Interlude 6 - The Next King
The Crown Prince’s office in the royal castle.
Seated before a massive desk, the First Prince, now the Crown Prince, was immersed in his duties. Piled high on his desk were various reports and petitions from the recent campaign, submitted by various departments of the royal court for his approval. The weight of responsibility was immense, and given the future of the kingdom, none of these matters could be neglected.
Those around him, his aides, watched him with respect as he diligently attended to his duties. The chamberlains and maids, too, understood the importance of his work and did their utmost to serve him without causing any disturbance, striving to bring him even the slightest peace of mind.
Though he appreciated their concern, a bitter smile crept onto his face.
After his triumphant return from the northern commercial city, the First Prince learned from the palace chamberlains and maids that his living quarters had been changed. Previously, he had resided in the Prince’s Palace, separate from the Second Prince but within the same complex. However, with the campaign concluded and post-war negotiations progressing relatively smoothly, this change signaled his recognition as the next king.
The First Prince had been dispatched to the northern commercial city by the King’s decree following the northern empire’s invasion. He was well aware that no one expected him to contribute to military strategy or actual combat. In fact, he had been kept at a distance to avoid interfering with military operations until the situation was under control.
In the bluntest terms, as the supreme commander sent to the frontlines, his role was limited to two scenarios: either appearing in victory or serving as an envoy for defeat. Militarily, the First Prince had never been the one relied upon.
He understood this better than anyone. That’s why he knew he had to achieve some form of merit outside of military exploits, or risk losing his position. He had racked his brains, consulted those around him, and devised a plan to face this campaign.
――――
It was just before his departure to the northern commercial city that he realized his role was shifting in a favorable direction. The military victory in the campaign was becoming apparent. Defending the kingdom against the northern empire’s invasion was a costly endeavor with little to gain. There would be no glorious achievements, no accolades for bravery. In matters of the violence of war, the First Prince was not expected to excel in pure combat.
――― So, what was expected of him?
He understood that, anticipating the end of the campaign, the King had entrusted him with handling the aftermath. Or rather, he deeply considered this another test. The kingdom had suffered greatly—its land, people, and treasury burdened by the invasion. It was now his task to determine what benefits could be salvaged from this conflict. This was not a war of conquest. There would be no territorial gains, no plunder of wealth, no captives taken—nothing.
Thus, the First Prince’s war was inevitably a battle of terms with the allied forces at the war’s conclusion.
However, the First Prince felt a sense of relief. He knew full well that he lacked military talent. During his time in the palace, the Magic Academy, and even under the tutelage of various instructors, he had only ever learned combat as theoretical knowledge. He could never grasp its essence.
His deep aversion to harming others meant he had only mastered the basics of swordsmanship and spearmanship. He had secretly lamented that he could never become a hero. But that was fine. In his heart, he carried the essence of what it meant to be a king. His esteemed mentor had repeatedly imparted this wisdom to him since his childhood:
“A king exists to bring peace to the people, to increase the nation’s wealth, to raise a strong army, and to protect the kingdom.”
These words about the way of a king and governance had deeply resonated with him.
Thus, he had come to terms with leading the expedition to the northern commercial city as a task within his expertise—a good thing for the kingdom. His fiancée, the daughter of the leading grand ducal house, had also agreed with this assessment.
“This is another trial, Your Highness. A significant step toward ascending to the highest throne. Do not falter. There are things only you can achieve.”
To the First Prince, those words were like a divine oracle—words that also carried the essence of a prayer from someone who, despite the political nature of their bond, had come to truly understand and cherish him. With her encouragement etched in his heart, the First Prince set out for the northern commercial city.
―――――
Upon arriving at the frontlines, he found that discussions about post-war negotiations had already become the main topic at headquarters. Despite the situation still being precarious, the atmosphere seemed overly relaxed. As he discussed this with his aides, the royal guard staff officer arrived.
“I have a matter to discuss privately, Your Excellency, the Supreme Commander. It is my duty to ensure you can focus on your tasks without concern. I request that we dismiss everyone.”
The polite yet somewhat rude remark caused a stir among the aides. The usually carefree and seemingly frivolous staff officer now wore a serious expression, his gaze fixed firmly on the First Prince. In other words... he didn’t place even a shred of trust in the Prince’s aides. His cold, calculating expression reminded the Prince of his father, the Minister of War.
The First Prince recalled that this staff officer had already earned a reputation for dealing with the kingdom’s elders. This meant that even the Prime Minister and other heavyweights viewed his aides with a critical eye. He didn’t need to wonder why. Before the gratitude banquet where the Second Prince had been seen as the heir apparent, the First Prince had few followers, and even his position within the royal family had been precarious.
Even now, his aides included those who had blindly followed him since then, as well as newcomers from families that had once been fence-sitters. While they were competent in a textbook sense, they were not true aides in the deeper meaning of the word. As a member of the royal family, the First Prince was acutely aware of his own shortcomings and could only nod at the staff officer’s words.
Alone in the now-quiet supreme commander’s office, the two faced each other. The First Prince resolved himself—whatever would be said, whatever he would say, the time had come to speak openly and lay everything bare for the sake of steering the nation’s course.
The staff officer’s expression shifted, turning into… a sly grin.
“Your Highness, my apologies. Your newly arrived aides from the capital likely don’t grasp the situation here. While they’ve been briefed, the information is incomplete. None of them attempted to contact us beforehand. A regrettable oversight. ...I hope you understand.”
“Indeed... I understand. My aides are inadequate, and I’m aware of that. That’s why I agreed to dismiss them. You... I am not well-versed in military matters. I only know the basics, the textbook knowledge. I understand that I lack the flexibility for on-the-spot military decisions. I also haven’t fully grasped the details of the reported invasion. I couldn’t even judge whether the reports from the royal army’s staff officers were accurate.”
“Ah, you can ignore the elders’ words. They’re basing their advice on biased information and their own outdated battlefield experiences. Anyway, the situation isn’t bad.”
“I see... I understand my role is to handle the battle of terms for the war’s conclusion.”
“Precisely. The northern empire’s allied forces are collapsing like an avalanche, so your assessment is correct.”
“Oh... Did you devise this strategy?”
“That credit goes to the high countess of the northern frontier and her subordinates. Well, given her territory’s proximity to the frontier Demonic Forest, it’s understandable, though still remarkable. I can guess who advised her, given her surprising knowledge of the capital’s affairs. Now, Your Highness, there’s another critical piece of information. It’s what will bring this campaign to an end.”
“Go on.”
“Yes, Sir. Our intelligence officers operating beyond the border have sent an urgent report. While the details will come after their return, it appears that two of the empire’s main brigades have vanished... inside the Demonic Forest. They’ve been utterly annihilated. In a literal sense, the Empire’s main force was obliterated, completely wiped out.”
“What? You mean... the empire’s main army has disappeared?”
“Exactly. The enemy is in complete disarray, and while information is chaotic, it’s confirmed. Based on the verification from our side, with reports from surrounding areas and our nation’s intelligence officers, it’s safe to conclude that this is indeed the truth. There’s no mistake in that judgment. On our front, conversion is progressing, and the barrier troops under the empire’s direct command, which were overseeing the battle, have been wiped out by the commander from that knightly family. Additionally, that same commander successfully launched a surprise attack on the empire’s invasion headquarters, decimating their leadership. A perfect retaliation for the destruction of our Second Army Corps’ headquarters.”
“I-I see… So that’s what happened. No wonder the headquarters is in such high spirits. Very well, I understand. I’ll devote myself fully to the post-war negotiations. I request you submit any information deemed necessary.”
“Understood. This is a critical task only you, the Crown Prince, can accomplish. I’ll handle it with the utmost care.”
“I’m counting on you. For now... let’s see... let’s identify the locations of the northern nations’ dignitaries on the frontlines...”
“They’re already waiting at this city’s guesthouse. I’ve also discussed matters with the allied forces’ commanders. As for the rest… well, it would be wise to discuss the future from here on out.”
“Excellent. I’ll begin negotiations with the royal families of each nation, keeping the post-war situation in mind. Agreed?”
“Understood.”
A glint appeared in their eyes as they faced each other. The First Prince’s war had now truly begun—a war to extract as many benefits as possible from this seemingly worthless campaign and secure the kingdom’s future. Then, through intricate strategy and clever tactics, he would conceal the true benefits he aimed to gain, making it appear as though other nations are prioritizing their own national interests in their decisions. The Crown Prince’s ingenious scheme and far-reaching plans for the post-war negotiations had begun to stir, quietly and profoundly.
His every word and action would shape the kingdom’s future.
The “negotiations” that would serve as the ultimate test for his ascension to the throne had now begun.
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