episode_0022

At the end of that year, during the farming season, the enemies attacked once again. We succeeded in stopping the enemy in the same way.

Defense using rivers was always effective. The difficulty of crossing operations, the stamina required to cross the river, and above all, the increased misfire rate of muskets. These factors gave the friendly forces an advantage and thanks to them, they were able to win once again.

Imperial calendar year 553. I have turned 25 and my master, Adele, has turned 19.

I made a promise to my lord.

‘Eagerness, desperation, desire for survival. Never change. Unless Adele changes, I will always be on Adele’s side.’

However, at the age of 19, Adele changed to the point where her past self was nowhere to be seen.

“Hahaha! This kite is to commemorate Sir Franz’s victory! Lord Franz is Setia’s treasure! As long as Sir Franz is here, our army will never fall!”

The colorful owl kite he made flew in the sky. The vassals let out an exclamation.

Actually, there were no problems up to this point. But the real problem was different.

“Master, it has been over a month since I have not taken care of government affairs. Flying a kite is good, but take care of government affairs.”

“Just a little more! This kite is almost complete! Don’t touch me now!”

“Didn’t you say that last week too? My lord. If you do not take care of political affairs today, the internal affairs of the Duchy of Setia will become chaotic.”

“What are you worried about? Sir Franz! Let Sir Franz take care of it!”

“Master!”

When I couldn’t stand it and started yelling, the master silenced me.

“Why… Is that so?”

“Henryk and Andeln hid the fact and forced themselves to take care of government affairs even while under arrest. Do you know why?”

“… I don’t know.”

“Because power arises from the act of taking care of government affairs! Where and how far to build roads, which merchant group’s interests will be guaranteed, and how to set taxes. Each and every one of these actions is the master’s power! My lord, did you suffer from an incurable disease like your father or brother?”

“Well, it didn’t get caught.”

“Then, are there any unavoidable circumstances that prevent you from taking care of government affairs?”

“None… Only.”

“Then go and take care of government affairs right away! If my lord does not take care of government affairs, I have no choice but to reconsider my promise!”

Adele looked puzzled at the word promise. You probably don’t even remember what the promise was. It’s gone now for him. Desperation and desire for survival.

‘Damn… ‘

In the end, you can’t defy fate, right? Even though an irregularity occurred, the country was filled with jealousy over this situation, which flowed exactly like the game’s story. If this is going to be the case, why did you send me here?

That day, the lord took care of government affairs. Just two hours. It also lasted a long time.

—–

When the next month came, a person was invited to the court as a vassal. His name was Lando. A man named Lando was a craftsman and the most outstanding of the master’s kite-making students.

But the problem was that he was neither a soldier nor an administrator. Although he did not know how to run an army or have any insight into politics, he entered the castle with only the status of a craftsman.

When Lando first came in, Franz Mayer said to Adele:

“My lord, interest is not beneficial to the palace. Please kick me out immediately.”

But Adele responded like this.

“No! Lando is the one who took care of me when I was in trouble! How can you abandon someone like that!”

“Repay with money. Don’t you have a huge amount of gold and silver treasures? Give it to me and kick me out of the palace.”

“… ”

After pondering for a while, Adele finally rejected Franz Mayer’s mantra. And Lando had developed a grudge against Franz Mayer, who had ordered him to be kicked out.

After Lando came in, the Lord’s smile increased. He focused on making kites with his students and made a name for himself by selling the kites he made to neighboring countries. But the problem was that he stopped taking care of political affairs even more. At first, he pretended to listen when Franz got angry, but now he just laughed it off and told him to take care of government affairs.

That wasn’t the end. Since then, the lord has brought dozens of disciples into the castle. Under Lando’s command, they became a new faction and covered the eyes and ears of the lord, and the lord became increasingly less listening to Mayer.

Even Lando, who had a grudge against Franz Mayer, openly aligned himself with the four major factions and offered them enormous benefits.

‘It’s a big deal. If things continue like this, the family won’t last long.’

As the years passed, the enemy would become stronger. Leona is good at war, but her true abilities lie internally.

One day, the Krusenstein family’s forces will surpass those of the Setia family.

Despite the situation, the lord continued to focus on making kites.

‘What did Lucille do in the original?’

In the original work, Lucille fends off Kruzenstein’s forces for four years.

After that…

‘Return the family to your lord and leave for a neutral country.’

Should I learn something from Lucille’s actions?

No, dropping everything and leaving is not my style.

Let’s find a slightly different way. A better way.

—–

“Brother.”

Lucille appeared in front of me as I sat in my office covering my head.

“Lucille.”

Lucille, whom I had seen for the first time in a long time, was dazzlingly beautiful. So much so that the dark room felt bright.

“Are you worried?”

She brought a chair and sat next to me.

I thought about it for a while, but soon came to a conclusion.

‘Lucille is on my side. ‘Let’s tell it.’

With that in mind, I told him about my recent concerns. From the part about Adele not taking care of political affairs to the part about strange people forming a faction. OK…

“Take it down.”

Lucille was speaking simply.

“Take it down?”

“After the rebellion, he made the Krusenstein family quiet by promising to hand over the 16 castles on the front lines, then immediately attacked the castle and cut down all the traitors. If we immediately capture the lord and take control of the Setia family, we will be able to easily trample on the resistance of the four major families. Afterwards, a new regime would be established by appointing the successor of the Ignati family as the head of the family. Of course, Ignati will only be given a lord in name, and the actual politics will be handled by my brother.”

“… ”

It’s possible. To be honest, it’s a question I’ve thought about for a while. but…

“What happens next?”

“I rule over the Duchy of Torgenberg as the person in power.”

“What’s next?”

“You will continue to fight against the Kruzenstein family.”

“What’s next?”

“… ”

I become the real power in the dark. It was definitely a possibility.

But there was no future. If I become a monarch, will I be able to conquer the world?

No, it’s impossible. It is true that I have some talent in fighting and using my head. But that’s the limit. It may be possible to block Kruzenstein for a while, but since it cannot attack and can only defend itself, it will collapse at some point, and if that happens, it will only be decapitated.

“With that method, I could become a monarch. But I am not the monarch’s vessel.”

Knowing your own limitations is also a virtue. I have absolutely no talent as a strategist or a ruler.

“Then… ”

Lucille said.

“How about becoming Leona von Krusenstein’s agent?”

“The Trickster of Leona von Krusenstein?”

“Leona is an extreme meritocrat. It is famous for its good treatment of port leaders. The fact that he put forward Clemens de Balboa, who was originally on his brother’s side, as the vanguard is like a gesture that he will not discriminate against captains. If you become Leona’s subordinate, Leona will welcome you with open arms.”

Why didn’t I try that idea? Leona is the main character of this game, and being under the main character would be a very good way to conquer the world.

I also thought about specific methods. The Krusenstein family had previously invaded through a side road, and were now guarding the side road by building a small fortress around it. And the Mayer family runs that fortress. In other words, if the Meyer family opens a road, there will be a straight line from Krusenstein’s territory to Torgenberg Castle, where the lord is located. but.

‘If that happens, what will happen to Adele?’

After Leona takes over Torgenberg, will Adele be spared? That can’t be possible. This is because as long as Adel exists, the blood of the Setia family can claim the legitimacy of Torgenberg at any time.

‘Isn’t it ultimately about pointing a sword at the master?’

Morally speaking, it is much worse than a coup.

“Krugenstein’s invasion killed thousands of people every year. Nevertheless, the reason we cannot criticize Kruzenstein is because unless someone unifies the continent and puts an end to the turbulent times, many people will continue to die. Even now, people are dying somewhere. By war, by plunder, by starvation. If you live faithfully to the small morals in front of you, you can gain a moral reputation, but if you follow a great cause, you can save countless people.”

“… ”

She is absolutely right. My lord is incompetent. That said, I have no intention of becoming a monarch. In that case, it would have been better to stick with the person with the greatest potential to unify the continent from the beginning. That was the cause.

However, the reason I could not follow the cause was because I was a coward. Because I was so afraid of abandoning the morals in front of me. Because I felt like I was giving up on humanity.

“Don’t be afraid. Living in difficult times. Even if you give up being human, even if you become a monster, even if you are destroyed.”

Lucille held my hand with both hands.

“I will be with you.”

With those words, I decided.

Decided to betray my master.