episode_0010

Meanwhile, Henrik von Setia, lord of the Duchy of Torgenberg, summoned his two sons.

Henrik’s two sons. Andeln von Setia and Adele von Setia. Henrik thought. The eldest son is ambitious and works hard, but lacks talent. The second son is talented, but unfortunately has no will to learn.

The will of the first son and the talent of the second son. It would be nice to combine the two. Unfortunately, no technology has been discovered that combines only the good aspects of people.

With that in mind, Henrik asked.

“Infighting occurred in the Kruzenstein family.”

“Yes, father.”

Andeln responded vigorously, and Adele just quietly averted her eyes.

“Who do you think will win?”

It was Andeln who suddenly stood up at those words. Andeln called a servant, brought the map he had prepared, posted it on the wall, and said:

“Red is the faction that supports Leona, the first daughter, and blue is the faction that supports Clozel, the second daughter. And as you can see… ”

The map of the Duchy of Krusenstein was overwhelmingly blue.

“The faction supporting Clozel is overwhelming.”

“Clozel wins?”

“Yes.”

“Then this father just needs to trust his eldest son and support Clozel?”

“That’s… ”

Andeln broke into a cold sweat. Although he confidently expressed his opinions based on information collected by the nobles who followed him, he felt pressured to think that his father was making decisions based on his opinions.

“Why is there no answer? Is it okay to support Clozel?”

“Yes… ”

“Really?”

Henrik smiled at his son. Andeln took it as a positive sign.

“Adele. How about you?”

“Well, I have the same thoughts as you!”

“Get out.”

“Yes?”

“Both of you go out. You guys don’t deserve to be here.”

“… Why are you doing this all of a sudden, father?”

“Can’t you go out? Guard!”

Soon after the soldiers came in, Andeln and Adele had no choice but to leave the conference room without even being able to properly understand the situation.

‘There aren’t any decent ones.’

I was devastated that from now on I would have to pass on the family name to one of those two. Andeln is 17 years old. Henrik thought about what he was like when he was 17. Life was a war back then. In order to survive, he swung his sword every day and sometimes attacked innocent people to get his daily bread.

‘Is being too full the problem? ‘

He must have received his own blood, so why can’t his abilities match his own? Henrik, I think, may have been because he was raised without too much.

“Call Georg.”

When your child disappoints you, it is good to call a friend. Georg von Mayer is Henryk’s confidant, friend, and tactician. For Henrik, he was a special person in his own way.

When Georg came in, Henrik asked out of the blue:

“What do you think?”

It was a sudden remark, but Georg bowed his head in greeting and answered naturally, as if he was used to it.

“Leona will win.”

“Leona? Looking at this map, it looks like Clozel’s faction is overwhelming?”

“That’s why Leona wins.”

“More.”

“Krugenstein is powerful. It has a stronger national power than the Setia family. What the lord wants is not for one side to easily end the civil war and subdue Kruzenstein, but for the civil war to expand and continue for a long time, giving the Setia family an opportunity to consolidate its national power. That is why my lord will support the disadvantaged side. That’s it… ”

“Leona von Krusenstein. But even if I apply, there’s no guarantee that Leona will win, right?”

“The answer lies at the border. The north of Krusenstein is dominated by the Clozel faction, and the south is dominated by Leona’s faction. Even so, it is only a part of the south. Clozel shares a border with our Setia family, so you will always have to keep your eyes on the back of your head. However, the family to the south of Leona is a toothless tiger and cannot afford to invade other families.”

“Yes. As the old saying goes, be friendly with countries that are close to you and be friendly with countries that are far away.”

“Yes. That’s right. If you do that, it will naturally become a two-front war. If Leona and Clozel become equal in strength with the support of their lord, Clozel, who is naturally at a geopolitical disadvantage, will have no choice but to be defeated.”

“So, that means Leona will win.”

“Yes.”

Henrik’s bad mood was relieved. Has there ever been a person in the past who understood one’s heart so well? There wasn’t. Georg von Mayer was truly an outstanding tactician. If it weren’t for him, the Setia family wouldn’t have grown this much.

More than anything, talking to him relieves all my frustration. For Henrik, Georg von Mayer was an outstanding tactician and his only close friend.

“Georg.”

“Yes, His Royal Highness.”

“Please explain that part well to your retainers at tomorrow’s countermeasures meeting.”

“Oh, that’s it. Tomorrow I plan to advocate for supporting Clozel.”

“What? Are you already planning to wag your tail at the successor instead of me?”

“Yes? no. that is… ”

Georg informed his lord of the strategy he had heard from Franz Mayer a few days ago. Then Henrik laughed out loud.

“What? Are you deliberately taking the wrong side in order to control the four great families? ha ha ha! Georg! Your tactics have increased while I haven’t seen you!”

“Oh, actually, it wasn’t my strategy.”

“Then whose strategy is this?”

“My son said. Try it like this.”

“… Really?”

Henrik’s mind became confused. Is it true that my friend’s son is this outstanding when my own son is not at all dependable?

‘Now that I think about it, I made a major last time… ‘

It felt a bit soft, perhaps because he was young, but he was good material. He was a guy who would turn into steel if you hit him.

‘Franz’s talent is clearly superior to Andeln’s.’

That means, if he dies someday, won’t Franz Mayer threaten Andeln’s position?

—–

“Closel von Krusenstein’s faction is overwhelming! Allies must support Clozel, not Leona!”

Each of Georg Mayer’s words was answered by the heads of the four generations of the family.

“With whose money? You speak as if your master’s money is your own.”

“Our army’s national power is also weakened due to a long war! What kind of support is support in such a situation?”

“Hmph, I see you were born well.”

“Did you take a bribe from Clozel?”

The heads of the four major families each say a word. Without missing that moment, Lord Henrik intervened.

“Then what do you think you should do?”

“Well, that’s… ”

“Speak. Surely you wouldn’t just pass up an opportunity that came at the right time?”

“That’s… ”

“Is it Clogel? Is it Leona?”

“… This is Leona!”

As one person spoke, the other three all shouted for Leona. In this way, the application for support for Leona was easily passed without opposition from the ministers.

—–

The next day, news that the Mayer family had saved face at the military council spread everywhere. It was a rumor spread mainly by the four great families, but Georg Mayer did not bother to deny it, and the rumor spread further and further.

Although the 4th generation family may not have established a major, they are ahead of the Mayer family in terms of power. They are still a mainstream faction. These stories circulated more and more widely.

This was also what Georg Mayer was aiming for. The four major families considered Georg Mayer a rival, but Georg did not particularly consider them enemies or rivals. It was just something that had to be coaxed and used. That’s why he bowed down to them even though he was losing his face. For the balance of the entire force, not the Mayer family.

At the same time, since he helped his master and gained points, Georg felt that he had lost nothing.

‘Everything seems to work out well these days.’

Obviously, until a few years ago, I was anxious every day. But lately, everything has started to work out.

‘Since when did it start? Things are starting to work out.’

Georg Maier thought for a while, and then tapped his knee.

‘After Franz woke up!’

Franz Mayer. After my first son woke up, everything started to go well.

“Hahaha!”

Georg Mayer laughed. The servant and the guard looked at each other and noticed the sudden laughter, but neither of them knew the reason.

But the next moment.

“Cough!”

Georg Mayer coughed, and there was blood in his cough.

When Georg Mayer saw the blood on his hands, he collapsed.