“what?”
I asked. I couldn’t understand it purely.
“To give you a simple example… … Is your blood worth the same as that of the commoner at the end of the ceremony today?”
“I don’t know what you want to say.”
I asked angrily. I never thought about the value of blood.
“We are outstanding people.”
The chancellor put on a pod and said. I rested my chin on my chin and looked at the chancellor, intending to listen to what he was saying.
“The environment in which I have lived and the education I have received are on a different level from that of ordinary people.”
“So what do you want to say?”
“Our existence is indispensable in order to maintain the community of Iron Blood.”
The chancellor said forcefully. Then he looked out the window again. The red brick buildings in the city, nothing unusual, passed by.
“So did the 11 dead intelligence officers.”
The chancellor muttered in a low voice.
“Leon was the best in the intelligence department. I’ve never failed to crack a code. Donita did a great job as his lover and a capable spy. Raoul had a better understanding of the iron-blooded minority than anyone else. Epsilon’s assassination skills were such that even the same intelligence department did not know that he was an assassin. Maybe that’s why it was the only trace of resistance. I couldn’t figure out what it meant.”
“… … I see.”
“Hugo was very good at driving. To the point where I couldn’t figure out what kind of medicine I mixed. The number of people he sorted out was second only to Epsilon. Servas knew all the weaknesses of Sangvis insiders. I don’t know what it is, but you know something about me. Maybe I’m glad you died.”
As he spoke, he smiled bitterly. The eyes weren’t smiling at all.
“Morgan was very good at filing. The document form currently used in Sangvis Sangvis was created by him. Isaac could tell if the other person’s words were true or false just by changing their facial expressions. Ada was a heroine who was active in the war in the past. I refused to retire and worked on active duty. Jamie was a leader in plague research. Did you ambitiously prepare a plan to use the plague as a weapon? Hugo is… … The only thing I don’t know. All I remember is that I had a nickname called Chaos.”
The chancellor let out a deep sigh. Then he looked out the window and looked at me.
“Finally, Bernhard was my late cousin. He was a bright kid. Maybe 3 years older than you. Investigating their background was the first mission I received after entering the intelligence department.”
After the Prime Minister finished explaining the 11 intelligence agents, there was silence in the carriage for a while.
It was difficult to know what to say.
“Can you understand how I feel about losing them all?”
“… … I’m sorry.”
“Do you have anything to be sorry about?”
The chancellor took another cigarette out of his pocket and put it back.
“They did a perfect job that only they could do. No one else can do their job. But now it is gone.”
Then, he fiddled with the matchbox he was holding in his other hand.
“It is a greater loss of human resources than the annihilation of 11 units.”
Quietly, without a sound, the matchbox was bent.
“I was unbearably furious, but because I couldn’t lose any more, I decided to tolerate Parabellum.”
The chancellor put the matchbox into his bosom and said.
Up to that point, I might have been convinced.
“It’s better to let other people——commoners shed blood rather than us shedding our own blood, and there’s room for us to use it.”
But the addition made me infinitely displeased.
“… … Is that why you talked about the value of blood? You think it’s better to let the commoners die than us?”
“okay. This is an infinitely rational judgment.”
“Aren’t you just a coward afraid to die?”
“If you’re really a coward, you’ll tremble in fear and brandish your weapon at random, and you’ll die.”
The chancellor said coldly to me who was hot.
“It might be possible to get rid of them if you put all your effort into it, but is it necessary? They said they would bring progress beyond what was lost.”
Even though I remember so well about the 11 people I lost,
“What they offer is great. Bring an extreme but overwhelming return. They made Saratov a military base, and the farming methods they proposed made land use much more efficient than before. Production has reached a new record.”
The chancellor talked about coexistence with Parabellum.
“They definitely help. Unless you touch it.”
“… … Who is the intelligence agent? What will their deaths be?”
Before I knew it, I was enraged thinking about the agents of the intelligence department.
“I decided to think of it as an unfortunate accident that happened because we couldn’t trust each other.”
However, the chancellor defined it as an unfortunate accident.
“You mean remembering everyone who died and still being quiet?”
“It’s sad, but you shouldn’t get caught up in your personal feelings.”
The chancellor shook his head quietly.
“Because this is right for the national interest.”
And emphatically declared.
“It is self-justification. Aren’t you just afraid to fight Parabellum? coward!”
From noble mtl dot com
I shouted as I got up from the carriage. I was so irritated that I couldn’t stand it without shouting something.
“The only coward I see is you. Are they that scary?”
The chancellor smiled and said. I glared at the chancellor wordlessly.
“… … It’s a linguistic mess.”
And the conversation stopped. For several minutes the carriage drove down the dirty road without speaking.
“Did you ask if Eugene’s blood is worth the same?”
It was me who broke the silence.
“Eugene? … … Oh, is that the commoner’s name?”
He frowned as if asking who the prime minister was, then recalled Eugene as the commoner.
“same. It is the same red blood that flows when cut by a knife.”
“You are humble.”
The chancellor answered without looking away from the window.
“Your blood is no different. The blood of the emperor is the same.”
“Mikhail-kun.”
The chancellor looked at me.
“Too much humility leads to anger, so be careful.”
and spoke kindly.
Soon after, the carriage made a full circle around the city and arrived at the front gate of the knight academy.
“Goodbye soon, Mr. Mikhail. Tell the principal that the black tea was delicious.”
The chancellor smiled and said hello. I answered briefly that I knew and opened the carriage door.
“It was a lot of fun talking with you. It was a lot of comfort.”
“I don’t remember comforting you.”
“Sometimes it’s easier just to talk.”
The chancellor narrowed his eyes and said. I stood quietly on the ground and looked up at the chancellor in the carriage.
“Looking forward to the next time we meet, Mikhail.”
“… … I am. Sorry for being rude.”
I was annoyed, but there was no need to end badly. I sighed and apologized for the rudeness.
“You are cute.”
The chancellor’s answer gave me the urge to rip open the door of the carriage, but I barely swallowed it and gave a rough salute. As soon as the chancellor answered the salute, the carriage started again.
“… … ha.”
My head was pounding with so much new information.
There was only one thing I could be sure of.
‘I need to build up my forces as soon as possible. I have to do it on my own.’
The theory was that it was dangerous.
* * *
The chancellor’s carriage rode through the streets. The chancellor moved the cushion Mikhail had been laying under him.
“What do you think of an old man’s ass? We have to lay a railroad in the city as well.”
The coachman was frightened by the irritated voice and rode the horse more carefully. However, there was no significant difference in the degree of rattling.
“… … I thought he looked like his father, but he doesn’t.”
The chancellor murmured as he looked out the window at the knight academy and at the back of Mikhail on his way back.
“You look more like your sister.”
Thinking of his sister who died at the hands of the emperor, the chancellor smiled.
* * *
When I returned to the banquet hall, some time had passed since I got off the carriage of the chancellor.
I had a lot to organize my thoughts, so I didn’t want to go right back to the noisy banquet hall.
“Where have you been? I almost lost my neck from waiting. Just kidding.”
“What’s the point of leaving without saying hello?”
So, after spending time outside for a while, when I went back, only Ivan and two other guests from outside were left.
“Were you waiting? I’m sorry.”
“It was a car that I was going to go back to soon. I don’t know if it’s Ivan, but I have a lot of work.”
“Two rentals, I have enough work. I can’t help but be busy every day! Pooh.”
Compared to the calm two generations, Ivan was quite drunk. Rather, there was no alcohol in the banquet hall. Maybe I’m intoxicated by the atmosphere. He’s always a weird guy.
“Would you like another drink?”
“Oh, yes. Let me take it, beautiful boy!”
Fromm poured wine into the glass Ivan was holding. He was really drunk.
“From, was there alcohol in the banquet hall?”
“I sneaked in the kitchen. How is the crown prince?”
“Did you drink too? I won’t blame you, but I don’t drink.”
Hands are worse than they look. Compared to his cute appearance, he is a black guy on the inside.
“I have no intention of defending myself even if the teacher finds out, so I’m just… … .”
“hmm.”
As he was speaking, he felt a familiar presence and turned his gaze to find Mustafa. He was holding a glass of wine and clearing his throat.
“… … It’s been quite a while, Mustafa.”
“… … okay. I’ve heard a lot about missions. I admired it.”
We exchanged simple greetings in a cool atmosphere. Apparently, he seemed to have come thinking that it would be okay now that there were no outside guests. The second generation and Ivan already know each other, so it should be fine.
“Then I think I saw your face one last time, I’ll be back soon. I’ll get the things you said when you find them, so please come soon.”
“Uh, how’s the mood going? 2nd generation, I drank a lot, is it okay?”
“okay. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Be careful going in. And it’s not you who drives the horse, it’s a coachman, you’ll be fine, Ivan.”
The gaze of the two generations trying to take Ivan back met Proud.
“Go away. don’t come again.”
“I used to be cute, but how did you grow up like this? If you come to the workshop, I will kick you out.”
“Then, if there’s anything to repair the sword, I’ll send it by mail.”
“Then I’ll engrave the sentence you requested earlier and return it. Look forward.”
“… … Quit that much.”
I didn’t know what Proud and the 2nd generation were talking about, but I could roughly grasp the atmosphere. It’s the atmosphere of a youth romance.
While I was arguing with Kkondae, this side seemed to have a really good time.
‘Now, the only remaining members are Mustafa, Katyusha, and other distinguished colleagues.’
After sending the second generation and Ivan away, I looked around the banquet hall.
Fromm sat down at the table, slightly reddened as if he was blissfully drunk, humming a song, while Caspal rested his chin on his chin and listened disinterestedly to Dimitri’s story. In contrast to Caspal, Mi-ryung is listening intently next to him. Eugene calmly smoked a cigarette in the room, and Proud stood next to me with an expression that he couldn’t stand it because it bothered him.
It’s the perfect timing.
“Could you pay attention to me for a moment?”
I clapped and caught everyone’s attention.
“I entered here as a short-term study abroad student. I will go back at the end of the school year.”
Everyone looked at me, wondering what was going on. I took a deep breath and declared.
“Is there anyone who wants to be with me?”
The time has come to lay the foundation for power.