The New Grand Duke's Bargain
"Let's go negotiate."
"I can't exactly offer congratulations, Duke Adrakin."
Duke. The ruler of the North, personally recognized by the Emperor. But I knew the truth. Unlike the sweet-sounding title of Northern Grand Duke, this seat was one no one in their right mind would actually want.
"How bad is the situation in the North?"
"Bad enough that the Adrakin family can't even fulfill its original duty of defending the Demon Realm."
The northern frontier was a lifeless wasteland. From its edge poured an endless tide of monsters from the Demon Realm, a massive gateway directly linked to the demon world itself. Even in the original romance novel, the North's oldest and most sacred mission had been to hold that line, the very reason the Adrakin ducal house existed. If they couldn't manage even that anymore, the North's condition was far worse than anyone had imagined.
At that moment, both the Emperor and I locked eyes, our gazes sharpening. We had clearly reached the same conclusion.
"The Hellhound Brigade. The war's over, so they'll be disbanded soon, won't they, Your Majesty?"
"Precisely. A war-hero unit of beastmen. The other nobles, especially those in the south, find them extremely inconvenient."
"That would be a problem. We all know what happens when beastmen without citizenship are thrown back into society."
Beastmen without citizenship had no legal means of survival within the Empire. In the south they were worked to death as slaves clearing farmland. The west and east were marginally better, but still offered no real way to earn a living. According to what my subordinates had told me, even the mines—infamous for high casualties and grueling labor—refused to hire beastmen. And now battle-hardened beastmen soldiers were about to be released into the wild? Criminal gangs were inevitable.
"I'll take them with me to the North. I want the Hellhound Brigade stationed there. Please grant me permission."
"Issuing the order itself isn't difficult. But there are practical problems."
The Emperor rubbed the back of his neck, making no effort to hide his exhaustion and irritation.
"The main roads and rail lines were destroyed during the war, so sending supplies from the capital to the North has become nearly impossible. You might ask why we can't just repair them, but..."
"The other nobles won't sit still and let it happen."
"They've suffered losses too, though not as badly as the North. They need support as well. On top of that, they have no desire to see the North—the region that has always supported the imperial family—rise again."
In an empire where noble influence was strong, the imperial family's authority rested on two pillars: the various monopolies it controlled and the might of the Imperial Army. The army had been worn down by ten years of war, and the nobles were already circling, eager to tear away the business rights the crown still held.
"Supplying the Hellhound Brigade will be entirely your responsibility. You can't expect any support from the capital for the time being... or perhaps for quite a while."
In short, the Emperor would give me the justification to bring the brigade north, but nothing else.
"People will say I'm turning the Imperial Army into my private soldiers. Can you keep the other nobles from objecting?"
"That much I can do. If we frame it as deploying them to defend against the monsters, no one can argue with the reasoning."
"Good. Just make sure that part is solid. If you do, I'll handle the supplies myself."
Problems were piling up like mountains. A ruined North. A victorious empire already showing signs of fracture and division. The Kingdom Alliance and the Kramkin Duchy refusing to pay reparations. Nobles circling the weakened throne like vultures. But that was how life worked—bad things always outnumbered the good. At least I could keep my subordinates from being scattered to the winds. I decided to focus on that.
"The Hellhound Brigade will remain officially part of the Imperial Army. I want that made clear. If we transfer them to the ducal forces right away, there will be complaints."
"Of course."
"However, once the situation stabilizes and the beastman citizenship bill passes, the brigade will be officially disbanded. You'll be allowed to keep their equipment and weapons. You may simply change their affiliation from the Imperial Army to the ducal army and keep them as your personal forces."
"That's more than enough."
The Emperor rose from his seat.
"Duke Adrakin, receive your orders."
At his words, my adjutant and I snapped into attention.
"Take command of the 3rd Mechanized Shock Infantry Brigade and assume responsibility for defending the Demon Realm in the North."
"As you command."
A brief salute. With that, our audience ended.
Clutching the appointment scroll recognizing me as the new Northern Grand Duke and the order to lead the Hellhound Brigade north, I left the palace where the victory banquet was still underway.
Inside the vehicle heading toward the Hellhound Brigade's garrison, my adjutant and I spoke with the Chief Steward. In the original novel he had been portrayed as a wise and gentle old man. Now he looked like a tired, bitter, and nervous elder.
"What's the exact situation in the North? I'm the Grand Duke now. I need to know the state of my territory."
The Chief Steward gave a bitter laugh.
"It's dire, Your Grace. I won't sugarcoat it. During the monster war, the creatures seem to have caught the scent of blood. Their numbers pouring out of the Demon Realm have surged dramatically."
Monsters were drawn to the smell of large-scale war and human blood as if by some telepathic sense. It was strange they hadn't gone berserk sooner after catching the scent of the massive conflict raging south of the North.
"Most of our defensive facilities and troops were wiped out. Then we had to divert what remained to fight the Kramkin Duchy."
"Of course. The North lay directly in the path of their advance."
"The monster war was almost preferable. During the war with the duchy, most of the roads and rail lines were destroyed. For the North, which can't grow its own food, that was catastrophic."
"Has food importation stopped?"
"Not completely. Not every road was destroyed. But imports have dropped sharply. As a result, more and more northerners are fleeing south just to avoid starving."
"What about our stockpiles?"
"We had some. But ten years of war emptied the warehouses completely, Your Grace."
My head was starting to ache.
"Adjutant. How much food does the brigade have left?"
"Enough for one more week... but nowhere near enough to feed the entire northern population."
Food. Food was the biggest problem. Since I was responsible for supplies, if I couldn't solve this, the brigade, the North, and I would all starve together.
"Chief Steward, I'm not familiar with northern affairs. Where did we usually import food from?"
"Originally from the south. When the rail lines were intact, we imported mainly from there."
"Since the lines are cut, we'll need new trading partners."
"Yes. Currently we're importing from the eastern nobles, the closest option. We've been dealing with the Leonal Trading Company in particular. However..."
The Chief Steward hesitated. Even without knowing the full details, it wasn't hard to guess why.
"They're charging outrageous prices?"
"Yes, Your Grace. With most major roads destroyed, they have to take long detours to reach the North. The increased fuel and labor costs have driven prices up to the point where they're practically robbery."
"Of course. That's exactly what they'd do."
The eastern, western, and southern nobles operated in regions where noble influence outweighed the crown's. They had never looked kindly on the North, which had always supported the imperial family. Now that the throne was weakened, why wouldn't they seize the chance to bleed the North dry? It would have been stranger if they hadn't.
"Is the Leonal Trading Company currently the largest food supplier?"
"Yes. They're the only nearby source left."
"Do you know their location?"
"Of course."
"Good. That's enough."
In the distance, the familiar banner of the Hellhound Brigade came into view.
"We'll visit the Leonal Trading Company first. Secure the food, then head north."
"But Your Grace, we don't have enough money to pay them."
"Don't worry. I'll make them sell at a reasonable price."
The vehicle came to a stop. The moment the beastmen saw me entering the garrison, their previously relaxed postures snapped back into military discipline.
I stepped out of the car and activated Transmission, my unique magic that let me share my thoughts and words with the entire brigade.
"New orders have been issued. Our destination is the North. Our mission is to defend the Demon Realm."
The entire brigade fell silent in an instant. I continued speaking to the listening soldiers.
"Unfortunately, the citizenship bill didn't pass. The other nobles refused to agree, and even His Majesty couldn't force it through. To make it happen, we'll need the support of the northern nobles. We have to stabilize the North first and give them a reason to back us."
The silence returned, but this time it carried disappointment and anger. They had expected citizenship after ten years of fighting like dogs, only to be told it still wasn't happening.
"It pisses you off, doesn't it? Me too. But it's not all bad news. Listen up, you bastards. As of today, I'm the Northern Grand Duke."
"With that face, sir?"
A few of them snickered. I didn't get angry. I laughed along with them.
"Yeah. With this ugly mug, I'm the Northern Grand Duke. And that means even if the Empire won't grant you citizenship, once we reach the North I can use my authority to give you legal residence."
The brigade remained silent, but the atmosphere had shifted. Now it was silence filled with shock and hope. Legal residence—something that had been denied to beastmen for generations.
"The North is mine now, you bastards! My territory! My authority! And my North will become your new home and homeland. A place that never accepted you before will accept you now. No—I will make it accept you!"
Smiles spread across their faces. Some clenched their fists, trembling. A few even sniffled.
"So let's go! To the North! Not because the Empire ordered it, but because it's going to be your new home! Defend it! Secure your lives there! The North will become your homeland!"
Cheers. Roars. The thunder of stomping feet. The Chief Steward, who had just stepped out of the vehicle, stared at the scene in stunned silence.
"Every one of them had their lives saved by the Commander. They're elites who would die laughing if he ordered it," the adjutant said proudly to the Chief Steward.
"Arm up! Load full combat gear onto the trucks! Prepare to move!"
At my command, the beastmen began breaking down the camp and loading equipment. Tents were struck, ammunition and magical devices were secured, and heavily armed soldiers—rifles and machine guns at the ready—boarded the hundreds of trucks in orderly fashion. The sight was almost majestic.
I watched for a moment, then turned to the Chief Steward.
"Guide us. To the Leonal Trading Company."
"S-Surely not, Your Grace... You're not planning to take these troops and threaten them...?"
"Threaten is a strong word. We're just going to negotiate. I'll have the troops positioned nearby while I shove my face in their direction, scowl a bit, and raise my voice. That's all."
"That's still a threat, isn't it?"
"Details, Chief Steward. The Leonal Trading Company knew exactly how desperate the North was and still jacked up their prices. They didn't call it extortion—they called it 'price adjustment due to increased transportation costs.' We're doing the same thing. Understand?"
I gave the Chief Steward's shoulder a couple of pats and climbed into the vehicle.
"Let's go. To the Leonal Trading Company."
The engine of my car roared to life. Moments later, the engines of the hundreds of trucks carrying the brigade followed suit.