Chapter 221: Children's Meeting (4) The Prince's Plan
When I assured him, he closed his mouth as if flinching for a moment.
But he soon seemed to remember that he was the one asking the question, and he spoke back.
'It won't start,…… Which means it will be aborted?
That's right. That's right. This plan, in order to put it into action in the first place, is beset with major challenges. Success or failure will be an issue after that is resolved. Don't you think so too, Mister .. …. Kalmia?”
I looked at Kalmia with the meaning of “I think so, don't you?
She had just expressed her opinion that the success or failure of the “Operation itself” Would be 50-50. Place.
She must have expected this response, because she nodded quietly.
Yes, I think so too. Is it a challenge that needs to be solved for the execution of the project? ……Well, I think there are two major ones.
Apparently, Kalmia is aware of the same issues.
She must have magically sensed our movement and moved her head to the side to face herfiancé.
What do you think Nova is?”
The way she broached the subject, I sensed her intention to probe Quardenze's thoughts first. I think she wanted to create a flow of answers in the order of Novaruf, Wilk, and Kalmia. Since the opinion of Novaluf, who was not the next head of the family, would not be of any help, he would, in effect, answer the questions from the Quardenzes.
Two?” …… It is, after all, to obtain the approval of the Marquise of Quardenze and the Grand Dukes of Millendorva, who do not directly benefit from this plan, isn't it?”
He said His tone was very natural and did not seem to be a preamble to a rebuttal or an unintentional statement of an idea that he did not intend.
Perhaps this opinion was Novaruf's true intention his and he was trying to show that he was not lying by showing his honest attitude of his.
But I wasn't quite sure about the answer.
As I was pondering how I should respond, Killode interrupted me from the side.
He said, “Well, you are right, Mr. Novaluf. The invasion of the Holy City is one thing, but the pacification of the southern part of the country is also none of our business. Neither does Quardenze.”
Suddenly, the classroom scene of elementary and junior high school in my previous life flashed through my mind.I had confidence in my answers to the questions written on the board, but as the teacher appointed classmates gave different answers one after another, I gradually lost confidence in my answers.
The two problems inherent in the king's proposal were not the persuasion of the Quardenze and Millendorva families, but the fact that both Novaruf and Kirode said they were right almost shook my confidence.
When I looked at Kalmia, she seemed a little troubled.
The discussion was to proceed between Quardenze and Aterahan, but Kilode suddenly interrupted the discussion and may have felt he was in the way.
What would be the issue that …… Mister Wilk is referring to?”
I felt a slight uneasiness about speaking up, but I couldn't afford to show timidity here. To inspire myself, I raised my index and middle fingers and pointed them at the people around me.
One is a request for our cooperation: …….”
I looked at Kalmia and Killode when I said “Us.
The most important thing to remember is that the cooperation of the five major nobles of the kingdom is one of the tasks that must be accomplished.
And the other is…… Yes, it's her.
Then I pointed to her.
Is she……Lord Lorna?
Where was the eccentricity of the previous paragraph, I saw a beautiful woman standing quietly at the entrance of the place at the tip of my thumb.
The actual “I'm not sure what to do with it,” He said, “But I'm sure it's something that you're going to have to do with. Her long, shiny jet-black hair, she almost caught me attention.
It seems that she has recovered from her outburst and has returned to this place again. She was hesitant to enter, but the prince leads her to her seat with a natural flow. He said one word.
I asked her, “Now, Mister Wilk, what is your relationship with Lady Lorna? What does this have to do with Lorna?”
Lorna had been standing at the entrance with a neat face for some time, so she had probably heard some of the conversation. Deciding that she didn't need an explanation, I decided to continue.
According to the king's thoughts, it seems that he wants this operation to work as a kingdom army.
I glanced at Lorna, who put her hand over her mouth and said, “What? Me? She looked surprised. Her surprised face looked young enough to be appropriate for her age. If she was acting, she must be a very good actor, and I think she might be suspicious of women.
'Lord Lorna, you are a priestess in the Zethusian Order of the Holy High Priestess.
Yes. Yes, with all due respect, I am a priestess.
I am afraid I am a priestess,” She replied, although she did not confirm it. Dunkel also spoke up in response, as he should have.
Even though he has no real authority, the rank of holy priestess carries a certain weight in the Holy City. It is meaningless to be a mere high-ranking priestess. To make a good cause.”
But that's exactly where the problem lies.
I make a thoughtful gesture, trying to seize the initiative in the conversation.
The cause? The treatment of the holy priestess is unjust, the faithful priest's claim is correct, and you can make any number of innuendos.
First, I decided to confront him with the conclusion.
In short, the nobles are driven to war in order to fulfill the wishes of the holy priestess.
Kalmia nodded her head as if to say, as expected.
I continued, my acting style blatantly apparent.
Well, this is a very nostalgic story for us nobles, isn't it? I can almost smell the flames of war scorching the land.
The turbulent era that began 200 years ago started with a political dispute in the Holy City over the position of the Pope.
I believe that the Papal Uprising, the struggle between the new Pope, who was born victorious after a fierce power struggle, and the camp of the defeated supreme priest and the holy priests who had him, is one of the two major turning points in the history of the continent of Eluo.
At the beginning of the uprising, the Holy Army, the army of the Holy High Priesthood of Zethus, did not move. This is because neither the new pope's camp nor the Holy Shaman's camp was able to completely seize control of the army. Would be more accurate to say that they could not move.
The local nobles were then called upon to take up the mantle.
The flames of strife quickly spread to the entire continent, and soon consumed even the original purpose, giving rise to a dark period of warfare and devastation.
That is the worst part of the King's proposal.
Even with the exile of Lorna as an element, this plan is somewhat reminiscent of the structure of “Nobles gathered under the banner of the holy priesthood and forced to fight a war. It is a trauma deeply engraved in the very veins of the noble families themselves. The formation of the Royal Army is reminiscent of a return to the turbulent times. The nobles of the kingdom are independent and self-reliant, and I don't want to be sent to war for the sake of priests.”.. …. If such an opinion came from somewhere, there would be quite a few nobles who would agree with it, albeit to different degrees.
The formation of a kingdom army with anti-priesthood as the kingdom's national motto and holy priesthood as its cause is a logical contradiction.
According to my father, if this were called, for example, a joint expeditionary force of the five families of the Quardenze, Levios, Zeldmitra, Aterahan, and Millendorva allied armies, it would not be as angular as a kingdom army.
After all, the vague notion of a “Kingdom” Standing over them and fighting for the priests is a cause for concern. Small and medium-sized noble families would feel more secure if a local boss, with whom they have daily dealings and who is familiar with local affairs, stood above them. If the situation becomes uncertain, they may say, “I'm sorry, but the Quordentse allied forces will pull out first. The rest of you can take care of the rest.
My father had heard from King Levios that he was considering both the Royal Army and the five families' allied forces, but judging from the prince's words earlier, the former was probably his main plan of his.
The Levios family may be more afraid of the former Jinkaen Empire than I thought, or they may be longing for the dream of an end to the turbulent times.
I do not know the true beliefs that King Levios has in his heart, but I can only read the idea that he wants to make the unity of the kingdom even stronger than it is now to move it up to the next stage.
A joint five-family allied force would only deepen the bonds between the factions and would not lead to reliance on the kingdom.
It would be bad luck to fight under the …… Holy shaman.”
The battle between the new pope and the holy priesthood has become nothing more than a mere talking point from the middle of the Rebellion onward, but if we were to make a historical assessment, it was the new pope's camp that won and the holy priesthood that I could understand Killode's comment about the ominous nature of the situation.
Well, the public opinion is that the Zethusian High Priesthood itself lost the battle.
The two main goals of the Zethusian Holy High Society are: to enlist the cooperation of the great nobles who unite the nobles of the various regions, and to dispel the anxiety and suspicion of the nobles of the kingdom by carrying the Holy Priestess. Issues are clear and can be resolved by showing concrete benefits, and the vague issue of vague feelings held by no one……. You could say it's a challenge of reason and emotion.”
It seems that Kalmia and the Aterahans share the same awareness of these issues.
Which do you think is the more difficult problem, Kalmia?
Kalmia: “I don't think we can simply compare them, because they are different in terms of difficulty. It may be the former that is more difficult to negotiate, but in terms of difficulty in predicting, it would be the latter, wouldn't 't it? The generation that has experienced warfare firsthand may have a stronger rejection of the holy priesthood than we do. How will this sentiment affect and spread to those around them?
The words sounded strangely real to me, so I decided to repeat the question.
'A generation that knows warfare? My grandfather was not in King's Landing this time, so I have not been able to talk to him, but did Lord Croune have that reaction?
No, not particularly. No, not particularly, but he said that not a few of the nobles of the kingdom would have rejected the idea.
The way he said it, it seems that Claune thinks there is nothing wrong with carrying the holy priest if it is beneficial. If you unravel the history of the Aterahan family, you will find that Claune and his successors have consistently taken a pragmatic approach and put pragmatism first, which is perhaps a natural conclusion.
While I was thinking about this, Sardin approached Novalph.
Kalmia and Novaluf's answers seem to be different.
'Oh, that's……
'Is that the first impression you had when you heard my father's idea?
Dunkel's voice, which came in from the side, had a somewhat familiar air to it.
When he nodded, the prince smiled happily.
I understand your thinking,” He said. I can understand what you are thinking. I guess you could say there is a difference in the way we think due to the time in which we were born. I think that what we see and feel is The fact that you mentioned it here …… Means that Lord Croune did not reject your opinion, did he?”
Then Kalmia received the question. She returned the prince's words with an affirmation and continued.
There are various nobles in the kingdom. The generation that lived through the darkness of war that never knows when it will dawn, the generation that struggled for the independence of the nobles, the generation that was threatened by the champion that appeared in the west, and the generation that began to think about living by the great tree after a long period of peace. …… Naturally, the things we cherish, the things we aim for, and even the means by which we live change as time and position differ. The answer that Nova gave was one that she accepted as a way of thinking for those of us who live in the present.
…… Our way of thinking, huh?
The most important thing to remember is that the world is not a place of peace.
The long-lasting peace in the kingdom has weakened the independent spirit that small and medium-sized noble families had.
This is something I strongly felt when I went outside of Quardenze territory. There is no need to desperately try to be independent, but to belong to the kingdom and rely on the local big nobles to protect their homes,……. I feel that the number of noble families who think this way has been increasing, especially since my parents' generation.
The idea of noble families joining hands to protect each other's independence is becoming old-fashioned. For today's aristocrats, independence is something that has already been secured, something that has been in their hands from the beginning.
I told an old nobleman, “Don't let your guard down just because you belong to the kingdom. I would be lectured by an old aristocrat, saying, “The recent aristocrats lack the spirit of independence and self-reliance,” But that is the difference between a generation that has grasped independence in its hands and a generation that is reaching for the next thing.
However, the turbulent generation is still alive and there are still many small and medium-sized aristocratic families who think that independence and self-reliance should be cherished. Will eventually decay.
The shape of the kingdom that awaits us in the future is not yet known, but it will probably take the form of smaller nobles with less power and larger nobles with more power.
Because he has a dim sense of this future, he must have intuited that persuading the Quordentze and Millendorva families would be a major challenge. Great aristocrats.
It is impossible to dismiss this as the haughty thinking of a member of the noble Aterahan family.
They are not dismissing and dismissing the young man's answer, but recognizing it as a new way of thinking and presenting a realistic solution.It shows the size of Lord Croune's capacity of his.
Sardin's voice was truly satisfied. It seems that he, too, is on the side of the Novarufs.
I was the only one isolated from the others in terms of values, but I was actually a little moved.
Perhaps because of my memories of living on Earth, I have always taken a step back and looked at the continent of Eluo and its culture. I have a habit of taking in a part of the culture by trimming it down and focusing on a particular part , as if to say, “This is how the nobles think.
However, of course, there are as many ideas and values as there are people, and not all aristocrats are stereotypes.
Of course, there are many common ideas, and they can be categorized in the same category if roughly grouped together. However, if we are caught in the stereotype that the people of the Eluo Continent think this way, or the aristocrats of the Kingdom think that way, we will misunderstand the true nature of the situation. This is no different for the people of Earth and the people of Eluo Continent.
I think I have come to understand this in a real sense by actually being in contact with them.
I was also concerned about the fact that the Lord Claune was also concerned about carrying the holy priesthood.
As I responded to Kalmia, I realized again that I was not in agreement with anyone here.
I am now in a state where my roots are still earthlings and the stems and leaves I have created in imitation of my father are on the surface of the earth. Am almost worried about what kind of flowers and fruits will bloom and bear in the future.
The only thing I know for now is that there is a discrepancy between the values of my parents' generation and those of the young people who are present here today.
Kalmia must have sensed that my thinking is closer to that of my parents 'generation.I was too confident to be thought of as a speaker boy who just talked about what his father had taught him.
If you were in the position to advocate my father's idea, what words would you use to persuade the many nobles of the kingdom?
The best thing to do is not to persuade them. Because I am against the invasion of the Holy City, or rather, the king's future plan for the kingdom.
But there is no point in saying that here and now. It's not cool to complain about it here, since it's a hypothetical story.
It's a difficult question. I think the only thing we can do is to strongly show the impression that it is us, the aristocrats, who are using the Holy Shaman.
And then I held out my hands and changed my tone to one of acting.
The nobles used to be manipulated by the priests and forced to join in the war. But now, after overcoming a long road of hardship, we have established a spirit of independence and self-reliance, and even the holy priest stands on the side of the manipulators. Now, let us settle this abominable history. We, the nobles, will suppress the land that started the tragedy and end the turbulent era. The time has finally come.
The manipulators and the manipulated have switched sides. The nobles are ending the war started by the priests. The Holy City, the starting point of the war, is made the ending point. If this historical contrast structure can be staged well, the fact that we have a holy priesthood may be avoided.
It's a very exciting claim.
Now, how about that? I think it is easy to be overturned by a little uneasiness about how to accept the existence of the holy priesthood. What will happen if someone with a slightly louder voice agitates for the return of the turbulent times?
Like me, for example.
Yes. My father's idea always leaves me with that concern.”
The next moment, the prince laughed out loud and lightly. Then, before anyone else could open their mouths, he said in an amused tone: “As the next head of the family, I have to be careful.
The next head of the family, we can talk about the future in our own way. It is a good thing, I think. If we only wait for our parents' decision and cannot think for ourselves, we will not be able to move forward .
Apparently, he has different ideas from the King's plan. Is it a rebellion against his father? Maybe he has an idea to counter it by gaining support from us, the next generation.
The other day, isn't it?”
It was Kalmia who smoothly interrupted. He must have sensed from the atmosphere that I had not heard about Dunkel's proposal, and he followed up.
He must have sensed that I had not heard of Dunkel's idea. I would like you to listen to my idea, so please do. Tonight, all you have to do is listen.
It seemed that the prince was not so insolent as to suddenly ask me to share my views right here and now.
When he confirmed that I had adjusted my posture, he concluded without hesitation.
The prince confirmed that I had adjusted my posture and, of course, without much thought, he concluded, “Simply put, I think that instead of a royal army, there should be a joint army of the five great noble families of the kingdom.
Oh, I see.
I was going to listen to him in silence, but I couldn't help but whisper my reply because I had come to a point.
In his opening remarks at this meeting, Dunkel had made some worrisome remarks.He said that the next heads of the five major noble families had the opportunity to meet together.
In the Kingdom of Levios, all noble houses are nominally equal, and there is no ranking. The fact that the kingdom's baronial system has become a skeleton is the result of a lack of consistency in that area.
And the classification of the “Five great nobles of the kingdom” Is also in line with this trend, or perhaps it is treated as an open secret or tacit understanding. To mention them on the stage. It is not a taboo subject that must never be mentioned, but it is a topic that is in such a position that it is a bit airy to talk about it out loud.
The prince intentionally referred to the five great nobles of the kingdom as a prelude to his own thoughts.Apparently, this is the subject of this discourse.
My Levios has led many allied armies, including the Great Northern Expedition. I am sure that the people here have tried something similar. They will face less psychological resistance than if they were to move as a royal army.”
The Quardenzes led the Quardenze Allied Forces in the Battle of Nambonan last year.
The prince's story continued, but it was almost identical to the king's proposal, except for the composition of the army.
The prince's plan was to attack the Umong Islands with a mass rental operation of warships, unilaterally attack and destroy several noble families in the Free City Cluster, and put pressure on the Holy City to surrender.
In other words, so far the prince's proposal does not show his colors his.I asked him to speak.
I asked him, “May I ask you a question? What is Prince Dunkel's goal and where is he going? He must have a purpose in mind if he is going to launch a joint army of the five families.
When asked if he sees the same thing as the king and why, the prince asserts in a strong tone.
It is to avenge the threat and make us stronger than we are now.”
Sardin nodded his head deeply at these words, and his unspoken voice his rang out in strong agreement.
As I tried to think about the meaning of the words, Dunkel turned his palm toward me, as if to still me. He seemed to give me a supplementary explanation.
The threat is, of course, St. Navempos. Even though it is not far from its prime at the moment, its recovery is going extremely well. The day will surely come in the not-too-distant future when it will confront the priest We must put a stop to it here and now.”
It seems that both the king and the prince share this point.
Well, the Levios family will have the name of their house listed at the top of the priests' revenge notes, and it can't be helped. They want to use Lorna as a radio controller to scratch the Holy City into a mess.
“…… And to gain strength. More than we are now.”
The “We” Part of the statement was very emphatic. It is safe to assume that the word refers not to the nobility of the kingdom, but to the five families present here: the Levios, the Millendorvas, the Aterahans, the Zeldmitras, and the Quardentzes.
Quite a contrast, isn't it?
My father has too much admiration for the first king. He seems to be more interested in the Levios royal family than in the Levios family.
It is true that he is right, King Levios seems to be working to focus on the future of the kingdom. Of course, this may be because of his calculation that the Levios family can make more progress by doing so. View, that is not the case.
He says, “To be strong as an aristocratic family is more important than being proud of being a royal family. That should take precedence over the pride of being a royal family, and as the protector of this land, I must be that way.
He seems to be trying to say that the development of his own house His is more important than the future of the kingdom.
Strong kingdoms come from strong noble families. The reverse is also true. This is evident in the empires of the West. We can't accomplish anything if we get caught up in …… Petty matters and lose something important.”
I was curious about the latter part.
But I could not ask back because there seemed to be enough anger lurking behind those words to make me hesitate to speak to him. I was afraid that if I poked at him too hard, I might end up with a deadly snake.
What's important?”
So I was inwardly grateful to Orcian for joining the conversation in a carefree tone. The nuts that I had been munching on earlier seemed to be out of stock.
Dunkel seemed to have been taken aback by this no-nonsense move, and with a light laugh, he answered shortly, “Well, that's different for everyone.
I can only say that it depends on each person.Princess Orcian also has something or someone she cares about, doesn't she?
Yes, I do. Yes, I do.
That's what I mean.
As the prince summed up, the maid of the Levios family approached the table without a sound and this time she placed a plate of fruit in front of Orcian.
But still, this guy hates King Levios to death, but he doesn't really care about the prince.
As I was thinking about this and looking at the two of them alternately, my eyes met Prince Dunkel's for a moment.
'Oops, I must have spoken too passionately. My face seems to have grown tense.”
…… Princess Ena, I think.
Ena, the older sister of the same mother as Dunkel, has returned to Levios due to the Elsinian disaster, but before that she was married to another family.
I don't know the details of the story here, but perhaps the marriage was not on very good terms.
During yesterday's tour of King's Landing, I was supposed to have been so furious at Fanny's treatment that my face had grown tight.The prince's current statement seemed to reek of a connection in that area.
It's a guesswork inference, but I can't help it because I can't think of anything else important that the prince might have lost. If there were to be a detailed story, he would have to receive some kind of invitation individually during his stay in King's Landing again.
I understand your desire to be strong. So, how exactly? If the Holy City were to surrender, how would you handle it?
I ask, trying to restart the conversation that has stopped.
At the moment, I cannot see Dunkel's vision His, the direction he is going in.
I think, like my father, that it is enough to improve the voice of Lord Lorna and the Faithful in regard to St. Navempos.
So basically, he's taking the cease-fire-and-leave-it route.
I looked at Lorna's face her, but she didn't seem particularly concerned.
'Then what about the Free Cities group?'
Apparently this is where the prince's proposal comes into view, and Dunkel held out his hands as if asking me to listen.
'We seek to join the Kingdom. ……, But the terms will be far harsher than those of my father's. I would call it a de facto surrender.”
In the phase of pressing the Free City Cluster to join, the joint forces of the five families should have already been disbanded. If we impose such strong conditions, I feel that the southern part of the continent will forever be a region where independent aristocratic families can roam around as much as they like.
As I thought about this, there was someone who instead offered an answer.
'If you reject the kingdom's gracious offer of surrender, our Zerdmitra will have no choice but to destroy you. It is sad, isn't it?”
Sardin said in a voice that did not seem to feel a shred of sadness.
'Shouldn't the Marquises of Zeldmitra not have expanded south after the capture of the Umon Islands?
'My proposal does not call for that commitment.
The prince answers the question I had.
Apparently an agreement has been formed among the Dunkel-Sardins regarding the expansion of the House of Zerdmitra.
Your uncle has been very kind to you, being satisfied with just holding the Ummon Islands.
Zeldmietra Sardin, it seems, is an ambitious man.He sees the Marquis of Zeldmitra's posture as his defensive.
In a sense, King Levios' end of the turbulent era may also be a defensive rather than an offensive idea. In an age when the nobility can grow as big as they want, that is to say, an age when their own house may become It is not hard to understand why they want to end the rebellion while they are still large and win and escape.
But that is just not acceptable to Sardines. It is natural for a young man with a future in the noble family of Zeldmitra to want to win more and become bigger.
I know that Wilk has an extraordinary determination to conquer Spierzeig.I am sure you can understand my feelings as a Zeldmietra native.You said earlier that now is the time for each of the five families to build up their strength.
No, that's not what I meant.
I wonder if Quardenze Wilk would have thought about such a thing if he had been born into the Quardenze family as a normal Eluo continental nobleman, even in …….I've heard stories that the young Lord Ancestor has an all -powerful mind and goes off the rails.
Maybe it is because of the memories of my previous life, but I feel like my base thoughts are on the middle-aged side, already on the defensive. I am dazzled by Mr. Sardin and Mr. Dunkel, who are in an easy- going mode.
At any rate, let's hear the rest of the prince's proposal without denying it.
I gave Sardine a reasonable nod and looked at Dunkel.
By the way, what will be the terms of surrender you will impose on the independent aristocratic families of the Free Cities?
“The transfer of the lands.
The prince assures us that it is a transfer, that is, a change of fiefs under the leadership of the kingdom.
'…… That's a very strict condition.
I intend to confront the kingdom with the fact that it is the superior. I thought the resealing would be a clear indicator of that.”
He says it simply, but I highly doubt that it is really possible to transfer the seal of nobility. The last time a transfer of land was made was more than 200 years ago, before the Rebellion.
It is difficult to imagine ordering a noble family rooted in its ancestral land to move to another place. If the terms of surrender were made public, the Free Cities might unite and become an anti-kingdom force.
By having the Kingdom take charge of the transferring of the seal, which was once carried out by priests, we will show the world where authority resides.”
…… I think I'm beginning to see a little bit of the Dunkel vision. I know that he is aiming at a different place than King Levi and the first King Levi.
By the way, you talk about us becoming more powerful than we are now……. Was the Marquisate of Zeldmitra a southern expansion? What will the House of Levios do? Are they going to expand into the Land of Mists?”
I ask with a nuance of “No, right?
As you may know, although our Levios is facing the Warcord River, there are not as many demonic beasts invading our lands as in the Aterahan region.
It is said that in the misty lands of the northern part of the Levios territory, there are mountains stretching from east to west.Therefore, it is said that demonic beasts can easily bypass the west side and as a result, the area around the Aterahan region becomes a concentration point for demonic beasts.
This is just a prediction, and there is no record of demonic beasts actually bypassing the area. In the heyday of the priests, however, there are no institutions capable of such large-scale observations in this day and age.
So, for my part, I think it would be enough if we could build a few defensive facilities on the other side of the river. Of course, it is not so easy to build a fort. Cooperation with the Marquis de Aterahan will be essential .
With a map in my mind, I connected the dots and lines to the points where Dunkel said the fort would be built.
The prince is probably trying to intimidate the other noble families from entering the land of mist and starting to develop it into their own territory.
So Prince Dunkel is not very active in the cultivation of the Misty Lands.”
'The northern settlement …… Northward operation is a dream that Prince Croune once aimed for with the first king. My father's aggressiveness probably has something to do with that.”
He then concluded, paying attention to the two members of the Aterahan family.
'I cannot dream of the North as much as my father did.
The Levios family does not intend to devote much resources to the project, but they will support the northward expansion of the Aterahan family if they agree to my proposal.
If that is the case, how does House Levios really intend to gain strength?
“They intend to settle the mismanagement caused by Ercinea's disaster and strengthen their internal structure.
I see.
As expected. He is referring to the non-governance issue, the future handling of the land that was destroyed by the magical beast Ercinea and lost its ruler. These free lands without rulers are scattered in the vicinity of the Levios territory, including the Loushna The nobles of the Loushna region are lobbying in the royal capital to acquire this vacant land.
Simply put, the free territories are to be converted into Levios territory in order to settle mismanagement and strengthen the internal system. The proximity to Levios territory means that there has been peace ever since the founding of the country, and there are many promising cities with a developed culture and economy. To put it bluntly, it is a very tasty deal.
Perhaps because of the guilt of having caused the outbreak of the magical beast Elsinia, King Levios is looking for a solution based on the premise of ceding it to another family, but Dunkel seems to be different.
The idea of prioritizing the Levios family rather than the Levios Kingdom is exactly manifested here. As expected, even here, he does not directly say, “We will also get a territory because of the non-governance issue! The problem is resolved quickly, we will be able to get the lands of the Kuks.
“If the issue is settled as soon as possible, I think it will be of great benefit to the Marquise of Quardenze.
If the Quardenze family supports the prince's proposal and sides with him on the issue of non-governance, then they are willing to cooperate in the war against Spierzeig. The ungoverned areas do not have centipede legs, and they will be stable and operational as soon as the Levios family begins to rule, and it would be practical to send reinforcements to our house.
I hope to continue talking with Lord Kilode and Princess Orsian in the future at such occasions.Since we are both the next heads of the family, we should be able to discuss things that our parents cannot.
'Mhm, I see. …… I see.”
And the benefit to the Millendorva family …… Or rather the benefit to Killode is his relationship with her with Orsian?
Everyone here has already guessed that Killode is crazy about Orcian. Even I can sense the budding of a pariah aristocrat in him, so it is only natural that Dunkel should take advantage of it.
If the Grand Duke of Millendorva tries to keep the relationship between Kirode and Orsian away from him, it is quite possible that he will go berserk and get close to the prince.
Well, there would be some other benefit to be had, but that was the part that was difficult to hear as a member of the Quardenze family.
“What do you think, Lord Wilke?”
'……Was an interesting story.'
It was a proposal that illustrated the difference in thought between the king and the prince.
I am glad to hear it. I hope we can talk about it another night.
He was giving me time to think about it. Unlike the other members of the group, I was the only one who had not been told about the meeting beforehand, so it was only natural that I should be given time to think about it.
However, comparing the two proposals side by side, the king's proposal was definitely more palatable to the kingdom's aristocracy.
Aside from the prince's proposal to allow the expansion of the Zeldmitra family, the Levios family's insistence on the issue of non-governance would be absurdly repugnant. At that point, the king's proposal, the idea that all the nobles of the kingdom should unite to prepare for future threats, should look attractive.
Besides, a difference of ideology exists at the root of this proposal.
From the time of the first King Levios, to the next time……?”
When I spilled out such small words with the intention of testing them, not only Dunkel but even Kalmia and Novaluf showed surprise. Apparently, these three understood the essence of the prince's proposal.
What is it, Lord Wilk?
Kalmia asked, and I quietly shook my head.
I'm sorry, I haven't quite worked it out yet.
Dunkel's immediate target is the issue of non-governance, but his ultimate goal is hidden in the transfer of power.
The transfer of the seal, one of the privileges of priests that once enjoyed a heyday, is to be made the authority of the kingdom, which will make the royal family's power stronger. The noble families of the Free City Cluster were chosen to make the achievements for this purpose.
The idea of giving priority to the five great noble families, which is spreading among the younger generation, leads to the disregard of the weak and miscellaneous noble families. The state that Dunkel is aiming for should be a form in which the royal family and the great nobles have powerful authority.
If the five major noble families have more authority within the kingdom, that much more will be unfulfilled desire for the kingdom. The Quardenze family will be a shield against the Zinkaen Empire, the Zeldmitra family will be a shield against St. Navempos, and the Aterahan family will be left behind as the Misty Land Settlement. The Levios and Mirendorva families in the rear are enjoying a comfortable and peaceful life.
The root of the prince's proposal can be said to be a departure from the first king's idea of equal relations among the nobles. But this is too new and young an idea. Most of the kingdom's nobles would feel uncomfortable with it and unconsciously hesitate to support it.
In this light, it was clear that the king's proposal emphasizes the equality of the nobles to a certain extent.
May I ask you a question? One for Herr Lorna.
I checked with Dunkel, the host of the meeting. When he agreed, Lorna even turned her body toward me to receive my question.
What is it?
I don't know if this has anything to do with the success or failure of the mission.It was simply a question that I genuinely wondered about and wanted to ask.
I opened my mouth, feeling a little pressured by Lorna's eyes her as she stared at me.
Even if either King Levios or Prince Dunkel's plan succeeds, the Holy City will be in turmoil. Just when the city was showing signs of recovery, a civil war may break out and St. Navempos may be burnt to the ground once again. Have any thoughts about that?
“No.”
What about ………………?”
The answer was so immediate that I was unable to formulate words.That is how natural Lorna's response was.It's as if she was giving a self-evident answer.She did not seem at all perturbed by my slightly sarcastic words her.
What's wrong?”
Lorna's eyes her, which looked at me as if she was seriously worried about my agitation, seemed to glow darkly.
How could she not feel anything when her hometown, her family and friends, and her place of faith might suffer the ravages of war? Asked her about it.
Perhaps it was because of that, but what came out of my mouth was a pure question without a trace of nobility.
What is your purpose? “My Lord Lorna.”
She put her right hand on her chest and answered with a loving smile.
The only mission I have in this body is the one I received from Zeth the Founder.
Her voice is more like a hymn than words.
It is the revival of faith.
Her large black eyes, which seemed to absorb even the darkness of the night, seemed almost insane.
