Chapter 92 – To Get What You Want (4)
Meanwhile, the castle of Count Pelgarin.
Head office.
“Did you say you were withdrawing troops?”
Across the chess board, Count Leoberg questioned with a puzzled expression.
It was because he did not understand Benelia’s intentions of his, who had neglected the military without reaping any results for the past five days, and then abruptly expressed their intention to withdraw on the sixth day.
But her curiosity would not last long.
─ It is late at night. I’d like to talk about it next time. Then I’ll let you know all I think.
Didn’t Benellia herself promise to tell her all about her next time she met her?
‘Spit out the true intentions that have entered her half-open gold her. If she is now, she will be able to deal with it rationally.’
As Leoberg glared at her with some determination, Benelia’s hand her, which was wearing her white cotton glove, moved in an unusual manner.
“That’s right.”
Benelia, who responded languidly, raised her props. The eyes that were looking down at her chessboard she became bored.
“A secret letter should have reached the imperial family by now, so she has no reason not to withdraw. The rumors going around the streets are also tarnishing my reputation, so the situation couldn’t be better. Conversely, the prestige of the count who brought me to his knees is increasing day by day, so we are both happy.”
“…… What do you mean, a good situation when Her Highness’s honor is being tarnished?”
“Didn’t I tell you before? In the eyes of the court ministers, I had to become an ‘incompetent princess’. In that sense, the current play is excellent.”
Widely. Benelia, who had moved her piece of her, raised her gaze to face Leo Berg.
“Believe in the achievements he has made and act childishly, he is humiliated by incurring the wrath of Count Leoberg, who has high authority. There could be no better scenario than this.”
“I understand Her Highness’s words of hers, but …… What I mean is, why does Her Highness have to become an ‘incompetent princess’?”
Benelia was silent.
Is it a silent protest that she doesn’t want to talk about? It would be common sense for her to show her own hand to her if she offered her political alliance.
As Leo Berg stared at him, Benelia raised her hand and pointed to her chessboard her.
“It’s the count’s turn.”
“…… Majesty?”
“The story I want to tell is quite long. She might as well have a chat over a game of chess.”
Does chess matter in this situation? It was Leoberg who did not understand, but it was impossible to blindly say no to the princess’ recommendation.
Leoberg let out a low sigh and moved the props as Benelia said.
Benelia, whose turn had come, opened her mouth again, engrossed in her chess game her.
“The current empire is in disarray. Tax rates are rising, and the writings of conscripts are becoming more and more coercive. In order to make up for the lost soldiers in the Orc Conquest War, the situation is that not only gossips, but even mercenaries are being summoned.”
“That……. I know that.”
“Then it sounds good. Now, thanks to His Majesty the Emperor, who is about to start another war, public sentiment is going from bad to worse. That means it wouldn’t be strange if it caught fire at any time.”
Less than ten years after the end of the war, the emperor’s violent behavior is about to break out again. It is the worst news for the people who have forgotten the pain of war and regained their daily lives.
“Since the national treasury is running empty due to excessive conscription, the imperial family is taking out excessive loans from Carastain Bank. I can’t even imagine how much debt the empire has fallen into.”
Even so, His Majesty the Emperor, his father his, did not back down on his decision his. Like madmen, they live in the optimism that a war will return everything to normal.
“What do you think would happen if a war breaks out when internal affairs and diplomacy are at stake and public sentiment is at its worst? If that war ends in defeat, can the empire remain as an empire?”
Contrary to her serious words her, Benelia moved her items her very calmly. Leoberg, who hesitated for a moment, also counterattacked by moving his equipment.
“Your Highness, are you sure that the Empire will lose the war?”
I didn’t ask if there would be a war. Leoberg was well aware that the emperor’s madness was getting worse day by day.
At Leo Berg’s question, Benellia calmly nodded her head.
“The Demon Lord is not an easy opponent like before. The Grand Dukes of Hell have achieved amazing technological advancements using their demonic energy. Compared to the current empire, you can use magic that is not far behind.”
“Even so, it is not enough to defeat the Empire.”
“Your words are right. If they engage each other in an all-out war, the Empire will surely emerge victorious. But.”
Widely. Benellia, who had moved her utensils her, leaned her body her against the back of her chair.
“What’s the use of consuming a lot of troops and winning? Do you think that the Kingdom of Agela and the Republic of Isbald will stand by and watch over the weakened empire?”
“…….”
“It would be fortunate if they were attacked at the end of the war. Somehow, if a sudden invasion occurs after going through several rotations with the Devil, the empire will perish with enemies on both sides.”
Leo Berg groaned and frowned at him. Although she had expected it to some extent, Benelia had awakened her to a reality she had struggled to deny.
“I’m sure the court ministers don’t know this either. Just because his father his is crazy does n’t mean they’re crazy too. Nevertheless, the ministers form a faction among themselves, and the majestic emperor of the empire is acting in vain.”
“…… Why is that?”
“Why would you? He must have been greedy after seeing the crown for too long. The human heart is originally like that.”
The plans of the ministers were obvious.
The Empire wages war with the Demon Lord. The court ministers who have been watching send secret letters to the Republic when the time is right.
The republic that received the secret letter forms an alliance with the kingdom and invades the empire. The empire, which lacked defense forces due to the war with the Devil, is disappearing like a sand castle being pushed away by the waves.
The emperor came to his senses belatedly, but it was too late. The empire, which could not properly cope with the wave of attacks from both sides, eventually lost its sovereignty and collapsed.
At that time, the court ministers decreed. Let’s drive out the mad emperor and found a new country.
By skillfully manipulating history and distributing false brochures, they will appeal that the ‘war against the Devil’ is only the emperor’s arbitrary.
“From the point of view of the people, the actions of the court ministers to drive out the tyrant and usurp the throne will look noble. Ministers supported by the people will pretend to be ‘justice’ and shout ‘revolution’.”
The seekers of the people and the righteous ministers who have worked tirelessly to stop the madness of the Emperor will attract the Republic, saying that the system of the state needs to be reorganized.
The Republic preaches that it inevitably attacked the emperor’s soldiers in order to prevent the emperor’s violence, but did not harm the people.
The ministers of the court will insist on republican politics to the people who have been influenced by the logic of the republic, saying that they will make sure that no more tyrannical emperors are born in this country.
It is certain that it will be shouted out every day, sweet and sugar-coated, that it will share the sovereignty of the country with the people.
In the process, the emperor is beheaded and the Esteban family to which the princess belongs disappears into the dark side of history.
At that point, the people stop questioning who exactly was the cause of the war. The Empire will fall and the puppet government of the court ministers, the 2nd Socialist Republic will be born.
“I want to stop this.”
If you go to war with the Devil, tens of thousands of people will die. It is said that tens of thousands of lives are sacrificed for the politics of the ministers of the court.
The countless sorrows that will be derived from their deaths will resonate across the empire.
Benelia couldn’t stand to see it.
“Therefore, in order to stop the treason of the ministers of the court, I am acting incompetent, and I am asking Count Leoberg for help in this regard.”
“…… Are you trying to stop a war?”
“Could it be?”
A bitter smile forms on Benelia’s face her.
“War must happen. In order to change the situation, we have no choice but to use the power of war. However, the war will end as soon as it begins.”
“What are you talking about…… ?”
“It is as I said. We will finish the war without giving the Republic and Kingdom time to intervene in the affairs of the Empire. Innocent sacrifices will come out in the process, but it is inevitable if the empire is to prepare a clue to move on the right path.”
Are you saying that you will choose the lesser evil to prevent the worst? Leoberg still could n’t understand the princess’s intentions her, but the sharp conviction that entered Venelia’s gold made his back his shudder.
“Before this year is over, the Empire will declare war on the Devil. Before that, the Imperial Family will request reinforcements from Count Leoberg. At that time, the Count can transfer command of his troops to me.”
Leoberg did not answer. It is a clear act of treason to entrust command to Benelia personally rather than His Majesty the Emperor in response to the request of reinforcements.
Leoberg lowered his gaze in silence and noticed something strange. It was because the chess victory was heading toward Benelia before she knew it.
‘This…….’
There is no mistake at all while breaking the standard opening rules. It is obviously different from when I first visited the count’s castle and played chess. It felt like I had someone else sit down and play chess.
‘…… Was he hiding his skills on purpose?’
This is to show that your chess skills are poor, and you must have acted to catch your opponent off guard.
When the thought reached that point, a dejected laugh flowed out.
‘Benelia von Esteban.’
‘Cause I can’t trust you But…….
In the current empire, no one could be trusted.
Leo Berg licked his dry lips as he felt his loyalty his waning little by little.
“Assuming Her Highness’ plans all her work, is Her Majesty the Emperor still alive?”
“Of course.”
“Then……How will you resolve my disloyalty and treason for handing over the command of the troops to the princess rather than His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Disloyalty and treason.”
The voice, vague like a dream, continues like the devil’s temptation.
“When that time comes, it will be loyalty and merit.”
Leoberg’s shoulders trembled. Because it was clear what Benelia meant.
It was tantamount to giving up the beliefs of the Pelgarin family that had been passed down from generation to generation. Unconsciously, Leo Berg, who clenched her fists, spat out the words as if to spit them out.
“The Pelgarin family serves the Empire from generation to generation.”
But Benelia remained aloof. Like what the hack is the problem.
“I know.”
Leaning her body forward, Benelia reached out and grabbed her piece of her.
It was the king, wearing a luxurious crown on his head.
“So Count Leoberg.”
Benelia’s gaze slowly moves upward. The golden pupils that had erased the drowsiness scattered the ruler’s spirit.
“For the family and children.”
The raised index finger touches King’s face.
The moment Leoberg gasped, Benelia, without hesitation, defeated her own king.
Took.
The king who has fallen sideways rolls across the chess board without looking good.
A slight contempt aroused within him, but Leoberg could not bear to point out Benelia’s behavior in her. It was because the eyes of her staring at herself were very bloody.
A lion baring her teeth overlapped the princess, who was only 20 years old at most.
“Not the emperor.”
Benelia, who had locked Leo Berg in her own eyes, muttered her resolutely.
“Serve the Empire.”
To follow me is to serve the Empire.
At that bold statement, Leoberg felt his own defeat his.
