novelraw Chapter 88: Directory Government - Soldiers and Swords
Chapter 88: Directory Government - Soldiers and Swords
Leaving Eris alone in the room, I consoled the restless Jessie with Lord Beaumont when Grand Duke Leopold approached.
"Marquis Lafayette, it's been a while since we've met like this. While we wait for Their Highnesses, how about a brief conversation? There's a separate reception room."
I glanced at the room Eris had entered, then replied.
"I'd like to, but I'm tasked today with escorting Her Highness the Princess, making it difficult to leave my post. If we converse at a slight distance, that would be acceptable."
Grand Duke Leopold chuckled at my answer, then stepped away from the room with me and took out a cigar from his pocket.
"Would you like one?"
"I appreciate the offer."
Being quite accustomed, the Grand Duke cut the cap of the cigar and lit it with the help of his attendant, even while standing.
While waiting for the cigar's flame to subside, the Grand Duke spoke.
"So, it seems we're going to war again?""The Empire wills it, Your Grace."
Grand Duke Leopold put the cigar in his mouth, as if savoring the aroma, then replied.
"That's not wrong."
Saying so, the Grand Duke looked quite troubled.
The veteran composure he had shown during the confrontation to save Damian's southern army was gone.
I didn't face him directly on the battlefield in our last encounter, but did that defeat cause a significant change in his heart?
The Grand Duke smoked his cigar silently, then spoke.
"Ah, yes. Congratulations. You've truly become the top figure in the Francian army."
"…Thank you. Though I'm not sure if it's something to be congratulated for."
"It's always difficult to coexist with rivals, isn't it?"
The Grand Duke spoke casually, then added a moment later.
"It's a shame."
"Because you won't be able to repay me on the battlefield?"
"Well."
The Grand Duke gave a bitter smile and answered ambiguously, then said something else.
"After the last war, I intended to retire."
"Is that so?"
Yet, his presence in this delegation suggests his retirement was refused.
Because I, as commander-in-chief of the Francian army, said I would come with the delegation, did the Empire put forward a Grand Duke with a similar name value?
"That's a pity."
"What, are we not the kind who gain honor by shedding the blood of soldiers?"
The Grand Duke inhaled the cigar smoke and grinned.
"Having enjoyed the honor bestowed by my Nation for my merits, I simply cannot ignore the responsibility to answer the call."
I looked at the Grand Duke silently, then spoke.
"In the last war, Francia was unprepared, and the Empire didn't exert its full strength. But this time it's different, Your Grace."
The Grand Duke silently savored the cigar smoke, but did not reply.
"If war breaks out again, both sides must see it through to the end. The Empire's justification is already shaken. But must the Empire wage a war that might destabilize it for the sake of the Empress's ambition?"
The Grand Duke grinned and said.
"I envy you."
"…What do you mean?"
The Grand Duke handed the burnt-out cigar to his attendant and added.
"If the Kaiser prepares for war for the Kaiserin, I will simply follow the Kaiser's will."
"Even if the Empire is endangered as a result, and soldiers, who need not die, are sacrificed?"
"…That would be regrettable. However, Marquis. Is our duty to worry about the lives of soldiers?"
"……"
"I am a member of the Imperial family. I could remain a war hero and a Grand Duke because of the Kaiser's grace. He trusted me, who had no intention of engaging in politics, and entrusted me with the army."
A bitter smile spread across the Grand Duke's lips, but-
"Even if I opposed and refused to command, the Kaiser would follow the Kaiserin's will."
There is no wavering in his eyes.
"Even if we mourn the sacrificed soldiers, a soldier fights for what he must protect. If the Kaiser walks a dangerous path, I will gladly become his sword to open that path."
I see.
I, too, may feel sorry for the countless sacrificed soldiers, but I cannot forsake Christine for their sake.
However.
"To blindly follow a wrong path, knowing it is wrong. Is that truly the way to protect, Your Grace?"
I understand the Grand Duke's thoughts.
If Christine, if my people were not there, I too would not feel the value of protecting Francia.
But even so, if Christine or they were clearly going down the wrong path, I would persuade them.
If I were to go down the wrong path, I believe Christine would do the same, and Eris certainly would.
At least I, we, were able to get this far because we tried to correct the wrong path.
"If the path is wrong from the start, even if Your Grace shows loyalty and exerts your capabilities, you will only go a little further. Someday, when the accumulated cracks become impossible to contain, what Your Grace has so painstakingly protected will crumble."
The Grand Duke looked at me with a hardened face.
After opening and closing his mouth several times, he said in a suppressed voice.
"That's not something you should say to a general of an enemy country, Marquis. Soldiers have a conversation that suits soldiers. If that's your thinking, then prove it on the battlefield."
I looked at the Grand Duke silently for a moment, then replied.
"…Then I will prove myself by defending what I must protect, even if it means blocking Your Grace on the battlefield."
The moment I finished speaking, the door opened, and Eris walked out.
She had a complicated expression, but seeing me, she smiled slightly. I sighed in relief and looked back at the Grand Duke, who spoke in a somewhat stiff tone.
"See you on the battlefield, Marquis Lafayette."
"I look forward to it, Your Grace."
*
A week passed, and during that time, the delegations from both sides held two formal meetings.
Talleyrand skillfully led the talks, but Empress Cecilia was also formidable, persistently pushing for proposals that Francia had no choice but to reject.
Ultimately, it's only a matter of time, as both sides know these meetings are to conclude there is no room for compromise.
At the end of the second meeting, I sent someone back to my home country to submit a proposal for military mobilization preparations to the National Assembly.
Presumably, the Germania Empire did something similar.
Meanwhile, the Mountain King of the Kingdom of Alps, Lazureen of the Ninth Peak, invited us to a banquet.
*
Considering the cultural differences, I didn't have high expectations, but the dishes prepared by the dwarves were surprisingly good.
Generous portions of lamb and cheese, greasy dishes with plenty of butter, mashed potatoes with meat sauce, and fondue with cheese to dip in filled the table with dishes different from Francia. These dishes whetted the appetite.
If there's one thing in common, it's that they're all good with beer.
Considering that our tastes have become quite refined thanks to Talleyrand, who is so obsessed with food he even brought his personal chef to the delegation, these dwarves have reason to be proud of their food culture.
Eris is excited and happily enjoying the dwarves' unique dishes.
I didn't expect them to ask her to give up her right to the throne, but I'm glad the meeting with the Empress, which I was quite worried about, seemed to go without incident.
While I'm watching, Eris takes a bite of a long, unidentifiable fried food among the prepared dishes, chews, and exclaims.
"Mmm~! This is delicious!"
"I'm glad it suits Your Highness's taste."
Talleyrand looks strangely proud, so I pick one up and eat it.
So this is the dish that made it possible to export wheat to the dwarves.
I dip the finger-sized, long stick-shaped fried food in tomato sauce and put it in my mouth. Inside, soft cheese stretches as I chew, creating a harmony of flavors.
The crispy surface made with eggs and flour, combined with the cheese inside and the tomato sauce…….
"This would go well with beer."
"Oh, Marquis! Exactly! That's it! The dwarves who don't know the excellence of wine... ah, excuse me."
Talleyrand confirmed that no dwarves were paying attention to this side and added.
"Anyway, it's the perfect dish to appeal to dwarves who love beer and enjoy cheese! The culmination of a long time of research and deliberation, my pride!"
…Fortunately, the dwarves separated our table from theirs, otherwise, that skilled diplomat would be making such a basic mistake.
How serious is this person about cooking?
"So what's the name of this dish?"
"Freundschaftsleiste." [1]
"…What did you say?"
"Haha, in their language, it means 'friendship stick.'"
Friendship stick. While a bit ambiguous and simple for a food name, it clearly shows how much the dwarves liked this dish.
It's amazing that these haughty dwarves, not long after rejecting our trade request, made it happen again.
While I was thinking, Gatekeeper Glasstec approached and spoke in a gruff voice.
"Haha, you seem to be enjoying yourselves! Excuse me! Do our dishes suit your tastes?"
"Yes! It's very delicious!"
Eris answers with a bright smile and sincere voice, making Glasstec happy. However, unsure how to speak to an unmarried woman, he turns to Talleyrand.
"P-Please tell Her Highness that we are very happy!"
"Haha, of course, my friend!"
Seeing a muscular, pot-bellied dwarf with a bushy beard acting like that is kind of cute.
Glasstec looks at Eris, who is covering her mouth with her hand and laughing, and then surprisingly turns his gaze to me.
"Commander Lafayette. His Majesty calls for you."
"His Majesty?"
I had no business with their king, Lazureen, except for when I greeted him once, but me?
"That's right! It's quite glorious. The last time the King called a human directly was, to my knowledge, 23 years and…"
"Now, now, my friend. Let's talk. Since the King calls, it would be best for Marquis Lafayette to go."
"Oh, that's right! Talleyrand, my friend. It's good to be with the delegation, but aren't we bored! Come, come this way! We need to catch up…"
Talleyrand nodded lightly to me and was dragged to the dwarves' seats, where they were chatting boisterously.
Should I be thankful for this, or should I be impressed that he can deal with that?
I casually turn my gaze to Lazureen, who is sitting on a throne slightly apart from the others' tables, holding a beer mug.
"I heard you called for me, Your Majesty."
Lazureen gulped down the beer he was holding heartily.
Seeing him drink like that without getting much beer on his long white beard, he's quite skilled.
Only after a long time did Lazureen speak.
"You will eventually go to war, won't you?"
…I can't get a reading on this guy...
"I apologize, Your Majesty, but nothing is confirmed yet."
Lazureen gulped down the remaining beer again, set the empty mug on the table next to him, and spoke.
"I hope your conflict will not cause us any harm."
"As the commander-in-chief of the Francian army, I will of course do my best to ensure that, Your Majesty."
After hearing my answer, Lazureen made a sound like air leaking out - "Pfft-".
With his long white beard and dignified expression, I couldn't discern his thoughts.
He lifted the scabbard he had leaned against the throne.
I initially assumed it was his sword since it leaned against the throne. However, looking closer, it seemed too long for him. Before I could fully process this, Lazureen threw the scabbard to me.
I reflexively caught it, and the scabbard itself looks very similar to my sword.
Thinking this, I slightly drew the sword from the scabbard and felt a faint magic power emanating from the blade.
When I channeled a bit of magic power, the sword not only naturally absorbed it, but also aided my magic operation.
Its magic affinity was on a completely different level compared to a sword made only of steel.
This, could it be?
"…Is this a sword made with a combination of mithril, Your Majesty?"
Lazureen sat back on the throne and said casually.
"It's your sword, so take it."
Even for a dwarf, throwing something like this so casually?
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Such an item…"
Lazureen, however, scoffed.
"Don't misunderstand. I simply crafted it from leftover materials. It would be a disgrace if the commander-in-chief of our mithril supplier carried such a shoddy sword."
Then he gestured for me to leave.
He's still a blunt and unfriendly dwarf, hard to read.
Did he remember the shape of my sword, which I only drew halfway, and make this?
I revised my opinion of him as unpleasant and bowed politely.
"It's an honor, Your Majesty. I will definitely repay this favor…"
My words were interrupted by Lazureen's blunt words.
"Whether you forget it or not is none of my concern, just keep exporting mithril. Now get out."
Haha, this is unexpected.
"I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty."
As I left, Lazureen added a remark, as if just recalling something.
"…Even though you are a greedy human, I trust you will not be so ungrateful as to sell my work."
To throw it as if it were nothing and then worry about that later.
I almost burst out laughing.
Aren't the dwarves, who were said to be arrogant, blunt, and curt, actually quite cute?
Of course, I don't think the king would like it if he knew my true feelings.