Ch.240Conflict (7)

“…I hate to say this, but I simply cannot understand your actions. Are you mocking me?”

“Mocking you? That’s absurd. And what exactly do you find incomprehensible about my actions?”

“There are many things, but let me point out just one… maintenance costs.”

After hearing my answer, the Emperor sets down his teacup on the table and continues.

“Maintenance costs? What on earth do you mean? Do you truly believe that’s a valid reason?”

“I don’t understand what you’re getting at. Considering the maintenance costs when occupying territory is a reason to be cautious about expansion—isn’t that applicable to all nations?”

“Where have you sold off your vassal lords?”

“…Ah.”

I understand what the Emperor is trying to say.

Basically, the Emperor is pointing out that if I were to form new feudal contracts with the existing local lords, maintenance costs would disappear, making my claim about avoiding territorial expansion due to maintenance costs completely nonsensical.

‘Well, generally speaking, the Emperor is right.’

The feudal system originally emerged as a solution to territorial maintenance costs. Since the central government lacks the administrative capacity, capital, and manpower to handle everything, monarchs appoint local lords to govern territories on their behalf.

Although the output extracted from territories would decrease considerably, maintenance costs would be drastically reduced—practically eliminated—which is why monarchs everywhere came to favor this system.

Considering that this phenomenon occurred globally except in China and Korea with their Confucian cultural backgrounds, the feudal system seems to have been truly optimized for governing vast territories with pre-modern administrative capabilities.

Anyway, from this perspective, my actions must appear not just incomprehensible but utterly nonsensical to those who have lived their entire lives within the feudal system.

When there’s an obvious and conventional way to swallow vast territories without maintenance costs, saying I can’t expand due to maintenance costs isn’t even a valid excuse—it sounds so ridiculous that it comes across as mockery.

“Why should I do that?”

“…Pardon?”

But I don’t like that approach. How is that truly conquest or expansion?

In exchange for a larger colored area on a map, you can’t properly extract resources while getting entangled in all sorts of conflicts those vassals create.

While the feudal system is optimized for expanding territory without maintenance costs, it’s also perfectly suited for getting embroiled in endless conflicts. Don’t subordinates want their superiors to resolve both internal problems and external invasions in exchange for tribute?

Moreover, they don’t even properly follow my orders. Unlike administrative officials who can be replaced with a simple command, hereditary nobles have high pride and tend to handle matters according to their own judgment—something I’ve experienced countless times in this world.

I went through the trouble of purging all the domestic nobles to avoid such situations, so if new nobles were to flow in from abroad… ugh, it’s horrifying just to imagine. My head involuntarily shakes from side to side.

“If I were to form feudal contracts recognizing the lords’ sovereignty, the colored area of my land on maps would indeed grow larger, but I cannot consider that truly my land.”

“Surely not…”

“As Emperor of an empire boasting vast territories, you must know this well. Are all those vast territories truly yours, Your Majesty? Land you can manipulate as you please?”

When lords misbehave but you can’t intervene due to feudal contracts, all for a pittance of tax, why should I waste national power protecting their interests?

Of course, I could strip the lords of their rights and titles, crippling them as I did in the Kingdom of Lotaring, but I see no reason to go through such trouble to acquire territory. If the territory is small, perhaps, but larger territories would face massive resistance.

“I cannot tolerate such arrangements. I am only satisfied when administrative officials who obey my orders alone govern the territory.”

“…You are truly a contradictory person.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You show no greed for territorial expansion yet are greedy for territorial control. If one is to be greedy, one should be greedy without discrimination or limit.”

Why are you like this?

Being selective about what to desire and what to forgo is the wise approach.

Now even this displeases you?

Sigh… fine, whatever.

“Ahem, let’s set aside the territorial discussion. I seek your agreement on the treaty terms in exchange for generous territorial concessions. Do you consent?”

“…If you put it that way, I wonder if there’s any monarch who wouldn’t agree, but what about you?”

“I, I… well, fine. I agree.”

The King of Albion nods hesitantly in response to the Holy Empire Emperor’s question.

Though I’ve never met him directly and can’t make hasty judgments, based on what Albion envoys who visited Dijon in the past have said, he didn’t seem like this kind of person… tsk.

Well, let’s not worry about it. This problem arose because he failed to pay reparations anyway.

“First, excluding territorial concessions, the clauses that apply to both countries are… All merchants of the Kingdom of Lotaring can freely travel between the two countries for commercial purposes, and these merchants will be protected by the Kingdom of Lotaring, the Kingdom of Albion, and the Holy Empire. Any objections?”

“None. I don’t understand why you’re mentioning something so obvious.”

“Those commercial purposes include surveying to identify dangerous waters and establish trade routes.”

“…You have a nasty character. I’ll approve it since there’s no alternative.”

“Good, let’s move on to the next clause. All treaty ports—that is, the port cities ceded to the Kingdom of Lotaring through this treaty—will not be subject to any customs duties when crossing borders. Any objections to this as well?”

“T-that…”

While the Emperor dismisses it casually, the King of Albion, as the leader of a nation whose lifeblood was commerce, seems to have noticed the storm this treaty would bring.

Unlike before when he nodded in fear, his hesitation is now quite visible.

“If you dislike it, would you prefer to pay with territory?”

“…That’s not necessary.”

But as expected, when I strike at the land worship that is a basic virtue of nobles in this era, his hesitation crumbles instantly.

The effect is almost too good—it’s like a cheat key.

“I’ll take that as no objection. And finally, the Kingdom of Lotaring has the right to equally demand any treaty terms that either country makes with other nations.”

“So if the Empire unconditionally opens its borders to some country, it must do the same for the Kingdom of Lotaring?”

“Only if the Kingdom of Lotaring requests it.”

“Hmm… well, it’s a fair trade for territory.”

“I appreciate your generosity.”

The crown jewel of the clauses applying to both countries is the most-favored-nation treatment. Such treaty content only emerged in the modern era, and those with pre-modern perspectives might find it unpleasant but don’t seem to recognize it as a treaty that could lead a country to ruin.

Well, it’s normal not to know how to respond when something completely unknown suddenly appears. I don’t particularly want to mock these two monarchs for being foolish.

“That concludes the common treaty terms. For the treaties specific to each country, if you don’t mind the other country knowing about your treaty, we can discuss them here.”

“I… would prefer to discuss separately.”

“Edward wishes to do so. What about you, Your Majesty?”

“…Then I too would prefer separate discussions.”

Despite having already seen everything about each other, they apparently don’t want country-specific treaties to be revealed to the other nation. Especially when that other party is a monarch who essentially embodies their nation.

Well, I also find it easier to manage separate negotiations.

“Now that everything seems settled, may I say one thing?”

“What is it? You don’t need to ask for permission.”

“Stop being coy. Anyway, I’m curious—what exactly do you hope to achieve by making a treaty with me? There are currently two emperors in the Empire. What will you do if the other emperor rejects the treaty terms?”

“Ah… you mean that?”

The Emperor, who had been speaking confidently without asking for permission, suddenly seeks permission to speak, making me wonder what he’s about to say.

“With the true Emperor present here, why should I concern myself with such a pretender?”

“…What are you plotting?”

“As a fellow monarch like Your Majesty, I simply cannot tolerate such an abominable pretender. Since he doesn’t even recognize the outcome of the war between the Kingdom of Lotaring and the Holy Empire, that pretender is not only Your Majesty’s enemy but mine as well. Is there any reason to be particular about means and methods when eliminating an enemy?”

The assassins I sent should have arrived by now… Well, this operation prioritizes certainty over secrecy, so the chances of being discovered are quite high, but I’m not worried about its success.

In this situation, if the pretender suddenly dies, I’ll be suspected anyway, so there’s no reason to aim for secrecy. Rather than wasting operational resources on unnecessary secrecy, it’s better to pour all efforts into ensuring success.

“You, you…!”

…I made a mistake. No matter what, I shouldn’t have implied assassination in front of an Emperor whose father was assassinated by me.

Seeing my attitude, the Emperor’s face instantly contorts as he tries to confront me, but his tongue seems frozen as he can’t finish his words. If the imperial guards weren’t nearby, he would likely have jumped up to grab me by the collar.

In the end, until the guards approached and forcibly seated him, the Emperor simply stood firmly in place, glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.