Chapter 85

-- The capital city of Rotsmer has fallen.

The urgent news received just before the meeting with Duke Medilen Harven tipped the balance of the situation into a crisis. After all, even the emperor was taken captive.

Duke Medilen smiled faintly.

"This information was brought to us by our family's spy, but the source is the Imperial Herald, Lord Brechen."

Who was that? Oh, I remember.

He was the one who brought up the position of Imperial Aide-de-Camp to me before.

The Herald is an expert in heraldry and also a diplomat. He can identify coats of arms to guarantee the identity of prisoners and the dead, and can also serve as a messenger for prisoner exchanges.

It's always good to have connections with such people. That's why I approached Lord Brechen.

I told him that if the Imperial House falls, the Medilen family will re-employ him as a Herald, and I asked him to provide us with information.

Feeling uncertain about the future of the Imperial House, he readily agreed and is still staying in the suburbs of the capital, keeping an eye on the situation.

Duke Medilen continued.

"Moreover, we have supporters among the Imperial Guard, the wealthy merchants of the capital, and the Rotsmer diocese priests. There are even some surprising figures among our supporters. We must protect them, so I cannot reveal their identities."

I had expected as much, but the Five Royal Houses are truly formidable.

"From their accounts, it seems there was a mole among the Imperial House or the Imperial Guard. They took advantage of the chaos during the siege of the capital to interfere with the military command structure."

I don't know if it was Duke Zihiteberg, Duke Mildor, or Duke Bruges, but it seems they had personnel in the capital prepared for 'such a time.'

The Imperial Guard, though lacking in combat experience, is highly equipped, disciplined, and well-trained. The army that protects the emperor cannot be weak. If they fought a proper battle, a fierce conflict would be inevitable.

If that happened, the capital would be devastated, and the new rulers, such as Duke Zihiteberg, would lose the support of the influential people in the capital.

To avoid this, it seems Duke Zihiteberg and the others carefully planned the war.

Duke Medilen seemed to be inviting me to speak, so I cleared my throat.

"Probably, to take the capital unscathed, they devised a plot. They pretended to capture the capital by force but actually took the emperor and the capital unharmed."

"Do you think so too?"

General Altsar also spoke.

"Thinking back, the reason the Bruges mercenary group persistently targeted my brigade was probably to prevent Lieutenant Colonel Chrombertz from getting close to the capital or Duke Zihiteberg."

The old man wanted to capture the general, but in the end, he retreated rather easily.

In military terms, there are 'must-achieve' objectives and 'nice-to-achieve' objectives. Considering the capture of the general as a 'nice-to-achieve' objective makes sense.

Duke Medilen nodded deeply.

"If Lieutenant Colonel Chrombertz, who thwarted the Minshiana rebellion, had entered the capital, such a plot would have been exposed immediately. If he had fled to Duke Zihiteberg, the kind-hearted young master's heart might have wavered."

He has a somewhat reluctant villainous air, that man. It must be due to his good upbringing.

Now, with this, the next strategy of the Bruges duchy is becoming clearer. I opened my mouth.

"The Bruges duchy has taken the capital Rotsmer unscathed. The Imperial Guard will also surrender to the Bruges army. The emperor is a captive and cannot fight."

Duke Medilen folded his arms.

"That's right. The emperor is a captive, and the authority of the Imperial House has fallen. However, for the aristocratic families of the Imperial House, the reincarnated Duke Bruges is unacceptable. It would be better for them to recognize the Zihiteberg family as the top and join the aristocracy rather than swear loyalty to the Bruges family."

I agree, but there are concerns.

"Is it procedurally and emotionally possible?"

I, a commoner and a foreigner, don't understand these emotional aspects.

Duke Medilen smiled thinly.

"Such things can be arranged in any way. Every family has unnatural blanks at the top of their family trees. By writing in appropriate names, a family that was part of the Schweider aristocracy can become part of the Zihiteberg aristocracy."

I blurted out without thinking.

"Is that okay?"

"It may not be ideal, but no one wants to lose their land and status in their lifetime. This is a compromise that can be made."

General Altsar spoke.

"Many families are already related through political marriages. A single head of the family has two parents, four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents."

Duke Medilen nodded deeply.

"My aunt is right. Five generations back, there are thirty-two ancestors. The further back you go, the more ancestors there are, and if there is a connection at the top, you can claim a noble lineage. That's what the aristocracy is."

It's quite arbitrary, but being flexible is a good thing.

That's why Duke Medilen intends to incorporate the lords of the coastal regions. He plans to use various excuses to claim they are part of the Medilen family and bring them under his control.

Duke Medilen looked at me.

"Therefore, our family is working hard to incorporate the surrounding lords. However, since the Minshiana rebellion, the relationship with the restored Duke Litraille has been awkward..."

It's not my fault, right?

"In that case, Secretary Ricoche would be suitable for the task."

"Hmm? Ah, the one who was the double for Lord Minshiana. I've heard from my aunt that he was the de facto representative."

Ricoche is a minor figure to Duke Medilen, but he remembered him.

"What about him?"

"It seems that the heir, Lord Serin, looks up to Secretary Ricoche like a sister."

"Really?"

I smiled at Duke Medilen, who was wide-eyed.

"Lord Minshiana hardly met his real brother. For some reason, Secretary Ricoche attended almost all the meetings as a double."

Unlike Minshiana, who was cold and even targeted his brother's life, Ricoche was kind to the young Serin. Ricoche had siblings back home and couldn't be cold to young children.

As a result, the heir, Serin, is very attached to Ricoche.

"Later, Secretary Ricoche revealed his true identity, but Serin was too young to understand the situation. At five years old, he probably just thought, 'My sister's name and clothes have changed.'"

Duke Medilen smiled at my explanation.

"What a heartwarming story. Despite the difference in status and blood, they are like siblings."

"Yes. Lord Serin still looks up to Secretary Ricoche and continues to communicate with him, avoiding the eyes of Duke Litraille."

"Hmm..."

Duke Medilen closed his eyes and thought for a moment.

"Then Secretary Ricoche must be given appropriate treatment. If Lord Serin knows that his 'sister' is well-treated by the Medilen family, he will have a good impression. I will make Secretary Ricoche a one-generation noble."

I realized what he was thinking.

In this world, monarchs can appoint commoners as one-generation nobles by vouching for them personally.

However, to prevent the proliferation of such appointments, there is an unwritten rule that only the Imperial House can exercise this power among the Five Royal Houses.

If Duke Medilen appoints me as a one-generation noble, he will be breaking a centuries-old imperial tradition, which could be seen as an act of rebellion.

So I smiled wryly.

"Should I address you as 'Your Majesty' from now on?"

"Sweet words indeed. But preparations are needed for that."

It seems he intends to rule the eastern part of the empire as 'King Medilen.'

In this country, there are only villains wherever you look.

Duke Medilen's expression hardened.

"The Imperial House has no power left. Still, someone from the Five Royal Houses must take on the politics of the empire. I will be the new backbone of the empire. Lieutenant Colonel Chrombertz, use your wisdom to make me a true king."

With that, he bowed to me.

I know that half of his expression and gestures are an act, but when he sincerely asks for help like this, it really moves me. His way of conducting the conversation and his skill in winning people over are truly remarkable.

Moreover, Duke Medilen is one of the top five most capable people in the empire. It's impossible to refuse when such a person bows to you.

I glanced at General Altsar, who nodded slightly. With the approval of my respected superior, I decided to cooperate.

"Leave it to me, Your Excellency. To create a better country than the empire, I will dedicate my life to this endeavor."

I meant it seriously, but Duke Medilen burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! Indeed! If we are going to destroy it, we must make it a better country. Let's create a good country that will prosper for generations. I count on you, Lieutenant Colonel Chrombertz."

I am now deeply involved in a national conspiracy...

* * *

【The King of the Blood Sea】

After General Altsar and Lieutenant Colonel Chrombertz left, Duke Medilen Harven stood in the conference room for a while.

(A better country than the empire, huh...)

Harven closed his eyes and meditated.

(Indeed, the empire I know is terrible. The people suffer and are full of resentment, and their anger is directed at us nobles. The wars the Imperial House wages with neighboring countries are also meant to divert recent discontent.)

On the wall of the spy-proof conference room, a detailed "world map" was hung, centered on the empire at its peak, showing distant trade routes and the entire Blood Sea, which even the Imperial House does not possess.

Harven gazed at it thoughtfully.

(The fall of the capital must have caused panic among the nobles. It would be delightful to turn this confusion into an opportunity and make the Medilen family the dominant force in history. If unnecessary wars stop, everyone can live more prosperously.)

Duke Medilen took out a top-secret document.

The cover of the document was inscribed in the secret script of the Medilen family, reading "Medilen Kingdom Independence Plan (Empire Division Plan)."

Duke Medilen flipped through the document and wrote in the blank space in the personnel section.

-- First Prime Minister, Yuiina Chrombertz Medilen.

"Hmm. It's interesting that my adoptive uncle is a reincarnated person."

Duke Medilen nodded in satisfaction but then looked uncertain and picked up his pen again, adding a small note below the name.

-- * If he accepts.