Chapter 21 - The Negotiation of the Marquess's Retainer Arveil (Part Two)
"Seize that man and the deputy envoys."
Rulant ordered with a small sigh. The messenger, who glanced at Malain as he drew his sword and approached a step or two, continued speaking without appearing particularly disturbed.
"Lord Malain Ferrauden, I offer my sincere congratulations on your daughter's engagement."
"Wh—"
Malain, whose name was suddenly called and whose daughter was brought up as a topic, stopped in his tracks as if his momentum had been sapped.
"Lord Philibert Dilken, has your son's injury healed?"
The other treasurer, Philibert, also frowned.
"Y-you, bringing up our families... do you intend to threaten us?"
Malain asked in a groaning voice.
"To the houses of the principal vassals of the Viscount's family, including you two, our people have gone to visit with gifts."
"Just what are you—"
"They are gifts, merely. For today. When you return home, you should check for yourselves. None of them should be bad items."
"What is it you are trying to say?"
To Philibert's irritated voice, the messenger's reply was in a tone as if he were explaining a geometric theorem.
"Do you think we came here merely to beg for assistance without holding any cards, Excellency?"
"So you take the families of my subordinates as hostages, then? A despicable way of doing things."
Before the spitting Rulant, the messenger's expression didn't change in the slightest.
"Say what you will. However, Excellency, you surely have not forgotten that the previous Marquess Mares did not protect the eastern border solely through victory on the battlefield."
The previous Marquess Mares, Lambert, was certainly known for his skill in war. But that was not all. If necessary, he did not hesitate to carry out assassinations of key figures, or the burning of towns and villages that served as enemy bases or supply depots. Through such means, he overturned disadvantages on the battlefield, or turned victories into something more decisive, repelling every invasion.
"Surely—"
"Yes. If I do not return with news of a successful negotiation by the appointed time, the city will be burned. There will also be repeat visits to the homes of the vassals—next time, with different gifts."
"There's no way you could—"
Malain protested.
"No way, you say? Rather than crossing the Dragonbone Mountains on the border by foot outside the roads to carry out an arson, it is far easier to deliver supplies brought by ship to the appropriate locations by wagon. Our forces have already completed their preparations and are scattered throughout the city."
—So this was the true nature of my unease.
Rulant recalled his earlier unease with a bitter feeling. That was why they came by ship. By carrying the necessary personnel and supplies and claiming it was cargo from the Marquess's territory, no suspicion would be raised during unloading. From the beginning, they had intended to burn the city and assassinate the vassals along with their families if it came to it.
"Sheathe your sword, Malain."
"Excellency, we must not yield to such threats. We should send men into the city—"
"Sheathe it. If they have gone that far, this manor must also be under surveillance by someone. The moment we try to scatter men into the city, the fires will be lit."
The messenger did not answer. His expression did not change either. Despite his youth, he seemed to have considerable courage and experience.
While glaring at the messenger, Malain reluctantly sheathed his sword.
"So, messenger-dono, the Marquess's wishes aside, what is it that we gain?"
Rulant was pointing out that they could not promise cooperation while gaining nothing and merely being threatened.
"Exemption from supplies and funds to be remitted to the royal capital, the provision of technology regarding shipbuilding, deep-sea navigation, and irrigation, and the abolition of duties on the purchase and sale of wool and wool products between the two territories."
Rulant did not change his expression, but Philibert, the treasurer beside him, let out a small groan. This was because each of the conditions presented by the messenger, who answered without hesitation, could be called extraordinary.
The fact that remittances to the royal capital would cease was logical in a sense—if they sided with Marquess Mares, they would have no choice but to sever ties with the capital. Even so, it was surprising that there was no mention of paying Mares instead, but simply that the remittance would cease.
The technological provision and the abolition of duties went without saying. Providing technology that likely took a considerable amount of money and time to develop, technology that allowed the Marquess's territory to excel over other surrounding territories. And abolishing duties where the Marquess's territory clearly held the advantage and could raise them as much as they liked if they felt so inclined. It was a set of favorable conditions that was almost hard to believe.
"How do you guarantee those conditions?"
Words alone could say anything. Rulant had no intention of ruining himself by lightly believing verbal promises.
"We wish to arrange a marriage between the Marquess's son and Your Excellency's daughter."
The messenger replied immediately. It was undoubtedly an answer prepared in advance.
"To say such a thing, you intend to take over the Viscount's house—"
"Silence."
Rulant threw a scolding again at Malain, who had voiced his suspicion, perhaps out of shock.
"Your suspicion is natural. However, the title of Viscount and the position of the head of the Viscount's house shall remain with your daughter. The Marquess has said as much."
There were no males in the Redan Viscount family. Rulant's only children were two daughters. Rulant had been thinking of eventually taking an heir or welcoming a son-in-law. In a sense, it was a timely offer.
Perhaps thinking the story was too good to be true, Philibert was furrowing his brow beside him.
"If this matter succeeds, the Marquess's territory, the Viscount's territory, and the surrounding small territories will be severed from the kingdom and effectively become a new country. When that happens, for a son who cannot inherit the largest territory, who could be a better marriage partner than Your Excellency's daughter?"
The nominal reason was marriage. In reality—was he a tool to take over the Viscount's territory, or perhaps a hostage? Whichever it was in practice, if a child was born from the marriage, that child could become a bridge between the Marquess's and Viscount's territories.
However, Rulant had one more concern.
"The conditions may be fine. But how do you intend to win the war without exposing my territory to danger and pillaging? If the territory is to be burned and the vassals lost whether we side with you or not, it would be better to maintain loyalty to the royal family."
"If we fight force against force from the front, it will be as you fear. However, it is now mid-autumn. Come winter, an army cannot cross the Alas Pass that traverses the Dragonwing Mountains on the western border of the Viscount's territory. And this side of the pass is warm even in winter—which means it is more than possible to prepare for an offensive next spring or later. In other words, we only need to buy time until this winter."
"That is well and good. I am asking how you intend to buy that time."
"Excellency, have you considered why the proclamation of exile did not reach your hands?"
"—No."
Come to think of it, it was a strange thing. Why did he have to learn that information from a ship from the Marquess's territory?
To the shaking Rulant, the messenger began to explain. What they had done, what was happening now, what they intended to do from now on, and what should be done.
After hearing everything, the treasurer Philibert had an expression as if he had peered into the depths of hell, and the military officer Malain had a stunned face, his spirit drained. Rulant wondered what kind of face he himself was making, and which of their faces it was closer to.
It was an incredibly brilliant, and wicked, method.
"Marquess Mares... did this?"
Rulant asked with surprise that such a man of character had this side to him. Hearing that question, the messenger's expression moved for the first time.
"No, Excellency."
With a soft smile, the messenger denied Rulant's guess.
"It was the idea of the Marquess's daughter, Ariarein, who received the sentence of exile."
[Author's Note]
Treasurer: "No way... this is just wrong..."
Military Officer: "Even I'm put off by this..."
Retainer: "Right? Our young lady is pretty ruthless, isn't she?"