263 – Turning your back (1)
Otto spoke bluntly as soon as he saw me.
“So, were you treated well by Maria?”
Where on earth did you learn this from, to risk your life to infiltrate the enemy’s territory and talk to someone who is working in such a way?
Really, I came under this guy because I thought he would buy me the most expensive price, but…
I’ve been upset more than once because of that guy’s dirty personality, but I just can’t stand what he said just now.
‘Ah, but I will think about Karin, Lucia, and Hilde and bear with it.’
“Yes, I was treated well. It’s hard to say she’s blind to me now, but she trusts me a lot. Therefore, you will never think that I am your spy.”
When I first performed my mission, I approached Maria with the intention of stabbing her in the back.
However, after meeting and talking with her several times, she changed her mind after seeing Mary’s personality and qualities, as well as the consistent kindness she showed toward me.
If they find out about this, Margrave Estelle, Otto, and even those who follow Otto will curse me, so what should I do?
Otto, you treated me as if you were my bastard, so there’s no reason why I can’t abandon you too.
You reap what you sow, you bastard bastard…
“Well, how can you doubt Lord Baron Cologne, who risked his life to save the princess from a near-assassination? “If I were a girl, I would probably be in love.”
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It is extremely unlikely that Maria is in love with me.
Well, if I were a bachelor, I would have a certain chance of doing well, but aren’t I a married man with three wives?
The idea that a princess with high self-esteem and a strong desire for exclusiveness falls for me is an illusion that only appears in the stories told by bards.
Still, seeing as she brought me some of the stew she cooked herself and promised to cook for me next time, it seems like she harbored quite a bit of favor.
I don’t know how much it will be, but at least Maria will have confidence that I won’t betray her.
“You are joking. “She is a princess, so would she fall in love with a married man?”
“Women naturally fall for the man who saved their life. Not only did Kyung show such devotion that he would even jump into a fire for his sake, but he was also young and handsome. So there’s a good chance.”
“Is that so?”
“And there is nothing wrong with me if that child shows favor toward you, so there is no need to decline. Now that it’s come to this, she joked the other day that she was going to give Maria to you. “She really needs to be bossed around.”
Otto had an evil smile that gave goosebumps to anyone who saw it.
If you drew a picture of the smiling devils called Satan and the devil, wouldn’t it be exactly like that?
Just looking at it gives me goosebumps.
“Then I will be able to see up close the child’s despair at the reality of becoming a slave to the man he trusted and loved the most. “I feel very lucky to be able to see the complete downfall of that child whom I have disliked for a long time.”
I, who tried to be sincerely loyal to this guy who ate my personality into stew, am a fool.
If I work for a guy like that, I don’t know when I too might get purged without knowing why.
Well, so I will draw my sword first before I am ‘killed.’
‘Think of it as the price you pay for recklessly sending your greatest public servant to a dangerous place where he is most likely to die.’
“I am so glad that Your Majesty is happy. “I will stop talking about these miscellaneous things and tell you about Maria’s strategy that I have learned about.”
When Otto heard that, he smiled in satisfaction and nodded his head.
“Maria, it would be nice to imagine tormenting the child, but to do so, she must first overcome the blind followers of the child. Okay, let’s talk.”
Otto, I’ve often thought about whether I was truly blind by following you all this time.
It seems like those who follow Maria are wise people who are good at investing in blue-chip stocks.
Perhaps Margrave Estelle often thinks like that because she is the center of this faction and cannot escape.
“Maria was almost assassinated by the Third Prince. So, if things were to go as planned, we would have to prepare for an all-out war with the Third Prince. Maria herself said, ‘If the person who attempted to assassinate him failed, there is no way he wouldn’t have prepared for an all-out war.’ She said that the Third Prince was fully prepared to fight against her, so it would be foolish to subdue him now. Park said.”
I hid the fact that it was actually I who stopped Maria from fighting the Third Prince, but all other information is true.
The faction led by Maria will soon lead her large army to attack Otto.
Otto gritted his teeth after hearing those words.
“No, why on earth would that b*tch not attack the person who tried to assassinate her, and instead come to attack me for standing still? “Do you have no pride as a member of the royal family?”
“The intention is to push Your Majesty into a corner by making an unexpected move rather than out of his own pride.”
“Damn it, if Kyung hadn’t told me about this, I would have been in big trouble.”
“I just do what I have to do.”
“Then where do you think she will come from?”
It has already been decided that the best route would be to attack Margrave Estelle’s territory directly from the Lilywood Plain.
But if you tell Otto, he will prepare in advance and strengthen his defense, so you shouldn’t tell him.
‘You can properly deceive someone only if you give them a mix of false and real information.’
“That hasn’t been decided yet.”
“Why on earth is that so?”
“There are many who argue that the Third Prince should be struck down, so the opinions of First Princess Maria’s faction are actually split into two. That is why there is a delay in making specific war plans.”
Even if they try to implement necessary policies, politicians always like to continue arguing by the collar for their own interests.
As a result, it is not uncommon to miss the golden time.
This is a common occurrence no matter which faction you join, so Otto has no choice but to believe it.
“It seems like unity is weak. So, do you think it would go well if we tried to appease a few nobles?”
Maria’s leadership skills are much better than Otto’s.
So, even if we offer to preserve your territory and property if you betray us at this time, I don’t think it will work…
Well, anyway, he’s going to get hit in the back and leave soon.
I guess it makes sense to let people have happy dreams for now.
“I can’t guarantee that it will work out. However, I think there is a good chance of success if you try.”
“That’s enough.”
After saying that, Otto had an evil smile on his face.
“Everything is going well. Yes, if this operation is successful, I will not forget your merits and will definitely raise your title to Viscount.”
“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”
“I’ve been in enemy territory for a long time, so I’m going to miss my family. “Hurry back and rest.”
That damn little guy has no idea what I’m thinking, right?
“Yes, thank you.”
**
After Martin, Baron of Cologne, withdrew, a young nobleman entered the room where the prince was, as if following him.
“Isn’t this Baron Celes? So, is it worth managing the territory? “He is not sick or injured anywhere.”
Baron Celes chuckled upon hearing that.
“Thanks to His Majesty’s good care, there are no problems. “The territory has become stable to some extent, and we can go to war right now if you give us an order.”
“Other nobles always cry in front of me, but the Lord is different. You are truly a loyal subject. Unlike others, he always follows my orders without hesitation. “He is an excellent subject who cannot be compared to the Baron of Cologne who just left.”
“That’s too much praise.”
Baron Celes knew that his abilities were not that great.
Therefore, rather than accomplishing something with his own abilities, he did his best to please Otto.
He finds a beautiful woman in his estate and offers her to Otto, or when Otto asks her out for a drink, she follows him at any time.
He hangs out with his nightlife to the point of exhaustion, flattering him in all kinds of ways, etc…
“Baron Cologne is capable, but he is often difficult for me to handle. Then, as a subject, he should humble himself before me and show obedience… But he did not do that.”
“He is so capable that he must not be able to consider others.”
“A good soldier is not one who lives alone, but one who knows how to keep pace with others. “His loyalty is unquestionable, but I feel a bit uncomfortable in that regard.”
The other person speaking here was Prince Otto himself, and when he said that Martin lived in good taste, he was saying it because he felt uncomfortable coming to his rather fancy banquet and not pleasing him.
“Then what will you do?”
Otto chuckled.
“We have to push them out little by little. Well, I have no intention of purging it. “Because I need someone more like a gentleman than a vassal who lives for his own pride.”