“Kaya, this one!”
When I returned to the main house, as expected, Father was there to greet me personally.
Well, to be precise, he was there to reprimand Kaya for not listening to him and joining the war at the ripe age of fifteen.
“Big brother!!”
Kaya, being the clever girl she is, didn’t hide behind the servants or Mother—no, she hid behind me.
From her perspective, it was probably because she just loves me most, but…
Let’s be honest, hiding behind me was a strategic move that would effectively freeze Father in his tracks.
‘After all, I am the firstborn who fought for the Empire and brought glory back to the Klawitz family.’
Father is already preparing to pass on the head of the household to me anyway. In the middle of that, he wouldn’t dare harm my authority by doing anything that could damage it.
Therefore, with Kaya now hiding behind me, Father can neither yell at her nor ask for her to step forward.
“Kaya, you need to apologize to Father.”
“Oh, Mother! I had Father’s permission!”
“He did allow you to join the army, but he specifically told you not to fight the enemy directly.”
“Hiiiiiiii….”
Of course. Even Kaya can’t stand up to Mother. In the end, Kaya reluctantly stepped out from behind me and was promptly dragged away by Mother.
I sighed deeply as Father wondered aloud, “Who does that girl take after?”
Hm, Father. Are you really not feeling the slightest twinge of guilt while saying that?
—
“Good job.”
In the head of the household’s office, Father patted me on the shoulder.
“You’ve really done something remarkable. The Klawitz family hasn’t seen such a glorious day in years. The ancestors would be clapping and cheering for you.”
“I’m embarrassed, Father. I just gave some orders from behind the scenes. The true heroes are the ones who fought on the frontlines.”
“No matter how great the soldiers are, the importance of the one who devises the grand strategy cannot be overstated. That’s why I’m even prouder. You didn’t just lead a single unit—you managed an entire campaign involving tens of thousands, handling it as easily as flipping your hand.”
Father, that’s all so flattering, but I assure you, I’m just a human—I don’t have phoenix wings or dragon scales.
“I’ve heard enough of the praise, Father.”
“Hmm.”
“What I need is the cold, hard truth. From you, my father and head of our family, the Lord of our dukedom.”
After being away at the eastern front for so long, I’ve gotten out of touch with the domestic situation. Even though I’m technically no longer a soldier, I need to stay sharp about these things.
“Well, since you asked for it, I’ll lay it all out plainly.”
“I’m all ears.”
I sat up straight, and Father cleared his throat a few times before continuing.
“First, the lands of our dukedom have more than doubled in size.”
“Yes, thanks to the acquisition of the Neomes region.”
“It’s not just about land—it’s the influence. Our dukedom’s influence has grown at least fourfold. Do you understand what that means?”
Of course I do, Father.
“The balance of power among the five Dukedoms of the Empire has been disrupted.”
“Yes. At this point, our single dukedom can match or even surpass the combined influence of two or three other dukedoms.”
“So, the other Dukedoms might be giving us wary looks regarding our growth?”
When I asked, Father shook his head immediately.
Do the other Dukes really have any reason to suppress us? Of course not.
Father toyed with his tea cup and continued.
“The problem isn’t the Dukes—it’s the Marquises. More specifically, the factions of nobles under their control.”
—
A Duke of the Empire isn’t just any noble. Their families swore loyalty to the Great Emperor before he even became the Emperor. Even now, decades later, they remain the spear and shield of the royal house.
They are a class apart from the local nobility who rule the provinces. Even though they’re all technically “nobility,” it’s unfair to lump the Dukes in with the average noble families.
The Dukes and their families have always stood with the royal family through good and bad. The five great houses form a tightly-knit alliance, supporting the Emperor without fail.
Therefore, when one of these houses grows, it’s naturally celebrated by the others.
On the other hand, the five Marquises are descended from the kings or powerful families that submitted to the Great Emperor. While they are loyal to the Empire, they operate on a different playing field than the Dukes.
Even though all parties are loyal, there’s an inherent tension between the Dukedoms and the Marquisates. It’s a delicate balance: Is loyalty first to the royal house, or to maintaining the order of the noble system?
Each Marquisate has its own faction of nobles, which helps maintain local order and governance. While their loyalty to the Empire benefits them as well, there’s still a noticeable difference compared to the Dukes who unconditionally follow the royal family.
“So, with the balance now disrupted—with one dukedom growing so dramatically—the other Marquises feel uneasy. It’s not just the increase in our house’s influence…”
“They’re worried the Emperor plans to suppress them and disrupt the long-standing order.”
—
It may seem like an exaggerated fear, but when you think about it, it makes sense. After all, the nobles submitted to the Great Emperor not out of unconditional devotion, but because doing so guaranteed their stability and growth.
The initial Dukes, being generals loyal to the Great Emperor, wouldn’t question his authority in such a way. But when the ruler suddenly starts acting like he might turn against his vassals, it’s only natural to feel uneasy if you’re not part of the inner circle.
—
“Given that we’ve just achieved a monumental victory in the Eastern Front…”
“This is the perfect opportunity to eliminate the nobility’s influence completely, riding on the Empire and Imperial Family’s heightened prestige.”
Great. They’ve made assumptions far bigger than necessary, haven’t they?
But can we blame them? If the Emperor truly planned something like that, would he hand out such massive rewards to our house?
Surely someone of the Emperor’s caliber wouldn’t fail to anticipate their reaction.
—
“So, this is where I need to step in.”
“Father?”
“With our sudden growth, we need to avoid being burdensome. A bit of effort is necessary.”
“So, you’re planning to start mingling with the noble factions we’ve never interacted with before?”
“Don’t worry. I highly doubt your father, a Duke of the Empire, would create unnecessary alliances.”
The most important thing for a person is to make just one true friend.
For a group, the key is to avoid making any real enemies. It’s better to have neutral relationships than outright adversaries. This is precisely Father’s strategy.
“Of course, the noble factions aren’t fools either. They’ll soon realize their fears are unfounded and adjust accordingly. So, Kael, you don’t need to worry.”
“If you put in the effort, Father, I’m all for it. After all, your influence among the nobility is still far greater than mine.”
“Hmm. That might not be true for much longer.”
Father shrugged slightly before moving on. “On to the next matter.”
“There’s also international affairs to discuss.”
“As always, I’m all ears.”
“First and foremost, things in the West are getting quite noisy—no, it’s far beyond that.”
“That noisy?”
The western border of the Empire has always been turbulent. While central regions have long been unified under a single powerful nation, the east has been divided into three kingdoms for centuries.
The north is home to the Demon Race, while the southern regions are led by the Holy Kingdom.
In contrast, the west has always been unpredictable, with powerful military states rising and falling cyclically.
“Every year, the west has seen endless wars. Recently, however, something unusual happened—Dedolant started rising rapidly. It all began when their third prince, Georg Systania, started making waves.”
The stories Father shared were quite astonishing.
Dedolant’s already formidable military machine gained a brilliant commander and began wreaking havoc, securing stunning victories wherever they went.
But the real shocker was about to come.
“Wait, a coup?!”
“Yes. He turned his army on the royal capital when summoned by his father. He dismantled his father’s allies, exiled the crown prince, and eventually executed him.”
“And yet, he didn’t claim the throne for himself.”
“Removing your brother is one thing, but overthrowing your own father and king is another matter entirely.”
Clearly, this guy has a sharp mind. It’s a sign that he plans to preserve the support and popularity he’s accrued.
“Anyway, with the third prince in control, Dedolant has thrown the entire west into chaos. And to make matters worse, the south is also stirring up trouble.”
“The south too?”
Indeed.
“You know the Holy Kingdom at the southern tip of the continent, don’t you?”
“Yes, Father, it’s common knowledge.”
Unlike the demon clans of the north who follow their own deities, the rest of the continent, including our Empire, worships the god Lunen.
The Holy Kingdom stands as the protector of Lunen.
“A kingdom opposing the Holy Kingdom has appeared.”
“Opposing? Did they get excommunicated?”
“Not really. It’s more about a doctrine that religious figures should only concern themselves with religion and leave state affairs entirely alone.”
“What’s the kingdom called?”
“Benito. The Kingdom of Benito.”
It seems the whole continent is on the brink of exploding.
For those who wish for peace, this is giving us headaches just to think about it.
“This is why the Emperor, Kael, awarded you such great honors.”
“If the Eastern Front had continued longer, it would’ve been a bigger burden for the Empire.”
“And we can’t forget the north, too—Nobogorod was the starting point for all of this. That conflict triggered everything.”
Reflecting on it, I’m realizing how deeply entrenched I’ve become in all this chaos… I must’ve looked ridiculous standing in honey with bees buzzing around me.
—
“Are you here?”
Princess Isabel knelt before the Emperor, waiting quietly for his next words. The urgency of the summons, demanding her immediate return to the palace, must mean something important.
Whatever it was, she was about to find out.
“Belle.”
At the sound of her nickname, Isabel’s head shot up instinctively in surprise. Not the usual “Second Princess” title, not even her full name—but an affectionate pet name.
And then, to her further bewilderment, the Emperor asked something unexpected.
“What do you think of Kael Klauwitz?”
