episode_0115

The office of Roman Pompey.

“Senator Alexander, what are you doing here?”

Pompey, a sturdy middle-aged man, narrows his eyes and sits across from Alexander and speaks.

“Hehe. Is it so strange for me to visit a fellow congressman?”

A slightly thin man with a grin answered, and Pompey shook his head.

“No, but… it’s a strange thing.”

Pompey was not a nobleman, but was a member of parliament elected by the people of the Roman Empire, the capital city.

Basically, neither the imperial faction nor the anti-emperor faction can get close.

This is not a happy time for Pompey, who feels that the two factions are no different from a fight for food as a nobleman.

“Haha. I came here to receive support from the congressman before requesting a declaration of support from the National Assembly.”

At those words, Pompey looks at me with cold eyes, as if he is saying something stupid.

“I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure there’s nothing I can do to help.”

It is obvious that this is what the lawmaker representing Nicaea will submit.

It must be a bill that serves the interests of the country.

Since it is a symbolic position as the only member of parliament in the capital Roman, there are always many nobles who want to receive his support.

“Look at this first.”

[Request for fulfillment of engagement]

“Request for fulfillment of engagement?”

Pompey, seeing this type of document for the first time, calmly accepts the paper with a puzzled expression.

Alexander, seeing this, smiles in conversion.

It tells them to keep their promise to hand over Epirus and Egypt to the imperial faction, and to keep their promise to betrothed Princess Joy to the son of Ioannes.

Of course, I intentionally left out the fact that Ioannes received Epirus and Ezib.

I don’t want the imperial faction to notice anything strange.

Pompey, who was unaware of such a plot, turned the first page with a puzzled expression and read the next chapter.

Pompey’s eyes can clearly be seen trembling.

“This… this is ridiculous…”

Pompey quickly reads the next chapter and the next, and Alexander watches leisurely.

Pompey explodes with anger after seeing the attached document of the agreement with the archduke’s seal and Ioannes’ seal as evidence.

“How can the Grand Duke make such a promise?? This is a treaty that ignores the authority of the emperor. Whether you are an emperor or an anti-emperor, they are all the same!”

Pompey, who bursts into laughter, continues.

“Do you think the Imperial Diet will accept such a useless treaty? Even though it is an anti-emperor faction with an idiot as its leader, this is the first time I thought the imperial faction was at such a low level. How could a traitor make an unscrupulous treaty to receive the territory and princess he obtained by persecuting the emperor?”

Pompey and several politicians and nobles had previously joined the imperial faction when it reached the Roman countryside.

There was a time when I was surprised to see that the imperial faction and the anti-emperor faction had made a dramatic peace agreement without a war breaking out.

Because it was difficult to understand the reason why the imperial faction concluded a peace treaty in a war they had already won.

I think there was something popular in the world, but no one thought it would be Epirus and Ezip.

That’s because handing over the territory where the emperor’s absolute power comes from means that the emperor will no longer be able to wield omnipotent power as before.

Of course, omnipotent power will be recognized through imperial law, but in a chaotic political situation, law is powerless in front of spears and swords.

Faced with Pompey’s criticism, Alexander simply smiles meaningfully.

“Well? We avoided war and maintained peace in return for what the Archduke offered. And the Archduke… doesn’t he have some skills in internal affairs? Aren’t you the perfect person to represent Your Majesty, who still has little experience?”

In fact, everyone recognizes Debian’s resourcefulness in financing various projects and finances.

However, regardless of his abilities, there is quite a bit of opposition to using the emperor as a puppet to rule the empire as he pleases.

“Are you using that as an excuse?!”

-thud!

Pompey can’t hold back his anger and slams his fist on the desk.

-thud!

“You and the wretched Grand Duke are all the same! Parasite-like people who only want to strengthen their own power without considering the people of the empire.”

At those words, Alexander frowns and warns.

“Be careful what you say.”

“Watch what you say?! If I have to be careful with my words, you will have to be careful with your actions! Aren’t you afraid of His Majesty the past emperors, Almighty El, and the great dragon El Dra Shamhat?!”

Alexander slyly responds to those words.

“Hehe, you are saying too much, Representative Pompey. Why do we fear the Great Ones? We protected Roman, which was almost in ruins. And didn’t we settle the chaotic situation by reaching an agreement with the Archduke?”

At those words, Pompey gets up from his seat.

“Your Nicaea has long been a kingdom renowned for its learning and culture. Are you betraying the fact that His Majesty Emperor Aurelius conquered it, treated you generously, and maintained the kingdom?! Didn’t your ancestors swear to serve the emperor and the empire from generation to generation?! But you return the favor with vengeance!”

“Wow! Calm down. Representative Pompey. If you insult us any further, I will not remain silent.”

“Shut up! You’ve been receiving the empire’s favor for generations and then you’re planning something like this! They say it is a kingdom where intelligence and culture live and breathe. What kind of person with both intelligence and culture would act like this?! You are no better than poor children without a mother or father.”

In response to the harsh criticism, Rep. Alexander raises his head and speaks.

“I try to listen and move on whenever possible. what? A poor child without a mother or father?! Maybe it’s because you’re of low blood, but your mouth is so foul!”

“Yes! Although my blood is low and my mouth is foul, I know what grace is and what loyalty is! Aren’t you of great noble blood?! But why do you, a subject who has received grace from generation to generation, commit such a senseless act that even a rat living in a sewer would not do, make excuses, and say nonsense?! If it were me, I would drown myself in the Tiber River out of shame, but how on earth does King Ioannes, who was reputed to be noble, plan to die?!”

“What… what?! Have you said everything? Pompey!”

Pompey says as he sees Alexander’s face turn red at the criticism he would hear in a local market.

“No!”

-puck!

“Ugh!”

Pompey raises his fist and strikes Alexander in the face.

“What a bastard!”

A man with a dirty personality who cannot tolerate evil intentions in public.

That’s the word for Pompey…

Act with your fists rather than with words.

“Ugh! Bye… Guards!”

At Alexander’s screams, the guards assigned to the parliament burst into Pompey’s office.

“’s… What on earth is going on, lawmakers?!”

The guards who saw the scene were so shocked that their eyes almost popped out.

-Puck! Puck!

“Die! You are worse than an animal!”

“Ugh! Sa… save me! Ouch!”

The sight of the sturdy Pompey sitting on Alexander and punching him was something they had never imagined.

However, it was difficult to remain absorbed forever, so the guards grabbed Pompey’s body and pulled him to distance himself from Alexander…

“Let go of this! Today, if I don’t kill the little Nicea bastards who don’t even look like humans, I won’t be angry!”

When the beast-like Pompey falls, Alexander says in disgust.

“What a crazy guy! I will report today’s incident to the chairman so that he can be severely punished!”

Pompey shouts after seeing him say that and run out of the council chamber in an unsightly manner.

“Can’t I stand there?! You rat!”

Alexander, fearing that Pompey might break through the guards and approach the voice, quickly moves his feet and leaves.

***

Reports posted every day.

They see some unusual signs, so they quickly prepare to return to Roman.

I would like to stay a little longer if possible, but the timing is not so good.

War is fast approaching.

Ioanes made a decision and it would not be surprising if war broke out at any time.

After I told my family to get ready to go back.

Mary quietly came into my office.

“Oppa. Going already?”

“I have to go quickly. Nicea’s side is unusual.”

After Mary’s wedding, all the guests except us left.

Fortunately, we stayed here the longest.

“Okay… okay.”

Mary swallows while trying to say something.

“Oppa, take care of yourself.”

At those words, I spread my arms and say.

“Let’s give it a hug.”

At my words, Mary gently approaches me and falls into my arms.

“Oppa… Be really careful. If anything happens, call us.”

“Don’t worry. There’s no way I’m letting the empire’s greatest knight and general play around, right?”

In fact, these two people are the ones I rely on the most in war.

Mary, who slaughters enemies with ghost-like movements on the battlefield, and Agrippa, who was not pushed back against the mighty devil’s army.

Without these two men, the war against Ioannes would be impossible.

“Ugh… okay. And please take good care of your new sister.”

I say with a puzzled look at Mary’s words.

“You always take good care of me?”

Mary shakes her head at my words and says.

“Not that, at night. How long are you going to leave me like that?”

The younger sister speaks with cold eyes.

No… why do I have to get scolded by my sister for having a marital relationship?

“This?! There’s nothing this little thing can’t say, right?”

Mary shakes her head at my words and says.

“I’m an adult now, and I talk to Octavia about marital relationships, right? Also, do you know how worried you are because your older brother won’t sleep with your step-sister?”

Those words pricked me inside.

Sister Octavia… after her mother passed away.

She strengthened my position by supporting my unstable position within the Grand Duchy, and through her influence, she protected me both materially and spiritually.

In a way, you can say that he protected me on behalf of my mother who passed away.

In fact, Valorant behaved violently toward me and Mary, but he did not do so toward Octavia.

“Anyway. Don’t upset your sisters, if you’re going to do it, do it quickly.”

I say that with a bitter smile.

“Report… First of all, the war comes first now.”

Saying that, I also finish packing my bags.