Opportunity from the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 55
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Opportunity from the Game Becomes Reality Chapter 55
17. Level Up Again (2)
"It really reminds me once again that bringing in Marquis Lawrence was a stroke of genius."
"You flatter me."
The Crown Prince giggled with a thoroughly delighted expression, and I gave a light shrug of my shoulders.
The more I look at him, the more he seems like someone who doesn't fit the position of Crown Prince he's that lighthearted.
Perhaps that's why it's all the harder to read his true intentions.
"Come now, flattery? This is profit we never even dreamed of. With this, the gap with the Second Prince's faction has narrowed even further."
"If it's not an imposition, could I ask about the current state of power on both sides?"
In our Kingdom of Rhinehearts, there exist 2 Dukes, 6 Marquises, 6 Margraves, and 17 Counts 31 high-ranking nobles in total.
And below them, excluding hereditary title nobles, there are 41 Viscounts and 75 Barons who hold territories.
31 high-ranking nobles, 126 Viscounts and Barons with territories.
Who could draw in more of them was the crux of this succession struggle.
The current balance of power is said to have tilted slightly in favor of the Second Prince's faction after they took me and Arcia, but the exact situation is unknown.
So I asked the Crown Prince.
"Well, if we add Marquis Lawrence and Count Klein to the Second Prince's faction, they'd have 4.5 shares, and we'd have 4.1 shares. If we had those two on our side instead, the numbers would flip."
I could confirm that the competition was fiercer than I thought, and that mine and Arcia's value was also greater than I thought.
But wait.
Something's odd about the numbers.
4.5 shares against 4.1 shares?
Not 4.5 against 5.5?
I wondered about the calculation that left out 1.4 shares, but soon I realized what it meant.
"Does the missing number refer to His Majesty the King?"
"Correct."
An indecisive king.
That's what I thought of the current king.
He could have eliminated the seeds of unrest in time, but by neglecting them, he allowed the nation's politics to become divided.
However, the faction backing the king couldn't be ignored because behind him stood House Heins Ducal, the kingdom's foremost magic noble house and the core force of mages in this age of magic.
Just as the Crown Prince's maternal family is Marquis House Aragon, and the Second Prince's maternal family is House Aenerheim Ducal, the King naturally also has his mother's family, his maternal relatives.
And that is House Heins Ducal.
The 1.5 shares represented the nobles who, including House Heins Ducal, supported only the King and declared neutrality.
"Does that mean that no matter how much we fight amongst ourselves, whichever side His Majesty lends his hand to has the advantage?"
"That's right."
If the King lends his hand to our side, there's nothing better.
But if he lends his hand to the Second Prince's faction, then no matter what schemes we hatch, it will all be for nothing.
"Still, don't worry. His Majesty will support me, the Crown Prince, or at the very least maintain neutrality."
"Because of tradition?"
"As King, that's not something he can ignore either. But aside from that, I also hold about three chance cards for emergencies."
Chance cards, huh.
I examined his condition with the Myriad Mirror.
There was no sign of lying anywhere.
Then I'll trust him.
"What I want is not a victory by a hair's breadth. It's a complete victory. A civil war only eats away at the nation's flesh, doesn't it?"
That's certainly true.
If the nation's strength becomes unstable due to civil war, the enemy nation, the Croysen Empire, might once again bare its ambitions.
"If the Marquis betrays the Second Prince at the right time, the tide will turn and great chaos will ensue. Then we'll take advantage of that chaos to bring down the Second Prince."
And on top of that, you'll shatter the hostile forces that supported the Second Prince and secure political stability as well?
Surely that's the full extent of the scenario the Crown Prince has drawn up.
"Understood."
He's certainly no ordinary person.
In the end, it all comes down to calculation.
"Well, thanks to Marquis Lawrence, things have become much easier. I'd like to give you some kind of gift what would you like?"
"Please hold off on the gift for now. Save up your points and give me one big one later."
"Haha! Is that so?"
He gave me a look asking whether that was the answer I'd hoped for when I asked about the state of power, and I immediately nodded.
"May I ask about your plans going forward?"
I answered Crown Prince Mikhail's question with a brazen look.
"Until the 'right time' Your Highness mentioned arrives, I'll be busy taking care of matters I've put off. Managing the domain is one thing, but I've also started a lot of businesses."
No matter how much politics is a bloody free-for-all of people biting and clawing at each other, an operation premised on betrayal inevitably weighs on one's mind in many ways.
That would be the heart of an ordinary person... but.
Unfortunately, I felt not a shred of guilt about betraying the Second Prince.
The reason for that is.
"When will the operation take place?"
"It still needs time. Is something the matter?"
"The Second Prince keeps pestering our Arcia, and at this rate, I might end up doing something rash."
"What?"
It was because the Second Prince's interest in Arcia had gone too far.
Not long ago, he even sent people to Arcia's domain behind my back.
But since Arcia and I are bound by soul, that trick could never work and the thoroughly humiliated Second Prince even received a formal letter of protest from me.
"Something like that happened?"
"Yes. Our Arcia is so beautiful and an Aura Master to boot, so I understand him showing interest but he acted far too recklessly. If I ever turned my back, what did he think would happen?"
"I'll apologize on his behalf as family for now. Ever since the lad became an Aura Master, his confidence has run a bit too high. He has a tendency to think there's no woman he can't win over if he tries."
Really?
What a nuisance.
He's someone I simply cannot bring myself to care for no matter what.
Acting hearty and devoted to his subordinates on the surface while coveting another man's woman isn't that attitude far too two-faced?
'No matter how loose nobles' views on romance may be, this just isn't right.'
Arcia is skilled at cutting people down like drinking tea, but she's still an innocent child with much she doesn't know.
If he keeps approaching her with such a light heart and pestering her, I might just blow his head off before the decisive battle even comes.
Even the Crown Prince, sharp as he is, seemed not to have expected this he furrowed his brow, pondered something for a moment, then came up with one solution.
"Why not just hold the wedding?"
"You mean marriage?"
"Yes. For political stability, I can't think of a better way. Besides, the two of you are already engaged."
In this situation, marriage would indeed be the best option, but...
Arcia and I are only lovers on the surface we aren't real lovers so I couldn't help but feel troubled.
She can never betray me.
No, before that she cannot disobey my orders.
If I decided, she would surely follow without any complaint.
But just because she was made for me, does that mean I can use her even for marriage?
Regardless of her own feelings?
'I don't know.'
In the past, I'd have wielded her without hesitation but now that Arcia can express emotions like a human, I couldn't bring myself to decide so easily.
"I'll have to think it over."
If Arcia had heard the Crown Prince's proposal, how would she have reacted?
She might have responded innocently, 'Will I get to eat more delicious things if we marry?'
"Let's call it a day here. Go have a talk with Count Klein. Sometimes the direct approach is the best one."
"Haha."
For the record, Arcia isn't here right now.
She was personally leading training to whip into shape the new Knights under her domain, Count Klein's territory.
The Knights of Count Klein's house who didn't take part in this Domain War knew little about their master, Arcia.
No matter how much of an Aura Master she is, with her looks that seem far removed from a sword and her small frame, she was prime target for being looked down on.
So I ordered her to show off her martial prowess in front of the Knights.
When Knights face an Aura Master's power directly, they can't help but be awestruck so once today passes, the discipline of Count Klein's Knights will be firmly set.
'Speaking of which marriage.'
I scratched my head and rose from my seat.
Then I headed to Glendale, the city of Arcia's domain.
* * *
A moment later, having arrived at the Count Klein's domain's lord's castle, I found my mouth hanging open at a sight I never could have imagined.
"What in the world happened here."
Count Arcia Klein's lord's castle uses Glendale's city hall, which belonged to the King's domain.
Even among the King's domain, Glendale's city hall building was famous for its splendor, so even if it was a bit small for a Count house's lord's castle, it didn't feel beneath their standing.
Anyway, since the lord's castles of the Viscounty of Lawrence, Marquis Lawrence's house, and Count Klein's house were all scheduled to be expanded or newly built into magical fortresses this time, this was only a temporary lord's castle to use until then.
At any rate, in the training grounds of that "Old Glendale City Hall," now the "Current Count Klein's Castle," a scene beyond common sense was unfolding.
"Lord Adrian."
Arcia, who came scurrying over upon spotting me.
The sight of her was oddly cute, but...
Behind her stretched a horrifying battlefield drenched in blood.
"A-Arcia, what is that?"
It was a metaphor, but truly, it looked like nothing other than a battlefield.
Knights lay collapsed like corpses in a crater where the ground had caved in, and more knights were draped like rags over destroyed walls and rest tents.
No one seemed dead, but it was a situation where it wouldn't be strange if someone died at any moment, you know?
"I gave them a bit of a Lesson."
"The education Arcia speaks of is it that kind of Discipline?"
"It was a spar."
Only then did I realize that the word "moderation" was missing from her handling.
Come to think of it, I recall hearing that something similar happened in the Viscounty of Lawrence too.
I let out a hollow laugh, repaired the destroyed facilities, and healed the injured with magic.
"Th-Thank you. Thanks to you, Lord Marquis, we live."
"I went to see my late father. If you hadn't helped me, Lord Marquis, I might have held my father's hand just like that. Hic!"
Thanks to that, the Knights of Count Klein's house, having come to their senses, stood in perfect formation with rigid discipline, as if measured by a ruler.
While cleaning up the aftermath, I took out a table and chairs from my subspace and set up a tea table for Arcia and she, the culprit of this mess, whether hungry from the intense exertion or not, enjoyed the refreshments comfortably.
Is it just my imagination that she looks like a joker?
No watching the terrified faces of the Knights sneaking glances at her, it doesn't seem to be just my imagination.
I let out a small chuckle and said to the Knights.
"I trust you will serve her well."
"Yes! We will give our full loyalty!"
The discipline is so rigid that it feels like a few of them might desert.
Still, the survivors will probably educate the juniors well on their own.
I dismissed the stiff Knights and sat down, adding another chair to the tea table.
"How's your domain?"
"It's good. But managing the domain doesn't seem easy with my current knowledge."
"Don't worry about that. Both our domain and yours will be entrusted to professional managers."
"Then there shouldn't be a problem. However..."
"However, what?"
"My personal handmaiden is noisy."
"Haha."
I'll set the big framework like how the domain is run and tax rates, but the fine adjustments will be left to professional administrators.
I told the Crown Prince I'd handle the work myself, but until I fully settle the Opportunity within Chronicle Online, I can't devote myself solely to domain management.
As long as I set up an audit system linked with the intelligence department, layering it two or three times deep so the administrators can't harbor any ulterior motives, there won't be a problem.
I looked at her and recalled the conversation I had with the Crown Prince.
But then.
"Lord! Lord!"
From afar, Catherine, who had become Arcia's personal handmaiden, came rushing over in a panic, causing the word "marriage" that had settled in my head to be forgotten.
Because Catherine's expression was so urgent, as if some incident had occurred.
"Hah!? Lord Marquis."
Catherine, who spotted me belatedly, swallowed a breath of air and covered her mouth.
At that, I had to tilt my head.
"What is it? Didn't you have something urgent?"
"W-Well..."
Having already become completely Arcia's person, she just rolled her eyes between the two of us, unable to easily answer my question.
"What is it?"
But she couldn't ignore a question from me, a Marquis, so with an awkward expression, she struggled to answer.
"His Highness the Second Prince has sent someone."
"Is he out of his mind?"
Before I knew it, I had committed the crime of insulting the royal family.