Chapter 10: Conspiration
Straightening his back, the old man known as Rol’s gaze turned suddenly dark. The cheerful smile on his face seemed to be swept away by a cold wind. He remained silent for a long time, and the other old man, seemingly aware of the change in his mood, also stayed quiet.
“Gofi, you’re right. I may have truly underestimated that kid. Tracy once warned me, but I didn’t pay attention back then. Now that I think about it, I do regret it. Actually, from the moment that kid came to receive his title and left, I felt a sense of unease deep in my heart. But at that time, I hadn’t realized the trouble this guy could cause me. Well, Tracy calls me soft-hearted—maybe she’s right. I guess I’m just causing trouble for myself.” In front of his old friend, the old man didn’t want to hide his thoughts. Though his expression was still somewhat gloomy, it was much less severe than before.
As the ruler of the Homer region, Rol Philip rarely admitted his mistakes so openly and honestly. But with his old friend, it was different. Having been friends for decades and bound together by common interests, Rol Philip saw no need to hide anything.
Amused, Duke Zelin Storten, known as Gofi, saw his old friend and ally looking somewhat regretful and disappointed. He felt pity for Philip’s behavior. That guy who was causing so much trouble in the Caucasus was actually not worth mentioning at all—killing him would be effortless. But given the delicate situation in the kingdom now, any rash move could trigger unnecessary chain reactions. Neither he nor Philip should do anything that might draw the attention of those guys from Jazair at this time. Philip must be aware of this, which explained his behavior.
“Rohl, between you and me, is it really necessary to play these roles? There’s no need to hide our mistakes, but nor should we exaggerate potential dangers. That kid is indeed a bit strange and has an unusual background—he’s managed to master magic and become a mage. It seems even the members of the Light Church are interested in him. But as you said, maybe he’s a magical genius. Yet being a genius in magic doesn’t mean everything; relying solely on magic to decide everything won’t work in this world. Even if he becomes a powerful ruler on the continent, he’ll still be constrained by many other factors. We don’t know magic, and fighting isn’t our strength. But Galle is in my hands, Homer is in yours, and the Kingdom of Nicocia is under our control. Perhaps one day, the Duchy of Galle and the Duchy of Homer might also fall into our hands.” His thin cheeks retained a calm and composed expression, and the profound gaze in Zelin’s eyes remained unchanged over time, as if it had always been that deep and steady.
His facial expression changed several times, but his gaze at Zelin always carried a hint of admiration and approval. He couldn’t hide anything from this man; it seemed his old friend understood him deeply, and no matter how he acted, it was all pointless in front of him.
“Hehe, Gofi, it seems I can’t hide anything from you. Indeed, that’s not what I’m worried about now. I underestimated that kid, Komer. I saw that his father and family had served me loyally, so I hesitated to be too harsh. That’s why I came up with this compromise to make it acceptable to everyone. But I really didn’t expect him to be so resourceful—not only has he managed to establish himself in this remote place, but he’s also gotten involved with the kingdom. It seems Princess Kakiya is also behind him. This guy is truly born for this kind of work.” Philip’s face had returned to its usual calmness. “But I know well what Caucasus is like. Those barbarians in the south won’t stay quiet forever. Just like the orcs in the north, they’ll eventually become a threat. The main reason I didn’t want to spend too much effort there was not only because it’s an ominous place, but also because of this. Whenever there’s a famine, the barbarians will try every means to find food. If they can block Bruce, the simplest way for them to get food is from Caucasus. I’m curious to see how that kid will handle it then.”
Nodding slowly, Zerin’s gaze became fixed. “That’s right. This guy can’t be fully assessed yet, but our old rivals haven’t forgotten him—they all hope he’ll cause trouble behind our backs. From my experience dealing with him, he’s not someone easy to deal with. I can’t predict what his future will hold. Ah, if you and Rol hadn’t had that feud, honestly, marrying Tracy to him might have been a good choice.”
“Hmph, future? Let’s see if he can survive this year. Still, the kid is smart enough to stockpile food before we jointly issue the decree. Your distant relative is now fixated on the Golden Shield, trying to profit more from that kid—actually helping him a lot. Tracy is also entangled with Hoffman now. I don’t trust Hoffman; he’s too indecisive to achieve anything significant. But Kakiya is deep-minded and skillful—she seems like a strong contender for the current crown prince. If we can use these relationships to stir up conflicts, our pressure might ease a lot.” Philip’s words were somewhat scattered, probably because he felt less restrained in front of his old friend. Homer and Galle are both in the southern part of the kingdom, and their territories cover most of the most fertile lands there. Both are thorns in the kingdom’s side—if one falls, the other suffers. They’re both well aware of their positions, and their shared interests along with decades of friendship mean they’ve almost never disagreed.
“Rol, don’t lose your composure. They’re not doing much better either. The Utrecht Edict still can’t be implemented. Without the support of financiers and usurers, the kingdom’s finances would have collapsed long ago. Now, with orcs rampaging in the north, there are many expenses—the army is insufficient, and expanding it requires funds. KingYour Majesty must also be awake at night worrying. But those two in the north seem to be wavering now, probably scared by the orcs’ atrocities. The Caucasus has become the focus of the kingdom’s attention. You’d better be cautious. In my opinion, it might be better to bring that kid under our control—or at least keep him quiet during our preparations so he doesn’t cause trouble. We’re thorns in the kingdom’s side, and I don’t want this guy to become one too.” Taking the fruit wine handed to him by the servant, Duke Zerin took a gentle sip. The fragrance of the fruit mixed with the aroma of the fermented wine—a sensation he truly enjoyed.
After a pause, Zelin took another big gulp before saying as if savoring his words, “This might be an opportunity for us, and also preparation we must make. The weather has been favorable these past years, and after accumulating strength for so long, it’s time for us to take action. I plan to increase the number of soldiers in the Galle Infantry Regiment, and the Rebirth Knights Order also needs to be adjusted accordingly. I doubt the kingdom can survive the orcs’ advance this year. Alas, with orcs equipped with siege weapons and devices, I can’t even imagine what it would be like. Just thinking about those terrifying orcs operating those battering rams sends chills down my spine. Sometimes I wonder if I should support the kingdom—at least with the kingdom as a shield, we don’t have to face the orcs’ blades. But this is indeed a rare opportunity, and we must seize it. If the kingdom gets through this, our good days might be over.”
Philip felt a chill in his heart. After pondering for a while, he replied, “Goffi, in your opinion, can we maintain this situation for long?”
“Hehe, Rol, what time is it now? Do you still hope for peaceful coexistence? Let me tell you, over the past few years, the Light Church has infiltrated the north too much, making the kingdom wary and diverting some of its attention to them. It was only with great effort that we managed to curb the Light Church’s influence. Now the orcs are causing trouble again, which actually helps us out. Otherwise, His Majesty would have taken action long ago. Hmph, His Majesty hates those who oppose the Utrecht Edict to the core. The Utrecht Edict is the foundation of the kingdom’s survival, yet it’s also the bell signaling our doom. Its continuation determines whether we live or die. It’s only because of our persistent resistance that the edict hasn’t been implemented. Otherwise, our nobles would have long run to Jazair to fawn over His Majesty. If that day comes, we’ll have no choice but to bow. But now, His Majesty’s patience is running out. Sooner or later, you see that the Kingdom’s Iron Cross Regiment has already been formed. Let me tell you, reliable sources say even the Blue Dove Regiment is being formed. His Majesty’s determination isn’t just aimed at the orcs, is it?”
Zerin glanced at his old friend walking beside him. This guy still hadn’t given up those unrealistic fantasies, thinking that marital ties could guarantee his status. He didn’t realize that with His Majesty’s character, he wouldn’t disregard the kingdom’s interests just because of blood relations—it was far too naive. There was no turning back now; hesitating only meant certain destruction.
“No, old friend, you misunderstand. I’m not trying to live in peace with the kingdom. But as you said, the orcs are launching fierce attacks in the north. If we keep dragging our feet, the kingdom will likely collapse immediately, and we’ll then face the orcs head-on. If we can find a balance and let the orcs exhaust the kingdom while we gather strength and avoid direct conflict for now, wouldn’t that be better?” Philip’s gaze flickered, seemingly undecided.
“That’s wrong, completely wrong! Philip, you underestimate the kingdom’s strength. Those old men in the capital are by no means as incompetent as you think. Although the orcs managed to gain an advantage in last year’s attack, it was because the kingdom didn’t expect them to obtain advanced siege engines from other sources, catching them off guard. There must be more to it, but I’m sure the kingdom will quickly come up with a countermeasure. From what we know, the orcs don’t seem to have the technology to manufacture these weapons, nor are they skilled in using them. Moreover, reliable sources suggest they have only a small number of such weapons. They might be effective in a critical moment, but once the enemy is prepared, it will be hard for them to repeat last year’s success of destroying three kingdoms and city-states unless they receive massive support. So unless the party secretly supporting the orcs provides them with large quantities of these weapons, it’s unlikely they can pose a real threat to the kingdom—maybe only causing some losses to those western allies. I wonder if, in His Majesty’s eyes, we might actually be the greatest threat. Could he be using the orcs as a pretext to expand his army, targeting us instead?”
His tone turned serious, and he even switched to formal addresses, showing just how much he valued Zerin’s opinion on this matter.
“Is it really the only way for us to stab the kingdom in the back?” With a complex expression, Philip actually already knew that both he and Zelin were on a path with no turning back—they had to press on regardless. Either they would succeed and two new duchies would emerge on the Land of Azure, while the Kingdom of Nicossia would lose the richest one-third of its territory, or the Homer and Galley regions would still exist, but with countless smaller fiefdoms beneath them, leaving no family capable of challenging the kingdom’s central authority. Yet, with deep ties to the royal bloodline, he was reluctant to accept this reality. As they said, the interests of the family were paramount—whether through marriage or blood relations, everything had to be built on the foundation of the family’s survival. It wasn’t his or Zelin’s fault; it was just that the world was too small.
“This year, when the orcs launch their attack, it will be our best chance. From now on, we can no longer provide the kingdom with the protection of our golden shields. Those financial merchants in Jazair, the allied nations in the west, and the officials in the kingdom’s center who have already received enough of our golden shields—everyone we can control or influence must know our stance. It’s time to confront them head-on. Unless the kingdom accepts our terms, but I think the stubborn King will refuse even at the cost of his own life. So we must try every means possible to weaken the kingdom and prepare as best we can for our new order. I believe that once everything is carefully considered, the King will make a calm and sober decision.” Zelin didn’t answer his question; he already understood what the other person was thinking. That remark was merely a cover to hide the guilt in his heart. When the time really came, Zelin believed the other person would act more decisively than anyone else.