Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Laying the Groundwork for the Divine Masterstroke (3)
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The duke listened to my words, then spoke in astonishment.
"A standing army of 5,000? How on earth does a mere baron maintain that many soldiers? And you're saying you'll expand it to 10,000? That's ridiculous..."
No matter how much sugar, salt, and surplus food I'd sold to Hamburg, leaving me swimming in gold, our territory couldn't sustain a standing army of more than 5,000 in its current state.
The costs for their food and drink, salaries, equipment, training, road improvements for logistics... just the standing army expenses alone would exceed 20,000 gold coins.
That's 240,000 gold a year. With a bit of exaggeration, that's enough to paralyze the entire County of Nant's economy through monopolistic hoarding, like something out of a fairy tale about a foolish merchant.
At such numbers, the duke laughed loudly, as if fleeing from reality.
"You... I don't know how big your territory is, but even a decent count couldn't maintain an army that size indefinitely. 3,000 would be the limit, at best. Of course, even 3,000 is impressive. If you were trying to make me laugh, you failed completely. What a shame."
"You still don't believe me?"
The duke clicked his tongue at my words.
"Tch, of course not. Though you've already succeeded plenty. You squeezed your territory to build a standing army of 3,000, and as a result, you handed the County of Helsman to your liege. That's achievement enough."
So, to steer the negotiations my way, I decided to lay almost all my cards on the table.
In poker terms, it was a near-royal straight flush, one card away from victory.
"Your Grace, haven't you found sugar much easier to obtain lately?"
At my out-of-left-field question, the duke responded incredulously.
"Indeed, my steward was thrilled that sugar prices dropped thanks to shipments from Hamburg. Apparently, even our duchy now has more confectioneries using it... But why do you ask so suddenly?"
Now was the time to reveal all my cards.
"Aren't you curious where that sugar comes from?"
"Not particularly."
"No, you should be. Because..."
I paused mid-sentence, whispering as if to the duke beyond the wall.
"All of that sugar comes from Kroitel. Lately, to make even more money, I've been selling it to the Northern Alliance too. Oh, and salt and surplus food as well. With business booming like this, maintaining a standing army of 5,000 as a mere baron is no burden at all. In fact, with His Majesty's passing, to prepare for the disloyal who might exploit the chaos... expanding to 10,000 standing troops shouldn't be a problem."
As soon as I finished, a loud crash came from beyond the door.
The duke must have toppled over in his chair from the shock. I hoped he wasn't hurt.
This was a confessional with absolute secrecy, but if a duke got injured, even holy ground wouldn't stop the investigation...
Fortunately, moments later, his voice rang out again, filled with the same shock as before.
"You're selling sugar, salt, and food? I thought sugar was barely produced in some regions by those damned Spenians! No wonder it's gotten cheaper lately—even at banquets hosted by poor barons, there's always sugar confectionery now. That was your doing?!"
"I'm flattered."
"Spare me the humility. Siel von Kroitel, seeing you makes all my capable retainers look like useless idiots by comparison!"
No point in provoking the duke further; there was nothing more to gain.
Time to get to the 'main topic'.
"Understood, Your Grace. Then, allow me to make my request..."
"What is it? I'd even give you my daughter if you asked."
To jokingly offer—even half-seriously—the daughter from his lawful wife meant he'd grant me ample time to persuade him on any proposal...
Now was the time to place my true desire on the negotiation scales.
"I want the title of Count of Nant."
"Say that again."
"Siel von Kroitel, the rightful lord of Kroitel, desires the title of my liege, Count of Nant, Your Grace."
Silence fell between us for a moment, then the duke spoke.
"The title of Count of Nant... Have you lost your mind? No matter how powerful you've become, usurping your liege's title is impossible in the Elrain Empire."
"That would be true in ordinary circumstances. But if you hear the circumstances that led me to this, I believe you'll understand."
In prior negotiations, it had been like shouting, 'See? I can do crazy things, so buy me out!!' only for the duke to reply, 'So what do you want? Put the gun down first.'
But by broaching the ultimate noble taboo—usurping a liege's title—I'd shifted us from 'hostage-taker' to 'mutual knives at throats'.
Violating that taboo was akin to a child slaying their parent.
Thus, his voice now carried the innate confidence, curiosity, and hostility of a noble—far bolder than before.
"Speak, Siel von Kroitel."
"First, in the initial battle, despite receiving a declaration of war, Count of Nant failed his duty to protect his vassal—me—forcing me to fight alone on the Esslon Plains. Fortunately, I defeated two barons under Duke of Maxburg, securing victory with my 3,000 standing troops and claiming Blueport and the salt mines."
The duke responded with horror, like a Korean reading an unimaginable dismemberment murder article.
"Impossible!! You, who crushed Helsman, could surely beat two barons... But how could a liege abandon his vassal after a declaration of war? Not send a single soldier? Is that even human?"
"My story isn't over yet."
"Continue. It's shocking such human scum exists."
"This is just the beginning."
I paused, took a deep breath, and continued.
"Hoo... Yet in the war I fought alone to protect myself, after negotiating peace directly with Duke of Maxburg, he demanded 3,000 of the 5,000 gold in reparations as tribute to absolve my 'sins'."
"Is that the act of a human being?"
Unlike the duke's furious reaction, I continued flatly.
"And that's not all. Wasn't the recent war with Count Helsman sparked by Count Nant's marriage proposal to Count Gent's daughter being rejected?"
"I know that well—it was at the ball I hosted where Count Nant proposed to Count Gent's daughter."
"Count Nant's conduct in that war was a spectacle. Ignoring minor details... In a battle we were nearly winning, he insisted on leading a knightly lance charge from the vanguard like in chivalric tales. He took the forefront, only to astonishingly flee from it!"
After I finished, a long silence stretched between us.
Then, though it wasn't his story, the duke's anger boiled over—objects smashed against the wall beyond, shattering sounds echoing.
Once the crashing, crunching, and splintering stopped, he replied, slightly out of breath.
"Unbelievable... No imperial noble who claims the vanguard and charges can flee, under any circumstance... Yet he ran? Even Deus-forsaking heretics are better than that wretch. Breaking his oath to a vassal, claiming vanguard then fleeing... Is that what a man does?"
"All true, Your Grace. Investigate Count Nant yourself, and you'll see."
The duke replied wearily.
"No need. No matter how wicked you are, you wouldn't fabricate such horrors before me."
"Then, do you now understand why I intend to strike Count Nant?"
"I do. But that's viewing it as a personal knightly matter. As Duke of Brussels, with a war of imperial succession sparking civil war, I'd have to eliminate the upstart who killed his liege and claimed Nant—and seize the land myself. Isn't that right?"
The more territory and population in a civil war, the better—like da-da-eok-seon.
Wider lands produce more food for armies; larger populations mean more conscripts.
Moreover, in succession wars—like player-killing in online games to expand—one justification sufficed: 'Traitor opposing my imperial claimant!' It granted cause to conquer unaffiliated nobles.
Thus, I no longer needed grand causes. After taking Nant, I had to give this duke reasons not to invade.
"True, but even if you took my lands after I conquer Nant, it'd just multiply your headaches. My territory is blessed with sugar, salt, and a port; Nant's wealth echoes to the Northern Alliance's fringes... Wouldn't Duke of Maxburg eye it? Handing you Nant means facing nobles backed by rival claimants—plus Maxburg."
He knew this already, but our exchange confirmed mutual desires.
And finally, the question I wanted came from the duke.
"Then what conditions will you propose? Staying out of the imperial succession war?"
"Yes, I have zero interest. My remote corner of Elrain—how could I back a claimant to seize the capital? Once I take Nant, I'll focus solely on stabilizing it. I won't even glance toward Elisium."
As I finished, the iron mesh between us lifted, and two pledge documents slid through.
They stated mutual non-aggression in exchange for his tacit recognition of my County of Nant claim.
His seal ring already stamped, it was an offer for a secret pact.
I stamped both with my ring, handing one back.
The duke snatched it swiftly, speaking sourly.
"When you eyed the County of Nant, I secretly hoped. Lacking justification, I'd provide it for you to take Nant—and collar you in return. You slipped away neatly."
I replied shamelessly.
"Your Grace, I'm frail; to survive, I had to be a cunning rabbit. I dug three burrows for safety, and luckily escaped through one."