CH 155

“…………..ha?”

Whose distracted voice leaked out of his mouth?

He was too young. The majority of the nobles present were stunned to see the young Prime Minister.

The only people who did not change their expressions were those who had heard the story beforehand, those who had been in Raidorl’s service before he became regent.

While the nobles are frozen in place, Raidorl leads Sven to the throne and speaks warmly to him.

“Sven, your predecessor, Lord Marcell, was an excellent man. I’m sure it’s not easy to replace him with such a heavy responsibility. But……I believe that you will live up to my expectations. I’m counting on you!”

“It’s a wasteful word to me. Your Highness, Raidorl. I, Sven Arbeil, will serve His Highness Reydol with all my life!”

“O-Please wait for a moment!”

The young man,who was conversing in a cheerful manner, was disturbed by an impatient voice.

The man who stood up hurriedly was Crowley Rhodis, the man who had never doubted that he was the next Prime Minister.

“Why should such a boy be the next Prime Minister?　Isn’t there anyone else suitable?”

“Hou? What a strange thing to say.”

Raidorl looked at Rhodis coldly, his expression blatantly sceptical.

“He is the heir of the venerable Earl of Arbeil. It’s not a problem. He is a loyal servant of the Arbeil family, who fought against the Empire and never surrendered. Isn’t it only right that I repay their loyalty?””

“But that doesn’t mean that……you would make such a boy into a Prime Minister!”

“There is a first time for everything. I have no doubts about Sven’s loyalty and excellence. He is competent and trustworthy. What else do I need?”

“Well, that’s…….”

“And……Marquis Rhodis. I never said you could stand up.　I didn’t even allow you to say anything. With whose permission you obtain that you can speak to me?”

“…..!!!”

Rhodis’s face contorted greatly at the accusation of rudeness. He hurriedly kneeled down on the floor and hung his head.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude……!”

“Hm…….. Well, that’s all right. I forgive you.”

“Thank you for your …… generosity.”

Rhodis squeezes out a thank you, but his shoulders are shaking.

Is he angry that he has been accused of rudeness and humiliated in front of so many noblemen? Or is he afraid that he has displeased Raidorl?

Raidorl gazed at the top of Rhodis’s head, which was covered with a wig, for a moment, but then he quickly turned his attention to the other nobles.

“Is there anyone else who is opposed to Sven becoming Prime Minister?　I will allow you to speak and stand. If you have any objections, say them here and now. I don’t want any complaints afterwards.”

When Raidorl raised his voice, the nobles looked at each other in confusion.

Eventually, some of the……kneeling nobles rose to their feet, one by one.

“Well, I object.”

“Yes, he’s too young.”

“The Prime Minister must be a more accomplished man.”

“Yes. Marquis Rhodis is the right man to be Prime Minister!”

“Well, he’s going to succeed Lord Marcell. Who better to succeed Lord Mercell than Lord Rhodis?”

There are about ten noblemen who have shown their opposition to Raidorl. Of course, there is also Rhodis.

Half of those who stood up were those who secretly wanted the post of Prime Minister. The other half were those who had been lobbied in advance by Rhodis.

The wealth of Rhodis’ trade has given him a stranglehold on the nobility of the north of the kingdom. Many of them owed debts to the Marquesses of Rhodis, or had received bribes from them.

“Hmmmm……that’s surprisingly few. I would have thought there would be a lot more people against it?”

Raidorl looked at the nobleman who was contradicting him, a cold smile on his lips.

“Since you insist…..let’s give Sven his first task as Prime Minister. Seeing the work he’s done will change your mind.”

“…….What?”

Raidorl’s eyes look as if they are fixed on his prey, and the nobles look puzzled.

Raidorl took one look at Sven and signaled him with a glance. The too-small Prime Minister stepped forward and took out a sheaf of papers.

“Well…..you seem to be opposed to my position, becoming Prime Minister….. but first, Baron Milatos.”

“Heh…?”

Suddenly, one of the noblemen who had been standing up blinked as he was called by name.

The nobleman, who is in his forties or so, cowers in place, looking up and down in agitation.

“Baron Milatos. You were working for the Empire in the last war, weren’t you?”

Everyone in the room gasped at the disturbing words that came out of the boy’s mouth.

Milatos is, of course, aghast and frozen in his tracks.

“Nonsense! What proof do you have for that……?”

“I have proof. We know that you have been passing on information about the court to the empire in exchange for a guaranteed position and territory. We also have the letters you sent to and from the Empire.”

“Oh, that’s … why…!”

Sven’s expression was childlike and innocent, but this only made Milatos more afraid.

Sven hunts down Milatos as calmly as an innocent child tramples down a parade of ants.

“As you know, we have already made peace with the Empire. This information came from the Empire, of all places. There is no excuse for this, is there?”

“!!”

Sven said, as if he were holding a sword to his throat.  It was a decisive blow. It was a fatal blow for Milatos.

In the last battle against the Arslanian Empire, Gracos Barzen, the commander of the western invasion force of the Empire, made a ploy against the nobility of the Kingdom of Zain.

The aim was to destroy the kingdom from within by turning the nobility, and to win the war with as little wear and tear on the army as possible.

A few nobles, including Milatos, fell for the Empire’s sweet talk.

If the Empire had won, they would have been able to ride the winning horse and survive….but it was The Kingdom won, and they now became mere traitors.

Moreover, as a result of Raidorl’s successes, a peace was made with the Empire, and information about the informers was leaked.

“Hmm..How dare a traitor set foot in the royal palace with impunity?”

“Your Highness, Raidorl……”

When Raidorl spat at him with contempt, Milatos’ face paled.

“Fo-forgive me!!……I’m just doing this country a favor…….”

“We’ll have plenty to talk about later. Take him away!”

“Ha!”

Milatos tries to make some excuse, but Raydor is having none of it and orders the knight who smoothly seized Milatos by the arms and led him out of the throne room, as if he had planned it beforehand.

The remaining nobles look on in dismay as the traitor is taken away.

“Now,on to…..Baron Mulanda, Count Mercalia and Viscount Moiraud.”

“……!!?”

Sven smiled and called out the names of the nobles who were standing.

“It seems that you did not pass on any information, but …..when the kingdom’s army was defeated, You swore in your letter to submit to the Empire in a quiet manner. Didn’t the Empire send you a letter, too?”

“That’s….”

“Nonsense! I would never betray…..his highness!”

“You can make up your excuses in the interrogation room. Sir Knight, I’d like to ask you and your people to go to…..Isn’t that good, Your Highness, Raidorl?”

“No problem. I’ll take care of it.”

Sven asked his lord with a smile, and Raidorl nodded without pause.

The traitor who was newly exposed to the crime was bound and taken away. Some of them tried to escape by shaking their hands and feet, but their poor resistance was easily stopped by the strong knights.

“With that out of the way…let’s continue. We’re short on time.”

Sven declared with an innocent look on his face……and from there it was acrimonious.

Those who worked for the Empire. Those who pass on information. Those who provided funds and food for the army.

Although they had not betrayed anyone, those who had been involved in embezzlement, slave trading, and other…..unbecoming injustices of a nobleman were captured one by one by the knights.

As the nobles are led away, crying and spouting tearful excuses, the remaining nobles shake their shoulders in fear that they will be next.

However – it was only those who opposed Sven’s appointment as Prime Minister who were taken away for injustice and treachery.

Things have come to this point, and the nobles in attendance are finally aware of it.

It was never for the purpose of greeting or entertaining that they were brought together by their new master.

Raidorl’s purpose was to gather the nobility for a “selection” and “purge” – to find and dispose of any dissenters who might interfere with his forthcoming reign.

Most of those who had opposed Sven’s appointment as Prime Minister were taken away.

There was only one person left in the throne room who was kneeling without opposition. The only one left in the throne room was Crowley Rhodis.

“Well……the last one’s for you. The Marquis of Crowley Rhodis.”

“……!!”

Sven declared without changing his expression.

He has an innocent, young face and looked like the devil in the form of a child.