“What are your thoughts on Dedolant?”
The moment those words escaped Charlotte’s lips, I snapped back to reality.
There’s no way she’d bring up such a topic out of the blue.
Just a moment ago, she was heaping endless praise on me.
Which means—this must be the main event.
Why she’s here, why she wanted to meet with me.
In other words, we’re now entering the part where direct statements won’t be possible.
“Hmm.”
Of course, it’s best to avoid revealing my true intentions here.
First things first, I need to assess her.
She’s not an enemy, but neither is she a complete ally.
I need to figure out what she’s thinking right now before proceeding.
“Exactly what kind of answer are you looking for?”
“What do you mean, Prince Kael?”
“Should I answer this as the heir to the Duke of the Empire? Or should it be purely from my personal perspective? I’d like to know that, Miss Charlotte.”
Currently, the top brass of the Empire clearly views Dedolant as a future adversary.
So the Emperor, Crown Princess, and First Prince once gathered to discuss such matters.
But that’s all unofficial, and it’s something best kept hidden for now.
For now, we need to maintain this pretense of seeking peace through laughter and smiles.
The Empire has already flexed its military muscles too much across the North, East, and South.
If we’re labeled as some “great warmongering nation,” it’s bound to get exhausting.
Which is why I’m asking: Do you want me to give one of those generic, politically correct answers as the heir to the Duke of the Empire?
Or are you more interested in hearing my completely subjective opinion, some idle musings without much meaning?
“Prince Kael.”
And just like that, Charlotte threw me a curveball.
“Recently, Father sent me a piece of extremely confidential news.”
“Father, as in… the Chairperson of the Demon Race Council?”
“Apparently, for some time now, Artria has been sending people to Nobogorod.”
The moment I heard that, I reflexively turned my gaze toward Charlotte.
Could this woman actually be playing a prank on me?
Is she one of those deranged demons who enjoys watching others react to strange stories?
But then, looking at her expression, I realized the truth.
The information she just gave was genuine. That’s my answer.
“…So, as expected of an enemy of the Empire, they’re indeed up to their usual tricks.”
Next, I need to figure out her intentions.
Why would Charlotte share such information with me?
To the best of my knowledge, details like this aren’t even known to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If what she’s saying is true, then it’s classified even among the elite—a sign that Nobogorod is doing everything in their power to conceal this fact.
“Still, I can’t help but worry that Nobogorod might be on the same page as Dedolant.”
“Why?”
“While exchanging these secret plans with Dedolant, they’ve chosen to keep it hidden from the Empire’s side, which supposedly agreed to peace. And now, here you are, sharing a secret you’re not supposed to tell.”
Is Charlotte planning to betray Nobogorod and align herself with the Empire?
Completely implausible. There’s no plausible reason for her to do so.
Betraying one’s homeland typically requires a fitting justification—whether it’s rage, greed, or even a twisted sense of patriotism.
But Charlotte doesn’t fit into any of those categories.
That makes it entirely possible this so-called “ridiculous” bit of news might itself be a trap.
“Let me put it this way, Prince Kael. The moment Dedolant began to rise, I felt an undeniable chill.”
“A chill, you say?”
“In Nobogorod, we have a saying: ‘A beast that has tasted human bl**d must never be spared.'”
“The Empire has a similar saying.”
“Then we’re on the same page. Dedolant—they simply refuse to stop. No… they cannot stop—their relentless rampage is akin to a wild beast driven mad by the taste of bl**d.”
Charlotte nodded slowly.
A beast that has tasted bl**d. That’s a fitting description, indeed.
Dedolant has become thoroughly addicted to the thrill of conquest. They firmly believe that any loss can be justified if it leads to a profitable war of conquest.
And they have acted on that belief, reaping benefits from their actions so far.
“I hoped it was all a mistake on my part. But every new tidbit of information only strengthens the case.”
“Jugel region forcibly annexed. Artria swallowed whole. Assault on Dugal and the acquisition of Western territories. And now, they’ve allied with Benito to establish some influence in the South.”
“The Empire is surely preparing for a direct confrontation with Dedolant. That’s why they’ve temporarily pulled back their legions in the South and are making thorough preparations for what’s to come.”
Sharp observation. Even though she’s not officially part of the Empire’s inner circles, she seems quite well-informed.
Later, Charlotte went on to mention that the Eastern kingdoms have just come into contact and remarked how fortunate the Empire’s timing truly is.
“Dedolant isn’t simply expanding their territory, Prince Kael. As you already know…”
“They’re trying to establish a new order in the West. Perhaps even to build a new empire. And in all likelihood, they’re preparing for an eventual showdown with the Empire.”
“So, Artria’s outreach to Nobogorod is part of that plan.”
After finishing her statement, I quietly looked at Charlotte.
It’s honestly unclear why she’s chosen this course of action.
A direct confrontation with the Empire would be madness—whether it’s Nobogorod or Dedolant.
But if these two were to unite… and if the South joined forces somehow…
That madness could become a very real possibility.
Even if they fail to defeat the Empire, it wouldn’t matter. Simply maintaining the current balance would effectively halt the Empire’s unchecked dominance.
You might think of it as the formation of a grand anti-Empire coalition.
Lately, the Empire has been exerting far too much force and spending far too much money.
Well, even those aspects could potentially be managed.
The real problem is how fast the Empire is losing legitimacy.
The Empire is undoubtedly the strongest power, but squashing rising discontent from all sides is becoming increasingly impossible.
Sure, they might manage it temporarily. Stationing troops and suppressing resistance through brute force is always an option.
But that’s merely a stopgap solution. It won’t last. It’s self-destructive.
Recently, I’ve come to believe two things are undeniable: First, the Empire does not go back on the agreements it initiates. And second, Dedolant could very well turn around and stab its allies in the back.
“And why do you think so, Miss Charlotte?”
“They began by shouting about the glory of the Deo people and have only grown more ambitious. The annexation of Artria, the attack on Dugal. Forming an alliance with Benito to influence part of the South and unify the West.”
Charlotte paused briefly before locking her eyes onto me.
“Would such a group really honor their agreements with Nobogorod? When they’ve successfully reduced the Empire’s influence, will they truly keep their promises?”
Dedolant seized the Jugel region from Dugal under dubious pretenses.
When they launched their attack on the west of Dugal, or when they solidified their alliance with Benito, they’ve repeatedly invoked bizarre excuses while waving an “Amoral, I don’t care” attitude.
Given this behavior, Charlotte clearly distrusts Dedolant and sees them as dangerous and untrustworthy.
“Among the people in this world, some can be trusted at least once or twice, but others should never receive your trust. Fools cling to the temporary gains of dealing with the latter, but I have no intention of making that mistake.”
“So, that’s why you’ve shared this highly sensitive intelligence with me, risking any backlash it might cause?”
“I considered this the right approach to convince the Empire’s greatest strategist. Besides, it’s only a matter of time before the Empire’s Special Missions Bureau uncovers this on their own.”
By the time Charlotte finished speaking, I slowly began to piece things together.
Dedolant is courting Nobogorod. They’re inviting them to join sides.
They’re offering a share of the profits for helping control and balance the Empire’s influence.
Although the specifics remain vague, Nobogorod seems to be wavering under this proposition.
But Charlotte firmly believes Dedolant won’t honor any agreements.
They’re far too aggressive, too direct, to be relied upon.
Would a group so single-mindedly focused on the glory of their ethnicity really share the spoils of war?
Would they even hesitate before turning around and striking from behind if they deemed it necessary?
“What if Dedolant and Nobogorod were to join forces…”
I don’t even want to think about it. The Northern front would be reactivated almost immediately.
We’d be facing a warrior race far above those in the East or South.
To make matters worse, the Western and Northern territories of the Empire are already geographically close.
Simultaneously dealing with Dedolant and Nobogorod would inevitably create openings in our defenses.
“Prince Kael, I desire the survival, peace, and prosperity of Nobogorod.”
“Is that so?”
“The hardliners believe we can achieve that through war. Many demons share that belief. But, if we do follow that path, we’ll surely end up facing you again.”
“…”
“And just like the Three Eastern Kingdoms and the Southern kingdom of Benito before, we’ll be reduced to broken fragments, left lamenting our bygone glory.”
With absolute confidence, Charlotte looked me in the eyes as she spoke.
Her pupils carried the faintest trace of fear—was that my imagination?
“So, may I inquire why you chose to share this information with me first?”
“Even though I lean toward the moderates and sympathize with the Empire, I have no intention of betraying Nobogorod. I know all too well what might happen if this were to become public knowledge.”
“I understand.”
“So… I’d like to ask for your guidance again, as before. We’re willing to heed your advice. We want to find a mutually beneficial solution—for both the Empire and Nobogorod. For Nobogorod and the Empire.”
Not some generic, dismissive advice like “Ignore all the humans coming from Artria.”
That would be far too simple and obvious. Charlotte has likely contemplated that on her own.
Clearly, she’s asking for something much more sophisticated than that.
“If I were to offer my guidance, what would the Empire gain from it?”
“Same as the East and the South. You’d gain a more solid foothold in the North.”
At Charlotte’s response, I remained silent, offering only a faint smile.
That alone isn’t enough. There must be more at stake here.
It appeared Charlotte caught on to my underlying meaning, as she began speaking again.
“What else do you desire?”
“Simple. I want the demons to bleed alongside the Empire.”
Just talking about being friends doesn’t make you friends. A little shared hardship wouldn’t hurt.
In truth, the guidance I have in mind is all designed with this very principle in mind.
Whether they like it or not, fighting the same enemies and spilling the same bl**d will naturally forge a bond—won’t it?
