Krandel is the first to break the thoughtful silence, looking around with a smirk.
"Well, I think that's an adequately competent plan. So, that just leaves deciding which three of us will wait in the throne room on the appointed day. Clearly, the Admiral will be left out, since we need the General's spell, but which of us Dukes will be sitting out? I volunteer myself, of course." (Krandel)
Rey waves dismissively.
"Works for me – there's no way I'm going to risk the elf dying before I see her." (Rey)
Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Tenzin looks to Torin expectantly. Seeing his gaze, Torin nods calmly.
"I wish to see our enemy with my own eyes, so this also suits me." (Torin)
He sighs internally, inexplicably annoyed by the arrangement. Despite the rare agreement between the Dukes, Krandel getting his way bothers him. Plus, if something actually did happen, the current plan would leave Krandel as the only surviving Duke in the entire Empire...a nightmarish outcome, he's sure. However, he knows that Nemo would have the support of the military if needed, so Krandel couldn't act unchecked.
Eventually, he nods reluctantly at everyone.
"Then, it seems the matter of our late Emperor's justice is addressed for the moment. Shall we continue discussing line of succession?" (General Tenzin)
It's not his first choice – there are other matters that he feels are more pressing, and it's not like the Emperor handled most of the Empire's real management in the first place. Unfortunately, he's well aware that the power vacuum will remain a source of conflict until it's filled, so he's resigned himself to just trying to do so quickly and peacefully.
He sees the familiar embers of greed flash in Krandel's eyes, but before he can speak, Torin interrupts.
"A moment, General...what of Elmesia? This party calls it home, and misguided though it may have been, Krandel did promise retaliation if they didn't comply with our demands. Should we not make an example of the city and reclaim it, lest others start to take us lightly?" (Torin)
Krandel perks up at the comment.
"Oh right...Torin has a point. I put my good name on that letter, and I won't have some lowly ragtag outcasts thinking they can fail me without consequences." (Krandel)
Rey smirks.
"Wow, Candle...I didn't know you cared about their opinions so much. Seems like a lot of hassle for a place that's just trees, monster shit, and unwashed adventurers." (Rey)
While Krandel gives Rey a murderous glare, Nemo scoffs, his voice exasperated.
"You two are out of your minds to treat war so lightly. We're already in turmoil, and there's little that conquering Elmesia has to offer us. More importantly, the S-rank party explicitly threatened retaliation if we attempt it, and whether you all like it or not, they can probably fell cities. At bare minimum, we shouldn't even be discussing this until they are dead or captured." (Admiral Nemo)
As the others proceed to debate the issue, seemingly split, Tenzin is busy pondering the matter himself. He doesn't think Elmesia holds any blame for Belmod's death, and he's not even particularly upset about Belmod dying. In the short time he'd worked for the young Emperor, he came to know his character well enough – reckless, greedy, short-sighted, and arrogant. He has no doubt that Belmod earned the gruesome death that befell him.
On the other hand, he does care about the Empire, about furthering its glory and protecting its interests. Not only did this party murder their Emperor and stain their revered palace with blood, but they had the audacity to leave an ultimatum. To threaten them and demand that they release all their slaves and end the practice entirely. That's not a transgression he can let go unpunished.
Yet, the threat of the party is not to be taken lightly. So, where does that leave him? Well...
In truth, he considers himself a man of ambition that those in this room could never understand. The nobles were born with everything of value that they have, and despite being a commoner, Nemo was raised as the relatively wealthy grandson of a former Admiral.
But him? He grew up in the slums of Rodsgard, and after his mom died young and his dad abandoned him, he spent his childhood fighting tooth and nail for every next meal, every safe place to sleep. Each day was a gamble, where his own survival hinged on his ability to gauge what and from who he could steal and not get killed for it – a desperate balancing act of physical needs and threat avoidance.
Yet, those rotting streets taught him many lessons. That existing, much less thriving, is not a right. That if don't behave like a predator, you'll be treated like prey. That everyone has a threshold to betray you, their principles, and whatever else they may hold dear. Above all, that it is only a matter of time before you are taken from, and the only way to thrive is to take more than you lose. So, one can never be satisfied with what they have, never afford to stop clawing with all their might for everything and anything they can get their hands on in this world.
That's why, when he was thirteen, he lied about his age so he could enroll in the military two years early. It was the best decision he's ever made.
He had no talents or skills to speak of, the early training regimen nearly broke his young, malnourished body, and the young men of the army weren't without their violent tendencies, but...salvation was all he could see it as. Three warm meals per day, clean, comfortable clothes, and an actual bed to sleep in, and the army bullies' cruelty was so tame by comparison to the slum rats' that he felt more amusement than fear.
The Empire's army, even more so than its society, is a cruel place where strength and results are all that determine your value, and those without it are discarded. But if one can look past that, they might appreciate how harshly meritocratic it is, as he did. Expectations were unapologetically clear, and only those that met them were treated well...end of story.
He was weaker than the others, he had no prior weapon training, and after determining that he was a dark class mage upon enlistment, the army refused to facilitate the arduous process of determining his niche affinities until he proved himself useful. But despite being below average in pretty much every other regard, his cunning and tenacity absolutely eclipsed that of his peers.
So, he threw every fiber of his being into training. He slept less and trained more. When others were resting their bodies, he was honing his mind, learning to read and write. Every waking second of every day, he was relentless in his self-improvement, until he was better, until he was worthy. Until...the army saw the value in determining his affinities.
And once he discovered Battle Prediction, his potential soared. He always knew the best allies to pick, the minimum arrangement of troops for victory, but also, when an honorable battle would only earn him defeat, and when fighting at all was futile. Combined with his insatiable drive, it pushed him up the ranks, right to the pinnacle.
Even now, decades later, that ambition burns within him, but there's no greater pinnacle to aspire to, no further assets to secure for himself. At least, not within the army. That's how he's found his eyes fixed on the throne of the Empire...to start. After that? There's an entire world ripe for the taking.
So, if one were to ask whether he plans to leave Elmesia be, the answer is...no. What does it matter that they're innocent, that they have little to offer, that a dangerous S-rank party shields them? It's no different than when he was in the slums. He wouldn't pass up so much as a meager meal, not even when it's in the possession of a bigger, meaner kid and his own belly is full. Nor would he let someone who gave him a beating go free, let them think he's prey, no matter how dangerous they are.
No, he'd be cunning – manipulate others into targeting the bigger kid for the prize he knows they're unequipped to claim, eliminating them and wearing down his main foe in the process. Then, he'd chip away at his adversary in less direct ways, until he could fell them and take what he wanted from the beginning.
Elmesia, the S-rank party...they're no different than stale bread in the hands of an overgrown street urchin. And when he considers that...
His eyes slide to Krandel, still in heated debate with the others, and a plan starts to take form in his mind.
'If I play this right, I might get rid of my biggest impediment to the throne and deal a huge blow to the S-rank party in one fell swoop.'
He clears his throat loudly, interrupting the others' arguing and drawing their attention.
"Ehem...the Admiral is right to admonish you, Krandel. Taking aggressive actions against Elmesia while the S-rank party is at play is foolish, and I strongly oppose the idea." (General Tenzin)
Most in the room, even Nemo, wear stunned expressions, taken aback by his uncharacteristically derogatory response. Then there's Krandel, whose expression twists in rage, his eyes narrowing as his voice drips with malice.
"There's nothing foolish about sending a strong message to your enemies, General. If you're so worried about the S-rank party, then we can just attack the day of these negotiations. That ensures the party can neither interfere nor retaliate before we capture them." (Krandel)
Tenzin blinks, briefly stunned by the surprisingly logical rebuttal. However, he quickly gets his expression under control, realizing that Krandel saying as much himself is good for him, too. That puts the Duke halfway to where he wants him to be...all he has to do is lead him the rest of the way there.
He sighs as though disappointed, shaking his head in exasperation, and lets a hint of condescension invade his voice.
"Elmesia may be small, but that doesn't mean they are incompetent enough to miss a military force closing in on them. The surrounding Delmura Forest is rife with danger, and avoiding it means our soldiers taking a single, well-monitored path into Elmesia. Given the party's other feats, sending such an obvious force would at best tip them off before the negotiations, and at worst give them time to thwart the subjugation attempt before retaliating.
"Of course, a precise, stealth-based assault from within might escape detection. Elmesia is an adventuring city, after all, so sordid outsiders come and go as they please. Deserters, shady adventurers, mercenaries – they flock to the city in droves without anyone batting an eye, and I'm sure that's especially true now that the world's only S-rank party has made Elmesia more famous.
"However, even targeting key leadership, a small team of assassins wouldn't be enough to cripple or cow that unruly city, which I assume is your goal. If anything, it'd just put Elmesia on even higher alert and impede future subjugation. I won't risk our soldiers' or assassins' lives for such a misguided effort, and since we have no Emperor yet, that authority rests solely with me." (General Tenzin)
As he'd hoped, his uncharacteristically sharp reminder of his authority causes tension to flood the very air in the room. It's no mystery why, though.
Though all five of them in this room are equal in theory, his near-unilateral control over the military is not lost on anyone. If he ordered it, the army would obey in forcibly installing him as Emperor, and none of them could stop him. Not even Nemo and his naval force are equipped to do so.
His soldiers' loyalty to him is only eclipsed by that to their Emperor, and perhaps in lieu of that, whomever sits upon an obvious line of succession. However, no clear heir is left for Belmod – his ascension was too recent, his death too sudden, and his nearest relative is so distant as to be inconsequential.
That is why, even if it's an unspoken one, it remains a fact that he is the most powerful man in the Empire right now. The Throne is one merciless command short of his grasp, and everyone knows it.
Alas, he is neither so short-sighted nor so cold-hearted to grasp such an opportunity. An Emperor sitting on a throne of blood is likely to drown in it, and despite his secretly ruthless nature, he has a soft spot for the military that lifted him from weakness and destitution, and for the resolved, diligent men under his command. He has far more respect for them than these pampered nobles, and he won't order them to paint their homes red for his ambitions alone.
Torin is the first to break the silence, his voice surprisingly amiable.
"You are, of course, correct General. Perhaps that authority is unwelcome to others here, but House Ironwill does not tolerate sedition in any form. As always, I appreciate your long service to the Empire, and I will accept the wisdom of your decision in this matter." (Torin)
He raises his eyebrows at Torin, not because the response is unexpected, but rather because he finds the man's personality bewildering no matter how many times he interacts with the Dukes. Torin's family has long-standing ties to the military, and the fanaticism with which the Ironwills drill 'knightly' ideals into their children is almost comical. The result is, well...this kind of nonsense.
Still, he finds the man far more agreeable than any other noble he's ever met. Romanticizations and stubbornness aside, he can't deny that Torin has conviction. Unlike the other Dukes, the entire Ironwill family, Torin included, would rather fight to extinction than budge an inch on their ideals. In essence, the man is not a sniveling, ignorant coward. That's something he respects, and he's not alone. Much of the Empire would readily accept an Ironwill as their next Emperor.
'Unfortunately, he's as naive as he is admirable...he'd be dead within a week of taking the throne, likely by the hand of someone whose words of loyalty he took at face value.'
His gaze drifts to Krandel, who is glowering at Torin, clearly having similar thoughts. Before they can be voiced, though, Rey interjects, his voice teasing.
"Well, that's that for the Elmesia talk. Now you can kindly blow yourself out, Candle." (Rey)
Krandel turns towards Rey with a murderous expression, and Tenzin watches the entire thing in silent satisfaction. If he understands Krandel, which he's sure he does, the man's unique blend of cunning, entitlement, and recklessness will have pushed him right to the precipice of where Tenzin wants him to be.
'Just one more nudge...'