Empire of Ice

by Hyougetsu

  “I see... This time last year was when I was busy planning the southern campaign.”

  Reminiscing, Eleora guided Lord Kastoniev through her manor.

  “Dinner’s ready, so why don’t you come in and relax?”

  After dinner, I went over to the parlor, where Lord Kastoniev was relaxing.

  “My apologies for disturbing your rest, but I was hoping for an opportunity to speak with you, Lord Kastoniev.”

  Lord Kastoniev was lounging in his pajamas, but he looked like he’d been waiting for me.

  “I suspected you would be coming around now. Take a seat.”

  Lord Kastoniev had his servants retire to another room, leaving the two of us alone.

  “You wish to talk about Princess Eleora, correct?”

  He’s a sharp man.

  “Yes. Though it’s a bit complicated.”

  Now then, where do I start? I examined the deep wrinkles in Lord Kastoniev’s face as I gathered my resolve. Before I could say anything though, Lord Kastoniev spoke.

  “Lord Veight, who are you, really?”

  What’s that supposed to mean? Doing my best to hide my surprise, I plastered on a poker face.

  “I’m not sure how I should answer that question.”

  Lord Kastoniev scrutinized my expression for a few seconds, then sighed.

  “I’m asking not as the head of the Kastoniev family, but as Eleora’s uncle. I know my niece. She’d never be able to conquer Meraldia.”

  Yeah, you guessed right. Lord Kastoniev put a hand to his forehead. His mannerisms reminded me of Eleora.

  “She’s like her father. A rational, argumentative girl. She can’t even win over the hearts of her own people. I highly doubt she was able to convince the Meraldians, who have a completely different culture, to take her side.”

  You can say that again. Lord Kastoniev examined my reaction, then said in a pleading tone, “It would be one thing if she’d just failed, but ever since she’s returned, Eleora’s been friendlier and less tense than before. She’s so different, it’s almost as if she’s been possessed.”

  Wait, that blunt attitude is her actingfriendly? Now I’m curious what she was like before. Lord Kastoniev added, “Lord Veight, I believe you are the key to her transformation. I have already finished raising my children and am mostly retired. The only thing weighing on my mind now is what will become of my brother’s orphaned daughter. Would you be so kind as to put this old man’s worries to rest?”

  That’s not as easy to do as you think... I couldn’t sense anything off about Lord Kastoniev though. He wasn’t lying, that was for sure. I’d asked Mao to gather information on Lord Kastoniev for me, but all he’d been able to discover was that he was on bad terms with Lord Doneiks. Alright, let’s take a gamble. I straightened my back and looked Lord Kastoniev in the eyes.

  “Know that once you hear the truth, there will be no turning back. Are you sure you want to know?”

  “Absolutely. Men of the Kastoniev family fear nothing.”

  His stern gaze held the weight of years behind it, and it was enough to overwhelm me. Steeling my resolve, I divulged our secret to him.

  “It’s as you suspected, Eleora failed to conquer Meraldia.”

  “I knew it...”

  Kastoniev looked mildly disappointed, as if Eleora had brought home a bad report card or something. You’d think he would have a bigger reaction, considering I’d just revealed a huge state secret.

  “She managed to destroy the Senate that governed northern Meraldia, but had trouble conquering the south. And while she was struggling, the viceroys in the north rebelled against her.”

  We were the ones who set that chain of events into motion, but that wasn’t important, so I didn’t mention it.

  “In the end, she was forced to surrender to the Southern Commonwealth. And now she’s Meraldia’s puppet. Our goal is to put her on the throne and have her make Rolmund abandon their expansionist dreams. It’s for that reason that we’re currently cooperating with Eleora.”

  “I see.”

  Lord Kastoniev easily accepted both the fact that his niece had become a puppet and that we were planning on usurping the throne. His reactions were so contrary to what I was expecting that I found myself taking an interest in him.

  “None of this bothers you?”

  “Not at all. Your actions were rational, and your explanation makes sense. To be honest, I’m more relieved than I am surprised.”

  It seemed Eleora’s uncle didn’t think too highly of her leadership abilities. Even though I was aiming for the destruction of Rolmund as he knew it, Lord Kastoniev just sighed tiredly and leaned back in his sofa.

  “It all makes sense now. I suppose this means you’re the one pulling Meraldia’s strings, Lord Veight?”

  “No, I’m just a simple vice-commander. I’m in charge of carrying out Meraldia’s plan, but that’s all.”

  “Hahaha, if you say so.”

  I’m being serious though. Looking relieved, Lord Kastoniev poured himself a glass of wine. Rolmundians loved alcohol, and wine was so light it was more like juice to them.

  “Now that I know the truth, I suppose there’s only one thing to be done. For the sake of my beloved niece, I’ll support your plot.”

  “Are you sure you should be making that decision so lightly?”

  If you get caught, you’ll be executed along with your whole family, you know? Lord Kastoniev smiled wanly.

  “I’m an ambitious enough man that I had my own brother marry the imperial princess to improve my own status. Usurping the throne was beyond my capabilities, but now that there’s a real chance of succeeding, I have no reason to hesitate. This is a fitting final gambit to end my life on.”

  “You realize that if we fail, it won’t be just you, but your entire family who’ll be executed, right?”

  “I am aware.” Lord Kastoniev calmly downed his glass of wine. “But consider this. Now that you’ve divulged your plot to me, what other choice do I have? If I tried to report this to the emperor, I would be executed simply by association. More importantly, I wouldn’t even be able to leave this manor alive.”

  You’re not wrong. I had no intention of letting him go had he decided not to join our camp.

  “Most importantly though, I refuse to become the kind of despicable scum who’d sell out his own niece. The Kastoniev family earned its prestige through valor in battle. Since then, we’ve built up a reputation as honest and trustworthy nobles. If I sell out my own niece out of cowardice, then I would be setting a poor example for my sons.”

  He really was Eleora’s uncle; he was just like her. I didn’t smell any lies coming from him, so I decided to trust him. There was still one thing I needed to ask though.

  “It’s reassuring to hear that. Thank you so much for your cooperation. By the way, Lord Kastoniev, now that you’ve decided to help, would you be willing to solve one of Eleora’s worries?”

  “And that would be?”

  I told Lord Kastoniev about how Eleora’s wet nurse betrayed her. From what I could tell, that was the event that had scarred Eleora and was preventing her from opening her heart to potential allies. It made sense, of course. Someone Eleora had trusted more than her own mother had tried to kill her for her own self-interest. Kastoniev’s brow knitted in anguish.

  “As I thought, that incident is still weighing on her mind... I’ve wanted to solve this misunderstanding for years, but I’ve always avoided broaching the topic.”

  He prefaced his explanation with, “I doubt you’ll believe me, but...” then told me the entire story. After the failed attempt on Eleora’s life, Lord Kastoniev had launched his own investigation into who the mastermind was. Apparently, Eleora’s wet nurse had actually been a Doneiks family spy who’d been sent to Lord Kastoniev’s manor to monitor his family.

  “At the time, I’d been at the head of East Rolmund’s newly minted nobles, so Lord Doneiks was likely wary of me. While not as reckless as you, I was quite rec
kless in my youth.”

  As Eleora’s wet nurse had been a capable servant, Lord Kastoniev had valued her highly. It was for that reason he’d sent her to the Originia household, unaware of her true loyalties.

  “I have no idea what Lord Doneiks was thinking, but his status means he’s not someone I can formally launch an investigation on with circumstantial evidence. However, none of this changes the fact that my foolishness deeply hurt Eleora.”

  Since then, interactions between uncle and niece had grown awkward and strained.

  “I would apologize, but she would never believe me now. Having discovered that the wet nurse sent by her uncle was actually an assassin, she likely doesn’t know who to trust.”

  What an unfortunate tale. Thank God I was born a werewolf. Werewolves protected their pack with their lives, regardless of blood ties. But for some reason, Lord Kastoniev suddenly smiled.

  “This is quite a surprise though. Ever since her campaign in the south, Eleora has mellowed out considerably. In a way, perhaps it was a good thing that she suffered such a bitter defeat at your hands.”

  Yeah, I really want to see how she was like before if this is “mellow.” Either way, it seemed Lord Kastoniev was willing to become our ally. His story made me curious about Lord Doneiks though. Looks like I should investigate him next. But first, let’s get this uncle-niece relationship patched up.

  * * * *

  —Eleora and Her Uncle—

  It’s been a long time since I was last nervous to open a door. But I need to discuss that horrific incident with my uncle. I don’t particularly dislike my uncle. In fact, my uncle and my late father were supposedly close. And when my father died, my uncle raised me like his own daughter. Or so I’d thought. If my uncle truly loved me, why did his servant, my wet nurse, try to kill me? I have no idea why my uncle might want me dead. There’s no reason for him to target my life. Though even if there was a reason, I still can’t understand why he’d do it.

  Either way, that incident shook me to the core. I became afraid of trusting others. I even began to fear that my mother or my younger sister might want me dead. Every stranger I met was a potential enemy who might be conspiring with others. How could I trust anyone?

  But in the end, my mistrusting nature led to me making a critical blunder in my invasion of the south. I lost nearly half my men, and I was captured. The reason for that was simple. During my invasion of Meraldia, I’d failed to make any allies. My methods had clearly been wrong. But what would the right method have been? I know the answer to that now. Like the Black Werewolf King, I should have been focused on building alliances.

  However, I’m not capable of doing the things he is. I can’t sniff out lies with my nose, and a single sword stab is all it takes to kill me. Besides, I’m too logical. I can’t adapt the way I interact with people based on their actions the way he can. And yet, my position demands I do the same things he does. This will be my first step in doing just that. From here on out, I’ll be plunging myself into the world of people, trying to discern who I can make an ally, and who will always be my enemy.

  I’ve already heard from the Black Werewolf King that my uncle is likely not an enemy. He’s rarely ever wrong. I heard my uncle’s explanation from him as well. It makes sense, too. All that remains is somehow processing these complex feelings swirling inside me. Actually, no. As I just said, I’m a logical person. There’s no “somehow,” I’ll wrest these emotions under control using logic. This is the path of life that I’ve chosen, and I’m going to live this way until the end.

  Don’t be afraid. “Those who carry Kastoniev blood in them are bold and courageous.” That had been Father’s favorite saying. I’ve steeled my resolve, all that’s left is to carry it through.

  After a few deep breaths, I knock on the door.

  “Uncle, do you have a moment?”

  “Of course, come in.”

  My uncle’s gentle voice beckons me inside. I go through the door and find him sitting by the fireplace. Next to him is an empty chair. The moment I sit in it, there’ll be no turning back. Neither of us will leave until we’ve talked everything through. Right now, those few steps to the chair feel longer than the distance from here to Meraldia. I want to run away. But the only way I’ll have a future is if I clear this hurdle. I take one more deep breath, then step forward.

  * * * *

  “They’re taking a long time...”

  A lot of time had passed since Eleora went to Lord Kastoniev’s room to talk. I’d left since I figured she’d be fine even without me, but now I wondered if that had been a mistake. I was starting to get a little worried. If Eleora couldn’t even overcome this trial, then she’d never make it as empress. Even if she did, her natural mistrust would lead her to execute all potential traitors and start a reign of fear.

  However, I didn’t think Eleora was that foolish, or that much of a coward. She could handle this. So long as Eleora and Lord Kastoniev’s conversation went well, he’d fully commit himself to our cause. I could count on him to gather up all East Rolmund’s nobles under our banner.

  I’d been surprised to learn that even he had an ambitious heart underneath his gentle exterior. Rolmundians were terrifying. Looking at it from a different perspective though, Lord Kastoniev was determined enough to betray even the emperor for the sake of his family. I could see why Eleora had been wary of him before. If he betrayed us partway through, we’d be finished. Just in case, I was planning on having a few werewolves who were good at stealth keep an eye on him. Though it’d probably end up being an unnecessary precaution.

  Now then, all that remained was Lord Doneiks. He was the younger brother of the current emperor and the ruler of North Rolmund. He possessed vast tracts of land, and all of the nobles in close proximity to his territories followed him. According to what I’d heard, he was a broad-minded, sociable man who possessed strong leadership qualities. At the same time, though, he was a clever schemer who’d dirtied his hands with assassination and worse. I called a meeting of my Meraldian crew to discuss Lord Doneiks with them.

  “What do you think, boss? Should we just off that Doneiks guy?”

  Jerrick, who’d been happily repairing Eleora’s fireplace for fun, turned to me. I shook my head.

  “We could probably pull off an assassination easily enough, but if we kill him, it’ll destabilize northern Rolmund. I want to keep political turmoil to a minimum until we can crown Eleora empress.”

  “If you say so. Kite, does this look level to you?”

  “Drop it another three... No, two and a half mioros to the right.”

  Kite cast his epoch magic over the fireplace’s mantle to make sure he was getting the correct measurements. The two of them got along pretty well. Once he was done analyzing the fireplace, he stepped back and Lacy offered him a rag to wipe the soot off his hands. As he wiped down his hands he said thoughtfully, “At the moment, we can assume that Prince Ashley is choosing to remain neutral in the power struggle. Meaning our biggest obstacle is Lord Doneiks. We should investigate him at the very least.”

  “Yeah, that I agree with... But how do we go about it?”

  I took the cloth Lacy held out to me and started wiping down the nearby windows.

  “Wait, hold on. How come I’m helping clean too?”

  Parker, who was cleaning the window next to mine, turned to me with a nostalgic smile.

  “It looks like your time as a disciple trained you well. Hahaha.”

  “Like you’re one to talk. You’re helping out too!”

  Crap, the moment one person starts doing chores, everyone ends up working. This was a habit that had been ingrained into all of Gomoviroa’s disciples. Since we were already at it, we decided to polish the floor as well, only taking a break when some of Eleora’s maids brought us tea. They’d been surprised to see us doing the work of servants, but hopefully that had left an impression of how diligent Meraldians were, and not that we were just eccentric.

  “There’s a lot of
publicly available information on Lord Doneiks.”

  He’d served as the emperor’s aide for many years, so he had a long service record, and had made quite a name for himself. Lacy read through the latest letter Lekomya had sent us and muttered, “On the surface, he appears to be an outstanding gentleman. And helped solve long-standing irrigation and flooding issues with the rivers inside his territory.”

  The rivers in Rolmund flowed northward, down from the mountain ranges. And when the snow melted every spring, the rivers flooded their banks, causing major damage. However, Lord Doneiks had devised a clever system of flood barriers that now contained the flooding.

  But while he had done many great things, there were also a plethora of negative rumors about him. Monza threw out the dirty water in the cleaning bucket and shrugged her shoulders.

  “That Viscount whoever that you dueled was killed by that old man too, right?”

  “Yeah. The official statement is that Viscount Schmenivsky’s resting in Lord Doneiks’ mountain villa, but rumors say he was actually assassinated. I guess he was tarnishing his faction’s reputation by claiming I’m a werewolf so Lord Doneiks had him removed.”

  Parker gave me a surprised look.

  “You actually remembered that viscount’s name?”

  “I figured I should try to get it right since he’s dead and all.”

  “What point is there in remembering the names of the dead? Especially since you aren’t much of a necromancer. Have you been influenced by Master?”

  To be honest, Viscount Schmenivsky had been scum of the lowest order. Death was a just reward for the Count of Slaughter. He’d been arrogant, violent, and cruel. Still, it wasn’t right to disparage the dead. At the very least, I felt like I should get his name right. That was all there was to it. Explaining my mindset would be difficult though, so I just gave Parker some vague explanation. He stared at me curiously for a few seconds, then smiled wanly.

  “You truly are an unfathomable man. Personally, I would like to get to know my cute younger brother better, so I’d prefer it if you’d be more open with me.”