Chapter 826: Act 7 – Wizards, Dragons, and the Empire IV
But this could only be considered a suspicion, still not enough to be called evidence. Since Mangolov dared to come here, he must have real proof in hand. Brendel thought this way and continued to ask, “What happened next?”
“Then, a week ago, the Crusian embassy arrived in Erluin,” Veronika replied.
“What do you mean?” Brendel frowned. This news was not new; after all, a Legion Commander and the first heir to the throne from Cruz had mysteriously disappeared during the explosion. It was only reasonable that the Crusians would send an embassy to investigate. He didn’t understand why Veronika was bringing this up and couldn’t help but look at her suspiciously.
“On the surface, it appears that way,” at that moment Mangolov put down his pipe and slowly replied, “but the issue is that there is an extra person in this embassy.”
“An extra person?”
“That person is called Donnas Verney, a secret envoy of Her Majesty. We learned before he left the Empire that he came to Erluin to confirm the Crown Prince’s death.”
Brendel seemed to suddenly realize, meaning that indeed someone wanted to verify that the Crown Prince was dead, and this person was most likely the Silver Empress, as Count Verney was considered one of her trusted confidants. However, he remained cautious; succession was no trivial matter, especially for an empire. He glanced at the two people in front of him and thought carefully before continuing, “One witness does not stand firm; the presence of this person can only indicate one aspect of the matter. After all, confirming the heir’s death is only reasonable given the importance of succession.”
Veronika glanced at Mangolov, then replied, “Indeed, but we have another witness.”
“Who?” Brendel was slightly taken aback and thought these two couldn’t have kidnapped someone from the embassy to his territory, could they? That would be too reckless. But unexpectedly, the female commander asked, “Brendel, do you still remember the Lizardman Sword Saint you met in the Spiral Hall?”
“Shang,” Brendel immediately called out the name; the life-and-death experience at that time was too vivid in his mind: “I know this person.”
“You know it?” Veronika looked somewhat surprised.
Brendel nodded, “There are not many alien sword saints, and I have some connections with the Grayfin Naga, so I am naturally familiar with their enemies. Shang comes from the Red Ring Lizardmen, who happen to be the servant race of the Deep Scale Naga. I know him quite well; he was the most famous warrior among the Red Ring Lizardmen in his youth and has been a Sword Saint for several decades.”
“He is currently locked up in the basement of this inn.”
“What!” Brendel almost jumped up. He thought that guy had escaped back to the Shimmering Sea after the explosion, but he never expected he had somehow become Veronika’s captive. But he suddenly realized something and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Does it mean…”
Veronika waved her hand to fan away the smoke in front of her as she replied, “Brendel, you must not know that the Deep Scale Naga has already allied with Her Majesty the Empress.”
“So…?” A daring thought began to form in Brendel’s mind.
The female commander did not answer directly but nodded affirmatively. For a subject, discussing these matters itself was treasonous; to utter such words aloud in their relationship was nearly akin to conspiracy. However, that was enough; everything in Brendel’s mind had fallen into place, and Shang was indeed sent by the Silver Empress to assassinate Crown Prince Rainwright.
He couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing; he initially thought the target was himself, but now he realized it was full of holes. If the Deep Scale Naga wanted to find a land ally, how could they possibly choose Anlek, a man who looked like a stray dog? He instinctively believed that the Grayfin Naga formed an alliance with him, so naturally their enemy would be looking for his enemy. But he suddenly realized that his perspective was too limited to Erluin; the reality was that the Deep Scale Naga looked down on Anlek. What they needed was a strategic ally that could support them on land, not someone who would just create trouble for Brendel.
This made the Crusians indeed the best choice, and if the Silver Empress truly had ambitions to unify Vaunte, she would need a partner across the ocean.
Moreover, Shang’s first reaction upon appearing in the Spiral Hall was that he was there to kill him, but thinking back, there were some problems. If the Deep Scale Naga wanted to deal with him, the best choice would be in Toniger. Because Toniger was by the sea, while it was his stronghold, the so-called experts inside it were really just his teacher Mephistopheles. However, the Deep Scale Naga chose to strike deep in the Frostwood Forest. Let alone the complexities involved in planning an assassination deep inland for sea lizard and naga races, it should be noted that Brendel was accompanied by three powerful figures: Veronika, Mephistopheles, and Alorze. All three were well-known to the outside world; the Deep Scale Naga would have no way of being ignorant.
Thus, Shang’s appearance there could only have been for some other purpose.
What could that purpose be?
It certainly couldn’t be to help Anlek; the Deep Scale Naga was not a charity organization, supporting a resistance group within Erluin from afar was impossible. After all, this resistance group had ties to Everything Returns Society. But if the Deep Scale Naga had indeed allied with the Silver Empress, it all made sense. Shang’s target could only be the Crown Prince of the Crusians.
Further contemplating, this unfortunate Lizardman Sword Saint was very likely caught by Veronika while ambushing the Crown Prince. Historically, Veronika was certainly not Shang’s match, but after the battle at the Loop of Trade Winds, the female commander’s strength grew rapidly and had far surpassed where she was at the same time in the “Amber Sword”. Thus, it was entirely plausible that Shang became overconfident thinking he was certain to succeed and ended up being unexpectedly captured.
In just a few breaths, Brendel formed this entire conclusion; since Veronika was so sure, it meant that Shang must have confessed everything. After all, he was not a death warrior of the Crusians and was unlikely to stubbornly refuse to divulge information.
With his hands crossed, Brendel seriously considered whether to agree to Veronika’s request for the first time.
He could help Veronika keep the news of their arrival in Toniger a secret, as he mentioned, it was just a matter of raising a hand. But this time, he had to think carefully. Involving himself in a succession dispute of an empire was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous thing. For the sake of supreme power, those nobles would do anything. In other words, his decision could drag the nascent Toniger back into danger, and Brendel did not wish to see Crusian spies appear in the streets and alleys of Firburh.
On the other hand, this was indeed an opportunity.
Although leaking the news that the Crown Prince was in Toniger could seriously anger her majesty, the Silver Empress, the fact was that even if he did not anger her, what would happen? If the Silver Empress was ambitious for expansion, then Erluin was first on the list, meaning he would be facing the Empire’s wrath regardless of whether he angered her or not. However, if he could pull the Crusian military or even some worldly forces to his side, perhaps if Her Majesty acted recklessly, it could lead to a split within Cruz, even civil war.
If that happened, it would be thrilling. Brendel could hardly contain his laughter at the thought.
Moreover, there was the Temple of Fire; although it faced pressure from the dragon race, oppression could lead to resistance. A being like Varla, who held supreme power, would never be willing to remain oppressed. The Empress had ruled over the Crusian Empire for forty years, swallowing her anger for so long, and now that liberation was in sight, the dragon race intervened—this was simply intolerable. Brendel felt if he were in Varla’s position, he would find it unbearable. While Varla was known for her wisdom, even a mud figure had its temper. If the temple were to act impulsively, a civil war in the Crusian Empire would be almost guaranteed.
Brendel fell silent for a while, repeatedly pondering the details within. He was inherently not adept at these intrigues and therefore took considerable time to think. However, Veronika and Mangolov seemed unhurried. Veronika sat down and picked up her teacup, taking a sip, while the latter finally finished preparing his tobacco, striking a match to light it and taking a deep inhale, squinting his eyes as if he were thoroughly enjoying it.
The room fell quiet for a moment. Antinna was sitting beside them, closely watching the two seated across from her lord. She had seemingly heard an extremely ridiculous story earlier, but now this story involved them all. Such a significant decision left her no room to speak, and in fact, she didn’t dare to open her mouth, merely waiting silently for Brendel to make a decision.
Finally, Brendel let out a sigh.
“Aside from keeping Crown Prince Rainwright in Toniger, what else do you plan to do?” he asked.
This represented a shift in his attitude. Veronika set down her teacup, exhaled softly, and replied, “Not just His Highness the Crown Prince; Shi Do and the Broken Sword Knights must also remain here. Otherwise, the more people there are, the more likely the news is to leak. Although I trust them all as my students, this matter is too important; I need not let these young people carry the burden.”
“Are you planning to return to the Empire?” Brendel detected a hint of a clue.
Veronika nodded, “If Shi Do and the others cannot return, I will go back alone. If the first heir to the throne of the Empire dies due to my blunder and leads to the annihilation of the entire Broken Sword Knights, I will certainly take responsibility. But the issue should not be great. The heir going out to train should always be prepared for unexpected incidents; there have been precedents in the Empire’s history. The responsibility I bear will only be for mismanagement, not arbitrary blame. Otherwise, in the future, no one will dare to act in the Empire; everyone understands this principle—doing more means making more mistakes.”
She glanced at Mangolov, “The three noble families from the North have already reached a consensus, and the military will do its best to protect me. I think I may be demoted, but I can keep my title. Her Majesty needs a trusted Legion Commander, and this is also part of our deal with her. As long as Rainwright is still alive, there will still be opportunities in the future.”
Brendel looked at Veronika somewhat regretfully. This female commander was a prominent figure in the history of the Empire, and it would be a pity if she was sidelined due to internal transactions over succession. However, this was good news for Erluin. Moreover, he had a very slim hope: Everyone could see that this commander likely had some untold story with his teacher Mephistopheles. If—he emphasized if—the Silver Empress stirred up trouble within the Empire in the future and Veronika remained sidelined, perhaps Erluin would have an outstanding female duchess in the future.
Veronika would certainly not want to fight against the Crusians, but Erluin did not only have crusading opponents, did it? There was also Madara. Historically, Veronika had an apprentice-master relationship with Freya during the best of times between their two nations. If during this period they could re-establish such a relationship, and both war goddesses appeared on the battlefield against Madara, it would indeed be captivating.
Brendel couldn’t help but feel excited just thinking about it.
But he still spoke up, “But have you considered a problem? If things do not go as you expect, and if the Crown Prince cannot return to the Empire, and the Empress designates another heir?” He leaned back on the sofa, speaking slowly through the swirling smoke, creating a sense of mystery. Veronika and Mangolov exchanged a glance; from their expressions, it was clear that these two commanders of the Empire had indeed considered the issue, but their answer was still:
They had to take the gamble.
“Does His Highness the Prince also agree?”
Veronika slowly nodded. Brendel understood that it must have been the Sword Saint Shang’s verbal testimony that gave them great confidence. Indeed, the Red Ring Lizardmen had historically had no connection with the Crusians, and their spheres of influence did not overlap; there was no reason for him to slander a female emperor of the Empire.
Brendel lowered his gaze, contemplating for a moment, then raised his head again, as if he had made up his mind to say, “Let’s discuss the details.”
The female commander’s eyes lit up with surprise; she understood how rare it was for Brendel to make this decision. This matter had nothing to do with him from the start, but this young man made such a decision likely out of regard for their relationship. This made her feel both ashamed and touched. Since the battle at the Loop of Trade Winds, it seemed that it had been this young man helping her, while she had been causing him trouble as a senior. Reflecting on this, Veronika’s gaze toward Brendel became much more amiable, resembling the way a true elder would look at their own family’s younger generation.
She sighed, feeling somewhat guilty, yet she was unaware that the overall situation was not at all what she envisioned. In her view, an outstanding talent like Brendel would, regardless of how the situation changed, always gain a noble identity. Even if he served the Empire in the future, his position might even be higher than today. In the eyes of a noble like her, the power of kingship and local nobility were separate; the fate of Erluin was merely the fate of the Erluin royal family. The rise and fall of Erluin actually had little to do with local nobles like Brendel.
And in fact, that was true.
But Veronika could never imagine that Brendel’s concept of the Erluin Kingdom was based on ethnicity. This earl considered issues from the perspective of the entire Erluin’s interests. Therefore, agreeing to this request was actually a beneficial hindrance to Toniger’s interests, but was a more favorable choice for the entire kingdom. To outsiders, it might appear that Brendel suffered a huge loss, but he himself felt he had profited immensely.
At this moment, Brendel certainly noticed the change in Veronika’s attitude. He was somewhat puzzled as to why this female commander seemed so emotionally moved all of a sudden, but this was a good opportunity for him. Although it had already been confirmed that they would be providing political asylum for Prince Rainwright, there were still many details worth discussing. He had to fight for the best compensation for himself.
“I have a request,” he said, “The entire Broken Sword Knights must remain in Toniger. This is, of course, an unavoidable circumstance, but the problem is that this is a knightly order, full of impetuous young people, and there are many of them. If they are let loose without management, they will inevitably become a hidden danger. Moreover, Toniger is not their homeland; it is somewhat unreasonable to expect these young people to go into hiding far from their homeland for reasons unrelated to their personal interests.”
He looked at Veronika, interrupting her before she could speak. “I understand, Legion Commander, you might be thinking that they are soldiers and soldiers should obey orders as their duty. But soldiers are also human, and now that they’ve taken off their uniforms, it will only take a short time for them to forget order and honor. Without a sense of honor, they are nothing.”
Veronika was rendered speechless by his words; she had to admit that Brendel made a lot of sense. She was indeed too presumptuous. Mangolov nodded; his military career was longer and he understood the truth behind this young man’s words deeply. He put down his pipe and responded, “The Count is right. So how do you think we should resolve this issue?”
“I hope they can take off the Cruz uniforms and join my army. As long as they remain on this land of Erluin, they should swear allegiance to both me and Crown Prince Rainwright,” Brendel replied. “Erluin is undergoing a tremendous change, and here there is the earth for these young people to showcase their abilities. Moreover, the military is a vast collective; even if such a group integrates into this collective, it would still be hard for the outside to discover. This would help minimize the risk of information leaking. Conversely, if these hundreds of people appear in any other location, it could attract the attention of those with ill intentions.”
“The key point is that these young people will have the opportunity to train on this land, ensuring that when they return to Cruz in the future, what you will receive are seasoned commanders, not a group of resentful, unaccomplished youth. Someday, when Crown Prince Rainwright returns to the Empire, these young people who have sworn allegiance to him will become his right and left arms.” Brendel paused after his brief delivery and observed the reactions of the two commanders in front of him.
Mangolov nodded. However, Brendel highly suspected that it was not his last sentence that had impressed this old soldier, and Veronika hesitated for a moment before she earnestly said to him, “But you must ensure that you will protect them. Each one of them is my most beloved student.”
“Just as I protect Freya,” Brendel replied, “They are Freya’s comrades, and they are also my comrades.”
Veronika finally nodded in satisfaction.
“You are a good negotiator; you might consider entering politics. Dealing with us soldiers would be a bit of a hardship for you.” Mangolov concluded, biting down on his pipe and releasing a puff of smoke.
Brendel was overjoyed in his heart; it worked. Now he had a golden-tier officer corps, the most outstanding star officer corps of the Crusians, which was now under his command. Even without factoring in whether the Empire would fall into a civil war in the future, merely obtaining such a harvest was enough to make him wake up laughing from the dream.
…
(PS: Second update, still 5500 words, this weekend’s extra updates come to an end here. Wishing everyone smooth progress in work and study next week. What? You ask if I missed something? Do you see the cross and the pile of wood over there?)
