"This time, we need to bring Oliver and Hadrian along. They are specialized merchants," Ryan began by naming two traders. "I believe that the military should not engage in trade. The matter of trading with the High Elves should be left to professionals. Oliver has the exclusive rights to Wood Elf goods, and Hadrian frequently deals with Luscia and the Ashen Legion. They are essential to take."
"In addition to these two merchants, we will bring three battalions from the Old Guard—the Greatsword Battalion, the Pike Battalion, and the Musket Battalion. We should also bring the newly formed Mousilon Coldstream Guard, although it currently only has two battalions," Ryan continued. "I've already appointed Lord Philip Mountbatten, a local noble from Mousilon, as the commander of the Coldstream Guard, and I've selected the legendary swordsman Udino from the Old Guard to serve as his deputy."
"And, since my father mentioned it, Sulia, you will be the one to command the Coldstream Guard," Ryan said with significant meaning. "This army's first mission will be entrusted to you."
"Understood," Sulia agreed immediately without saying much.
"In addition, Baron Juan will be bringing a squad of Sun Knights with us," Ryan nodded. "And Belia will also join us, along with a few of our retainers. That's all. We won't disturb Alfred, as he's preparing for his wedding."
"Is that it? Aren't you going to reconsider, maybe bring a diplomat or even Sylvia?" Sulia thought Ryan was bringing too few people. "Or perhaps you could take a few Grail Knights?"
"No, that's all," Ryan said directly. "By the way, has Devonshire been sent to Karad?"
"Yes, he has," Sulia's face turned pale. The knightess realized something from her husband's tone and quickly said, "Devonshire has been in contact with Karad many times. Karad will make an excellent godfather."
"Good, since everything is arranged, let's proceed as planned." Ryan stood up, and Sulia hurried to follow. The knightess took his arm. "What's the matter? It's so late, and you're going out?"
"I'm going to take a bath," Ryan smiled. "I'll be back soon, and don't change your clothes, okay?"
"All right, I'll wait for you," Sulia tiptoed to kiss Ryan's lips. The queen seemed like she wanted to say more, but Ryan signaled that it wasn't necessary. The king smiled and kissed her again on her crimson lips before leaving.
After Ryan closed the door behind him, the smile on Sulia's face disappeared. She stomped her foot lightly, kicked off her high heels, and in frustration, slapped the sofa gently. She reached for her beloved teddy bear, holding it close to her chest.
She knew she had made a mistake this time, and Ryan was angry. As his queen, Sulia had always received enough respect and autonomy, but she had still erred. She reflected on two main reasons: First, she had broken through the bottleneck of the Sanctuary under the guidance of Ryan's father in just a few days, which made her feel somewhat inflated. After all, even her brother, Julius, who had returned from an expedition, was still stuck at the peak of the Legendary level. As a knight trained from childhood, Sulia had seen fewer opportunities to fight after her marriage.
Secondly, Ryan's father possessed a strong personal charm. Despite his coldness and authority, Sulia could feel his attention and care for her. She had lost control for a moment and shared her thoughts with him, which, in hindsight, was a mistake.
Hugging the teddy bear that Ryan had given her, a gift from when they were still unmarried and shopping together in Bordeaux, Sulia felt remorse. She had always cherished the bear, even sending it to the palace to be refurbished once.
The knightess closed her eyes, resting her chin on the teddy bear. This was the first time a rift had appeared between them as a couple. Now, she needed to find a way... Sulia felt deeply troubled and immediately prayed to the Lady of the Lake.
Lady, I am in trouble.
I need your help!
At the same time, Ryan was soaking in hot water, the room filled with steam. Sylvia, the head maid, had initially wanted to scrub his back, but Ryan waved her away. "Leave me for now. I want to be alone."
"Your Majesty, did you have a fight with the lady... I mean, with the queen?" Sylvia asked, wearing a light maid's outfit. "The queen hasn't seemed to be in the best mood lately, and neither have you."
"No, not at all," Ryan shook his head and waved her off. "There's nothing of the sort. Now, go. I just need some time alone."
"Yes," Sylvia agreed but didn't leave right away. She added, "Your Majesty, Ryan... if you're unhappy, you can vent your anger at me. I don't mind."
"Leave," Ryan repeated.
"Your Majesty, if it comes to that, you can even hit me to vent your frustration," Sylvia said anxiously. After finishing her words, the maid finally left. "The queen really is... I'm sorry."
Ryan leaned back against the edge of the bath, his hand slapping the hot water. The Gray Knight Primarch closed his eyes.
The water was hot, but his heart was cold.
In the depths of Ryan's soul, the Handbearer's whispers continued, teaching Ryan little by little. At the same time, they conveyed certain ideas.
Ryan now understood why, in his previous life, so many emperors ended up only trusting the eunuchs closest to them. Why, in the end, they only cared about their descendants?
Isolated and helpless.
Just like the Emperor—who did the Emperor trust the most? Who was the only person he could rely on?
It was the Chancellor, Malcador the Sigillite.
But Ryan knew very well that, in truth, Malcador, though called Chancellor, was at best a Handbearer, just like his title suggested. Malcador was the Emperor's first and most loyal servant, an extension of the Emperor's will, not a true chancellor with independent authority.
Malcador understood the necessity of evil very well. In his eyes, countless bureaucrats and commoners could be sacrificed without meaning if the Emperor required it. Even Malcador himself was disposable. In the end, Malcador got his wish—he replaced the Emperor on the Golden Throne but lasted only one day before turning to ash.
And the Emperor's most cherished and valued child was Ryan, the Gray Knight Primarch, only because of Ryan's irreplaceability and Malcador's connection.
Many of the Primarchs were just tools to the Emperor. Some, like Angron, were deemed too problematic to be useful even as tools.
Ryan had to admit, wasn't he the same? Those five original Gray Knights were nothing more than tools to him. Deep down, he didn't even see them as his offspring, but he still called them his descendants because he needed their power and dedication, just like Guilliman did.
So, why did this issue with Sulia upset Ryan so much?
It wasn't hard for Ryan to understand the knightess's behavior. When someone has power, they instinctively test its limits to see how far they can go. But when they cross the line, they usually retreat quickly and avoid overstepping again.
But Sulia had crossed the line this time!
Simply put, Sulia was his queen, not the queen of Bretonnia! He was the king! He could allow his queen to participate in governance, even serve as regent if necessary, but he could never permit her to govern in his place!
Where did Sulia's power come from? It came from him, not the Emperor!
This time, Sulia's actions had made it seem as though the Emperor had granted her more power. If Ryan backed down now, he would lose control over Sulia in the future because her authority would no longer come from him but from the Emperor. Ryan couldn't allow that.
I am not Li Zhi, leaving everything to my wife and eventually raising a female emperor.
Ryan could not tolerate such a situation. He had always kept decision-making firmly in his own hands.
In reality, Ryan had already built a new system around himself, where he was the irreplaceable core. A quick reflection revealed that even if something happened to him, no one else would be able to command the system he had built. For example, no noble under him could control Veronica or the Old Guard. Morgiana couldn't command Juan and Belia, and even Sulia couldn't control Olica.
Only Ryan could make the system work. Only his decisions could move things forward.
That is power, the true essence of power.
But Ryan didn't blame Sulia. He wasn't that petty. Their earlier conversation made it clear that Sulia's actions were more like a daughter-in-law complaining to her father-in-law, a common occurrence in families. Everyone has their own thoughts. A gentle reminder would suffice. After all, she was the woman he loved most.
The real problem lay in how the Emperor handled the situation.
The Emperor's approach was too crude, or rather, he didn't understand human emotions. The Emperor saw that Sulia thought Ryan was wrong and stepped in directly, without considering the consequences or Ryan's feelings. He believed that this would resolve the conflict, so he acted without hesitation.
He didn't think about the new system Ryan had painstakingly built or the impact of his intervention.
Just like when the Emperor teleported Angron away before his rebellion without considering Angron's feelings. Just like when
he interrupted Mortarion's duel with a giant beast, slaying it himself. Or when he overburdened Perturabo with every difficult siege, neglecting his emotions.
Even when he stripped Horus of power by allowing Malcador to form the High Lords of Terra without considering Horus's feelings.
Ryan had a growing sense that he and the Emperor might face larger conflicts in the future.
When the time came, he would have to make a choice.
Suddenly, Ryan felt a pang in his heart. He realized he hadn't been attentive enough to Sulia. Although they were husband and wife, Ryan had never fully opened his heart to anyone, which had led to the current problem. He had treated the women in his life more as tools, much like the Emperor did.
That couldn't continue, at least not with Sulia. It wasn't fair to her as his wife.
It was time for a change.
About ten minutes later, Ryan finished his bath and put on a loose robe. Feeling much clearer after his reflection, Ryan emerged from the bathroom. Sulia, who had been waiting worriedly, approached him, wanting to talk, but Ryan swept her up in his arms and spun her around several times in the room. Embarrassed, the knightess said, "Ryan, what are you doing? Put me down! What if someone sees us?"
"Aren't you going to apologize to me, my lady?" Ryan, now back to his usual self, kissed his queen on the lips. "You need to show some sincerity, don't you?"
"Mmm! Ryan, you're always bullying me!" Sulia finally let go of her worries and leaned against her husband's chest. "I... I understand now. Please put me down."
Ryan gently set her down, pulling her onto the soft bed with him. "Get ready to leave, my lady. This trip to Osuan won't be an easy journey. We'll face many complicated situations."
Sulia lay on Ryan's chest, gazing at him with love in her eyes. "I believe in you. You'll handle everything well and achieve your goals."
"Before that, let's accomplish a small goal first," Ryan slid his hand into the slit of Sulia's gown, feeling her smooth, silk-covered legs. For the first time, a genuine smile appeared on his face. "Sulia, it's been tough on you since you married me. This trip to Osuan is my responsibility. I'll make sure it's a wonderful experience for you. I swear it by Malcador's name."
"I'll listen to you," Sulia closed her eyes and kissed him.
…And now, let's complete this small goal…
Old World, late July 2513 of the Imperial Calendar, Marienburg.
Today, something major happened in Marienburg.
Two enormous ironclad ships, billowing with thick smoke, sailed into Marienburg's harbor.
The entire population of Marienburg came out to witness the majesty of the ironclads. It was the first time they had ever seen the legendary Dwarven ironclads, with their towering smokestacks, steel hulls, grand churches, and powerful dual-mounted cannons symbolizing strength and glory. The sight filled the people with both fear and excitement.
The flags of the Ashen Legion's burning eagle claws and the Bretonnian Knight King's sword and fleur-de-lis insignia flew proudly on the two ironclads, flapping in the summer breeze.
As the gangplanks were lowered, a surprising sight awaited those on the docks—out stepped not humans, but a group of dwarves with bushy mustaches!
Leading them was Thorglin Ironhammer, the eldest son of Belegar Ironhammer, the true King of Eight Peaks and King of the Angrund Clan. With a fierce demeanor, Thorglin led the dwarves armed with guns, axes, and shields. Their first act upon arriving in Marienburg was to post translated flyers of their Book of Grudges, listing their grievances against Marienburg's merchants all over the docks!
The great expedition of the Eight Peaks had triumphed! Today, the dwarves had come to settle their grudges!
They demanded that the merchant princes, including the infamous José Mourinho, come out and face the judgment of the Angrund Clan!
Otherwise, they would settle the score by force!
At the same time, a message arrived from Thorgrim Grudgebearer, the High King of the dwarves. The High King questioned the humans and the Empire: During this crucial expedition for the dwarves, why had the merchants of Marienburg secretly obstructed and hindered them at every turn? Were the humans reneging on their sacred alliance with the dwarves?
The news sent shockwaves through Marienburg. The merchant princes were thrown into a state of panic, recalling the terror they had felt twenty years ago under the rule of the Griffon Duke, Ivan.
The Marienburg Council convened an emergency meeting to discuss their response.
"What should we do?"
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