Chapter 171 (1/2)
A fact-finding was being carried out within the Empire, but in the South, it was not important in itself why Madame Lexen assassinated Queen Eimmel.
Cadriol didn't even care. It must have been Artizea's trick anyway. Digging around was not advantageous to the Kingdom of Eimmel.
What was important to him was that the king was grieving, and at this moment all power over the Eimmel Kingdom army was in his hands.
And that he had in his hands a justification to attack the Duchy of Riagan.
“Aren’t you going to get rid of it right away?”
Cadriol's subordinate asked so. Contrary to his initial momentum, he was puzzled that Cadriol did not attack the Duchy of Riagan.
“I’m not going to go to war against the Empire.”
Cadriol said, looking down at the army that surrounded the Duchy of Riagan.
“It would feel good to hit and remove the Duchy of Riagan, but if there is a real war with the Empire, it will be a headache. Don’t stroke your pride too much.”
Above all, it is impossible to occupy all the assets of the Duchy of Riagan anyway. Because it will be a battle on land.
“Anyway, at the right time, I will retreat. There’s the Empire’s face, there’s no way they’ll let us go and wait for the disposal just because we have a justification.”
Of course, this place was too far away for the Emperor to react promptly right now.
So his subordinate asked again.
“Are you worried about incurring the wrath of the Krates Empire?”
“Emperor Gregor is old, but he is still Emperor.”
Cadriol kicked the stone stuck at the tip of his toes as a joke.
“It's scary to touch an old man's pride. Especially if that old man had the greatest power in the world. Even so, if we run away before then, we’ll be fine.”
“It’s a cause you’ve been working on for a long time.”
“It’s impossible to take the southern part of the Empire anyway. I got everything I deserved.”
Cardriol chuckled and laughed.
Although the Riagan Ducal Couple did not have such outstanding abilities, they knew the southern region very well.
The fact that they tried to create their own power base means that they have gained that much confidence.
After the downfall of the Ducal couple, who will be the next ruler from the Empire to occupy this place?
There was no way for the Empress to stand up again, and there was no way for the old Duke of Riagan, whose great roots had been cut off, to stand up again.
Can the Emperor's new chosen subject be able to control the complicated situation in the southern part of the country in a short time?
It will be difficult.
In the meantime, the power map of the South will be turned upside down.
Cadriol has already laid the foundation for that.
He eliminated the enemy within the royal family, took full power over the Kingdom's army, and took over the real power in place of the dejected father.
The crown prince's appointment will also go smoothly.
The Krates Empire will be busy with internal maintenance for the time being. In the meantime, he was planning to reap all the real gains.
‘But I never really thought that Marquis Rosan had already planted people there.’
It's not about an assassin.
Cadriol was able to get a glimpse of the Eimmel Kingdom and Artizea's organization planted in the southern part of the Empire this time.
The skill of concealing rumors of the Empress' relatives and dispelling them before the incident started was still unusual.
Judging from the time his memory returned, it hasn’t even been such a long time.
‘Would it have been much more beneficial to kidnap her?’
Cadriol thought about that for a moment, then smiled.
Even if he forced to bring her, Artizea wouldn't have been his own. Either as a woman or as a strategist.
Well, hiding her and looking into her alone was also a way to enjoy a treasure.
‘It’s a pity.’
The words of his subordinate interrupted his thoughts.
“The carrier pigeon is flying. Shall I catch it?”
“Leave it alone. I'm not really going to get rid of the Duchy of Riagan, so if the Duke keeps talking nonsense, the internal affairs of the Empire will be in chaos.”
“Will the Empire really send troops? Didn't they say that the Southern Conquest Army was formed?”
“By the time they send it, we will have already run away. We don't even have to be ashamed of running away from the enemy again.”
“That’s true.”
“The Duke of Riagan’s candle burns on both ends*. That old man’s frightened face, just thinking about it makes me happy.”
“Of course.”
His men giggled and laughed.
Originally, the neighboring countries were not on good terms with each other, but the Duchy of Riagan and the Kingdom of Eimmel were even more so.
The Duchy of Riagan saw the Kingdom of Eimmel as a group of bandits.
In the Kingdom of Eimmel, the Duchy of Riagan was viewed as an idiot. They had thought that it was absurd to try to become the lord of the southern provinces, on a subject that they could not even exert their strength at sea.
To say that they were actually a bunch of bandits, they weren’t.
＊＊＊
It was about a week after Lawrence returned that the Countess Eunice had an audience with the Emperor.
This audience was arranged by the chief attendant.
A letter came from the Duchy of Riagan asking for salvation every day.
But the justification lies with the Kingdom of Eimmel. Nothing else, but to find the culprit of the Queen's assassination and hold them accountable.
Accepting that request and having them investigate the Duchy of Riagan will not save them in any respect.
In addition, whatever the cause, the Kingdom of Eimmel dares to raise troops, occupy the ports of the Empire, and attack the Duchy of Riagan.
However, it was not an easy decision to gather the Southern Army and send a conquest army from the center to wage war.
Subjugating pirates and fighting other countries are different. Since the cause was beyond that, there was bound to be a problem with the morale of the soldiers.
It is a long way to the South where the Duchy of Riagan was. It took twenty days even when the wind blew right.
There was not enough information to make an immediate judgment. Even if the information was available, there was no guarantee that it would be timely when a response was determined and sent down here.
There is a reason why the Duke of Riagan had jurisdiction over the South in the first place.