The Empire’s military system was complicated.
Local lords had their private soldiers, and there was the Imperial Army for national defense.
There was also the Imperial Knight Order for small-scale suppression missions and the Royal Guard for protecting the imperial family.
Four types of military organizations, each with separate command structures, but the leader of the Imperial Knight Order also held the position of a general in the Imperial Army.
In other words, the leader of the Imperial Knight Order commanded hundreds of knights and had authority over tens of thousands of troops.
Their quality might not match that of the Elector Counts’ armies, but no one could afford to underestimate them.
If the Imperial Army and the Imperial Knight Order weren’t obligated to remain politically neutral, whoever they supported would easily win.
Of course, that didn’t mean they could wield their authority recklessly.
The moment the Knight Order leader got greedy for power, the Imperial Army and the Knight Order under his command would be the first to turn their swords against him.
—-
Duver was a man who embodied the typical middle-aged Imperial citizen.
He had thick, curly brown hair, a long, well-groomed mustache, and a thick nose tip reddened by heavy drinking.
He wore a lavish academy uniform, as if to flaunt his nobility rather than his military background. The uniform, likely tailored during his healthier days, now strained around his belly, while the sleeves hung loose and wrinkled.
He kept fiddling with his collar, clearly struggling to breathe comfortably.
His plump, rosy cheeks and the gap in his coat that wouldn’t close properly revealed how long he had been out of active duty.
It made me wonder if he could still be considered a master at this point.
Perhaps he had once been a fine knight with solid muscles.
But his high status and skills that had long since plateaued likely brought frustration and laziness…
And the old friend of frustrated middle-aged men—alcohol—had slowly rusted him away.
A knight soaked in alcohol tends to turn from a wolf into a pig.
The efforts of his younger years were barely keeping him a knight and not yet a pig.
—-
On the other hand, Georg appeared to be a mix of Dane and Imperial blood.
His dull blond hair was cut short, revealing a neat forehead, and his sharp, hawk-like eyes under thick eyebrows occasionally glared at my right hand.
My warrior instincts told me the meaning behind that gaze.
He was constantly measuring the distance between us, observing my reactions… and thinking of how to respond if an unfortunate clash occurred.
Strictly speaking, he was half-hostile toward me, but unlike Duver, he hadn’t forgotten his duty, which I actually found admirable.
Clean-shaven, he looked younger than his age, with a strong jawline and stubborn lips giving him a statue-like impression.
He wore a neat military uniform, devoid of any decorations, similar to what Ludwig often wore.
His sharp expression, disciplined posture, and silence since entering the palace painted him as someone who had spent his life solely on training and duty, with no other hobbies.
Yeah, this is what an Imperial Knight Order leader should be like.
—-
Despite inviting both men at the same time, Leopold seemed intent on speaking to them separately, calling Duver into his office first.
When I politely excused myself to Georg, he silently nodded, unfazed.
Leaving him alone felt rude, so I decided to leave someone in the reception room.
Luckily, there was just the right person for that.
“M-me? You mean me?”
Persval, suddenly burdened with this task, turned pale.
“Yeah, who else? Just stand there, and if he talks to you, respond appropriately. If he doesn’t, keep your mouth shut. It’s not that hard, right? Go.”
Actually, it was hard.
The Imperial Knight Order and the Royal Guard were separate organizations, but stars are stars no matter where they come from.
Someone like Georg, being close in rank to the Royal Guard’s leader, made this task akin to asking a rookie officer to entertain a division commander.
But what could I do? There was no one else.
Leaving the pale-faced Persval in the reception room, I headed to Leopold’s office with Duver.
—-
“Welcome, Sir Duver. Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“Not at all. How could I, as a knight of the Empire, not heed the call of Your Highness Leopold, busy as you are? It was only natural to come without delay.”
Duver, facing Leopold, was surprisingly humble, almost as if trying to prove his loyalty. It was quite strange.
A prince with an unstable position and one of the Empire’s most powerful military leaders—considering their positions, such groveling seemed unnecessary.
“Your words put me at ease. Please, have a seat.”
Leopold, on the other hand, adopted an unusually authoritative tone, even changing his usual way of speaking.
Leaning slightly with his chin resting on his hand, his posture hinted that this conversation might not end amicably.
I stood expressionlessly beside Leopold, watching them.
Duver, sitting on the office sofa, glanced at me.
Perhaps he was feeling wary now, as his gaze was quite sharp.
Though his plump figure made it far from intimidating.
Leopold tapped the desk to redirect attention.
On the desk were two crystal glasses and…
There was a bottle of wine, freshly opened, exuding a subtle blackberry aroma.
I don’t know much about wine, but seeing Duver staring at the bottle and swallowing hard, it must be a top-tier vintage even nobles rarely get to taste.
“Before we get into serious talk, care for a drink? I heard you’re quite fond of Bien’s wine.”
Leopold gently tilted the bottle, filling the glass halfway.
A sweet fragrance wafted out, tickling my nose. Yeah, it must be delicious.
“Duke Bien gifted this to me to celebrate his daughter’s engagement. Here, take it.”
“Your Highness, bestowing such an extravagant favor upon me, I am truly honored.”
He really seems to love wine.
The smile creeping at the corners of his mouth is impossible to hide.
—
“Now that we’ve quenched our thirst, let’s get straight to the point, even if it’s a bit early. We wouldn’t want Sir Georg to turn into a statue from waiting too long.”
“Haha. Even if Sir Georg turned to stone, his wife probably wouldn’t notice the difference.”
Duver chuckled lightly, catching Leopold’s jest.
Leopold just smiled mysteriously and set down his glass.
“Sir Duver. No, Second Legion Commander. The reason I called you here is that your troops are needed to safeguard the Empire’s peace. You must have guessed as much.”
“…Your wise Highness, I believe you are well aware that I cannot comply with this order due to certain circumstances. If you intend to deploy the Imperial Army in this civil war, even the knights under my command will rise up.”
The sudden demand for support. Duver trailed off, seemingly troubled.
Leopold looked him straight in the eye and continued calmly.
“No need to worry about that. The Second Legion’s swords will not be pointed at fellow Imperials, but at the northern invaders. Protecting the Empire from non-humans, isn’t that your duty?”
“The north, you say…? If a legion-sized force is needed in the north, it must be due to a massive beastman invasion… but I haven’t heard any reports of such.”
A skeptical response. He seemed to doubt the unexpected news.
Well, of course.
How could there be reports if they haven’t invaded yet?
“It’s not confirmed information. However, the Margrave of Landenburg warned of the danger… and Pailoon also concluded that the sporadic beastman attacks have suddenly ceased. If the beastmen are planning a massive invasion, the Empire’s current chaos would be the perfect opportunity. Don’t you think so?”
That’s a lie.
Neither Ludwig nor Pailoon ever warned of a massive invasion.
But, leveraging the authority of the Electors who’ve spent their lives repelling invasions, the statement would sound convincing enough to Duver, who knows nothing.
“Even so, isn’t the primary defense of the north Pailoon’s responsibility? There are records of the Imperial Army being dispatched during past invasions, but those were all in response to Pailoon’s requests for aid. There’s no precedent for deploying the Imperial Army before an invasion occurs. And summoning Sir Georg here as well… are you planning to deploy two legions to the northern border?”
“Duke Pailoon’s forces are to be recalled to the homeland. We need to quell the disturbances across the regions and suppress the rebels who have defied the succession election principles. Hence, to fill Pailoon’s void, we must deploy two legions.”
Duver bowed his head, seeking understanding, then pulled out a handkerchief to wipe off his cold sweat.
It seemed Leopold’s purpose for summoning him was a very troublesome matter.
“…With all due respect, Your Highness, as you know, the Imperial Army regards this not as a rebellion but as a succession dispute and is maintaining neutrality. If the Imperial Army were to take over the northern border defense as you suggest, it would no longer be neutral but actively intervening in the civil war… wouldn’t that violate the Empire’s principles?”
Yes, that’s the issue.
That’s why Leopold summoned them to persuade them.
Let’s see how this goes.
“Intervention? Not at all. You and the Imperial Army are merely upholding your oath to protect the Empire from external threats, and the outcome inadvertently benefits me. Conversely, if Pailoon remained in the north to repel an invasion and requested reinforcements due to insufficient strength, would you refuse, citing neutrality? If the north were to fall as a result, wouldn’t that be you neglecting your duty to safeguard the Empire’s security?”
“But…”
Leopold shook his head, firmly cutting off Duver’s excuse.
“This isn’t a civil war to begin with. It’s a punitive expedition against the witch Isabella, who has disrupted the Empire’s order. Originally, it should have been your duty to lead the charge. Turning a blind eye to the obligation of protecting the Empire from witches under the guise of neutrality… I’m merely tolerating it for now. Do you understand?”
His tone was icy cold.
