Chapter 261

The realm of the Elves, the Ephriss Kingdom, was fundamentally governed by an absolute monarchy where the king held most of the power.

There, the King of the Elves, referred to by them as Luonntor, had ruled the Ephriss Kingdom for generations, serving as both the guardian of the World Tree and a priest from very ancient times.

Now, the Elves naturally spoke of a king, but in earlier times, they did not even use that title. They referred to themselves as guardians of nature, or the great mother of the World Tree, and at times as priests of the divine tree.

However, as time passed, even William, who tended sheep in a nearby village, began to think of himself as the village chief, and Burgos, the lord of the village beyond the valley, began to consider himself a king, leading the Elves to also gradually adopt the title of king.

The turbulent tides of the changing era were something even the stubborn Elves could not ignore.

And adapting swiftly to the changes of the times became an essential element in the international situation where other races were eagerly looking to exploit each other’s weaknesses.

Political systems evolve over time, and the same applies to economic systems, and even the general hierarchy of society.

Yet, if I had known that this flow would become so swift, if I had understood how dangerously rapid the progressive thought of intelligent beings could be…

‘…Indeed, it was not wise to leave the Earls alone.’

Duke Adelhaid stroked his chin as he paced in his office all day. As he swayed back and forth, his gaze remained fixated on the same floor, and a trace of anxiety began to flicker in Duke Adelhaid’s eyes.

Duke Adelhaid felt a desperate urge to smoke. However, his fingers, which had already promised his wife Emma von Adelhaid to quit smoking, merely hovered emptily over his lips, which longed for a cigarette.

“…Damn it.”

Yes. Duke Adelhaid felt as if his head might burst.

‘They started the war first…!’

It was the Elves who initially reached out to the Dwarves to join forces and attack the Empire. The Empire was certainly aware of this, and at the signing of the peace treaty that was supposed to end the Great War, they brazenly wielded the position of the victorious nation.

While the contents of that treaty were one matter, the clauses applied to the Elves were particularly brutal.

The first stipulation was that they could not possess an army that exceeded 20% of the Empire’s military strength, all remaining warships would be scuttled or captured by the Empire, thereby demolishing the navy, and furthermore, a clause prohibiting the declaration of war for the foreseeable future passed.

Now that the situation had escalated to this point, it was as if they had snatched the wheelchair from the Elves, who were barely managing with their crippled defense, and began mercilessly beating them with it. The Elves would not be able to realize their dream of self-defense.

However, the more significant problem still lay with the clauses regarding reparations.

Duke Adelhaid firmly believed that the root of this crisis stemmed mostly from enormous war reparations.

‘It’s not like I don’t think it’s excessively harsh for them.’

He knew well that it was harsh for the Elves. The elimination of their capacity for self-defense along with the huge reparations and the loss of part of their territory had devastated their economy.

However, regardless of those circumstances, the Empire was in the position of the victim. They had bled just as much, and although the aftermath may have healed quickly, the scars could still be seen throughout the Empire.

Yet, at first, there had been attempts to rise from the wounds of war.

The Elves united beneath the World Tree showed remarkable resilience. They managed to restore the runes, which seemed half-destroyed, and escaped from the greenery that obscured the view and even their future, achieving eco-friendly industrialization. While commendable, it was still insufficient…

“But, of all things, it had to be the Republicans….”

Duke Carthroy conveyed the information that the Republicans’ regime might be toppled shortly.

He wished it were incorrect information, but the probability of it being false was exceedingly low.

Chief Curbin of the intelligence agency had also completed corroboration of the matter. Given the nature of the intelligence agency, which does not tolerate mistakes in foreign affairs, they must have assessed it as certain before bringing such information.

If this continued like this…

‘Luonntor… if their king is dethroned and the monarchy collapses… No, not just dethroned, but if there’s a massive purge….’

Even if decrepit, he was still their king. He doubted they would execute their king, but the individuals rampaging throughout Ephriss Kingdom were far too extreme Republicans.

A world without kings or monarchs. Militaristic individuals who desired their nation to be more prosperous than any other in the world.

They would not want their king to survive after the establishment of a republic.

Duke Adelhaid decided to think about potential scenarios. What could happen if the Republicans in the Ephriss Kingdom thrived and he merely stood by.

Luonntor. That is, if the King of the Elves is dethroned. Not only dethroned but in a flash, the Republican Elves, having seized control of the monarchic foundation, execute their king. The Ephriss Kingdom would then be referred to as a republic.

Afterward, they would push for extreme reforms. A large-scale restructuring of Elven society would take place, affecting all branches of legislation, judiciary, and the executive.

In that process, it was only natural that the existing Elven elders would be purged. Their momentum would grow.

While there might be some moderates, they were individuals who had blamed the harsh reality of surviving in a world made difficult by war and were the same people who assassinated their king. It would be wise to dismiss any expectations that moderates would dominate.

Then, they would examine in detail the reasons for the economic collapse. Of course, those reasons would soon become apparent.

The reason the Elves found it hard to survive.

The streets would be overflowing with the unemployed, even renowned companies collapsing and failing, while foreign currencies continued to drain away.

The Elves, shaken by the unstable economic situation, would also experience a bank run as money deposited in banks vanished in an instant.

All these phenomena would arise due to the war reparations they bore from their defeat.

Extreme Republican Elves would come to realize the reason their country was crumbling.

And, to reclaim that once-glorious period, they would unilaterally violate the peace treaty and rearm their borders…

‘War cannot happen. Absolutely!’

At that time, it would undoubtedly be war. Duke Adelhaid did not have confidence that he could stop the Elves from reaching such an extreme situation.

While he was the head of the Adelhaid family, capable of striking fear even into birds in the Empire, his name held no value in a foreign country he did not know. Let alone with the extreme Republicans who showed no intention of resolving matters through diplomatic negotiation.

“What should I do… tsk…!”

Duke Adelhaid halted his restless steps. He had walked around the office so much that his legs began to ache.

“…Carthroy. Francisco van Kartroi.”

Duke Kartroi had a belligerent character. He openly expressed his immense dissatisfaction with the last peace treaty and held extreme ideas that they should invade and seize all of the Elves’ lands again.

Tailoring an investigation was necessary.

“…Alfred!”

Shortly after Duke Adelhaid shouted, Butler Alfred entered, bowing as he opened the door.

“Contact Chief Curbin. Let’s meet face to face in the near future.”

“I will relay that as is.”

“…Additionally, tell him we need to meet in a quiet place. Somewhere no one knows, discreetly.”

“Understood.”

Alfred had been serving the Adelhaid family for three generations and was also Duke Adelhaid’s trusted aide. He was reliable.

Duke Adelhaid donned his coat and hat, then left the office, with Butler Alfred following closely behind.

“The second young lady has successfully completed her entrance ceremony.”

“…I see.”

Duke Adelhaid’s previously stern expression softened slightly. He walked ahead of Alfred as he listened to his words.

“Is her health truly alright?”

“Yes. Doctor Moritz has assured me. He is a capable physician; you can trust him.”

“…Is there nothing else unusual?”

“It seems the first young lady was very pleased.”

Laura von Adelhaid.

As soon as her name came up, Duke Adelhaid’s steps hesitated slightly. Butler Alfred, who was following behind, did not miss that.

“Although she may be a bit sensitive right now… she will be fine in due time.”

“…Laura is a compassionate child. She has never had even a small quarrel with Riina.”

“That is correct. By the way… will the second young lady be staying in the dormitory as well?”

“I instructed her to do so.”

Duke Adelhaid thought. If, hypothetically… if something dangerous were to occur again in the city.

If a gigantic event that no one could anticipate blew in on the city once more.

Duke Adelhaid could not easily guarantee that his beloved two daughters would be safe.

However, if they stayed at the Caldera Imperial Academy…

‘At least, as long as that person is at the Academy… it should be fine.’

– Cesar. I’m sorry, but I cannot give up on the precious student I promised to protect.

Duke Adelhaid pondered the words of a man that surfaced in his mind and instructed Alfred once more.

“Arrange for an appointment with Professor Antorelli of the Caldera Imperial Academy. Ensure it does not overlap with Chief Curbin.”

“Understood.”

Alfred refrained from asking why. One of the reasons Duke Adelhaid could trust Alfred to carry out his tasks.

Duke Adelhaid gestured for Alfred to take his leave, and Alfred bowed deeply before departing. As he gazed at the now-empty spot where Alfred had been, Duke Adelhaid thought.

‘…War must not happen.’

War cannot happen.

But if it inevitably leads to a situation where war occurs, there would be little Duke Adelhaid could do.

Thus, he had to prepare for the worst.

He needed to create a safe zone where his two daughters could rest easy.

Duke Adelhaid stood in the hallway for a moment, continuing his thoughts, before pivoting to return to his office.

Grabbing the receiver on his desk, he opened his mouth without any delay.

“This is Maximilian von Adelheit. Please connect me to the office of the Caldera Imperial Academy’s president.”

Duke Adelhaid does not easily dismiss even the slightest possibility.

It was also his secret to leading the Great War to victory.