Chapter 261 – Suggestions
Everyone’s life is equal.
Once you die, that’s it. An emperor who reigns on a throne in the sky, or a slave who wanders at the bottom of a gutter, will return to a handful of dirt after the warmth of life runs out.
However, the value of life is not so equal.
Sometimes the lives of some people are considered more equal than the lives of others.
The place where this irony is revealed in the easiest form is the battlefield.
In times of war, the Children of Winter took greater credit for cutting off the head of a single aristocratic commander than for the heads of a hundred slave-turned-conscripts.
Of course, there was also a few spoonfuls of inferiority or hatred towards the imperial aristocrats, whom they called ‘satisfied pigs’, added to the non-competition system.
The practical reason was that taking the commander’s head could inflict more damage to the enemy than soldiers, who were only consumables. The higher the class and the more noble the family, the higher the value of the salted head skyrocketed.
The Imperial side scored similarly, although the method was a little less barbaric.
It was only natural that the saber tiger pattern, the symbol of the battlefield, had a much higher value than the wolf pattern worn by ordinary warriors in the booty market.
In the end, the most important thing in war was to kill more enemies than allies, or to create an environment in which to do so.
If you successfully satisfy that condition, people call it a win.
The action of defeating a large number of enemy soldiers or taking the supply and demand of the enemy commander was the easiest way to determine victory or not, and it was also something that everyone on the battlefield did not want.
That is why, if a large-scale victory is won against the enemy, few people take issue with the intermediate process. Even if an almost equal number of allies died in order to achieve victory, if they eventually won, it would be regarded as a ‘necessary sacrifice’ and the commander could enjoy a brilliant honor.
The fact that each and every one of the victims, trampled on by military boots and buried in rain and snow and turned to white bones, was someone’s father or mother, and was someone’s precious person.
After all, it was much better than losing.
It was considered blasphemy if someone who had lost a loved one was outraged and questioned whether the victory was worth it. And soon forgotten
Few people paid that much attention to the shadows cast by the glory of victory.
However, there must be someone who remembers the other side.
—Little…
Pale yellow liquid poured into a teacup decorated with a colorful arabesque pattern.
The scent of fragrant apples was about to fill the drawing room. Wolfgang, who was thirsty at the time, emptied his glass without hesitation. He was very fresh and delicious apple juice.
‘I didn’t think so, but it’s fruit juice again.’
Wolfgang was seized with a strange sentiment. At this point, he has a reasonable suspicion that the instinct to prefer fruit juice seems to be imprinted in the gene of the imperial family.
“It’s sweet and delicious. It’s refreshing.”
“Right? You know something. But, usually, everyone gets flustered when I bring this out. How come you look used to it?”
“I’ve been through something similar before.”
“Haha. It must have been Bonama, Obama, and Alicia. Everyone in my family likes fruit juice. It’s kind of family history.”
Why is this real?
In front of the first prince, who chuckled as if he was having a lot of fun, Wolfgang barely caught the corner of his mouth that was about to flinch. He wasn’t here to laugh and talk while drinking fruit juice.
The first prince looked at Wolfgang with a friendly smile and said, He was sitting in the most upright position in an armchair so soft that his back was buried.
“Sir Wolfgang. You know what? I personally have a lot of respect for you. You’ve won a lot.”
“It’s too much praise.”
“What’s the praise? To be honest, I don’t feel that your performance has been reduced unfairly. If there had been one more general like you, the battle itself would have been different. It would have been much easier to win. ‘S disciple.”
An outspoken official that makes listeners feel hot during the day.
Wolfgang was very afraid of that. He was not very familiar with this round and round speech. I know very well what we’re going to talk about in the end anyway. I felt like I was going back a long way with a set conclusion.
“His Highness, please do not gild this embarrassing self-portrait of a soldier.”
“Golden lacquer? Are you saying that even though you’ve built up a major that far exceeds the scope of a single field commander? You even refused to do a considerable amount of lessons yourself.”
“The world doesn’t call it a lesson to run amok with hatred and slaughter after losing all your men.”
However, how could he show dislike when he was in front of the direct royal family, and even in front of the first prince?
The only member of the royal family he could treat as he pleased was Alicia. Even if you officially become a sire, it will be the same.
So, Wolfgang responded with an appropriate example. Of course, it wasn’t just about being humble, it actually reflected his thoughts quite a bit.
Upon hearing Wolfgang’s answer, the first prince muttered in admiration.
“Huh. I really don’t know your character, even if I know it. Looking at your actions, you’re far from an ascetic life, but if you listen to your words, you’re like a sage with a worldly view. I hope you won’t be deceived in front of me. , Do you have a firm reference point for your own standards?”
“Since I went to the battlefield as a commander, not as a soldier, shouldn’t I be evaluated as the result of my command?”
“I see. Unexpectedly, really unexpectedly. As expected, you have to meet people in person.”
What a surprise.
Did you know that that could be a very rude word? Since he was born as a direct descendant of the Hagisa Imperial Family, and as the eldest son, no one would have dared to point out his rudeness.
Not knowing that Wolfgang’s liking for the first prince was slowly declining in his heart, he smiled very meaningfully.
It’s as if this is the main point.
“Did you know that? In the end, the feat you refused had to belong to someone else. Isn’t it true that a ghost that doesn’t exist in the world can’t do it with the achievement? I won’t bother to hide it. That’s right. To put it bluntly, it’s like picking up and eating the crumbs you spilled.”
“…”
Wolfgang responded with silence.
It was a fact that he already knew that his achievements flowed to the first prince. However, he did not expect that he would reveal it directly with his mouth.
No matter how much Alicia was involved, the person closest to the crown prince was still the first prince. And the unrivaled position he had was due not only to being the eldest son, but also to his brilliant exploits in war.
It is to admit that the roots that support the giant tree called the first prince of the empire are the result of the touch of others, not the one that stretched out by one’s own power.
It is clearly nothing but shame, and even revealing it through one’s own mouth is sure to hurt one’s self-esteem beyond one’s imagination.
However, the first prince’s beautiful face did not show any displeasure or qualifications.
I don’t know what’s inside He is still a reluctant person. He doesn’t fit in at all with him. Feeling unbearably cramped, Wolfgang drank another glass of apple juice.
Then he looked straight into the eyes of the first prince.
The cold blue walls and blood red eyes faced each other in silence for a while.
Again, the first to speak was the first prince.
“Hey. You’re the type of person who can’t control his expression. The royal family is said to have a very sensitive eye. Since a while ago, I’ve been making faces as if I’m like this.”
“I won’t deny it. It seems like there’s something else you want to tell me. For some reason, it feels like it’s going round and round.”
Despite the openly sharp answer, the corner of the first prince’s mouth rose even higher.
It’s like I can’t stand this situation because it’s funny.
“Haha! You know what? You’re the first person to express yourself so clearly in front of me. But it’s worth it. You’re definitely worth it. Sometimes there are people like that. It’s just numbers and efficiency. Jewels that emit a brilliant light that cannot be done.”
“Because it is among countless stones, even a jewel shines.”
“But at most a stone is just a stone. One diamond is more precious than a million pebbles. Should a stone be rare enough to serve as an abrasive? The world is like that too. One talented person can lead a million people.” “I want someone just like you.”
1 The prince stretched out his hand towards Wolfgang.
Sirius blue eyes, similar to Alicia’s, were shining with ambition.
She didn’t like it Whilst she casts such an eerie light on her subjects she has eyes similar to hers. Seeing this, Wolfgang had a hunch. The first prince is said to be the type of person who cannot get close to him by nature.
As she listened to her ensuing appeasement, her thoughts deepened even more.
“What did Alicia say to you? Use love as bait to help you rise to the brightest position? I’m sorry, but the throne doesn’t suit that child. Even if you do, you can’t become an eagle and rule yourself.”
Is the first prince aware that there has been no conversation between Wolfgang and Alicia about the throne?
You probably don’t know. I don’t know, so I guess I could say something like that.
“Take my hand. Lions are meant to be with lions, not rabbits. What do you want? A title of Grand Duke? Governor of the North? An oath in my name. If you swear allegiance to me, I will I can give you everything except the seat of emperor.”
Wolfgang thought.
He wasn’t exactly a love-blind romantic or an idealist dreaming of the happiness of the marginalized, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be a complete snob.
If he chooses to follow someone, and if the one he follows becomes emperor.
It’s better to be pure. A person who was burning with a lust for power and did not know what he would do in the future was a no-brainer.
Wolfgang slowly shook his head and opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness the Prince.”
And he answered firmly as if he was confirming kill.
“The destination of my allegiance has already been determined.”
