In the late July of Imperial Year 2513, in the Marienburg Parliament building, the Upper and Lower Houses gathered. King Ryan Macador of Bretonnia sat with his wife, Queen Surya, observing the tense standoff between the Imperial delegation and the Marienburg representatives.
On the Imperial side, Emperor Karl Franz himself stood alongside Duke Ivan Ferdinand of Griffon and Banner-Bearer Ludwig Schwarzhammer. Around them, the Reiksguard and Griffon Knights stood in a rigid line, their eyes filled with hostility toward the Marienburgers. Many Reiksguard soldiers already had their hands on their sword hilts, ready for action.
On the Marienburg side, the most prominent merchant lords and the High Priest of the Sea God, Manann, sat at the front, representing the city's interests. Ryan noted the presence of the formidable Blackbeard Edward Teach, the leader of the Mannan Mercenaries, which gave a clear indication of the city's stance.
The two sides loudly debated the incident that had occurred the night before. Both sides presented their version of the events, and while it was undisputed that the emperor had been attacked by the Jutone Guard upon entering the city, the key question was: why?
Marienburg's defense was that Emperor Karl Franz had entered the city without informing the Parliament or the City Guard, breaching protocol.
The Empire's stance was firm: Marienburg was Imperial territory, and full autonomy did not equate to independent sovereignty. As emperor, Karl Franz did not need to notify anyone when entering the city, and Marienburg had no right to prevent him from doing so.
The second point of contention revolved around why the Jutone Guard had opened fire first.
Marienburg claimed that it was solely the action of Van Hughmans, acting independently, with no connection to the city's official stance.
However, the Empire presented Hughmans' confession, in which he admitted to "acting out of a sudden impulse," choosing to attack the emperor. The Empire also uncovered a crown made by the Jutone royal family in Hughmans' possession, but the emperor surprisingly chose not to press this point. He merely stated that the crown would be taken back to Altdorf, and moved on, much to the confusion of the Marienburgers.
The merchant princes had spent considerable effort preparing a defense, claiming ignorance of Hughmans' actions and even having High Priest Audric ready to swear an oath before Manann. Yet, with the emperor downplaying the incident, all their preparations seemed to have been for nothing.
This left Marienburg in an awkward position. The emperor's leniency portrayed him as magnanimous, while the city's leaders appeared petty for over-preparing their defenses.
Ryan watched the scene unfold, frowning slightly. He shook his head in frustration at how Marienburg's defense was faltering. He knew the truth even before Grand Duke Schultz informed him—his own Old Guard had been stationed at the Dwarven Craftsmen's Guild. The Jutone Guard had clearly been heading there, not intending to attack the emperor.
But here was the problem: Marienburg couldn't admit this. They had already attacked the emperor—could they now afford to anger the dwarfs as well?
If they provoked the dwarfs, wouldn't they also end up antagonizing Bretonnia and the Ashen Legion?
Thus, Marienburg was left without a plausible explanation for what Hughmans and his guard had intended to do. With the emperor insisting it was a misunderstanding that had led to a large-scale street fight, the city had no choice but to accept this narrative.
Marienburg had lost the initiative, and Ryan was not pleased with how things were playing out. He was well aware that Karl Franz would seize any opportunity to reclaim Marienburg for the Empire. And while this might be good for the Empire, it was not in Bretonnia's national interest. As King of Bretonnia, Ryan could not afford to see Marienburg fall under Imperial control.
Yet, without a legitimate reason to intervene, all Ryan could do was observe the proceedings.
"This entire situation seems too coincidental, almost illogical, my dear," Surya whispered to her husband, her hand resting in his. "It's hard to believe things turned out this way. Now Karl has the opportunity he's been waiting for, and we still don't know what he's hiding."
"There are plenty of illogical things in this world," Ryan responded softly, squeezing her hand. "Comedies need logic; tragedies don't. We lack a good excuse to intervene, my lady. All we can do now is watch how Karl executes his plan."
"Ryan, I don't think Bretonnia can afford to lose this free port and buffer zone," Surya said quietly in his ear. "Even though it feels wrong to oppose the emperor, we can't stand with him this time."
"The High Elves are here too," Ryan noted, glancing over at the visibly disgruntled High Elf Ambassador Teclis, who sat in the VIP section sipping wood elf fruit wine, his face filled with frustration. Two fully armored Lothern Sea Guards stood behind him as he gazed at the proceedings. Teclis was clearly irritated by the entire situation, especially with Teclis himself due to arrive soon. He couldn't afford this incident to tarnish his diplomatic record.
"Why are these monkeys so incompetent?" Teclis thought to himself, veins bulging in his forehead. "Why couldn't they just kill each other? When will these monkeys finally die off?"
Meanwhile, Fugen sat quietly, elegantly sipping wine and nibbling on tuna sashimi, seemingly content to listen.
The debate in the parliament continued.
Karl Franz, dressed in his imperial armor, spoke calmly, "According to the Treaty of Unification signed by Emperor Sigismund II and the Kingdom of Jutone, Marienburg is undoubtedly part of the Empire. And by the founding decree of Emperor Ludwig the Savior, while Marienburg enjoys full autonomy, the Empire entrusted this city to you with the expectation that you would govern it properly. Am I wrong?"
"Marienburg was indeed entrusted to the Parliament by the Savior Emperor, and we have continuously strived to govern this city in a way that ensures its prosperity and stability," replied Grand Duke Schultz. "The hundreds of council members in both houses work tirelessly to achieve this. According to the founding decree, the Empire is only to intervene when Marienburg faces an 'unsolvable' problem, not when the Empire chooses to interfere on its own."
Schultz paused briefly before continuing, "This incident was our fault. Both the Upper and Lower Houses accept responsibility. Effective immediately, we will reform the Upper House, and we are prepared to strip the Jutone Trading Company of its privileges and hand over their assets to the Empire for review."
"Reform the parliament?" Karl Franz shook his head. "Grand Duke Schultz, reforming your parliament won't solve the problem. I can overlook your mistake this time, but the Savior Emperor didn't hand Marienburg to you so you could raise a council member capable of launching an attack on the Emperor in broad daylight!"
Before the Marienburgers could respond, Karl Franz pressed on, "I believe those present here today, those who have come forward after the incident, are all good people. But who can guarantee that everyone in your city is blameless? That an emperor, walking in his own empire, could be attacked by a group of hundreds—how can you possibly say you've done your duty in governing this city?"
"This was all the doing of the Jutone Trading Company and Van Hughmans," Marienburg's second-largest merchant, Viscount Casanova, argued. "We all share the responsibility for your shock, Your Majesty, and we are prepared to compensate you directly from the coffers of the Jutone Trading Company."
"I'm not asking for responsibility or compensation," Karl Franz retorted sharply, continuing his offensive. "I'm talking about Marienburg's autonomy! I ask you, was Marienburg's full autonomy meant to let you govern its security so poorly? By Sigmar's grace, how is it that an emperor, walking in his own empire, is attacked by his own soldiers? And you don't see this as a problem? What are you trying to do here?"
"The emperor has misunderstood," interrupted Audric, the Sea God High Priest, his displeasure evident. "By Manann's will, I swear that neither I nor the Sea God Church had any knowledge of this. If Your Majesty is unhappy with Marienburg's security, I am willing to resign my post as High Priest!"
"Enough, Archbishop Audric. We are here for a parliamentary session, not to assign blame or demand resignations. Manann alone decides your fate as High Priest," Schultz interjected. "Your Majesty has raised a fair concern. We, the elected council of Marienburg, are the ones responsible for the city's security, and if anyone should resign, it should be me. If Your Majesty wishes, I will resign immediately, and the council can elect a new grand duke."
Schultz turned to Karl Franz, waiting for his response. "Of course, I will also stand for re-election."
Karl Franz's face tightened slightly at this suggestion.
If Schultz resigned, it would plunge Marienburg into chaos. For thirty years, only this grand duke had managed to keep the merchant lords, mercenary companies, churches, and diplomatic relations with other nations in check. His departure would throw the city into turmoil, and that was not what the emperor wanted. Karl Franz needed control of Marienburg, not disorder.
Moreover, with Schultz's skill and influence, he was almost certain to be re-elected, only returning with even more power. The emperor wasn't ready
to hand him that opportunity.
"I'm not asking anyone to bear responsibility," Karl Franz said, taking a step forward and unfurling a long scroll of parchment. "As I've said, the matter of the Jutone Trading Company is settled. Hughmans made a poor decision, acting rashly in the dark when he saw figures approach. I'm not laying this incident at the feet of those present. But it does raise serious concerns. How could security be so poor in Imperial territory?"
"We will rectify our security failures, I assure you," Schultz responded quickly.
"Good. How will you do that?" Karl Franz finally moved to the crux of his argument. "I ask you, how can you ensure that something like this never happens again? If the emperor can't even walk safely in his own empire without being attacked, how will you take responsibility?"
With a dramatic gesture, the emperor tossed Hughmans' confession scroll onto the ground. "Or is this something more sinister? A conspiracy, perhaps? Is Marienburg conspiring to assassinate the emperor?"
At that moment, Queen Surya's eyes lit up, and Ryan's lips curled into a slight smile as he, too, realized the emperor had masterfully taken control of the debate.
Karl Franz, you sly fox, Ryan thought.
Marienburg had been forced into an impossible position.
Poor security or a plot to assassinate the emperor—there was no good answer. They had to choose.
The merchant lords of Marienburg turned pale, and Grand Duke Schultz found himself trapped. Karl's words were pointed and deliberate. Marienburg might be autonomous, but it was still Imperial territory. There was no way they could claim they were plotting to assassinate the emperor.
And so, they had no choice but to concede it was a failure of security.
"Your Majesty, there is indeed a failure in our governance," Schultz admitted.
"Gross negligence, poor management, chaotic security, and now even international incidents. King Ryan and Queen Surya, Lord Fugen, Dwarven Ambassador Sorgrim, and High Elf Ambassador Teclis are all present in Marienburg. Such disorder reflects a total failure of your government," Karl Franz pressed on, his voice rising. "Of course, I understand. Marienburg is run by merchants, and merchants are skilled at making deals but not at rooting out troublemakers or dealing with subversives like Hughmans."
"But that's okay. You are Imperial subjects, and the Empire never forgets Marienburg. I have many experts in my court—experts who specialize in restoring order. I propose the establishment of a Marienburg Purge Committee, and I will send my experts here to help maintain order."
"Your Majesty, we do not need assistance," Schultz protested, realizing where this was going. "We can handle our own security."
"Oh, you can? Then how did this happen?" Karl Franz cut him off, his smile unwavering. "Incidents like this don't happen just once. No, they happen again and again—until they're a daily occurrence. Is that what you want, Grand Duke Schultz? A city that's constantly under threat? You don't need my help?"
Karl Franz's voice grew colder, his figure casting a long shadow over the parliament building as sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows behind him. His smile was sharp, and his words were a veiled threat.
In the face of this silence, no one dared challenge him. The merchants and council members exchanged nervous glances but said nothing. The emperor was threatening them openly. Even if Marienburg had no real security issue, Karl Franz could create one.
If Marienburg's value diminished due to chaos, what then?
"Very well," Karl Franz declared. "Since no one objects, I hereby establish the Marienburg Purge Committee. I will appoint experts, including Witch Hunters and security consultants, to ensure that order is maintained here. Please cooperate fully."
With that, the emperor turned and left the parliament chamber without a backward glance. "Let's go. I want to inspect the Jutone Trading Company and see what other contraband we've missed."
Some council members began to rise, wanting to stop the emperor, but they were quickly held back. Karl Franz was the Emperor of the Empire. This was Imperial territory—who could stop him from moving freely?
And if they tried, security would once again become an issue, providing Karl Franz with an excuse to bring in his forces.
"A complete defeat," Ryan murmured, watching the dejected faces of the Marienburg council. "Karl Franz played his hand well. Marienburg has no room left to fight."
"Ryan, what do we do now? The emperor clearly intends to use this Purge Committee to gradually tighten his control over Marienburg," Surya whispered. "That goes against our interests. If he succeeds…"
"Marienburg can no longer push back against the emperor. Just as he led them to believe, the issue is purely one of security, not a conspiracy to assassinate the emperor. Now that they've admitted it's a security problem, they can't refuse his help," Ryan nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. His expression was a mix of admiration and concern.
Karl, you're impressive. You've taken this single incident and stretched it to its limit, leaving Marienburg utterly defeated.
But for the sake of Bretonnia's interests, Ryan couldn't let the emperor establish his Purge Committee.
This time, I'll have to side with Marienburg.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]