The Serpent's Den (3)
He scrutinized each of the flags blanketing the map one by one. Those were probably the lords' private armies... here, there, and fucking everywhere, way too many of them. The Kusobo independence movement bastards were swarming like maggots. So how were the legions deployed...? Some were stationed at garrisons, others mobilized. Part of the mobilized legions were headed to Kusobo, and some... what was that place? Probably the area around the lord who just got assassinated. And... hmm... what the hell was that at the Bacomore border? Why were there so damn many flags there?
"Hey, intelligence chief. You guys planning to go to war with Bacomore or something?"
"I can't comment on that, sir."
"Bullshit. What, you think I'm a spy now?"
"You're no longer with the royal court."
He nearly smacked the bald bastard's head, but Elua spoke up.
"What do you make of it, Balder?"
"Why the hell are there so many private troops from the lords? Don't you limit the number per title?"
"You don't seriously think the nobles will obey the capital to the letter, do you, Balder?"
"Of course not, but this is ridiculous. So, you're going to fight the nobles? Over this lord assassination?"
"Who knows."
Elua just flashed a cryptic smile, giving no straight answer. With all those eyes and ears in the war room fixed on her, she couldn't speak freely.
"Anyway... what's with all the movement at Bacomore?"
"They've judged the kingdom unstable and are massing troops," the intelligence chief explained. "Kusobo's independence movement, His Majesty's ascension, and now this lord assassination. It's prime opportunity for our old rival Bacomore to drool over."
"I see."
But the chief had omitted the key point. The six elite legions facing Bacomore directly were commanded by the bastard Gobert. No telling exactly where Gobert stood, but his intentions could flip the entire board on this map. Would he hold back Bacomore for the kingdom's stability, or turn his blade against it? Without knowing if Elua truly poisoned the previous king or how Gobert viewed her, predictions were impossible.
Gobert's got a headache too. Turn back and you've got an enemy at your rear; stay put and you're just sucking your thumb. No, wait—without knowing his true motives, he might've really left because he had no interest in the throne.
Fuck this Sirdanel family of retards. When my Balder clan was king, there wasn't a peep out of anyone, but these Sirdanel shitheads can't stop cannibalizing their own.
"Must be a real pain for everyone here. Bandits at the gates with knives to your throats, parasites gnawing at your guts from inside."
Not a word off-base, so the defense minister just groaned low.
Back in the day, he'd have shrugged it off as not his problem anymore. But if the kingdom fell into chaos now, it'd give me headaches too. Better nudge these desk-jockey idiots in the right direction before they did something stupid.
"These guys here need to step up."
He pointed at Gobert's six legions, and shadows fell over the faces around the map.
"Instead of bickering like kids over toys, act like adults—ask what they want and talk it out."
Elua eyed him with a serpentine smile.
"Hmm. And that needs resolving too..."
She muttered, pointing at the territory ringed by several legions—the site of the recent lord assassinations.
"What the fuck are those Bacomore scum doing, infiltrating that far to behead innocent lords...?"
The defense minister's head snapped up at his words. A strange glint flickered in the intelligence chief's eyes.
"The kids... maybe they're itching to see internal rebellion backfire and everyone band together."
All the top officials' gazes locked on him. He scanned them slowly, then muttered to himself.
"The assassins will definitely cross back through Luchia territory... so snag 'em en route, torture 'em till they spill, nice and easy..."
"Mmgh..."
The defense minister groaned low.
"Haha, sorry, everyone. Just some nonsense from a tactical illiterate."
"Your Majesty, may I speak with Balder privately for a moment?"
Elua nodded at the defense minister's request.
"Balder, over here a sec."
The minister rose and left the room. "Follow him, Balder."
Out in the corridor, the minister paced with a grave expression.
"What's up?"
"Balder, care to elaborate on what you just said?"
"That? Nothing much. Just grab some Bacomore guys at the Luchia border, torture 'em into false confessions that they killed the lords. Send in the secret police; easy peasy."
"Make them confess to killing the lords? Then publicize it to redirect noble council beef outward?"
"You get it."
"Mmgh..."
The minister crossed his arms, nodding slowly.
"But... will the noble council buy it? They're already hunting excuses to dethrone Her Majesty."
"Doesn't matter if they believe it. It's about creating a pretext."
"A pretext?"
"Think kid fights. They start out ready to kill, but deep down want someone to break it up before it gets real. That's the play."
"Ah, so... they're in a standoff neither wants, but backing down first means losing face before it even starts. Give 'em a decent excuse to bury the hatchet at an opportune point?"
"The noble council absolutely doesn't want all-out war with the legions. Honestly, if the legions went all-in, they could wipe 'em out. But that'd ravage the kingdom, so they're holding back."
The capital and noble council didn't truly want war—just posturing for optics and outside eyes. If they did, the legions wouldn't just encircle; the nobles would've counterattacked immediately after the assassinations. A flimsy excuse like "it was outsiders sowing discord" would let both sides save face. Sure, the council hated Elua on the throne, but that was the capital's problem from there.
"Balder, say that buys time on internal strife. But won't Bacomore sit idle? Suddenly pinning it on them?"
"Tell 'em to suck it up."
"What?"
"You think they'll actually go to war? Come on, Minister—no, you weren't like this ten years ago. Getting on in years?"
The minister paused, then snapped his fingers.
"Right. They can't invade."
"Exactly. They massed at the border to exploit our chaos, but if that chaos fizzles? And crucially, mutual war leaves neither side intact."
"Indeed... indeed... but Balder..."
He caught the minister's drift.
"Gobert?"
"Yeah. He's sealed himself off airtight; no clue what he's thinking."
"Hmm... no idea on my end either. Haven't seen the guy in nearly a year, and shit's happened since. Who knows what's in his head."
The minister eyed him slyly. "If possible, maybe you could..."
"Visit Gobert? Nah, busy."
"Mmgh... right... busy, of course... hmm..."
All he wanted was no war disrupting inn business. Zero interest in playing royal errand boy, sniffing around Gobert's camp.
"So, Minister... why didn't you rein Elua in while she was fucking up? At least stop the Alvis Duke assassination."
Alvis Duke. The noble council's pick for heir, drowned yachting at sea last summer. Body never found. Probably fish food, bones tumbling on the seabed—what's to find?
"Sigh. Anyway, the rightful line was Elua; just keep her in check post-coronation and wait for an opening."
"Mmgh..."
The minister just kept groaning.
"If only Her Majesty had cleared up the previous king's death..."
"No way. Who'd buy that? The council and Gobert hate her on the throne period. She's nuts, temperamental—won't bend to their whims."
"True... but..."
"Mobilizing legions right after ascension for loyalty oaths? Who likes that? Previous king would've sweet-talked and fleeced 'em like suckers."
"You're right."
"And crucially, even if Elua announced natural causes, you wouldn't believe it yourself."
"Mmmghhh..."
Was this guy planning to "mmgh" all day?
"Anyway... one thing I ask: keep shit from blowing up. Any hit to my inn ops, and I won't sit idle."
"A... alright. Don't worry about that..."
"Help Elua out. Keep her from flipping out and doing crazy shit."
"Mmgh... will do..."
Right on cue, the door opened. Elua and Brione emerged, dead-eyed Grancis trailing like a doll.
"Balder. Done talking?"
"Yeah, just wrapped."
"Since you're at the palace, how about some tea?"
He hesitated... but he'd promised the chamberlain to check on Elua occasionally.
"Sure, why not."