Marquis Aiterne (1)
Marquis Gerald's red eyes fixed directly on Chloe.
"Really?"
"Yes. That my personal feelings are involved. I won't deny it entirely."
"I knew it. It's still too early to commit to the battlefield. There's no need for Aiterne's private forces to move this quickly. So if your proposal to aid that count is purely for your own sake..."
"But that's not all! Even if my personal feelings are part of it. The decision to help the count and Her Highness Lilia was made strictly in line with Aiterne's teachings. And that's the primary reason for it."
Gerald looked at Chloe with an intrigued expression.
"Aiterne's teachings? Ho. Well, you've bested all your brothers, so it's hardly empty talk. Speak."
Chloe fell silent for a moment. She recalled the Aiterne family creed in her mind. The words that emerged reflexively from her heir training spilled out.
"Anything of value must be seized by any means necessary."
That was it. The Aiterne family's way of survival.
Preempt and monopolize anything valuable, by any method. That creed had sustained the family for generations.
And that was precisely why the Aiterne family had become rulers of the central region.
"Anything of value... What exactly do you mean? Don't tell me..."
"Yes, exactly. Yulian von Reinhardt."
Chloe's eyes burned with conviction.
"He will become the most valuable person in the empire—no, on all of Iseland."
At her words, the marquis's face took on a thoughtful cast. Then he spoke.
"That count is undoubtedly valuable. From what I know, until last year, he was so worthless that no one could believe he was the margrave's grandson. But I've heard he's changed since this year—more precisely, since Pantheon reopened. Your retainers who were with you at His Majesty's birthday banquet reported it all."
Chloe's face lit up at that. But Marquis Gerald continued coldly.
"But he's the margrave's sole heir. Even a child in the neighborhood knows that if he takes Essenmont intact one day, he'll be immensely valuable. The key point is..."
He pressed on.
"The southern Kaseres holds equal value to Essenmont. Can you prove, Chloe, that he has greater potential than Duke Pedro of Kaseres?"
The comparison the marquis invoked wasn't the emperor or even Princess Lilia. It was Duke Pedro of the south. And it was only natural for his name to arise.
'Grius is making a fuss, but compared to Duke Pedro, he's small fry.'
But for the central region, they couldn't blindly ally with him.
"Father! But Kaseres borders our central lands directly. Aligning with him would be like handing our territory to a beast..."
"Of course I know that. You understand what I mean, don't you?"
Chloe grasped the implication instantly. It went beyond his position as northern heir. It was whether Yulian could rival that southern duke, whose ambitions already burned to remake the empire.
Whether Yulian had the potential to match him.
Without a moment's hesitation, Chloe replied.
"I know. And in this empire, if anyone can face Duke Pedro, it's only Count Yulian. That's what I want to tell you, Father."
"Hmph. Not even Margrave Wilhelm, but a mere boy like Count Yulian? Surely you're overrating him because you're lost in your little love games..."
"Absolutely not!"
And Chloe declared boldly to her father.
"Then why don't you meet Count Yulian yourself, Father?"
"Me, personally? Time is a precious commodity. You know the Marquis of Aiterne's time doesn't come cheap."
Chloe gripped her fan tightly. And for her final card:
"If Count Yulian disappoints you, I'll relinquish my position as heir."
Marquis Gerald smirked at that.
The group escaped the imperial capital unscathed.
The capital teetered on the brink, overrun by rebels. Not just Grius's Imperial Guard faction, but even the Virea Mercenary Corps.
Rebels scoured every corner, hunting for me and Lilia.
'But they haven't tracked our movements.'
We'd slipped out of Pantheon with utmost secrecy. We'd taken down a few guards in the process, so they could suspect we'd been there.
But that was it. We'd fled before the Guard's Pantheon officers caught on.
And we'd followed the safe route Rozette had prearranged through her witches to exit the capital.
'The rebels had the capital surrounded tightly...'
But the witches' real-time network was far more sophisticated. Rozette's mother was a witch too, and she held considerable status in their world.
'That's why we got help so easily.'
The group hurried south out of the capital. Their destination lay midway between the capital and Marquis Aiterne's territory.
There, Marquis Aiterne—Gerald's—reinforcements were encamped. And at last, the group reached the garrison.
I said to Lilia,
"Rozette went ahead to the reinforcements, so we'll have an answer soon."
"Marquis Gerald... Can we trust him?"
At Lilia's question, I pondered the marquis briefly. Ruler of the central region and head of the Aiterne Merchant Group. No noble could be unaware he was no ordinary man.
'Aiterne became central overlords under Marquis Gerald.'
A brilliant merchant. Moreover, he'd assembled private troops rivaling a knight order on his own dime.
'He's no fool; he won't side with Grius. But he moves strictly by profit...'
Utterly unlike my grandfather, Margrave Wilhelm. The vassal who could mobilize the largest force fastest against the rebels.
Whether he'd aid Lilia—and to what extent—remained uncertain.
'But I must secure him firmly on Lilia's side.'
The worst case was him allying with Kaseres. If Marquis Gerald and Duke Pedro joined forces, even mighty Essenmont would struggle.
'The capital's Guard is already in civil war. Forces to oppose them are critically short.'
In other words, I had to show him that aiding Lilia was a sure profit.
'Fail that, and we might end up as hostages.'
Of course, I wouldn't sit idle if it came to that. Above all, I was confident I could persuade him.
Moments later, Rozette returned.
"Marquis Gerald wants to meet Her Highness Lilia and Yulian personally."
Lilia and I entered Marquis Gerald's tent.
The conversation in the tent stretched on.
At its end, Marquis Gerald said to Lilia,
"If House Aiterne had no intention of aiding Your Highness, we wouldn't be here. No need to worry."
"Reliable words. Thank you, Marquis Gerald. If Aiterne's private forces handle the Virea Mercenaries, my joined Guardsmen will take Grius's head. The rebellion will be crushed."
"Most assuredly. With Your Highness's wisdom, I will do my utmost to annihilate these rebels."
With that, Marquis Gerald rose and summoned an aide.
"My subordinate will guide Your Highness to your quarters."
Lilia bowed politely to the marquis. Exhaustion plainly etched her face. She nodded at his words.
"I am grateful for your consideration, Marquis."
Lilia seemed reassured for now. The meeting had been cordial. She'd subtly promised him a ducal title, and he appeared satisfied.
As she said, if his forces pinned the Virea Mercenaries, it boiled down to Guardsmen fighting Guardsmen.
'Odds of swiftly quelling the rebels just improved.'
Of course, I knew it wouldn't be that simple. The marquis was a merchant to his bones, like Chloe—no, the pinnacle of merchants.
Even if he pledged aid, he'd likely hold his forces back just enough to preserve them, watching the tide.
'So I need to make him commit fully.'
And I was confident I could.
Soon, Lilia rose. As I moved to follow, the marquis's gaze turned to me.
"Your Highness, it seems the marquis has business with me. Please go ahead and rest."
Lilia looked anxious, but my smile eased her, and she nodded, leaving the tent.
"Something to say to me?"
I faced the marquis squarely. He eyed me with surprise.
"The young master of Reinhardt reads minds, it seems. You grasped my intent without a word."
"Your time is precious, Marquis. It's only right I cut to the chase swiftly."
His eyes gleamed with interest.
"The chase. That implies you already know what I want to discuss with you, Count."
"Indeed."
I answered without hesitation, and he smiled.
"Then tell me, Count. What do you think I'll say?"
"You'll ask about my relationship with Chloe."
Marquis Gerald let out a scoffing laugh.
"You're overestimating yourself, Count. Chloe is my daughter, yes. But do you think I'd care about young fools' dalliances?"
"A small spark can grow into a blaze that consumes a city."
His expression hardened.
"Do I seem so idle I'd meddle in children's romances? Where do you get off playing word games..."
"No jest. A union of Reinhardt and Aiterne is no mere spark."
The marquis fell silent. He already knew everything about Chloe and me.
And he'd grasp the implication in my words.
"Are you proposing a formal alliance between Reinhardt and Aiterne?"
"Yes. If I had no such intent, I wouldn't be involved with Chloe."
He pondered briefly, then replied.
"Alliances are for facing great foes. You see the rebels as a threat warranting two great vassals' union."
"No. The rebels are a matter of timing; they'll fall eventually. The real threat is southern Duke Pedro."
I watched his face closely as I continued.
"He will destroy the empire—no, Iseland. Chaos is a merchant's golden opportunity. But if the markets vanish entirely... that's a problem, isn't it?"
"You speak as if Pedro is the Demon King himself. So this is your point—spouting delusions before me..."
"No delusion. He's not human."
Marquis Gerald's face stiffened.
"How do you know that?"