Father’s mention of Consrocker Marquis was not without reason.
The day after news of my return to the system and brief rest with the family reached everyone:
“First time meeting you, Your Grace, Marquis.”
“Nice to meet you as well, Chief of Staff.”
In the great hall of the Marquisate, I found myself face-to-face with Lord Consrocker.
“Great honor it is to meet the Empire’s renowned genius strategist whose reputation precedes him.”
“Hahaha, everyone says that, but I’m not all that. How about a cup of tea?”
“Anything the Chief of Staff offers, I’ll take. Even if it’s just cold water, I’d drink it as if it’s the finest tea in the world. Heh heh heh.”
The Marquis seemed genuinely in good spirits. I wondered if it had something to do with how I’d helped his faction earlier.
Afterward, the Marquis and I spent some time exchanging pleasantries—how’re the Duke and his wife doing? Is the Marquisate doing fine? Little things like that.
“So, how’s the front going?”
Now, while Lord Consrocker may not have originated from a military background, the man wasn’t one to be estranged from the armed forces.
But his asking me this still implied a few things—such as his withdrawal from all military affairs after the previous devastating defeat or the damages incurred by his faction that needed covering up.
Things were good. “As you’ve heard, Benito Kingdom is now within the Empire’s sphere of influence, and Artria’s on the verge of collapse. It’ll be wrapped up in about a month.”
“Then all that’s left is Dedolant. Just them.”
“They’ll be cleaned up before the year’s end, too.”
Upon hearing this, Lord Consrocker nodded thoughtfully. Then he silently pondered something, giving me a deep, respectful bow.
“Lord Consrocker?”
“My thanks… and my apologies.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“My foolish son, along with people tied to our house, led to the Empire’s great defeat. Entire legions vanished in shame. Moreover, you, Chief of Staff, were forced into a perilous mission, and so much effort had to be spent to fill that void afterward.”
Formally, I should’ve brushed it off, but I genuinely couldn’t. His fifth son, Chief of Staff Mesok and his subordinates had indeed been the ones responsible for the disastrous operation. That single error nearly bent the Empire’s back. And as for me strumming a lute while it all went down… well, we’ll skip over that, shall we?
“Thank your people who fought hard and fell, rather than me, Your Grace. The families left behind by our valiant soldiers deserve your condolences more than I ever would.”
The Marquis agreed earnestly, nodding with a firm expression. Word was that he’d already been generous with his wealth within the Marquisate to aid the bereaved families. He also poured funds into military rebuilding under the guise of war funding. It was these efforts that spared the Marquisate from further imperial repercussions.
Fact is, the only reason it went this smoothly was that we’ve managed to steer the Empire away from further crises. If the loss of the two legions had plunged the front into chaos…
Regardless of all the money thrown at the problem, the Emperor’s wrath surely wouldn’t have abated easily. Perhaps his ‘thanks’ carried some of that relief in it.
Had I not arrived and saved the day, his title and even his life would’ve been on the line. Now seeing me, his gratitude surely grew twofold. It’s understandable that someone of Marquis rank, equivalent to a Minister, would personally visit for such reasons.
‘So, moving on to the main point, then?’
Surely, this visit wasn’t just about idle pleasantries. The Marquis had an agenda—an unspoken request.
To be fair, it’s difficult. If I were in his position, it’d be tough.
If I were a total stickler for efficiency, I might’ve let him stew, but I’m not that heartless. I decided to address things myself.
“The staff officers I’ve reassigned to the General Staff, Your Grace, some of them have connections to your house.”
“Ah, yes. Those were the ones pushed aside back then when things went south. I’ve heard you’ve brought them back.”
“Only logical. There were mistakes, yes, but their experience makes them far too valuable for the Empire to let go.”
As I sipped my tea with measured poise, aiming neither too presumptuous nor overly humble, I aimed for an air of someone planning grandiose strategy.
“Many think war ends once it’s over, but the truly tough part begins post-conflict. Reconstruction, public sentiment, diplomacy—it all requires the best of minds more than ever.”
“I see.”
“I’ll lead the new team I’ve hand-picked forward. We can’t undo the past, but I’ll do my damnedest to ensure the same mistakes aren’t repeated.”
When this war concludes, I’ll be formally tied to the Princess. Even as heir to the Dukedom, one of the Empire’s highest honors, I’ll shoulder even more responsibility. Given that, any enemies in my circle would spell trouble. It’s always safer to have reliable allies, even if not close friends.
“…I’ve heard you underrate yourself, Chief of Staff.”
“Underrating myself? No, it’s an honest evaluation.”
“I thought so too. But now, seems you truly underrate yourself.”
No, I don’t! A mere conversation like this doesn’t count. Knowing how political circles operate, any noble should possess these insights. Least of all the Duke’s firstborn son. He’d seem foolish to act otherwise.
“Chief of Staff, forgive me… Lord Kael Klauwitz. Should you ever need my aid, anything that does not jeopardize the safety of the Empire and the Imperial House, I’ll stake the whole Marquisate to help you.”
“Er… appreciate the offer, but…”
“Our Emperor is indeed blessed.”
With that blessing, whether it refers to his noble favor, a lucky son-in-law situation, or just sheer good fortune, is now unclear.
“Looking forward to working together, Your Grace.”
“That’s my sentiment as well, Chief of Staff.”
After taking a five-day rest, I returned to the front. Benito was on the operating table, Artria was getting cleaned up, and after wrapping those two up, plans to retake Dedolant would resume shortly.
“…Why tell me this story?”
Former Commander of Dedolant, brought not to a POW camp but my tent, Paelus. His face first showed confusion at my words, then settled into a grim expression.
He must not be thrilled to witness his beloved homeland’s fall. His choice to surrender wasn’t for personal safety but the well-being of his troops—a fact that speaks for itself.
“So, allow me to explain. I’ve just returned from the imperial strategy session presided over by His Majesty. And, Paelus, there was some incredible news. Normally, this would be kept confidential, but…”
Yeah, after thorough discussions with the Ministers of War and Special Affairs, and receiving the Emperor’s approval, disclosure’s justified.
“The King of Dedolant, your lord, seems to have met with some… misfortune.”
“…”
“Reports from our infiltrators match—King has been absent and secluded recently. It’s less a mere retirement, more like…”
Paelus quickly collected himself after a momentary stunned expression.
“Listen, Chief of Staff. I thought you were an extraordinary man… but this, I’m quite disappointed if this is meant to manipulate me. You think these tricks can unsettle me?”
“Unsettle you? Commander Paelus—don’t get ahead of yourself now.”
I pulled up a chair with an intentional bang and sat in front of him. Then, I playfully tapped his cap with my baton.
“You have no value, to me or our Empire, as someone to bribe or recruit. Benito is ours now, Artria is crumbling, Dedolant will fall sooner rather than later.”
“…”
“We don’t need any help. The Empire’s power alone can crush everything in our path.”
It seems there was some misunderstanding—he thought I was trying to deceive him into becoming a puppet for the Empire.
“No, this is simply good faith extended to an intelligent choice you’ve made. How you interpret that is up to you. Though misunderstanding it would leave me rather disheartened.”
In a gentle tone, I reminded him of the hierarchy between us. The man who surrendered has no special treatment—it’s inappropriate to think otherwise. Besides, soldiers under his command have been hurt because of him. If he mistakes my goodwill for weakness, I can quickly revert to a stern imperial official.
“Guess words aren’t doing much but harming feelings. Here.”
I dropped the bundle of dossiers I’d brought right in front of Paelus.
“You’re bored—might as well give these a read for entertainment, Commander.”
Kael Klauwitz. Emperor’s Chief of Staff. The Empire’s prized prodigy. The one who shattered all the swords and shields of Dedolant.
When he left, all that remained was a hefty stack of reports.
“His Majesty is in trouble…”
Even if King Cassius II wasn’t willingly followed at the start and made questionable decisions along the way, his loyalty to the King of Dedolant was still appropriate for someone in his position.
Of course, that’s the duty of anyone sitting in the seat of nobility.
“…”
Reading further into the reports, Paelus could feel the anger rising inside him.
Before all else, Paelus is a noble first, a military man second. Even without clear conclusions, the current state of affairs was evident.
It can’t be true. Dedolant’s royal bloodline couldn’t have turned against itself. But as he eliminated possibilities one by one, the inevitable tragedy emerged.
“Your Majesty…”
In silence, Paelus called out to his absent king once more, his head bowed in despair.
