198 – Before the storm there is calm (1)
Ambassadors from the imperial family came and went, and a month later, Count Ilias and Count Isra came to my estate.
As usual, in order to greet the two counts who serve the same emperor, I had to put on an appropriate level of security and protocol from the border…
Thanks to those guys who disobeyed orders in the battle at Seil Village and destroyed an army of over 70,000 people, the deprivation of their title and the confiscation of their territory are almost confirmed as soon as they ascend to the ecliptic.
Besides, I’ve already decided to abandon the Emperor they serve, and I’m taking all the necessary steps.
So, there was no need to spend money or spend effort on proper hospitality.
No, in order to recruit them under my command, they and their vassals’ unnecessarily high egos must be tempered to some extent.
Now, the only lifeline for the two of them and their subordinates is the Marquis of Creutel… No, only the royal family…
But would they really respect the commanders of our army who came from serfdom if they were of the same status and rank as them?
When I first hired Man at Arms in the past, when I think of the unemployed guys whose whole life was being knighted, there were also crazy guys who attacked the assistants who were superiors in the training process because of their low origins…
In order for the guys who had the privilege of being hereditary to mix with the allies, they had to establish some discipline from the beginning.
And whether it worked, even though the two counts of the Elain Empire would never have suffered such an insult in their entire lives…
He looked at me and greeted me with the brightest expression and voice.
“I have been invited by the Marquis, Leon von Illius. It was not close, but thanks to your consideration, I came comfortably.”
“Jacques von Isra, you too have been invited. I came without any inconvenience because you thought of me specially on the way.”
“no. Good young people like you are coming, and this is what I’m going to do. ok let’s go inside You must have been hungry to come. I’ve prepared a small meal, so let’s eat together.”
Saying that, I quickly brought the two of them into the drawing room where the meal was prepared.
**
Walls and pillars carved from the finest marble, floors with checkered patterns, desks made entirely of juniper wood, and chairs embroidered with gold thread.
To add a little exaggeration, in this drawing room, as gorgeous as the palace where the emperor lives, me and the two counts ate for an hour in silence.
To be precise, I ate the finest food, such as sturgeon roe from the north, cream soup with truffles, and lamb steak.
Those two were served only bread made from rye and barley and a light soup made with vegetables.
I didn’t say anything for thirty minutes, and while we were eating, I opened my mouth first.
“Count Isra, Count Elias. Is it worth the meal? It was treated with care.”
No matter how poor their territory is than mine, those two would never have had such a simple meal on a battlefield where food was hard to find.
So that kind of food won’t fit in your mouth, and it won’t go down your throat well.
However, in order to proceed with the negotiations in the direction I wanted, it was necessary to kill those guys as much as possible… It is an unavoidable measure.
No, you can call it mercy because it gives you a way to survive after completely breaking your pride.
“I believe you won’t understand if I say this. Of course, the meal you received is the same as that of sinners sentenced to death and doing hard labor in our territory.”
When the two counts heard that, they looked at me with dazed expressions.
Surely, I thought that if I came this far, I would be treated to a meal with minimal manners, but it’s ridiculous that I received such a simple meal…
It must be because it is absurd that I treated felons with my mouth as a menu to eat.
“It might not be funny. However, let’s think about it calmly. Didn’t you kill tens of thousands of soldiers and knights for disobeying orders during the last battle in Seil? Thanks to that, the expedition planned by His Majesty was greatly hindered, or in fact, made in vain. Even though you didn’t mean to, thanks to you, I had to shake hands with 27,000 against an enemy army of 80,000.”
Of course, I had a lot of influence in encouraging them to make mistakes, but there is a high possibility that even if they seize the evidence and report it to the emperor, nothing will work.
That’s because I bought them good wine and praised them.
“Thanks to Deus helping me, I was able to cut down 30,000 out of a large army of 80,000, and in return, I secured Iris and the Earldom of Akitel. However, I can’t afford to pursue the 50,000 troops of Marquis Simon, so stop… I couldn’t help but watch as Marquis Simon joined the French central defense as a reinforcement. As a result, the expedition ended in defeat. That’s why His Majesty’s right to speak politically has already weakened. then… They will need a scapegoat, but who would that be?”
The two counts listened to me and responded with serious expressions.
“It must be the two of us… ”
“right. Other nobles, if they find themselves in the same situation as you, will change their masters and survive… No one will trust those who have a history of disobeying orders on the battlefield. So, your lifeline will at least be one that ends with His Majesty the Emperor confiscating some of your lands and demoting your titles. But it can’t be. So, you are already a living corpse. Wrong wording, correct me. Our great Emperor will slit your throat, and your family will be called traitors and sold into slavery… Not even a living corpse.”
In normal times, unless the emperor is insane, it is rare to be charged with treason for disobeying orders in war and suffering great damage.
Because, if you did not directly or indirectly oppose the emperor, but cut off the head of a noble nobleman for treason and sell his family into slavery… Because you will completely lose the support of other vassals.
However, in this war, nobles, including the emperor, suffered huge losses.
Therefore, they need someone to take out their anger by blaming them for not doing their fault, and those guys are the target.
So, punishment beyond that limit can be considered.
As proof, there are even people who claim that the mad witch trial, in which we commonly falsely frame a wicked witch and kill a widow or woman, happened because the earth entered the little ice age and the famine became extreme and needed someone to be angry with. …
I clapped my hands twice to change the atmosphere of the dining table, which was so silent and heavy.
Then the butlers came out and set the same meal I was eating in front of the two counts.
“However, I do not want to sacrifice you for the emperor’s mad expedition. Say it straight-forward. I’m about to become a king on my own. Also, I want to accept Count Ilias and Count Isra as loyal vassals of the kingdom. Of course, like when other lords voluntarily give their allegiance, they can’t give you a higher title and a larger territory in return, but… You won’t have to worry about when you’ll be stripped of your title and your family will fall into slavery like you do now. Also, I am you… No, if they follow me… I will allow you to lead a richer life than you do now. Even to those who have gone… It’s hard for you to easily eat this kind of food with your wallets, but if you become my vassal, you’ll be able to enjoy this level of luxury once a week. So choose.”
The two counts looked me in the eye, then faced each other and knelt down at the same time.
In oriental countries, when pledging allegiance to a monarch, one kneels on both knees and bows at the same time, but in a place that believes in Deus, it is said that even a monarch cannot take a posture that implies absolute obedience to a god… It is common practice to get down on one knee and bow your head.
However, by kneeling down, they have already pledged absolute loyalty with their bodies.
Of course, it’s because it’s much more advantageous for them to survive by kneeling before me than to die dishonorably without doing so…
If this is enough, they will follow the rules of my territory and treat that person according to their position and rank, regardless of their origin.
If my vassals do not do the same, they will try to follow me even if I punish them for blasphemy and disrespect.
As if to prove it, the two counts looked at me and asked in a very polite manner.
“Your Highness, what should we do?”
“That Elias, if it’s what Your Highness commands, I’ll obey even if you tell me to die.”
Seeing that, I was very satisfied.
He would, too, though he had been weakened by his defeat in the last battle, but he had obtained two counties without shedding a drop of blood.
“Follow the laws of our kingdom. Respect him equally according to his present title and rank, not from his origin, and not to exploit serfs and citizens beyond what is prescribed. Also, obey the king’s orders. Then, as long as this kingdom lasts, I will guarantee the wealth and glory of its lords and vassals… ”