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“How do you feel about Dedorant?”

The moment those words escaped from Charlua’s lips, my mind snapped to attention.

She wouldn’t just bring up such a topic for no reason.

Only moments ago, she had been extolling my virtues.

That means we’re getting to the crux of the matter now.

It indicates she wants to reveal why she’s met with me today.

A reason she can’t speak of directly may be on the horizon.

“Hmm.”

Of course, revealing my true intentions right here would be unwise.

I first need to gauge her. She’s not an enemy, but neither is she a complete ally.

I need to understand what this woman is thinking.

“What exactly kind of answer are you looking for?”

“What do you mean, Prince Kael?”

“Whether you want a response I must provide as the heir to the Duke or something purely personal. That’s what I’d like to know, Miss Charlua.”

At present, the Empire’s leadership clearly sees Dedorant as a future enemy.

Thus, the Emperor, Crown Princess, and Crown Prince have gathered to discuss such matters.

But that’s merely an unofficial aspect. It should remain hidden.

For now, we need to maintain an atmosphere of seeking peace while chuckling lightly.

The Empire has already displayed its military might too much in the North, East, and South.

If we start hearing talk of a Grand Invasion, it would get rather tiresome.

So I ask this: As the heir to the Duke, will I hear conventional remarks from you?

Or are you interested in my personal thoughts? Words without meaning?

“Prince Kael.”

At that moment, Charlua drew out my answer in a very unusual way.

“Recently, my father sent me a secret message.”

“By ‘father’ you mean… the Chair of the Demon Tribe Council?”

“He mentioned that Atria has been continually sending people towards Nobogord.”

The moment I heard that, I instinctively turned to Charlua.

Is this woman playing tricks on me?

Is she the kind of demon who derives pleasure from unusual statements and the reactions of others?

A torrent of thoughts flooded my mind, but her expression soon confirmed my suspicions.

That piece of news was indeed real. It provided an answer to my question.

“…As expected from a clear enemy of the Empire, they engage in such tricks.”

Next, I must decipher her intent. Why did Charlua say such things?

To my knowledge, that information isn’t even known by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In other words, if Charlua is correct, what she shared is top-secret.

It means Nobogord is clutching it tightly and trying to keep it hidden.

“But at the same time, I fear Nobogord might be similar to Dedorant.”

“Why is that?”

“While sharing such confidential talks, they hide it from the Empire, who offers peace. And in the midst of all that, you—someone who must never leak secrets—are telling me this tale.”

Is Charlua betraying Nobogord to side with the Empire?

That’s utterly unfeasible. There’s simply no reason for her to do so.

To betray one’s homeland, a fitting cause must exist to justify it.

Whether it’s anger, greed, or perhaps a twisted sense of patriotism.

But Charlua does not fit any of those scenarios.

It suggests that sharing such nonsensical news with me could be a trap.

“I felt a certain chill the moment I saw Dedorant rise, Prince Kael.”

“A chill, you say?”

“In Nobogord, we say that a beast that has tasted demon blood must never be left alive.”

“There’s a similar saying in the Empire.”

“Then the conversation quickens. Dedorant is one such beast. They will never stop. No, ….”

“You wish to say they are a raging beast that cannot halt?”

Charlua slowly nodded her head.

A beast that has tasted human blood. Indeed, that’s no lie.

Dedorant has fully developed a taste for conquest.

Their mindset is that even if they incur losses, they can always repay through conquest.

And they’ve done just that so far, and it has often yielded benefits.

“I hoped it was merely my misconception. Yet the news that followed only served as proof.”

“Forced seizures in Jugel province. The annexation of Atria. Attacks on DeGale and acquisition of Western territories. Now they’ve even allied with Benito to exert some influence in the South.”

“Clearly, the Empire is preparing to clash with Dedorant. They likely slipped back to the South to prepare thoroughly for the next stage.”

Sharp. This is quite impressive knowledge for someone not from the Empire.

Afterward, Charlua mentioned that she recently received news from the East and expressed how truly fortunate the Empire is.

“Dedorant is not merely expanding their territory, Prince Kael, you know this as well…”

“They seek to establish a new order in the West. Perhaps even trying to build a new Empire.”

“And they’re likely preparing for a confrontation with the Empire in due time.”

“The contact with Nobogord through Atria is merely one path towards that goal.”

Having said this, I quietly stared at Charlua.

To be honest, I don’t quite understand her reasoning for making such choices.

A direct confrontation with the Empire is madness, whether for Nobogord or Dedorant.

However, if the two could form a union, and the South could be included…

Then that madness becomes something plausible.

Even if we don’t manage to win against the Empire, that wouldn’t matter.

If we can merely maintain the current status, we could effectively halt the Empire’s unilateral advance.

It could be seen as forming a colossal anti-Empire alliance.

Recently, the Empire has depleted too much power and money.

No, perhaps they can manage those aspects somehow.

The real problem lies in how the Empire could lose too much justification.

The Empire is indeed the strongest nation. But it’s hard to stifle rising discontent from all sides.

Temporarily, it might be feasible. They could suppress resistance by garrisoning troops and using force.

Yet that’s merely a temporary fix. It won’t last. In the end, it’s self-cannibalism.

“Looking at the current situation, I’ve come to two conclusions. First, the Empire will not retract an outstretched hand only to stab you in the back. Second, Dedorant has a high likelihood of doing so.”

“What makes you think that, Miss Charlua?”

“They started all this by shouting the glory of the Deo Ethnicity and they are expanding on a massive scale. The annexation of Atria, the attack on DeGale, influence in parts of the South following the alliance with Benito, and spreading to the West as well.”

Charlua briefly paused and stared at me.

“Do such people really intend to uphold their promise with Nobogord? When they’ve reduced the Empire’s influence as desired, will they deliver what they pledged and uphold it forever?”

Dedorant forcibly took the Jugel territory, which was rightfully acquired by DeGale.

Even during their attack against DeGale in the West, or when they allied with Benito to establish their entry, they always provided ludicrous reasons and declared, ‘I don’t care.’

Charlua obviously seemed wary of that. There was a sense of disbelief in her tone.

“There exist categories in this world: some you might trust at least once, and others you must not trust at all. Fools get blinded by immediate gains and ally with the latter; I, however, have no intention of doing so.”

“So you divulged such top-secret information. This could put you in a tricky spot.”

“To persuade the Empire’s best strategist, I thought this level of honesty was appropriate. Besides, sooner or later, the Imperial Special Operations office would figure it out anyway.”

Having listened to all this, I slowly started piecing the situation together.

Dedorant is trying to entice Nobogord. They want to join forces.

They offer to share the spoils if we assist in curbing the Empire.

I’m not fully aware of the details, but it seems they’re beginning to waver slightly with such a proposal.

Meanwhile, Charlua is convinced that Dedorant will not keep their word.

It’s absurd and seems overly direct to the extent where they might just be approaching a disastrous path.

How could they possibly share gains when they’re intent on proclaiming the glory of their ethnicity?

Should things go awry after signing on, wouldn’t they strike from behind like the raging beasts they are?

“If Dedorant and Nobogord join forces….”

I shuddered at the thought. The Northern front would inevitably reopen.

And we would have to face combat tribes that are on a league of their own in the East and South.

Given that the Empire’s West and North are exceedingly close, if we had to deal with both Dedorant and Nobogord, we would undoubtedly create gaps in our defense.

“Prince Kael. I wish for the survival and peace of Nobogord. And its prosperity.”

“Is that so.”

“The hardliners believe this can be achieved through war. Many demons share that belief. But, if that decision is truly made, we will meet again.”

“….”

“And just as the three kingdoms from the East and Benito from the South once did. We’d be reduced to foolish beings echoing past glories in shards.”

With absolute conviction, Charlua gazed at me.

If there’s a hint of fear flickering in her eyes, then it must be my imagination.

“I’d like to know why you’ve shared this with me first.”

“Though I hold a tendency toward a moderate, pro-Empire stance, I have no intention of betraying Nobogord. You must understand what might happen if this becomes public.”

“I understand.”

“So, I would like your advice, just as last time. We will heed your counsel. I wish to know of a way that benefits both the Empire and Nobogord, and Nobogord and the Empire alike.”

You aren’t merely seeking the simple advice of ‘Ignore all humans coming from Atria.’

That would be an obvious and easy answer, one that Charlua would already have considered.

Right now, she seeks something beyond that.

“If I offer you advice, what would the Empire gain?”

“Just as in the East and South. They’ll gain an even more solid supporter in the North.”

Charlua’s answer made me smile quietly.

That alone wouldn’t suffice. It implies that something more is needed.

It seems Charlua realized my unspoken intentions and opened her mouth.

“What more do you wish for?”

“It’s simple. I want the demons to shed blood together with the Empire.”

Words alone won’t establish friendship. We must suffer together a bit.

Truthfully, the advice I’ve devised considers this aspect.

Whether one likes it or not, when blood is shed in the presence of a common enemy, only then can one become a comrade, right?

 

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