Chapter 115

Proofreader: somnium

The situation in the capital fluctuated.

When the news first broke that Karam had crossed the Thold Mountains and attacked Grand Duchy Evron no one would have expected that the situation would escalate this way.

The war itself was virtually pushed back. Rumors of Grand Duchy Evron’s struggles have been heard from time to time.

Karam became tactical, learned to use siege weapons, and such news made people uneasy.

However, even two months after the first news broke there was no news of the Thold Gate being breached.

The people of the capital quickly became comfortable. The fear that the enemy would come to Elia Wall at any moment was also diluted.

And if the capital was not affected, the war in the north, the monster wave in the west, and the pirates in the south were all nothing but other people’s business.

Grand Duke Evron had never been defeated since his first battle as a boy general on the front line. This time he must have defended the northern border brilliantly.

When the fear of war was gone, what surfaced was the Emperor’s new disposition.

The Emperor was very concerned about what was happening in the north. Rumors abound that the terrified Grand Duchess Evron cried in tears before the Emperor.

Hearing the rumor, Hayley and Freil looked at each other with bizarre faces.

“Is this a rumor Her Grace leaked?”

“It may be what His Majesty the Emperor said. It wouldn’t be too strange for others to hear. It’s not really something that hasn’t happened before, is it?”

There have been quite a few cases in which Grand Duchesses of Evron, who had been married to a foreign land, suffered one war and never returned to Evron again.

The story that Grand Duke Evron had sent his wife back out of concern sounded more plausible.

Either way, it was a story that was both absurd and funny to those who knew Artizea. Even more so because of the saying that Cedric sent her back because he was worried because it wasn’t completely wrong.

Whether the rumors were true or not was not a serious matter. Even more so when the Emperor started discussing the issue of supporting the north.

Having gained a cause, the Emperor greatly increased his armament. Many of them were for Northern aid supplies.

Grain, hay, linen and cotton were requisitioned in large quantities. A small amount of compensation was given, but it was an amount that could never be said to have paid off its original price.

Even more so, considering that prices have risen as a result.

Gunpowder and oil literally scraped the floor. It was no exaggeration to say that he collected all the ammunition for hunting guns and gunpowder to be used in the mines. A considerable amount of steel was also requisitioned.

If it all went into the hands of Grand Duke Evron, the nobles would have been more at ease.

The Emperor had never been more generous toward Grand Duke Evron.

It was a time when the northern ports were melting. As soon as many of the supplies were gathered, they were sent to the north first.

However, gunpowder and oil were a different matter.

More than half of it was stockpiled by the Emperor in the Elia Wall, in case the northern part was breached.

Under the pretext of preparing for emergencies, the Central Army and the elite knights continued to move from one garrison to another.

It felt very intimidating to the aristocrats.

In particular, Grand Duke Roygar could not hide his anxiety even with his smiling face. Giving out more supplies than what would be requisitioned, it was extraordinarily boisterous.

The older nobles remembered several purges in the past.

A number of elite knights put Grand Duke Evron, his brother in law, to death in one morning over treason.

The current Emperor didn’t have to.

But how is it that he didn’t suddenly feel compelled to do another purge for the sake of his cute son?

Following Grand Duke Roygar, the landowners in the east offered food and cloth as representatives.

The Emperor split it and sent another part of it to the west, and had Grand Duchess Evron use it for the rebirth project.

Even Marchioness Camellia was certainly perplexed.

“The plan of dividing the north and the west and the east and the central and the south is completely messed up. Was it meant to be this way by Cedric, no, Grand Duchess Evron from the start?”

Grand Duke Roygar, unable to hide his displeasure, said to Marchioness Camellia.

Normally, he was more respectful to his sister-in-law. But now he didn’t even seem to mind.

Marchioness Camellia answered with a livid face.

“I have nothing to tell you, Grand Duke.”

“It’s not something that can end with that.”

“I think the West was used in a negotiation with His Majesty the Emperor, but it was used in reverse. Because Grand Duchess Evron is still young.”

“Use? What’s the situation now? Grand Duchy Evron suffered no loss.”

“Isn’t it inevitable to lose money in the future?”

Marchioness Camellia spoke softly to Grand Duke Roygar, who frowned.

“Even if the rebirth project succeeds, it will unconditionally lose money. The greatest asset of Grand Duke Evron, aside from his loyalty, is his own integrity.”

“…… Hmm.”

“The Western Army now is nothing short of being completely rebuilt by Grand Duke Evron. And yet he won the hearts of the Westerners by letting them go.”

Even if the current Western Army defends the West on its own, it is all thanks to Cedric.

If the Western forces stop the monster wave just two more times, the West will regard Cedric as their guardian and will naturally kneel under him.

At that point, it doesn’t matter who has institutional authority.

There was also a reason for Grand Duke Roygar’s attempt to recognize the supremacy of the West.

It couldn’t have been better if the son of his trusted brother-in-law and an excellent soldier would support Grand Duke Roygar with the power of the West on his back.

Grand Duke Roygar considered Cedric worthy as a lifelong political partner. That much, he was disappointed.

Marchioness Camellia said.

“In other words, if you lose your reputation, you lose the West. There was a reason His Majesty the Emperor had long wanted to discredit Grand Duke Evron. I believe that Grand Duchess Evron played into the hands of His Majesty the Emperor.”

“But Evron didn’t suffer much damage, sister-in-law.”

Grand Duke Roygar said in a soft voice.

“Didn’t sister-in-law agree that there would be other terms and conditions under the table?”

“That would not be the long-term direction of Grand Duchess Evron.”

Marchioness Camellia tried to convince him.

“If you do a round-trip business in the West, you can get a significant advantage in the short term. But in the long run, the reputation of Grand Duke Evron will disappear.”

“Anyway, Cedric has legally won the West’s interests. Have you considered the possibility of him staying there?”

He might think he doesn’t have to do anything anymore. And that alone would support the Emperor.

“What do you think about Brother Colton being consulted on the western rebirth project at the request of Grand Duchess Evron?”

“I do not know how Grand Duchess Evron persuaded Brother Colton, Your Grace. That does not mean that Evron has completely bowed down to His Majesty the Emperor. Rather, considering the nature of Brother Colton, wasn’t he persuaded because it’s the other way around?”

At the words of Marchioness Camellia, Grand Duke Roygar softened slightly. There was that. That stiff old bishop would never work for the Emperor.

“Think of the Emperor’s age. Even loyalists who have been loyal to His Majesty all their lives feel that they have to choose one or the other.”

“Exactly…….”

“And Grand Duchess Evron has not yet reached her 19th birthday. Thinking ahead 20 years, she can never bet everything on His Majesty the Emperor.”

Grand Duke Roygar looked at Marchioness Camellia with eyes mixed between suspicion and trust.

Marchioness Camellia politely lowered her eyes. Grand Duke Roygar still had no doubts about her. But he seemed to have a gritty feeling somewhere in his heart.

He is a quick-witted person. He must have sensed an uneasiness inside Marchioness Camellia.

“By the way, I heard that Skyla had been asked by Grand Duchess Evron, and she went to the Empress’ Palace.”

“Yes. She said Grand Duchess Evron was asking for an unmarried lady between the ages of 17 and 20, who was not doing anything in particular, who was in a proper status without considering a faction or anything like that. About seven people will help the ladies-in-waiting prepare the birthday.”

It was an opportunity for anyone who didn’t like the Empress, even those who held grudges with the former Duke of Riagan, cannot refuse.

“I’ll have to help Skyla. After all, it would be embarrassing if Her Majesty the Empress did ever find Lawrence loveable.”

Grand Duke Roygar nodded slowly. Then he spoke as a brother-in-law and not as a Grand Duke.

“But why is sister-in-law sighing?”

Marchioness Camellia let out a sigh of relief involuntarily, and then she stiffened her body in surprise.

She knew that she was persuading him. Grand Duke Roygar’s suspicions were almost identical to hers.

Nevertheless, Marchioness Camellia was compelled to speak, as if excusing herself from Artizea’s position.

The moment Grand Duke Roygar decided that Artizea could not be captured, the opportunity cost of his previous decision would become a responsibility that falls on him.

In such a situation, Skyla was called by Artizea. There was a good chance that Grand Duke Roygar would be suspicious.

And right now, just as she had feared, Grand Duke Roygar’s eyes were frowning.

***

Lawrence’s situation was far better than that of Grand Duke Roygar. He was not directly pressured by the Emperor’s actions. From the beginning, it was the great aristocrats who suffered losses this time.

He voluntarily gave up his fortune at an appropriate level. After Lawrence, wealthy bureaucrats and young aristocrats who had never been particularly pressured did the same.

It was not so much loss for Lawrence that the Emperor’s power became stronger.

But it wasn’t like that on a psychological level.

“It’s a little frustrating.”

He confided his secret to Gayan.

“How long will Father have everything in his hands?”

It was a small lament rather than a question. Gayan said comfortingly.

“All of this is to be passed on to Sir Lawrence. Please wait a little longer. After Sir Lawrence has taken your rightful place, you will be entrusted with various duties by His Majesty the Emperor.”

Gayan knew that the Emperor was not worthy of that.

But since Lawrence wasn’t serious and didn’t ask for an answer, he just answered it and made him feel better.

Viscount Hoden under Lawrence’s order headed south.

Among his attendants were vassals of various nobles from the Lawrence faction.

It was not something to propose or work on right away with the Duke of Riagan. But it was too big to leave the judgment to just one man.

It was a wise thing to do. But it was also foolish.

Being wise because Viscount Hoden is not loyal enough, so it was right to send several aristocratic minions together to monitor and cross reference any information.

Being foolish because by moving together, it’s impossible to find out who the spy is when things go wrong.

It was shortly after arriving in the southern Duchy of Riagan that one of the Viscount Hoden’s men met Madame Lexen, Terry.