117 – Working behind the scenes (1)
“Sir Leclerc.”
“Yes, Her Majesty the Queen.”
Shortly after meeting Claude, Ines calls Leclerc aside to discuss the future.
If there was cooperation from Leclerc, who was in charge of the butler and supervised the administration of the palace, no matter how much Claude himself denied it, he could give him another crown.
“I need your help. Why don’t we forget everything and work together to bring glory to His Majesty?”
“…Are you talking about Caroling?”
“I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
Leclerc would have done his best to carry out his master’s will if his master had refused the throne of the Carolingian kingdom for a truly unavoidable reason, but after realizing that the reason was simply because he did not want to work, he felt emotionally I sympathized with Ines.
Nevertheless, I can’t help but feel a little reluctant. No matter how much glory and profit it is for, this is clearly an act against the will of the master.
“It’s too obvious she’s pretending not to know. Her face tells you that she’s been fantasizing about Caroling all this time.”
“…”
“Hmm… Leclerc. If you are a true loyalist, you should be able to lead your lord on the right path. You cannot afford to miss an opportunity to gain glory and honor.”
Leclerc simply shuts his mouth and closes his eyes gently.
He is now in a very disturbed state as the sense of duty to follow his master’s will and the desire to bring glory to his master collide inside him.
Leclerc, who wants to make a decision on his own, tries hard to ignore Ines’ words because he knows better than anyone else that if he hears outside persuasion here, his feelings will lean in that direction.
“Leclerc, even if you object, it’s already over.”
“…Ines?”
However, that intentional ignoring sooner or later crumbles like paper soaked in water. It was because Ines had said something that could not be overlooked in a firm tone, as if talking about a decision that had already been made.
“Do you know how we managed to infiltrate the Carolingian kingdom so closely?”
Confirming that Leclerc’s attention had been diverted, Ines said so with a smile of repentance.
“…That must be because the two of you are so talented.”
“Whoops, thanks for the great answer. But that’s not quite right.”
Having said that, Ines held something in her hand and stretched out her arm, and seeing that, Leclerc held out his hand with a puzzled look and accepted what Ines was offering.
“…Huh.”
That puzzled look quickly turned into astonishment.
What Ines gave me was an insignificantly small brooch, but the shape of the brooch was not trivial at all.
The appearance of the brooch is the pattern of the Carolingian family.
“There were many collaborators within the Carolingian kingdom. If you accept the throne, you will be given a territory for the traitors and you can do whatever you want in the territory. Did you really like it?”
“You are very… Very capable.”
“Thank you for the compliment. Ah, I’m not the only one who did it. I hate to admit it, but Chloe, for a commoner, her skills are pretty good. I guess it’s because His Majesty Kheum taught me in the West.”
After saying that, Ines smiled lightly. The former appearance of being threatened by Leclerc and shrinking is nowhere to be found.
After getting a daughter and a son, and living happily with his family every day, Ines’ heart, which had been very empty, became filled with happiness. Was given
“Lotharing and Caroling, the nobles of both kingdoms have been promised various cooperation. Whether Leclerc decides to cooperate or not, the work is already underway.”
“…Then why do you need my cooperation?”
“That’s right… It makes things very convenient, doesn’t it? It becomes stable by eliminating various variables, and it can block any unexpected intervention by His Majesty in advance.”
The only thing that Ines fears is that Claude, who has noticed this board in advance, can make everything happen right away if he wants it.
No matter how well you plan behind the scenes, if the West responds by issuing an edict before the plan is executed, the plan can collapse in an instant. That is the position of being a king, and that is the power of being a king.
Ines is now trying to get Leclerc in order to eliminate any possibility of that.
“…If I tell you this, I will be able to achieve what you want, right?”
“Hmm… You’re saying things that I don’t even want to say. The Leclerc I’ve watched over the years is an aristocrat with a strong conservative tendency who values aristocratic glory above all else. There’s no way you’ll take a chance, right? Above all, the previous dukes will be very happy.”
Struck to the point, Leclerc just stops breathing and stands still, and the ancestor dukes of Burgon from his youth passed by in his head after hearing Ines’ last words.
I was an aristocrat without a domain, but the two lords hired me based on my abilities, cared for me so that I could live comfortably, and gave me infinite trust.
If the golden statue rules the two kingdoms… The two deceased lords will surely rejoice in heaven.
“…Okay. Is it okay if we don’t let His Majesty have access to things?”
“Huh, yes. Please take good care of me, Leclerc.”
Leclerc no longer worries.
Honestly, does it make sense that you are not making any effort to get the throne just because you don’t want to work anymore?
No. That is nonsense.
As a loyal servant of Your Majesty, as one who has been loyal to the House of Burgon, and as a benefactor of the House of Burgon, I have a duty to bring glory to Your Majesty.
Finally, with Leclerc’s passing, all attendants working in the palace now move with one goal.
…………
“Your Majesty, the civil war in Carolingian is showing signs of prolonging.”
“Really?”
Of course, only good things happen to Rotaring if it lasts for a long time.
Caroling’s ability will decrease day by day, and Caroling’s reduced ability will not pose any threat to Rotharing.
‘The merchants who were dissatisfied with the Holy Empire’s civil war ended earlier than expected are now very happy with the new market called Caroling.’
In addition, loyal merchants of Rotaling are infiltrating Caroling’s economy by taking advantage of the gap in Caroling’s low capacity.
During the Imperial Civil War, when all kinds of forces such as the Holy War forces were entangled and impassable, only imperial merchants came to Rotaring to buy goods, but this time, there is no need for that, and the merchants of Rotaring can go out directly.
The Carolingian civil war did not have so many forces, so it was possible to clearly classify enemies and allies, and the claimants to the throne knew very well that if they threatened the merchants, the merchants would be cut off and only damage would return to them. Because there is
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Merchant traders, who were able to freely travel up and down the empire due to the Arbitration Treaty, sell goods without tariffs in the empire, buy goods from the empire with the profits from duty-free sales, and resell them back to Carolingian, making huge profits.
Because they are in such a hurry, they say they buy it with a nod even if it is sold at a slightly higher price. Now if you collect it as a tax, it will be perfect.
“We need to induce it to be long-term. Give an order to the upper management team to sell more weapons to the weak claimant to the throne. It’s not to ask for a lower price, but only to interfere with the seller, but the upper management will refuse. There will be no lee.”
“I will.”
In order to put a dagger more firmly, the civil war in the Carolingian kingdom must not end as quickly as it did in the Holy Empire.
During the Holy Empire, I had no choice but to intervene to silence the Holy Emperor, but in the case of the civil war in the Carolingian Kingdom, there is not a single reason why I should intervene.
Rottaring will be more beneficial if you keep throwing oil barrels with a catapult, rather than just crossing the river.
“Huhhhhh…”
Leclerc, who heard Claude’s order, bowed his head and left the office to give orders to the scene. Claude yawned and looked at Leclerc’s back, then leaned back in a chair.
It’s peaceful.
There are too few tasks to handle, and the important matters that I have to make decisions on are not that difficult, so I just give a rough direction, and Leclerc and other bureaucrats take care of everything.
When I first became Duke of Burgun, I worked very hard because there were so many things to deal with, but now I’m not even half of half of what I did back then.
‘Well, good is good.’
With less work and more power, isn’t there any reason to dislike it?
To be honest, it was very strange as a noble to just work at that time. It wasn’t for nothing that the aristocrats became conservative.
For the time being, no, I hope it stays like this until I die.