Chapter 28 – Entor Kingdom and Orsagas Kingdom

-Entor Kingdom’s Prime Minister’s POV-

Bang.

I felt pain in my hand. When I turned my gaze to the desk, I saw that the part where I had slammed my hand had cracks.

It seems like I slammed it too hard.

However, it didn’t stop my frustration.

It just can’t!

「Cowards!」

Why do they let that country go on unchecked when so many of our own people have been killed?

Don’t they know how they were killed? Full of pain and brutal.

And yet, you forgive them?

Unacceptable!

Now is the time to attack!

Why can’t you realize that!

「Prime Minister, if things continue as they are……」

Duke Alpiari’s face contorts in frustration.

「I know. That fool of a king…..」

We must destroy that country at all costs to ease the mind of our countrymen!

And yet….damn it!

How can we have such a weak-minded king!

How can we just forgive them because the king and god of the forest approve of them!

「However, now that the king of the forest has allowed that country to exist, there is nothing we can do—」

「Wrong!」

The patriarch of a count house, Count Maloshi, wasn’t even able to continue what he was saying as I denied and glared at him.

Count Maloshi’s body trembled and he averted his gaze.

「The king of the forest has not forgiven them. Their relationship has yet to be improved! Don’t mistake of that!」

「Yes….sorry.」

Count Maloshi is a faint-hearted person.

He’s a shame for the proud nobles of Entor!

「Pathetic.」

The matriarch of another count family, Countess Tarlesta, sighs as she sips her wine.

Hearing her words, Count Maloshi lowered his head slightly.

Countess Tarlesta was stunned with the way he acted.

「Let’s calm down a bit. How much approval did you all get?」

Duke Alpiari exhaled loudly.

Certainly, if we don’t calm down, we won’t be able to come up with a plan.

However, Duke Alpiari’s face contorted as we continued our discussion.

All of them were scared because they mistakenly thought that that country was forgiven by the king of the forest.

I look at everyone’s faces and they don’t seem to agree with me that much.

「Well, we can’t move around much right now. Especially with the king staring at us.」

The last failure hurts.

It was a huge loss.

However, we can’t afford to give up.

「Nevertheless, Dadavis did a good job. Thanks to him, we were able to make people think that this country is also being watched by the king of the forest and the god of the forest.」

Countess Tarlesta giggles.

That is indeed true.

He did a really good job of getting a direct request from the god of the forest to look for teachers.

「However, we can’t use him.」

Countess Tarlesta agreed to what Duke Alpiari had said.

「Right. That one is loyal to the king. I tried to shake him up a bit but to no avail.」

「Hey, don’t move too hard or it will end like last time.」

The god of the forest protecting the current king of Emperors has changed the schedule dramatically.

If it had not been for that, we could have taken control of Emperors much sooner.

「The god of the forest….what if we draw him to our side?」

「Prime Minister, stop saying something dreadful!」

Count Maloshi’s face turned blue.

「Why? If we can get the god of the forest on our side, everything will be settled!」

「The god of the forest is a sacred being! What if he hears you and is offended!」

「Kuh, I know!」

Sacred being huh.

Sure, if we incur the wrath of the god of the forest, we won’t be able to get away with it, just like what happened to Emperors.

Wait, if we incur his wrath that will make him depose the current king…..won’t I become the king…..

「Do you have a better idea?」

Countess Tarlesta chuckled.

A grin appeared on her face.

「If the king incurs the wrath of the god of the forest, we only need to ask for his forgiveness.」

Being forgiven by the god of the forest will be good for all of us.

「Then, how are we going to anger him?」

Countess Tarlesta looks at me.

「Fuhh, just send a teacher we recommend. That’s it.」

The teacher is a live-in from what I heard.

There are plenty of opportunities.

We’ll anger him and then push the blame to the king.

「We don’t have to do anything. We just need to select good teachers.」

Duke Alpiari and Countess Tarlesta were a little surprised by what I said but they smiled after that.

Only Count Maloshi knitted his brows.

This person is someone I need to watch for.

There’s a possibility that he’ll betray us.

I’ll keep an eye on him.

 

—Scene/POV change—

 

-Orsagas’ King’s Little Brother POV-

「Aniue*! Why not?」

TN: Polite version of oniichan.

I slammed the door to the king’s office open and entered the room.

I couldn’t care less about the voices of those around me stopping me.

「Your royal highness, his majesty’s little brother! This is the king’s office!」

The prime minister knitted his eyebrows and raised his voice.

I flinch a little after that but this is more important right now!

「What do you mean?」

A dignified voice echoed through the room.

My elder brother’s gaze turns to me and I’m puzzled by his unusual intimidation.

However, anger prevails in me a little bit.

「Why aren’t we attacking Emperors Kingdom? What they had done cannot be forgiven because the former king is dead!」

「I agree.」

What my elder brother had said made me feel that I’m not wrong.

「However, we elves respect the will of the forest. That means the will of the king of the forest and god of the forest. You understand that, don’t you?」

I clenched my fist tightly, hearing my elder brother.

「That’s…..」

My elder brother narrowed his eyes.

My body trembles in surprise.

「The god of the forest has saved King Ganmirze of Emperors Kingdom from his predicament. This is the will of the forest. The reason the king of Emperors was saved from his predicament means he is recognized by the forest. If we kill King Ganmirze or invade the Emperors Kingdom, the Orsagas Kingdom may incur the wrath of the forest. Have you thought of that?」

Hearing what my elder brother had said, I was at a loss for words.

It is true that the god and the king of the forest recognize King Ganmirze.

「However, Emperors Kingdom has not been able to get in contact with the forest.」

That’s a fact too.

Emperors Kingdom seems to have sent emissaries to the forest but there’s no information that they have made contact with them.

Entor Kingdom has successfully contacted the forest via the 3rd Knight Order Commander Dadavis.

「You are saying that but so is our country.」

「Eh? What do you mean?」

「Haven’t you noticed? Our emissaries have not yet succeeded in contacting either the king or the god of the forest.」

Ah, come to think of it, they have retreated from the forest after failing.

But, why?

Why are they rejecting the emissaries from Orsagas Kingdom even though we are respecting their will?

「Speaking of which, who sent you here?」

「Eh?」

For a moment, I look at my elder brother’s face, not understanding what he’s asking me.

I was relieved to see my elder brother’s usual gentle expression instead of the intimidating one he had just shown me.

「Who told you that Emperors Kingdom Failed to make contact with the forest?」

「Oh, I heard it from the Knight Commander.」

「I see.」

Areh?

What’s happening?

I thought I saw disgust in my elder brother’s expression for a moment.

「Dell, you have to think about why the king and the god of the forest don’t make contact with us.」

Reason for not making contact?

…..does elder brother know anything?

「Etho, they are not making contact with us…is it because we’re going against the will of the forest? But since we haven’t done anything against Emperors Kingdom, we can’t say we did something against their will, don’t we? Perhaps they are distancing themselves from us because of other things?」

As for the other things….I can’t think of anything.

I glance at my elder brother and for some reason, he is smiling happily.

That smile makes me a little uncomfortable.

I can’t help it because he’s more than 120 years older than me but I lost to him in everything.

I can’t help but feel frustrated.

「Dell, it’s good that you have the energy to take action, however, don’t be taken in by what others are saying. The first thing you have to do is to thoroughly scrutinize the information you have obtained. That’s very important.」

My elder brother stares at me.

Don’t be taken by what others are saying?

….sure, the knight commander asked for my opinion.

About the lousy country that’s still unable to get in contact with the forest.

He noted that it was expected for an unforgivable country.

And yet, my elder brother decided that we shouldn’t attack them.

That can’t be right….the knight commander said. Then, I thought so too and charged here to change my elder brother’s decision…..

「You have to keep in mind that there are people who are trying to take advantage of you.」

「Yeah.」

That means the knight commander tried to take advantage of me.

However….is he that kind of person?

I glance at my elder brother.

He laughs gently and pats my head.

I’ll have to think about it properly.