Devising the Stratagem
Devising a scheme. Aslan and Larson. Both territories lay relatively close to Muller, and relations among the three—including Muller—had never been good. “Of course, there’s us, Aslan, and Larson. Our three houses have been bound by a long history of bad blood.”
“I see.” Triana handed me a book passed down through the generations in Muller. Much of the family history recorded within concerned Aslan and Larson. “Aslan has always made its fortune through trade.”
Starting with commerce across the Bachn Kingdom and flowing through the great river that served as the lifeblood of the southern lands, it was a territory that reaped enormous profits from trade. “Muller’s lands are vast, yet a third of them lie near the Great Mountain Range and have been abandoned.”
Even so, it was no accident that the region was known as a breadbasket. The remaining lands still produced more than enough. And now, with the blessing, we could guarantee even greater yields. “And then there’s Larson.” Triana pointed to the map. Hmm.
“Quite a lot of forest.” “Yes. It’s one of the rare forested regions in the south. Its size… at least larger than a single village. And there are several such areas.” “Have they been developed to that extent?” “Yes. And since this kind of pioneering requires royal permission, they’re deeply entangled with the capital in various ways.”
“I see. So it’s a leash, then?” The Brahms Kingdom was mostly plains. There were some hills and mountains, but far fewer than in other nations. The same held true for the Bachn Kingdom. Logging in the Great Mountain Range? That was brutal work. Monsters poured out in droves, and the act of logging itself could easily be interpreted as an invasion. If even a single high-grade monster appeared, the aftermath alone would wipe out the workers.
“And among these two territories, you suspect Larson the most?” “Yes. Larson Territory. But Aslan Territory is equally suspicious.” “Because that merchant caravan came through here before.” “And the knights we dispatched confirmed traces of Red Blood as well.” “Hmm.”
Two suspicious places. But we couldn’t investigate either immediately. We couldn’t stir up trouble in someone else’s domain, nor could we openly accuse nobles of collusion by declaring their territories suspicious. We had announced the danger at the meeting, but how many nobles truly grasped the threat? Moreover, Larson had reacted poorly to my data, and Aslan hadn’t even attended the meeting.
“Do you have any other information on these two territories?” “For now, we have the recorded materials.” Triana had prepared a compiled document from Muller’s history detailing Aslan and Larson. “They really fought each other quite a lot.” “Yes. There were many instances where they targeted not only branch families but even the direct lines of each house.”
“They fought in earnest, too. Even the nobles themselves took the field.” That meant bloodlines had nearly been severed. Territories had changed hands, been reclaimed, then lost again. The records were full of such cycles. “What about this Georg Basin?” I pointed to the area near the Great Mountain Range, encircled by mountains like a shield. The records showed multiple battles fought there.
“One of Muller’s vassal houses is the Georg family. Their noble bloodline has been heavily diluted, even among the knights. The origin of their house lies in the Georg Basin.” “But it’s listed under Aslan Territory now?” “That was quite some time ago. The details should be somewhere in these documents…” Triana rummaged through the stack of materials beside her. “Here it is. Ah, yes. When they were still nobles, they ruled the Georg Basin.”
“Just that one area?” “Yes. There are some plains beyond the mountains and a bit of land below, but strictly speaking, it’s the Georg Basin and its immediate surroundings.” A minor house, then. The records confirmed as much. “Hmm.”
If we took this, trade would become much easier. The river was quite wide, with no inconvenient spots for ships to pass. Using my connections with Princess Amelia of the Bachn Kingdom, we could secure several of Aslan’s trading rights. Or open new ones. We could even sell food directly. The margins would be far better without middlemen. Of course, we’d have to consider existing contracts, but given how well the blessing was working and the expected increase in production, it wasn’t a bad idea.
Aslan and Larson. The most likely culprit was Larson Territory. “We can’t launch a surprise attack, and if we issue a proper declaration of war, there’s no telling how long it’ll take to reach wherever they’re hiding.” “They’re experts at abandoning their hideouts and fleeing at the first sign of trouble.” I nodded at Triana’s words. That made waging war to root them out difficult. In that case…
“They probably already know I’m targeting them without restraint.” “They do.” Then let’s use that. “We’ll target the Georg Basin here.” “You mean declaring territorial war on Baron Aslan?” Triana’s eyes widened. I smiled and nodded. “The goal is the basin. If we can provoke them into committing their entire territory, going after Aslan itself wouldn’t be bad either.”
“But…” Triana wore a worried expression. I knew why. I tossed aside the documents I’d been holding, called her over, and patted my lap. “Ah, my lord…” “It’s fine to call me Leoric right now, Triana.”
Her cheeks flushed as she approached with awkward, still-embarrassed steps and knelt. “I think I’ll need your help this time.” “My help?” She looked up at me with a flushed face, and I stroked her hair. Feeling the softness of her strands, she closed her eyes at my touch. “If our territory declares war, they’ll definitely make a move.”
My sudden involvement in the southern conference and the rumors I’d spread had made them hesitate, but they’d start moving again soon. That’s what we’d exploit. “I’ll assign some of the children I know to you.” “You mean the young ladies Ninya and Sasha?” “Yes.”
Though they lacked real combat experience, their abilities weren’t inferior to knights. And a few other capable individuals with them—mostly adventurers. Honestly, their quality was a bit concerning, but with Ninya and Sasha, plus Triana who possessed noble mana, it should be safe enough. “And they’ll probably try something while I’m away from the territory.” “I’m to stop them?” “Yes.”
We’d already spread the word. We had help from merchants connected to Muller, Franz, and Borang. Of course, I hadn’t done it directly—since this was an operation that needed to remain covert, the information had passed through one or two intermediaries with plausible excuses. “No matter how desperate they are, experimenting on a small village would be difficult. Above all, acquiring materials would be a challenge. And based on the supplies that flowed to them from our territory, we’ve identified what materials they received.”
It wasn’t perfect, and there were still many uncertainties, but we’d narrowed it down to several locations. “They’re somewhat scattered, but even if you force a march, patrol this area.” Using magic stones as cameras. We’d hide them and record. Simply capturing footage didn’t require much mana. Even elite soldiers could handle it. “When word comes, raid the site immediately.”
In my estimation, they might use that monster that nullifies mana this time, but I also suspected they’d deploy the powder Serin had discovered. “If it’s that powder…” “We’ve tested it.” According to the research institute’s current findings, it was a powder that attracted monsters. “That’s…!” Triana’s face filled with shock. Exactly.
“They could even use the Great Mountain Range.” Honestly, I was curious what they’d do if they accidentally brought a high-grade monster along. “Can I handle this alone?” “Honestly, their inventions still seem incomplete. The monster, and the powder they’re likely to use this time as well.”
But they didn’t seem willing to wait any longer. Their forcibly cultivated hatred had probably been ignited by these newly created tools. “What you need to do is capture them the moment they move. If you fail, we’ll suffer a major blow.” We might even have to withdraw during the territorial war. I gently stroked Triana’s hair as she wore a grave expression. “It’s all right. You can do it.”
Triana had exceptional senses. She had talent. Beyond her family’s bloodline, her personal abilities were outstanding. Even though her house had been defeated and its territory taken, her power hadn’t diminished. It wasn’t simply a matter of strong bloodline mana. It was strange how some ducal houses grew disproportionately powerful on their own, but generally, a titled noble who ruled a territory was one rank stronger than another noble of the same rank. That strength came from the spiritual power of the commoners under a noble’s rule—their faith, loyalty, and so on.
And Triana’s Muller family had been defeated by Franz, making me the new lord of this land. Much of the spiritual power once tied to this territory had shifted to me—I could feel it—but the name of the Muller family still existed here. To strip even that away, we’d have to change the territory’s name, but I had no intention of doing so. “It wasn’t my original plan, but if the wars continue, my territory will keep growing.” “Really?” “Huh?”
She seemed genuinely surprised. I tugged on Triana’s lips as she stared at me in disbelief. “Owowowow!” “Anyway, if that happens, we’ll need someone to govern Muller. And I intend to entrust that role to you.” “Ahhh… Huh? M-Me?” Her pronunciation was still odd from having her mouth pulled, but her eyes widened at my words. “Of course. Not immediately, and even if this operation succeeds and we conquer part of Aslan or Larson’s lands, my center will remain this city for now.”
“I-I understand that.” Triana lowered her head, perhaps embarrassed by her overly shocked expression. I smiled softly at her. “It’s a story for the distant future, but when the time comes, you’ll become the ruler of this land. And…” “And?” I smiled at her expectant face. “A child of our blood will inherit this land.”
“……Leoric.” At my words, Triana’s hand, slightly flushed with excitement, reached for my trousers. That night, I spent it with Triana, who was more aroused than usual. Only after she fell asleep with a satisfied expression did I, too, drift off. The plan was somewhat risky, but I trusted her. And even if it failed… we’d gain justification against Larson Territory. Aside from the potential for severe damage, it wasn’t a bad outcome.