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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Adelia’s expression was complex. If my predictions came true, her own family, the Dressten family, could be facing ruin.
The problem was that she couldn’t simply side with her family. If I fell, the fate of her only remaining child was uncertain.
“You don’t seem to be on good terms with Count Dressten.”
“Don’t speak so casually. You don’t know anything.”
“I know that you were forced into an unwanted marriage.” Count Dressten was a typical nobleman. He wouldn’t hesitate to use his own family members as bargaining chips for the benefit of his family.
Adelia’s marriage was a result of such a transaction. Genuine familial affection couldn’t flourish in such an environment.
“That’s something every noblewoman experiences.”
“Then why did you allow your husband to approach Count Bruah? That’s practically an act of betrayal from Count Dressten’s perspective.”
“That’s…” I answered for the speechless Adelia.
“Wasn’t it an act of rebellion?”
Adelia couldn’t hide her surprise, but quickly regained her composure and retorted,
“Even so, he’s still my father.”
“He’s also the man who would sell his widowed daughter to the highest bidder. If I were gone, you would be forced into another unwanted marriage.” Despite her age, Adelia possessed a beauty that rivaled a woman in her twenties. There would be no shortage of suitors.
“That’s something I have to endure.”
“Do you intend to subject your daughter to the same experience? You know that Count Dressten would use your granddaughter as a political pawn.”
Adelia bit her lip, knowing from experience that my words were true.
I stood up, holding the sleeping Usebia in my arms.
“Why not prioritize your own happiness over your family? I’m being sincere.”
“I’ll handle my own affairs.”
I shrugged and left.
I had to stop by Baron Debussy’s territory and couldn’t be late for the jousting tournament.
And I needed to discipline this mischievous cat in my arms.
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“Haa…” Left alone, Adelia sighed repeatedly, a troubled expression on her face. Allen’s words, like a thorn in her throat, continued to bother her.
“My own happiness…?” Allen was the first person to ever say such a thing to her.
Her own family, even her own children, had been indifferent to her happiness.
She covered her face with her hands, unable to decide what the right choice was.
Allen’s words echoed in her mind. Her worries deepened.
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Having spent some time with Usebia, I returned to Phalanx, accompanied by Janbolt and Zant.
Janbolt’s face had been grim since we left Polton.
“I was really busy! Look at all these wrinkles! And things were just starting to heat up with Leah! My supposed best friend is ruining my love life! Do you have a conscience?!”
“You were the only one I could trust.”
“Ugh… I can’t even be mad…”
“It might be of some consolation to you, but the maids in Phalanx Castle are all quite beautiful.”
“Really…? Wait, no! What good is that if they all want to kill me?!” Not just anyone could work in a Baron’s castle. They had to be from a reputable family or the children of influential citizens.
The problem was that I had eliminated the Baron’s vassals, who were directly or indirectly connected to those families.
“Don’t worry. Sir Zant will protect you.”
“How could I not pledge my loyalty to you, after you’ve accepted me and entrusted me with such an important task, despite our past animosity? You won’t regret your decision!”
Zant was essential for stabilizing Baron Debussy’s territory.
That was the only reason I had recruited him, but he seemed deeply moved that I had sought him out and entrusted him with such a responsibility, after his humiliating defeat.
His earnest gaze was almost overwhelming. I patted him on the shoulder and advised,
“Of course I trust you. But keep an eye on the treasurer. He’s rather fond of slacking off.”
“Is that alright? He’s your friend…”
“It’s not alright!” Janbolt interjected. I ignored him and continued,
“Despite his flaws, he’s quite capable. He’ll get the job done.”
“Hey! Are you ignoring me?!”
“Your command is my will.”
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I left Janbolt and Zant in Phalanx and headed for Roxwood, the capital of Count Bruah’s territory.
With Muel and Dreng also staying behind, stabilizing Baron Debussy’s territory wouldn’t be a problem.
Roxwood was located in a typical defensible position, surrounded by mountains and a river.
Behind it lay a great mountain range known as the Giant’s Shoulder, and the Rhine River, originating from the mountains, flowed past the city.
The fortress built on the mountainside suggested that the territory had been established for military purposes.
Within the fortress walls was another, smaller city, with the inner castle located closer to the mountain.
Count Bruah awaited me in the grand hall of the inner castle.
He was an elderly man with curly white hair and a matching bushy beard, giving him a dignified air.
“You’re quite different from what I expected. I heard you tore a troll apart with your bare hands, so I imagined a large, brutish man. Quite the opposite, aren’t you?” Count Bruah’s vassals, lined up on either side of him, nodded in agreement.
“How could a man possibly defeat a troll with his bare hands?”
“So it’s true that you killed a troll single-handedly.”
“I can demonstrate it right here.” I suppressed my nervousness and smiled, maintaining an air of confidence. Count Bruah believed I was backed by the King.
Count Bruah waved his hand dismissively.
“I’ll see for myself at the jousting tournament. Let’s discuss more important matters for now.” He paused for a moment, then continued,
“I’ll ask you directly. What does the King want?”
As expected, Count Bruah suspected the King’s involvement. To win him over, I needed to turn his suspicion into certainty.
“I don’t understand. What do you mean by the King?” I feigned ignorance. Count Bruah chuckled, as if he had anticipated my denial.
“So there’s no official involvement?”
“If I were the King, I wouldn’t openly do anything that would arouse suspicion among the other nobles.”
I could only use Eleanor to influence Count Bruah. Nothing more.
I offered a plausible explanation, careful not to arouse suspicion. Fortunately, Count Bruah didn’t seem to notice anything amiss.
“I suppose… the King has no reason to intervene.”
While Count Dressten was descended from the previous dynasty, it had been several generations since then.
It wasn’t a strong enough justification for an attack.
The other nobles wouldn’t stand idly by if the King attacked Dressten without a valid reason.
A feudal king was just a nobleman with a larger territory.
If several powerful lords joined forces, even the King would have to fear for his life.
“Even so, he can’t just stand idly by. While Count Dressten’s power is concentrated in his fleet, he’s still a Margrave, unlike any other.”
“If I were the King, I wouldn’t do anything that could be used against me.” Count Bruah frowned.
“So you’re saying I should take all the risks? That’s like someone else sowing the seeds and me reaping the harvest.”
“But the rewards would be substantial.”
“So you’re saying I can claim Dressten’s rock salt mines?”
Salt was known as white gold. Dressten controlled rock salt mines that produced this white gold.
They were open-pit mines with abundant reserves, making them more valuable than most gold mines.
Dressten’s rapid growth was thanks to the synergy between these rock salt mines and the shifting herring migration routes.
It was no coincidence that he had threatened war when the herring migration shifted to Quaran.
“The one who invests the most reaps the most rewards.” I didn’t hesitate. I knew I would choke if I tried to swallow a territory as large as Dressten on my own.
Moreover, I had a plan to reclaim the rock salt mines later.
Count Bruah had no heirs and was an elderly man.
I knew from my previous life that his territory would be plunged into chaos after his death due to succession disputes.
If I seized that opportunity, I could reclaim the rock salt mines.
“Hmm… is that so?” Count Bruah, unaware of my scheme, looked intrigued.
His vassals, lined up on either side of him, nodded in agreement, exchanging glances.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming more agreeable, Count Bruah spoke.
“However, there’s a problem.”
“What…”
“I’ll explain.” A voice emerged from among the vassals. A middle-aged knight with snow-white skin and contrasting black hair, like the two women of the Rasino family, stepped forward. I knew him…
“Sir Eric.”
He was Adelia’s second older brother and one of Count Dressten’s most powerful knights.
In my previous life, he was a named character who rebuilt his family after they were ruined by Eleanor’s ability.
While I had anticipated Count Dressten’s reaction to Adelia’s letter, I hadn’t expected Eric, his favored son, to take action personally. And in Count Bruah’s castle, no less!
Count Bruah spoke to Eric.
“You’ve seen that this knight isn’t backed by me, haven’t you? This is all the King’s plot.”
It seemed Eric had suspected Count Bruah’s involvement. Count Bruah had brought him along to clear up the misunderstanding.
The problem was that this had negated my information advantage.
What was Count Bruah thinking? Didn’t he understand the importance of information superiority? Or was he planning to switch sides?
I tensed, ready to draw my sword at any moment, and looked at Count Bruah.
“Would you care to explain this situation?”
“Don’t worry, Sir Knight. I haven’t decided to side with Count Dressten. I’m simply… undecided about whether siding with the King or Count Dressten is more beneficial…” Count Bruah trailed off, a sly grin on his face. Eric, glancing at me, spoke to Count Bruah.
“If the King absorbs Dressten, his power will become too great. The nobles won’t be able to control him.”
Eric warned of the emergence of an absolute monarch, an outcome no noble desired. And it wasn’t an empty threat.
Bronce II had doubled his territory and his family’s wealth since becoming King. He had often boasted of his ambition to become a legendary king.
Eric continued,
“And consider what would happen after Dressten falls. Wouldn’t it look like the King’s forces are surrounding Bruah? Bruah might be next.”
“What do you think of that?” Count Bruah asked me, smirking.
I inwardly broke into a cold sweat. After conquering Dressten, Bruah was my next target.
As expected of a named character. While he hadn’t grasped the specifics, he had accurately predicted the flow of events.
I feigned composure.
“That’s absurd. The King is too far away to exert his influence effectively. And with the Count gaining new territories and the rock salt mines, his power will only grow, making it even more difficult to challenge him. I’m more surprised that you would believe Count Dressten, considering your long-standing animosity.”
“Do you think I don’t know what Dressten is thinking? But his words hold some truth, don’t they? It’s not in anyone’s best interest for the King’s power to grow any further.”
I turned to Eric.
“What did he offer you?” Count Bruah wouldn’t have ignored the substantial benefits I had offered simply because of some vague concerns.
Eric, who had arrived before me, must have offered him a suitable counteroffer. Eric spoke calmly,
“He agreed to allow me to control Baron Debussy’s territory. He also promised to form a joint front against the King if the King attacked Dressten directly. A conditional alliance of sorts.”
While Baron Debussy’s territory was quite prosperous, it was nothing compared to Dressten’s rock salt mines.
And yet, Count Bruah’s attitude was ambiguous. Was there another, undisclosed offer? Or…
“What do you want?”
At my direct question, Count Bruah finally smiled.
“Isn’t that for you two to figure out?”
Eric and I exchanged glances. We both understood what Count Bruah meant by “you two.”
He had realized he held the deciding vote and intended to play the King and Dressten against each other, siding with whoever offered the better deal.
‘The problem is, unlike Dressten, I have nothing more to offer.’
Contrary to Count Bruah’s belief, the King wasn’t backing me. Count Bruah seemed to misinterpret my silence.
“I’ll give you a hint. I need assurance that the King won’t do the same to me after conquering Dressten.”
“Do you want a written agreement?”
“There’s a more reliable method, isn’t there?” Count Bruah smirked lewdly. I suddenly remembered that the old man, despite his age, had a reputation for being quite the womanizer.
“Don’t tell me…”
“I promise you. If you arrange a marriage between the princess and me, I’ll side with the King.”
“The rock salt mines are included in the deal, of course?”
“Naturally.” Wasn’t that too greedy? He must have thought I would be forced to accept, even if I disapproved, to achieve my goals. Revenge required survival, after all.
However, Count Bruah had misjudged the King’s intentions.
He mistakenly believed the King wanted to eliminate the Dressten family, when in reality, the King only wanted to help me.
That was a significant difference.
‘How dare he covet what’s mine?’
Count Bruah also offered Eric a hint.
“If Dressten wants my help, he’ll have to cede Quaran to me.”
Eric’s expression remained neutral, but his eyes burned with ambition.
Would the proud Dressten family, led by a powerful Margrave with royal blood, ever accept such humiliation?
I saw an opportunity in Count Bruah’s excessive greed and the resulting discord.
“You’ll need time to consider. Think about it while participating in the jousting tournament.”
Count Bruah dismissed us with a casual wave of his hand.
Eric and I didn’t speak until we left the inner castle. Once the servant who had escorted us turned away, I spoke first.
“If this continues, Count Bruah will benefit the most.”
“Isn’t this all because of the King’s greed?”
“More accurately, it’s because of my greed.”
Eric frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m the one who wants Dressten. The King is simply helping me.”
“How dare…!” Eric’s hand went to his sword, his demeanor menacing, as if he were about to draw and attack.
He had been remarkably patient until now. I was, after all, the sworn enemy of his sister, Adelia. He must have been restraining himself because of Count Bruah.
However, I remained calm. Even if Eric was as strong as Andrei, I was confident I could defeat him.
Moreover, Eric was a cautious man who thought carefully before acting. That meant I could reason with him.
“Conversely, it means the King will help me even if I want Bruah.”
Eric’s hostility vanished instantly. He removed his hand from his sword and looked at me with a strange expression.
“I’d like to hear more.”
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Go for it my G!
