank you for coming, Prince Arnold."
"The King is a good person. Sandwiched between the Empire and the Kingdom, you must have been troubled a lot. If you have any complaints, I'll listen."
"Such is the nature of a king."
After the festival had ended, I was in a meeting with Donato di Albatro, the duke.
With a wry smile, Donato poured wine into his glass.
"But after all, it's just my indecisiveness..."
"To be honest, I came close to the ship. When I learned that the Kingdom's envoy had already entered the Duchy, I sent the ship to Rondine. I made such an entrance to show the military prowess of the Empire to Your Majesty."
"I see. That was quite effective. I was shaken."
"Of course. The reason I can't side with the Kingdom outright is that, including the incident with the Holy Woman, the Kingdom cannot be trusted recently. And because I'm uncertain about the power of the Kingdom."
"That's exactly right. The Kingdom was once the most trustworthy ally. But now, the Crown Prince controls the Kingdom. And the Crown Prince easily used and discarded the Holy Woman, who has served the country tirelessly. There's no guarantee we won't end up the same."
Leticia had survived and sided with the Empire.
And she openly spoke of the reasons.
The fact that the Kingdom had plotted her assassination.
Their plan to invade the Empire under that pretext.
All these were already known to other countries.
The Kingdom denied this, insisting that it was a lie told by Leticia to cover up her betrayal.
From the Kingdom's perspective, Leticia is indeed a traitor.
But Leticia's devotion to the Kingdom is well known. Everyone would think that there must be a valid reason for her to betray.
That's why Leticia's words are believed.
This must be an unforeseen setback for the Crown Prince.
"In addition to being untrustworthy, they don't have an overwhelming advantage either. Although there will be opposition from the vassals, it would be safe to side with the Empire."
"It's not that simple. This morning, I received some information from the Kingdom's envoy. We've verified it, and it's quite credible."
Donato presented a piece of paper.
When he opened it, it described an event that had occurred on the western border of the Empire.
"The magic battalion was wiped out...?"
"It seems that Prince Ansem planned it. The destruction of the magic battalion, which had been successful in the war against the Kingdom, could be seen as information favoring the Kingdom."
"That may be the case. But after all, it's just one unit. It won't affect the overall situation."
"But it will embolden the pro-Kingdom faction. Until now, the situation was uncertain, so I was only criticized for being weak without making a decision, but now that this information has come in, I'm being pressured to decide."
"What is Your Majesty's thought?"
"It depends on how serious the Empire is. Whether they are going to fight the Kingdom in earnest or not. I want to know that."
"I can tell you they are quite serious. It's unofficial, but there was even a plan to appoint Marshal LizeLotte, the commander of the Eastern Border Defense Army, as the general."
"That far..."
"In the end, the position of the general fell to Leo, but my father probably has no intention of leaving the Kingdom alone. He will entrust a substantial army to Leo, and if the war drags on, he is even considering deploying the Griffon Knights."
Upon hearing my explanation, Donato nodded several times.
He must have realized the power of the Griffon Knights today.
If they come into play, it will be tough for the Kingdom.
No matter how much Prince Ansem comes to the forefront, there are limits.
"Then... is it possible that the Hero could be deployed?"
"That depends on the reactions of neighboring countries, especially the Empire. However, the Kingdom is suspected of having relations with the demons. If they are seen as the enemy of mankind, the Hero would be the first to be deployed."
"I see... The future of the Kingdom is still unclear after all. Above all, they can't be trusted."
"Indeed. Even if the Kingdom were to win the war against the Empire, it wouldn't end there. The Albatro Duchy will be required to attack the Empire from the south to exert pressure. Even if the Empire retaliates and strikes the Duchy, the Kingdom wouldn't help. If the Empire weakens, the Duchy is no longer needed."
"Exactly... We would just be used conveniently. Can the Empire assure this won't happen?"
"The Empire is surrounded by major powers on the east and west. To the north are the feudal states, and to the south is the Albatro Duchy, a potential ally. If the Empire and the Duchy of Albatro can form an alliance, they can focus on the east and west. I believe the Empire and Albatro Duchy could be good partners."
"Very well. My decision is made. I was leaning towards the Empire to begin with, and Prince Arnold's words have solidified my stance. I will side with the Empire. However, there's a problem."
"I understand. It's the issue that the Albatro Duchy isn't unified."
Even if the Duke made a decision, it doesn't mean everyone would simply follow.
Especially the Duke Pastore, who is likely eyeing the throne.
So far, the only pressure from the Kingdom's envoy was because no decision had been made.
Once we decide to side with the Empire, Marcel, the envoy of the Kingdom, will probably start supporting Duke Pastore.
If the Duke can secure the support of the Kingdom, he will surely make his move.
The Kingdom would also prefer causing a rebellion using pro-Kingdom forces than being absorbed by the Empire.
If the chances of rebellion are high, they will be more inclined to do so.
"Many of the elders wish to continue the honeyed relationship with the Kingdom. They fear change and lack the discernment to see what has changed."
"That can't be helped. The Kingdom and the Albatro Duchy have been in an alliance for a long time. It's up to the new generation to make a difference. Young, powerful individuals will see the flow of time. They'll believe we should side with the Empire. Of course, part of the reason would also be their opposition to the older generation."
"The new generation, huh... Are you suggesting we let Julio take the helm?"
"Yes. Currently, Your Majesty is at a disadvantage. Announcing your stance now won't give you a chance of winning. So, we let Prince Julio unite the pro-Empire faction. The younger generation will most likely support this."
"I wonder if Julio has that much influence..."
"You can rest assured. My brother vouched for Prince Julio's capabilities. I want to believe in that."
After a bitter smile, Donato emptied his glass of wine.
Then...
"Julio admires Prince Leonard. He probably wants to be like him. I'm sure he'd be delighted to hear that."
"I'm sure he can be."
The course of action has been decided.
Donato is merely making a decision.
It's up to Julio to advocate siding with the Empire.
Those who are currently being swayed by the vociferous Pastore may switch sides if the young ones unite.
We must cut off Pastore's momentum at any cost.
This is a proxy war between the Empire and the Kingdom.
We must gather the pro-Empire faction and resist, or we will be swallowed up.
Our trump card will be brought by Finne. We just have to hold out until then.
Next Chapter
Previous Chapter
More chapters on Patreon: /user?u=38972968