Chapter 223. The Princess's Determination (3)
Well, even I wouldn't be surprised if I was in a situation where I doubted that my siblings might have arrived right away.
So much of this stuff makes no sense.
“You don't understand? Why did the emperor come up with this idea? Are you that stupid of a man?”
“It's probably not the number that my brother thought of.”
hmm? then who?
I can't believe it.
Is there anyone in the Empire who can come up with such a crazy plan?
It seems that there are quite a few talented people there as well.
“No, there must be only one person.”
Come to think of it, there is a bit of a corner.
“The current emperor's wife... the first empress. Obviously she is from.”
“Zelnian Holy Kingdom.”
Pena added instead.
is it....?
“But the emperor listens so obediently to the words of a rain from a foreign country?”
“...My brother is totally into that woman. The fact that I was kicked out here was also the result of that woman’s push before the negotiations.”
“Oh, that's the first time I've heard of that.”
I heard that there were many other absurd policies besides that.
Isn't it excessively budgeted to build a church with the influence of the Zelnian Holy Kingdom?
Even the budget for the event hosted by the church was covered by the empire... It was said that
all of that was the result of the empress' influence.
I'm sure this time was also her... no, someone's intention behind it.
yes, but
“.and! Your brother.. but he gets caught in such a ridiculous move... no no.”
If he dared to express his honest impressions in words, he would only become more miserable.
Let's just think inside.
It's clear that this older brother is crazy.
However, the public could guess what had happened.
It's not that rare for a country's emperor to ruin everything because of a woman.
I can imagine how he was bewitched.
“Hmm, even so, you shake hands more than you think.”
I pondered for a while.
No matter how crazy it is, putting it on means it has a purpose.
The emperor... no, if it is the will of the Holy Kingdom.
“Does wanting a slave soldier like this mean that we will go to war?”
But to dare enslave soldiers from other countries...
I let out a sigh.
No matter how much I think about it, that's all.
That's a complete meat shield.
In the last three kingdoms war, we have already confirmed that our weapons are superior, so now we are not going to use our own people, but slave soldiers imported from other countries?
Did you change your strategy?
“…Maybe.”
“But is this too far-fetched?
Wasn’t the empire that desperate for money before that?”
After the last war, however, the empire was heavily in debt, and many slaves were lost while serving as soldiers.
It's understandable that even after several years, I still can't recover. “
Did they come together
to the point of selling out their own people ?”
“…because I had to keep spending money.”
Pena explained.
Before the damage caused by the last war could be recovered, the undead situation made them owe a considerable debt to the Holy Kingdom.
It would have been cheaper if I had just bought my artificial holy water.
They chose to go into huge debt because of their pride.
The problem is that even if the empire is in trouble, the imperial family has no intention of letting the people know about it.
On the contrary, they tried to make people believe that the empire was still holding on to its prestige by performing more splendid events and extravagance than before.
As a result, it was natural that the precarious finances would be destroyed.
And in the end, the empire accepted a certain proposal from the Holy Nation.
With no money to come out, they decided to provide the majority of their own people as slaves, pay off their debts, and get paid in addition to that.
“It's stupid.... What do you think of people... simply as people?”
I dismissed the emperor's actions as foolish.
Policies based only on pride only make the country fester.....
“So? Did you really sign to sell this number of slaves to the Holy Kingdom?”
“The number of slaves indicated there is hundreds of thousands of people...
And the Holy Kingdom collects hundreds of thousands of slave soldiers bought in that way to start a war.
“Were there any slaves like that left?”
“It seems like they keep making slaves for various reasons.”
Are even commoners branded as slaves for various reasons?
If that's the case, then the situation in the empire is a mess beyond imagination.
‘Isn't it bad?'
Either way, I can't imagine a desirable situation.
I'm pretty sure the repairs were done anyway, do you just want to blatantly prepare for war?
“Now I can feel the will to fight openly, so I'm laughing...
I don't think I have any intention of hiding it anymore.
At this point, I want to ask her why she hates Ernesia Kingdom so much while patting her by the collar!
“The most unbelievable thing is how…
did the emperor agree to such a thing?”
If a sane master has a human next to him talking nonsense like that, it's normal to grab his head and stomp him to the floor.
The problem is that if you use such a move, the castle will not lose, but the empire will suffer a devastating blow.
Isn't it like selling most of the slaves already?
What about farming next year right now?
What about the guys who have already experienced the aftermath of the war?
You still agreed?
“I hate to say this, but… maybe my brother won’t mind that.”
Pena said glumly.
“Because my brother and the nobles… will not be harmed.”
“I guess so. There's no way he would have agreed to this bullshit until he was dying.”
Perhaps it is the people of the Empire who are dying.
After all, it's enough to be extravagant with the money received from the royal family.
Even in the Holy Land, at least their lives will be guaranteed, so they won't realize it.
“Only they were pitied.”
It wouldn't be their fault that they met the ugly lord.
I was sincerely sorry.
“And Pena, you're also pitiful.”
Here's another scapegoat.
Pena's position within the Kingdom of Ernesia would be in danger if the war was to be waged without hesitation.
Even if they were sent back to the Empire, what would happen could not be guaranteed.
Rather, they will get caught up in making strange justifications.
“I don't care if you're here or not. Rather, he might accuse him of being an Elementalist and scold Ernesia Kingdom.”
Because Seongguk is known for being more hostile to spiritists than necessary and catching them as if they were hunting.
No matter which way it happens, Pena is abandoned.
Just looking at the treatment of Pena written in the letter, I could imagine that much.
Is resentment prior to the comfort of blood and flesh?
‘...Still, I don't understand.'
“I don't care if you're here or not. Rather, he might accuse him of being an Elementalist and scold Ernesia Kingdom.”
Because Seongguk is known for being more hostile to spiritists than necessary and catching them as if they were hunting.
No matter which way it happens, Pena is abandoned.
Just looking at the treatment of Pena written in the letter, I could imagine that much.
Is resentment prior to the comfort of blood and flesh?
‘...Still, I don't understand.'
method is too extreme.
What the hell can you get here, sacrificing even the wrong country to scrap us?
Above all, this has no chance of success.
At best, it would only devastate the empire.
Whether the war succeeds or fails, the empire perishes.
‘...That might be the purpose.'
I feel nothing but malice.
Although several causes have been fitted together, only fundamentally thorough malice is felt in this behavior method.
Pure malice that transcends national understanding or politics.
Is it even now heading across countries on all continents?
It smells so dirty.
“Perhaps the purpose is to weaken and eliminate the Merman Empire? ....There is a possibility.”
Pena's hands trembled at the words I muttered inadvertently.
“....No way?”
“If we already provide slave soldiers like this, the empire will be doomed.”
no it will exist
However, it is the birth of a nation that depends on the castle for everything.
Can it really be called a country?
I mumbled while imagining an ominous future, but after seeing Pena's complexion, I added that it was a possibility.
“I’m not sure. If you watch it, you will know.”
However, I think the possibility is infinitely high.
“...Well, at the point of being abandoned, isn't it something for Pena and you to worry about?”
The fact that Pena brought this letter to me.
In the end, isn't it a decision I made because I couldn't stand that kind of treatment anymore?
If you want asylum, you can reach out your hand.
There is a bond that I have been seeing face to face, so there is that much loyalty.
However, Pena shook her head.
“I do not care.”
“hmm?”
“It's me anyway... I already knew that I would be abandoned by the imperial family.”
She continued in a trembling voice.
Even if you say it's okay, there's no way you won't feel anything.
“But… not this.”
She shook her head several times.
“This is not. What do you gain by doing this? This time, I can't understand my brother... His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Hmm?”
i can understand
He just has no idea.
It regards people as expendable items.
I'm just a mediocre human who was enchanted by the woman in front of me.
This is my twisted sensibility after seeing all the bitter and sweet things in the world.
In practice, Pena's reaction is far more common.
“I don’t understand… yes. Then why are you telling me this?”
For the first time, I put aside all playfulness in the tone of voice, face, gestures, and treated her seriously.
“What's the point of accusing me?”
I asked coldly.
“If you'd rather stop this ridiculous plan, go to the empire right now and appeal to the people and the nobles who still have their thoughts. Is there a long way to go?
Then I'll get you money for the ride. I won’t help you with that much.”
It's not that I don't think she's pitiful.
That and the attitude I have to deal with now are different.
Thank you for letting us know your plan, but in the end, we too must prioritize defense.
“But it's okay to leave it unattended, and I agree that the imperial people are pitiful.
At least put it on the agenda and protest.”
“...but that doesn't work. yes?”
I guess so.
At least, if the war intention is clear this far, it is not at a stage where diplomacy can be settled.
Even if neighboring countries gather and protest, they are more likely not to listen.
“Pena, you are by no means stupid. You wouldn’t have assumed that simply appealing to me would make me move, right?”
....well, there is a possibility that it is not.
If I'm wrong... I'm sorry?
“I don’t think I was just asking for help out of pity. Do you have any thoughts of your own?”
“okay.”
Pena clenched her fists as if determined to do something and nodded.
“Arel, I will ask you one thing. Wasn't it the saint who gave this order?” “Did I say that?”
Pena nodded.
...Come to think of it, I've said something that sounds like that. To be precise, it was a nuance that the empress was suspicious.
Pena wasn't just trying to let me know this.
I guess I just wanted to be sure.
He was probably certain that I had information that would allow him to guess the true intentions of the Holy Kingdom to some extent, so he wanted to confirm it.
Were you trying to evoke me?
“But I never said it was a saintess' thing. Why did you infer that she was a saint there?”
“...Actually, I've met Saint Nelvenia before.”
“Have you met?”
“Before... it must have been when you were talking about your brother's engagement with the woman sent by Seongguk.”
At that time, it is said that Nelvenia visited the empire directly as a representative envoy.
At that time, Pena said that because of her position, she couldn't come out in person and could only check her figure through the window.
“Then…I felt something strange.”
“Anything strange?”
“It's not exactly me, but Sele's reaction was strange.”
Spirits have a different perspective than humans.
I have already checked and know that.
“Sele saw Nelvania and warned her.”
“Don't get too close to her.”
I deliberately did not respond to those words.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om
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