Chapter 352 – Sparrows Can’t Just Walk Past a Mill.
“Big brother… So, the eldest son?”
As I was contemplating on what to call him, Trisian gave a supplementary explanation.
“It’s Denevalve Tricker.”
“Tricker? Is that the eldest son’s name, anyway… Our visit won’t be very pleasant for a man called Tricker.”
“Even though I took the position of captain of the guard, Uncle Keun’s faction still boasts a mighty power within the territory. Even if you are in an advantageous position, there is probably no one in the world who likes to see an increase in enemies.”
“Hmm…”
I was a little taken aback by the fact that Count Denevalve Verolder wasn’t a powerful lord with absolute power, but this might be a good thing for me.
It is said that if I get involved in the political fight and help him to seize full power over the Denevalve family, I will also run out of beans.
Moreover, the fabricated ledger handed over to Trician in the past damaged the power of Tricker, the eldest son, and helped to solidify the position of Count Verolder. Will be.
I was worried about my first meeting with Yeongju, but it might be more comfortable than I thought.
But I’m not going to be satisfied with that.
Since you started, you must not be vigilant.
The Count Denevalves, whom I will be dealing with from now on, are a noble family that rules Westway, the largest trading city in the western part of the kingdom.
If you look down on them for being mean, you won’t be able to see them in a good way.
“I need a little more information.”
“Yeah, maybe from now on you’ll be deeply involved in the affairs of the Denevalve family, so it wouldn’t hurt to know.”
Trisian nodded his head in agreement with my words, then slowly spread his three fingers.
“Currently, there are three factions in Count Denevalve.”
“Three? Not two?”
With the information he received from Trician in advance, he recognized that there were two factions: the faction of his second son, the lord, and the faction of his eldest son.
However, the story that there is another faction besides those two is an unexpected development.
“There are three: the lord faction that supports the current lord, the uncle, the eldest son, which supports the eldest son, the eldest uncle, and the neutral faction that no one supports.”
“Neutrality… ?”
He frowned at the word neutral.
“Is it a story that you will stick to the side that has the slightest advantage after watching it?”
“No, it’s a little different from that bat-like feeling.”
“Different?”
“The one who maintains neutrality is the butler head, Viscount Iraq Gein. He is taking care of my maternal grandfather, who was the previous lord.”
“You’re taking care of me… Is the previous lord still alive?”
“Yes, because of poor health, he passed everything to his second son, Count Verolder, retired from the frontlines, and is living quietly in seclusion, but he is openly living in the mansion.”
“Uhm…”
Even if it’s a three-way battle, there’s nothing complicated about it.
Neutralists can be said to be a gray area within the Denevalve family, as there is no way to overturn the position handed down by the previous lord and return to the front lines.
It must be the role of mediating in case of a violent quarrel within the family.
“Trician, are you a faction of the current lord, Count Verolder?”
“Okay.”
The second son of the current lord, Count Denevalve Verolder, and the lord faction that supports him.
Trisian, the head of the guard, is also a member of the lord. The story of that is the story that I also naturally join the faction of the lord’s faction.
“The eldest son, Tricker’s faction, is Baron Simir Jack, the magistrate?”
“Yes, and many other knights in the territory are also attached there.”
“Knights… Aren’t there knights?”
“There are no knights in Count Denevalve’s family.”
I don’t know, but knights are also nobles. So it will have some influence.
Such knights and magistrate Simir Jack are supporting Denevalb Tricker, the eldest son.
In addition, before Trissian became the captain of the guards, the guards captain was also supporting his eldest son, Tricker.
Even though the tricker’s power has decreased a little now, the size of the power is still too different.
Isn’t the power of the current lord, Count Verolder, too weak?
In this case, it must be said that the previous lord who designated Count Verolder as his successor was alive, and his influence had a great influence on the House of Denevalve, so Count Verolder was able to maintain his position as lord.
If this happens, it is necessary to change the evaluation given to the butler, Baron Gein, and the former lord.
Far from being a gray area, they act as a buffer, and it is said that they leaned slightly more towards Verolder in neutral.
“Wasn’t the former guard commander executed as soon as the ledger was discovered?”
“Yes, I immediately executed the former captain of the guard, his family, and the centurion who was close to him. There was some resistance from my uncle, but the evidence was so clear that I was able to go ahead with it.”
Indeed, no matter how much he took bribes, he wondered if it was too soon to execute one of his main retainers, the chief of the guard, and appoint a new successor.
It is a story that he wanted to reduce the power of his eldest son, Tricker, as soon as possible, so he acted like that for a just cause even if he overreacted.
On top of that, it was understandable that he talked about wanting to hire them as his servants after hearing about the heroic stories of me, Natalya, and the old man, who were mere mercenaries.
Since the knights in the family are attached to Tricker’s side, they need new vassals with powers that are strong enough to rival him.
Of course, compared to the knights who have served the Denevalve family for a long time, we have no legitimacy or anything, so we don’t have any political power, but we can play a role in confronting them and making them uncomfortable.
Above all, the one the former lord directly nominated as the successor was Count Verolder.
If so, it would be a story that the legitimacy of Verolder, the second son, precedes that of the eldest son, Tricker.
In other words, when the forces of the two boil, it is the defeat of the tricker without a justification and the victory of Verolder.
Am I the only one aware of this situation?
It can’t be. They probably know better than I do.
“Hmm, hmm… Good. It gets sorted out.”
As for the family situation in the Denevalves, he probably understood perfectly.
In that case, the only thing to worry about is Tricker, the eldest son, and his clique.
To them, I am an unpleasant guest, no… Let alone a guest, he is a predestined enemy.
In addition, I am already a person who unwillingly assisted in the execution of one of their forces, the former chief of the guard.
“The tricker and his gang must hate me.”
At my murmur, Trisian smiled lightly.
“Whoops… You can rest assured on that part.”
“Are you safe?”
“I’m hated by them too, so you’re not alone.”
“It is very comforting.”
That’s what I said, but I don’t know how reassuring it is to have a guide named Trisian.
If she had a relationship with Count Denevalve without her, it would have been difficult to tell who was an enemy and who was an ally.
Rather, you may have seen a rough look while being used.
“I understand why the Count invited us. Then, what we need to think about is the tricker’s response.”
“Yes, to Uncle Maternal, you are destined enemies. Perhaps the Count is trying to hinder the collection of you as subordinates.”
It would be like me too. Reducing the number of enemies and making more friends is the best tactic.
“How are you going to act… ?”
As he muttered that with his arms crossed, Trisian stroked his chin and replied.
“There are two things that come to mind right now.”
“Two? It’s like me.”
Two approaches to take from the tricker side.
“One way is to appease.”
Conciliation is also the first method that came to mind and is the method I am currently using against the executives in Black Moon.
It is to conciliate the enemy’s subordinates, turn them into spies, and cause confusion in the opponent’s camp.
As long as you succeed, the merits are certain, but conciliating the opponent’s subordinates is not so easy.
You have to figure out who is most dissatisfied and what they want, and after you succeed in appeasement, you have to pay attention to them and manage their loyalty.
Besides, you have to be careful not to become a double agent, but it won’t be easy for Tricker to appease you, as he has just set foot in the House of Denevalve.
Above all, because he has no justification.
It is the same as how the aides of the executives were easily seduced by us in the Black Moon.
Because Germi has the legitimacy of being the head of the Black Moon, naturally, subordinate members of the Black Moon have a stronger influence than the executives.
In such a situation, he clearly resolved the dissatisfaction in his heart and presented an appropriate compensation.
I can’t help but be appeased.
On the other hand, Tricker, who lacks such legitimacy compared to Verolder, fails to emphasize his legitimacy to us.
Then the only thing he can offer us is money…
“I mean, money isn’t that tight.”
“Will you go under Tricker just because he is conciliatory?”
“No way.”
Yes, more important than money is that Trician is my woman, and that she supports Verolder.
Even if I couldn’t infer my relationship with Trissian, I would give up on her appeasement if I saw her get off her carriage together in her manor house.
“If appeasement is not possible, the remaining method is…”
