Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Empire's Insulting Ultimatum
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Brotan Kingdom, palace audience chamber.
"The Empire is trying to negotiate with Ildmar and Kaen?"
"Yes."
Antoine reported that the Dragonia Empire had sent envoys to the Ildmar Kingdom and the Kaen Kingdom.
"I see. Well, that's to be expected. We've already anticipated this. Unless the Empire moves its forces immediately, they'll resort to something like this."
"Exactly."
The Empire's diplomatic pressure on the kingdoms had been discussed multiple times before, so Guillaume responded indifferently.
"Has Ildmar Kingdom sent a reply?"
He paid no attention to the Kaen Kingdom, which had lost all its main forces, and only asked Antoine about the outcome of negotiations with Ildmar Kingdom.
"Yes. They have no intention of negotiating with the Empire and stated they would uphold their loyalty to our Brotan Kingdom."
"Of course, that's how it should be."
It was a satisfactory response, so Guillaume nodded with a pleased smile.
"Unless Ildmar Kingdom is foolish, they won't accept the Empire's proposal."
"Indeed. It's clear that if our Brotan Kingdom falls, Ildmar Kingdom will be the Empire's next target..."
"Hmm, cooperating with us is their best option too."
Guillaume thought he could finally put his worries to rest for a moment.
But a few days later, when a report arrived detailing the Ildmar Kingdom and Kaen Kingdom's responses to the Empire's envoys...
-Thud!
"Is this... is this true?!"
Guillaume slammed the throne armrest, shouting so loudly that veins bulged in his neck.
"Kaen? Fine, I can believe that from those bastards! They've already lost, so groveling to the Empire makes sense! But!"
He thrust the report toward Antoine standing before him with trembling hands of rage.
"Ildmar Kingdom, those traitors, kept the Empire's envoys for days! Duke Clavier!"
"...Yes, Your Majesty."
"Didn't you say we had their firm commitment? What the hell is this?!"
Since Antoine had been in charge of diplomacy with Ildmar Kingdom, Guillaume vented not just his current anger but all his pent-up frustrations at him.
"The Empire's envoys came only with modest gifts. For Ildmar Kingdom, which hasn't yet joined the war..."
"Gifts? Did you just say gifts?"
Antoine tried to calmly explain after reading some of the Empire's intentions, but Guillaume raised his voice first.
"Word has spread throughout the kingdom that Ildmar is seriously considering the Empire's proposal! If they intended to keep their word, they should have sent the Empire's envoys packing immediately, no matter what they brought!"
"..."
"In a situation where we don't know when fighting will resume, they ally with us and then test the waters with the Empire's offer? Isn't that openly insulting us?!"
"It was my failure. I apologize."
Even Antoine felt Guillaume wasn't wrong, so instead of arguing further, he quickly bowed his head deeply to soothe the king's mood.
"...Hah."
Seeing Antoine, who usually held his head high as if his opinions were always right, apologize eased Guillaume's mind a little.
But that didn't solve the problems facing Brotan Kingdom.
If even Ildmar Kingdom turned to the Empire, it meant complete isolation for Brotan Kingdom.
Guillaume felt a sensation like his throat was gradually tightening.
"Duke Clavier, send another letter to Ildmar Kingdom. We need to confirm if they truly intend to betray us."
"Understood."
He tried to compose himself and probe Ildmar Kingdom's true intentions.
But then...
-Creak.
"Your Majesty! News from Laiwai! Some of the prisoners, including Count Bevis Lefebvre, have raised the white flag and returned!"
"...?"
Victor's next move came first.
A few days later, the prisoners freed by the Empire arrived in Brotan Kingdom's capital, Leboua.
"Count Lefebvre has arrived."
"...Let him in."
"Yes!"
Already on edge from the recent report of Empire reinforcements joining, Guillaume scowled and ordered Bevis into the audience chamber through gritted teeth.
-Creak.
The audience chamber doors opened, and Bevis entered with his head slightly bowed, dressed in the attire of Empire nobles.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty."
"...You have a message?"
"Yes."
Just seeing that outfit made Guillaume's anger boil, but knowing now wasn't the time to show it, he tried his best to stay calm.
"You don't know the contents?"
"No, I haven't opened it."
Bevis approached Antoine and handed over an envelope containing the Empire's negotiation proposal.
"..."
Antoine felt uneasy at the Empire's manner, which showed no willingness to negotiate, but he had no choice but to accept the envelope and pull out its contents.
Antoine's face turned pale as he skimmed the letter.
"Duke Clavier, read it aloud."
"...Yes."
Feeling cold sweat trickle down his back under Guillaume's sharp gaze, Antoine cleared his throat and began reading.
"To King Guillaume Châtion of Brotan Kingdom, from Gerhard Weissilt, Commander of the Dragonia Empire forces. The Dragonia Empire no longer desires bloodshed between us. To maintain peace, we propose the following conditions."
Sensing as if his breath might stop under Guillaume's piercing eyes, Antoine continued the recitation.
"First, Brotan Kingdom shall guarantee free military passage for Empire forces. Second, limit the size of maintainable forces to 40,000 men, with a military advisory group dispatched by the Empire overseeing their training and deployment."
"..."
Guillaume's face flushed red as he gripped the throne armrest so hard it seemed it might crumble.
"Third, cede control of major ports and trade routes within the kingdom, and pay 20% of the kingdom's tax revenue to the Empire annually. Fourth, the kingdom's diplomatic decisions shall be made in consultation with the Empire."
The other nobles reacted similarly to Guillaume.
They had stayed silent out of fear of his anger, but the Empire's proposal was no proposal—it was an insult.
The very fact of such a proposal deeply wounded their pride.
"Fifth, the kingdom shall faithfully provide military and economic support as required by the Empire. If accepted, the Empire promises to guarantee the kingdom's autonomy and the dignity of its royal family to the utmost."
"..."
The recitation ended with content tantamount to severing Brotan Kingdom's arms, legs, and head but sparing its life.
"Clavier, Duke."
Guillaume growled Antoine's name.
"...Yes, Your Majesty."
"Hand it over."
He snatched the letter from Antoine with trembling hands.
As he checked Gerhard's letter line by line, an ominous silence descended on the audience chamber.
And then,
"Arrrghhhh!"
Guillaume's raw shout tore through the silence as he flung the letter away.
-Thud! Thud! Thud! Crack!
The staff he held smashed repeatedly against the floor until it shattered into pieces.
"..."
"Damn them, damn them, damn them!"
Antoine, who would normally try to stop Guillaume's rampage, couldn't even muster the courage now and slumped in his seat.
"Those dog bastards are humiliating me!"
"Eek..."
"Gasp..."
Guillaume vented his rage in a frenzy for a long while.
Bevis flattened himself on the floor where he stood, and the nobles held their breath, averting their eyes in fear of ending up like the broken staff.
"Hah, hah, hah..."
Guillaume leaned against the throne, breathing heavily.
A heavy tension hung over the audience chamber, as if a storm had passed.
"Duke Clavier. What do you think? Is it still not time? Do we still have to endure?"
"..."
As Antoine cautiously prepared to offer his opinion...
-Thud!
"Your Majesty! News from Pyrot Castle!"
A messenger who had been waiting outside rushed in and knelt before Guillaume, having waited for the internal commotion to settle.
"...Pyrot Castle. Speak."
"Empire forces are massing in large numbers at Anyak!"
"Empire forces?"
Guillaume shot to his feet upon hearing the report.
"...As expected. The Empire only wants to fight. Duke Clavier."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"This seems to be the opportunity you mentioned."
Antoine's mind sharpened at Guillaume's mention of the opportunity.
"How many troops?"
"The conscripted kingdom forces number nearly 60,000."
60,000 soldiers sounded impressive, but Antoine knew that excluding the 20,000 deployed at the Kaen Kingdom border, they were little more than civilians.
Moreover, since this force was scraped together using every resource the kingdom could muster, losing even them would truly end Brotan Kingdom. As Antoine prepared to say so,
"But..."
"But?"
-Shing.
Guillaume drew his sword as if he didn't want to hear more and pointed it at Antoine.
"Antoine. Keep talking. Even after this humiliation, you're telling me to hold back?"
"That's..."
Antoine looked up to check Guillaume's expression.
If this decision stemmed from complete loss of reason, he was prepared to risk his life to stop the expedition.
However.
"After hearing those bastards openly declare they'll turn our Brotan Kingdom into a puppet state, you're still telling me to wait for that damned opportunity? What's the reason this time? Not enough gaps in the enemy? Are we too weak for victory to seem possible?"
Unlike his voice, which spat venom without hiding his hatred, Guillaume's eyes were utterly calm.
"The enemy's reinforcements keep arriving, and their defenses grow ever stronger. If not even now, when the hell can we move?"
"..."
Neither Antoine nor Guillaume could know that the Empire reinforcements entering the castle by day were actually the defensive forces sneaking out at night.
Antoine, at a loss for words and frozen,
"Your Majesty has made your decision."
"Now that they've grown complacent thinking they've won, this is our chance..."
"We must show those Empire scum and Ildmar bastards a lesson."
only understood Guillaume's thinking after hearing the nobles' murmurs and considering the other options he could have chosen.
He also realized that expedition was the only choice left for Guillaume.
"...I shall obey Your Majesty's will."
In the end, Antoine knelt before Guillaume, praying that the opportunity given to them was truly one.
"Hear me, all! The enemy has concentrated forces at Anyak, so I shall personally lead the army to retake Saint Touar!"
Guillaume declared the expedition.