Chapter 107
A month had passed since Gordon obtained the letter.
And at long last, we heard from Gordon's side.
"That took a while."
"It gave us time to prepare, though."
"We've still got the big job ahead of us."
Most of the preparations were complete.
However, we still hadn't negotiated with the Nelve Ritter. They had secretly gone somewhere for an exercise.
Next, Elna and I would go and ask them for their assistance. But first, I had to negotiate with Gordon.
"I'll leave that to you, brother."
"I think Leo would be better suited for it... Besides, I'm not going with you, am I?"
"Even so, Elna thought you were the right person, didn't she? Then you must be."
At times, I couldn't understand what Elna was thinking.
But Elna's instincts could be trusted.
"I'll do what I can... but don't get your hopes up, okay?"
"No, no, I am counting on you."
"I said don't."
While we were exchanging those words, we arrived at Gordon's room.
Gordon was inside.
Knowing him, he wouldn't want to waste time on pointless conversation.
"Sebas says Sonia, who was summoned as a military strategist, is under house arrest."
"Summoning her only to place her under house arrest is just like Brother."
"Exactly. He probably didn't like one of Sonia's suggestions."
Of Erich, Gordon, and Zandra, Gordon was the least willing to listen to what others said.
That wasn't because Gordon was foolish; it was because he was the idealist among them.
The problem was that his ideals were far removed from everyone else's. To support Gordon, one had to understand those ideals thoroughly.
No matter how capable they were, someone who had only just met him couldn't see through Gordon. Even we, his brothers, had no idea how much Gordon had thought things through.
"Well, shall we go?"
"Yes."
With that, Leo knocked and entered the room.
Gordon was waiting inside, seated in a chair.
The letter lay on the desk.
"You've come."
"...Let's get this over with. You're prepared to return the letter?"
Gordon silently nodded at Leo's question.
Then Gordon added one condition.
"I don't mind returning it, but I have one condition. Don't interfere with me."
"That's too vague; it depends on how you interpret it, Brother."
When I interrupted, Gordon glared at me.
I met his gaze without flinching.
We needed to narrow it down further. If we made such a broad promise as not interfering with him, he could use it as an excuse to find fault with us again and again.
"Then what condition would satisfy you?"
"Well, then, let's set a time limit."
"Oh?"
Gordon smirked.
My proposal was convenient for him.
When one said a time limit, one usually meant a number of months or something like that, but Gordon probably had something else in mind.
"Then the condition will be: Don't interfere with me during the war. How does that sound?"
"...It seems you're not willing to accept any other condition."
"That's right."
Gordon nodded at Leo's words.
To Gordon, war was a foregone conclusion.
He must have decided that there would be no problem as long as we didn't interfere with him during it.
"I suppose we have no choice. We accept that condition."
"Then take the letter. If you break your promise, no one will ever negotiate with you again. Don't do anything foolish."
"We understand."
"Then let's put it in writing."
Gordon quickly wrote down the condition, signed it himself, and then prompted Leo to sign as well.
Leo signed it, then picked up the letter.
Seeing that, Gordon looked at me.
"Arnold. You sign it too."
"Me too?"
"Of course. One signature alone would be meaningless. The two of you are one and the same, after all."
"I don't think that's how it works."
As I spoke, I picked up the pen and quickly signed it too.
With this signature, we would be unable to interfere with Gordon during the war.
After thinking it over briefly, I made Gordon a proposal.
"Brother. By 'this war,' do you mean the next war?"
"Of course."
"I see. Then I'll add that to the document."
"Hmph. Do as you please."
I added 'during the next war' to the condition Gordon had written.
Then I signed it, exactly as planned.
We left Gordon's room without saying another word.
"It somehow worked out."
"Because Gordon hadn't been wary at all."
Since he believed anything we did would be pointless, Gordon hadn't paid it any attention.
Was he simply assuming there would be no problem as long as war broke out, or did he believe he could overcome any petty tricks we might try?
Well, either way was fine.
"The conditions are all in place."
All that remained was for me to do my part.
■■■
"I'm sorry it took so long."
"Indeed."
Leo said, bowing his head.
Father accepted the letter with a somewhat displeased look.
As Emperor, Father had countless duties. That was why he hadn't involved himself at all in this matter, which he had entrusted to Leo.
Or rather, he hadn't had the time. The monster outbreak had thrown every region into chaos, the East was still being rebuilt, demons had appeared in the South, and the House of Sittheimer had been wiped out.
The Emperor had more than enough to do. That was why Father had trusted Leo and left this to him. The result was this delay.
"...Duke Kruger."
After reading the letter, Father spat out those words and handed it to Franz, who stood beside him.
Franz accepted it and read through its contents as well.
The letter was an accusation against Count Sittheimer. The southern nobles, led by Duke Kruger, the South's greatest noble, were connected to a human-trafficking organization and had engaged in numerous acts of corruption. Count Sittheimer was no exception.
Even though he had been threatened, it did not change the fact that he had done it.
Even so, he had tried to set matters right. That courage deserved praise.
"As for Count Sittheimer, one might also see this as the natural consequence of his failure to obey His Majesty's order to protect the displaced people..."
"That is so. The fact remains that he aided corruption. I strip Count Sittheimer of his title."
That was only to be expected.
His courage deserved praise. But it did not erase his previous crimes.
I cast a brief glance behind me.
Rebecca was kneeling there, her face pale.
She must have been prepared for this. Count Sittheimer had cast aside his honor and chosen to set matters right. There could be no restoring his honor now.
But that would be terribly unfair to Rebecca.
As I was thinking that, Leo spoke.
"Your Majesty. May I make one request?"
"What is it?"
"I ask that you reward Knight Rebecca. It was through her efforts that the letter reached Your Majesty."
"Indeed. You're right."
Saying that, Father nodded.
Leo had apparently promised the knight that House Sittheimer's honor would be restored, but restoring it as things stood would be difficult.
That said, it wasn't impossible.
"I, Leonart Lakes Adler, the Eighth Imperial Prince, recommend Knight Rebecca for a noble title. Please grant her one."
"...Very well."
Father must have understood what Leo meant.
Father nodded deeply, then turned his gaze to Rebecca.
"Knight Rebecca. Which title do you want?"
"Y-Your Majesty... I-I don't need a title... I-I'd rather..."
"Say no more. Dennis committed a crime. Whatever the reason, he must be punished."
"B-But that's too cruel! The lord showed his pride as an Imperial noble! It's far too unjust that he should receive no reward!"
"A corrupt man cannot be praised simply because he performed a good deed at the end. The corruption that came before it has not vanished."
After Father said that, tears spilled from Rebecca's eyes.
Seeing Rebecca like that, Father said one thing.
"Knight Rebecca. I grant you a noble title."
"...Yes."
"――I grant Knight Rebecca the noble rank of Viscount Sittheimer. And I award Viscount Sittheimer the Imperial Bronze Cross: Well done."
The Imperial Bronze Cross was awarded only to those who had made a tremendous contribution to the Empire.
There were higher honors, the Silver Cross and the Gold Cross, but even the Bronze Cross was rarely awarded.
It was a token of Father's gratitude.
Father couldn't praise Count Sittheimer, who had committed corruption, outright. So he transferred the Sittheimer name to Rebecca and praised Count Sittheimer through her.
That was why Leo had recommended her for a noble title. There had been several such cases in the past.
When the Emperor couldn't praise someone directly because of his position, this sort of unconventional method was used.
"Viscount Rebecca von Sittheimer. Thank His Majesty."
"...I-I humbly accept it... Thank you."
The meaning of her tears changed.
The "well done" at the end had been addressed to Rebecca, but at the same time, it had been addressed to Count Sittheimer.
Rebecca must have felt that as well.
For some time, Rebecca continued to weep quietly.
"...The problem in the South runs deep. I will not forgive them. Franz, do you understand?"
"If we take a hard line, won't they respond in kind?"
"Can I allow my subjects to continue looking down on me? I am the Emperor of this country. Its people and nobles are all part of me. I alone have the right to do as I please. I will personally investigate the South. Inform every noble in the South of that."
Saying that, Father made his position clear.
It meant he was prepared to risk civil war. Even if it weakened the country, he would not overlook his subjects' tyranny. He intended to show that to every one of them.
Events were proceeding just as Gordon had expected. But I wouldn't let things go as he intended.