33
Chapter 33
With the 10,000 ducats I received from the Crown Prince, the first thing I bought was a large continental map. I coolly assessed the current state of the Empire. According to the original history, Grand Duke Kronor should have won a great victory over the Crown Prince and seized his territory.
However, thanks to my efforts, the Crown Prince not only defended his land but managed to seize the enemy's territory instead.
Crown Prince Leonhardt. He is currently considered the most powerful force in the world, but the problem is his lacking ability in strategy, tactics, and even political diplomacy, meaning he is unfortunately destined to retire eventually. After all, chaotic times belong to the talented.
The real question, however, was when the Crown Prince's faction would fall. Had they collapsed early as per the original history, Princess Leonia and other forces would have slowly carved up his territories.
The problem with that scenario was that history would progress too quickly, leaving me with less room to make my mark. The outcome must not be decided until I graduate from Arcadia Academy. By helping the Crown Prince win this time, I had successfully slowed down the wheels of history.
As long as the Crown Prince's faction survived, other powers would be hesitant to move, spending their time eyeing one another. The longer the stalemate lasted, the higher my value as a strategist and commander would rise. The more desperate each faction became for a small victory, the higher the price they would pay for a talent. Yes, that was my plan. But...
"Master Charles."
Glacia, who was guarding the door, knocked. Wondering what was happening, I listened as she spoke.
"A letter has arrived for you, so I've collected it."
"Who is the sender?"
"It's difficult to explain, so please see for yourself."
I wondered why it was so hard to just name a sender. But when I stepped outside to take the letter, I realized she wasn't lying. There wasn't just one or two.
A basket held by Glacia was filled with what looked like dozens of letters.
"Come in."
Glacia entered the room and set the basket down. I scanned the senders. Lords from the North, Lords from the South—they were all influential nobles. Curious, I opened a few to find them offering lucrative positions and high pay if I would join their ranks.
My plan to gradually increase my value had hit a slight snag. It made sense, given that my reputation had skyrocketed following the Battle of Imor and the retreat from Seize Castle.
-----
The first thing I did the next day was hire a competent scribe to write polite rejection letters to everyone. There were too many scout offers for me to handle them personally. However, since these were all powerful figures, ignoring them would have been a dangerous gamble. That's why I hired a professional to handle the refusals.
While the scribe worked on the letters, I went to the academy cafe for some coffee. It was the same place where I had played chess with the Princess the day before.
The cafe was as beautiful as ever. Since it was the gathering spot for the Empire's nobility, everything from the interior to the cups and drinks was top-tier. Coffee itself was incredibly expensive as it only came from countries in the East; being able to drink it was a sign of wealth or power.
As I sat there drinking coffee with Glacia, I could feel the people around us whispering. I turned to Glacia and asked.
"Am I being narcissistic if I feel like I'm the center of attention?"
"No. I can actually feel many eyes on you."
"Aha."
Now I won't even be able to enjoy a simple cup of coffee in peace. I hope this attention is just a fluke. My life will be much easier once it fades.
As I sat there chatting with Glacia and sipping my coffee, someone approached from a distance with a firm stride. She was a woman adorned in incredibly expensive accessories and clothing, practically broadcasting her wealth.
She walked up to the table and suddenly spoke to me.
"May I sit across from you?"
I frowned slightly at her request.
"So suddenly? And who are you?"
"Lucrezia du Flos."
"..."
That was an unexpected name. Lucrezia du Flos was the daughter and heir of the Duchy of Flos, a southern city-state. For the record, while the Duchy of Flos was small in territory and population, it was the financial hub of the world with an insane amount of wealth.
"Uh, what brings the daughter of the Duchy of Flos to see me...?"
"That's strange. Haven't we already spoken?"
"Pardon? This is the first time I've met you, Lady Lucrezia."
I'd seen her plenty of times in the game, and I'd even played as her.
"For me, this isn't the first time meeting you, Master Charles."
"I'm not sure what you mean by that..."
"I sent you a letter. And I received a reply."
Ah! Dammit! I forgot. I had a scribe write those replies to the mountain of letters! It seems this woman was one of those people.
"My apologies. I've been a bit scatterbrained and momentarily forgot."
"Momentarily forgot? Are you serious?"
"What? Of course. I have no reason to lie..."
"You had someone write them for you, didn't you? The replies."
"..."
I stood there, flustered and unable to find a way out. Then, Lucrezia suddenly burst into laughter.
"I expected someone far more solemn since they called you a war hero, but you're actually quite cute. What's the big deal about hiring a scribe for letters? I do the same when I'm busy."
"I'm simply grateful for your understanding."
"Actually, I expected as much. Dozens of factions must have sent you letters. From the most powerful to the mediocre, I'm sure they all promised you the best treatment. Some people enjoy the attention and read every single scout offer, but you didn't seem like that type."
She was right. Reading all of those would take more than a sleepless night.
"That's why I came in person. I figured a letter wouldn't be enough."
I see. She predicted she'd be ignored and came herself. It's clever in a way, but also a bit foolish.
"If you've thought that far, you should know that I have no intention of becoming an officer."
The reason was simple: I had no intention of joining any faction yet.
"That's probably to increase your value even further with more achievements, right?"
She was half right. Increasing my value was part of it, but there was a bigger reason. I wanted to see which faction would eventually emerge victorious before making a choice.
"Which is why I've brought an offer with conditions that others couldn't even imagine."
Hmm... Normally, I should send her away, but considering the effort she took to come here, maybe I'll listen. Besides, the woman in front of me is prettier than I expected.
"What are the conditions?"
When I asked, Lucrezia spoke.
"Before I tell you, shall we move to another spot?"
We left the crowded cafe and moved to a quieter terrace outside. There, we began our conversation over tea.
"I'd like to explain what kind of country the Duchy of Flos really is."
Honestly, I already know. I probably know more about it than Lucrezia does, including what will happen to the Duchy of Flos in the future. But since I've decided to listen, why not?
As I nodded silently, she continued.
"The Duchy of Flos is small in both territory and population. At first glance, we seem like just another weak state. But we're different; we're a powerhouse. Why? Because we have an immense amount of wealth. If national standing were determined solely by money, the Duchy of Flos would be in no way inferior to His Highness the Crown Prince."
I knew that. The wealth of the Duchy of Flos was beyond imagination. The secret was the banking industry. By lending money to large nations and nobles and acting as a repository, they had accumulated staggering wealth. The Flos family was the representative banking family of the Arcadian Empire.
"However, even for a place as wealthy as the Duchy of Flos, there is one weakness."
I know this part. It's military power, right?
"That weakness is our military strength. As you know, our population and land are small. Moreover, while the people of Flos have a talent for making money, they lack the aptitude for taking up arms. They tend to turn tail and run at the slightest disadvantage, leading enemies to underestimate us and invade multiple times."
I knew that too. This was the reason why the financially powerful Duchy of Flos could never expand its territory and remained a small powerhouse. The citizens of Flos were the worst possible soldiers.
"That's why we primarily rely on foreign mercenaries. We've always hired commanders who were retired from abroad or ousted in power struggles, and we've filled our ranks by hiring various mercenary groups. That is where you come in, Charles Jean Rochefort."
"Why me, specifically? Based on what you've said, Lady Lucrezia, you could just keep hiring foreign outsiders like you have until now."
"According to information gathered through the Thieves' Guild I operate, you possess exceptional tactical and strategic insight."
That was true. Having cleared 'Age of Gunpowder and Magic' a thousand times, I had developed tactical abilities that wouldn't be outdone by Yuria or the Princess.
"Furthermore, I see you scored quite highly in politics and diplomacy."
How did she find that out? She does have a decent information network.
"Crucially, you're young. There's no risk of you retiring due to health issues or dying suddenly from a disease."
Well, you never know about that.
"Charles Jean Rochefort, your ear."
"Pardon?"
"Lean in. Hurry."
She gestured for me to come closer with a wave of her hand, and I leaned my ear toward her lips.
In the next moment, I couldn't help but be shocked.
"The truth is, I intend to conquer the world using my overwhelming financial power. I can make as much money as I need, but I need a partner who can build a proper military force based on that wealth. That partner is you."
I had no idea this woman harbored such ambitions. It seems there was one more throne contender I wasn't aware of.