120 – Episode 118
Two days after Mary got married.
Noble women are gathered in the Grand Duke’s palace.
Theodora, Octavia, Joy, and Mary.
From Noble mtl dot com
Women of similar age are gathered together and chatting.
Is it because I am a newlywed who just got married?
“So I climbed on top of Agrippa! “Because I died while pulling it out…”
Mary tells the story of the first night, and the women listen with reddened faces and concentration.
Ah… Who knows, these women are the emperor and princess, the most powerful people on the continent. And do you think she’s the queen of the North Sea?
In fact, the woman discussed here is the younger sister of Archduke Francesco, the most powerful person in the empire and the emperor’s husband.
In other words, she is a woman of noble status.
“So? So, Sister Mary?”
Mary smiles as she looks at Joy, who listens with bright eyes to Mary’s story.
“I made him stand again with his mouth and tormented him all night long.”
-Gulp.
“Agripa’s expression at that time was so erotic. “Joey, please try it later when you get married.”
At those words, Joy blushes and speaks as if she is embarrassed.
“But… When you do it for the first time… They say it hurts because of the hymen. “Is your sister okay?”
Mary nods her head and says those words.
“I have been trained as a knight since I was young, so I got torn when I was young and it didn’t really hurt.”
-Finch.
“It’s actually crazy good, isn’t it?”
Theodora and Joey blush at those words.
“Did you do the same when you first did it?”
Octavia hesitates and says those words.
“I… I don’t really remember.”
In the case of Octavia, her husband tormented her to the point of fainting on her first night, but she did not dare to say this in front of the emperor and princess.
Octavia She was originally from Ryan, so where does that bloodline go?
“Really? Is it just me? She was going to do it yesterday too anyway. “I wrote it because Agrippa was having a hard time…”
Thinking of Agrippa, Theodora asks Mary about her appetite again.
“Well… Do men like it that much when you give them blowjobs?”
Mary smiles evilly at those words.
“Yes! When it gets soft, if you give it a little bit with your mouth, it immediately becomes hard? My step-sister, try doing the same thing to your brother. “Then her brother’s eyes will roll over?”
Octavia, feeling her level too strong, steps forward and speaks.
“You… What’s your habit of talking to your brother?”
At those words, Mary shrugs her shoulders and says.
“But isn’t her brother’s preference for the maid to wake him up like that in the morning? “I want to see my nephew soon too, right?”
Theodora thinks as she looks at Mary, who does not hesitate to say things that would offend her if Debian heard, and Octavia who reprimands Mary.
Now that I think about it… There was a scene like that in the book that Debian said he had read.
‘Ugh… We haven’t even kissed yet? ‘You want me to do something like that?’
At her wedding she didn’t even kiss Devian.
It was almost impossible for Theodora to suddenly caress his clone with her mouth.
‘Still. We decided to do it together next time…’
Thinking of Debian’s endless promise, Theodora thinks she should read more books for him later.
“Ah~ I want to get married too!”
Joey, who was listening to Mary’s story, speaks as if complaining.
“When will I get married? “I also want to get married for love.”
Theodora smiles softly at those words.
“Then you should start dating.”
“But… I can’t go outside the imperial palace?”
Theodora speaks in an embarrassed voice as Joey’s voice becomes depressed.
“You know he’s doing it because he’s worried about us, right? “There was a kidnapping attempt not long ago, right?”
At those words, Joy nods her head slightly but replies in a brusque voice.
“Still, it’s so frustrating. Sigh… If this continues, I might not be able to get married and be locked in the imperial palace and die of old age.”
In Theodora’s opinion, that doesn’t happen.
She couldn’t believe that her pretty sister couldn’t get married.
If her younger sister becomes an old maid, her mother and herself will step in and somehow find her a husband.
And objectively speaking, Joy is pretty and cute.
When she becomes an adult, she is expected to have many suitors. Looking at her lovely and cute younger sister, Theodora thinks that will never happen.
***
Regular reports from Roman.
According to the report of a spy dispatched to Nicaea by the Ministry of Intelligence, the current situation is not unusual.
“Hmm…”
It is said that Ioannes is withdrawing his troops from the border of the Babylonian Empire, and that troops are moving from important fortresses.
“War will break out soon.”
But you’re pulling out the frontline troops. Bold?
I know that the Babylonian Empire’s army cannot move right away, but it must be difficult for Ioanes to know, right?
“Philip, Martin, Agrippa. “Look at this.”
When I handed the report I gave to Agrippa and Philip, all three were impressed.
“It’s not unusual.”
“Hmm…”
Philip speaks his thoughts on behalf of Agrippa, who is worried.
“No matter how much you invade a neighboring country, isn’t it dangerous to withdraw troops from the border? “This is treason against the Empire.”
“You can see it that way.”
It would certainly be a huge scandal for a kingdom that was supposed to protect the empire from attacks by the Babylonian Empire to attack the surrounding lords by attacking the troops stationed on the border.
“There must have been quite a few troops deployed in Epirus and Ezip. “The number of troops deployed to the Dupol border area is unexpectedly large.”
At Martin’s words, I put the report I received a few days ago on my desk.
“The troops deployed in Epirus and Ezip are similar in size to those deployed in the Dupol border area.”
Just a few months ago, the size of Nicaea’s troops was about 70,000.
Currently, 50,000 troops are deployed to the Dupol border area, and 50,000 troops are deployed to Epirus and Ezip.
In total, the number exceeds 100,000.
I feel like the number of mercenaries is probably around 30,000, but…
“Your Highness the Grand Duke. “I think it would be reasonable to assume that the opponent’s available troops are already around 140,000 to 180,000.”
I am surprised by Agrippa’s words.
“What? “Increasing the military by that much in less than a year?”
The number of 70,000 is a figure that could only be achieved by hiring mercenaries from the entire continent.
Common sense tells us that if we filled all 70,000 mercenaries, it would be no different from advertising that we are at war.
I say this because I think it is an unsuitable troop for the situation of Ioanes, who has to prepare for war in secret.
“To run such a large unit, you would have to gather all the mercenaries on the continent, right? Would Ioanes really do something like that?”
Philip and Martin speak in support of Agrippa’s opinion.
“The Archduke has a point, but in fact, I estimate that there are at least 140,000. Without that level of troops, it is difficult to secure the initiative in a war between the great nobles.”
“I also agree. Deploying 50,000 troops in Epirus and Ezip, you will need at least 90,000 troops to deal with Dupol and his allies. And since at least 30,000 more will be needed to defend the border fortresses of the Babylonian Empire, it is reasonable to estimate that the number is around 170,000 to 180,000.”
But if it goes up to 180,000, it is not enough even if you add the mercenaries on the entire continent.
Hmm…
I listen to their words, look at the map, and get lost in thought.
“I don’t understand it a little bit. Using that many troops during a war with Dupol would definitely arouse suspicion among the great nobles. “I have no idea how he acts like that.”
He says that as if it is no big deal.
“I am Ioanes, and if I really had that many troops, I would take down Dupol…”
It refers to Bohemy and Erne, which are adjacent to the Duchy of Dupol.
“Bohemi, we will quickly destroy Erne.”
Both places are focusing their efforts on internal affairs, and in the war culture here, going to war without declaring war is evaluated as unreasonable for an aristocrat.
If you fight a war without actually declaring war and lose, you may have to pay huge compensation.
Even if you win, you will not be treated very well, and on top of that, you will be criticized by both the nobles and the citizens of the empire by starting a war without justification…
Isn’t it worth the hassle of occupying half of the empire?
“That… Your Majesty the Archduke… That is so beyond common sense.”
Philip looks at me carefully and speaks in a hesitant tone.
“Such behavior is completely unacceptable in continental politics and diplomacy.”
“As the Grand Duke said, the Kingdom of Bohemi and the Kingdom of Erne are not easy. The combined available troops of the two kingdoms are slightly less than 80,000. “At that level, if you manage your troops sufficiently defensively, you can buy a lot of time.”
“Of course, that’s what will happen if we declare war and go to war.”
If you have more than 140,000 troops, attack Dupol and attack Boheme and Ern at the same time.
The moment major cities and castles are occupied, available troops will decrease.
Although the capital’s defenses are quite strong, it is important that the surrounding large cities and castles are also prepared for defensive battles.
They probably didn’t prepare for an unexpected situation like this.
I feel it is a fight worth fighting.
“Philip. When you went to war with us. “Why did you lose to us?”
Philip is a commander who fought against our Grand Duchy in the previous anti-emperor civil war.
It can be said that his greatest strengths are his more standard command than expected and his appropriate response to various situations.
“That’s…”
I intentionally caused a few defeats to let down my guard, and ultimately I won because I moved the emperor’s army.
I moved the troops to the extent of breaking the law that the emperor’s army should never intervene in the wars of its own lords.
To him, it is as if I have committed a foul in moving the Emperor’s army, but in reality, such foul play is often effective.
“Because it is abnormal to move the emperor’s army. “It was a cowardly method that almost bordered on foul play, but it didn’t stop it.”
If anyone in my opposing faction at that time had predicted that I would use the Emperor’s army, they would never have crawled out of the fortress.
In that case, the war would have become a long-term war and the losses on this side would have been great.
It was a time when funds were not abundant.
In the worst case, Pyrrhus may win and ultimately not have the strength to deal with Ioannes.
Although he received a lot of criticism, he definitely won and made a lot of money using it.
“I received a lot of criticism, but in the end, I won, and not only did I restore the anti-emperor faction, but I also took control of the opposing faction’s territory.”
I continue to speak, feeling the room become quiet at my words.
“Do you think Ioanes would act similarly to me? “The effect will be enormous.”
It is absurd to choose between means and methods in a war that will result in destruction if you lose.
Furthermore, seeing him move all of his available troops like that, I am certain that he seems to be moving as if he doesn’t care if the news spreads that he has taken control of Epirus and Egypt in this war.
“Hmm… But didn’t His Highness station the Golden Knights and the Emperor’s army near Dupol in preparation for that?”
I nod my head at those words.
“That’s right. In fact, the reason I came to the Grand Duchy was to ease the burden on Ioanes and show him an opening to start a war.”
In fact, he asked Sir William to intervene if Dupaul was attacked at Nicaea.
You might not listen to me, so I sent you a letter from Theodora as well. I think the seeds will work.
“As expected, you are the Grand Duke. “You prepared by reading the opponent’s cunning plan in advance.”
I nod my head and trail off at Philip’s words.
“If it were just a variable… I guess it would be the Imperial Assembly?”
I don’t have much control over this.
We have the votes of the anti-emperor faction, but the neutral faction and imperial faction criticize us.
There will definitely be a trick here.
Well, you have the right to veto. This too can easily be blocked.
I’m a little optimistic.
The army appears to be larger than expected, but if we can buy time for the great nobles and declare Ioanes, who started the war without declaring war, an enemy of the country, it is only a matter of time before he is overthrown.
But… It won’t go that easily.
Thinking like that, I think it’s time to slowly return to Roman.