216 – Summit (2)
Summit working-level meeting.
This event remains in my memory.
The reason why this meeting, held among the working-level leaders, is memorable is simple.
— [Breaking News] High-ranking official dies during working-level talks between Holy Constantine and the Empire.
This is not an event that always occurs in multiple episodes.
But it is a very important event.
Whether this event occurs or not will determine whether there will be a war between Holy Constantine and the Empire.
This event is always the trigger for the start of a war between two countries.
The difficulty level of the game will change in the future.
And unfortunately, this was an event that players could not participate in.
There is no way for a player who is just a cadet to participate in a high-ranking meeting.
But.
I was presented with an unexpected opportunity for intervention.
◆
Lichten’s ruler, Mayor Offen Rippenstein.
I looked at the old man in front of me.
He is a person whose dignity can be felt even at a glance.
A suit that fits the body perfectly without any disruption. The pure white hair that was swept back was perfectly combed, as if it would not tolerate even an inch of crookedness.
He has a muscular body that makes it hard to believe that he is an old man.
What should I say?
He is a person of dignity and authority who can be seen at a glance as a great person.
‘Is there something different about elected positions, even if they are rulers?’
An old man who knows how to take care of his appearance perfectly.
Whether it was habit or intention, it was enough to give the feeling that he was not an ordinary person.
Can I say that with age comes a sense of eccentricity?
“For a kid from that rich school, you have a pretty good eye.”
Did this person refer to Richten Academy as ‘that rich school’? And at an official event? What is the importance of the Academy in Liechten? What are you going to do if someone hears about it?
Count Rippenstein smiled as he looked around at me.
“Looking around, I see that you have political sense. I like it. I like it very much. hahahahaha! Don’t worry too much. No one is listening, so what can I do!”
Hmm.
In my mind, this old man’s eccentricity score went up considerably.
I think this is enough for observation.
I also opened my mouth to the old man in front of me who was watching me with amusement.
“It must have been a test.”
“That’s right.”
“Why?”
He smiled wryly and motioned to me.
‘
“You seem to have a good head, so let’s just get to the point. This meeting is a meeting between countries. He’s very important.”
“Yes.”
“Usually when a meeting between countries takes place, people think that the meeting between the ‘leaders’ is the most important. But no. Do you know why it is not?”
“Isn’t that the time to just take pictures?”
“hahahahaha! That’s right. What we’re going to talk about at that time is just repeating like a parrot what those lower-level bastards have already painstakingly explained. That’s why this meeting is important. It’s a gathering place for those who are rolling just below the summit.”
He concluded with a tempo break.
“This is the so-called meeting of those in real power.”
Yes.
I know that well.
This is also one of the very important events directly related to peace on the continent.
The question is, why was I called to such a position?
What role can I play here?
Count Rippenstein did not miss my question.
“You look quite puzzled.”
“I don’t know why I’m needed. Not everyone can get in in the first place…”
“That’s a good thing. That’s it.”
“…?”
Sigh.
He pointed to the conference room and opened his mouth.
“There are only a few people who can enter this place. One Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Empire, one Archbishop directly under the Holy See of Constantine, and me, the mayor of Liechten and the mediator of the meeting. Originally, these three would be “That’s it. And you’re added to it.”
Perfect closed room meeting.
Let’s say that two of the continent’s top ten powerful people are participating. Liechten’s mayor, Count Rippenstein, is participating as a mediator. The question is, why am I needed in a place where there are only such outstanding people? To them, they are just academy cadets and nothing special.
“Because it’s not a big deal.”
“Yes?”
“Ian, you are saying that you can insert the military into that war zone because the military is not a big deal. You are nothing more than a Liechten cadet. You do not have any great family background. Your political power is superficial. From the looks of it, it converges to 0. Therefore, there is no need for both sides to reject it. Besides.”
Count Rippenstein gently grabbed my arm.
“It’s a place where security is paramount. You’re not strong enough to assassinate the people in there. No, that’s exactly what you think. You’re a cadet after all. It’s a cognitive trap.”
Knock knock.
Count Rippenstein, who was lightly tapping his forehead with the tip of his finger, spoke.
“It just so happens that you have the symbolism that you have recently caught an executive of the Shaleam Church. That is also the reason why you can enter that place as a witness. That is why you are the right person.”
“What if it’s the right person?”
“He is the right person to bring peace to the continent within that conference hall.”
I narrowed my eyes and looked at Count Rippenstein.
What is this old man talking about?
No. He clearly saw people properly. Because I’m going to do my best in whatever I can.
War between the Holy Kingdom and the Empire?
We have to prevent it somehow to make future scenarios easier to develop.
But in this guy’s eyes, I’m just a cadet. When viewed objectively, it is said to be overvalued.
“Why are you folding?”
The Count grinned at my question.
“You’ll find out when you go in.”
“…?”
“Ian, you have a higher chance of becoming the center of this meeting than anyone else.”
◆
‘… I am the center of the meeting?’
I entered the conference room, reflecting on Count Rippenstein’s enigmatic words.
Unlike the gorgeous exterior, the inside of the conference hall was desolately simple.
Chairs for representatives of each country to sit on.
And it’s a table with a hole in the bottom.
The small chair below seems to have been placed for me to sit on.
Although each piece of furniture was extremely luxurious and antique, one cannot shake the impression that it is too bleak to fill this large space.
I could roughly guess the reason.
‘Probably because of the assassination.’
This is the result of excluding as much space as possible to hide something.
No matter what anyone says, the current relationship between the empire and Holy Constantine is close to the point.
In the end, my goals and intentions are aligned.
My primary goal is to prevent the people in this conference room from being assassinated.
—
Without any further thought, the door opened.
The first person to walk in was a plump man wearing golden clothes. I could barely refrain from staring at the head in the middle of nowhere.
Of course, that person is the minister of the empire.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Britannian Empire. Blitter.
He glanced at me, ignored my nod, and sat down in his seat.
— Jerbeok
The one who came in next was a bishop dressed in pure white and purple priestly robes.
Purple is a symbol of archbishops being directly under the Vatican.
The archbishop, one of the top five in the Vatican, stood in front of me and smiled kindly.
“Nice to meet you.”
“It is an honor.”
The archbishop patted me as I bowed my head and then went to my seat.
When even Liechten’s mayor, Count Rippenstein, sat down in the middle mediator’s seat, the door to the conference room closed with a squeak.
◆
There is no special feeling.
The talks were proceeding in a fairly smooth atmosphere under the mediation of Count Rippenstein.
“In that case, wouldn’t it be okay to have the empire control the territory but clearly designate the religion as Deus? The influence of neighboring countries is also…”
Count Rippenstein.
It seems like he has greater abilities than I knew.
Looking closely at the situation of Holy Constantine and the Empire, he makes an offer that neither can refuse.
‘In the end, if the assassination event did not occur, war would have been prevented thanks to Noh Ik-jang.’
With that level of sense, he would have been able to raise the city of Liechten to the level of a nation.
A brief moment of rest.
Blitter.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Britannian Empire asked in a gruff voice.
“So. Why is that kid wandering around over there?”
He points exactly to me.
Count Rippenstein smiles and introduces me.
“A cadet at the Lichten Academy. His name is Ian Black Angus. This time, he made a remarkable contribution to killing a high-ranking Shale Church official.”
“Ah. I see. I’ve heard of him. He’s the kid the administration is eyeing.”
Blitter quietly sweeps over me.
There was no hesitation in that gaze, but it was not unpleasant.
He opened his mouth.
“It’s pretty even. It’s a face that’s good to use for propaganda.”
Nothing good will come of fighting with Blitter here.
Even though he looks like that, he is the ‘duke’ and minister of the empire.
I bowed my head.
“Thank you.”
“It’s not enough to just be thankful. Evan’s death has political significance. It’s none other than the death of a Shaleam Church official. A Shaleam Church official is treated as ‘absolute evil’ by everyone. It’s very important politically. Let the news spread. “If you start, everyone will pay attention right away.”
“I see.”
“Yes. You will probably become a hero soon.”
I will become a hero?
Before I even made a judgment about this situation.
The archbishop smiled awkwardly and opened his mouth.
“Holy Constantine’s opinion is the opposite. I would rather hand over that cadet’s personal security.”