Chapter 36
“The matters entrusted to His Highness include the relief efforts in the eastern region, where drought has continued for several years. Urgent affairs are being delayed, and resentment in the East is boiling fiercely.”
“……”
“Furthermore, there are now gaps in the surveillance network against the pirates. Though His Highness declared they were suppressed, remnants still remain. Even monitoring their movements and establishing proper defenses requires His Highness’s decision. However, we have obtained information that the troops assigned to this task are currently being used for private purposes.”
At Count Zelauer’s words, everyone’s expressions hardened.
“As for what that private matter is, I believe you can all infer it yourselves. I see no need to mention it.”
Marquess Eogal clicked his tongue.
‘Tch, that was what I was going to say!’
He had only elaborated somewhat on the paralysis of administrative duties he had mentioned earlier, yet somehow it felt as though the most important role had been taken from him.
Still, it was reassuring that that inscrutable man shared his opinion.
‘Well, he must also want to make the Third Prince, Brindel Zelauer Lornod, the Crown Prince.’
For now, he was practically an ally.
Marquess Eogal quickly raised his voice.
“Your Majesty! We can no longer remain idle! Please, make a decisive judgment!”
“It is difficult from the outset to bring a member of the Lornod imperial family back by force! Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
In response to Eogal’s cry, others joined in appealing to the Emperor.
Those on the Crown Prince’s side protested, but they were few, and even their opinions were not unified. They creaked and clashed among themselves.
There was clearly division within their ranks as well.
‘Yes! The atmosphere is good!’
Marquess Eogal recalled the ill-fated history between himself and the Crown Prince.
It had begun during the selection of the Crown Prince’s fiancée.
If only his foolish daughter had not caused that absurd incident of slipping an aphrodisiac into the Crown Prince’s tart!
‘We wouldn’t have lost that iron mine…!’
It had been painful enough at the time, but he endured it to protect his daughter’s honor.
Yet later, what had been additionally discovered in that mine?
‘Salt! Rock salt!’
Salt—one of the most essential commodities on the continent! More precious than gold!
Who could have predicted such a thing would be found there?
Greedy Marquess Eogal had foamed at the mouth and pleaded with the Crown Prince to return the iron mine. But the Crown Prince dismissed him, saying the deal had already been concluded.
‘It was originally all our family’s! It was mine!’
Publicly, it was known that Marquess Eogal had urgently sold the iron mine to the Crown Prince because he needed quick funds.
His acquaintances comforted him, telling him to forget it even if it was regrettable.
That only drove him madder.
‘I didn’t receive a single coin!’
Because he had not sold it—he had been forced to give it up!
Though technically it had been part of a transaction, to Marquess Eogal it had long since become nothing short of unjust seizure.
‘Gobard Ruim Lornod!’
From that day on, the avaricious Marquess regarded the Crown Prince as an enemy who had killed his parents.
Sharpening his blade day after day, he had dreamed of revenge.
‘And now it comes to pass like this!’
“Your Majesty, please make your decision!”
“Your Majesty!”
Secretly rejoicing, Marquess Eogal incited the nobles.
At last, the Emperor, who had been observing the situation, spoke in a heavy voice.
“The Crown Prince’s conduct displeases me as well. He shall be held accountable accordingly.”
“Then—!”
“However, that is all.”
The Emperor firmly drew the line.
“Do you wish for the Crown Prince’s deposition?”
“!”
“……”
“Ahem.”
At the Emperor’s direct question, the nobles began simultaneously gauging his expression.
Watching them, the Emperor’s momentum shifted.
“All the chaos currently occurring in the Empire due to the Crown Prince’s absence is but a drop of blood compared to the turmoil that would follow his deposition!”
Bang!
The Emperor slammed the table, his eyes blazing coldly.
“Do not use the absurd excuse of ‘for the good of the Empire’ to threaten the position of the Crown Prince!”
Under the Emperor’s overwhelming pressure, everyone in the chamber shrank back.
Marquess Eogal, in particular, could not hide his frustration.
‘Damn. To take such a hard stance…!’
Was it still too early?
Just as the anti–Crown Prince faction recoiled and relief appeared on the faces of the Crown Prince’s supporters—
“Then how about this!”
Boom!
The massive double doors of the grand conference hall swung open.
And the one who entered with the light was someone everyone knew.
“W-what…?”
“How did the Duke—?”
“Wasn’t a noble council already in progress?”
The man who entered shouted, barely containing his fury.
“Then naturally, the guardian of the South—this Bobonsher—should be in attendance!”
Duke Bobonsher turned sharply toward the Emperor.
“Is that not so, Your Majesty!”
“……Duke.”
“I was unaware that the meeting had begun without me!”
With that, the Duke strode into the hall.
His steps were rough, making his anger unmistakable.
“Duke Bobonsher, please listen. Would we deliberately conduct a meeting excluding you?”
“Indeed. We merely thought that, given how distressed you must be by recent events, you might prefer to rest.”
Several nobles offered quiet excuses, but none of it reached the Duke’s ears.
All he could hear was his daughter’s cry.
—Father! It’s humiliating! Who does that bastard think he is, making me this miserable!
—Abwa, calm yourself.
—He dragged me into this filthy mess! And he’ll appear in the capital as if nothing happened, won’t he?! With that mistress at his side?! I will never endure that sight! I would rather die!
His wounded daughter’s cries tore at his heart.
He had not betrothed her to the Crown Prince so she would suffer.
He had forced the match so she would walk only a path that shone above all others.
Clenching his fist until it nearly bled, he took his seat beside the Emperor.
“Duke Bobonsher.”
“Your Majesty.”
Without looking at the Emperor who addressed him, the Duke spoke.
“We must have our dowry returned.”
“……What?”
“His Highness the Crown Prince declared the engagement dissolved in a highly abnormal manner. Therefore, we of Bobonsher intend to claim full compensation.”
“Duke, are you jesting with me?”
“Would Your Majesty jest upon your child’s honor?”
The Duke slowly turned his head and met the Emperor’s gaze.
“The seventeen warships given as dowry by Bobonsher. And as compensation for this unilateral annulment—four times the dowry, sixty-eight warships! We demand a total fleet of eighty-five ships!”
Eighty-five ships?!
The absurd number left the entire hall in shock.
“Duke Bobonsher—!”
“I believe this matter has been discussed before.”
“Such nonsense does not suit you! You must know that precedent was flawed!”
“Even if flawed, it remains an official record.”
“Duke! Will you truly proceed in this manner?”
“Did you truly not expect me to?”
A tense battle of wills filled the room.
After a moment of silence, the Emperor softened his voice.
“Of course, Lady Abwa’s honor will not be tarnished in the slightest. Compensation will be provided, and I am even willing to personally arrange her next marriage.”
“The consolation for our Abwa is precisely those eighty-five warships.”
“Duke…!”
“I am aware that the current imperial fleet does not number eighty-five ships.”
The Duke declared firmly, with no intention of compromise.
“In that case, at the very least, the remaining imperial fleet must become the property of Bobonsher!”
Officially, the imperial family possessed fewer ships than that—but there were additional hidden fleets.
Though the Duke did not know the exact number, he knew enough to make such a demand.
“You provoke me.”
The Emperor’s red eyes flickered dangerously.
“You dare threaten me and the imperial house? What do you intend to do with the entire imperial fleet? Commit treason?”
At that chilling question, everyone stared at the Duke’s mouth, tense.
The seriousness of the situation depended entirely on his answer.
Slowly, the Duke spoke.
“Your Majesty, since the founding of the Empire, Bobonsher has remained loyal without a single betrayal. Who was it that first broke that trust?”
“……”
“It was His Highness the Crown Prince—the Empire’s little sun.”
At that moment, Marquess Eogal’s eyes widened.
‘Wait, the nuance of those words—?’
He was not the only one who sensed the hidden meaning. Those with keen instincts leaned in to listen.
Even the silent Count Zelauer’s eye glinted behind his monocle, like a wolf waiting for its chance.
“Does His Highness consider Bobonsher’s loyalty worthless? Is that why he has yet to offer us even a single apology?”
“It was a youthful mistake. Once matters settle, everything will be corrected swiftly.”
“You cannot disguise the consequences of such recklessness with the word ‘mistake.’”
In a solemn voice, Duke Bobonsher declared:
“The lord chosen by Bobonsher—the Lornod we serve—would never commit such cowardly and irresponsible acts!”
