175. The princess’s reward (2)
Meanwhile, the hotel where the crown prince stays again.
There was only quiet air there.
“Buying Mithril for 5 million gold….”
The crown prince, who won the takeover competition, took a deep breath.
Although he clearly won, his expression was grim, as if he had been defeated.
“Your Highness…. I guess I’m overdoing it in this case….”
The financial secretary gathered courage and asked.
However, his legs were shaking.
“No, even if it’s impossible, this is correct.”
Surprisingly, the crown prince immediately regained his composure.
No matter how poor his talent was at analyzing his opponent, he did not kill or drive him out.
“There is no metal as effective as mithril to defend against the barrage of arrows from the southern guerrilla army.”
The main tactic of the Confederation of Southern Cities was guerrilla.
They acknowledged that their numbers were small and preferred to shoot arrows in the forest.
Therefore, a metal that effectively sheds arrowheads or spears, such as mithril, is suitable.
“If we win this war without any military losses, 5 million gold can be earned quickly.”
Leon judged the situation in an instant.
“But the smelting cost is a problem. All military funds were used up for acquisition costs….”
The crown prince closed his blue eyes tightly and was lost in his thoughts.
‘Probably thinking of taking out a loan to pay for the cost of making the armor.’
If you are a huge customer like the crown prince, you will be able to get as many loans as you want.
However, does the imperial family borrow money from someone?
If this fact becomes known, your credibility will be damaged.
Especially to his father, the conqueror.
“….”
The crown prince knew this well, so he was careful.
“Your Highness.”
I asked him carefully, who was silent.
“What is it, Baron?”
The crown prince flashed his cold blue eyes.
I responded with deep eyes like a loyal subject.
“There is a way to make the cost of armor.”
When I told him I would give him an answer that even his financial secretary could not come up with, the crown prince became interested.
“What is that?”
Leon listens to even the simple Baron.
He waited seriously for my answer.
“Wouldn’t it be okay to dispose of the armor you were previously using?”
“You mean steel armor?”
I raised the corner of my mouth in response to the crown prince’s question.
“Yes, you can make quite a lot of money just from the by-products of melting down armor.”
In the past, when forming Irina’s bodyguard.
I steadily saved up money and disposed of the old steel armor I had been using.
I saved quite a lot of money even back then.
But, what if the crown prince’s army is large?
Much more revenue will be generated.
Just looking at the expected trend is bound to make your eyes roll.
“Financial secretary, would you please do the math? “With the size of the crown prince’s army, I think it would be enough to cover the smelting costs.”
Naturally, I made a request to the crown prince’s secretary.
Then, perhaps because the middle-aged man was in a depressed state, he immediately started calculating.
“Yeah, right…. Since steel has many uses…. Moreover, all the steel used in our military is of high purity and excellent quality….”
The crown prince looked pitifully at his secretary.
I feel displeased with having to calculate this only after hearing it from the mouth of a mere baron.
However, he did not interrogate.
“Good, then is there a suitable business partner? “The payment must come in before we set out to conquer the South.”
Leon was sincere in his exploits to restore his trust from his father.
“Leave it to Berk Merchant, I will talk to you and get a generous price.”
“….”
The crown prince quietly closed his eyes.
And then, he was alone in his thoughts for a moment.
“Your Highness, there is no other way to raise the cost of smelting right now other than this way.”
I quietly added to him cautiously.
“If you’re thinking about taking out a loan, I’ll ask Berk Merchant for that too.”
Berke Top is a famous large-scale top in the province.
If you receive a loan, there will definitely be a record and it will be presented to His Majesty.
So, I confidently recommended it to him.
“….”
The crown prince slowly opened his eyes.
And then, he took a deep breath and said.
“Financial secretary.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Leon’s blue eyes sparkled in the dark lighting.
“Starting tomorrow, all existing military armor will be recovered.”
And then, he looked at me intently and said.
“Let’s check Baron Veil’s skills.”
I smiled slightly at the crown prince.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will do my best for your trust.”
Then he answered with serious eyes.
「――――――」
The next day.
A large amount of steel armor arrived at the top of Berk.
Sangdanju Burke swallowed deeply at the enormous number of equipment.
“As expected, it is the Crown Prince’s army, so the amount is considerable.”
“Through this, we can naturally predict the size of the county.”
I stood side by side with him, with my back to him.
And then, I looked intently at the iron armor that arrived in the morning.
“Your Majesty must have been in quite a hurry, sending all of this in one day….”
I looked down at the sturdy, high-quality armor.
Then, I spoke to the owner of the merchant.
“I’ll melt everything.”
“You mean now?”
Burke swallowed deeply at the thought of immediately disposing of the royal family’s belongings.
“You probably don’t know. There’s a problem with smelting, so you might come back later…. First of all, keep it….”
A merchant who is nervous about a huge deal.
I slowly approached him.
I gently grabbed Burke’s shoulder.
From Noble mtl dot com
Then, he opened his eyes like a fox and spoke.
“That’s why we want to get rid of it.”
The chubby man looked dumbfounded for a moment after hearing what I said.
Then, he soon realized my intention and opened his mouth.
“No way….”
“Didn’t you decide to support the princess union?”
Hearing my words, Sang Sang-ju pursed his lips for a moment.
Then, as soon as he had made up his mind, he nodded his head.
“I understand.”
The owner waddled down towards the arriving carts.
And, he commanded the merchants with a loud voice befitting a wealthy man.
“Move the arrived armor straight to the blacksmith shop!!”
“Yes!!”
The iron armor on the cart rattles.
All the heavy equipment went into the hot brass water and began to melt.
So fast that the shape is unrecognizable.
I watched the steel turning into liquid and dripping.
“Whoa…” . “The amount was so large that it took about a year just to melt it.”
Burke wiped his forehead with his handkerchief.
Then, he asked me vaguely.
“What do we plan to do with the steel that has been smelted now?”
“We have to resell it.”
I took out a small note I had prepared in advance from my pocket.
And then handed it over to the merchant.
“Please release the smelted steel only to the western, northern, and eastern markets of the capital.”
Picture showing the location of each region.
The markets in the picture were all close to the princesses’ offices.
“I plan to have the princesses buy all the steel that was disposed of.”
“Yes, if Mithril’s weaknesses are revealed during the Crown Prince’s expedition, the value of steel will rise.”
Mithril’s weakness.
Hearing those words, Sang Sang-ju tilted his head.
“Do you mean Mithril has a weakness? I heard it’s a metal given by God… “
“Well, it will be revealed sooner or later. “The truth about Mithril.”
I walked out of the blacksmith shop leisurely, putting my back behind me.
And, the night the crown prince took over Mithril.
I thought about Princess Christina secretly heading towards the southern city-states.
“She is not a bear, she is a fox-like woman.”
Brilliant white hair.
And even the strange eye smile that pierces all things.
“I feel like a white fox.”
I looked at the capital city gate in the distance from the blacksmith shop.
There, small figures of soldiers disguised in jade-colored mithril armor appeared.
Gorgeous armor shining in the noon sunlight.
It looked so hard and light that no arrow could pierce it.
The crown prince, Leon, wears the same jade helmet.
He headed out of the castle gate with a solemn expression, as befits the eldest son of a great emperor.
To the scene of war to achieve merit.
Numerous imperial people watching.
They sent the soldiers off with bright expressions, as if they expected the crown prince to win.
And then, a few days later.
Newspapers filled with special reports were circulating in the capital.
「Crown Prince, His Highness Leon’s army. Conquer the southern city-states!!”
As expected, the crown prince won, as everyone expected.
He is famous for ruthlessly trampling on his opponent’s troops.
It is said that because of this, the southern countries did not surrender and resisted fiercely until the end.
However, they could not defeat the elite soldiers of the illustrious crown prince.
Everything he passed through became a heap of ashes.
The current Crown Prince returned with the crown and royal seals received from the heads of the southern countries.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has returned!!”
The glorious moment of entering the capital.
“It looks like the battle was quite fierce… !”
“The resistance from the southerners was so severe that their armor was like that….”
Mithril armor that shined brightly until the time of its deployment.
However, what it looked like when it returned after victory….
It was dented and deformed in various places and turned into scrap metal.
“You fight so hard that your armor looks like that…” .”
“You truly resemble His Majesty the Emperor in terms of bravery!”
The people praised the crown prince’s tired army.
「Long live His Majesty the Crown Prince!!」
However, amidst the cheers, the crown prince kept his lips tightly shut.
He simply waved his hand with a formal smile and responded to the public’s praise.
“….”
There are also dent marks on the shoulder area of his armor.
As if hit with a stick.
Obviously, the weapons of the southern countries did not include thick blunt objects such as polearms or axes.
However, the moment the crown prince’s army met.
Heavy infantrymen armed with steel armor welcomed him.
As if we knew in advance that Leon’s army was armed with mithril armor.
Of course, he was the crown prince who steadfastly won with strong force.
Because his tactics and magic were truly fearsome.
But.
The number of soldiers lost was greater than expected.
And this information was also reported to his father, His Majesty the Emperor.
「….」
The emperor looked down coldly at the crown prince who entered the capital from the heavenly palace.
Then he sighed and turned his head.
「It’s pathetic. You lost as many as 800 soldiers while barely dealing with a city-state.」
The Prime Minister standing next to him, Mo Xian.
He reported to the emperor in a serious voice.
“They say the mithril armor was the problem. Arrows and swords were well blocked, but the southern soldiers were equipped with blunt weapons….”
「No matter what excuse you use, it is clear that you have taken the lives of countless young men of the empire.」
Mo Xian kept his mouth shut at the emperor’s words.
「What will I do if I win? “I got nothing!”
Leonhard turned his head from his window, as if he did not like the cheers of the people.
And then, he muttered quietly to himself.
「If Leah had been sent, there would have been less casualties even if negotiations had taken place….」
“What should we do with the mithril armor?”
The Prime Minister asked quietly.
Then, the emperor frowned.
Like a statue from an angry myth.
「We have to retrieve them all… !! What if we are looked down upon by countries with strong heavy infantry?”
“Well, Your Majesty…. “It is said that His Highness the Crown Prince disposed of all his existing steel armor to create this armor.”
The Prime Minister answered silently.
In response, Leonhard just covered his forehead.
「Ha…. Wouldn’t it be possible to purchase the steel released on the market and remanufacture it? .」
“That…” . “Financial circumstances are difficult, and someone is said to have bought up all the steel available on the market.”
The emperor paused when he heard that someone had purchased all the steel.
「Buying steel?」
“Yes, the day His Highness Leon went on a campaign to the south. “It is said that someone has purchased all the steel supplied to the market.”
Leonhardt slowly sat down on the bed.
And then, he narrowed his blue eyes filled with skill.
「I expected Leon to struggle. “He knew about Mithril’s problems.”
The emperor said nothing for a moment.
Then, he soon gave an order to the Prime Minister.
「Release the Black Moon immediately and hunt down those who have hoarded steel.」
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Prime Minister bowed his head respectfully and accepted the order.
And then, he slowly backed away and opened the office door.
“Re, Your Highness Leah… ?”
Mo Xian was the first princess of the empire waiting at the door.
I faced Rhea Andalusia.
“Prime Minister. “Can I see your Majesty for a moment?”
The tired old man glanced back at the emperor.
Leonhardt is sitting on the bed with a confused expression.
He raised his palm at the sight of his eldest daughter in the distance.
「Come in, Leah.」
The sound of the princess’s clinking walker gets closer to the emperor.
Leah, dressed in a tight white uniform, took off her hat and bowed politely.
“How are you, Your Majesty?”
「Okay, what brought you here?」
Leah carefully raised her head.
And, she said, thanks to her constitution, she can feel the Grand Auror.
“I’m sorry, but I heard it outside the office.”
「What?」
The emperor tilted his head.
Then, Leah smiled like a true daughter.
“We are looking for the person who purchased all the steel released on the market.”
The princess took out her ledger that she had purchased from her bosom.
Then, she presented the steel worth 2 million gold that she had purchased from her father.
“Irina, Lydia. And it’s the amount of steel that everyone, including me, has put together.”
「….」
When the emperor looked at the ledger, his eyebrows twitched.
「No way, you guys…. “Did you gather steel in advance knowing of Leon’s failure?”
“Yes, I received a tip.”
Leah answered like a captured soldier with her back turned.
“There is a fatal problem with armor made of high-purity mithril. “I tried to report it, but I was late because Leon left in a hurry.”
「Who was the informant?… ?」
The emperor asked about the informant of Mithril’s defects, which even he did not know about.
Then, Leah thought for a moment and then answered calmly.
“Baron Veil is coming.”
Obviously, it was Princess Christina who set this up first.
However, if it was immediately reported that the crown prince was harmed by Princess Bakal’s antics, it was obvious that there would be a huge repercussion.
In response, Leah gave credit to her man for being a great help to her.
「hahahaha…. “Are you talking about that guy again?”
The emperor grinned as if he was completely shocked.
「For some reason, ever since I woke up from a long sleep, it seems like that friend is always involved in big events.」
“….”
Leah made no reply to his father’s scolding.
He just hides the corners of his mouth that turn up without his knowledge.
「Yes, the award for the Baron will be handed out later. So, what do you plan to do with the steel you purchased?”
“We will use it.”
Leah spoke with a calm expression.
“While the Crown Prince’s army reorganizes itself with armor made of mithril and steel, our soldiers will contribute to national defense.”
The princesses’ troops contribute to the country in earnest.
What this means is that their forces were able to directly carry out public affairs.
「….」
The emperor also knows this fact well.
So he thought about it for a while and then….
「Yes, your army has also become quite strong. “Let it be done.”
I responded to Leah’s request.
This actually meant that the special authority that only the crown prince had was given equally to everyone.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Leah placed her hand on her chest.
And then, like a soldier, he bowed his head.
After that, he quietly tried to leave the emperor’s bedroom.
But, at that moment.
「Leah.」
At the emperor’s call, the princess turned her head.
「Be careful, Leon is a very jealous child.」
“….”
Leah was silent for a moment at the emperor’s meaningful words.
Her cool-headed eyes, inherited from her father, sparkled.
「She will do anything for her own ambitions, so be careful.」
No matter how strong Leonhard is, he cannot stop everything that happens in this vast empire.
That is why the emperor left advice to his daughter.
“….”
The princess raised the corner of her mouth with a grin at her father’s poignant words.
「I am also very greedy. Father.”
And, she responded with a beautiful face that looked exactly like him.
「Because I will get everything I want directly.」
Leah said that and confidently left her office.
The light sound of her heels echoed from her walker that went up to her calves.
「The ones you need to be careful about are not me, but Leon, Irina, and Lydia.」
――――――.
The first princess of the empire walked down the hallway alone.
Then, her eyes fell on the grassy field outside the corridor.
“….”
There was a man waiting outside the princess while she was meeting her emperor.
“Oh, are you finished?”
I was looking at the flower bed and turned my head.
Then, she smiled and approached Leah.
“Did you have a good talk with His Majesty?”
“Yes, as you said, military rights were also granted to our princesses.”
Leah answered while walking side by side with me.
“Good, this is the moment when the ranks of all knights are finally equal.”
Equality.
At those words, Leah paused for a moment as if she remembered something.
“Veil.”
I unconsciously turned my head at the princess’s call.
Then, at that moment.
“… !”
The princess lifted her heel.
And then, she quietly kissed me on the lips in the emperor’s hallway.
“Um….”
She half closed her eyes.
The golden eyelids trembled softly.
“Bale, I am very greedy.”
We looked at each other blankly.
“My knights will not be equal, but ahead of everyone else.”
Then, the princess tucked her own brilliant hair behind her ear.
“Of course, my relationship with you.”
Leah smiled brightly.
And then, with her back alone, she leisurely walked ahead.
I just stared blankly at her sensual back.
“Ha….”