Chapter 32. Settling In (1)

Thanks to the help of many people including Vladimir, Andrei, and Nikolai, I succeeded in changing jobs while minimizing damage to my image as much as possible.

"Hah..."

Unlike last time when I refused almost everything including bathing and meals, this time I only hardened my expression and comfortably received bath service.

In fact, due to the aftereffects of urgently riding a horse, my whole body was aching, so there was no need to be conscious of it.

Of course, the hard times aren't over yet.

My subordinates are still in prisoner status, so my foundation in the empire is essentially nonexistent.

Since the Empress has shown favor towards me from before and even directly proposed to employ me.

The noble faction is more likely to consider me part of the imperial faction and keep me in check rather than try to persuade me.

The imperial faction isn't any better.

The current leader Theodore is hostile towards me, and it's also a problem that they're already in an advantageous position against the noble faction.

Although they're united under the name of the imperial faction, they're still nobles who ultimately act for their own interests.

In such a situation, if my influence suddenly grows and greatly attracts the Empress' attention?

Some of them, instead of bringing me into the imperial faction to increase overall power, will consider me a political competitor and try to keep me in check.

If Theodore's influence reaches them, such movements might not end with just a few.

...Still, it seems I can enjoy the sense of achievement a little for this moment.

"Ugh..."

"Shall I help you?"

"...No."

When I moved my lower body, a groan involuntarily came out due to pain as if my muscles were twisting.

For now, I plan to go along with the imperial faction.

The goal is to steal Theodore's position in the future, cut down the noble faction to the necessary level, and then concentrate the empire's power in the Empress' name.

My current goal is to raise the empire's national power to the level of world conquest, or something comparable to it.

This is my personal wish, but it's also to create a country that can deal with the possible 'late-game crisis'.

'Forest's Wrath', 'Mine Depletion', 'Black Dragon', etc.

The late-game crisis is a massive event that occurs when a country grows beyond a certain size or a certain time passes, to give tension to players who feel bored.

Since this world isn't a game now, it's not certain whether a crisis will actually occur.

However, if we stay idle thinking there won't be any crisis, and if by any chance a crisis does occur?

I can be certain.

The empire in its current state, with nobles divided and grouped among themselves, won't be able to cope.

As the late-game crisis also gets stronger over time, the key is to suppress it as quickly as possible.

In the current state, like the AI empire in the game, they would probably collapse after wasting time conflicting over how to respond to the crisis.

But the Dragonian Empire has an Empress as a focal point with clear authority and justification, so with just power to support her voice, it can quickly unite.

I plan to become that power.

Although it changed a bit as I grew attached to the Rus Kingdom in the middle.

This was also the reason why I didn't just flee to the empire and paid attention to justification and weight as much as possible.

If I had surrendered without properly showing my abilities, it would have taken a long time for me, a commoner and orphan, to rise to a position where I could properly move troops.

The Empress probably wouldn't have shown interest in me like now either.

Now that I'm receiving the Empress' full attention, it's different.

I can withstand the nobles' checks with the Empress' protection, and quickly grow my power by using the Rus Kingdom as my foundation and working under her.

Not as an imperial faction that just borrows the Empress' name, but as a 'personal faction' that fully realizes her will.

In fact, since Empress Louise has no interest in state affairs at all, my goal in the empire is to eventually lead state affairs in a form similar to Theodore, who represents her voice as the head of the imperial faction.

Although the purpose of growing power is different, the direction is the same.

Theodore will probably be the biggest obstacle from now on.

-Splash!

"Ahh..."

As I finished by pouring hot water over my head, I pondered future plans.

For now, since I'm known as a general, the best way to grow my power is still war.

I'm not afraid of failure.

I may not be some great genius who will go down in history, but I have the mini-map and tactical map.

...Yes.

I'm not afraid of failure.

After leaving the bath.

I fell into thought while organizing the Rus Kingdom officer's uniform with numerous traces, which I won't wear anymore.

***

The next day, at 3 PM.

I was summoned to a meeting.

Instead of the usual green Rus Kingdom military uniform, I wore the attire of Dragonian Empire nobles and waited for the meeting to start, kneeling on one knee in the center of the audience chamber.

"Let's begin the meeting. The agenda this time is deciding Viktor's position and the tasks to be given to him."

The meeting began with Louise's declaration.

"Ralph Royce of the Royce Count family will speak to Your Majesty."

A noble named Ralph Royce stepped forward first from the right side of the audience chamber, where the imperial faction led by Theodore seemed to be gathered.

The fact that Theodore gave him a slight eye signal before he stepped forward somehow gave me a bad feeling.

"Viktor's military strategy, which fought battles such as Serkutsk and Garogorod, is already famous even within the empire. Although his loyalty to Your Majesty hasn't been verified yet, it's a waste not to use his abilities. I think it would be better to place Viktor as a military advisor by Your Majesty's side and verify his loyalty over time."

Ralph clearly came to keep me in check.

Although it varies slightly depending on the situation, Louise's interest tends not to last long due to her frequent whims.

The position of military advisor is close to a consultative role, with little direct authority.

They probably thought it would be difficult to touch me now when Louise's interest is greatly focused.

They likely proposed the military advisor position with the idea of placing me in a position with little practical authority to prevent me from growing influence for now, and then dealing with me appropriately when Louise's interest in me wanes later.

As Ralph finished speaking, a noble standing on the left side of the audience chamber stepped forward.

Judging by his appearance, he gave an impression more similar to a soldier who goes to the battlefield than a typical noble.

"I am Count Reinhardt Ulrich. Appointing Viktor merely as an advisor is a direction that fails to properly utilize his value."

"Hmm."

He stepped forward while openly rebuking Ralph.

"Although it's said that Viktor's name is known in the empire as well, it's nothing compared to his fame spread in the Rus Kingdom. Moreover, the internal affairs and terrain of the Rus Kingdom that he would possess will be of great help to the expeditionary force. Since you ordered Viktor to directly decide the treatment of prisoners, how about assigning him to serve under General Josef Steiner as deputy commander of the expeditionary force to assist with the expedition?"

Reinhardt's proposal gave me chills.

His intention was to completely erase my influence while not breaking Louise's will.

The deputy commander of the expeditionary force is a nominally high position, but the commander-in-chief of that army is Josef, a leader of the noble faction.

I would naturally be far from the Empress' eyes, and under his command, I wouldn't be able to do anything as I wish.

Moreover, if I participate in the process of finishing off the Rus Kingdom, I will remain in people's memories as a traitor who directly crushed the country I belonged to.

If they then throw me a part of the nearly worthless Rus Kingdom land as compensation?

With both the Empress' attention and the image of being loyal and caring for subordinates covered by the great scar of being a traitor, I might never be able to return to the center of the empire again.

My clenched fist became damp with cold sweat.

"Viktor's loyalty hasn't been verified yet! Giving him military command is dangerous!"

"Rather, being a military advisor could be more dangerous. If he becomes deputy commander, General Josef will control him well, but as a military advisor, one wrong suggestion could bring great danger."

A few more proposals came up afterwards, but the intentions of the noble faction and imperial faction were combined with the first two proposals.

While they discussed each other's proposals, I sought a solution.

Whether to become a military advisor in name only, or to become a traitor and end up as some kind of frontier lord with ruined public sentiment.

As neither is the path I want.

"Deputy commander? Military advisor? Hmm..."

Whether Louise knew the intention of the proposals or not, she pondered while chewing over their suggestions.

"Are there no other opinions?"

"..."

Moreover, as the meeting reached a stalemate, seeing her appearance as if she had made up her mind and asking the nobles.

"Your Majesty."

Thinking it was the last chance, I called her while rising.

"Hmm?"

"May I, Viktor, say a word?"

"I allow it."

I could feel the nobles' gazes shooting at me.

Hiding my trembling hands by tightly clasping them together, I slightly lowered my head to hide my hardened expression.

"I remember what Your Majesty said yesterday."

"Hmm."

"You told me to prove that I have value far exceeding the losses I inflicted on the empire."

I slightly checked Louise's reaction.

She was looking at me with a faint smile as if telling me to continue.

"Military advisor, deputy commander. Both are positions that can help the empire, but they are positions that cannot produce results without consuming the empire's power."

"Hmm. What do you mean?"

I deeply bowed towards Louise.

"Please appoint me as a temporary special commander. I will persuade some of those who came over to the empire with me, lead only them to the battlefield, and prove my loyalty."

While making this trump card proposal, I composed my trembling heart.

Once again, I checked Louise's reaction.

"...Haha."

The smile of the one sitting on the throne had deepened more than before.