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The Duke of Bertier Empire personally saw off the guests leaving his family’s castle.

“It was a pleasure. Your Excellency, the Duke of Bertier.”

“Take care, Commander.”

Though it was barely enough to be called a party, the caliber of the attendees was impressive nonetheless.

The one leaving under his escort right now was the Commander of the Defense.

In addition, a remarkable number of people were present, offering their congratulations.

If this is what it’s like now, I can’t even imagine how chaotic an actual banquet would be.

‘It was decisive that His Majesty the Emperor granted the Neo-Mes region to him.’

Not just any territory, but a royal direct territory. And it was land that had been thoroughly developed.

There are many other noble territories adjacent, and there are quite a few commercial entities closely connected with Neo-Mes.

Having swallowed such a place whole, it was only natural that his authority would shoot up dramatically.

Basically, among the dukes, there is no concept of who is above and who is below.

Everyone is equally the sword and shield of the Emperor, so it’s only natural.

However, these days, people tend to regard the Duke of Bertier as the center of the Empire.

Even other dukes seem to have accepted this reality.

‘It makes me realize just how monumental Kael’s achievements are.’

To be honest, I was a bit worried when he was younger.

He hardly seemed like a man at all, more like a silent guardian.

He is the eldest son and heir of Clausewitz, so I couldn’t help but wonder if he would be alright.

If he were to falter against Kaya, it would be my biggest concern.

But all of that was for naught.

His eldest son, the heir of the family, wasn’t lacking; he was simply different.

He was the one who would elevate this great place to even greater heights.

“Your Excellency.”

The butler discreetly approached and whispered something in the Duke’s ear.

After hearing the words, the Duke pondered for a moment but then shook his head slightly.

“Let it be. If it’s Kael, he must have his reasons.”

“Are you really sure? It just so happens that the last guest is that person.”

If it were an ordinary guest, the butler wouldn’t be so anxious.

But she happened to be young and beautiful, and from Nobogord, no less.

It was clear he was worried that the young master might get caught in some scandal.

The Duke himself had shared similar concerns, if only briefly.

She wasn’t just any woman from the Empire; she was from the Demon Tribe.

Although the relationship with the Empire has improved now,

Not long ago—just a few years, in fact—they were a potential enemy nation.

A myriad of events had overlapped to bring about the relatively decent relationship they now have.

But here she was, a demon from Nobogord, even the daughter of the Council Chair, always lingering about.

It’s better not to invite suspicion. That’s just common sense for a noble.

A fool would think, ‘This is fine,’ and dig his own grave.

However, of course, Kael would know that better than anyone else.

It’s only natural; he’s the strategist of the Empire acknowledged even by the Emperor. What a remarkable son he is.

Thus, the Duke decided to approach this matter with trust rather than worry.

“There must be some reason behind it. Don’t you think the butler is half-right about this?”

“…Hmm. Young Master Kael would certainly think so.”

Kael, who twisted everything around with a single scheme across regions except the West.

Could someone like him be acting thoughtlessly at this moment?

Perhaps he is planning something else through this demon named Charlua.

*

“In my opinion, Benito seems unlikely to fulfill his role for long.”

“That’s true. He just lost the main force in one fell swoop, and there’s no way to restore that quickly, even for Runen.”

“Not even a deity like Anbar could manage that. Restoring an entire main force isn’t something you simply train for.”

Nobogord, Charlua’s homeland, and our Empire, lastly, Dedorant to the west.

Each boasts an army they consider strong enough and that they are indeed called so for good reason.

It isn’t just training; they have rich experience from actual combat.

Benito also sent mercenaries to Dedorant previously to gain that experience.

After they returned, they trained, battled their own nation, and gained practical experience.

Had they grown even further during that time, they would have become quite troublesome.

Combining excellent training with victories from actual combat leads to soaring morale.

“I believe Dedorant stationed their forces in Benito as a decision they’d be hesitant to make. What do you think, Prince Kael?”

“I agree. Dedorant still has DeGale to worry about. They’ll be preoccupied deploying troops there while needing to leave over ten thousand in Benito, which must be stressing them out.”

Charlua and I continued sipping tea as we analyzed the subsequent developments.

Strangely enough, she seemed very interested in military strategy despite being the daughter of the Council Chair.

“We merged Atria, but not all regions are fully incorporated. It will likely take another six months to exert influence in those areas.”

“Hmm. Still, I’d say three months would be enough since wielding force isn’t required to govern. After all, they’re emphasizing that they are all Deo Ethnicity to persuade the people of the Atria Kingdom.”

“Hmm. Will they really follow so easily? Although they’re the same Deo Ethnicity, they’ve been different nations up until now, and to be honest, the relationship between Dedorant and Atria hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows.”

That’s true. But such concerns dissolve in the face of greater benefits.

From Atria’s perspective, it would have been too insecure to cling to a dying royal family.

In the midst of it all, Dedorant, which was doing well, extended a hand first, and they likely saw it as a blessing.

Those nobles must be feeling thrilled that they’ve managed to grab hold of a real opportunity.

And now, Dedorant has bitten into the massive chunk that is Atria.

Though they claim it’s inferior to them, it still has an army to call its own.

While not fertile, gaining such territory and absorbing population is undoubtedly a good deal.

“They know it as well. If they don’t surpass the Empire, they will ultimately find themselves crushed, no matter if they call themselves winners in the west.”

The reason the Empire has maintained its position is straightforward.

It never tolerates the rise of a Number Two.

Nobogord to the north may be threatening, but for now, they lack a king.

They operate through the Council, limiting their advancement significantly.

A nation cannot become a great power solely through brute strength.

The Empire understands this, which is why they have chosen to manage Nobogord with persuasion and intimidation rather than conquest.

To the east, the three kingdoms are doing their own thing, biting and tearing at each other.

Not long ago they claimed to form an alliance, but that fell apart at the first sign of wind.

It’s clear they won’t dare utter even the ‘A’ of alliance again.

Lastly, to the south… Hmm. Benito has been rather audacious.

In the end, they lost quite a bit to our Imperial Legion.

As Charlua mentioned, they’ll have a hard time rising back again.

The situation stands thus: the Empire shows mercy and peace, but will not tolerate any more than that.

Dedorant knows as well; they’re next up.

Right now, the Empire is just catching its breath.

Once that’s over, the Empire’s wrath—vastly beyond the issues of three borders—will come crashing down.

“Thus, if Nobogord bleeds alongside our Empire, it may even turn out to be a good thing for their future.”

“Hm…”

“Our Empire is not that simple either. Surely, we wouldn’t set Nobogord up as a shield? That would backfire painfully if their resentment towards the Empire grows and the north gets swept up.”

“It’s Dedorant that’s relatively more urgent, not our Empire. That’s what you wish to convey, Prince Kael.”

“Exactly right, Lady Charlua.”

Dedorant, feeling the urgency, will surely impose unreasonable demands on Nobogord.

To survive in a fight against the Empire, they need to conserve every bit of strength they possibly can.

In contrast, the Empire, to be honest, could afford to let Nobogord rest peacefully.

There’s no reason to plead with them or ask for sacrifices.

“Ah… really. Having this conversation is invigorating rather than tiring.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It seems there’s a saying about needing to meet someone more brilliant and wise than yourself.”

Hmm. That was a rather abrupt compliment. Is she trying to catch me off guard and lead me somewhere?

I sensed something suspicious and tensed up, yet nothing particularly alarming occurred.

Could it be she’s expecting me to be on guard? Trying to ease my defenses, perhaps?

“Ah. Wow. Has time flown by this quickly?”

“Indeed. It seems the party has already ended.”

“I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time, Prince Kael.”

“No, it’s alright, Lady Charlua. I also lost track of time.”

Right. I found myself searching for anything suspicious.

To speak fittingly about the topic while also checking if she’s hiding anything.

I was a bit—no, more than a bit—tired, but I didn’t show it on the outside.

‘Should I just invite her to stay the night?’

That thought crossed my mind for a moment. Perhaps I should keep an eye on her.

But it wouldn’t be easy to succeed with just a single day, would it?

“Since it’s getting late, would you like to stay overnight, Lady Charlua?”

Without even passing through my brain, the words slipped out of my mouth.

I guess I’ve been talking too much, and my mouth made a mistake.

“Is that alright?”

There’s nothing wrong with it. I am, after all, the eldest son and heir of the Duke.

Moreover, the reason this party was held was largely due to me.

“…Hmm. No. I appreciate the offer, but that feels a bit rude. I believe the servants here would feel quite awkward if a guest unexpectedly stays.”

“It should be fine.”

“No, Prince Kael. While I genuinely appreciate your words, I think it’s better to simply head back.”

Truly, she is no ordinary woman. Has she somehow caught wind of my intentions?

Could she suspect I want to find out something with surveillance?

“Instead, could we chat like this again sometime? Being alone in the Empire has been a bit lonely and dull, but if I could gain such knowledge, it would be splendid.”

“If I have the time, I’d be glad to accommodate that.”

That suits me just fine. I can keep an eye on an important figure from Nobogord.

Nobogord ranks first in both the category of being a good ally and the annoying category for foes.

*

“…Huff.”

Inside the returning carriage, Charlua let out a light sigh.

Ah. I messed up. I got too excited. Too fluttered. Talked far too much.

I shouldn’t be like this. I can’t appear as lightheaded as I might seem.

What if Prince Kael thinks I’m lacking?

‘But… what can I do?’

Right. It’s Kael Clausewitz we’re talking about.

Even thinking about the strategies regarding the entire East and South makes me shiver.

Today was no different. With a single insight and suggestion, he cleared a path forward in an instant.

The path that was once murky, filled with fog, suddenly became clear.

‘When I get back, I need to contact my father right away.’

Ah. And I ought to brag to the others a bit too.

What will my acquaintances say once they hear that I had an in-depth conversation with Kael Clausewitz for hours?

‘What will they say? They’ll be extremely jealous, won’t they? Hehe!’

A fervent longing and fervent support for that divine being welled up within me.

Humans feel it, but especially among the Demon Tribe, there is an even stronger trend to be passionate about it.

 

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