A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

68 – Memorial Service for the Beast (4)

If the two countries establish an atmosphere of peace, military spending will naturally be reduced.

That is incorrect.

The more peaceful it is, the better the military power must be.

If you naively weaken your military power, you will be eaten by the international situation and politics.

The empire has grown like this until now.

The moment I lowered my sword to the hand of peace reaching forward, I immediately stabbed him in the heart and cut off his head.

What is the kingdom like?

The atmosphere for peace negotiations will be established, and public opinion will certainly be driven by the empire.

-The empire disbanded its navy, shouldn’t the kingdom make a corresponding move?

Of course, the people who say this are the ones who took bribes from the empire.

However, if you do not know such secrets, you are bound to think that it is the public opinion of the kingdom itself.

“If exchanges continue, the Empire will demand the disbandment of the Dragoon Corps.”

“It is a challenge to the nostrum and an invasion of national sovereignty.”

“Because that’s the purpose.”

“…”

“You cannot go against the flow, Your Highness. Among the 12 Ministers, who truly serves Nostrum?”

“Uhm… !”

The Duke of Winchester crossed his arms and began to worry.

“There may be one or two, but even they will eventually turn towards the Empire, whether their families are threatened or their finances are mortgaged.”

“You seem confident that the 12 ministers will work for the empire in the future.”

“It is not instead of the current 12.”

“Not now?”

“If I were the Empire, I would change all 12 ministers.”

Those who work for the kingdom will be brought down.

Those who work for the empire will be stabbed from behind.

“No matter what the process is, as a result, they will try to fill the kingdom’s executives with pro-imperial factions. They will advocate for the disbandment of the Dragon Knights in earnest. This is just one example.”

It will weaken the kingdom’s national power in all directions, including the Dragon Knights.

“The same goes for the coming of the Empire’s currency. Eventually, all the gold will be recovered and melted down to become gold bars, and all the people in the kingdom will use the Empire’s currency.”

“What is the possibility of that not happening?”

“That is possible. If me, the Queen, and Her Majesty the Grand Duke sleep for two hours a day and are devoted and loyal to the kingdom.”

You will have to move starting today.

“We will have to detain the crown prince, prevent any imperial logistics from entering the kingdom, and wage an all-out war against the imperial navy heading towards the Sirene domain.”

“That’s extreme.”

“I am saying this on the premise that it is to protect the nostrum.”

For a moment, it doesn’t suit me.

‘Let’s think like a princess of a ruined country.’

Let me speak from the mindset of a woman who sacrificed her life for Nostrum.

“First, we have to settle the proceeds from the sale of the Kingdom Academy land that Morgania ate.”

“…!”

“After all, that money is the Empire’s money, and you may have even received goods from Iperia Industries separately. This is separate from the existing agreement made in the canyon.”

“That doesn’t happen-“

“You really think I don’t know? Seriously?”

“…”

Erwin is an entrepreneur, and from what I have seen of her, she is someone who is willing to spend money to keep her oils flowing.

“The kingdom will have to cut off all communication with the empire, just like it has done so far, or even more thoroughly. Put up a wall and not let even a single ant come in.”

“It’s extreme.”

“Are there just one or two agents of the Empire who have invaded Nostrum?”

“…”

“Apart from the ten orphans that Gibraltar received, doesn’t Morgania know better how many Imperial spies are swimming the seas, crossing the Plaguelands, crossing the northern snowfields, and creeping into Nostrum?”

The Empire will continue to send spies and attempt to open the way.

Everything else has already been conquered, and only the kingdom remains.

“Your Royal Highness, Queen. Shall we be a little more honest?”

In order to persuade more deeply, you must reveal your true feelings.

“Although I have told my mother about this and that, she thinks it is most likely that she has not told her grandfather about me.”

“Hmm. Well, being a grandfather is-“

“Let me tell my grandfather my true feelings.”

“I heard he was a bad guy who tried to take advantage of people by stimulating their emotions like that.”

“Then I don’t have to be pretentious anymore?”

The Duke of Winchester let out a helpless laugh and flopped down on the sofa.

“Yes. Recite it once. A plan to accept the disaster called Thaler and prevent Nostrum from ruin.”

“Whether I fail or not, is there a problem?”

“What?”

I sat down in front of the Grand Duke of Winchester and filled his empty cup with tea.

“Until three years ago, the paths of Morgania’s goals and Gibraltar’s goals were diametrically opposed. But now Gibraltar is standing next to Morgania, looking in the same direction.”

“Is it your Gibraltar or the Crimson’s Gibraltar?”

“My will is your will, and I am also your mouth.”

“That’s right, father.”

Carmen sat next to me.

“Crimson completely follows Gray’s opinion. Except for the part related to Charlotte.”

“Are you going to throw away the status of a family that has been loyal to Nostrum for 500 years and become lowly politicians like us?”

“I’m thinking of something more than that.”

Grrr.

“Traitor.”

I poured tea into the Archduke’s cup as well.

“If the imperial currency comes in, the empire will encroach on the kingdom. It is a natural process, and the country’s economy will be shattered.”

“…”

“Your Highness, the Duke of Winchester, are you truly working for Nostrum, or are you just working to maintain power as a powerful figure in Nostrum?”

“.. Haha!!!”

The Duke of Winchester tapped his knee with his hand and laughed.

“You traitor!”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

“In my nearly 60 years of life, you are the first person to be this honest! Haha!”

The Archduke laughed so hard that tears appeared in his eyes.

“Yes. There is a reason why Carmen called him his son her her her. Then tell me. What happens when the Empire develops Nostrum economically?”

“The Governor-General will be established, and the Governor-General will naturally belong to His Royal Highness the Duke of Winchester. Well…If she dies, it will belong to Her Royal Highness Queen Carmen.”

“There is nothing I can say that is completely wrong. There is no such thing as an immoral person.”

“I’m being honest.”

The Duke of Winchester was still smiling and playing with his mustache.

“But it’s difficult. I have a real granddaughter, and she wants that child to become king of Nostrum.”

“…”

“To that child, it’s nothing more than a ruin, a heap of ashes… No. Was he going to hand over a kingdom that was deep in debt?”

The Archduke comes in after stabbing the part that hurts the most.

“Whether Naria Geo Nostrum dies or not, and whether she works hard for the broken kingdom or not, as long as Morgania lives comfortably, that’s it?”

“If you look at it objectively, yes.”

“Yes, Mann?”

“I have no intention of handing over the tattered kingdom to Naria Geo Nostrum.”

No matter how much Naria will take care of it and I won’t help her, I won’t ask her to build a kingdom with trash without any foundation.

“Your Majesty the Archduke. This is really, really a joke.”

“It may not seem like a joke, but try saying it.”

“Even if the kingdom deteriorates by about 100 years compared to now, wouldn’t the kingdom become the best on the continent if the empire were completely destroyed?”

“…”

The Archduke’s hands stiffen as he lifts the teacup, and Carmen next to him frowns at me.

“Don’t play around.”

“It’s not a joke.”

“Why? Are you trying to destroy the Empire even more than you destroyed Nostrum? Are you trying to destroy the Empire altogether?”

Carmen slides down to the side of the sofa and laughs helplessly.

“Yes. A person who loses a leg would be in so much pain that he would die, but if everyone had their legs cut off, that person would become the tallest person in the world.”

“Did you see it correctly?”

“…It’s a bit weird to say this to my son, but are you really a monster inside?”

“It was St. Geo Nostrum that awakened the monster in me. I just wanted to be comfortable.”

It all started with an incompetent king.

“I tried to live quietly, but if you keep messing with me, there’s nothing I can do.”

It was the emperor who set off the sleeping bomb.

“Would you burn down a mansion to catch bed bugs? There’s a saying like that.”

A light cup of tea.

“I prefer to burn it down and move.”

“What are you going to do with that landlord, Naria?”

“As a minimal gesture of good faith, we can send you tools and materials to build a new house.”

“Do you have any intention of helping me directly?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“This is it.”

Carmen and the Archduke stared at me for a long time.

“Father.”

“Hmm.”

“If Nariah is having a hard time, will she marry him?”

“If you destroyed the kingdom, you should at least take responsibility for their lives. Half of them are Morgania’s blood.”

At those words, I almost burst out laughing.

“Then, grandson.”

“Yes, grandfather.”

“As for Naria, let’s discuss it with your mother, and let’s talk lightly about the Dragon Knights with me.”

“No problem.”

I adjusted my posture and sat down again.

“I have no intention of setting up the Knights of Courage, which my grandfather holds dear, as a clown to make money. It’s just that people come to watch the competition, the race, and the process of winning, and make bets based on the results.”

“Hmm. Keep trying.”

“Even if the Dragoon Division is disbanded, are you going to kill all the wyverns, griffons, drakes, hippogriffs, etc. That they raised? No.”

“We make Gyeongryongjang for them.”

“Yes. Jockeys also come to the Gyeongryong Stadium from time to time and compete fairly. The content of the race will not be a fight to kill each other, but will be closer to a sprint.”

“We’ll talk about that in detail later. Okay, then… “

Slurp.

“Let’s go to the crown prince.”

The Grand Duke emptied his glass in one go and stood up.

* * *

“…Yes?”

The crown prince opened his mouth in surprise.

“Well, didn’t you hear?”

It’s like he can’t believe it.

Or maybe he threw it once, but it seemed like he wasn’t expecting it when he bit into it.

“Uh, um, so…”

I bet on old Drake, who had a 0.3% chance of winning, but the prince’s expression changed every moment, as if he had witnessed the upset and victory.

“Are you saying that you are allowing the use of imperial currency in the Sirene territory?”

“I will do that.”

From noble mtl dot come

“…Yes?”

This is a little surprising.

“Hey, Your Majesty, the Duke of Winchester. Your Majesty Queen Carmen? Did I say the wrong language?”

“No. I understood correctly. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?”

“Of course, Prime Minister.”

Carmen opened her mouth with a relaxed look on her face, with me standing behind her.

“Nachasa. Can you convey my meaning in the imperial language? Exactly.”

“Yes.”

I stepped to the side and clearly conveyed my meaning in the imperial language.

“Morgania will accept His Highness her the Crown Prince ‘s offer her her hers.”

“…”

The crown prince’s expression hardened for a moment.

“Ha.”

Then, he slightly twisted the corner of his mouth and smiled wryly.

“Morgania, what?”

It may seem like he is asking for confirmation, but the crown prince has already figured out the entire situation.

“Your Excellency the Grand Duke. Your Highness Carmen.”

The crown prince smiled broadly as he regained his appetite.

“The Empire sincerely welcomes you two. Haha.”

A conversation in a banquet hall or drawing room where no one can hear.

“There is a sunny place in the southern part of the empire. Would you like to come there for a vacation sometime?”

If you betray the kingdom, I will give you territory in the southern part of the empire.

“I want to go sightseeing, but I like my hometown. Morgania is a really nice place. In return, if I go to the empire someday, please treat me accordingly.”

Maintain control over the land of Morgania, but Morgania’s power must be maintained no matter what the situation.

“Would it be possible?”

The crown prince nodded his head lightly.

* * *

Imperial currency comes in.

No matter how much Thaler is absorbed in Gibraltar, there will definitely be limits.

‘If the piggy bank is about to overflow, the basic rule is to cut it open.’

No matter how much Empire-friendly Gibraltar shows, if the Empire seems to be going out of its way, it will naturally keep it in check.

‘Still, you can point your sword at the emperor.’

Whether it is a lighthouse or a gambling hall, causing chaos in the empire’s economy by securing talors is all a step towards the emperor.

When the emperor comes to Gyeongryongjang, he gets caught in a trap I set and is assassinated.

Or, the real people of the empire will go crazy for light dragons and the empire’s core talent will go bankrupt.

Conversely, an incompetent king gives away the kingdom’s assets and throws them into Gyeongryong, causing the kingdom to go bankrupt.

It doesn’t matter what happens in the process.

‘I and my side will be safe.’

Even if Nostrum falls, Gibraltar will survive.

Gibraltar will adapt to a changing world.

The emperor will die.

‘If you have to, just take everything and go to the empire.’

The Empire where the Habsburgs disappeared.

It may be quite different from Nostrum, but no matter where you go, as long as you have capital, funds, and the power to protect it, you can live as a wealthy and powerful person.

‘It’s a ruined country anyway. It would be better to be born with a new look.’

Whether it’s the Republic of Nostrum.

Whether it is a new nostrum constitutional monarchy.

‘Become the bomb to kill the Habsburgs. ‘Nostrum.’

After killing the emperor.

Whether Nostrum falls or not is none of my business.

As for Gibraltar, as a bonus, Morgania will continue to exist as a wealthy class that maintains power.

Originally.

Even if a country falls, traitors somehow survive with wealth and power.

So.

If you want to kill the emperor, you can sell as much as your country.

‘When the Emperor relaxes, reassured that Gray Gibraltar is an imperialist traitor to the core, he stabs the b*stard’s heart with his sword.’

Treason is what I am best at.

‘What you’ve already done, you can do better.’

Because it is the sword that can kill the emperor most definitely.