Game's Opportunity Becomes Reality Episode 146
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Game's Opportunity Becomes Reality Episode 146
36. The Prelude (1)
Three months until war, huh.
This isn't the scenario King Mikhail and I had hoped for.
'Well, it's not like I didn't see it coming at all though.'
The real question here is what their intentions are in starting this war and from Chester's mention that they're preparing a major conflict, it's clearly not the usual border skirmish level.
Looks like we teased them a bit too much.
After being on the receiving end for months, they must have had enough.
"It's not a full-scale war, right?"
"Judging by the fact that they're not approaching the Kingdom of Rhinehearts' allies, it doesn't seem so. I'd say their intent is limited to seizing some territory or trimming back our growing national strength."
For the Croysen Empire to swallow the Kingdom of Rhinehearts, it would need the tacit approval of neighboring nations.
No matter how powerful the Croysen Empire is, it can't face multiple nations, Rhinehearts included, all at once.
The Jordy Kingdom in particular, which shares a large stretch of its border with the Croysen Empire like our kingdom does, would never sit by and watch.
"Good. That mindset. Still thoroughly believing they hold the upper hand."
Our kingdom's current military strength is about 60% of the Croysen Empire's.
And even that was pulled up sharply over these past two months with a gap that large, anyone would grow arrogant.
But I had no intention of losing to the likes of the Croysen Empire.
Their arrogance would eat them alive.
"Looks like I'll be using the administrator authority of the Hollywood System soon."
When I said that with a smile, Chester shook his head.
"I knew he wasn't the type to be swayed by persuasion, but I never imagined my request would be dismissed this quickly."
At Chester's baffled reaction, I shrugged.
"If you use the system to attack others like this, trust in Hollywood will drop."
"Even if trust drops, there's no alternative to replace the Hollywood System, so it's fine. Besides, only certain factions and certain individuals will face problems."
"You really don't let a single word slide, do you."
"Haha, I suppose I've grown a bit stubborn."
Even though his opinion had been overruled, Chester didn't seem particularly upset.
If anything, he looked satisfied.
* * *
Imperial Crown Prince of the Croysen Empire, 'Andre de Croisen,' had been in low spirits day after day lately.
"What do you think should be done with a dog that bites its master?"
Prince Andre, staring intently at a woman singing on a stage prepared solely for him, asked his aide standing behind him.
In response, Count Petrit, the Crown Prince's closest confidant and the Knight Captain of the Second Royal Guard, answered simply.
"It should be put down."
"Right? I think the same."
"The dog biting its master you mean the Kingdom of Rhinehearts, correct?"
"Who else could it be? They were the ones who waited on our people hand and foot."
The Calvados Empire, said to have been destroyed by a dragon, is a nation shrouded in many secrets.
Its civilization was so thoroughly annihilated that few records remain for posterity, to the point where its existence is confirmed only through foreign sources.
Yet nowhere in those records is there any evidence that the Rhinehearts people served the Croisen people during the Calvados Empire era but the Empire, prone to interpreting history as it pleases, treats one professor's claim as fact.
'One cannot deny that the Croisen people, the most populous in the Calvados Empire, were the mainstream of society. Therefore, the Rhinehearts people must have been second-class citizens clinging to the Croisen people for survival.'
That's the logic.
Of course, that claim, lacking evidence, is not accepted abroad but the Croysen Empire places particular importance on it.
After all, it was a claim perfectly suited to expressing their superiority.
"That's why His Majesty the Emperor is preparing for war."
"So we just sit and watch until that preparation is done? I have no intention of doing that."
"Do you intend to do something on your own?"
At Count Petrit's question, Prince Andre curled the corners of his mouth upward.
"Haven't those bastards scratched our Empire's pride plenty? If they come at us with an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, I have no choice but to use the same methods."
At the Crown Prince's rather dangerous-looking demeanor, Count Petrit furrowed his brow for a moment, but soon composed his expression.
"May I ask what your plan is?"
As Count Petrit cautiously showed interest, Crown Prince Andre replied as if the plan was not all that complicated.
"The Rhinehearts lot growing so cocky is deeply tied to one person's rise to prominence."
Count Petrit had no trouble figuring out who that one person was.
"You mean Duke Lawrence?"
"Yes, that young brat called the new star of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts."
It was fairly well known that Crown Prince Andre kept a close eye on Adrian for various reasons.
But since Adrian could backfire if provoked wrongly, Count Petrit found it hard to readily go along with the Crown Prince's reaction.
His judgment was that, apart from the Kingdom of Rhinehearts, Adrian as an individual could never be taken lightly.
"Ah, I have no intention of touching him directly either, so you needn't make such a face."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it just means there are plenty of ways to get him riled up."
Leaving the words "look forward to it," the Crown Prince turned his attention back to the singer performing on stage.
Count Petrit gazed at the Crown Prince and voiced his concern.
* * *
"It's always the lacking ones who are most prideful."
In the Duke Lawrence's domain, there exists a special institution found nowhere else.
That is the educational institution named Genius Hall a place where only talents personally selected by me and Arcia may enter.
The level of education here far surpasses that of the Royal Academy, and since one's name is registered in the retainer ranks of Duke Lawrence's domain upon entry, it was a peculiar place where one could receive education while actually getting paid.
Currently, the number of cadets admitted to Genius Hall totals around 120, and every single one of them possesses at least one top-tier talent.
"Yes?"
As I looked around Genius Hall and unintentionally muttered to myself, Allen Lopez a first-generation cadet and current administrator of Genius Hall asked back.
I waved my hand as if it was nothing while failing to hold back a wry smile.
The reason I was reacting like this out of nowhere was….
[Cadet recruited by the Croysen Empire]
[Cadet recruited by the Croysen Empire]
[Teacher recruited by the Croysen Empire]
Because among the new cadets and new teachers of Genius Hall, there were individuals with such information displayed.
It seemed the Croysen Empire had no intention of staying quiet until their war preparations were complete either.
Normally it would be hard to notice, but with Blue Moon and the Myriad Mirror, it was a trick that didn't work on me.
"Lord Lopez."
"Yes, my lord."
"Gather all cadets, teachers, and administrators."
"Understood."
Even though I had suddenly barged into Genius Hall and ordered everyone assembled, Lopez carried out my orders without any complaint.
Thus, the Genius Hall personnel quickly gathered in one place, and I found seven spies among them.
"Huh? Hey!"
"What is this?"
"L-Lord!"
I lifted them into the air and handed them over like bundles of luggage to Gregory, who had been silently standing in my shadow, and pointing at those who looked bewildered, I warned the cadets, teachers, and personnel.
"These are people who were recruited by the Croysen Empire to cause harm to our Genius Hall. Since they'd all be caught anyway, make sure none of you fall for any strange temptations."
"Gulp..."
Everyone swallowed air.
Both those recruited by the Empire and the regular cadets.
"Remember that your job is to hone your own abilities. That way, without resorting to the extreme choice of betrayal, you can win honor through your own skill. Understood?"
"Yes, we will keep that in mind."
In response to my question, Lopez answered with a deeply solemn expression, as if leading a chorus, and everyone followed suit.
Having thus blocked the Croysen Empire's futile scheming in advance, I returned to the main palace of the Lord's estate, wiping the smile from my face.
"What should we do with the recruited ones?"
"There's no law saying one who has betrayed once won't betray twice. I've lost any intention of using them, so you handle them as you see fit. Brainwash them into Blue Moon members, or kill them."
"Understood."
It wasn't hard to guess what role the recruited ones were meant to play.
It was to provoke me by causing massive damage to the Genius Hall.
And that damage was very likely to come in the form of loss of life.
"Have you identified the informants who approached them?"
"Yes, we confirmed their base on Eltus Street."
"Good. As expected of Blue Moon."
My strides were steady and unhurried as I moved forward.
'Sorry, but quietly taking it lying down isn't my style.'
* * *
"What? Exposed in just half a day and all eliminated?"
"I apologize."
At the Intelligence Chief's report, both Imperial Crown Prince Andre and his close aide, Count Petrit, doubted their own ears.
The target they had aimed for was not someone like the King or Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts.
Nor were they high-value figures like Duke Lawrence and his direct family or principal retainers.
They had only tasked the elimination of students whom Duke Lawrence cherished, yet not only did it fail miserably, they were all wiped out.
This meant a complete defeat in the intelligence war, so Imperial Crown Prince Andre could not help but doubt the Empire's intelligence capabilities.
"So what is Duke Lawrence's response?"
At the Crown Prince's question, the Intelligence Chief wiped cold sweat and answered.
"There has been no particular movement yet."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, we have verified again and again."
Having lost trust in the intelligence department, the Crown Prince shot him a suspicious look.
At that, Count Petrit, who had been listening silently, interjected.
"Your Highness, it would be best to stay at the Imperial Palace rather than the Mage Tower for a while and keep yourself safe."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Given the disposition Duke Lawrence has shown so far, there is no telling what he might do. When dealing with someone whose actions are hard to predict, one must be extremely cautious."
Already in a bad mood, the Crown Prince could only feel displeased at Count Petrit telling him to keep himself safe.
"So you're telling me, the Imperial Crown Prince of the great Croysen Empire, to hide from a mere noble of a kingdom?"
The place where the Crown Prince was currently staying was the Imperial Mage Tower, which he was in charge of.
Since the Emperor was in the Imperial Palace, playing king was difficult there, but within the Mage Tower, the Crown Prince was practically king.
So it was understandable why he liked this place, but no matter how strong the Imperial Mage Tower's defenses were, they could not compare to the Imperial Palace.
It was out of loyalty that he had begged him to be careful, yet his words were being twisted.
The Count was left speechless.
"Count Petrit seems to be overestimating the Kingdom of Rhinehearts and Duke Lawrence."
"That is…"
"No matter how well they fight, in the end they're at the level of orcs, whereas we're practically ogres. The weight class difference is immense. Have you ever seen an ogre afraid of an orc?"
As he said this, Andre's eyes were filled with coldness.
Count Petrit could not understand the Crown Prince.
As he said, the Croysen Empire was a great nation.
Yet the Imperial Crown Prince of that great nation was showing an inferiority complex toward a kingdom's noble.
If he had not insisted on wounding Duke Lawrence's pride in the first place, this advice would never have needed to be spoken.
"Forgive my impertinence."
Count Petrit had no choice but to end the conversation with an apology.
If he provoked him any further, even as a close aide, he would not be safe.
As Count Petrit bowed his head and withdrew his opinion, the Crown Prince let out a small sigh and personally poured wine into his glass.
This was a sign of forgiveness.
"With this, it's become clear."
"What do you mean?"
"That in this war, Duke Lawrence must be killed without fail."
Count Petrit nodded in agreement.
Though his political faction was small, Duke Lawrence's presence in the Kingdom of Rhinehearts was immense.
[Sorry to say this.]
But that was when it happened.
A strangely familiar voice suddenly came from thin air.
[But I have no intention of dying quietly.]
"W-what?"
The Crown Prince narrowed his brow and turned his head, and soon saw a black eagle perched on the railing beyond the balcony window.
"An eagle?"
The Crown Prince tilted his head at the black eagle.
"Your Highness!"
But unlike the Crown Prince, who had not grasped the situation, Count Petrit, an Aura Master, hurriedly lunged over in shock.
And the Crown Prince came to realize that Count Petrit's suggestion to stay at the Imperial Palace and keep himself safe had been a plea born of true loyalty.
One made in exchange for his very life.
-Crack!
Count Petrit, having lunged, shoved the Crown Prince out of the way, and at the same moment, a flash of light shattered the Count's head.