Chapter 400 – Visitors
Wolfgang tilted his head to the side and exhaled.
“If it’s the Governor-General’s decree… “
It’s an easy fact to forget because we don’t usually pay much attention to it, but Wolfgang was the governor who nominally ruled the Land of Frost.
According to the Empire’s constitution, Codex Justitia, the only legitimate nation on earth is the Solarium Empire.
Of course, the land of frost that exists beyond the limit is, strictly speaking, nothing more than a huge block of ice that cannot be called land.
Even so, it is true that it is a bit misleading to say that a force other than the empire, or even a coalition of northern barbarians hostile to the empire, is effectively ruling the Land of Frost.
Therefore, the imperial family considers the Land of Frost as a territory that will one day be incorporated into the imperial order.
By appointing Wolfgang as governor, the Land of Surrey was legally incorporated under the control of the empire.
If one day, the Northern Barbarian Union collapses and the Land of Frost becomes the territory of the empire, a territory larger than the Kshatri Duchy, the largest territory in the empire, will actually be owned by Wolfgang.
Until something like that happens, it’s an honorary position.
It was a position that was nothing more than a bright apricot, with the only real benefit being a bit of weight on the shoulders.
Therefore, Wolfgang also thought that the real reward he received for his contribution in the last mission was an unprecedented promotion to lieutenant general, and that talking about being a governor was just a sideshow.
He found it strange that he had suddenly received a call in the name of the governor.
“Here, this.”
The secretary handed Wolfgang a rolled-up piece of parchment with an extremely polite gesture.
And then, as if one hour was not a waste, he began to devote himself to work again.
“Hmm.”
Wolfgang accepted it with some trepidation.
From what I can see, it certainly seems to be the correct format used by northern immigrants when sending important letters.
It’s been so long since I’ve seen it that I have to say something feels unfamiliar.
“I still have a lot of things to worry about. “I hope it’s not a bother.”
I was just touching the parchment here and there with my large hands, even holding it to the tip of my nose and smelling it.
“Wait a minute, this is…” “
Wolfgang’s expression changed in an instant when he checked the shape of the seal drawn on the seal made of red wax mixed with animal blood.
A seal depicting large, pointed wolf teeth.
It was none other than the symbol of the Frosttooth tribe.
Wolfgang immediately summoned his secretary.
“Lord Yering.”
“Yes, general.”
“Can you confirm who the sender of this letter is?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s difficult. Because the letter arrived through several intermediaries, it is nearly impossible to identify the original sender.”
I just asked this just in case.
The Frosttooth Tribe is the only pro-Empire faction beyond the border that actually left the alliance and turned to the Empire for the sake of the tribe’s survival.
It was also the hometown tribe of Astrid, the second-in-command of the tribe and a female warrior who was Wolfgang’s rival during the war.
You tried to contact Wolfgang directly from a place like that.
No matter which way you think about it, it was not something to be taken lightly.
The lieutenant general rank insignia that Wolfgang gave to Astrid as a token is equipped with a communication function, but the coordinates are not properly specified beyond the limit line, making teleportation or the use of communication magic impossible.
That’s probably why they chose this primitive method.
Anyway, that wasn’t what was important right now.
—Click!
“Geez, I hope something didn’t happen… “
Wolfgang lightly bit his little finger and let a drop of blood fall on his seal.
On the outside, it looks like a flimsy parchment scroll, but if security had been so poor, all the northern barbarian alliance’s operational plans would have been discovered by the empire long ago, and the war would have ended in less than a year.
All important correspondence between the Northern Barbarian Alliance is strictly guarded by Runik of powerful protection, insight, and destruction.
Of course, it cannot be damaged by any significant physical impact.
If anyone other than the pre-determined recipient attempts to damage the letter, Runic of Destruction is immediately activated and the entire scroll is burned.
A primitive but extremely thorough security system.
Even the most powerful wizards of the empire were unable to bypass the traditional security technique using the recipient’s blood until the war was over.
Of course, since the principle is so simple, it is ridiculously easy to break if you catch the recipient directly and make them bleed.
In other words, you will never be able to attack it unless you use a straight attack method.
—Srurr…
A seal that melts in response to Wolfgang’s blood.
Wolfgang quickly opened the parchment and checked the contents and was shocked.
“This is… !”
Because I couldn’t tell even a single word of what it was about!
It was an unexpected ambush.
“Damn.”
Wolfgang pressed his forehead hard and held back the pounding headache.
It was true that he understood the language of northern immigrants to some extent, as he had served on the front lines for several years.
The vocabulary and grammar used in the first place are similar to the imperial language, and if you listen carefully, it is almost like a harsh dialect, so if you exchange swear words and kill each other for a while, your ears will naturally open.
But it wasn’t letters.
Unlike the imperial language based on the Gothic script, the script of the northern tribes, which was derived from its own writing system called Runik, cannot be interpreted unless you are an expert who has studied it.
At the time of the war, there was at least one code officer attached to each unit, and Sylvia, Wolfgang’s closest subordinate, also knew how to read and write the Runic alphabet, so there was no particular problem.
In fact, Wolfgang was completely blind to the Runic script.
Maybe it’s the ancient Murim language.
“Lord Yering, I’m sorry for keeping calling you… “
Wolfgang visited the secretary again, feeling a bit at a loss. I thought that he would somehow know because he was bright and capable.
Before I knew it, Wolfgang’s voice was full of despair.
“Do you know anything about the Runic alphabet?”
“… I’m sorry, but that field is not my jurisdiction.”
However, Wolfgang’s expectations were cruel.
A secretary who uses a speaking style typical of civil servants and takes a step forward. It seems that the habits of public service are still ingrained in us.
It’s unfortunate, but I couldn’t really say anything.
“Okay, then let’s put this off until later.”
Still, should we consider it fortunate that work has become more of a hassle and there is no solution at all?
If you utilize various means, including Wolfgang’s status and connections in the Comrades’ Association, it will not be difficult to find someone who knows the Runic alphabet.
But the problem was that I had to continue to feel uncomfortable until then.
“Tsk, I can’t help it.”
Wolfgang let out a sigh and got up from his seat.
Then, I decided to take care of the most urgent matter first, after the frost tooth shortage.
“What is the schedule for the meeting with the president of the Telephone Workshop?”
“Please wait a moment.”
When I asked the secretary, he immediately fiddled with the dial of the communication device and exchanged a few words with someone before quickly answering.
“The defense team wants to see the general right now. He said he would arrange a suitable location if you wish.”
“No, there is no need for that. Just tell the boss to come home directly.”
“Yes. Then I will tell you that.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
Wolfgang left the office as soon as he woke up and went straight to the garden. It was stuffy, so I wanted to get some air.
As he stepped out of the house, a well-maintained walking path welcomed him.
“Whoa… “
Just smelling the cool outside air and walking alone for a moment felt like all the stuffiness was relieved.
Walking was his favorite hobby to organize his thoughts.
“You talk about being a member of the imperial family, so it’s good that one thing is certain.”
After the engagement ceremony with Alicia, Wolfgang was in fact being treated as more than a collateral royal family member, but he didn’t really feel much.
For reasons of security and protocol, most of the personnel handling minor tasks were replaced by members of the imperial family, so it was clear that satisfaction with daily life had increased noticeably compared to before.
The skills of the gardener I hired before weren’t particularly bad, though.
“Was it intentionally managed to create a feeling similar to a public garden?”
Compared to the special professionals who served the imperial family, their shine was bound to fade.
Many other things have also changed.
Details of the mansion that has been transformed to have many things in common with the Palace of Light where her fiancée Alicia lives.
Now Wolfgang’s house was no longer a needlessly large mansion.
He even possessed the dignity befitting a member of the imperial family.
That may not happen, but if this mansion were put on the market, all kinds of high-ranking nobles would pay hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase it.
If you are a high-ranking noble of earl level or higher, you will naturally have your home decorated extravagantly.
It is not easy to purchase a mansion like this near the islands.
When you are walking leisurely, feeling so satisfied.
“Master.”
“Ah, butler. What’s going on?”
An old butler appeared from nowhere and quietly called to him.
“The owner of the telephone workshop visited us.”
“Already?”
It’s been less than an hour since we contacted you.
The guest’s visit was much earlier than expected.
