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n?Resarite chuckled sardonically, his laughter tinged with unmistakable irony, as he addressed Howard, “Ah, the classic betrayal – once the river is crossed, the bridge is torn down. You dismiss and forget so easily, don’t you? Do you truly believe your king is that remarkable? Have you ever pondered how your King of the Oungria Kingdom came to power?”

nBosiden, bowing slightly, replied with a nuanced expression, “Master, we all are aware that this was a gift from Emperor Nora to Lord Howard during his reign. It wasn’t a territory you personally conquered.”

nWith a mocking smile, Resarite retorted, “Well then, let me ask you this: Why did Nora bestow the crown of the Oungria Kingdom upon Howard? What meritorious deeds did Howard perform to gain Nora’s favor? Was it not because Howard had previously assisted Nora in ascending to the imperial throne, thereby earning significant accolades?”

nBosiden fell silent.

nResarite continued, “But think about it – weren’t all of Howard’s military achievements under my command? Without my strategic guidance, both Howard and the allied forces would have faced defeat after defeat. Could Howard still have helped Nora ascend to the throne? It’s even questionable whether Charles V from the Westia Kingdom would have ended up as the emperor!”

nBosiden lowered his head, while Vettel’s gaze drifted uncertainly.

nHoward sighed deeply and conceded to Resarite, “You’re right, what you say holds truth.”

nTaking a step forward, Resarite, unchallenged, pressed Howard further, “Given that, knowing I played such a pivotal role, why strip me of my titles and lands, and not just that – why continue to deprive my son of his titles and lands? After all the significant contributions I’ve made, don’t I deserve some form of immunity?”

nHoward inhaled sharply, a realization dawning upon him that perhaps Resarite had a point in his argument.

nHoward slightly tilted his head, glancing at Bosiden who stood beside him.

nBosiden blinked but their lack of a shared understanding left Howard clueless about what he intended to convey.

nTurning to his right, Howard observed Vettel’s stern expression.

nAddressing Resarite, Howard stated, “We have already made it clear how you were demoted to a commoner, and I do not wish to discuss it further today. Regarding your son, Cotler, it was his own rebellion that brought about his punishment. Although you had been granted immunity, you too had rebelled once, and I pardoned you. The immunity you received from the Commanders’ Succession War was, in fact, a compensation for your past insurrection. Therefore, your merits and demerits have balanced each other out. As for your son’s case, there is nothing left to discuss.”

nEnraged, Resarite roared and charged towards Howard.

nThe guards, caught off guard and hesitant to use their weapons, physically blocked Resarite’s path.

nResarite bellowed at Howard, “Duel with me! If you still consider yourself a noble, then accept my challenge to a duel!”

nHoward responded calmly, “But the prerequisite for a noble’s duel is that both parties must be nobles. Leaving aside whether you could challenge our king to a duel, you are no longer a noble yourself, so how can we speak of a noble’s duel?”

nRunning out of patience and unable to persuade Resarite, Howard felt a sense of resignation.

nHowever, he also realized that persuading someone like Resarite was an immensely challenging task, and his inability to understand was somewhat justifiable.

nTurning his back to Resarite, Howard walked towards the corridor.

nThe Captain of the Guard, Golan, bellowed, “Royal Guards, heed my command!”

nThe impeccably equipped Royal Guards tapped their weapons on the ground in unison, responding, “Present!”

nGolan continued, “Take this man away!”

nThe guards loudly affirmed, “Yes, sir!”

nConsequently, Resarite was forcefully expelled from Howard’s palace.

nSeeing Howard seated in his bedroom chair, his expression forlorn, Catherine approached to comfort him.

nSeveral days later, Howard received some disconcerting news.

nResarite and his family had sought refuge with Frederick, a figure known as the Great Emperor.

nRemarkably, Frederick had dared to risk the wrath of the Oungria Kingdom’s king by harboring Resarite and Cotler.

nMoreover, following an impressive speech by Cotler, both Frederick and Bismarck were so captivated that Cotler was granted the title of Earl, surpassing his father Resarite’s baronial rank.

nResarite, a staunchly militaristic noble, harbored no grand schemes of danger; he simply saw himself as a soldier.

nUnder a worthy monarch, Resarite could be the savior of the continent.

nBut in the hands of a corrupt ruler, he could bring suffering to others.

nCotler, on the other hand, was different. His words not only caught the attention of Frederick and Bismarck, but also earned their unabashed admiration and fascination.

nFrederick assigned Cotler a special role, encouraging him to influence the nobility of Phrus.

nUpon hearing this, Howard was infuriated, truly understanding for the first time the feelings of Kaido towards Golan, and subsequently his own sentiments towards Howard after employing Golan.

nHoward sent Bosiden to Phrus to warn Frederick against utilizing Cotler, pointedly omitting any mention of Resarite. Frederick’s response was defiant, ready to wage war to protect his authority.

nThe alliance between the Oungria Kingdom and Phrus, once firm, was now shrouded in uncertainty due to this incident.

nSpies from the Osland Kingdom had become increasingly prevalent, all keen to gauge Phrus’s stance towards the Oungria Kingdom.

nFrom Osland’s perspective, while an alliance with Phrus wouldn’t suffice to overpower the Oungria Kingdom, the moment Phrus abandoned Oungria, Osland would gain the confidence to counterattack.

nReport after report landed on Howard’s desk, each one adding to his growing sense of unease.

nThe thought of Cotler spreading a narrow-minded and dangerous ethos in Phrus left Howard deeply troubled.

nSeeking counsel, Howard reached out to Edward, now the King of Lombardy, to gauge his perspective on the matter.

nEdward’s response was evasive, hinting at the flaws in their former alliance and expressing a desire for looser trade restrictions with Venice.

nHoward agreed, hoping for Edward’s support in return.

nSoon after, Edward penned a letter to Howard, following the trade concessions.

nHis message was clear: Howard needed to make a strategic choice. .

nIf he planned to expand westward, he should swiftly conquer the remaining empire, paving the way for Edward to absorb Savoy, thus bolstering both their strengths.

nHowever, if Howard aimed eastward, it was crucial not to alienate Phrus. .

nA direct conflict with the Osland Kingdom would be challenging; maintaining a stable relationship with Phrus was vital.

nUpon reading the letter, Howard felt caught in a dilemma, like a rider unable to dismount a tiger.

nAmidst these complications, trouble arose in the New Oungria Kingdom across the ocean.

nConflicts had flared between continental merchants and the indigenous people, threatening to escalate into armed confrontation.

nDetermined to stabilize the situation, Howard dispatched Vettel to the New World with instructions to soothe the natives’ unrest.

nVettel set sail on Admiral Andrea’s ship, a testament to Howard’s growing naval capabilities.

nAboard one of the mighty warships, Vettel embarked on his mission to the New World.

nBut deep down, Howard felt that Vettel’s approach was overkill.

nWhen Howard himself had traveled to the Ing Empire, he did so aboard a warship – a gesture of diplomatic prestige.

nThe Ing Empire, a naval powerhouse, would appreciate the significance.

nHowever, Vettel’s destination was North Carolina, to negotiate with the local indigenous people.

nThe mode of transport hardly mattered in this context; the natives likely had no means to discern the difference.

nBesides, a warship’s speed pales in comparison to that of a trade vessel.

nHoward initially wanted to point this out to Vettel but then thought better of it.

nHe didn’t want to engage in an argument, especially considering the current strain caused by Cotler’s affairs.

nHoward didn’t wish to pressure his vassals any further.

nSoon after, Oungria Kingdom declared war on the Empire, achieving a significant victory by annihilating over twenty thousand of the enemy’s combined forces.

nThis forced the Empire’s ally, Ryzet Kingdom, to repeatedly send surrender requests.

nConcurrently, Lombardy declared war on Ryzet Kingdom, which then called upon Milan and Provence for assistance.

nDespite Ryzet Kingdom lacking military strength and Howard’s occupation of Renewa, Lombardy found itself in a precarious situation due to Ryzet Kingdom’s two alliances.

nThe war for Oungria Kingdom was straightforward, with neither the Empire nor Ryzet Kingdom posing any real threat to Howard’s current strength.

nThe critical factor lay with Edward, considering Ryzet Kingdom’s involvement.

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