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“Imperial Assembly member, Baron Park Jeongjae greets the esteemed members present.”

As soon as he appeared, all rose to their feet in greeting. Park Jeongjae’s rapid attendance at the Imperial Assembly before the week designated by Rose Caprice caused quite the stir.

It was an open secret that a political alliance existed between Harker and Baron Harriet. There were even whispers suggesting a deeper relationship, but the more plausible rumor indicated that Harker was merely experiencing unrequited love. Nonetheless, the crucial point was that with Jeongjae’s presence at the assembly, there was little chance he would deliver a speech favorable to Rose.

The significance of sending Jeongjae as Harker’s representative instead of having her appear in person was unclear. Harker’s reputation had indeed soared recently, but Jeongjae still boasted greater renown as a war hero. Harker’s career was short, and rumors about her focused more on her political actions than her expertise.

Jeongjae had played little to no political role before becoming a lord. The mystique of being a person from another world, coupled with an extraordinarily powerful magic—known for only being used to protect humanity—added to his mystique.

Unbeknownst to him, he was a figure with immense popularity and fame in places he had never visited. His overt action of “speaking out” became a substantial deterrent that caused nobles who were hurrying to support the Crown Princess to hesitate once more.

“I understand that the bill directly submitted by Her Highness the Crown Princess has caused quite the uproar within the assembly. I have also read that law. As you all know, I am not someone who enjoys speaking before the assembly. In fact, this is my first year as a member.”

Jeongjae waved an envelope containing a copy of Rose’s bill. At that moment, he locked eyes with Rose Caprice, who was glaring at him intensely.

Feeling pressured by Rose’s fierce gaze, Jeongjae hesitated momentarily. Was this really the right thing to do? Would he merely escalate the situation? Would this lead to consequences beyond his capacity?

However, he recalled Jenis’s urgent plea for him to fully support her in this matter. He also thought of Margaret’s advice to keep Rose subdued if there was a confrontation.

“However, after reading this law, I simply couldn’t restrain myself from addressing the assembly. Do you know why?”

Jeongjae grasped the envelope with both hands and tore it open. The action was practically a declaration of war, causing members to gasp in shock.

“Because the content is so ridiculous that it’s closer to trash than a law. This law is a complete mess, blatant, and on top of that, shortsighted. It’s hard to believe that such a law is being seriously discussed as an official agenda in this great Imperial Assembly. Let me now explain why.”

A personal insult to the Crown Princess. It was slang that could hardly be uttered unless one were a member of the “Hero Party” or a comparable entity. Although Jeongjae, despite being categorized as part of the Hero’s entourage, was an outsider, making such statements in a formal setting was a terrifying event.

“Firstly, there is no justification for banning the use of the Southern flags in customary law or imperial statutes. Even in this new bill, there are no proper precedents or grounds presented for its enforcement. Furthermore, it has not been proven that the use of the flags has caused any harm. The laurel wreath pattern is sacred. It symbolizes our closest ally, Eramenia, and is a flag officially recognized by its monarch, Count Margaret. All flags are political, and even the crest of every noble family is political! However, is it the empire’s justice to ban that pattern just because it represents a force that displeases the royal family?”

Citing Eramenia was a simple yet powerful argument. After all, Walter was heavily dependent on the existence of Eramenia, and without various supports from the Fairy Kingdom, the empire would have struggled to endure thus far.

The suggestion to eliminate the Southern flags, which bothered Rose, took advantage of the recent considerable weakening of Eramenia’s influence due to Margaret’s downfall. Yet, with the mention of “Margaret” directly from Jeongjae’s mouth, it would be difficult for Rose, who had a close relationship with her, to counter this statement.

Jeongjae was careful not to make eye contact with Rose as he continued speaking.

“Moreover, the logic that posits there should not be a separate command structure outside of the imperial central army is weak. Ladies and gentlemen, it is true that I, Park Jeongjae, am somewhat ignorant of the history of our empire. However, this baron is someone who managed to read quite a bit in the past world, and I have the understanding required to interpret history. Please do not consider it rude that an outsider like myself is commenting on the history of the empire. To my knowledge, the empire recognized the autonomy of local forces, leading to their integration by extending conditions, rather than forcibly annexing them. Am I wrong?”

There was no particular rebuttal. Jeongjae continued.

“In difficult times, extreme measures may be necessary. However, that’s only feasible at moments when it can be taken to extremes. Was the Southern Alliance merely established to prevent the Second Front? No! The possession of private armies by local lords has been legitimate from the beginning. Hence, there is no clause that says they cannot form a type of alliance in operating them! However, is a cooperative operation of private soldiers under legally guaranteed autonomy a reason to strip them of the right to rule their domains and military command? I seriously do not understand the logic this bill presents!”

Several lords had already begun to actively agree with Jeongjae’s opinions, but they couldn’t fully respond due to the awareness of the Crown Princess’s presence. Jeongjae started to feel the noblemen around him subtly aligning with his stance.

In reality, local lords opposed to this bill were abundant from the start. They were simply fearful of the purges that could arise if no heavyweight stood by their side. Jeongjae held an independent status that would make it impossible for Rose to purge him if she wanted to.

“The basis this bill presents to patch up this miserable contradiction is lamentable. Upon reading it, all evidence relies on the slogan of ‘Human Unity’ brought forth by King Audrich at the time of the empire’s unification. But that’s merely a speech, a declaration, or a founding principle! There are various ways to realize a founding principle, and concrete laws are one of the most important means. If the Caprice Royal Family flips its position like turning a palm over and claims that the possession of private armies by the imperial lords contradicts the founding principle, does that imply that the past emperors were indifferent to the unjust laws that didn’t align with the founding principle? Were the previous sovereigns of our empire truly such incompetent individuals?”

By delivering a potent remark equivalent to a “smack talk,” Jeongjae effectively blocked any anticipated counterattack from Rose. Mentioning the names of former kings, whether in the past or present, in a monarchic state served as a very strong argument.

Jeongjae glanced up toward Rose to gauge her expression. Rose Caprice was quietly staring at the platform with a countenance difficult to interpret. There was no discernible anger, hatred, or surprise on her face, making Jeongjae feel unnerved.

Yet, he couldn’t retreat. He had come here in place of Jenis, prepared for excessive clashes and possible accidents. It was his duty and responsibility to convey everything Jenis wanted to say—along with the things she wished to say but couldn’t due to her current position as a war hero.

“In conclusion, as for the last bill, it strains credulity and makes one question whether it was truly written by the great Caprice we know. The Grand Sage in the Magic Tower being treated as though holding a position equivalent to that of an independent lord is undoubtedly a story that has been passed down since before the founding of the Audrich Empire, during the time of the Caprice Empire. However, what should be the basis for elevating Harker to the throne because of this? Is there any evidence other than that the ancient Grand Sage, Reina Serume, was posthumously elevated to ‘Queen Eva’?”

There was much debate among historians about whether the ancient Grand Sage ascended the throne while alive or after death. For convenience, Jeongjae adopted the theory that she was elevated after death.

“Rather, considering the severity of the matter, the autonomy of lords as stated in the laws of the Audrich Empire is a much more superior right. Even strictly following customary law, she has no obligation to become a monarch; is it truly in line with imperial order to forcibly place a crown on her head while seizing her territory? Or is it an act motivated by someone’s personal interests, even at the cost of breaking the law?”

Just as Jeongjae finished speaking, Rose sprang up from her seat and exited the assembly. Everyone present realized that Jeongjae’s speech had put the ambiguous friendship between the Grand Mage and the Crown Princess on the brink of disaster.

Even the members who had recently supported the Grand Mage mentally wore puzzled expressions, clearly unaware of why he had gone this far. When political conflicts arise, most politicians seek a compromise. While a fierce attack can indeed create room for compromise, an attack this vehement signals a lack of willingness to negotiate.

Initially, Rose had likely hoped that Jeongjae brought some sort of negotiation proposal, but the conclusion was clear. Jeongjae passionately represented the position of the leader of the Southern Alliance, Jenis Harker.

There was no negotiation. With the introduction of such a law, Harker’s side had nothing they could concede.

“Even so, the other party is Her Highness…”

One member whispered quietly to a noble beside him. The noble responded by placing his finger to his lips, hushing him.

“Quiet! Let’s avoid unnecessary commotion, Count. It doesn’t seem like something we small-time lords can intervene in.”

Whispers of varying sizes spread throughout the assembly. As they carefully gauged each other’s reactions, their voices remained quite low, but among noble allies seated together, anxious murmurs were clearly audible. Jeongjae secretly employed a hearing magic circle, listening in on the conversations of the noblemen.

“Is this suddenly leading towards a civil war?”

“Now’s not the time to say such things! Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Words become seeds’?”

“What if it really does turn out that way? What do we do?”

“Surely it won’t come to that. Both sides are intelligent beings. If they create a civil war just to take down the Demon King, there will be no justification for it. In today’s world, those who initiate an unjust war will surely be the ones to lose.”

“In any case, it seems difficult for the Southern Army and Central Army to cooperate any longer.”

“Whatever happens, we need to hurry back and take care of our private soldiers. At this rate, it feels like we might lose our entire army.”

Listening to the murmuring of the members, Jeongjae let out a shallow sigh before removing the hearing magic. Optimistic and pessimistic predictions coexisted among those worried about the fate of the empire and those concerned for their own safety. Among them were individuals already considering which side to take if war broke out, and others discussing bleakly what they could do to prevent war.

In any case, there were few who welcomed Jeongjae’s fierce attack. Even the most extreme Southern survivalists had hoped to find a compromise without severely upsetting the Crown Princess.

“Well then, I shall conclude my speech here. I sincerely thank all the members who remained present until now to listen.”

As Jeongjae bowed his head, the members responded with applause. Most of the nobles noticed that in his final words, Jeongjae had indirectly criticized Rose, who had just walked out.

Just as Jeongjae exited the assembly building, he encountered a somewhat familiar face. With dark skin and blonde hair, the loose vest-wearing hunter Bernard Silverpoint approached him with a friendly greeting.

“Hey there, Mage bro.”

“Bernard? What brings you here?”

“What else would I be doing here? Normally I’d be by the Hero’s side, after all.”

“It seems the Hero has a message to relay to me.”

“Quick on the uptake, I see.”

Bernard chuckled as he patted Jeongjae’s back. The memory of being tied up and captured by him last year made Jeongjae flinch.

“I think you’ve pulled off a masterpiece in there. I caught a glimpse of what you said, and well, you wouldn’t even go that far in a demon king denouncing speech.”

“If given the chance, I could definitely make it sharper in denouncing the demon king.”

“So you’re saying you went light on Rose then? Well done.”

Bernard said with a smile that never left his lips. Jeongjae then asked,

“So what’s the news from Walter?”

“Oh, it seems a bit too late for that…”

Bernard scratched his head.

“The Hero said that whatever the Grand Mage does in the empire’s territory, he will protect him from any penalties related to usual matters. Furthermore, he instructed that this must not reach Rose, as he seemed concerned about receiving punishment for making irreverent remarks at the assembly. Looks like I might have come a tad too late, huh.”

“No, you haven’t come too late at all. Thank you, Bernard. Please let Walter know I appreciate what he’s done.”

 

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