321 – Philolence Salvation Operation (4)
Among the officers under my command, there was one guy who was promoted to major before he was 30 years old, even though he did not have many majors that were important for promotion. There is.
When I first found out about this, I was curious to see if there was some kind of corruption going on, so I reviewed this guy’s identity and major history about three times, but I couldn’t figure out the reason based on the documents, but after working with him for a month, I found out that he was just a very competent guy with a lot of skill in managing his life. I came to the conclusion that I was able to excel and become successful.
Anyway, one day I had to receive a one-on-one business report from him, so I asked him about his secret to success in order to satisfy my curiosity, and I received this answer.
‘I am not an officer with as much resourcefulness and military power as you, and my status is nothing more than the son of a country knight. In order for me to get ahead, if a high-ranking person invited me to a party with a woman, I would participate with a grateful heart. When they asked me to drink, I would win everyone’s favor by attending unconditionally and staying until the end, except for really important matters. .’
To put it in a good way, he was a competent subordinate who was loved by all the high-ranking people, and in a bad way, he was an expert in flattery who did not cross the line.
I recognized the skills of this person who was recognized for his abilities and rose to prominence in a different way than I did, and wanted to spend one night learning from him, and the result of the learning was…
“It was said that the way to win the favor of a high-ranking person is to flatter him according to his level. “He had never rubbed the palm of his hand with anyone since joining the Imperial Army, so he thought he would have no use for it, but he never thought he would use it to move the heart of His Royal Highness Duke Phil Lawrence.”
Muttering that, I took the consolation letter and consolation prize I received from Her Majesty the Empress and walked to the room where Her Royal Highness Duke Philolence was waiting.
At the same time, I was wondering how to gain favor by selling out Her Majesty, the Empress of the Empire, who was the duke’s older sister.
When we entered the room, there was a young duke and a female knight inside.
“General Peter Jaeger, Commander of the Reich-Ferrocian Union Army, meets His Royal Highness the Duke. Thank you for allowing me to have a private audience with you.”
“I only gave permission because I couldn’t treat the person who brought my sister’s letter and consolation prizes poorly, so there is no need to be too grateful.”
“Thank you for your kind words. “Here is a letter written by Her Majesty the Empress of the Empire herself.”
When I delivered the letter, the duke got up from his chair and came down to get the letter. Unlike when he had an audience in the morning, all his movements were natural and confident.
It wasn’t the level of change in a novel where the weak main character awakens overnight and becomes the best expert in the world, but anyone close to him can clearly see that the person has clearly changed.
I was surprised for a moment when I saw that, but as the saying goes, there is no effect without a cause in this world, I knew that the person who gave the duke courage was the young female knight next to him.
The duke, who is only 11 years old, is still wary of me, a 35-year-old unfamiliar adult, and sometimes shows signs of anxiety.
After briefly exchanging glances with the young female knight standing behind the duke, his expression became dignified again.
If the Duchy of Phil Lawrence had been run in a common sense and desirable way, the duke should have found comfort and courage by seeing his uncle, who served as regent, in the throne room…
Now, that person was a female knight who looked to be only about 15 years old, or rather, she was showing the same gestures as Charlotte in her behavior, so she was holding on by gaining comfort and courage from the girl who was probably a ‘former maid.’
According to the original plan, he was going to gain favor by taking advantage of his relationship with the Empress, who was the older half-sister of Duke Philorence, but seeing the scene in front of him, he felt the need to slightly revise the plan.
As I was lost in thought for a moment, the Duke spoke with a bit of disappointment in his voice.
“Before my father died, he told me that if I were in danger, I should rely on my uncle and regent, Count Antonio, and Sister Fabiola, Empress of the Reich. The letter you sent me contains nothing but official greetings. “Captain Jaeger, didn’t your sister leave another message?”
No matter how blood-related a family is, if they are separated for more than 10 years, the relationship becomes like strangers.
In fact, there is an old saying that the neighbors who live nearby are like cousins, so is there even a saying that they are cousins?
Furthermore, Her Majesty the Empress married into the Reich Empire a few years before the Duke before me was born, so we have never met face to face, so there is no way she would consider a Duke so young as family.
Still, the justification for being able to be independent like I am now is because I sold that person’s older sister, the empress, so I have to make up the story appropriately.
This is something that the emperor has allowed, so if the results are good, even if you are caught later, you will be acquitted after only a ‘formal interrogation’.
“Her Majesty the Empress only spoke of official matters in her letters, but in reality, before she set out, she called me aside and asked me to tell Her Highness a few stories.”
This is a lie at a shallow level that the duke could have noticed even when he was around 17 years old, but the other person is an 11-year-old orphan who lost his parents at an early age.
For a lonely child, although he was someone whose face it would be difficult to see even once in his life, it would be difficult to tell the truth because he would be hungry for family affection.
Even if someone claims to the duke that the Empress of the Reich Empire could not have said such a thing, all he has to do is kill that guy who is telling the truth under the guise of being the leader of the Reich Empire, calling him a liar.
The young duke’s eyes lit up.
“Go ahead and say it.”
Because he was educated as the heir of the duke’s family from a young age, he speaks quite politely, but is very excited.
“The Empress has called me and ordered me to defend her father’s country, the Duchy of Phil Lawrence, even if it means the imperial army is on the verge of annihilation. He also said that if His Highness the Duke seems anxious, he should personally visit him and deliver a letter of comfort.”
“It was the first time I met my sister, who came a long way to attend the funeral when my father, the Duke of Philorence, passed away. I was surprised to see that he was more beautiful than I thought, but when she saw me, she hugged me and told me not to be upset. “I still can’t forget that warmth, but hearing your words makes me feel like that warmth is coming back to me.”
Her Majesty our Empress is a typical empress commonly seen on the Europa continent.
To put it positively, she is carrying out her role competently and flawlessly. To put it in a bad way, to maintain her power, she can act like she hates her younger brother, whom she has only seen once in her life.
I don’t think your Majesty, including myself, would agree with the statement that he is warm.
Right now, while purging Count Manstein’s group five years ago, I saw the Empress using an incredible justification to take one of her viscountries for Her Highness the Third Prince, and I was astonished at her way of doing things without crossing the line. .
I kept a good expression on my face and continued talking, with the thought of stabbing someone on the battlefield.
“When preparing consolation gifts for Her Majesty, the Empress not only sent gifts such as swords, armor, and precious furniture, but also various other items.”
Having said that, I handed the box containing the consolation prize to the girl who was acting as a guard knight.
She opened the object carefully and opened her mouth.
“Aren’t they things like snacks, candies, storybooks, and chessboards? “Why on earth does Her Majesty do this?”
He is just one of the duke’s bodyguards, but if he presumptuously intervenes in a conversation and reveals his feelings, the young duke would have to yell at him right away.
It appears that there is a great relationship of trust between the two, as I expected, and the young duke did not point out that a knight was showing his emotions.
If I were to evaluate my ability as a ruler, I would have to get an evaluation of less than a failing grade out of 100, but it is more beneficial to me, who has to approach the Empress and gain the Duke’s sympathy through this girl, so I just do it. Let’s smile and move on.
Because what is good for the empire is good.
“Your Highness is still young and cannot directly participate in the war, so shouldn’t you sit inside the castle and wait for news of our victory? Then, Her Majesty the Empress thought that there would be times when she was anxious about how the war would unfold, so she sent this message. “When you’re having a hard time, eating snacks and candies will make you feel a little better, and when you can’t sleep because of worries, someone you can trust…”
I gave the girl behind her a quick glance.
“I think I sent it to her because I thought she would be able to sleep a little more peacefully if she heard someone she could trust reading a storybook at her bedside.”
In fact, these are items that I purchased with my own money, with Her Majesty’s permission, stamped with the royal family’s seal, quickly packaged them, and disguised them as ’empress’ consolation prizes.’
However, the 11-year-old, who received such a heartfelt gift for the first time since her father died three years ago, soon had tears in her eyes.
“Is it really your sister who sent it?”
Nodding my head quietly, I agreed to the question.
The little duke must have been so moved by the empress’s warm consideration that he couldn’t speak and whimpered for several minutes even when he was in front of me.
As soon as I saw that, I asked permission to go to the bathroom for a moment and left the room for a moment.
As I was leaving the room, I saw through the crack in the door that the girl knight was wiping away the duke’s tears and comforting him.
Then, after going to the bathroom and coming back, he drank a glass of water and came back slowly. The duke spoke with a more relaxed attitude than when he first saw him.
“I certainly received the consideration of Her Majesty the Empress of the Reich Empire. As Duke Philorence, I will never forget this favor.”
“I am very sorry.”
“Captain Jaeger, one day, an appropriate reward will be bestowed on you separately from the one given by His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire. “You can step back now.”
According to the original plan, I was going to withdraw after gaining this much favor.
Now, in order for me to gain the maximum benefit from this expedition to Philolence, I must establish as close a relationship as possible with the duke.
Now the time has come to flatter the duke according to his situation, referring to the words of a subordinate from whom I learned how to conduct himself before.
So instead of backing down, I asked carefully.
“Just a moment before that. “May I inform Her Majesty about the guard knight behind Her Majesty?”