by Ryota Hori
It was only natural Meltina would be confused, though. Ryoma told her nothing ahead of time. Her allotted role was to introduce Ryoma, a newcomer, as a member of the princess’s faction. That and nothing else.
The conversation continued without regard to her confusion.
“I don’t know how that information leaked out, but I’ve made my decision, and I do not intend to change it.” Count Bergstone leveled a challenging glare at Ryoma.
Now that it was clear that he was part of the nobles’ faction, he wouldn’t make any pretenses of joining the princess’s faction, which was now his enemy. Ryoma shrugged away that expression.
“Well, I don’t particularly mind that. I haven’t any intention of imposing on you.” Ryoma’s lips then contorted into a smile.
“What?! Then what did you even come here for?!” Count Bergstone went red in the face at Ryoma’s all too unexpected response.
“You being part of the nobles’ faction isn’t that big of a deal to us. The only one who stands to lose from this is you, Count Bergstone.”
Ryoma’s words made the count sink into thought.
“What do you mean...?” Count Bergstone eventually managed to spit out that question. “What are you talking about? I stand to lose here?”
Suspicious as he was of enemy subterfuge, the idea of him losing from this arrangement concerned him.
“Oh, you weren’t aware...? I see. I suppose leaving you unaware as you are would be pitiful, so I’ll explain things a bit.”
As Ryoma proceeded to explain things with the same light-heartedness as if they were conversing over tea, Meltina and Count Bergstone gradually went paler and paler.
“On what condition did they persuade you to join the nobles’ faction, Count Bergstone?”
Bergstone replied to Ryoma’s question with a sour expression. He’d likely realized bluffing would yield little returns at this point.
“I was promised that once Princess Radine, the heir backed by the nobles’ faction, rises to the throne, I would be given more land and receive the position of Minister of Finances.”
“My, those are some very favorable terms.”
As Ryoma responded in an almost mocking manner, Meltina swallowed nervously.
The Minister of Finances? The nobles’ faction isn’t even trying to hide the way they’re throwing their power around. But to think that position was what swayed him to join their side...
For Meltina, who ardently believed both nobles and knights were to hold unwavering loyalty to the crown, this was a detestable, shameless act. She had to stop her hand from reflexively going to the sword sheathed at her waist.
“Of course! Can the princess’s faction make me any offer that would match those conditions?!”
Ryoma had to put effort into hiding his mockery of Count Bergstone’s unashamed tone. The fact he innocently believed the nobles’ faction would fulfill their end of that bargain struck Ryoma as laughable. True, they were very favorable conditions, but they held no value if those promises went unfulfilled.
“Well, putting aside whether Princess Lupis can offer you the same conditions, what were you asked to do in return?”
That question made the count fall silent. He’d exposed the fact he was part of the nobles’ faction since he was led on by the implication he would lose from that decision, but exposing the plans of the nobles’ faction to the princess’s faction was unreasonable.
Ryoma, however, predicted everything even without the count having to respond. Even if it wasn’t obvious to Bergstone, driven as he was by greed, Ryoma, who had no stakes in the matter, understood things clearly.
“They asked you to prevent the other neutral faction’s nobles from interfering, and not to mobilize your troops. How about it? That’s about right, isn’t it?”
“What?!” That single word of surprise slipped from the count’s lips.
“Well, with the way the nobles’ faction is right now, they’d have nothing else to ask from you.”
Realizing his assumption was right on the money, Ryoma gave a wicked smile inside his head.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you think the rewards of expanding your land and giving you the position of Minister of Finances are a bit inflated, given the work you’ll be doing?”
Those words caused Count Bergstone to lapse into thought. True enough, those conditions were exceptionally favorable for him. Appealing to the neutral faction and not moving his troops were both actions he would lose essentially nothing from; at worst, he had nothing to lose but the sweat of his brow while going to convince his neighboring nobles to not get involved.
“They’re only that inflated because they didn’t intend to keep that promise anyway.”
Ryoma’s icy words caused all the color to drain out of Count Bergstone’s face.
“I-Impossible... That can’t be...”
But while he claimed he didn’t believe it, the anxiety sprouted up in his heart.
“Those aren’t realistically possible promises to begin with. Both increasing your land, and making you the Minister of Finances. After all, it’s the nobles’ faction that you’re a part of.”
The problem lay in exactly what it was knights and nobles did on this Earth. The nobles were a gathering of people who were given territory by the kingdom, and were recognized as having some degree of autonomy.
A knight, on the other hand, was essentially a label applied to all those who defended the royalty and the nobles, had the ability to wield thaumaturgy, and were paid salaries by their employers. While they were a class which obeyed the nobility, knights were rarely given land. Only a handful of the most excellent, high-order knights were bestowed that honor.
Of course, knights were the central pillar of the country’s military might, and most of their position revolved around the army. There were some special positions both knights and nobles could ascend to, but fundamentally speaking, only nobles were given posts that dealt with domestic affairs, while knights were given posts that dealt with defense.
And this was where the biggest issue lay.
If they were to defeat the knights’ faction, who were in charge of military operations, would there be any seats remaining in the hypothetical new government for a role that had to do with internal affairs?
The answer was no.
Of course, there was the chance of the current Minister of Finances dying in the conflict, but there was no way of knowing that at the moment. And even if that happened, the probability of Count Bergstone being the one to take that position was decidedly nil. They would just appoint someone who was in the nobles’ faction to begin with.
If a particular person helped shift a faction from a position of inferiority to victory, that kind of exceptional promotion may have been possible. But in this particular conflict, the nobles’ faction had the overwhelming edge over the knights’ faction already, and someone who decided to join later, as if betting on a winning horse, wouldn’t be picked over those who had supported the faction since the start of the conflict. If they were, those members who were in the nobles’ faction to begin with would be greatly dissatisfied.
The same held true for increasing the count’s territories as well, and that was because the knights hardly had any territories to give. If Duke Gelhart were to give any territories, they would have to be those under the royal family’s control.
If he were to weaken the royal house and usurp the throne at some point, perhaps giving those lands away was eventually possible. But should the nobles’ faction win, Duke Gelhart would become the most influential man in the country, and putting aside any ambitions he held toward the throne, he would never give the royal family’s lands away to a former neutral noble who joined his side this late into the power struggle.
No, he would have no land to give to a noble who entered the conflict so late and contributed nothing. If Gelhart were to give away territory, it would be given to trustworthy people that had served him for many years. And if h
e were to do otherwise, his faction would collapse in on itself, since the nobles it was comprised of weren’t offering their loyalty for no recompense either.
As Ryoma explained himself, Count Bergstone’s face lost all color.
“So, I was a fool the whole time...” Words of self-derision left his lips.
If the nobles’ faction was truly considering making Count Bergstone their ally, they would not have given him such a simple task. They would naturally have him earn the reward he would gain after the war by performing a duty befitting it.
They likely told him not to move his soldiers so he wouldn’t actually commit any kind of military exploit by some coincidence. If he never took to the battlefield, he naturally wouldn’t gain any kind of glory that others would recognize. It was likely all intentional.
Even a child could understand this logic if they were to stop and examine things carefully, but it didn’t occur to Count Bergstone until Ryoma mentioned it.
They manipulated me, using my greed...
Count Bergstone realized that he had been spurred by his own foolish desires, and failed to judge things carefully.
“I see you’re finally convinced.” Ryoma nodded with satisfaction, reading Count Bergstone’s emotions from his expression.
In fact, Meltina, who was sitting beside them, easily realized everything from Ryoma’s explanation, and had nothing to add.
“What should I do?” Count Bergstone asked Ryoma.
His expression was thick with fright and concern.
“Well, let’s see. You can already see where you’ll end up by sticking to the nobles’ faction, and turning to the knights’ faction would just mean that overbearing General Albrecht would toss you away once he’d be done with you, right? And that said, you can’t go back to being neutral anymore...”
Ryoma’s words were thick with implication. After a moment of thought, Count Bergstone made a suggestion.
“But if I were to help Her Majesty the Princess...”
He’d trailed off, but he was essentially asking how Princess Lupis would treat him should he join her side.
“Well, let’s see. I think becoming Minister of Finances might be a reach for you, but...”
Ryoma’s words made Count Bergstone’s eyes cloud over with disappointment. Having been promised that position had left him quite attached to the idea. Ryoma’s next words, though, returned the vigor to his face.
“If Princess Lupis wins this war, most, though not all of the nobles’ faction, will likely be purged in the process... Which would naturally mean some positions will open up. And that would also open up territories she could give away, in which case... you follow?”
The seductive poison leaving Ryoma’s lips attacked Count Bergstone’s heart. In other words, if the princess’s faction won, the nobles’ faction would be greatly diminished, freeing up existing stations which would be filled by those who cooperated with her. And since the princess still served as the symbol of the knights’ faction, at least in the public eye, joining her at this point would allow him to amass a significantly strong position in her faction.
Furthermore, since the enemy was the nobles, defeating them would allow the princess’s faction to confiscate their lands, and Count Bergstone would be allowed to take part in divvying up the spoils.
This isn’t a bad offer... Much better than being used and discarded like a pawn by the nobles’ faction, and I’ll be able to pay them back for humiliating me like this. But... that’s all assuming Princess Lupis wins over the nobles’ faction. If she can’t, this whole discussion would be moot... In that case, being used by the nobles’ faction might actually be less harmful.
Count Bergstone’s heart was torn between greed and self-preservation.
“Sir Mikoshiba... I’m sorry, but I’ll need some time to think it over.”
“That’s reasonable enough. But how long will you need? We’re actually quite pressed for time ourselves, so we are not in a position to be waiting for days.”
Ryoma didn’t think Count Bergstone would consent to helping Princess Lupis right here and now. From the count’s perspective, this was a major decision that would influence the course of his life. If he were to agree to it immediately, Ryoma wouldn’t trust him.
But put conversely, they couldn’t stand to wait for him to decide too long, since they would have to go and attempt to persuade other neutral nobles.
“I would appreciate it if you could give me tonight to mull things over... I will give you my answer on the morrow, so would you care to spend the night here in my mansion?”
“Very well, then. I shall eagerly wait for you to make the wise decision.” Ryoma took Count Bergstone’s extended hand, and shook it firmly with a smile.
Meltina gazed upon the two of them silently, gripped by an inexplicable fear for Ryoma Mikoshiba.
“Oh, what am I to do...?”
After delaying his decision to tomorrow, Count Bergstone shut himself off in his study, pacing about and asking himself that question over and over.
“That man... What he said is most likely true... Why didn’t I realize it when the nobles’ faction made their offer...?”
That was his biggest lament. Looking back on it, it was a foolish decision, and no amount of regret would be sufficient. His only explanation was that ten years of reclusive life had dulled his once-sharp intellect.
Had he stayed in the neutral faction, then he would have remained unrelated to the conflict no matter which side won. Remaining neutral may not have increased anyone’s territory or enabled his comeback into the palace’s affairs, but it would have allowed him to retain the lifestyle he already had. But he was led astray by sweet temptations to side with the nobles’ faction, which left him with two choices.
Those choices: remain on the side of the nobles’ faction knowing full well he’d be used as a pawn, or bet on the tables being turned and join the knights’ faction. Returning to neutrality would be impossible now. If he would, once the fighting ended the winner would inflict severe sanctions on him.
But even while aware of the position he was in, Count Bergstone couldn’t come to a decision. And the biggest reason was that the people who brought this news to his attention were emissaries from the princess’s faction.
Even as he was forced to live in secluded retirement, Count Bergstone kept his ears open regarding the kingdom’s political relations in anticipation of the day he’d return to political activity. And so he knew that Princess Lupis was currently little more than a political figurehead for the knights’ faction to gather under, and that all the true power lay in General Albrecht’s hands.
“That man came with Lady Meltina... which means he’s directly connected to Princess Lupis. Which means I’m not being invited into the knights’ faction, but the princess’ faction.”
Would Princess Lupis remain a puppet in General Albrecht’s hands? Regardless of her decision, once the war with the nobles’ faction ended there was a chance of another fight breaking out between the knights’ and princess’s factions. And so he was invited not only into the weaker faction in this war, but also to the weaker faction within it. It was only natural Count Bergstone would hesitate.
“If I support them, I’ll have to be prepared to lose everything...”
He would have to be resolved to cast aside his family name, the riches he built up over the years and the territories he’d amassed to this day.
“The problem is whether Her Majesty can win...”
In the end, all of the problems came down to that question. Could the princess’s faction win? Count Bergstone’s loyalty to the crown was by no means weak, but his fealty wasn’t so great that he would place his family at risk over it. He wouldn’t say honor and loyalty were devoid of meaning, but a man couldn’t live on those things alone.
“Back then, I didn’t think the princess’s faction stood any chance of winning...”
Meltina’s method of bringing people over to their side was decidedly simple; cl
aiming Princess Lupis’s legitimacy as an heir and appealing to their loyalty. And while those were certainly important things, they wouldn’t be sufficient reason to move the heart of the neutral faction’s nobles.
And why so? Because anyone who placed such importance on their loyalty to the throne or the legitimacy of the princess would not have chosen to become part of the neutral faction to begin with. Anyone who cared for those would have come to offer their loyalty to Princess Lupis long before Meltina would come into the picture to convince them.
What Count Bergstone wanted to hear was how Princess Lupis would repay his loyalty, should he choose to help her. That was what mattered. Helping the princess was all well and good, but mobilizing troops would require gear and rations, and any soldiers who’d achieved impressive feats needed to be granted due honors. Even in a hierarchical society, the simple words of ‘well done’ wouldn’t suffice.
But Meltina didn’t understand this. All she did was speak of loyalty to the princess over and over, like a broken record, and moving anyone but the most loyal nobles with that was impossible.
That was why Count Bergstone turned his back on the princess. If her closest aide, Meltina, was incapable of that level of intelligence, he had no choice but to judge that none of the people on her side were exceptional enough.
When all was said and done, a faction was only as strong as the people within it, and what decided victory was which side had the superior manpower.
And so Count Bergstone turned his back on Princess Lupis and happily took the invitation from the nobles’ faction. Anyone would have wanted to take a fight they knew they could win; all the more so when presented with the tempting reward of expanding their territory and gaining power.
But after today’s conversation, Count Bergstone was incredibly conflicted. It was all down to the emissary who had arrived today from the princess’s faction, Ryoma Mikoshiba...
“I don’t know who that man is supposed to be, but... He’s sharp. Perhaps too sharp...”
Ryoma Mikoshiba. The mysterious man who appeared in the princess’s faction, which he had believed was devoid of any wise, forward thinking individuals.
