The situation in the south was far more chaotic than expected.
It was almost as if the Empire had been dragged into a war.
“Immediately, we must punish Benito and aid the Holy Kingdom!”
“That’s right! A royal family that has been excommunicated can no longer be considered royalty!”
“They are the ones who declared war against a place where the miracle of Lunen once passed. This is an outright challenge to the order of light that has endured for hundreds of years!”
Most of those advocating for aiding the Holy Kingdom were followers of the light.
They argued that the Empire must immediately raise its army and punish Benito. After all, if they remained silent, what was the point of venerating Lunen all these years?
The Empire too had believed in Lunen for a long time, following the tenets of light—though not as fervently as in the early days, its influence still remained strong. Thus, criticizing Benito for declaring war on the Holy Kingdom seemed only natural.
“Temper your reckless words. Benito hasn’t declared war on the Empire yet, has it?”
“The other southern kingdoms are already arranging for mediation and reconciliation. Let’s wait and see.”
Those arguing the timing was premature were traders who dealt with various southern kingdoms. If the Imperial Legion were to enter the south, tensions would escalate, potentially severing the traders’ only lifeline, which is why they opposed committing full force.
At first glance, the side advocating for immediate action seemed more favorable. After all, Benito had declared war on the Holy Kingdom and been excommunicated as a result. Moreover, the Empire was a nation that believed in Lunen, and it wasn’t pleasant to see another country invade where Lunen’s miracles had once graced. However, surprisingly, the two arguments were maintaining a surprisingly balanced tension.
“Deploying the Imperial Legion again would be too burdensome, wouldn’t it?”
At the princess’s words, I nodded in agreement. Indeed, in the past year, the Empire had spent far too much on military expenses. Just moving two legions toward Nobogorod had been costly, let alone preparing the concentrated units and keeping the backup reserves ready. Not long after, the Eastern Front erupted, involving no less than five legions—a situation far worse than in the north. The amount of taxes spent there… ugh, it was unimaginable.
“That said, what exactly has the Empire gained? Not much, I’d say.”
In the past, the Empire would conquer territories here and there to somehow offset the losses. But that’s not the case anymore—now, it just mobilizes resources to maintain order. Sure, it collected some reparations from Burkhai, but it wasn’t enough.
This is why many were negative about moving the legions again. The Eastern Front was understandable since it was a direct declaration of war against us, but the south doesn’t even qualify—it’s entirely someone else’s war. Pouring bl**d and treasure into it just doesn’t feel right.
“If anything, though, there’s still some pressure to intervene. If that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t have been reassigned here, and neither would Kael.”
“I’m concerned. The situation in the west isn’t stable either. Maybe we need to shift focus to the south.”
“For now, the south has more immediate effects on the Empire than the west.”
The Empire’s south thrives on maritime trade with the southern kingdoms. The scale is enormous, and just the size of the coastal cities shows how significant trade is. The taxes collected from this region are indispensable.
So, if the southern kingdoms get embroiled in war? That would be exhausting. Even worse, if the Imperial Legion gets involved and antagonizes those kingdoms? It’d be a disaster. The Empire would unnecessarily shoulder harm it could otherwise avoid.
“Ugh… all this talk of money, money, money. I’m about to get a nervous breakdown.”
“I understand your frustration, Your Highness. But what can we do? Whether it’s individuals or massive states, everything boils down to money. It’s clear now why the Pro-empire faction feels stressed every time the Legion moves—they could’ve used those astronomical funds for other national projects.”
As she said that, the princess suddenly looked at me and tilted her head.
“Kael, why are you smiling?”
“Ah, sorry. I mean… it’s just… forgive me if it’s too forward, but Your Highness seems to be growing more and more. I’m just glad to see that.”
The first time I met the princess as the Crown Princess, she lacked the insight her sister had. She didn’t seem to try understanding why others stood their ground or why their arguments resonated with certain people. It wasn’t stubbornness or narrow-mindedness—she simply lacked broader experience.
But now, that gap is slowly filling.
“Hmm. You’re right. Traveling with Kael and dealing with various situations has definitely made me different from the person I used to be.”
“That’s hardly my doing. It’s entirely due to Your Highness…”
“Eek! Don’t say that.” She suddenly covered my mouth with her hand.
“Sometimes I wonder if you’re doing it on purpose.”
“Eep?”
“This whole excessive humility of yours. Even when it isn’t necessary, you insist on being deferential, which subtly gets under people’s skin.”
After removing her hand, she continued.
“Kael, you need to believe in yourself more. Value yourself higher.”
“That… is very kind of you, Your Highness, but…”
“Sshh!”
“I greet you, Your Highness.”
“To see you here. Marquis Rylas. How have you been?”
“Oh, you know, always the same, right? Hahaha!”
“Well…”
This man, Marquis Rylas, is the richest man in this southern region of the Empire, known for neither supporting nor opposing the Empire—technically classified as neutral.
From snippets of their conversation, it seemed the princess had a decent rapport with him.
“Kael, this is Marquis Rylas. Marquis Rylas, this is Kael, the famous strategist.”
“Hoo, I’ve heard a lot about you. Your efforts in the Eastern Front were impressive.”
The marquis suddenly approached and extended a hand, prompting me to politely shake it. He laughed heartily afterward—a jovial character if ever there was one.
“Pleased to meet you. I see you’re a young man, yet your humility seems beyond your years. If my son were like you, it’d be wonderful.”
For a brief moment, we exchanged pleasantries, but soon, the conversation turned to the pressing matters.
“What a peculiar situation we find ourselves in, Your Highness. I think I understand why His Majesty has dispatched you here.”
“Perhaps to prepare the troops in case of an emergency?”
“Likely so. The image of Your Highness from the Eastern Front has already spread to all the legions of the Empire. A princess who visits the legions during the heat of battle—it’s something the soldiers cannot help but be moved by. What else could inspire them more?”
Let’s not forget: this isn’t a democracy but a monarchy, or rather an imperial governance. Most commoners are awed if a noble treats them kindly. Imagine the princess, one of the most noble women in the world, personally visiting the legions? The 7th Legion, which had been faltering, roared back to life immediately after one such visit.
“But… will the Imperial Legion really march? There are plenty of issues at hand.”
“The southern kingdoms will hardly take it kindly, nor will the southern nobility. They’ve been careful not to interfere even while promoting pro-empire sentiment.”
“And the Holy Kingdom hasn’t particularly requested the Empire to punish Benito.”
“That’s true, but there are political factors at play. The council continues to deliberate, nonetheless.”
The Empire has many things to ponder, much like in the west. If they intervene, it’ll mean immediate losses galore. Yet, letting it slide could also risk losing something valuable.
One advantage here is the Empire has a pretext—the excommunication of Benito, specifically the excommunication of its king. Without a legitimate ruler, moving in to prevent chaos might justify their intervention.
“The problem is, to reach Benito, the Imperial Legion would have to cross at least one other kingdom.”
No country in the world allows foreign armies to freely march through its territory; trust is irrelevant here—it’s a matter of principle and pride. The locals could even lose faith in their government, making the whole situation precarious.
“…And since some kingdoms remain relatively passive despite Benito’s excommunication, they can’t afford to leave their borders unguarded.”
“Well said, Kael. That’s precisely why, despite having a good reason, the Empire can’t act recklessly.”
Who would’ve thought the west could trouble us, but the south is proving equally vexing.
After much deliberation through multiple meetings with the princess, Marquis Rylas, legions commanders, and nobles, I sent the conclusion to the capital:
[Request for Reinforcement of Eastern Legions]
[Additional Support Needed in the Southern Region]
There were dissenting opinions and calls for caution, but one decisive factor led to this conclusion: if the Holy Kingdom falls into the hands of other kingdoms, things could get much worse.
—
End of segment.*
