“There are quite a few methods to handle things. You can wield trade as a weapon or try sowing discord. As long as the other side isn’t completely stupid, they’ll prefer to stay on the sidelines while dipping their toes in just enough to reap the benefits from behind rather than engaging in an all-out war with the Empire.”
“Once things stabilize and relationships recover, we’ll economically subordinate them to our Empire, making it impossible for them to even think about raising a sword.”
“Kroicen. The glorious Pax Kroicenca, a peaceful order centered around this Empire. That’s the grand vision I ultimately aspire to create.”
At first listen, these ideas seem almost too far-fetched to work, don’t they?
But the more you hear, the more they start making sense, pulling you into their charm.
No wonder there are rumors about how eloquent the First Prince is.
If I weren’t part of my family and belonged to some neutral faction, I’d probably be nodding in agreement.
Of course, the Princess sitting next to me doesn’t hesitate to scoff, muttering something about nonsense…
“…”
Wait, Princess? What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’ve been hypnotized by his words?!
Snap out of it! You’re on the Anti-Empire faction, not the Pro-Empire faction!
“Ah.”
Fortunately, she quickly gathers herself and scowls.
“I was momentarily mesmerized by how grand it sounded… But now it just seems like fancy, empty talk.”
“What part of it seems empty? Belle.”
“Do you really think other nations will roll over and whisper ‘Oh my, the Empire’s being too forceful! We must lower our heads in submission!’ when the Empire uses non-military pressure? They’ll likely double down on their military posturing!”
“And, by the way, who says using force is all bad? It’s actually the fastest and most effective approach! Look at the surrounding kingdoms! Nine out of ten countries cave the moment the Imperial Army moves anywhere near their borders!”
“…”
That’s right. Belle’s absolutely correct. In most cases where Empire and Kingdom collide, the Empire triumphs nine times out of ten.
The larger a nation’s territory, resources, and population, the more advantages it accumulates across everything. That’s why it’s called an Empire—it’s overwhelmingly dominant in all three.
And the reason the Empire has such dominance? Decades of relentless warfare, which paradoxically helped secure these three factors.
“…Fine. Okay. Enough of the idealism. Let’s get more practical, Belle.”
Before I know it, the conversation shifts from being between the Prince and me to a heated debate between the Prince and Princess.
But I decide not to intervene. This is actually quite entertaining.
“Do you even know how much the military budget has increased this year, Belle?”
“…It’s quite a large amount.”
“Not just quite. It’s increased again. With more military activity comes higher resource consumption and, ultimately, higher taxes imposed on the Empire’s people. Not only will the taxes not go down or even stay the same, they’ll continue to rise.”
Ah, finally. The core issue comes up—money. Money is always the key factor, whether it’s a family budget or an entire empire’s. High taxes, though… ugh, this gives me a headache already.
“The Empire continues to spend enormous amounts of tax money on military expenses. But the benefits aren’t as tangible as they once were. We’re not even engaging in conquest wars like the Great Emperor or the early founders of the Empire did, yet we’re consuming comparable amounts.”
“But the deterrent effect is still valuable!”
“That deterrent could be achieved with fewer resources. At the same time, we’d save countless young lives from being senselessly injured or killed in unnecessary conflicts.”
The Princess is passionately counter-arguing, but she appears increasingly strained. After all, the Prince brought up the dreaded ‘tax’ word.
It’s not just about money; it’s about the people’s sentiment toward the Empire. High taxes directly correlate to lower approval ratings and public support for the royal family. It could destabilize everything.
“Prince Kael.”
With his point solidly landed, the Prince turns his gaze back to me.
“You know well that war expenses are never insignificant. Look at our recent friction with Nobogorod. Even deploying just one Legion cost an immense amount of money. This is an ongoing cycle. For how long can we keep this up?”
“…”
“I’m not saying to abandon military force altogether. I’m simply suggesting that we take a step back and consider alternatives first before resorting to the sword.”
d*mn. His eloquence is captivating. I find myself falling into his carefully laid trap.
“The Pro-Empire faction refuses to budge despite the tax burden because it’s the easiest path. That’s why I need someone who understands that we need a new direction—even someone within the Pro-Empire faction.”
“Is that why you’re speaking to me?”
“Because I see potential—not just potential, but conviction—in you.”
What exactly does he mean by ‘potential’ and ‘conviction’? When I ask for clarification, the Prince smiles and launches into an explanation.
“You’ve fought on the battlefield, yet instead of immediately resorting to combat, you chose to neutralize enemies using other tactics. As the First Son of the Duke of the Bertier Empire and someone who could easily champion the military, you’ve actually taken a step back and explored alternative methods. I highly appreciate that mindset.”
“…”
At that moment, I almost wanted to interject that it’s all a misunderstanding. He seems to believe I’m skeptical of using military force, but the truth is, I’m not. If I truly doubted its value, I wouldn’t have joined the army in the first place.
“The First Prince is searching for a new path?”
“Perhaps that’s one way to describe it.”
“I have one question.”
So far, it’s been a smooth conversation full of pleasant discussions. But, as with any political situation, carrot leads to stick.
“What would you do if the military and the Anti-Empire faction persist with their current approach?”
“In drafting the next Empire budget, the Parliament would get rather noisy.”
“Are you threatening to cut the military budget?”
“Using excessive resources to irritate neighboring countries without clear benefits is, to me, tantamount to treason against the Empire. What are your thoughts, Prince Kael?”
At this point, I fall silent. The Princess jumps to her feet, exclaiming indignantly, questioning how the Prince can contemplate cutting the budget when so many are sacrificing themselves to protect the Empire.
Such a decision would turn every heroic figure in the Empire’s history into an enemy by association.
But the Prince counters without hesitation.
“Belle, what were those heroes fighting for? To bring about change. They hoped that their children, grandchildren, and future descendants would live without the shadow of war hanging over them. We’ve come a long way from the early days of the Empire when threats of invasion were real. The world has changed; why cling to outdated tactics?”
“No hostile nations? Nobogorod may have fewer soldiers than the Empire, but their training and combat effectiveness are top-notch! And what if neighboring kingdoms unite and put pressure on the Empire?”
“So, in that case, we handle it diplomatically…”
“The vultures are always after bigger prey! They’ll only be satisfied with substantial spoils of war, not scraps! They want a giant bite out of our empire!”
Both arguments hold merit, yet it’s hard to declare a winner. While I quietly observe this sibling rivalry, the Prince turns his attention back to me.
“My remarks will end here, Prince Kael. What are your thoughts?”
“I must say, Your Highness, your speech has been highly impressive.”
“That’s relieving to hear. I thought you might call it idealistic, or perhaps even unrealistic.”
“Ultimately, force serves as a tool to preserve and maintain peace, which both you, Your Highness, and the Princess aim to achieve on behalf of the Empire.”
The Prince looks at me with a friendly gaze, recognizing I have both military experience and a father deeply involved with the military establishment.
Given that background, my agreement to his view must be gratifying for him. By contrast, the Princess seems worried.
“Nevertheless, Your Highness, force remains a necessary element that compels other nations to truly listen. It’s not optional; it’s essential. History proves that.”
“…”
“Ultimately, though, I support your vision, Your Highness. But not yet. Present timing isn’t optimal.”
“Even though the Empire is already suffering from the financial strain caused by frequent military actions?”
“Are you planning to use the financial burden as a weapon in the next parliament session, as the Pro-Empire faction might?”
“That’s likely.”
“If you’re comfortable saying this in front of me and the Princess, are you sure it’s wise?”
“Given that it’ll come out sooner or later, and you, being wise, would’ve already anticipated this move.”
I didn’t! I wasn’t expecting this kind of overestimation at all. Please stop giving me too much credit!
“In any case, allow me to give you a heads up: I doubt the argument about taxes will have much impact in the next session.”
“Meaning?”
“Because the Imperial citizens may not react as strongly against higher taxes as you might expect.”
At this proclamation, the Prince arches an eyebrow, incredulous. How could the citizens not resist higher taxes? The issue is inherently tied to their livelihoods!
“The economic landscape dictates political outcomes, Your Highness. There’s an expression: politics is subservient to the economy.”
“Hmm, intriguing insight. A profound statement with deep resonance. Is it something you came up with, Prince Kael?”
“Ah, well…”
Forgive me, Yang Wenli. Since you’re not here, I’ll take credit for this one.
“However, if my claim is valid, wouldn’t one expect a surge in public dissent on economic grounds?”
“Yes, but there are rare occasions when the opposite occurs.”
“You mean when rising taxes and clear economic harm are met with acceptance?”
“Exactly.”
Have you ever heard of the term ‘national pride,’ Your Highness?
