Chapter 267: A Fishy Longing

The moon shines brightly in the September night sky.

The entire city was illuminated as if floating in the darkness, probably due to the continuous jet-black walls of the city.

The city of Zizafork is the home of the Marquis of Zeldmitra, one of the five major noble families of the Kingdom of Levioth.

However, it is not a city that has walked together with the Quardenze family since the foundation of the noble family, as is the case with New Neri City in the Quardenze family. The Zeldmitra family has frequently relocated its capital since the Zeldmitra Clade took the helm of the invasion and expansion policy.

In times of war, the cities that were suitable as bases for invasion were their strongholds. It can be said that the concept of a home base was not very important in the first place.

It is only in recent years that the city of Zizaforq has come to be recognized as the headquarters of the Zeldmitra family. The territory in order to build a system capable of launching a more large-scale invasion war.

There are two symbolic structures in Jizzafolk.

One is the castle where the Zeldmitra family resides, and the other is a huge tower.

The huge tower was originally a religious facility for praying to the Great Spirit of the Sun. It was erected and donated by the noble family that once ruled the city of Jizafork for the purpose of showing their allegiance to the Zesuist Holy High Society.

However, as the era of the priests came to an end, the role of the tower changed. It was renovated as a watchtower to guard against invasion by the surrounding aristocratic families during the time of war. The outskirts of the city.

As time went by and the Zerdmitra family conquered the city of Jizzafork, the tower had also completed its role. The tower was no longer useful, as it had been pushed inside the city as a result of the expansion of the residential area due to the increase in population.

Today, the tower is a facility that only rings a bell to tell the time.

Sardine.”

A man appeared on the roof of the tower.

His name is Zeldmitra Garrel, He is the current head of the Zeldmitra family, the Marquis of Zeldmitra.

I knew you were here.

The rooftop is built like a roof balcony, so to speak, with the ceiling of the lower floor as the floor.

I was approached by Zeldmitra Sardin, Garrel's nephew and the next head of the family. He leaned back in his chair and muttered quietly.

It's tsukimi.

Sardin sometimes climbed this tower in the middle of the night when he was deep in thought about something. He likes this spot, the closest to the moon in Giza Fork.

Would you like to join us, Uncle?”

A chair had already been prepared there.He must have been expecting his uncle's visit.

Garel nodded silently and faced Sardin across the table. It had been a long time since he had seen his nephew's face like this, he thought suddenly.

What is it?”

No, I just thought he was starting to look a lot like his older brother when he was younger.

Sardin's father was the previous head of the Zeldmitra family and Garel's older brother.

He is the oldest brother of the Zeldmitra family……. Especially his voice His.Talking in the dark like this, I even feel like I'm talking to my brother.

The lights of life have faded from the city, as the citizens have already finished their day's activities. Only the moon, which occasionally peeked through the clouds, and a little lighting magic illuminated them.

The unreliable light source made it difficult to read his nephew's expression.Garel felt nostalgia at the sound of a voice coming from beyond the darkness.

He was talking to his nephew, who was standing in the dark, “You know, your father and uncle used to chat with each other in the middle of the night. The place was a castle.

Sometimes I would call out to him, and sometimes he would call out to me. Sometimes it was me, and sometimes it was my brother. We talked many times about the future of Zeldmietra.

Would you like to talk with me this evening, then?

The civilian officials around him confirmed this and then activated an additional illumination spell. Several balls of light appeared and shook off the darkness, clearly reflecting the two men's figures.

The brightening made Garel realize that there was a document on the table.

…… The Quardenze family, huh?”

The map, spread out in the center of the table, focused on the central part of the continent.

'Your uncle came to talk about it, did he not?

Although he had already had discussions with the knights and other dignitaries of Zeldmietra, Sardin wanted to talk to his uncle at least once here.And so did Garel.

Yes, that's right.”

On top of the map, there were a number of objects made of wood, like a tiddlywink. Red, blue, and green.

It was clear that his nephew had been studying the war between the Quardenzes and the Spierzeiks.

What in the world has happened on the Vojstra Plain?

Garrel looked at the pile of tokens with a frown.

It all began shortly after the beginning of September. The first thing that happened was that the city of Giza Fork received an unbelievable report that the Quardenze army was besieging the city of Othelloia.

It was only the word of a commoner. But considering that the rumor came from Quordenze, ……

The man who brought the story to the Zeldmitra family was a peddler who worked across the territory.His name was Dzhiot.

The officials of the city of Zizafork who came out to respond to the situation initially judged Zidjot's tip to be a malicious hoax. It was clearly an unusual situation for the Othelloia campaign to begin so abruptly. It is not something that can be trusted.

However, we did not do anything to get rid of the dijots. The mess that occurred earlier this year in connection with Operation Snake Fang was still fresh in their minds, and they decided to at least listen to what he had to say, just in case.

It was entirely by chance that Žižiotto learned of the Quardenze's movements. He happened to be in Spierzeig territory and was visiting a farming village on the outskirts of Dzerlan, where an acquaintance lived.

When he returned to the nearest city of Dzerlan after a half-month stay, he found that the city had somehow been taken over by the Kuordentse army. He was suddenly thrust into a situation so inexplicable that he was half in a panic.

However, Jiřít was a man who would not just roll over. He was deeply involved with the city of Giza Fork, and he thought that he could sell this information to the Zeljdomitra family.

Once he made his decision, he acted quickly. While pretending to be a peddler, he followed the trail of the Kuordentse army. Since he was a peddler by trade, he was hardly suspected. He made his way from one city to another, and eventually caught up with the Quardenze forces attacking Oceloria.

Unbeknownst to Jiřít, the Quardenze forces at this time were more focused on capturing and conquering the city center than on pursuing the Spiasejk clan holed up in Ocelória Castle.

Under such circumstances, it was impossible for a peddler to approach the city. He quickly gave up and escaped from Spiaseik territory and hurried to Zerdmietra territory.

It was fortuitous that he was able to obtain information at an early stage,” He said.

Yes, it was. It was great to know these things.”

Sardin lightly poked the red dots on the map with his fingerhis.

He said, “The fall of Doserlan, the fall of Værdberg, the fall of Barlaika ……, And the attack on Oceloria.”

The red dots indicate the cities where Žižot actually confirmed the presence of the Qordentse army with his own eyes.

And several blue dots were placed in cities located between the cities of Barlaika and Oceloria. This is the city that Žižot visited but could not confirm the presence of the Kuordentse army.

As I thought, it would be a strong attack on Oceloria using the western part of the Vojstra Plain.

The red and blue dots indicate that the Qordentse army did not advance south from the city of Barlaika. In addition, based on the movements of the Silopean and Evenapis families' armies, the Zeldmitra knights expect that there will be no invasion from the southern part. Of the Vojstra Plain.

As a result, the “Assault on Othellia via the western part” Was the prevailing theory within the Zeldmitra family.

If this peddler had visited the city of Shikinaon as well, the war situation would have been a little clearer.

Rumors that reached us later say that the city has fallen as well.”

Sardin's lighthearted comment made Garrel laugh.

I see. Rumors.

The balloons on the map are red, blue, and green.

The commoners are quick to embellish their stories.

Gidjot's tip came too soon. A little too soon. In order to obtain corroboration, Zeldmietra officials interviewed everyone who visited the city of Zizafalk, but it was difficult to catch anyone who knew about the unusual events on the Vojstra Plain.

It was only recently that we heard from peddlers and travelers that something had happened in the territory of Spierzeig.

It really is a terrible arrangement,” Sardin agreed with Garrel.

Sardin agreed with Garrel and looked at the map.

The green dots were evenly distributed throughout the Vojstra Plain. This indicated information about the fall of the city that had been heard from someone other than Dzhiot. It is clear that over time the gossip has become exaggerated and the truth has been squashed.

It is impossible to ascertain the correct outcome of the war based on such rumors. For this reason, the Zerdmitra family was considering only the testimony of Djot, the first person to visit the city, as true.

The Zeldmietra family was considering the possibility that he was exaggerating the results of the war and spreading false information to the other territories. Quardenze would do that much.

It's a very typical way of Prince Rouxet, who is a master of intrigue.

The northern half of the Vojstra Plain is particularly bad. If rumors are to be believed, almost all the cities have fallen. Perhaps it was an attempt to keep the war situation in the area under wraps. , We can't read anything into this.”

The two of them stared at the large number of green colored chips placed on the floor and groaned.

The plot was attributed to the Kuordentse family, but in fact this was the result of the spreading of the lie that Wilk had shouted on the battlefield, “All of northern Vojstra has fallen to the Kuordentse. There was no will of Lukuse there.

He said, “Your uncle seems to think there is something going on in that area. He thinks there is some kind of conspiracy.

We still don't know the whole story, but there is no doubt that some kind of plot was hatched behind the scenes. Relations and return to his own lands.

Until recently, Garel and Sardin had once again traveled to the royal capital. The purpose was to prepare for the customary social season, gather information, and manipulate public opinion. The future invasion policy of the Zeldomitra family will be greatly affected by the Levios family's movements.

Garel wanted to avoid taking the next head of the family, Sardin, to the royal capital where the priest attack had just occurred. However, Sardin himself strongly requested it, and we had no choice but to allow it.

In the visit, there were some advantages to taking him with us. Sardin has a good relationship with Prince Dunkel. His son Dunkel was more likely to appear on the social stage than King Lugain of Levios, who was rumored to be lying in bed after the attack.

I was under the impression that he had been terminated,” He said. I didn't get that impression.

Sardin recalled Lukuse's appearance when he came to greet him as he left King's Landing. He had no idea what kind of wiles lurked behind that sneer, no matter how much he tried to figure it out.

It would not be surprising if leaving King's Landing on the way was part of the plot. For the Marquis of Quardenze, it would be a return as planned.”

Garel let out a big sigh once before continuing.

I have heard for some time that the Quardenze have the upper hand in the war, but it seems to me that the situation has changed quite dramatically. The Marquis of Quardenze is also concerned about the interference of other families and wants an early settlement. Marquis of Quardenze is a bold man.

It was a blatant statement. It was only natural that Garrel himself did not believe in this idea.

He has been in contact with Lukuse, so he knows a little about the man's character. That is why he felt nothing but discomfort with the Quardenze family's move this time.

The reason he went to the trouble of mentioning it was to convince himself.

I am sure it was moved. I don't know who moved it.

Garel turned his attention to his nephew, who made a thoughtful remark.

'Quardenze Wilk, huh?'

Sardin smiled thinly as if to affirm his reply to him.

Uncle says it is the interference of other families, but the Levios family is not in the mood for that right now. Isn't there still a long way to go before there is any interference?

'That's true. I'm sure even the Marquis of Quardenze would have guessed that.

'If that is the case, wouldn't Lord Rouxe think of crushing Spierzeig in a great battle while maintaining his superiority in the war? There is no need to dare to rush to a victory now, nor is there any need to take a gamble I am sure that Lord Gulfis, a general of many battles, agrees with me.”

That is what Sardin has been insisting for some time. We don't know what kind of plan he had in mind, but he said that the person who would make such a big and inexplicable move would be none other than Quardenze Wilk.

Sardin's smile deepens.

'Even if only slightly, I was able to deepen my friendship with Lord Wilk at the May social.During the evening meeting, I sensed his strong will his to overthrow Spiaseik.

The Zeldmitra family has been in contact with the Quardenze family at the royal social held in May. Therefore, Garel also had a meeting with Wilk. They could only have a casual conversation to avoid provoking any strange situation.

Sardin, on the other hand, attended the meeting of the next head of the family, which was held in the middle of the evening party, so he was able to have a more in-depth conversation with Wilk.

I've heard it many times,” He said. I heard that you intended to defeat Spierzeig with your own hands.

Yes. Wilke was negative about our proposal.

The proposal was the invasion of St. Navempos led by the Zeldmitra and Levios families.

The plan was to destroy the independent noble families of the Umon Islands, which were an obstacle to the Zeldmitra family, to open the way to the holy city of Maguaussee, and then to blackmail them with an allied army of the Kingdom's nobles. For the Quardenze family's agreement to this proposal, they were offered cooperation in the fight against Spierzeig.

I hear there was no way to get involved.”

Sardin broke into a smile and began to reminisce.

At the next meeting of the head of the church, Sardin and Dunkel discussed the invasion of the Holy City several times, but Wilk remained opposed to the idea until the very end. He also showed a certain understanding of Dunkel's proposal, but from Sardin's point of view, it seemed to be a courtesy to the host of the meeting, a token agreement.

He said, “It felt to me as if he was saying, 'Don't think about anything else, do your own thing, don't get Quardenze involved,……' I didn't expect you to be so disapproving.”

Because his behavior as an aristocrat was so seamless, his intransigence his was even conspicuous.

However, Sardin did not have a bad impression of him. In fact, he even felt a little closer to Wilk, who was acting as a nobleman without hesitation, because he could see the expression of human-like emotions in him.

I think that Wilk is not just a son who obeys Lord Louxe.

It is true that his father, the Marquis of Quardenze, is positive about the invasion of the Holy City …… And the involvement of our Zeldmietra and Levios families.That is not the will shown by Lord Wilk.”

Sardin nodded that this would be so.

The policy of Lord Louxe is to crush Spiaseik's army once and for all in a great battle. That is necessary, given Centipede's legs, but given the size of Quordentse and Spiaseik, the wounds left on the territory will also be significant. ……

The great battle is an all-out war for the fate of the noble families.The most important thing to remember is that the battle is an all-out war for the fate of the noble family.On the other hand, it would also mean the loss of a large number of local soldiers.

The Spierzeig forces, cornered as they were, were not likely to be defeated so easily. I heard that they took Raishleif Castle almost by surprise in Operation Serpent's Fang. It is better to think that Spiaseik's military strength is still strong. Of the battle, it is quite possible that the Quardenze forces will struggle, that they will win a hard-fought victory after suffering heavy losses, or that they will be defeated. .”

The Quardenzes and Spiaseiks are two great nobles unrivaled in the central part of the continent. The scale of the armies that would clash with them would be incomparable to the independent noble families of the Free City Cluster.

How many soldiers will gather and scatter on the battlefield? Sardin was even impressed by the sheer numbers.

The Quardenze army would be outnumbered, and the vast Vojstra Plain would be devastated, to say the least. They will have a hard time annexing the territory.”

As for the aftermath of the war, the people of the former Spierzeig territory have been squeezed out of their possessions in preparation for the great battle, and are now without men to work for them. Power of the military is essential. To be more specific, it is the power of the follower soldiers. Under the strong leadership of a clear superior, the followers would accept their servitude.

But the Voestra Plain is large. Its domination will require a large number of men. The Zeldmietra family even expected that even if the Quardenze forces were at full strength, they would not be able to hold them.

The only thing that would remain after the war would be Vojstra, a snake that had eaten a huge prey and was stuck in place.

A snake that has swallowed something so large and grown so round and fat that it will be difficult to defend itself against foreign enemies. If it's not careful, Sardin says, the prey inside its belly could come to life and rip out its internal organs.

'Considering that, an invasion of the Holy City is a small price to pay,' he says. If we can get assurances that Zeldmitra and Levios will not be hostile, the only place we need to stare is the west. Natural that Lord Louxe is so positive about our proposal.”

Ensuring a safe after-dinner break, then, would be of great benefit to Quardenze. Of course, they cannot be completely on their guard, but basically they only need to keep an eye on the imperial side.

Garel had no complaints about Sardin's logic.

That's why Lord Wilk's words at the soiréeare completely unreliable.

Garel had always regarded Wilk as an earnest, capable, and aristocratic boy who had watched his father's back. He was impressed by Wilk's words and actions at the social events because they were very similar to those of Lukuse. Was striving to follow in the footsteps of his father, Luke.

I saw that he had the ability to be the next head of the Quardenze,” He said. If that is the case, he must understand the benefits of invading the Holy City. We must assume that he had some kind of intention in daring to deny it.”

Even though it is an evening meeting, a meeting where the next heads of the five major noble families of the kingdom gather is a highly political event.

To oppose a proposal that would be beneficial to their own country on such an occasion, there must be something behind it.

Then, what do you think was the intention of Lord Wilke in taking the opposite position?

…….. “The Marquis of Quardenze is open to invading the Holy City. But, depending on the future situation, it may be more convenient for him to oppose it. The next generation will be more He said, “I cannot support the invasion of the Holy City because the next generation is strongly opposed to it.”

It was an insurance policy, so to speak.The theory is that Quardenze and his son had a meeting in advance, and Wilke was acting accordingly at the meeting.

Do you think that Lord Rouxse would seriously play such a trick on him?”

'…… No, I don't think so.'

If he had only rejected the proposal in the first place, he wouldn't have had to provide the excuse of Wilk. Lukuse, though positive, is always ready to say, “I'm not going to do it after all! He is always ready to say, “I've had enough! It was not an insurance policy that he had to go out of his way to obtain by acting as if he was spreading discord between his generation and the next.

The fact that this was a quibble was best understood by Garel himself, who made the comment.

Wilk was dissatisfied with the proposed invasion of the Holy City. Shouldn't we honestly take it that way now?”

I wanted to argue with him, but I couldn't think of any other good interpretation.

I wonder what he really didn't like about it. Perhaps Lord Wilke has some grievances with Lord Rouxe as well.

That's a bit of a leap, isn't it? There is no discord between the Quardenze father and son, or if there is, it is probably small.

Although Wilk had been boasting about his duties as the guardian of the land, Garrel saw that his aim was toward the diplomacy of the nobility after the disturbances were over.In fact, Wilk's actions had put Lukuse in a position. To take various steps.

If the Quordentse father and son really did not get along, Wilk would have tried to take the initiative by coming out to King's Landing himself for the social season to make the most of the hand he was dealt. Came to the pre-season preview. He probably would not have come out for the social season. That means he trusts his father to handle the diplomacy. It conveys the fact that Quardenze and his son are basically looking in the same direction.

But when I mention this, the question becomes, “Well, what about Zel'Dmitra?” Which could cause tension between uncle and nephew. For this reason, Garel did not say everything in words.

I think that Lord Wilk is so wise that he suppresses his opposition to Lord Louxe with his reason.The only thing that has come to the surface is his dissatisfaction with the proposed invasion of the Holy City.

At the next head of the board, Wilk was strangely interested in Sardin and Dunkel's rebellion against their protector.

Perhaps this is why, as Sardin continues to examine the issue alone, he eventually moves in the direction of, “Is Wilk also dissatisfied with the guardians in some way?” Information, he was inclined to be influenced by his own image.

That's just my imagination.

On the other hand, Garel does not have such an impression of Wilk.

He is a man of his word, He is a man of his word, and he is a man of his word, The image of Wilk in Garel's mind was like that of Luke No. 2.

If he was Lukuse No. 2, he would have tried to proceed with a deep and deliberate plan, and he would not have moved for such a light reason as rebellion against the head of the family.

He was not a good person to talk about. In the end, all you can do is speculate about the other side.

He shook his head several times as if to cut off his thoughts his.He and his nephews were, in the end, merely being led right and left by their impressions his.

It would be better not to measure the inner feelings of others by their imagination. If you have unnecessary preconceptions, you will be entangled in a snake.”

There was a disagreement between Garrel and Sardin over the proposed invasion of the Holy City.

The idea of ​​the next head of the family is blocked by the policy of the current head,……. Garel thought that his nephew's attempt to draw such a composition for Quardenze was in large part a projection of his own current situation This is why the story tends toward impressionism.

He said, “I understand ……. Well, it could be, as your uncle says, that the father-son relationship is good.”

Sardin exhaled deliberately.

In that case, Lord Rouxe would have left it to Lord Wilke.

I can see by his eyes that he has a point Garel lightly moved his chin to encourage him to continue.

'It was a long time ago, but your father and uncle told me about it. The Quardenze offensive will stop at Raishleif Castle, and the House of Levios will interfere to stop it.”

House Levios does not want to create a huge aristocratic family. As a move to stalemate the central part of the continent, the Zeldmitra family predicted that they would surely plan a ceasefire maneuver before the Raishleif offensive began.

Garel remembered this and immediately nodded his head.

But the great shield was broken by Operation Serpent's Fang. The Quardenze invasion would have been an impossible success. The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and how you are doing it.

If there is discord between father and son, he may decide that it is dangerous to give his son any more military success.

He might push his son to do well because he will support him in diplomacy. He wants her to be free to flap her wings on the battlefield like her grandfather, Lord Gulfis. ……Thinking this way, we can also guess the reason why Lord Rouxe came to King's Landing. That is the patronage of the strategy devised by Lord Wilke. On.”

Sardin said in a light-hearted manner.

The idea that Wilk had devised the operation was not a complete delusion, but had some basis. There was a rumor in Žižot's testimony that the Vojstra Liberation Army led by Quardenze Wilk had played a major role.

It makes sense, but it sounds like a forced twist.

Garrel took this as another kind of self-assertion using the cushion of Quardenze. If you trust your nephew, give him more authority, that's what it sounded like to him.

Haha, isn't this an interesting story?

Yes, it is. I used to tell ridiculous and stupid stories with my brother.

Garel and his brother, the previous head of the family, would sometimes discuss the future of the Zeldmitra family. It was not a serious discussion, but more like a brainstorming session in which they would bounce their intuitions, impressions, imaginations, fantasies, desires Sardin's too bold hypothesis reminded me of the night he and his brother had talked about it.

I'd love to, but I'm not sure I'm going to.

I would love to, but even if such an operation were to take place, how should I put the story together? The purpose and content would be a mess. The military moves are so …… Insane.”

What kind of moves does your uncle think the Quardenze army has made?”

At this question, Garrel pondered for a moment and then sat down deeply, pressing his back against the back of the chair.

It all sounds too ridiculous. I can't grasp its reason or purpose.”

'Don't say so; let me hear it. Now the moon will be behind the clouds, and all this nonsense will fade into the darkness.

Garel did not realize it, but before he knew it, the clouds had covered the moon to hide it.

I wondered if turning off the lighting magic light ball would make me feel as if I were having a discourse with my brother as in the past. Thinking about this, Garrel suddenly picked up a stick from the corner of the table.

I'm going to talk nonsense.

After saying no once, Garel opened his mouth.

The rumors about the northern half of the Vojstra Plain are so bad.

Sardin only nodded quietly, as the topic had been touched on earlier. The pointing stick tapped the green toadstools that were strewn across the Vojstra Plain.

'This could be the Marquis of Quardenze's plan to keep the actual outcome of the battle a secret. It is not natural that the story is so exaggerated at this point.

Of course, says Garrel, it is also possible that the entire northern half of the Voestra Plain is really under control. But that was more improbable. The speed of the invasion would be too fast, he scoffed at himself.

'Then what part of the northern half of Vojstra are they trying to hide? …… It would be the fall of the city of Værdberg.”

So Garel pointed his pointing stick at the red dots. If we are to believe Gjot's information, it is the city occupied by the Quardenze forces.

Værdberg, Doserlan, and Barlaika. The fall of these three cities is inexplicable. Therefore, it seems to me that the crux of this military action lies here.

“It is clearly unnatural when we consider the hypothesis that the attack on Othellia was carried out via the western part of the country.

Yes, it is. Considering the fact that they would pass through the western part of the plain, it would be enough to drop the city of Meijiohde or Torsa and suppress them. The city of Barlaika may be a little too far ahead, and a A major battle will probably break out somewhere before they reach here.

With a tap, tap, the pointing stick rhythmically tapped the names of the cities on the map.

Although he is now the Marquis of Zeldmietra, Garel was one of the generals in the service of the head of the family not long ago.His military stories are ripe for the picking.

Værdberg, Doserlang, and Barlaika are unnecessary for the Ocelorian offensive,” He said. We don't have time to drop these cities.

But they are marked with red dots, indicating that they have already fallen.

'So you think the Ocelorian offensive had something to do with the fall of Vedderberg, Doserlang, and Barlaika.'

It was not a question, just a confirmation.

'Yes,' he said. Perhaps this area of ​​the Quardenze territory, which I hear is called the …… Arcunoa Contamination Zone, is where they rode into Spierzeig territory and launched their surprise attack.”

As he said this, Garrel almost laughed.It was too reckless an action to be taken at any cost.There was no way that he,that intelligent-eyed heir apparent,would do such a thing.It was not courage,he thought, but me barbarism.

A small elite force composed of only knights and squires could force their way through in the shortest possible distance without regard for the defilement. In fact, Lord Wilk did something similar in Operation Serpent's Fang.”

'Relief to the city of Nambonan, I see.With his swift action, he succeeded in defeating the Spiaseik family's heir apparent.”

The tip of the pointing stick moves to trace the Amelia River.

“With this strong force, we will defeat the coastal defense facilities on the other side of the river, on the Spiaseik side, in one fell swoop. After that, we used the relatively unpolluted land to ferry the territorial soldiers across. ……

I also hear that the Arknoa pollution zone is very impassable, but maybe it's not actually that big. It is probably purified to the extent that it is passable even by the territorial militia if they take the time to bypass it.”

Knowing about contaminated areas in other territories located far away is of little use, and information gathering is also lax. The Zeldmitra family underestimated the Alcnoa contaminated area.

'It will be so. If Lord Rouxet went to the royal capital, Spierzeig's eyes would naturally turn to Lord Gulfis. Lord Wilke, who was waiting in Newnery, would be able to take advantage of that opportunity.

Sardin then expressed an opinion.

According to the peddler's testimony, a large number of Quardenze soldiers had entered Værdberg. I believe that many ships were used to transport these soldiers.

'That may be so, what is your concern?

'Well, Lord Wilk may have brought in a large number of ships to the crossing point on the Amelia River. He may have brought in ships on the Ovieto River, ships used on the rivers in his territory, and maybe even military ships belonging to the Evenapis family. We need numbers to send in a large army, you know.”

In the preparations for the invasion of the Holy City, the Umon Islands are to be invaded. A key part of that strategy was to bring in ships from other regions. The Evernapis and Levios families brought a large number of warships to Lake Ummon by force. , And the islands were to be conquered in one fell swoop by sheer numbers.

……They used our plan.”

The Quardenzes had already been informed of the plan.

We had no choice but to consult the Quardenzes, but they took advantage of us.

Are you suggesting that this story was the impetus for the operation?

It's possible,” He said. It is possible. The topic came up at the night meeting. I heard that a similar strategy is described in a strange book. Scriptures. Both are stories of failure.”

Sardin recalled the book that Aterahan Karmir had mentioned. He had instructed his aides to retrieve it when they returned to Jizzafork City, but he still had not obtained it.

Perhaps Lord Wilk thought it was an impractical measure to bring in a ship. However, when he heard from Zeldmitra and Levios about the plan to attack the islands, he understood that it was feasible. , And came up with this plan…… What do you think?”

That's very shrewd. The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your money is to use it. The Quardenze family, one of the Kingdom's five great nobles, dared to use a surprise attack using ship traffic, ……, And if such an example were to spread, it would hinder the attack on the Umong Islands. After all, we are also one of the Kingdom's five noble families, the Zeldmitra.

If there is a precedent, they will be wary. The Zeldmitra family, which has a relatively good relationship with the Quardenze family, would be highly likely to carry out the same kind of operation.

As for the Zeldmitra, they have stolen our plans, so it is inevitable that they would have a bad impression of the Quardenzes. I see, then it is no wonder that Lord Lukuse is moving to conceal it.”

Seeing his nephew his nodding his head, Garel blew up.He was just genuinely amused by the unexpected connection between the two foolish stories.

But this military operation is fearless and makes no sense. Even if the surprise attack over Arkunoa were to succeed, it is highly unlikely that it would lead to an attack on Othellia.

He continued, “Well, yes. The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your new home is to make the most of the time you have available.

Before Operation Serpent's Fang, the surprise attack on Værdberg would have been a move that would have drastically changed the war situation. However, the reality is that Voestra's great shield has already been broken. Rather, it seemed like a bad move that would have only unnecessarily expanded the battle area.

The most important thing would be to crush Spierzeig's army head-on in a major battle. Throwing the next head of the family into enemy territory to gain the city of Værdberg, which is far from the front line, is clearly unusual.

That would be too small a return for the risk. Even if Luke had wanted to give his son military merit, he would not have authorized such a dangerous attack. It would be much better to have him play a spectacular role in the great battle without playing any tricks.

He said, “I will go to the front line where Lord Gulfis is waiting from Wehrdberg and attack the enemy generals between the two. This is one plan, but it would be impossible.

If there was any other target, it would be the head of the Lord's ancestor.

However, there was no way they could take the city like a burglar. Normally, it would take some time to take down a city. Garel assured them that there was no way that Spierzeig's army, the master of the Voistula Plain, would wait around for a leisurely pincer attack.

Rumor has it that Lord MacInnis and his predecessor, Lord Kindlore, have also been killed.

If both the current and the previous generation were killed at the same time, it would be either in the great battle or in the battle for Othellia.

However, the rumors were heard from other people and were not confirmed by Gidjot himself. In the first place, there is no way for a peddler to verify the life and death of the ancestor.

The information about Gigliotto was before the fall of Othelloia City. Naturally, the Zeldmitra family does not believe that both the current and previous generations were killed in battle at that time. , Were probably spreading false rumors.

Therefore, even if additional rumors of deaths arrived later, they were treated as a derivation of the rumors heard by Jillotte and were rarely believed.

There was a similar rumor that Lord Gulfis had developed magical insufficiency.Given his age, it's not surprising……. “

Garel said in a dismayed voice. Sardin heard this and picked up another pointing stick from the desk.

'If Værdberg, Doserlan, and Barlaika are under Quordenze occupation, then there must be at least an army in northern Vojstra, including the main ancestor. Otherwise, it would be difficult to overrun the cities. Capture Oceloria, the stronghold of the Spierzeig clan. Considering these facts, it is reasonable to assume that Lord Gulfis and Lord Wilk are marching in two separate armies.”

Since Lukuse had gone to the royal capital, it was the two main ancestors who would be the aggressors. No other general in the Quordenze army has made a major showing in recent years.

It is impossible to specify which one is attacking the city of Othelloria and which one is holding out in northern Vojstra, but in any case, Gulfis's magical power failure is a false alarm.

In any case, Gulfis's magical failure is a false alarm. However, I highly doubt that it would be so easy to launch an assault via the western part of the country. There is no way they could reach Othellia so easily, let alone through the empty plains. First of all, Lord Gulfis would not want such a settlement.

I don't know how far we can cut down Spierzeig's followers with a surprise attack on his stronghold.There will be a stirring of centipede legs after the war.”

“…… I still don't get it. I don't see the reason for this operation or the end goal. It's just a bold plan.

Garel then closed his eyes and thought about it. Then he forced himself to come up with a story.

For some purpose, the unit led by Mister Wilk raided the city of Værdborg. Originally, the operation would have ended here. …… However, at this point, the front line of Spierzeig's army was flanked from both the Reischlieff and Vaadberg directions. Surprised by the sudden surprise attack, Spierzeik's army abandoned the front line and returned to Ocelorja City. Although this was an unexpected move, Lord Wilk did not miss the opportunity and advanced, attacking Doserlang and Barlaika to prevent the Spiaseik forces from coming to the front line again. While his grandson kept a lid on the Vojstra Plain, Duke Gulfis, on the front line, dared to make a strong attack from the western part of the plain. , And he was lucky to reach Otellia.

His voice his was quiet at the end.

'It's even more messed up than I imagined. We haven't even solved the problem of the retinue. And according to the peddler's testimony, the general of the Quordenze forces surrounding Oceloria should be Lord Wilk.

As if to resign, Garrel silently put his measuring stick on the corner of the table. He was so incoherent that he did not feel like continuing the conversation.

The commoners are always saying whatever they want to say.I think we need to send a messenger to the Quardenzes as soon as possible.We have no idea what is going on.We must confirm the situation through the eyes of someone we can trust. ……

The selection of knights to serve as messengers has already been completed, but the response from the important Quardenze family has not been good. They have been dodging and dodging the acceptance of the messenger.

The Zeldmietra family is considering sending a squire as a secret agent, but it is reported that the Kuordentse territory is currently very cautious about the comings and goings of the squire. If they were to sneak in and be exposed, they would make a bad impression Since the current situation was uncertain, it was necessary to approach the matter with caution.

We need to know more about Mr. Wilk than ever before. He was very active at the May social.

Sardin couldn't help but laugh at the way he said that.

If Lord Wilk heard that, he would be furious, Uncle. It was the Princess of Orcian that caused most of the problems.

The threatening battle was initiated by Orcian, and Orcian was also the catalyst for the battle to defeat the magical beast Kramitis. Basically, Sardin believes that this was the result of Orcian's rampage. He also thinks that Wilk's strange response to this may have caused the Commotion to grow in vain.

I don't understand his relationship with Princess Orcian either. I don't understand how you can have such a calm conversation with her despite the fact that you have crashed with such murderous intent. Would stop when I heard that you sat with those two at the night meeting.”

The threat of using magic power is like a declaration of hostility to the main ancestor. Normally, it would mean confrontation and separation. The surrounding kingdom nobles understood this, which is why they were wary and afraid of Wilk and Orcian approaching. To imagine what kind of damage could be caused to the surroundings if those two stupid magicians start fighting.

It was a miraculous meeting that was made possible by the fact that Wilk was subtly out of touch with his aristocratic sensibilities, and Orcian had no such sensibilities in the first place.

I was surprised, too. And for some reason, Princess Orcian, who appeared at the meeting, showed a favorable attitude toward Lord Wilke from the beginning.

Sardin, who did not know the situation, had no idea why her attitude her had changed so radically between the intimidation and the evening meeting.

He was not the only one who was surprised by the change of attitude.Normally, he would have protested against Princess Orcian's rude attitudeHer and Lord Killode's insensitivityHer in allowing her to attend the meeting.Both Prince Dunkel and I felt our blood run cold.

I believe she also danced with Princess Romilie of the Spierzeig family at the soirée. Even then, everyone around us was horrified.

The two children, who are related by blood, are dancing hand in hand. The nobles who were watching the event had no room for romance and were simply chilled.

The nobles who were watching the battle had no time for romance, and were simply chilled to the bone.

Maybe he was in the mood for a nightcap.”

Sardin said jokingly, but Garrel's expression became very grim.

'If Quordenze swallows Spierzeig, what does that young heir want next …… No, it's a horrifying story. We could be pushed around even more than we are now.”

You are very wary of him.

I and my brother grew up hearing the threat of the Jinkaan empire nagged at us by the older generation, like our father and grandfather. The Western Champions would eventually advance their armies to the eastern and southern parts of the continent.

When Sardin can remember, the third Emperor Ferold was standing, and the Quardenze family was biting the eastern aristocratic families of the empire. He had never experienced the threat of the Jinkaen Empire firsthand.

He is the son of the Marquis of Quordentse, but he is also the grandson of the Duke of Cassia and the Duke of Gulfis. He must have had some influence on their ideas. He may eventually consider embarking on a hegemony like Emperor Zincaen.”

Sardin thinks that is a leap of faith, but he also knows that not a few of the Kingdom's nobility would try to link Wilk with Emperor Zinn'kaen.

I don't think so.I think Wilk is a realistic thinker.I don't think he's too childish……. Oh, I did sense some childishness in his attitude toward the commoners.”

He is overconfident in the abilities of the commoners, Sardin felt at the meeting.

It may have been the result of his involvement in the governance of the city of Nambonan, which began around this time last year. I think he is excited about being entrusted with the city by his father. Besides, when you rule directly, you have to be compassionate.

He would soon realize that commoners are nothing.

That's true, but there's no need to hate them so much.

I just think they are stupid. I do not hate you. It is because of their stupidity that our Zeldmitra is prospering.

There are a number of industries in Zeldmietra, the most profitable of which is the slave trade. Note that the slaves referred to here are the common slaves of the slave ancestors, and do not include other special cases.

The main source of slaves is the battlefield, but only the Quardenze and Zeldmitra factions are now engaged in foreign wars within the Levios Kingdom. The Levios family and its faction of noble families have captured natives in an expedition to the Land of Mists called the Great Northern Expedition, but the rest of the kingdom's nobles have virtually no means of obtaining them.

Not a few parents give up their children due to the hardships of life in the kingdom's territory, but not many hardworking adult males are captured.This is because workers are the last to sell themselves.It can be said that this is far from a stable supply.

And no matter how aristocratic they are, they can't just one day suddenly ship off their lords as slaves for no reason. It is too bad for their reputation.

For the Zeldmitra family, the free city cluster was like a field where slaves grew on their own. Since there are few other competing houses, the Zeldmitra family is making enough money from simple trading profits alone.

The slave market itself was also very profitable. The Zeldmietra territory had a more carefully developed system for slaves than other territories, and it also had the military power to be regarded as one of the five great noble families of the kingdom. Slave traders from all over the continent gathered in search of safe and stable commerce, and as a result, more slaves than Zeldmitra's army could capture flooded the market, being bought and sold on a daily basis. The profits generated by the toll taxes at the customs gates and the brokerage fees, or “Showba fees,” At the marketplaces are enormous.

The same is true on both the earth and the continent of Eluo, where those who have built a platform make a fortune.

I don't necessarily feel the same way as you do,” Said Mr. Wilk. The slave market in New Nellie City seems to have flourished in the last decade or so, but it is small compared to Jizzafolk. Zeldmitra and Quordenze to begin with.”

Most noble domains do not make a distinction between their subjects and slaves.

Even if you are a slave, you are still taxed as a citizen of the territory, and if there is a draft, you are taken in as a member of the territorial army. Noble family or a knight family on the side of exploitation, you cannot own unlimited amounts of property.

Care must also be taken in handling them. If you overuse and kill them, you may be punished by the lords. A mere slave ancestor is not considered to hold the right of life and death of the same slave ancestor. Reported as a slave, he or she will be given a certain amount of leniency, but if it is too severe, he or she will be punished. In the end, from the lord's point of view, it comes down to the composition of the lord killing the lord.

If a slave is treated too harshly, he or she may run away.If a slave ran away, the owner had to find him and bring him back by himself.The lords would not cooperate in any way.There was no public service to capture fugitive slaves roaming the streets of the cities. They would be shut out on the theory that “It is worse to be unable to control them.” The master has no choice but to cry himself to sleep.

On the other hand, Zeldmietra has a well-developed system for slaves.

The symbolic system is the division into first and second class. In other territories, ordinary citizens are First Territories, and slaves are Second Territories. The First and Second Fiefdoms were treated differently in terms of taxation and conscription, and an environment was created in which it was relatively easy for the fiefdoms to own slaves.

Measures were also taken to prevent escapes. At the customs posts in the territory of Zeldmietra, runaway slaves were immediately captured and returned to their owners. A service fee was charged, but it was much cheaper than if the territory's residents had to bring them back on their own.

Because of these systems, the slave ownership rate among Zeldmietra's residents is higher than in other territories.On Earth, slave rebellions would come to mind, but they do not occur in the territory of Zeldmitra.This is because there is no way that the slaves of the slave ancestors can win over the ruling class of the sub-temple and the master ancestors.

And the ease of owning slaves also means the ease of using labor. Because it is relatively easy to secure labor even in small villages, it was easy to develop land in the territory of Zeldmietra.

It can be said that efficient investment is being made at the private level.The Zeldmitra family was grateful for the fact that the land would invest in itself and grow on its own, even if left unattended.The people of Zeldmitra would be grateful as well , as this would in turn lead to a reduction in the tax burden.

Not a few commoners are attracted to Zeldmitra's reign and immigrate to the region. For the Zeldmitra family, which has many areas contaminated by dirt and requires efficient use of land, securing a population and concentrated investment of labor were the lifeline. Heads of the family even left a saying that there is no land to protect without people.

However, there are only a few territories where a system like that of the Zeldmitra domain has been introduced. As far as Wilk could find out, the Zeldmitra family was the only major power enforcing the system.

There are many theories as to why this system is unacceptable, but Wilk's most promising reason was the emotional argument that “I don't like it somehow.

A serf is a serf no matter how far he goes. From the ruler's point of view, the system of creating a pseudo-hierarchy within the framework of the slave ancestors, namely, the first and second fiefs, was “Somehow objectionable.

The other territories do not have as large a supply of slaves as Zeldmietra, so there is the practical problem that the cost of introducing the system is not matched by its performance.

I think the nature of the commoners is the same everywhere.

Sardin also despised the Zeldmietra residents who were at the mercy of this system and were absorbed in playing the pseudo-class game.

The fact that they are both just weak slaves, but they are discriminating against each other, one being the first and the other being the second, is silly, pathetic, and ugly.

The slave ancestors should be equal without hierarchy, and the slave ancestors should be subordinate only to the master and the submissive ancestors. He still thinks so. This may be the destination of “I don't like it somehow.

However, he also understands that the system of Zeldmietra is working effectively, so he has not thought of reforming it.

……I used to dream of being a commoner myself.

There was a time when Sardin thought that there was no discrimination between slaves in other territories.

The most common reason for this is that the people of the free cities, which are often engaged in battles with Zeldmietra's army, have high expectations for their soldiers. He thought that the citizens of a small, compact territory would live together without discrimination.

Of course, this was the fantasy of a boy who did not know the world, and it was quickly broken.

He said, “Also, your uncle is alarmed, but I am not quite sure of the horror of the Jingkaen Empire. A system in which the master-ancestor bows to the master-ancestor cannot possibly last for long. I think it is inevitable that it has been tagged.”

Those who have the same strength should not bow down to those who have the same strength…….This was the thought that Sardin eventually arrived at.

He could recognize the House of Levios as the leader of the Union of Noble Houses, but he could not revere Emperor Zinkaen as the absolute master. He believes that to find a pseudo-subordinate relationship between the master and the master-ancestor is essentially a folly no different from the commoners' class game.

The head is the principal ancestor and should not be an entity that is subordinate to the principal ancestor. There is no great reason for the head of the family to stand above the head of the family. And has the right to gain power freely.

It is because of this belief that Sardin wanted to make the Zeldmietra family stronger and larger.He craves more power than he has now in order to embody his beliefs to reign as a great noble even after the age of war has come to an end.

If possible, he also wanted his uncle to regain his former valor.Sardin admired his father and uncle, who had invaded the Free City Cluster and boasted of their bravery his.

…… I see.So what do you think of Princess Orcian?She is probably a legendary lineage,a founder.Can we revere her as a superior her?”

Garel knows Sardin's principles. And he knows that talking about it would start a confrontation, so he dared to change the subject.

Garel was half-convinced that the true identity of Orcian was the founder. He knew intuitively that the quality of the magic power was different from that of the founder. There was no logic to it.

According to Sardin's way of thinking, the primordial ancestor should be the one who stands above the main ancestor.

No way.”

He made a gesture of dismay.

Even if Princess Orcian were the founder, it would be meaningless if her blood didn't continue.As it is now, she is no better than a mere overlord.

The means of transmitting the lineage of the Founder is unknown. The only known precedent for a founder is the founder of the Zeth cult, Zeth alone.

I don't know how far the scriptures are correct, but all of Zeth's sons were the primary ancestors. If Princess Orsian had a child, it would probably be just a Lord Ancestor. History has proven the folly of worshiping that child, you know After all, what happened to the lineage that was only the main ancestor when they named themselves as the House of the Holy Family, etc., And it is said that they learned nothing from the ……200 years of warfare .

Power that lasts only one generation is only a temporary power.

That's true.

Garel understands this idea. The civilization of the Eluo continent has flourished to this point because the people of Manipulation “Discovered” The inheritance of the blood of their ancestors in ancient times. If we consider only the inheritance of power, the bloodline of the primordial ancestors appear to be unstable.

However, it is true that the values ​​of the Eluo continent, which tends to be attracted to strong power, are rooted in the blood of Orcian, which makes him feel a sense of expectation. Magical power up close. Garel could not speak as clearly as Sardin.

The founder cannot do anything on his own. The amount of magic power of Wilk-dono was terrifying, but I felt it was the quality of the founder. I didn't feel the quality of a different …… Originator like Princess Orcian. And it is the same with your uncle, isn't it?”

Garel nodded. If Wilk was the lineage of the primordial ancestors, then their succession could also be realized.

The magic power of Lord Wilk is not alien, though it is unusual enough. With that amount of magical power, he would not hesitate to fight against demonic beasts.

Compared to the battle against the main ancestor, which could generate magical residuals, the hurdle for fighting demonic beasts is low. He thinks that he would not have made the move if he did not have confidence in his magical power, even though it was a calculation with an eye on diplomacy.

He said, “Perhaps the battle against the magical beast Kramitis was not just about diplomacy. I think it was also about gaining the attention of Princess Orcian.

Does that mean you are pining for her?”

The love affairs of young nobles are an important element in diplomacy. Since Sardin had not mentioned such a thing in his previous report, Garrel inquired in a slightly reproachful tone.

The two are not quite in love with each other, as they have been engaged in a grueling battle with full-throated murderous intent.

Not so. Princess Orcian is a stormy princess. She is frightening if she is your enemy, but if she is your ally, she is very reliable, isn't she?

As for Garrel, he did not really agree with this, since he had seen the Grand Duke of Mirendorva struggling a lot at the May social gathering. A storm is a storm because it stirs up regardless of whether it is friend or foe. Looking back on his actions in King's Landing, Orcian seemed like nothing more than a disaster.

Sardin, who was probably aware that he had silenced Garrel by making a strange analogy, continued as if to mend the situation.

I mean, I think that Lord Wilk sought friendship with Princess Orcian as a check against the House of Levioth.

Sardin thought that there must be some reason for him to approach such a violent girl like Orcian.

…… That could certainly be a valid move. Princess Orsian had been winning battle after battle against Levios' army. In the future, when Levios stands in front of Quordenze's and Lord Wilk's, it will be a stepping stone for them to hit him in the back. At the very least, Levios will be wary.”

Whether or not he can really move him, he will be wary if he has information that they are on good terms.

I hear they were in a good mood.”

Garel mentions something that Sardin had reported to him earlier.

The son of a prestigious aristocrat and the founder of a family of unknown origin. It is hard to believe that they would be able to talk to each other, but they seemed to be in good harmony.

Quardenze and Mirendorva, the first ancestor for that matter, would never be let out of the house through marriage.

I didn't see any subtleties between the two of them. I'm not sure how much I would have liked to have seen her in the first place, but I'm sure she would have liked to have seen me in the second place Perhaps Lady Wilk is not so energetic toward women. I got the impression of a good match rather than a good atmosphere. At least, more so than his obsession with Lady Kirode. …… Oops.”

It was obvious from the side of her that Kiraudet was infatuated with Orcian.The other noblemen could tell that he was struggling to get her attention of her.

As far as I have been able to gather from the evening's conversation, it seems that Lord Wilke has become obsessed with the Princess of Silopea.I hear that they have been close since childhood.He would have taken her to wife if not for Elsinia's misfortune. Her.

There are many eyewitness accounts of Wilke and Plume enjoying an evening party. Most of them tested that they were in an intimate atmosphere.

Perhaps she was similar to Duke Gulfis in that respect. She also danced with other princesses, so perhaps she was not as much of a pariah as she seemed to be.

In any case, the Marquis of Quardenze will have a hard time finding a suitable wife.

Sardin gave a blatant fake smile.

There is one person who is just right for you,” He said. Princess Romilie of the House of Spierzeig.

Nonsense, Garel let the words slip out He looked at his nephew in disgust at his joke But Sardin had already changed his expression to a serious one.

'Back to the subject, it seems that Lord Wilk is thinking of destroying Spierzeig. However, he is against the proposed invasion of the Holy City. That would not win the cooperation of Zerdmitra and Levios, and the postwar period would be unstable.

Yes, I doubt very much that they would make that choice.

'So I will consider taking Princess Romilie as my full wife.It is an agreement of truce.What do you think, don't you think it will stabilize her reign after the war?”

Garrel shook his head immediately.

The blood of Quardenze will not allow it. He would not go out of his way to let his prey escape when he had finally bitten deep into the Voestra Plain.

The war would then end in a very half-hearted manner. Only part of the Vojstra Plain would become Kuordenze territory, and the Spiasejk family would remain.

But there will be no postwar uncertainty. In the first place, there will be no centipede legs, and since the territory to be acquired is only a portion of the Vojstra Plain region, there will be no problem with personnel deployment.

But that won't be enough to destroy Spierzeig.”

Then Sardin smiled ridiculously.

'Your uncle does have a temper,' he said. As you may know, Lord Wilk is only thirteen years old. It doesn't matter if it takes 30 or 60 years to destroy him.

According to Garel, the Spiaseik family was not going to be destroyed without a fight. The Spiaseik family is a proven noble family that once founded the kingdom of Vojstra and was recognized throughout the region as a leader in the central part of the continent.

However, there is a generation gap in the perception of the Spierzeig family. Many of those who hold the Spierzeig family in high esteem are from the older generation. The generation of Garrels and others, who were taught many things by the older generation, also have an image of the Spiaseiks as a powerful family, but the younger generation did not think of them in such a special way.

From Sardin's point of view, the Spiaseiks were just one of several large noble families.

So the bottom line of the Spierzeik family is on the Voistra Plain, right? The Quardenzes have already encroached that far, even if only partially, so no matter how they try to get back on their feet, they won't be in a perfect condition.”

Besides,” Sardin said, pointing his finger at the outer part of the Quordentse territory.

This is the former territory of the aristocracy in the eastern part of the empire, but the Quardenze family's control over this area is still very young. I think we should review the system once here. We can control and restore these areas during the ceasefire, and build a base for future invasion in the new territory we have gained on the Vojstra Plain. In a few decades, don't you think the gap between Quordenze and Spierzeig will be even wider than it is now?”

He continued, “So we'll have Princess Romilie as our full wife. It would be very bad manners to attack her parents 'home her.

If we attack them with a plausible excuse, no one will complain. What power is there nearby that can complain about a Quardenze that will be even bigger in a few decades? Besides, Lord Wilk is good at raising a cause that seems to be a good one.

Garel could not answer immediately, since it was difficult to imagine the future of the kingdom and the empire.

I think it is a much safer plan than defeating the Spierzeiks and annexing the whole of the Voistra Plain in a great battle now,” He said.

It certainly was. Garel thinks that swallowing the entire Vojstra Plain is indeed risky.

It is only a hypothetical, but the Quardenze family, empowered after the cease-fire, would not have much difficulty in devouring the rest of the Spierzeig territory. For while the serpent is growing huge, its prey is growing smaller.

However, Garel had a big reason for not agreeing.

But to receive the princess of the Spierzeig family,……, It is a story reminiscent of the former Princess Aslisa. Won't she be entrapped?”

That's it.”

The Sardines are very happy to hear this point.

Everyone will think like your uncle. Everyone will think that Princess Romilie will be a second Princess Aslieza. So everyone will be caught off guard. Quardenze will be shaken up sooner or later, and the Spierzeiks will rewind and make a mess of things. More highly the generation holds the Spierzeiks in high esteem, the more likely they are to think so.”

With a snap, a pointer stick is propped up against the map.

I don't think that's right. If you look at the territory, it is clear that the Quardenzes have the upper hand. Who would benefit more from a cease-fire, the Quardenzes, in my opinion? Normally, we should be wary of the growing size of the Quardenze family.

Many believe that Emperor Zinkaen's hegemony was stopped because he stumbled over a pebble in his invasion of the Kingdom of Vojstra. And that pebble was Spiaseik Asleiza, who married Emperor Arginis.

In a sense, this is an event that changed the history of the continent. It is too great a precedent. The first time I heard that a princess from the Spiaseik family was marrying into the Quardenze family, it was not surprising that I was drawn to the Spiaseiks.

…… But Lord Louxe and Lord Gulfis would feel the same way. If Lord Wilke were to be boned by Princess Romilie, he would never give his permission for the marriage as long as there was concern about that.

'Did he not take her hand at the soirée to confirm this? It is said that Emperor Arginis fell in love with Princess Aslisa the moment he took one look at her. Perhaps Lord Wilk invited Princess Romilie to dance with him to check himself to see if the same thing would happen to her.

He dared to make contact with her to see if he could control himself. This careful move is consistent with the image of Wilk in Garel's mind.

Wilk said, “Now is the time to save our strength.”Lord Wilck also said that now is the time to build up our strength.

The five great noble families of the kingdom should think about the growth of their own families without thinking about the invasion of the Holy City,” Wilk had said at the meeting of the next head of the family. Of course, Sardin had already reported this , and Garel also remembers it.

“Save your strength……?”

Given the flow of Sardin's speech up to this point, it was a statement that sounded quite meaningful.The fact that he contacted Romilie right after the next head of the family meeting even makes it sound like he is insisting that he will act according to his statement her.

When I think about it, I can also see the intention of this sudden military action. They planned to cut off as much territory as they could manage in Kuordenze now, you know. It in a more encroaching state on the Vojstra Plain. The city of Værdberg was a good place to open up an entry point for a future invasion, that's all.

What about the siege of Othelloia?

I don't know. I don't know. Either the ambush went unexpectedly well, or Lord Gulfis, angry at not being able to settle the matter in his own time, took a gamble and moved forward.

So Sardin put the pointing stick he had been holding in his hand all along on the desk. Garel understands that this must be the whole idea he has been leading up to.

So you're saying that the end of the whole mess is a cease-fire.

He sounded as if he was thinking that such a thing would never happen. It was too bold a hypothesis.

Considering the Quardenze family's past activities, it was an unacceptable story. However, the precedent set by Operation Snake Fang made it impossible to completely deny the story. Garel could not imagine how the Quardenze Wilk would operate.

'Yes,' he said…….Well, Lord Wilk is not yet old enough to get married, so he may not come out about the marriage.”

It might take a while for the current fighting to settle down, but once it did, Sardin's expectation was that they would move toward a cease-fire.

I see. I will keep that in mind as a hypothesis.

If this prediction were to come true, how would your uncle evaluate Lord Wilk?”

A father's salvation.

Garel suddenly thought of this.

Lukuse was not originally in a position to take over the reigns of the family.

And it was the same for Garel. He often struggles with the fact that he has become the head of the family as someone's deputy.

He can no longer make decisions as boldly as he did when he was invading independent noble territories as a general. The sardines that his brother left behind, the more conservative his decisions become.

Sometimes I wondered if Luke had the same problem.

Protecting the Kuordenze family and destroying the Spiaseik family are like conflicting goals.

If the first priority was to protect the Kuordenze family, they should have ended their campaign with the capture of Raishleif Castle. Once they had annexed the aristocratic territories in the eastern part of the empire, they could stand at the top of the central part of the continent, and anything more would only aggravate the sense of crisis in the other houses. He should have asked for an apology from the Spierzeig family at the appropriate point, and that would have been the end of it. Quardenze family to talk about annexing the whole of the Vojstra Plain.

However, after losing his brother to the Spiaseiks, Luke, who had been raised to the head of the family as a deputy, could not stop there, He may have been torn between protecting the Kuordenze family and fulfilling his family's grudge his .

If Wilke had acted on Sardin's words, it would have been to his father's relief of him.

He showed his valor by shattering the castle of Laishleif and cutting into the Voistra Plain. He might have suggested that he would accomplish the destruction of the Spierzeig family and leave the rest to him, so he would no longer have to suffer…….

'Pfft……'

Garrel laughed at himself mockingly.

That is too sentimental a fantasy.

Perhaps he was moved by nostalgia, having come face to face with a voice that sounded like his brother's.Of course, such a naive thought was not the first time he had heard the voice.

Of course, he couldn't bring himself to utter such naive thoughts.

In order to protect the Zeldmitra family and the next head of the family, he would have to admonish his nephew for his adventurous behavior.Garel took a deep breath and reminded himself.

'…… Well, if that prediction is correct, I think Mister Wilk is being terribly pragmatic.

'Yes, sir. He is trying to make the Quardenze family solid and large. He is not at the mercy of the blood of the Spierzeig grudge.

Then Sardin looked up to the heavens.

The clouds were drifting away and the moon was about to peek out again.

He looked up to the sky, “…… Might we not be willing to cooperate with the Quordentze family and with Lord Wilk?”

If my prediction is correct,” Sardin said after a preamble.

Cooperation?”

This summer we had a poor harvest. This fall must have been a lonely harvest festival everywhere.

The annual schedule for wheat cultivation in the territory of Zeldmietra is to sow the seeds in the fall and winter, harvest them around the following summer, and hold a harvest festival at the timing to collect the money as tax.

Since around spring, the southern part of the continent had been predicted to have a poor crop. The predictions were correct: this year's harvest in the territory of Zeldmietra was smaller than usual.

I heard from a civil official that the price of wheat has gone up. The Free Cities are struggling to scrape by.

Zeldmietra also had a poor harvest, but it was not so bad that its people would starve immediately.

The Zeldmitra family is a large family, and because of their good government, there are not a few immigrants. The small amount of farmland relative to the population, food shortages are a constant concern. Whether they are First or Second Territory residents, they eat bread when they are hungry. The existence of the Second Estate was a prerequisite for the lives of the people in the territories, so the people could not starve to death at will just because they were slaves.

It would be an opportunity to attack the hungry and weakened South.”If we can get the Quardenze to supply us with food, we can move as fast as we want.”

To launch a large-scale military operation, one needs to be prepared with food. For this reason, it was the policy of the Zeldmietra family not to make any major moves this year or next.

The Quardenze must be in no small amount of turmoil. We can ingratiate ourselves by actively taking sides.”

Sardin was not happy about that.

The Zeldmitra family is difficult to move, but the independent noble families of the Free City Cluster are even more difficult to move. Their territory.

He said, “If we just wait for the Levios family to make a move, we will not be able to make Zeldmietra bigger. If we do not move on our own, we will not be able to build up our strength.”

As if in response to his voice, his light fell from the sky.

Lord Wilk showed the way.

The moon and stars illuminated the figure of Sardin.

The nephew's eyes his glistening with bloody ambition, rose out of the darkness.

The two families of Kuordenze and Spierzeig concluded a peace treaty in the city of Nambonan.

It was not long after that that the special news that shook the entire continent came in.