213. Ribue’s Elector Duke, Erbe de Carvellier (2)
***
The meeting was proceeding under a hazy tension.
If one were to exclude a single person in this room, no one was worried about the meeting failing, so the source of the tension in the room was simply the vigilance of the Duke’s vassals.
And the only one who was concerned about the meeting falling through let out a deep sigh. At this sight, Kirhas’s fine eyebrows twitched.
“What’s the matter, Duke?”
“Thank you for your concern, Chieftain. Hmm…”
Duke Erbe scratched his chin in an attempt to hide his anxiety, appearing somewhat relaxed. However, this only made him look even more pitiful.
The old Duke, who was far from politics and thus chose to submit to the mainstream regime rather than the Elector’s rights, laughed weakly.
“I have no military forces.”
“Your Grace!!”
The vassals gasped and murmured. No military forces? What a ridiculous excuse. Even if you combined the forces of the nobles, quasi-nobles, and territorial knights present here, there would be at least five thousand elite soldiers ready to march.
And to Kirhas, who had seen numerous tents outside the city upon entering Erbe, it was a laughable excuse. She frowned and coldly said,
“That’s a pathetic excuse.”
“…It’s a bit delicate to bring this up, but the war is over. I am no longer the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Legion. This is an undeniable fact.”
To an outsider, especially a warlord bordering their territory. Moreover, it was an extremely blunt statement to make in front of vassals who held military power…
-Is that guy an idiot?
It was almost like a political suicide. Fernandez secretly shook his head under his deeply pulled hood.
‘The Elector Duke couldn’t possibly lack political acumen.’
-It seems like he has some developmental disorder in politics or governance, huh?
‘No. He’s given up. If he were truly an idiot, he would have boasted about the troops lined up outside his castle, claiming them as his own. Duke Erbe is wiser than he appears.’
Fernandez looked at Duke Erbe from under the shadow of his hood. He saw a man of grand stature, somewhere between old age and middle age.
In his youth, he was said to have been a gallant knight-lord ruling a region. Since the Empire’s western expedition had been ongoing since his early childhood, he was practically a war hero.
Having spent his childhood in military tents, successfully inheriting his father’s position amidst fierce wars, and maintaining the loyalty of his vassals, such a man couldn’t be incompetent.
But on the contrary. This man had given up on choosing a new life, believing it was too late for him. He lacked the drive to pioneer a new life, not just the western expedition.
A general who had devoted his entire life to commanding legions and wars… Fernandez knew Duke Erbe. Specifically, about his life and his daughter.
‘In his past life, Erbe was never an incompetent fool.’
-Even his daughter had excellent diplomatic skills, unlike her father.
‘Yes. She was a woman with an incredible sense of balance.’
Rene Philippa. If history had followed its original course…
‘She would have become an Empress.’
Based on the overflowing national wealth and powerful military authority during the ongoing western expedition, she would have navigated the precarious tug-of-war between the Elector and the border nobles, eventually challenging for the throne and seizing it despite her young age, a remarkable woman.
After ascending the throne, the end and division of civilized society began. Even during that intense period, she steadfastly withstood the invasions of heretic forces from both the north and the south.
Under the armies of the Black Erik and the Great Kagan Karadskar, she successfully held the burning Empire together, becoming one of the shining heroes of human civilization.
The person who should have been, according to the original history… Now, she was losing her light and falling before even blooming, due to the collapse of the western expedition.
-Well. It’s still too early, though.
‘Sixteen? Not that young. We were out on our own in the territory at sixteen, remember.’
-If anyone hears that, they’d think we were independent. Hey, think about our past life. We started as slaves.
‘I’ll correct that to attendants.’
Fernandez chuckled and looked around. He could feel the discontent brewing among the vassals after the Duke’s declaration.
He closed his eyes, bowing his head quietly under the hood, focusing on his hearing.
Diemonica’s hearing could catch even the sound of fabric brushing against the farthest person. In such a confined, noise-blocked space, it was even more accurate.
Thus, Fernandez had been catching and categorizing all the whispers among the vassals.
[His Grace seems to be senile…]
Such complaints.
[She’s really stunning.]
Such greed.
[…Father.]
Even whispers of that sort. Fernandez frowned and approached Kirhas, who was glaring at the Duke.
Seeing her tail wagging, it seemed she was glaring but unsure of what to do.
Kirhas was weak to honest people and the elderly. She had a strong protective instinct and was infinitely merciful towards the weak, the elderly, and the sincere.
Thus, she missed the timing to shout strongly. This, in turn, worked against her.
From the outside, it looked like the foreign Chieftain was glaring at the Duke, silently threatening him.
Fernandez whispered quietly into Kirhas’s ear.
“Chieftain. It might be better to declare a recess.”
“Hahaha.”
Kirhas, who had been frozen in tension, suddenly burst into laughter. Fernandez, startled, looked at her, and Kirhas, realizing her mistake, quickly stiffened her face.
She instantly put on a sharp, seductive expression and slowly reached out her hand.
Tap, her fingertips touched Fernandez’s chin.
“My, Pernin. Isn’t it ticklish when you suddenly talk like that?”
“…Chieftain.”
“Tsk. Didn’t I tell you to call me Kirhas?”
-Pernin?
‘Pernin?’
Fernandez momentarily froze. He could feel Faijashi flailing in the distance.
-Damn Vaitas! If you’re going to split souls, you should have made internal organs too! It’s disgusting not being able to vomit!
‘Please shut up, Faijashi.’
-Right, right. ‘Pernin’.
‘Oh, please.’
Ignoring the giggling Faijashi, Fernandez whispered to Kirhas again.
“…Kirhas. I have something to tell you. It might be better to declare a recess.”
“Hmm? Something we need to talk about alone?”
“Yes.”
“Hahaha, you. Can’t that wait until later in my chambers? Fine. Come to my chambers tonight.”
“…Kirhas.”
Kirhas looked at Fernandez with a sticky expression. Fernandez admired the perfect, decadent face of the Chieftain.
She’s a natural-born chieftain. In a good way, or a bad way.
But perhaps because she hadn’t yet hidden her tail, her tail was trembling.
Her tail twitched strangely, somewhere between happiness and solemnity.
Fernandez sighed deeply and slowly stepped back. Kirhas, who had been giggling, cheerfully…
He turned his head towards the Duke.
The Duke was looking down at them with a somewhat awkward expression.
“Your marital harmony is quite a sight to behold, isn’t it?”
“Ah, something like that. So, Duke. May I request a brief pause, as my ‘beloved’ wishes?”
“Of course. I’ve prepared refreshments in the reception room. Rest comfortably. We’ll meet again in an hour.”
With that, the Duke stood up abruptly and walked off somewhere, his retainers bustling after him.
Kirhas, grinning like a mischievous child ready for punishment, cheerfully said,
“Follow me!”
and then swiftly left. Fernandez chuckled and followed her.
* * *
“Your Excellency! How was it? Totally fooled them, right? Right?”
After shooing away all the servants, Kirhas bounced around excitedly. Fernandez took a step back and gently pushed her away.
“Fernin?”
“Ah, well, you know. Like those Inquisition Officers do! That, that. Right. Code names! It’s a code name, a code name.”
If there were Inquisition Officers who made code names out of nicknames, Fernandez swore he’d do whatever it took to demote them to regular priests. He looked down at Kirhas, who was giggling uncontrollably.
“So, did I really fool them?”
“Yes, you did well.”
“That’s nothing! But earlier, I was a bit surprised… I mean, how could the Duke admit in front of his retainers that he has no military forces? Isn’t that a violation of military law?”
“Kirhas. That was a gamble, a very dangerous request for support.”
Fernandez poured tea into a cup in the corner of the reception room and handed it to Kirhas as he spoke.
“Do you remember what I explained about the Duke’s position?”
“Yes, he’s like a kite with its string cut.”
“Right. And nobles are highly political creatures. Especially the vassals of a principality made up of border nobles, they are surprisingly opportunistic.”
Fernandez chuckled and sat down across from her, speaking in a relaxed tone as if teaching a granddaughter.
“Originally, the relationship between a vassal and a lord is based on a mutually beneficial contract. It’s a very cold relationship involving protection, human resources, and profit. In a declining position, the sailors who remain on a sinking ship are not loyal to the ship, they’re just fools. They’re all busy calculating in their heads.”
Fernandez glanced beyond the reception room and continued.
“Whether to stay and gamble, or to join another great noble.”
Both are plausible scenarios. The Duke’s downfall seems inevitable, and as long as his private army doesn’t exceed the total forces of his vassals, the balance has already tipped.
In such a situation, those who remain are either fools or have other schemes. The Duke still holds various interests granted by the Emperor, and despite the unstable security, some manors remain intact.
The first group are the vultures. Predators eyeing the remaining flesh of the Duke.
“Border nobles who want to claim the title of Duke through marriage are a dime a dozen.”
The Duke has a wise and beautiful daughter. That would be seen as an additional condition to raise the value of the Duke’s daughter, beyond the Duke’s own background.
But Fernandez can assure you. These are the most foolish group. More than loyal retainers.
“The Duke’s daughter is no ordinary person. Depending on the situation, yes. A marriage alliance could be formed. But any noble who swallows the Duke’s daughter, no matter who, will never have a peaceful old age.”
If you think of Kirhas in her prime, who rose from slavery to become a chieftain, it’s even more so. Back then, the title of ‘hero’ carried a different weight.
The Grand Duke’s daughter of Ribue, Rene Philippa de Carvellier, is not someone who would crumble under such trials.
“You think very highly of her, Your Excellency.”
Kirhas said, narrowing her eyes. Fernandez shrugged and sipped his tea.
“The Carvellier father and daughter are among the few in this territory who can match our level.”
Both father and daughter. I hope they remain so even now. Fernandez swallowed his tea and closed his eyes.
* * *
“Father!! What on earth are you saying!”
Flames of red hair fluttered before Duke Erbe’s eyes. The Duke smiled weakly and looked down at his most precious treasure.
Emerald-like beautiful green eyes and red hair. A daughter who resembles her late mother. So much so that it’s even more fortunate. She didn’t inherit his rough appearance, but is flawlessly beautiful.
And that made it even more painful. When his daughter’s anger turned towards him, it felt as if his wife was scolding him. And the thought that she might fall into the hands of those pig-like, vulture-like nobles made it even worse.
“Rene. Sit down.”
“I’ll stand and listen!”
“I will sit.”
“…I’ll sit too.”
Rene sat down, her eyes sharp at her father’s gentle voice.
Though her temperament couldn’t be called gentle, at least she was someone who wouldn’t let go of those she cared for. And her father, who cared for her more than any other parent. A figure not found among the surrounding nobles.
In the Empire, daughters were merely political tools. Unlike the ‘barbarians’ of the east, north, or west, the Empire was an extremely conservative society.
She had been perceptive enough to realize this from a very young age, and thoughtful enough to understand that her father was not such a person.
“Father. Why did you do that? As soon as that western warlord leaves, how do you plan to appease the vassals?”
“It was bound to happen anyway.”
Duke Erbe spoke while drinking his tea.
“Even if the tribal chieftain hadn’t suddenly come requesting military support. The vassals would soon disband, and I would have to either use you as a bargaining chip to maintain my position, or watch our family completely fall into ruin. The chieftain was just… a guest who came at a fortunate time.”
“You mean to gamble with a guest?”
“Wasn’t there something strange?”
Duke Erbe slowly put down his teacup.
“Although the chieftain’s behavior wasn’t very proper, every detail, from the way he sat to the gestures he used to command his subordinates. Almost every aspect of his actions was in line with etiquette.”
“He just seemed like a ruffian to me.”
“No, that was just an act. Daughter. When you face a monarch, never assume that what the monarch shows you is the truth. The true intentions of monarchs are never revealed, even in their wills.”
Erbe looked out the window. In the distance, he could see the eastern hall where the reception room was located.
“Anyway. The chieftain’s etiquette was almost perfect. Contrary to his words, he was very noble-like. But it wasn’t the etiquette of the Empire’s nobles. It was… the unique etiquette of the Eastern Kingdom.”
The Eastern Kingdom Alliance had supported the Empire with human and material resources during the 50-year war. Duke Erbe had once been at the pinnacle of that war.
He is politically naive. But in war… he is a lifelong expert, and the battlefield he sees is in the realm of instinct and sensation.
The greatest field commander of the previous generation smiled faintly.
“That’s strange, daughter. You should look into it. I’ll remain incompetent for now.”
“Father. I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“You said that what a monarch shows is always a lie, and I’ll keep that in mind. But Father, are you doing the same now?”
“What are you talking about, Rene.”
Duke Erbe turned his eyes to his daughter’s beautiful face.
“Before being a monarch, I am a father.”
I won’t let my debts be paid by you.
Only, I will pass on my share of happiness to you.
The old father smiled like that, then got up and shuffled out of the inner chamber towards the audience hall.
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