Conflicts Of Interest Often Begin From Trivial Matters (2)

In accordance with the meaning of living fulfilling days, various changes had been occurring recently.

The influx of free citizens began to increase again, and there were prominent changes in Ing City and Rad City, as well as the emergence of villages near the fortress; among them, the greatest change was undoubtedly the envoy who arrived from the Empire, and the person who came as the representative was a familiar face.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Chancellor?”

I received the Chancellor in a banquet hall remodeled to mimic the atmosphere of the Emperor’s audience chamber, and the amusing part was that I had intentionally left traces deep in the floor and bloodstains without wiping them away.

It was an action taken so as not to forget, and to remind myself every day of the results born of my choices and judgments, but the problem was that the expression of the Chancellor guided here was not very good.

“It has been a while, but it is not a pleasant situation.”

Chancellor Hilman de Pling; thinking back to my meeting with this man, I asked a question, thinking that there were no particularly bad memories.

“I was surprised that a bigger figure than expected came, but I suppose it’s because of negotiations?”

“…Are you going straight to the point?”

“Is there any good in dragging things out for a long time?”

“That is also true… So this is the place. The place where Duke Yusillian passed away.”

The Chancellor looked around, but there was a word that grated on me.

“I’d like to know the intention behind speaking so highly of his death. Is it the opening of a dialogue channel? Or is it an incitement of unrest?”

“I made a slip of the tongue on a sensitive issue; I apologize. I came because I wished for us to talk.”

“Indeed, there must be many issues for which you are held accountable to me.”

Looking at the Chancellor, whose expression had stiffened, I sat leaning back with my chin on my hand and asked.

“I am not merciful to those who aimed for my life. I am not the type to go out of my way to make enemies, but I am saying I am not generous to enemies either. What have you brought this time?”

The Chancellor let out a sigh at my words and reached out to a noble behind him to receive a familiar scroll.

“I’ve seen those quite often lately. I’ve hung a few over there; aren’t they worth seeing?”

I had hung the scrolls the Imperial family sent me as if displaying a collection. The Chancellor’s expression cracked slightly at this, but he soon opened the scroll and read the contents.

The content was a form of conciliation, and after hearing it all, I asked the Chancellor.

“I can only think that you’ve turned to conciliation tactics because your situation is turning unfavorable; am I right?”

“Does it not say that… misunderstandings built up out of loyalty?”

“So you’re saying you want to trade those two for the fiefs around Ingrad and 10,000,000 large gold coins?”

The nearby territories referred to three fiefs around Ingrad. There was one viscountcy and two baronies, with an explanation that the nobles there would be given other fiefs.

They were saying they would give up territory if I handed over the two Masters.

It was an amount that could be tempting, but I was not stupid enough to hand over strong individuals who were directly linked to my life. Moreover, I was earning more than enough money, and I could anticipate that the increase in territory to defend was also one of their tricks.

It might be a leap, but to put it bluntly, they could return the Masters and immediately change their attitude.

Furthermore, since I had recently been informed that the condition of Agnes and Marquis Giltian was not very good, I had no intention of showing them.

“I suppose you thought I would be enticed by such a proposal.”

“I believe… it is not a meager proposal. Is it not true that the current Ingrad Domain is in a state where no one, including merchants, can enter from the outside?”

Yes, those words were correct. In the case of free citizens, they were climbing over the walls by giving extra money to the guards, but it was true that people like merchants were effectively unable to enter. However, this only applied to land routes; the Dust of Sands Trading Company, the Lilith Trading Company, and others were steadily operating merchant ships and trading with us.

Moreover, since we were bringing in supplies from the Northern Continent through Briden, we were not feeling any shortage.

No matter how expensive the food of the Northern Continent was, it could be resolved with a massive offensive of large gold coins.

Furthermore, I had sent Bolb and many other Black Gold Merchant Companies out to the open sea again. It remained to be seen how much fortune they would earn and bring back, but since the scale was at least 1.3 times larger than before, I was thinking it was worth looking forward to.

“I refuse.”

“….War could break out. Does the owner of Ingrad not know that as well?”

Laughter naturally escaped at the Chancellor’s words.

“I suppose you no longer see me as a noble of the Empire either? Seeing as you refer to me as the ‘owner’ rather than the Viscount.”

“…..”

The Chancellor, realizing he had made a slip of the tongue, looked hurried, and I spoke to such a Chancellor.

“It seems your political sense has become quite dull amidst long peace and sluggish squabbles.”

It was a comment that would be a sharp criticism for the Chancellor, and looking at the Chancellor whose expression distorted a bit more deeply, I spoke further.

“I think I know how the Empire thinks of us now, so take one piece of pleasant news with you. We intend to part ways with the Empire. Tell them they worked hard to exploit us all this time. Do you understand? I will notify you later regarding the documents.”

“You will regret it. You will come to know how warm the Empire’s embrace was.”

“I have never once felt that the Empire’s embrace was warm; if that was warmth, then with what kind of gaze have you been viewing this place…?”

“The Empire will not sit idly by as a long-standing relationship is skewed by the misjudgment of a single person. Since we won’t be able to see each other with smiling faces in the future, I will ask just one last thing before I go…”

“What is it?”

“With what thought did you make this decision, thinking you could handle the Empire?”

“Then I’ll ask just one thing in return. With what thought did you do this, thinking you could handle us?”

Since the questions answered each other, I did not see the Chancellor off as he turned and walked out. The Chancellor also simply walked without hesitation, each of us heading our own way.

“The die is cast…”

Looking at the people whose expressions became determined upon hearing my words, I spoke.

“From now on, we will act as an independent force. You must keep a close eye on the Empire’s military movements and direction, and use the Information Guild actively to spread rumors about this matter quickly. And you must thoroughly block anyone trying to cross the fortress. Deploy additional trained troops to prepare thoroughly.”

Looking at the people who received the orders with solemn expressions and scattered, I just pressed my throbbing head, hoping for this pain to subside.

Rumors began to spread rapidly.

The independence of the Ingrad Domain; now it was beginning to be called simply ‘Ingrad,’ and the attention of many people was focused on it, but among them, those who were particularly concerned were the soldiers out on the battlefield.

“Are you saying that Viscount Ingrad truly declared independence?”

“It seems to be true. There are also stories that a subjugation force is being formed…”

“I wonder what on earth is going to happen… why is the Imperial family so anxious to devour the Lord of Ingrad?”

“Hasn’t it always been that way?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Imperial family dislikes it when the power of the nobles becomes strong.”

The soldiers sighed and shook their heads, saying it was the end of the world, and most were worried that the future war situation would become serious, filled with apprehension and concern.

And a few quick-witted ones, upon hearing the rumors, hurriedly took their pocket money and sought out other soldiers to buy Ingrad medicine, desperate to extend their lifelines; it did not take long before this was no longer just a matter for the soldiers.

“They are clamoring for the supplies to be released.”

Viscount Isman, the noble in charge of supplies at the front, was experiencing difficulty. This was because the rumors that started circulating in the morning began to spread far and wide, and the middle and high-level command were clamoring for the supplies to be handed over. So he had no choice but to seek out the Commander-in-Chief of the battlefield, who also received Viscount Isman’s words with a dead expression, as if he had been through quite a lot.

“I am well aware that it is a difficult situation, but we must hold out… We don’t know when the medicine will be released again, but at the very least, we must use the current volume wisely. You will have a hard time, but… please hold out.”

“What on earth… happened?”

Marquis Delman, the Commander-in-Chief, wiped his forehead with an expression of a bleak memory and spat out words irritably.

“Those vermin from the Noble Faction swarmed in and annoyed me; I was pestered for a full hour, you see? So you should endure it too, as the Imperial family will soon come up with a countermeasure…”

Marquis Delman said so, but he wondered if there would actually be a countermeasure. This was because the Empire’s Pharmacists’ Guild was in a state no different from being collapsed, and the Ingrad-made medicine that had been barely sustaining them was like a lifeline, and even that was on the verge of being cut.

Marquis Delman could not understand with what thought such a decision had been made, but he was someone who thought that the problem right in front of him was more important than someone else’s circumstances.

Meanwhile, there was a person who acted as if they had expected the decision of the Ingrad Domain, and that was Count Branne de Ishtain.

“Did they drive him so that he had no choice but to make such a decision?”

Nodding her head at Galea’s question, she thought of the man she knew.

“I thought he would not accept a life of being dragged around; it is likely a decision made after long and careful consideration.”

“Is there a reason you judge it so?”

“You can say that because you don’t know what an amazing race the beastkin are, Galea.”

“….?”

Galea had an incredulous expression at the sudden praise of beastkin, but Branne de Ishtain spoke to her friend and vassal, Galea, with a serious expression.

“In the Ingrad Domain, there are at least four beastkin stronger than me. Do you know what that means?”

“….Please don’t lie to me.”

“You know I am not the type to speak lies lightly, don’t you?”

“….My god. You’re saying that much power… is contained in that small domain?”

“The Ingrad Domain is not small; no, no…”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought the Ingrad Domain was an infinite possibility for him. So it cannot be small… We must make a choice.”

“What kind of… choice do you mean?”

Seeing Galea’s serious expression, Branne spoke.

“Whether to become an enemy of him, or an enemy of the Empire…”

Thinking of a few things the Empress had demanded of her in the past, Branne tried hard to steady her complicated mind.

The world was getting ready to face a change. The beginning of that change was just a single small pebble, but it was clear that it would eventually skew all frameworks and ultimately create a new wave.

It was a small change, but one that would change the world.