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“…Who hoped to attend?”

“A Demon named Charlua from Nobogord. She’s the only daughter of Caland Estania, the chairperson of the Demon Council, Your Excellency.”

Upon hearing the butler’s words, the Duke of Bertier Empire let out a sigh of disbelief.

First off, it was surprising that she noticed this was just a small gathering.

Next, I was curious why a Demon would want to come here.

Most importantly, I was worried that my son, the host of today’s party, might feel uncomfortable about it.

Nobogord. The foe my son encountered when he first went to war.

Unlike the East or South, there hadn’t been major battles, but a strange atmosphere flowed among them.

It’s honestly a bit odd for such a Demon to attend a gathering hosted by a duke, isn’t it?

The attention of the public is primarily focused on Kael right now.

As a father, I can’t help but worry that this might obstruct my son’s future.

So I considered turning her down, but then there was someone who dissuaded the Duke from doing so.

“Let her come.”

“Your Excellency?”

None other than the Duchess, Reena Seharad Clausewitz.

“I’ve heard the rumors going around lately, and she seems like quite an impressive character. She already has many connections here and there.”

“Doesn’t that make it even more of a problem?”

“She’s a pretty clever girl, so she must know very well how we would react. The fact that she is asking to attend this party means—”

“There must be a reason for it,” I concluded.

Indeed, if she’s the daughter of the Demon Council chairperson, she must have some knowledge of social etiquette.

Above all, she chose to stay in the Empire as the first foreign exchange student.

Still, the Duchess provided her insights, knowing that my worries weren’t completely unfounded.

“If it troubles you that much, just ask Kael. I’m sure he’ll have an answer for you.”

“…You may be right, my lady. Let’s do that.”

To think about it, there wouldn’t really be a significant problem if Charlua came.

There may be some curious glances, but the Empire and Nobogord are cooperating now.

Plus, there have already been some contacts with Charlua, so it shouldn’t cause any issues.

I even heard that officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have met with her frequently.

In any case, the Duke and Duchess conveyed the news to their son.

The response that returned shortly was a simple, “Tell her to come.”

From that, they both thought their eldest son had some kind of plan in mind.

And indeed, after all he has shown so far, it wouldn’t be surprising.

“Wait. What on earth does she want to come here for?”

While Kael was pondering their first meeting, he rubbed his forehead in frustration.

*

Charlua Estania is coming. To our Duke’s residence, no less.

She’s attending the party as a guest, having personally requested it.

When I first heard the news, I immediately wanted to say not to come.

“But the situation isn’t exactly easy-going.”

The three kingdoms in the East, supported by Runen, have a perfect pretext now.

If the Empire remains silent and their damages keep escalating, they’ll all be forced to bow their heads.

Especially Burgai, who were bound to suffer even more under Polrand’s pressure.

Just think about it. Someone they thought was inferior suddenly got a powerful backing.

Then they would oppress me, and the shame and despair from that would be overwhelming.

Even if they wanted to lash out, the shadow looming behind them is too frightening to act on that impulse.

At such times, the best strategy is to share the same backing.

From there, they need to win their favor so that they see me more favorably than that other one.

After all, if you’re under the same shadow, I know I’ll have the advantage.

For that reason, the Empire is preparing both silence and support behind the scenes.

Once the signal is given, the Crown Princess will likely dash eastward.

And then, she will quickly seize the public sentiment in Burgai.

The problem lies in the Empire’s North. Nobogord.

That place hasn’t suffered the tremendous losses the three kingdoms in the East have.

Though the moderates have taken control, the hardliners haven’t entirely diminished.

Still, as Demons, their military power remains strong, meaning it could shake at any moment.

“Fortunately, I’ve heard that the Menwa Tribe, known for their extreme hardline views, was crushed recently.”

It wasn’t just a simple defeat; they were utterly pulverized.

Understandably so, as they dared to challenge the great king whom the Demons highly respect.

In truth, they had no intention of provoking him, but the conclusion has long been drawn.

So while I can breathe a sigh of relief for now, it only adds to my anxiety.

The Menwa Tribe had been a thorn in the side of the hardliners, yet also a useful card in play.

With those nuisances eliminated, wouldn’t the next target be themselves?

I absolutely don’t want the political scene in Nobogord to stir.

It’s already unsettling enough; I don’t need more crazed individuals popping up to cause trouble.

“Dedorant…”

The third prince who, while shouting the glory of the Deo Ethnicity, swiftly seized control of the military and the core of the kingdom.

He didn’t stop there; he merged Atria and devoured more than half of DeGale.

He even formed an alliance with Benito and started to complicate the Empire’s next move.

Right now, he may be playing it safe, but that can’t genuinely be the case.

It’s just a ruse. A moment of calm before the storm.

“They’ll certainly try to stabilize the West while the Empire will attempt to throw it into chaos.”

Taking direct action would be suicidal. Thus, three options remain.

One is to instigate any debate internally within the Empire to buy time.

This extreme subservience to the Empire is precisely to achieve that.

This way, the upper echelon of the Empire will inevitably have divided opinions, albeit briefly.

The second option is to shake the southern continent.

To do that, they allied with Benito, attempting to hinder the Empire.

But with Benito’s imminent demise, he isn’t a major threat anymore.

He would merely agitate the kingdoms nearby.

“The last resort is, of course, persuasion of Nobogord in the northern continent.”

Having already declared surrender, they will soon be completely submissive to the Empire.

Unlike the southern kingdoms, through semi-coercive relationships focused around the homeland.

Despite everything that’s happened in Nobogord, they remain relatively intact.

They weren’t obliterated like the eastern three kingdoms, nor are they as weak as the southern kingdoms.

The strength of the Demons is already well-recognized in the Empire.

It’s not like the second Legion was established in the North for no reason.

If only I could manage to sway Nobogord somehow…

For reference, Nobogord is extremely close to Atria, which Dedorant has just absorbed.

There is territory of the Empire between them, yet one could traverse the coastline in half a day.

Should the two engage and some incident arise…

“Under such circumstances, Charlua wishes to attend the party. It’s a personal request.”

For no reason at all. Just possibly out of interest in me.

But if she was that careless of a Demon, she wouldn’t have remained alone in the Empire in the first place.

She definitely has other motives. She’s coming to seek something.

One thing is clear: I’ll find out at the party.

As the host, it’s time to start preparing.

*

The party wasn’t particularly large or extravagant.

Officially, the war with Benito isn’t over yet.

It was merely a gathering to moderately celebrate the recent victory.

Thus, there weren’t many guests—at most, around twenty.

However, all of them were exceptional individuals—veterans of the military and high-ranking nobles.

And most notably, all the Dukes of the Empire were present, making it quite the elite gathering.

Of course, those distinguished guests were my father’s, not mine.

Today, the only guest I would personally welcome was one.

“It’s been a while, Prince Kael.”

“Likewise, Lady Charlua.”

Charlua Estania, the only daughter of the chairperson of the Demon Council.

The first foreign exchange student from Nobogord, who just recently had been at the academy.

Then, due to the war, she took an academic leave and has returned back to the system.

“First, I must congratulate you. I’ve heard about your achievements across the Southern region, even more grand than those in the East.”

“Haha, I’ve been told so many times that it now feels a bit awkward to say it’s no big deal.”

“Of course it must seem that way. My thorough observation reveals that the strategy you showed us, Prince Kael, can never be dismissed as ‘just something.’”

Here we go again! Ahhh! That look in her eyes, so similar to the Crown Princess. That expectation!

It’s great to be admired, but if this keeps up, I’m going to be overwhelmed!

“Oh, I shouldn’t be saying this, but honestly, what you did was remarkable. Having witnessed the whole process, I was left with goosebumps, and my head was spinning!”

“Haha…”

“The way you constantly maintained the upper hand while forcing your opponents into a disadvantageous position is nothing short of a natural talent. Though it sounds easy, achieving that is exceptionally difficult!”

What’s happening? I assumed she came with something significant to discuss.

But suddenly, is it really a mere case of fan admiration?

Did she beg my father to ensure she was invited to the party just to see me?

…No, that can’t be it. That couldn’t be everything she wants.

Her interest in me is undoubtedly genuine.

But this isn’t the end of it; it’s merely the beginning.

As time passes, the core of the discussion will unfold.

“Would it be too much trouble to ask you a bit more about the flow of the war situation? I’d love to hear your insights directly, Prince Kael!!”

“….”

Surely, she will ask me. Right? I mean, she’s not here just for this, is she?

“When did you detach the cavalry units of the 13th Legion?”

“If Benito’s main force had passed by while ignoring you, what were your plans?”

“Was there anything that influenced the strategies you implemented back then?”

Pull yourself together! This person has exceptional political acumen.

She’s the only daughter of the chairperson of the Demon Council.

She’s no ordinary individual. She could strike when I least expect it.

“…Prince Kael.”

And finally, my wait produced results.

“What do you think of Dedorant?”

 

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