Chapter 44. Outpost of Embers

A few days after the disastrously concluded banquet, Carolus and his party, now in an awkward position, hurriedly began their journey home.

The surrounding glares were not exactly welcoming, given that a suspect in the Emperor’s assassination attempt had entered the Empire as a member of The Kingdom’s negotiation team.

Even though the situation was somehow resolved, the lingering awkwardness prompted them to leave of their own accord.

"Your Majesty, we will be taking our leave now. May good fortune attend you."

"I'll see you again soon at the armistice negotiations. I have the agreement in writing, so be prepared to honor it."

"Certainly."

The Empire held a modest farewell ceremony for the departing guests, who knew their place and left at the right time. There were no celebratory fireworks or parades, but the Emperor himself saw them off in person.

It was a considerate gesture that minimized the potential for further conflict while avoiding undue disrespect.

"It would have been wonderful if I had a friend like you as my son-in-law."

"If only I had a wise Monarch like Your Majesty. It's a shame I was born in The Kingdom..."

After uttering a complaint that was ostensibly polite but laced with 140% genuine sentiment, Carolus mounted his horse and set off towards The Kingdom's Capital.

As he watched the negotiation team and their escort disappear into the distance, one of his attendants quietly spoke.

"They're finally leaving."

"It's more accurate to say 'already.’ They would have stayed for another week under normal circumstances."

It was General Sebastiaan de Leclerc.

The veteran who had stepped down from his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Western Front.

"This foolish subordinate still doesn't understand. Did you really have to let them go so easily? With the attempted assassination as justification, there would have been no issue in executing them all."

He shook his head.

The Emperor’s life had been threatened. Not just any noble or distant Royal Family member, but the Monarch himself!

If the cup hadn't been removed just before he drank, they might have been holding a funeral now. Using this as an excuse to execute them all would have been perfectly justifiable.

So why did he readily agree to the deal proposed by Carolus? Why spare the key power figures of an enemy nation?

To his old friend's question, the Emperor replied as if it were obvious.

"Because I couldn't kill them."

"....Pardon me?"

"I couldn't kill Carolus. Even if we had specifically targeted him, he would have somehow survived and escaped back to The Kingdom."

Louis XVI shuddered, recalling the events in the Banquet Hall.

It was still vivid in his mind. The image of the assassins falling like autumn leaves.

"You weren't there, so you wouldn't know. He killed people with his bare hands. With no weapons, just swings of his arms and kicks, strong men lost their lives."

It was a sudden ambush. They were supposed to be unarmed for safety reasons.

Carolus simply broke bones and destroyed vital points with punches and kicks. He calmly displayed skills that even highly trained assassins couldn't match.

And it wasn't even one-on-one. He was half-surrounded by five or six men, yet he calmly slaughtered them without a hint of tension.

As if this were an everyday occurrence, without the slightest bit of strain.

"Carolus is no ordinary officer. As a warrior, he has reached a state of mastery. He would likely win easily even against our Imperial Knights."

"....Is he that formidable?"

"If you had seen it yourself, you would certainly agree with me."

Moreover, did this human weapon come to the Empire alone? No, he brought hundreds of escorts with him.

Selected from the veterans of the Northern Army (Southern Army from the Empire's perspective), their skills were self-evident.

No matter the circumstances, even if they couldn't all escape, they could easily get Carolus back to The Kingdom.

It went without saying that he would harbor immense animosity towards the Empire if he narrowly escaped death.

So, it was better to let them go peacefully than to provoke his wrath by unnecessarily stirring up a hornet's nest.

"Well, that's not the only reason. I also intended to do him a favor."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Do you think Carolus von Roytel will be satisfied with his current position? Having already attained such power at a young age?"

Ah, it was also a way to establish a connection with the future supreme leader of The Kingdom.

Carolus von Roytel was undeniably the real power in The Kingdom's political arena.

Intelligence reports suggested that he controlled a vast faction and wielded considerable influence over the Assembly.

If, upon his return, he punished those responsible for the war as he wished, and carried out political reforms along with a Purge, his power would soon be unshakeable.

He would transcend being a mere politician and become comparable to a Monarch.

He could easily rule the country as he pleased, pushing aside the nominal ruler, Charles VII.

He could enact any law he desired and enjoy the prestige of being above all others.

'He seemed to have some self-control, but...sometimes the throne is forced upon someone even if they don't want it.'

He declared that he would reform the System by reducing the Liudolf Family to figurehead, but...would it really go that smoothly?

Not all those around Carolus would agree with him.

There would surely be many who would prefer establishing a new, competent dynasty rather than keeping a puppet Royal Family.

As the ultimate expert in power, having ruled the Empire as Emperor for decades, Louis XVI believed that Carolus's declaration was more likely to be broken.

"A small act of kindness and generosity can sometimes return as a great blessing in the future."

He had pardoned a matter that could have escalated into a serious diplomatic issue for the small price of a County. Furthermore, he guaranteed their safe return. It was an incredibly generous Disposition.

This should ensure a smooth relationship with the new regime in The Kingdom, which was likely to change soon.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, in Lahator, the Capital of the Ulranor Kingdom:

"Ha, haha. So it was true. What you said was right."

"Those damn nobles. They've been hiding this truth from us all this time?"

The officers, who had finally uncovered the secret from ten years ago, voiced their collective outrage.

For two months, they had thoroughly investigated past records under the command of Brigadier General Kais, as members of The Kingdom’s Intelligence Department.

After examining all the meeting minutes, personal memoirs, accounting documents, and everything else, they finally unearthed the truth.

Why this war had started, and who was responsible.

"In my twenty years of military service, I have never been so ashamed of my country."

They couldn't hide their despair at the realization that the answer they had painstakingly uncovered for days on end completely negated their raison d'être and morality.

Despite being selected for their exceptional Loyalty and patriotism due to the nature of their positions, despite repeated training in Loyalty and obedience, their steadfast hearts were filled with disappointment and disillusionment in the face of their nation's disgrace.

"Now I understand why the Empire attacked our country so relentlessly. I would have done the same."

"The sacrifices and dedication of our soldiers...it was all a dog's death. Sacrificed in a meaningless fight with no justification or legitimacy."

They each cursed, creating an impromptu forum for airing their grievances, until Brigadier General Kais suddenly raised a question.

"But how was this possible?"

"What do you mean, sir?"

"It's war. Even with justification, it's not a decision to be made lightly. Why is there no record of any opposition actively working against it in all the documents we've reviewed?"

"....Oh?"

Come to think of it, that was true.

Even minor matters like changing palace decorations or renovating government buildings often led to clashes of opinions among politicians.

In the case of a significant issue like war, it would not be strange to see days of heated debates and arguments in court. It's actually stranger that there weren't any.

Therefore,

"Such unanimous agreement? To pour the country's resources and manpower into this without limit?"

"Maybe they were all brainwashed? It doesn't make sense otherwise."

"I want to argue that there's no such thing as brainwashing Magic, but...that's the most plausible assumption."

For some reason, they couldn't find any forces opposing the war.

The nobles, usually divided and feuding amongst different factions, suddenly united their voices and cried for a decisive battle.

They fiercely criticized anyone who showed the slightest hesitation and pushed for mobilization.

'We've had friendly relations with the Empire for over a hundred years. There should have been a pro-Empire faction.'

Were there really no factions supporting a nation with which they had a long history of friendship? Surely, they had held celebrations advocating for friendship between the two countries in the past.

This was clearly strange.

Even if the Royal Family and the political circles were predominantly pro-war, such consistency was unnatural.

Could there have been opposition, but the records were destroyed?

As the question grew,

"Excuse me, Brigadier General Kais? You have a visitor."

"I'm busy. Tell them to come back later."

"It's...the father of the Young Lady of Arshakh. He says he has information that must be delivered to you."

"....Let him in."

Someone who could provide the answer had appeared.