CH 154

Havre's strategy

***---***

After spending a satisfying time with the Chairman, Manon, and Beatriche, I returned to the boarding house and put Meisa-chan to sleep, and my day off was over.

Then, should I go out ...

I headed for Havre Calvine's mansion in the royal capital of Aldaros.

The nobles of Resenburg had mansions in the royal capital in addition to their mansions in their territory.

It was also for the Lord of the nobility to stay, and when the Lord was absent, the heir to the family estate and the head of the family stayed to negotiate with the royal family.

The amount of tax paid to the country, the cost of maintenance of roads and bridges, the burden of personnel, from everyday problems to emergency problems, such as the allocation of soldiers in an emergency, maintaining ties with the royal family, it seemed to be used as a base for information gathering in the royal capital.

The size of the mansion in the royal capital, that is, showing the power relationship of the nobility, the mansion of the Calvine Family, which had been responsible for most of Resenburg's metal resources for many years, had a large site and a gorgeous building.

According to Basten, the Calvine mansion had many visitors yesterday and today.

"After all, the important news that the Second and Third Princes had died together, the people who remained in the royal capital seemed to be quite shaken, and messengers came from the seven families of the former Second Prince faction, and more than ten families of the first-generation nobles.

Along with Count Gleisner, Havre Calvine had played a central role in the Second Prince faction.

For that reason alone, they seemed to be trying to ascertain what kind of actions Havre, who had the most influence, would take when Count Gleisner was not in the royal capital.

Basically, it seemed that the housekeeper dealt with the first-generation aristocrats, but it seemed that Havre himself met with the Lords and sons of the aristocrats.

"So, what is Havre going to do?"

[ For the aristocrats who asked for a meeting, he gave a safe answer that they should work together to settle the situation while making a sorrowful look. ]

"But that's not what he means, is it?"

[ Yes, yesterday, when he heard about the news about the fast horse arriving at the royal family, he was devastated. ]

When I saw the footage that Basten secretly filmed, he became so enraged that the spy who came to convey the information trembled, he smashed the expensive pots that were placed in the room, hurled abuse at the Second Prince and Ryzas, who was dispatched to his entourage.

"Basten, who is this man in the video with Havre?"

[ That man is Havre's right-hand man called Nestor, and seems to be from Barshania. ]

Nestor had long, bright green hair tied up at the nape of his neck and a clean-shaven beard.

Even though Havre bared his emotions and yelled at him, he didn't so much as move his eyebrows, and had a calm expression, giving him the impression of being cold-hearted.

He didn't say a word until Havre's anger subsided, and when he regained his composure, he called a maid and instructed her to clean up the room.

And he closed his eyes as if he was meditating, even as he sat across from Havre, who hunched over the sofa.

"Will Barshania move?"

When Havre called out, he finally opened his eyes and gave his answer.

"The probability is 50/50, but they probably won't move ..."

"Why do you think so?"

"Emperor Constant of Barshania looks rough at first glance, but he actually has a meticulous personality, and he judges the situation well before moving."

"Then, do you think they have the information that will serve as the criteria for that judgment?"

"Of course he does. It's no exaggeration to say that the fate of a country depends on it."

As a matter of fact, as I had already informed him that, as this man named Nestor said, for Constant, it wouldn't be funny if he neglected reconnaissance.

In other words, Barshania wouldn't have come to attack even if I didn't plan for it.

Then, there was no need to be forced to marry Seraphima, right.

When I unintentionally held my head and fainted in agony, perhaps my state of mind was leaking, Reinhardt and Basten were chuckling softly.

"Hey, it's not a laughing matter."

[ Kent-sama, continue ... ]

"I understand. Even so, it's a beautiful shot, but where were you taking it from?"

[ This was taken from the shadow of a picture frame. Beyond the wall was outdoors, and the room was on the second floor, so they didn't even suspect that someone was lurking there. ]

"I see, if it's a wall with a room next to it, there's a possibility that it's being peeped through, but they would doubt it if it's the outer wall on the second floor."

Physically, there's no space for people to hide, but it didn't matter for us who were hiding in the shadow space.

At Basten's urging, I continued playing the hidden footage that had been paused.

"Is there nothing to be rewarded with for putting in so much effort?"

"There's no way that's so. Princes Bernst and Christoph have already left for the other world, haven't they."

"Fuun, are you saying we should send Alphonse and Diethelm with them."

"If that's the case, wouldn't it be fine to send them back? The two of them, who weren't physically strong to begin with, fell ill after hearing the tragic news ... I can't say for certain that such a thing wouldn't happen."

"Fuun, are you saying that you want to bother me again?"

"No, there's nothing for me to bother Havre-sama with. However, there is a possibility that some young person will misunderstand Havre-sama's intentions and go out of control."

"Calculating guy ..."

Havre ordered the attendant to prepare drinks, and sat in silence in thought while it was readied.

A large jug of liquor, which was brought along with several dishes, was poured down his throat, and after letting out a sigh that sounded like a groan, Havre murmured to no one.

"Fuun ... It's not as I expected, but it's not bad ..."

Nestor didn't respond to Havre's muttering, but followed the recommendation of his gaze and drank a mug of liquor.

Havre seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, ignoring Nestor as he ate food and poured alcohol into his stomach.

Nestor also didn't say any extra words, and other than the occasional drink, he closed his eyes and seemed to be gathering his thoughts.

When the food on the table was reduced to about half, Havre finally started talking to Nestor.

"If the First Prince's faction and the Second Prince's faction were crushing each other, it would have resulted in the loss of soldiers on both sides. Considering the loss of national power, isn't this situation rather welcomed?"

"The situation that has happened should rather be dealt with as a situation that should be celebrated. It's not like you can go back in time just by lamenting."

"Fuun, that's certain true. The two Stupid Princes have been dealt with. The remaining two ... Well, it will work out somehow. The problem is that the old men who control the factions are still alive."

"That's right. In particular, Dravis, Langhain, and Saruel, who belong to the First Prince's faction, will become a hindrance to Havre-sama's supremacy."

Hearing Nestor's words, Havre relaxed his expression for a moment, then rested his chin on his hands and made a dissatisfied expression.

"Even the marriage with Camilla, with Barshania as a backing, it would be easy to push her down with force, but in the current situation, the trick is to postpone it by giving a reason such as mourning."

"Don't think about it too hard, how about just forcing it?"

"Hmm, that restive horse, is it?"(TN:He's referring to Camilla here, calling her a tomboy/restive horse.)

"Skillfully managing an unruly horse is also a quality of a King."

If you think about trying to force Camilla into something like that, the force that lifted Funayama with just her right hand and threw him away, would crush you.

However, Havre also had a rugged body, and if he could use physical enhancement, it wouldn't be strange for Camilla to be overwhelmed.

"Fuun, I don't mind making a strong-minded woman submit. Even more so, if the country comes rolling into my hands, there's nothing to say ... But, it's not yet the turning point."

"Then, you should fix the surroundings first."

"This news has arrived, that guy will show up even if I don't call him."

After that, the two of them just talked about trivial matters, and when the jug of liquor was exhausted, Nestor withdrew.

"Hey, Basten, who is 'that guy'?"

[ That is, recorded in the next video. ]

After the Havre and Nestor video ended, another video shot in another room followed.

Unlike the previous room, Havre was sitting alone in a study-like room.

Before long, there was a knock on the door, and a voice called out from outside.

"Havre-sama, I have guided him."

Havre stood up, opened the door himself, silently invited the guest in, and ordered the guide to keep an eye on the corridor.

The guest was wearing a robe that looked like a wizard would wear, and the hood was pulled down.

"Now, please ..."

Urged by Havre, the one who finally took off his hood was a nervous-looking elderly man.

Even after removing the hood, he restlessly looked around the room.

"This is my study in the innermost part of this mansion. The walls are also thick, so our voices won't leak outside."

"What does this mean, Havre. Isn't the story different?"

"I'm confused about that as well."

"Not only is Alphonse alive, but none of the leaders of either faction are dead. What are you going to do?"

"Whatever I do, I just heard the news today, so I can't do anything right away."

"But, at this rate ..."

"Well, there's nothing to talk about while standing. Please have a seat."

The robed man seemed to have forgotten even to sit on a chair.

"Basten, who is this robed man?"

[ He is Florence Thalberg, Prime Minister of Resenburg. ]

"This guy is ..."

He was the one responsible for crushing Camilla's requests for help and the personal letters from Barshania.

"Does that mean the Prime Minister was in league with Havre?"

[ I think you'll understand if you watch the continuation ... ]

Prime Minister Florence literally held his head while Havre was preparing tea.

On the other hand, Havre seemed calm, probably because he had finished thinking about future developments during his meeting with Nestor.

"Please ..."

"Umu ..."

Florence seemed to have finally regained his composure after taking a few sips of tea.

"So ... What are you going to do, Havre."

"I would like you to proceed with the marriage proposal with Camilla-sama."

"Wait ... Don't be stupid. Even if the two Princes are dead. Second Queen Terencia is in a state of frenzy, and the royal castle is in an uproar. There's no way we can proceed with a marriage proposal in this situation."

"It's not like it's just the two of them who will die."

"What's that ... Are you going to kill Alphonse-sama or Diethelm-sama."

Florence put down the cup with enough force to make the tea spill, but Havre didn't even change his complexion.

"That was my intention from the beginning, and you agreed, didn't you."

"Don't be stupid, if it's in the middle of a civil war ... that's what I agreed to. If another Prince dies in the current situation, there will definitely be suspicions."

"No matter how much suspicion is raised, as long as there is no evidence that we did something, suspicion will remain suspicion."

"However, under such circumstances, if we proceed with the marriage proposal with Camilla-sama, the heavyweights will not remain silent."

"We just need to get an unofficial announcement from the King before making a fuss."

"However, the King, without trouble ..."

"Won't the Prime Minister's ingenuity do something about that."

"It's easy to say it like that, but ..."

Havre erased the smirk that had been plastered on his face, and he called out in a low threatening tone.

"Prime Minister."

"Wh, what ..."

In response to Havre's stern expression as if he were pressuring his subordinates, Florence put up a brave front as much as possible, but he was trembling little by little just by being stared at.

"We are in talks to take over the whole country of Resenburg. Don't think you can win such a big prize without taking any risks."

"B, bastard, are you trying to give me orders?"

"Prime Minister ... Think about it carefully. If it were Alphonse-sama and Bernst-sama, they would have balanced each other out. But, do you think it's possible to balance Alphonse-sama and Camilla-sama?"

"That is ..."

"I don't know about the factions, but the first-generation nobles will join Camilla-sama's camp like an avalanche."

The high-performance camera even captured the drops of sweat running down Florence's cheeks.

"If Camilla-sama takes control, what will happen to those who have been crushing the relief requests so far?"

"B, bastard, y, you're going to threaten me ..."

"Am I threatening you? I'm just reminding you of the future that awaits you. Or do you see a different future, Prime Minister?"

Florence shook his head slightly, remaining silent.

Even if Camilla didn't take control, if Alphonse became the heir to the throne, it was obvious that Torvil, who was his own right-hand man, would be the Prime Minister.

Florence was much closer to destruction than Havre.

"I, if you take control, you promise I'll be the Prime Minister, right?"

"If I can't become the next King, you'll be on the scaffold instead of being the Prime Minister."

"Understood ... I will present the marriage proposal to the King."

"That's fine then."

"But, that Knig, I don't think it will go smoothly."

"That's where the Prime Minister's skills can be shown. Don't forget that your own future is at stake ..."

After frowning and making a face as if he had swallowed a bitter bug, Florence said clearly.

"Havre ... Get rid of the rest of the Princes."

"I understand. Prime Minister, don't get distracted ..."

"Who do you think you're talking to. How many years do you think I've been in control of the royal palace."

"I apologize for that. I'll be waiting for the good news."

After leaving his seat, Florence pulled the hood of his robe back on and slipped through the door opened by Havre, disappearing.

"Escort him to the mansion. Don't get found by other families."

After ordering his underlings to guard Florence, Havre returned to the study and sat down.

"Fuun, you troublesome old man ... If you don't work, I'll erase you too ..."

Havre left the cold tea untouched, took a bottle from the cupboard, poured it into a small glass, and drank it all at once.

Havre was alone in his thoughts, but after he finished another glass of liquor, he stood up and left the study, where the video ended.

"To prevent Diethelm from being poisoned, tell Camilla to have meals prepared and have someone from the Kobold Corps deliver it. As for Alphonse, we have no obligation to protect him, so just deliver a warning letter."

[ Kent-sama, what will you do with these videos? ]

"I also copied them to the tablet, and I will inform Camilla and Count Gleisner later."

According to Basten, Havre decided to stop going to Lastock and stayed in the royal capital.

It seemed that there was a space near the royal capital where each nobleman could summon soldiers in case of emergency, and Havre's soldiers would also stay there.

Reinhardt was worried about such a situation.

[ Kent-sama, there are Royal Guard Knights in the royal castle as well, but this situation is like Havre pointing a blade at the royal castle's throat. ]

"But, no matter whether they're noble soldiers, they can't enter the castle without permission, right?"

[ Of course, that's the way it should be, but if the Prime Minister were to guide them, it would not be impossible to imagine a situation where he could easily send in soldiers and take down the castle. ]

"Even if Havre rebelled and took over the castle, would he be able to protect it with only his own soldiers?"

[ It depends on the number of hands, but if you close the gate and barricade it, you won't be able to attack easily. ]

Just as Reinhardt said, the royal castle incorporated even the streets of Aldaros into its defense, making it difficult for a large army to attack from the outside, and the solid construction made it easy to defend from the inside with a small number of soldiers.

"But, even if the castle is besieged, if reinforcements don't come, they have no choice but to surrender it, right?"

[ Well, that's true, but when it comes to a rebellion that takes down the royal castle, there is no guarantee that there won't be people who want to fight together. Those who are dissatisfied with the current territories, tax rates, and treatment from the royal family may even consider joining Havre to make a difference. ]

"I see ... But, we have no obligation to protect the royal castle, and even if that happens, we can come and go as we please, so why don't we think about it later? Wouldn't it be good if we wiped out Havre's group, who were barricading themselves after rebelling?"

[ Buhahaha, I see, that's certainly true. We're going to take down the royal castle ... That's good. Buhahaha ... ]

Just as I was thinking of asking Basten to continue monitoring Havre and returning to Volzard, Fred appeared with a report.

[ Kent-sama, a horse has arrived at the First Prince's faction ... There is a conflict over future movements ... ]

"When it comes to future movements of the First Prince's faction ... Is it about advancing or returning?"

[ Yes, many want to go back to prepare for Barshania ... Some are planning to break up the Second Prince faction at this time and expand their territory ... ]

Among the First Prince's faction, there were some nobles who had been severely affected by desertification, and it seemed that such people were plotting to win this decisive battle to acquire fertile territory.

In other words, it was like being told that the bet was canceled as soon as you hit the big gamble to get rich quick.

[ It costs money to deploy troops ... They can't go home empty-handed ... ]

"But, they were originally dispatched as a preparation for the maximum outbreak. Where did the story of expanding their territories come from?"

[ Perhaps Torvil kindled it ... Or else the impoverished nobles wouldn't move ... ]

"I see, so they're hanging a carrot called fertile land and having them participate in the war."

[ That's right ... The guys who didn't get it right are blaming Torvil ... ]

"But now, if you unilaterally attack an opponent who has no intention of fighting, it's just an act of aggression, right?"

[ If they take advantage of the confusion ... It seems that they think they can do something ... ]

"What about the three heavyweight families?"

[ Duke Dravis, Count Langhain insist on returning to the territory ... Count Saruel insists on marching ... ]

"Count Saruel ..."

[ Tapping his foot ... ]

"Ah, that short-tempered person?"

When the First Prince's faction left Lauf, I remembered the stout and petite nobleman who had been tapping his feet the whole time.

[ Apparently, the investment seemed to have failed ... ]

"Ah, I see ... It means that he is in a lot of financial trouble."

[ If he ends up empty-handed ... It seems like most of his territory will be seized by the first-generation nobles ... ]

"How long will the discussion last?"

[ Until tomorrow or the day after tomorrow ... ]

"Even if they march, it will take days to advance to Lastock. For the time being, wait until the conclusion comes out, and let me know if they're going to march."

[ Roger ... ]

I thought that if Bernst and Christoph were gone, there would be no worries about civil war, but it seemed that complete peace would not come unless the nobles' speculations were resolved.

"Ahh ... After all, it's trouble some to be a noble or royalty."

[ Buhahaha, it would be easy if everyone followed Kent-sama. ]

"No, no, I'll finish this kind of trouble quickly, and I'll live my life leisurely."

[ However, Kent-sama, once this mess is sorted out, you will have to welcome the Princess of Barshania. ]

"Uu, that's right ... Ah, I have to prepare my house, so when will I be able to relax?"

[ Buhahaha, you will have four or five wives, so you have to take care of your troubles. ]

Once the trouble was over, the situation was likely to continue.

Or rather, I hadn't even finished greeting the chairman's parents ... Ah, I feel heavy ...