episode_0119

William meets the messenger at the tent.

“Yes. A letter from Minister Victor?”

William spoke in a low voice and the messenger nodded.

“W… Here it is.”

When the messenger politely folds his hands and hands over the letter due to William’s overbearing attitude, William takes it away roughly and frowns as he looks at the Archduke’s seal on the back.

“Hmph. Great Study.”

William roughly opens the letter.

-Sureuk!

His eyes move quickly.

And soon…

-Quaak!, Voila!

He roughly tears the letter and speaks in anger.

“Treason?!, Are you calling me treason?!”

Then he throws the paper away and grabs the messenger by the collar.

“My, I will give you your life because you are the messenger of the young lion. Open your ears and listen straight! What I want is justice! Tell it straight to Victor!”

William takes his life and lets go of the messenger’s collar.

“Even if you lose, even if you die. We will establish justice for His Majesty the Former Emperor and His Majesty the Emperor.”

-dump.

The messenger, trembling at William’s overwhelming brutality, opens his mouth.

“Ah… I understand!”

And William smiles funny as he sees the messenger hurriedly leaving.

“You look absolutely like a rat.”

William soon sits down on a chair in the tent.

“Matthew. How long can you last if a siege unfolds?”

A knight in his 30s wearing brilliant golden armor responds to William’s words.

“One week… Without external support, it wouldn’t even last a week.”

Thinking of the supplies provided to save the Duchy of Dupaul, William snorts and replies.

“If we start a siege, the neutral faction will provide support.”

“Ha… But, Captain. Roman has triple walls and giants…”

-bang!

William slams his fist on the table as if he doesn’t want to hear it.

“Matthew, how many years have you been following me?”

Matthew says, swallowing his saliva at William’s overbearing voice.

“Time… It’s been fifteen years.”

William nods his head at those words.

“That’s how I saw it. Do you not know me? When I attack Roman now, I am not fighting for my life.”

William says as he sees Matthew unable to respond to that question.

“Justice! It’s for justice. Valorant, who assassinated the former emperor, and Devian, who aims for the throne without even knowing the subject. This is to bring justice to those two. Do you think that if I fight against them, they think I will win?”

The immediate supply, triple walls, and even the number of troops are not in the Golden Knights’ favor.

“My death is to let the entire people of the empire know that the patriots of this country are alive and to light a fire in their hearts. Imperial people. All citizens of the empire stand up and hunt down that wicked and insidious Ryan! I will use my death.”

At those words, Matthew speaks in a solemn voice.

“But… doesn’t the leader have a family? If we attack Roman… the leader’s family…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Just because William is a person, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have family affection.

He takes out something he had in his pocket.

A pure white piece of paper is sandwiched between letters sent to William by his family.

He takes out a white piece of paper and unfolds it.

“This is the order of His Majesty the Emperor. Article I have to follow it. I cannot abandon my mission and duty just because my family is hostage.”

Matthew could not say anything due to his firm will.

Because I know the friendship between William and the late Emperor.

***

A ship heading to Roman.

“Victor sent it?”

The messenger nods at my words.

“Yes. You said it was urgent. And get a reply…”

“What’s going on with you?”

I open the letter, ignoring the urgent-looking messenger and Theodora, whose face is full of concern.

A letter with unusual content.

I was shocked to hear that the Golden Knights had rejected my orders and were heading to Roman.

William… why on earth?

There’s no way you wouldn’t know that Theodora is in my hands, right?

I can’t understand why he, who has always been loyal to the imperial family, would do something crazy like this.

That’s not all. It is nearly impossible to attack Roman with the supplies the Golden Knights have.

It is no different from a suicidal act.

“Oh my…”

The Golden Knights’ attack on Roman seems like an act of suicide.

However, if they attack Roman, we will suffer not only one or two losses.

First of all, my prestige and control over the country will suffer greatly.

Second, if you look at it objectively, the Golden Knights and the Emperor’s Army can be viewed as friendly forces.

Nothing benefits the enemy more than fighting among allies and inflicting damage on each other.

So this situation…

“We have to stop it somehow.”

I say so and tell Theodora.

“Come to Theodora’s room.”

So, Theodora is called to the couple’s room on the ship.

“What’s going on?”

I show you the letter from Victor.

“Do you have any guesses?”

Theodora’s eyes widen as she reads the letter at my words, and she says with an expression of disbelief.

“Sir William? Advancing to Roman? Really?”

“Yes. It’s true.”

I concentrate on observing her red eyes trembling violently as if she was shocked.

Because she might have given him a secret order without me knowing.

Of course, it may not be true, but no one knows a person’s inner thoughts.

“He… he can’t be like that…”

Theodora still doesn’t believe it.

I’m not sure.

When you think about it rationally. I don’t think she, who loves her family so much, would have planned something so dangerous.

Previously when I married her. He held his family hostage and forced them into marriage.

At that time, she was very opposed to marrying me, but when her family was taken hostage, she could not resist and married me…

Nothing has changed from that situation now.

Because her family is still in my hands.

And one of the reasons why she is not a dark person is…

Right now, William is no different from committing suicide.

Rather than using William as a throwaway card, it is wiser to wait until later.

After all…isn’t it her?

Given the circumstances, it doesn’t seem like she is in the dark.

Then… too.

“Ioanez.”

Theodora comes to her senses and asks me what I said.

“Ioanes? Why him?”

It is clear that Ioanes removed the Golden Knights so as not to interfere when he occupied Dupol.

“What on earth did he do?”

Are you saying that stubborn William has made a move?

Did you at least forge Theodora’s letter? I’m sure you didn’t think of forging the emperor’s letter, right?

But I soon give up that thought.

Forging the emperor’s orders is a very serious crime.

If you plan something like that, it will be hard to handle the aftermath… so I don’t expect that to be the case.

Then how?

My mind is full of questions, but that’s not the problem right now.

Currently, Theodora does not know that Ioannes will start a civil war.

To be precise, the reason I didn’t tell you and the reason I gave Lucius and Müller a silence order was probably a big reason.

I have no idea where to start the story.

“First of all, the main culprit of this situation is Ioanes.”

She looks puzzled at my words.

“No matter how much he is the King of Nicaea, it is impossible for him to give orders to the Golden Knights and William.”

I nod my head at those words.

“I don’t know how, but… Anyway, the goal is to move the Golden Knights.”

“He… Why? Are you planning something like that? This is treason! If this was planned in Nicaea, Ioannes will not survive.”

That makes sense. But he is gambling now.

With me and the empire.

The winner takes everything and the loser loses everything.

Even that life.

So, if you insist on finding a reason for Ioanes to attack Roman with the Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights’ attack on Roman is painful to me, so they probably want to inflict massive damage.

Shit… what should I do?

My head hurts from such sudden news.

First of all, what should I do about Dupol?

What about the Golden Knights?

What letter should I give to the messenger outside?

I sit in my chair thinking about this, but I can’t think of any ingenious ways to overcome this situation.

First of all… we deal with it using regular methods.

So he climbs onto the ship and gives simple instructions.

***

The Imperial Council was thrown into chaos upon hearing the news that the Imperial Knights were heading to Rome without any word.

[why! How does the Archduke handle things so that the Imperial Knights advance to the capital?!]

[We need to dispatch an investigation team for this situation! chairman!]

[haha! How can that be the Archduke’s fault? William has definitely been plotting treason since ancient times!]

Charles thinks as he looks at the lawmakers who are raising their voices now.

‘The Golden Knights are advancing on Roman? I don’t understand. The trend is already on the Archduke and Ioannes.’

If you were planning to advance to Rome, do it while Emperor Tiberius was alive. I shouldn’t have stepped down from Roman.

Even though there would be bloodshed, it would have been better if they had taken the emperor or the royal family with them and escaped out of Romania.

It feels strange to attack Roman now with fewer troops than before, as it is nothing short of absurd.

‘What on earth are you going to do at this late date?’

Charles remembered the face of William, whom he had known for a long time.

‘Why are you doing such a reckless thing, friend?’

Charles becomes depressed.

***

Ioanes begins to burst into laughter as he reads the letter sent by the agent dispatched to the Golden Knights.

“Haha! Are you really saying that William fell for that letter?!”

Ioanes is happy to see William fall for a letter that even a three-year-old would not pass on.

After all, the biggest obstacle to taking over Dupol is the Golden Knights.

Ioanes, who did not expect such a thorny being to be fooled so easily, shouts, thinking that he did well to follow Savinelli’s advice.

“Summon all the generals right now!”

Ioanes feels better as he thinks about finally ending his terrible relationship with Dupol.