Chapter 156

A good commander is one who places his officers in the appropriate locations to maximize their capabilities.

Similarly, a wise emperor identifies the most suitable talents for the economy, culture, and warfare, proving his capability by assigning them to the right places and utilizing them.

An emperor who proves his capability gains the glory and fruits of the results achieved by his vassals, bestowing a part of that upon them.

This is governance as an emperor, and this principle has been inherited as truth since humanity’s inception.

Conversely, an emperor who cannot prove this will not be respected as a wise ruler but will instead be marked as an incompetent monarch.

Though neither the emperor nor I expressed this principle verbally, it is likely this simple tenet governs this very moment, or rather what is in the emperor’s mind.

“As you said, if the expedition I lead is successful, all the merit will rightfully belong to me. Conversely, if it fails, all the responsibility will likewise be mine.”

To that statement, I made no reply and simply nodded to convey my agreement.

“And whether you like it or not, you and the other nobles will pay a considerable price in this expedition. Countless knights and soldiers, food, weapons, and financial expenditures. There will be a staggering amount of money and loss of life.”

“That is correct. However, since it is Your Majesty’s decision, we will follow it as vassals, holding onto our belief that Your Majesty will make this expedition a success.”

While I spoke these words, I honestly doubted whether this expedition could yield results commensurate with the price we would pay.

This was because the Franche Empire boasts a territory and population larger than ours, and the emperor leading this war has yet to win a large-scale conflict, unlike me, making him an unknown quantity.

From this perspective, it seemed inevitable that we would fail…

However, it is not that simple. The Franche Empire has limitations in drawing southern forces, which occupy half of the empire, to defend against the heathens in North Africa and Spain and Italy.

Thus, if we evaluate the objectively mobilizable soldiers, we might have 4.5 while they would have around 5.5.

“That would be so. If it weren’t the case, the other nobles would have opposed the expedition when it was declared.”

That was simply because the influence of the regent, Duke Brussels, and the emperor was so great that I couldn’t refute it at that moment.

Even if I could have refuted it, arguing without an appropriate justification would end up yielding no benefit…

In that case, it would be more effective to support it in that moment and later present a written document filled with my changed thoughts.

However, judging by the emperor’s actions thus far, he likely knew that and spoke that way to prevent any opposition from me regarding this expedition…

“However, if we lose, it is over. This is a war that involves the total might of the empire. No matter how Your Majesty is, you would not be able to evade that responsibility.”

Hearing those words, the emperor might have been justified in feeling anger, but perhaps considering it a very reasonable statement, he chuckled slightly and replied.

“That is how war is. At this moment, my brothers and sisters, even my foolishly chosen sisters… have met their deaths as the price for losing in war. Of course, some who made ambiguous choices are still alive, deliberately kept alive to serve as tools for political marriages…”

No matter how much they are the daughters of the deceased emperor who instigated the civil war, unless they are executed on the spot for treason, the symbolism of being of the imperial bloodline does not vanish.

Thus, with that, he would likely plan to bestow a princess upon the nobles who played significant roles in this war in the guise of ‘marriage’ for parts of the lands to be distributed.

By doing so, he could control the suddenly enlarged noble families through the chains of marriage while also increasing the lands he could obtain.

It is a truly vile yet most effective policy to place a bell around the necks of the nobles that only the emperor can wield.

Then, by doing so, I aim to instill maximum expenditure, damage, and distrust towards the regent Duke Brussels and the emperor, who tried to force me into a corner.

“If that is the case, then by all means, trust no one, including myself. Just place us in appropriate positions and assign Regent Brussels as the commander of the west. Through him, you can inflict similar losses and costs on his faction as well. Especially the fact that Regent Brussels’s second son is unbetrothed…”

At those words, the emperor laughed heartily and said, “Just in time, my sister Yuria is reaching marriage age… Excellent! As soon as this expedition ends, I will arrange a marriage between my sister and the regent’s second son.”

Upon finishing that statement, I could discern some, if not quite thick, trust forming in the emperor’s gaze towards me.

Of course, trust does not build up suddenly, so it is likely just a momentary feeling confined to this instance when I am clearly stating what he desires and making suggestions.

“I do believe everything you’ve said is correct… but I have one question.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“The gun that you used against Duke Architel at the Wayne Plains, could you possibly pass that on to us?”

To be blunt, that weapon has likely already fallen into someone else’s hands.

Right after our fierce battles on the Wayne Plains, when I checked the number of guns, I couldn’t retrieve 14 matchlock rifles from the fallen soldiers who were crushed by the mad onslaught of infantry.

Perhaps in a few years… no, there is already a madman who has mastered the techniques being developed in Hamburg…

Fast-tracking the replication of powder and guns will likely see a handful of families emerge within the next 1-2 years.

Especially the regent Duke Brussels, who moves like a personal stalker of the Croilet Marquess, has a high possibility of replicating it quickly.

However, catching up with us, who have already produced guns and have enough know-how and quantities, will not be easy.

And even if it were to leak out, as long as I satisfy the emperor’s other desires, I suppose I could still hold off selling them for now.

“Your Majesty, the matchlock rifle is a weapon created through our family’s visions, so I cannot sell it recklessly. Moreover, if every family starts using matchlock rifles… they will win this war far too easily.”

If the imperial authority was at least somewhat stable, words such as “winning too easily” might be better received…

But the current emperor wishes to disarm all nobles, including me, making them docile.

For such a person, if the nobles easily and quickly earn merits, it would mean rewarding them only with good benefits.

“There is nothing to be done about vision, then. Instead, I shall order your family to supply 20,000 iron breastplates for my soldiers apart from the mobilization of troops. Provide them at the lowest price.”

Though they are paying me, to be frank, with a supply of 20,000 at the lowest price, losses would be incurred due to transportation costs…

Even if we earn a lot of profit, the secrecy of the matchlock rifle’s design would be disclosed, hastening its spread throughout all of Europa, which is worse.

And just by sowing seeds of suspicion about Duke Brussels in the emperor’s mind like this, I have sufficiently succeeded in counteracting what may become a potential enemy.

So there was no point in further words.

“I shall follow your command. I will take my leave now.”

**

After my audience with the emperor concluded and I returned to my residence, I immediately wrote and sent letters to the nobles belonging to the western and eastern armies.

I wrote in the letters:

[If the central army is organized this way, our losses will only increase. Therefore, please place Duke Brussels as the head of the western army and request more soldiers from His Majesty. This is something His Majesty also agrees upon. -SIEL von Croilet Marquess-]

Then, two weeks later, during the military conference, all the lords of the western army who received my letter, except for the overall commander, Marquess Pompadour, petitioned to place the regent as the army commander.

The intent is all too clear.

If the commander of the western army is Marquess Pompadour, it will likely be a place where sacrifices are frequent but with less opportunity to distinguish oneself in the war.

Thus, by sitting the regent, who the emperor cannot purge at all, in the command position, we could avoid becoming their scapegoats.

At the same time, no matter how high the emperor may climb, if he does not allow the regent an opportunity to earn merits early in his reign, his position would become precarious… they likely want to nab some of those scraps for themselves.

That desire shall indeed be fulfilled by SIEL von Croilet Marquess.

The regent, Brussels, naturally petitioned the emperor to assist him, but the emperor, wishing to gain independence from the regent through this opportunity, rejected that request.

And he directly bestowed the command staff and sword, symbolizing the western army’s command, upon Duke Brussels.

Though I may not have become the overall commander of the eastern army, and cannot steer the war entirely as I wish…

By feeding him small merits one by one… they will eventually listen to me… it should work out somehow.

Regent, while I could not stop the reckless plan to attack Franche…

As you sought only to pluck the choicest fruits, we have made the effort to ensure fairness among you.

If you cannot earn merits, you will be impeached, and if you do earn merits, a portion of what lands you would receive will be exchanged for the imperial princess.