Chapter 162: Game of Thrones
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: Game of Thrones
“I passed…? Was that a test?”
My face hardened, as anyone who’d just been tested would. I’d suspected as much from the moment he made that clumsy offer of betrayal, but if I showed it, there would have been no point in passing his test.
Still, this is unpleasant.
A test was something a superior gave to a subordinate. It gave me a good idea of how the Duke saw me.
And what about his attitude? He was smiling nonchalantly after being so rude.
“Yes. I thought that if you truly intended to stab me in the back, you would have gladly accepted my offer. But you refused without a moment’s hesitation. It seems I wasn’t wrong about you.”
Ironically, it seemed I had earned his trust by rejecting his offer. For the unpleasantness I had to endure, it wasn’t a bad reward.
“Then…”
“I will follow the baron’s word. We will postpone determining who is better suited for the throne of the North Continent until after we have dealt with the Alliance and the Pope. However! There is one condition. Dresden must join us when we strike.”
He was making it clear that if Dresden tried to reap the benefits while they fought, he wouldn't make a move either.
“You need not worry about that. Dresden is weaker than you, Duke. They won’t be able to ignore my words.”
Besides, I’ve made other preparations.
I glanced around the dining hall. Morning had already turned to noon, yet not a single person from Dresden had shown their face.
It was proof that Aron was doing his job properly. Then again, he was probably even more desperate than I was.
*
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
Meanwhile, just as Allen had predicted, Aron was facing the key figures of Dresden.
Thanks to him leaving behind all the vassals who had blundered during the conquest of the Coastal City Alliance, there wasn't a single person on his side in the Count's room. Yet, he carried himself with more confidence than when the expedition had first set out from Dresden.
And why wouldn't he? While Dresden's main force was blocked by the Alliance and suffering heavy losses, his supporting force had crushed the Coastal City Alliance and, in a reversal, helped the main force defeat the Alliance.
In effect, the main and supporting forces had swapped roles.
He had even persuaded Duke Signir, his rival for the North Continent's throne, to join forces. It was thanks to him that the Alliance was defeated without any loss of troops.
What astonished the Dresden council most was that the person who had achieved all this was Aron, the same man who had been pushed out of the line of succession for his lack of ability.
“Ahem…”
Never having imagined such an outcome, the Dresden officials didn't know how to react. They could only clear their throats and avoid his gaze.
One thing was certain: the succession race they all thought was over had just begun again.
Aron smirked at the advisory council's completely changed attitude before turning his gaze to the Count.
“My lord Count. With achievements like these, don’t you think I deserve another chance?”
The Count’s brow twitched slightly.
“You’re overconfident. In truth, all your achievements are the baron’s work. Isn’t that why you conquered the Coastal City Alliance and still came away empty-handed?”
The Count was well aware of the supporting force’s situation. As soon as Aron had distanced himself, his vassals had scurried over to tattle.
It was a betrayal.
Yet, even as he guessed his vassals’ betrayal from the Count’s words, Aron simply smiled.
He had expected this much. And now, he had a reason to discard the useless vassals he couldn't easily dismiss because of the support they’d received.
“The most important thing is the throne, is it not?”
Pausing for a moment, Aron continued, carefully observing the reactions of the Count, Erik, and the advisory council.
“If I had clashed with the baron over the interests of the Coastal City Alliance, the main force would still be blocked by the Alliance at this very moment, suffering losses.”
It was Erik, standing beside the Count, who answered.
“You’re mistaken. We weren’t blocked. We were merely waiting for the opportune moment for a perfect victory. Reinforcements have arrived from Dresden. We would have defeated the Alliance even without the second army’s help.”
Aron responded with a scoff.
“But the losses would have been great, wouldn’t they? The Alliance had a monster of a knight. I hear he was responsible for most of the damage your main force sustained.”
“Hmm…”
The faces of the Count, Erik, and the council members hardened at the thought of Alex. The man they had met on the battlefield was more than enough to become Dresden’s nightmare.
“And the one who lured that monster knight to the Holy Land and disposed of him was also the baron.”
Having silenced Erik in one fell swoop, Aron smirked and turned his gaze back to the Count.
“If you had truly defeated the Alliance with only Dresden’s strength, you would have deeply regretted it. Duke Signir would have simply reaped the benefits of your struggle.”
If Aron’s supporting force hadn’t intervened in time, Dresden would have ultimately been eliminated from the competition for the throne.
That was an undeniable truth. If they let him keep talking, it would only serve to raise Aron’s standing. The Count clicked his tongue and cut to the chase.
“I admit it. You have made a great contribution this time.”
“Then…”
The Count met Aron’s expectant gaze and shook his head.
“But it was only once. That is not enough to cover your past failures. If you truly want a chance, you will have to try harder.”
“How much harder?”
The Count paused for a moment, then smirked.
“You must have built quite a friendship with the baron after fighting alongside him for nearly half a year. Bring the baron, who is currently weighing his options between me and the Duke, firmly onto our side. Then I will give you the chance you so desire.”
It was an impossible condition. Aron currently had nothing to offer in such a deal. In other words, the proposal’s true purpose was to make Aron give up.
Aron’s brow furrowed.
“So in the end, my struggles were meaningless?”
“They are insufficient to earn you the position of Dresden’s next master. It would have been a different story if you had asked for a territory and independence as your reward.”
For a count who had once tried to use Allen to kill Aron, this was significant progress. Knowing this, Aron gave a bitter smile.
“Then give me the Dresden territory.”
“What nonsense!”
“That’s absurd!”
Erik and the advisory council immediately protested. The Count’s face also hardened.
“…Are you mocking me?”
“Of course not. If you obtain the throne, my lord, you will have to establish your seat in the North Continent. Wouldn’t that make it difficult to manage the Dresden territory? It takes two weeks by the fastest ship to get from Dresden to the North Continent.”
Even on the same continent, a central government’s administrative power often failed to reach the provinces, forcing lords to grant land to their vassals. For a different continent, appointing a proxy was all but inevitable.
“You’re saying you’ll give up your claim as heir and become a collateral branch of the family in exchange for the Dresden territory.”
“If you’re going to appoint a proxy anyway, wouldn’t I, who shares the most of your blood, be the best choice?”
“My lord Count…!”
Seeing the Count seem to consider it, Erik called out to him urgently.
While Aron would fulfill his role as a vassal as long as the Count was alive, it was obvious that the relationship would be severed once he died and Erik took the throne.
“Erik. I am still the Count.”
But that was only Erik’s perspective. To the Count, for whom both were sons of his own blood, it was a tempting offer.
“…I misspoke.”
At the Count’s warning not to cross the line, Erik hastily bowed his head.
Though he was the likely heir, the Count could strip him of that position with a single word.
“Hmm. The main house becomes the royal family of the North Continent, while a branch house remains as the Count of the West Continent… That is certainly not a bad picture.”
“Are you giving me your permission?”
After a brief pause, the Count nodded.
“Yes.”
Despite obtaining the countship he had so desperately wanted, Aron couldn’t feel entirely happy. A greater ambition had taken root in his heart.
‘I will help you become king. In return, you must give me the Dresden territory.’
Allen’s voice echoed in his mind. He had kept his promise by helping Aron build his achievements. His promise to help him become king would be no different.
The moment he reached that conclusion, Aron steeled his resolve. He opened his mouth to speak to the Count, who was looking at him with puzzlement for not rejoicing.
“With this, I should be able to persuade the baron.”
“…What kind of out-of-the-blue nonsense is that?”
The Count scowled at Aron for bringing up a matter that was already settled.
“Actually, I needed to confirm whether you would be willing to offer the Dresden territory as part of a deal.”
“…Surely, you’re not about to make the preposterous proposal of giving away the Dresden territory in exchange for the baron’s help? This deal is only possible because you are a child of my blood.”
Disappointment flickered in the Count’s eyes. It was a look Aron had seen many times, and he paid it no mind.
“Is Adeleade not also your child?”
The Count froze.
“…What are you trying to say?”
“Due to various circumstances, the marriage between the baron and my sister has been continuously postponed, has it not? If you offer the Dresden territory as a dowry, the baron will hasten the marriage. In other words, he will become completely our ally.”
“…How is that any different from handing our ancestral lands over to the baron?”
Aron knew the Count was hooked. If he had thought it was truly absurd, he wouldn’t have even asked. Gaining confidence, he spoke with conviction.
“It is different. Very different. Adeleade also carries the blood of Dresden.”
From a young age, the children of Dresden are raised with an education bordering on brainwashing that they must always prioritize the family above all else.
If Allen were to betray Dresden, Adeleade would, without a moment’s hesitation, stab him in the back and return the Dresden territory.
That was the hidden meaning in Aron’s words.
The Count thought of one more thing. He was already executing another plan, having passed on the family’s secret art to Adeleade to ensure she would only bear daughters.
Even if Allen harbored other intentions, his only child would marry a child of Dresden, and eventually, everything he had built would belong to Dresden.
In effect, it was like entrusting the Dresden territory to him for a short while. In return, they would gain Allen’s help now and all of Allen’s assets in the future.
It was a thought he could only have because he didn't know that Adeleade had already been conquered by Allen, that she would do anything he asked, even feign death.
Having organized his thoughts, the Count shook his head.
“Is that all? The marriage between the baron and Adeleade was the price for his cooperation. For us to add more conditions looks very bad.”
Aron knew the Count was almost convinced. All that remained was the final move to seal the deal.
Fortunately, Allen had prepared for this and told him of a trump card.
Everything is going exactly as the baron said…
For a moment, Aron felt a sense of fear at Allen’s strategic depth, which had predicted everything, but he forced himself to ignore it.
If the plan succeeded, Allen would get the Dresden territory. The only reason to refuse this and betray them would be the throne of the North Continent, but Allen himself had no justification to claim it.
It was the spirit of the North Continent’s people to join forces against an external enemy, even if they were at each other’s throats.
If Allen got greedy, he would soon find himself fighting the entire North Continent. A man of his strategic cunning couldn't possibly be unaware of that.
Having rationalized it thus, Aron played the trump card Allen had prepared.
“What about the Coastal City Alliance in return? I found that the revenue from a single major city in the Alliance is comparable to the entire revenue of the Dresden territory.”
“Is that true?”
The Count looked incredulous. The income from Dresden, with its rock salt mines, far surpassed that of any ordinary county.
“Yes. I saw and confirmed it myself. And the important thing is that there are three such major cities.”
“If that’s true, the baron will be even more reluctant to give up the Coastal City Alliance, no?”
Aron smirked.
“He has no choice but to give it up. His base of power is also in the West Continent, just like ours.”
“…It would be difficult to manage.”
“He has no trustworthy vassals, so his situation is even worse than ours. In other words, from his perspective, the Dresden territory is a better prize than the Coastal City Alliance.”
The Count knew one more reason why Allen would have to accept.
Sir Andrei accompanied the reinforcements, didn’t he? He would have warned him of Bronx II’s movements.
In other words, Allen didn’t have the luxury of worrying about the operation and management of the Coastal City Alliance.
He would want to wrap things up in the North Continent as quickly as possible and return home. If they made the offer, he would accept it without much thought.
The Count was sure of it.
“To summarize, we gain crucial help in obtaining the throne, acquire a massive source of income, and can keep a powerful potential enemy far away. And we gain all this while losing nothing…?”
“There is the Dresden territory, is there not?” Aron corrected, unaware of the secret plot underway.
The Count chuckled.
“Compared to what we gain, that is nothing.”
“Then… are you giving your permission?”
The Count nodded.
“Yes. If you succeed in this deal with the baron, I will give you another chance.”
“I will be sure to succeed.”
There was no need to confirm Allen’s intentions. This proposal was Allen’s idea in the first place.
Having re-entered the competition for succession against Erik, Aron clenched his fists.
In contrast, Erik’s eyes, which had been watching the two satisfied men, sank endlessly. After the meeting ended and he was alone with Aron, Erik spoke.
“That… was the baron’s plan, wasn’t it?”