The Prince's Debt
Perlin was growing increasingly isolated within the capital.
I watched the situation unfold through my adjutant's reports.
Time to make the next move.
Having used Kayan to prune her smaller connections, it was now time to sever her more substantial ties one by one.
In that case…
I thought of my next target.
Rayden Gartrina.
The crown prince of the Gartrina Kingdom.
One of the connections that would cause the empire the most trouble once Perlin fell.
In the original story, the king of Gartrina would soon pass away. That meant Rayden Gartrina would ascend the throne after his coronation and become Gartrina's new ruler.
Not a crown prince, but a king.
If he sat upon the throne while holding hands with Perlin, her will would become the will of the entire Gartrina Kingdom.
That would mean causing chaos on a national scale.
Of course, Gartrina was a minor power compared to the empire. But the empire was far from stable right now.
If Gartrina applied diplomatic pressure during such times, the story would change.
Even without direct military conflict, diplomatic friction between the two nations would ignite into gunpowder when mixed with the political drama inside the imperial court.
Internal opinions within the court could split, and those who supported Perlin might use Gartrina's pressure as justification to rise again.
I had to cut off that possibility in advance.
#
I immediately made my way toward the capital's communication room.
When I entered, the officer in charge saluted.
“Marshal.”
I gave a casual wave and issued my orders.
“Request a direct line to the Gartrina royal palace. To Crown Prince Rayden.”
The officer looked momentarily flustered.
Opening a direct line to the Gartrina palace was no common occurrence. Still, it was not impossible under my authority.
“I will establish the connection.”
The officer signaled to the communication mages.
The blue light of the magical device flickered once. A beam of light connected, and the entire room resonated with a low hum.
The same signal would be ringing in the Gartrina palace. They would not accept it immediately, of course.
Since a foreign marshal had requested communication without following diplomatic protocol, the Gartrina side would first gauge the intent before responding.
I took a seat and waited.
The blue light of the device pulsed at a steady rhythm.
Perhaps an hour passed.
Finally, the light reacted. It was the signal that Gartrina had sent a response.
A moment later, a face appeared above the blue device.
Rayden Gartrina, crown prince of the Gartrina Kingdom.
He was a man with a stern impression. His long, flowing red hair and striking red eyes stood out.
“It is an honor that the empire's marshal has personally requested a connection.”
His voice came through the device. It was polite, yet laced with caution beneath the courtesy.
“Thank you for making time despite your busy schedule, Your Highness.”
I offered a brief greeting.
“I have something urgent to discuss, which is why I requested this direct line.”
“Please speak.”
I went straight to the point.
“It concerns Perlin Claire.”
Rayden's expression hardened slightly. Yet he quickly regained his composure.
“Her position within the imperial court has become unfavorable of late.”
“What has happened?”
Rayden was still unaware of the situation.
That was only natural. News of the gradual changes unfolding inside the capital had not yet reached the Gartrina homeland.
“Those who once supported Perlin are turning their backs on her one by one. Even in high society, more people are keeping their distance from her.”
Rayden's face darkened.
“That is why I must make a direct request, Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“From now on, please refrain from offering any form of support to Perlin.”
The blue light of the device flickered for a moment.
Crown Prince Rayden did not answer for a long while.
Eventually, he slowly opened his mouth.
“May I ask the reason?”
“Because she endangers the empire.”
I answered briefly.
He still looked unconvinced.
“Perlin has long-standing ties with Gartrina. To ask us to cut off support for her…”
I spoke calmly.
“I understand it is difficult for you to accept this request as Gartrina's crown prince. However, I am making it for the sake of the empire's stability. Of course, I will provide ample compensation for your cooperation.”
Rayden's expression turned completely rigid.
“Compensation… you say.”
Rayden mulled over the word.
“Marshal.”
His voice lowered.
“Gartrina is not a vassal state of the empire.”
With that single sentence, the air in the communication room grew heavier.
“Even if Gartrina is a minor nation compared to the empire, it is still an independent kingdom. Gartrina's diplomatic decisions are made in Gartrina. For the empire's marshal to directly interfere in those decisions goes beyond diplomatic discourtesy.”
“I had no intention of committing any discourtesy.”
At my reply, Rayden took a moment to steady his breathing. Then he continued.
“Furthermore, the ties between Perlin and Gartrina run deeper than the empire believes.”
“……”
“Cutting support for her would harm Gartrina's national interests and simultaneously wound Gartrina's pride.”
Hostility gradually crept into Rayden's voice.
“Therefore, I cannot accept the marshal's request.”
It was a refusal.
But there was no reason to back down yet.
“Your Highness.”
“Speak.”
I slowly opened my mouth.
“Is that judgment free of any personal feelings toward Perlin?”
Crown Prince Rayden fell silent for a moment.
“If this is a diplomatic decision made by Crown Prince Rayden without personal sentiment, then it deserves respect.”
“……”
“However, I worry that personal feelings may have influenced Your Highness's judgment. In that case, the matter becomes something else entirely.”
Rayden's red eyes wavered once.
No answer came.
I continued in a quiet voice.
“Perlin will soon fall from power within the imperial court.”
Rayden's eyes widened.
“What do you mean by that!”
“It is already decided.”
I looked straight into Rayden's wavering red eyes as I explained.
“Her position is already collapsing. That tide cannot be stopped.”
“How can you be so certain?”
“Because I am the one who created that tide.”
“The marshal himself…?”
“Correct.”
His visible panic was plain to see.
“So I ask again, Your Highness. Even after she falls, will you still claim that her connection with Gartrina serves the kingdom's interests?”
Rayden could not answer.
“How would sending support to a fallen candidate for crown princess benefit Gartrina's national interests?”
“That is…”
“It would be the opposite. Clinging to someone who is about to collapse will only narrow Gartrina's diplomatic standing.”
I kept speaking.
“When that time comes, even if everything you invested in her crumbles, will you still support her, Your Highness?”
At my question, he lowered his head. Crown Prince Rayden remained in that posture for a long while, silently wrestling with his thoughts.
A few minutes later, still with his head bowed, he spoke.
“The marshal is correct.”
His voice was low.
“If she is destined to fall, then her connection with us would run counter to Gartrina's national interests. That much is true.”
Rayden steadied his breathing.
“However, Marshal, I am someone who owes her a debt.”
He raised his head and met my gaze. That look came through the device with perfect clarity.
“I am able to stand in this position because of her. This is a debt that secured the seat of Gartrina's crown prince. It is not merely one man's debt—it is a debt owed by the entire Gartrina royal family.”
Rayden's red eyes sank deeper.
“I am Gartrina's crown prince. That fact will not change. Yet I cannot betray the woman who placed me upon this seat.”
“I see.”
“Therefore, no matter what ending Perlin meets within the Nathaniel Empire's court, the Gartrina royal family will repay the debt we owe her.”
Rayden's choice differed from Kayan's.
“This is the answer of the Gartrina royal house.”
He seemed unlikely to change his mind any further.
I nodded.
Well, then there was no helping it.
“I have clearly heard the answer Your Highness gave today. In that case, allow me to say one final thing as well.”
I stared back into Rayden's red eyes, my own gaze sharpening.
“If that answer remains unchanged even on the day Perlin Claire falls, and if the Gartrina royal family dreams of avenging her…”
“……”
“On that day, the Gartrina royal house will cease to exist.”
If persuasion was impossible, then swift removal was the only option.
“I, Arsens Berhardt, promise it.”