Chapter 306 - Episode 298: The King's Hardships
Mid-July, Year 219 of the Royal Calendar. In the royal castle located deep within the palace on the north side of the royal capital, where the scars of war still remained, King Oscar Roadberg III was overwhelmed by his duties.
With nearly half of the national territory having been ravaged by the Republic of Betumia, and the enemy only recently driven out, there was a mountain of work to be done to rebuild the Kingdom of Roadberg. More than a month had passed since his return to the royal castle, but Oscar continued to spend his days without a moment of peace.
"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has finalized the plan regarding the reorganization of the noble territories in the southern part of the kingdom, where the ruling families were lost. Since the opinions of the leaders of each faction were incorporated, I believe there will be no major dissatisfaction among the nobles."
It was afternoon, after a day spent since early morning confirming reports and holding meetings with bureaucrats, and after finishing lunch in a rush during a brief break. In the King's office, Oscar was meeting with the Minister of Internal Affairs, Marquis Snorri Skeggjason.
"Good work. It must have been difficult."
As Oscar offered words of appreciation while scanning the documents he had received, the Marquis let out a small sigh.
"Yes, well... if I were told to do the same job once more, I would beg to be excused."
"Hahaha, to think you would utter such a joke. It must have been an exceptionally difficult task. You did well."
Due to his role, Marquis Skeggjason was known as a man who was serious to a fault. He was even mocked behind his back, saying that the law spoke through him and he walked clothed in regulations.
For him to sigh before the King and utter words that sounded like a joke was an anomaly. Oscar did not mind his behavior; rather, he wore a faint, bitter smile, feeling apologetic for imposing such a burden.
Adjusting the distribution of the vacant noble territories in the south while considering every element—the degree of reward for those who contributed, the relationships between nobles who would become neighbors, and the power balance between the noble factions after reorganization. It was a complex and difficult task, like assembling a massive puzzle. Just imagining the tediousness of it made him dizzy.
Marquis Skeggjason, along with the bureaucrats of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, had accomplished this.
Around the time Oscar and the others had cornered the Republic of Betumia at the port and were in a standoff, the Marquis had mobilized the court nobles and begun gathering information on the safety of the southern nobility.
He investigated the life or death of the heads and families of each southern noble house, and after the war, he compiled the achievements of those who participated in the fighting, including nobles from the north and central regions. Based on this, he created this plan in the short span of a month and a half since the end of the war. Even though he had been granted almost unlimited use of the 'Far-Talk' communication network and captured magic carriages, it was a terrifying speed of work.
"...From a quick glance, it seems fine. Well, if it is something you have worked on seriously and compiled, I doubt I would find any points to correct. It will take some time to go through everything in detail, but I will assume for now that there are no problems and prepare the rewards for each noble based on this."
"As you wish. Then, I shall proceed with the drafting of the reward letters before the ceremony for the conferment of honors and the victory banquet. Would mid-September be acceptable for the various dates, as planned?"
"Yes, that is fine. It also serves as an introduction for the new heads of the south. The sooner it is finished, the better... By the way, is there progress on that matter?"
Though no one else was listening, Oscar asked while lowering his voice. Marquis Skeggjason nodded quietly in response.
"Yes. That is also being handled without fail. I believe the effects should begin to appear soon."
"I see, then it is well. I want to establish a certain set of facts before I inform the person themselves..."
Saying so, Oscar wore a self-deprecating smile.
"I aimed to be a wise ruler who strove for a fair and clear reign, yet I have become quite a cunning politician."
"With all due respect, Your Majesty, the image of a great king is something created and spoken of by people of future generations looking at the results, not the process. Your Majesty's decision will surely protect the royal family and the country, and become one of the foundations that carves Your Majesty's name as a wise ruler into history."
"...Is that how it is? Things do not go as one wishes."
Oscar answered in a slightly tired voice to the Marquis, who had offered words that seemed to be a consolation.
"While you were handling this incredibly tedious work, Count Burkhard also settled the issues regarding the eastern border."
"Then, as for the preparations against the Pallas Empire..."
"Yes, for the time being, there are no problems. The strength of that country's military is well-known. Compared to Betumia, they are not even a threat."
The Pallas Empire's army had participated as reinforcements during the pursuit of the Republic of Betumia's army, but on their way back, they showed behavior such as looting towns and villages along the border.
Due to these atrocities committed under the cover of chaos, the Empire's reputation within the Kingdom of Roadberg—especially among the southeastern nobles—plummeted, and its impression had now worsened even compared to before the war. In the end, the relationship between the two countries remained that of enemy nations glaring at each other across the border.
The Minister of Military Affairs, Count Burkhard, had successfully completed another tedious task over the last month and a half: skillfully coordinating the kingdom's army and the forces of the southeastern nobles to establish a provisional defense posture at the border.
"The peace treaty with the Kingdom of Lancel will also be concluded next month, so for now, there are no military crises immediately before us. As for the future, we must wait for a reply from the Green Dragon Empire, but..."
"That matter should be fine. If it is Count Novacek, there should be no problem."
The name Marquis Skeggjason mentioned was that of the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Countess Elishka Novacek. She had currently been delegated full authority by Oscar and was heading toward the Green Dragon Empire, a great power at the eastern edge of the Adleon continent.
Since it was a long journey of approximately half a year round trip combining sea and land routes, it was expected that she would return after the end of winter next year.
"True. If it is that heroine, she will likely conclude a contract exactly as I desire without any problems. Furthermore, it should be convenient for that country as well if our nation possesses powerful warships and transport ships and becomes a guardian in the southern part of the Adleon continent."
What Oscar had entrusted to Count Novacek was the conclusion of a contract to invite a large-scale group of engineers from the Green Dragon Empire to the Kingdom of Roadberg to teach the manufacturing technology for large ships capable of ocean voyages and the technology for their operation.
The biggest factor that allowed the surprise invasion by the Republic of Betumia this time was the poverty of the Kingdom of Roadberg's naval power. Behind that lay the problem of the kingdom's low shipbuilding and navigation technology. Therefore, Oscar had begun to move to eliminate that weakness.
Because the scale of the countries differed too much, it would be difficult to possess a fleet as large as that of the Republic of Betumia, but even so, possessing a fleet to a certain extent would provide a certain effect as a defensive power. At the very least, it would prevent a situation like this time, where they were helpless and suffered a unilateral landing.
The fact that the Kingdom of Roadberg could reach the Grandor continent, where the Republic of Betumia is located, if it so desired, would also serve as a deterrent. The same could be said for other countries on the Grandor continent.
For the Green Dragon Empire as well, a situation where invaders from another continent could easily land on the Adleon continent was something to be strongly concerned about. It was expected that Oscar's request would be accepted by that country's Emperor without issue.
"Well, regarding this matter, there is nothing more I can do by thinking about it further now."
From starting to learn shipbuilding technology to possessing a fleet capable of ocean voyages, it would certainly take time on the scale of decades. Oscar considered this to be a great undertaking that he would pursue throughout his life as a king.
"Yes, first, the reconstruction of the current kingdom is an urgent matter. I shall now move to the preparations for holding the ceremony and banquet, including the preparations for granting rewards to the nobles."
"I leave it to you. I must steel myself for the vast amount of writing work."
Saying so, Oscar wore a strained smile.
When promoting ranks, granting peerages, or bestowing territories, the King must provide the noble with a letter written in his own hand on specially processed parchment. That document itself becomes the certificate of right for the title or territory. The bureaucrats prepare all the wording, but the act of writing it can only be performed by the King for the sake of etiquette.
Usually, those gaining new titles or territories are only a few pairs at most. This time, however, he had to pen letters for dozens of people. The cost of the parchment processed with magic was not insignificant, so he could not afford too many mistakes. It would undoubtedly be a battle between tendonitis and concentration.
"That too is Your Majesty's duty. Regarding the wording of the letters, I will have the civil officials strive to make them as concise as possible while ensuring they feel honorable, so please bear with it... Well then, I shall take my leave."
Marquis Skeggjason, who rose from his seat, bowed with a posture that was a model for subordinates and left the room.
"...I can finally see the end."
Now alone, Oscar muttered to himself in a small voice.
Once the reorganization of the southern noble territories was finished, all that remained was for the royal family to help the new and old lords with the reconstruction. By having Count Burkhard keep the Pallas Empire in check and concluding a formal peace with the Kingdom of Lancel to resume trade and such, both the military and economic aspects could be stabilized.
The evaluation of the royal family regarding the Betumia War—the bad reputation among some nobles for winning in an unorthodox way by using large quantities of poison—would also subside if the plan currently in progress bore fruit.
Once he overcame the autumn ceremony for the conferment of honors and the banquet, the kingdom would develop from its current negative state to zero, and then to a positive.
Oscar felt a small sense of relief that an exit had finally appeared in these days of grueling work and accumulated mental strain.