Subjugating the Female General (6)
Duke Balanos sat settled in the reception room.
"Father!!!"
"Ah... I present myself before Her Majesty the Empress. You look well."
"Father... please, speak comfortably..."
"Haha... Before you are my daughter, you are Her Majesty the Empress. I could never."
The sight of her father's sturdy, unwavering loyalty filled Yuria with a deep sense of reassurance. It was this very quality, she believed, that had turned Ailes's opinion of her around.
"I love seeing you like this, Father."
Yuria ran into Duke Balanos's arms and buried herself against him. Caught off guard, the duke nonetheless patted her back with careful gentleness.
"I've heard that you and the Emperor have been getting along well of late. Is that true?"
"Yes, it is. I think His Majesty has finally let go of his misunderstandings about me."
"Misunderstandings?"
Duke Balanos's expression turned meaningful.
"His Majesty said the reason he stayed away from me all this time was because he found you difficult to approach."
"Hahaha! His Majesty said that? I shall request a private audience with him myself."
"Yes. But I don't think he feels that way at all anymore."
Yuria was taking Ailes's side, worried her father might go to him and say something he shouldn't.
"I understand. I am simply glad to see Her Majesty looking so happy."
She was nothing like the dejected figure he had seen not long ago. Now she was as beautiful as a flower just coming into bloom. Seeing her look genuinely happy, Duke Balanos felt a weight lift from his heart. He decided he would lean a little more toward the Emperor's side in the coming council.
"That's right. I think this is the happiest I've ever been in my life. I'm so happy."
"I have a council to attend, so I shall take my leave."
"Yes, Father. Please help His Majesty as much as you can."
"Hahaha. I was already planning to."
He already knew that Count Hudin had returned from his mission empty-handed. From the moment he learned of it, Duke Balanos had been preparing every soldier under his command, intending to extract as many troops as possible through this council. It had been a long time since he last had the chance to show what it meant to be the Emperor's father-in-law — and he intended to do it properly.
Silence hung over the great hall of the Krantz Empire.
Borchio Hudin stood at the center of the hall. Gone was the swagger of a man who proclaimed himself the finest blade in Krantz. He looked thoroughly deflated.
"How did it go?"
Dong-hyun asked him. He already knew the outcome. But hearing it from the man himself was a different matter — it would tell him something about the atmosphere in the Kairan Kingdom.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty. The Kairan Kingdom refused to surrender Duke Adrian."
Count Hudin dropped to one knee as he spoke.
"Hmmm... I expected as much, to a degree. But was that the Kairan king's own position?"
It was a question meant to gauge just how hard a line the Kairan Kingdom was taking.
"Well..."
Count Hudin let his words trail off.
"Speak plainly!!"
Duke Balanos roared at him. Count Hudin flinched, then continued.
"The Kairan Kingdom made it clear they are prepared to go to war with us. In particular, that insolent Duke Adrian stepped forward himself and offered open insult to the envoy party."
Dong-hyun had expected something along these lines, but he hadn't anticipated they would come out this hard.
If they say he offered insult, that means Duke Adrian intervened in person...
This quest was not going to be an easy one to clear.
"In that case, I shall personally lead our forces and conquer the Kairan Kingdom. Duke Edinel, you have no objection, I trust?"
Duke Balanos spoke up before Dong-hyun could, his eyes on Duke Edinel standing on the opposite side of the hall.
"I have no objection to going to war with the Kairan Kingdom. However, I believe we must now turn our attention to the matter of troop allocation...?"
Duke Edinel's point was sharp. War was acceptable. But he was making it silently clear that he would not be handing over a large number of troops.
"Hmph! I wasn't expecting much from you anyway. I intend to send half of my own forces to the Kairan Kingdom."
Even Duke Edinel was startled. War-mad or not, he hadn't expected Balanos to commit that many troops. Taking half his army and failing the campaign would be a gamble that could gut House Balanos's prestige overnight.
"So. How many do you intend to send, Duke Edinel?"
Duke Edinel's head throbbed at the question. By declaring such an enormous commitment first, Balanos had made any smaller contribution look paltry by comparison.
"Well... that is... we are currently at war with the Grand Duchy of Fiesta, so we are not in a position to send a large force..."
Duke Edinel made a weak excuse.
"What are you talking about? Everyone here knows we are already at war with two nations."
Duke Balanos had not earned the title of warmonger for nothing. Even while already fighting two countries, he was sending fully half his army to conquer the Kairan Kingdom. Of the five legions under his command, he was committing two.
"Very well. We shall send one legion."
"One? Hmm... Very well."
It felt a little thin, but for some reason Duke Balanos let it pass. Then he walked toward Count Hudin.
"Count Hudin. What about you? I hear you suffered a humiliation at Duke Adrian's hands. Do you intend to join the campaign?"
Count Hudin spoke before Duke Balanos had even finished.
"Of course. I will send the entirety of the one legion under my command."
"Ohh... Most reassuring."
Whatever Adrian had done to him had clearly cut deep — Count Hudin volunteered his troops without a moment's hesitation. Duke Edinel moved to stop him, but the declaration had already been made. There was no taking it back.
The rules varied from nation to nation in this world, but in the Krantz Empire, the size of the force a noble could field was determined by rank. A body of ten thousand soldiers was called a legion, and a duke was permitted to command up to five of them. A marquis could field two; a count, one. A viscount was authorized five divisions, a baron two. A legion numbered ten thousand men. A division, one thousand.
The force bound for the Kairan Kingdom had been set at a minimum of forty thousand.
"Is there anyone else who wishes to join this expedition?"
Duke Balanos looked around at the other nobles as he spoke. As the council proceeded, each of them stated their position on contributing troops. When it concluded, the force bound for the Kairan Kingdom had been set at four legions and eight divisions.
It was more than Dong-hyun had expected. The Kairan Kingdom was said to field around twenty thousand troops. They were sending well over twice that number. At this scale, the quest should be easy enough to clear.
After the council adjourned, Duke Balanos requested a private audience with Dong-hyun. Dong-hyun had expected the request, and accepted it without hesitation.
Dong-hyun and Duke Balanos faced each other in the Emperor's audience chamber.
The moment Dong-hyun looked at the duke standing before him, he felt his body tremble under the man's presence. But it was unthinkable for the emperor of a nation to be cowed by a duke. Dong-hyun intended to live in this world as Ailes — even after he had conquered Adrian. And for that, he could no longer afford to live as the worthless emperor he had been until now. If he was going to protect Yuria, he needed real power.
He clenched his fists to still the trembling and locked eyes with Duke Balanos.
A flicker of interest passed through the duke's eyes as he regarded the Emperor. Then he released his aura and bowed.
"Balanos, the Sword of Krantz, presents his respects to Your Majesty."
Only then, confirming that the oppressive force had lifted, did Dong-hyun speak.
"You may rise."
Dong-hyun gave no indication that he had noticed Duke Balanos's attempt to pressure him.
"Please, sit. What brings you to me?"
Though Dong-hyun was the Emperor, Duke Balanos was his father-in-law — there were limits to how casually he could speak. The duke answered.
"I have recently heard that my humble daughter has found favor with Your Majesty."
"That is correct. I was blind, and kept the Empress at a distance all this time. I believe I have finally opened my eyes."
Dong-hyun replied with an easy, self-deprecating air.
"Might I ask what brought about this sudden change of heart?"
"Hmmm... Sudden, you say. I suppose it might have looked that way. Would it suffice to say that when I saw my father-in-law put the honor of the Krantz Empire first — even after I had made a mistake regarding Adrian — I set aside my doubts about Duke Balanos's sincerity?"
Dong-hyun looked Duke Balanos straight in the eye as he spoke. A faint smile spread across the duke's face.
"I suppose that will do as an answer. Then I, too, shall see the Kairan expedition through — for Your Majesty and for the honor of the Krantz Empire."
"You have my thanks. With Duke Balanos's abilities, I have no doubt the wretched Kairan Kingdom will be dealt with without difficulty."
"Hahaha! Your Majesty flatters me too much. I shall endeavor to live up to your expectations."
"You should. That way I can also collect on the slight you paid me just now."
Dong-hyun was alluding, none too subtly, to the aura Duke Balanos had unleashed on the Emperor at the start of their meeting. The duke's smile widened.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Their conversation continued a while longer after that. It was, without question, a more comfortable exchange than the one they had begun with.