100 – Maxburg True Education (4)

As the construction of the battlefield was nearing completion, Major Frost delivered me a letter sealed with a seal.

A white bear biting a salmon, this must be a letter from the King of the Northern Alliance and my future father-in-law.

Seeing that you sent such a secret letter, are you ready to move?

[Dear Count Ciel von Kreuttel, my beloved future son-in-law, I have just left Narzele with the consent of the nobles, having now stabilized the interior. By the time you receive this letter, you will be near Mainz in the northern part of the Maxburg Duchy.

First of all, if we win this war, I want you and my daughter to be married officially.

And for the rest of the details, I would like you to talk in detail with Baron Vladimir, who has entrusted full power over this negotiation.

Wishing the son-in-law success, Sergei Vladimir Vasilyev, King of the Northern Union]

You’re all ready to move, and now all you have to do is match the signal with me one last time.

Perhaps because he was a king, he was skilled at taking advantage of the opportunities presented in front of him.

I asked Major Frost next to me.

“Frost, where is the person who delivered this letter now?”

“I am still staying in the camp.”

“I will entrust the construction of this place to Baron Baltrand Frost. I will go see him immediately.”

**

The top and bottom of the tent were made of fabric that was not as thick as a mat with holes drilled through it. Even the sunlight did not reach the inside, so it was cold even during the day.

Inside the tent, I met Baron Vladimir, an emissary sent by the King of the North.

“Ha, thank you for serving me such delicious food. Soup with lots of beef, steak and sweet snacks. I never thought I would be treated to such delicious food on the battlefield… ”

In some cases, no matter how noble an ally, I do not use honorifics or honorifics to those of a lower rank than me.

However, since the other side is a plenipotentiary ambassador for the negotiations of this war, it would be better to act with the understanding that they are in an equal relationship.

Because, ignoring the plenipotentiary is the same as ignoring the king.

“No, it’s just a small courtesy for a friend who came to visit me. I’m really glad you’re happy.”

“thank you. And please accept this. This is a secret letter written by His Highness the King of the Northern Alliance.”

The count in front of me tore the inner pocket of the clothes he was wearing and handed me a secret letter inside.

[Information to Count Creutel, the current allies have successfully occupied Mainz Harbor and its surrounding baronial territory without being noticed by the enemy. Because of your performance, it was possible because the enemy didn’t care about this place at all. Afterwards, as soon as I hear of your victory, I will go to the plains of Lothringen. – Vasilyev]

I would not have believed this letter if it had been said that, in order to keep the pact with my son-in-law, Count Kreuttel, whom I fully trust, I mobilized my entire army and occupied Mainz as soon as I heard the news of your dispatch.

Because, although I have a higher chance of winning, if I lose, the King of the Northern Union, our father-in-law, will suffer greatly.

It is unacceptable for someone who knows that to lead a soldier just because he made a promise to his son-in-law.

“thank you. Baron Vladimir.”

“no. I’m just here to do what I have to do. If so, I will now convey Your Highness’ will.”

“Please.”

“Your Highness wants to obtain the Barony of Mainz in return for participating in this war. And His Excellency the Count… ”

“First of all, we will take only gold coins and retreat.

Hearing this, the baron seemed very puzzled, unable to speak for a moment.

That’s probably the case, because a noble who goes to war has an obligation to acquire the enemy’s territory and distribute the land to his subordinates.

And if this duty is neglected, not only will the dissatisfaction of the vassals pile up, but common sense will make it stronger as the territory grows, so it’s surprising that he said he would refuse it.

“Certainly, the vassals may be dissatisfied, but to put it bluntly, there is no benefit to be gained even if we cede part of the Maxburg Duchy. No, it will be a short-term profit because you have a large land and serfs in your hands. However, from then on, Romania and Franchi’s checks will become stronger.”

“Certainly, from the point of view of Franchi and Romania, Your Excellency is already too dangerous. When such a Excellency grows in strength, the two of them may form an alliance to overthrow the Excellency.”

“When that happens, we can’t afford it. So, first of all, we are going to start this war to break Maxburg’s nose and impoverish him.”

Only then did the baron understand why I didn’t bother asking for the land, and he nodded as if he understood.

“good. However, the reason why His Majesty of the Northern Alliance is sending His Excellency his beloved daughter is not just for that kind of work… ”

Now you’re openly trying to dig into my insides. Even though I’m in a position to bring in reinforcements, isn’t it a bad conscience to say that it’s not enough even if I hand over the meat of Maxburg’s Barony of Mainz to the north?

Ha, but if you want to live as an aristocrat, you have to leave your conscience at home, so I can’t help it.

“We are entering into a marriage alliance, so please take a longer-term view. This time, it won’t be too late to kill Maxburg first and then eat him after we hit Franchi. And if you only eat Mainz, won’t you already achieve everything your Majesty wants?”

“Yes, but… Still, if it is an alliance, it must be a relationship in which each other benefits. But how would we believe you if you offered to conclude a peace treaty for just a few gold coins?”

Well, the tens of thousands of gold coins and one baronial land are so out of balance, it seems like the nobleman thinks we’re deliberately making a losing trade because we have some ulterior motive…

And if we report this as it is, our father-in-law, the king of the Northern Alliance, will surely return.

I said with a sigh.

“I lost. Let me tell you. It’s not just the level of ripping off thousands of gold coins, it will ask for hundreds of thousands. To the extent that the duke went bankrupt and had to eat barley porridge at home, as well as the salaries of the lower knights and soldiers. Since you can’t get the manor, shouldn’t you take that much?”

The baron said with a brighter expression than before, as if he finally understood.

“I don’t know if it’s 10,000 or 20,000 gold coins, but if it’s hundreds of thousands… I understand. That should be enough, it makes sense to fight a war with a large army of 40,000 and not gain a single territory.”

“And what would it look like if you owe hundreds of thousands of debts to the other person? Even if you only receive 20,000 copies a year, you can raise hundreds of knights with that money. If I steal it and train knights, it’s like getting hundreds of people without spending a dime of my own money. If you do… ”

“Are you planning to cut the future of the Maxburg Duchy?”

No, after that, if the tax rate rises, they will unofficially raise a riot and play with fire all over Romania, including Maxburg.

I have to play with fire and burn all the power and strength of the lords like weeds.

In the meantime, I have to do the reform and territory expansion I wanted to do.

If it grows too big, you will be constantly checked by the damn dukes and various forces, so it would be best to expand moderately.

Also, in our territory, only my father, Chris, who delivers funds and instructions, Lieutenant Short and his subordinates, and a few people know this.

I can’t just talk to the plenipotentiary, and I don’t have to.

“Of course I will cut it. No, even that is not enough, so it will make it difficult to stand up again. Wouldn’t that make my father-in-law and I happy too?”

“You are right, Your Excellency. If so, I ask you honestly, how far are you greedy?”

What I want is relatively small, but here I have to sing loudly to gain the trust of the other party.

“Duchy of Maxburg, I want the whole.”

“Are you excluding Mainz?”

“Everything up to Mainz, in return, I will give you two duchies in the northern part of Romania. You need to secure that much, so that His Majesty can no longer become the King of the United States, but the Emperor of the United Empire.”

At those words, the baron in front of me looked at me with an ecstatic expression.

I’m sure I’ll deliver this contract to the king, and if I win, I’ll receive a reward, so he must be doing it because he likes it.

“Sure, it will take a long time.”

“What does that matter? Anyway, in the north, there are only nobles who are already blinded by the various fancy things that His Majesty exports through the Blue Port, such as banquet tools, musicians, accompanists, and architects. They are no longer your enemies the way they used to be. Therefore, with time, His Majesty the King will be able to become a true messenger of the north.”

I added words according to the timing.

“If I work together with Your Majesty for a while, no for the rest of my life.”

“That is of course, Your Excellency Count. Then I will tell His Majesty the Emperor as it is. Do you have any last questions?”

After thinking for a while, I opened my mouth to ask.

“Okay, but Baron Vladimir, why did you cross enemy lines alone and come here? Isn’t that too dangerous?”

At that, the baron replied with a smile.

“I am the lord of Baron Vladimir, but if this expedition is successfully completed, the Baron of Mainz… No, I am the one who will become Count Vladimir by Your Majesty’s grace considering my achievements and the importance of Mainz. So, I came directly to receive as much credit as possible and receive a slightly bigger territory.”

No matter how important it is to be successful as a nobleman, to think that a nobleman the size of a baron passed through an enemy’s territory and came to find me as an ambassador with plenipotentiary power… He’s really a guy with a lot of guts…