122 – War Preparation (1)

“We will respond as best we can to any request. Instead, the Northern Alliance also needs soldiers to protect the newly acquired Mainz Territory… so we can’t send them.”

At first glance, it sounds like you’re asking for understanding because you can’t send soldiers because of real circumstances…

I don’t know about Romania right now, but Maxburg doesn’t have the strength to start a war, so there must be some room to send soldiers.

However, they must be rejecting it because it consumes enormous costs and labor.

However, I have no intention of getting soldiers from Count Vladimir.

“I don’t need soldiers. Instead, please lend me some flags, armor and weapons from the Count.”

“The flags, the armor, and the weapons… You’re trying to trick the French into believing we’ve been in the war.”

“Yes, Count.”

“The idea of deceiving them is good. But, in order to trick Architel, shouldn’t we give a reason for our participation in the war?”

“The reason is simple. We are allies, so if we are asked for help, we should of course help. And if Maxburg regains its strength, can the Count survive in Mainz alone?”

Of course, Maxburg is destined to collapse soon because of the debts and missionaries I have already planted…

To the count, who does not know the power of the missionary, Maxburg is a monster who does not know when he will regain his strength and threaten them.

And while we are confident that we can beat the monster one-on-one, the count’s current strength won’t last until reinforcements come from the north.

Vladimir couldn’t have known that, but he said with a sad expression.

“Uh… no, that’s impossible.”

“Even our enemies know that much. So they’d think they pushed themselves forward to solidify their alliance with us.”

“However, if we hear the news that we have dispatched troops, the Duke of Pappenheim or the Maxburgs will surely come in. Even if we succeed in deceiving them, they will come with an army… How do we stop it?”

I responded with a smile.

“Count, the Duke of Pappenheim will never invade. And Maxburg is already bankrupt.

“I saw the report I read earlier… Why don’t you make it clear that you guys are being exploited because of us? And why is Pappenheim…”

Instead of answering Prince Vladimir’s words, I took out a stack of papers from the study in my bedroom and handed them over.

“A document documenting that the Duke of Pappenheim is bribing members of the Imperial Council to one of the Medica family merchants.”

“Interesting data, but what does this mean?”

Despite saying that, Count Vladimir’s expression was different from before, showing a bright smile.

I’m sure you’re anticipating what I’m going to say.

“The emperor is still young and healthy, and he hasn’t made any major mistakes. So Pappenheim won’t prepare for the emperor election already. Then there’s only one answer left.”

“You’re thinking of occupying a part of the Duchy of Maxburg like us. There’s going to be a rebellion in Maxburg soon, so if you use that as an excuse to stay there for a long time… you can actually take control of the land.”

“Especially this time, the emperor loathes Maxburg. If there is any justification for weakening his power, he will give Pappenheim a county.”

“Very good, sir. But don’t you have something else you’d like to ask of us? I’m sure you didn’t invite me to ask you anything more than this.”

He’s quick-witted too.

As he said, since the emperor and I have entered into a marriage alliance, I ask for only this amount of work, but there is absolutely no need to meet secretly.

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Just send me a letter, ask for a flag, armor, and armor, and I’ll send it right away.

“Actually, there’s something else I’d like to ask of you. It’s a story that will benefit both the north and us, so would you listen to it?”

“I will listen, Your Excellency.”

“First of all, please tell His Majesty to send an ambassador to the Holy Romanian Empire.”

At those words, Count Vladimir’s expression hardened.

A plenipotentiary ambassador is usually a person dispatched by a direct royal family or duke on behalf of the king when signing a treaty such as the end of a war or cession of territory.

And if you send a plenipotentiary and make a gesture that seems to end the war, the emperor will surely react like this.

“To the majesty of great Romania, the country folk of the north have bowed! Praise Jim!”

If that happens, the prestige of the Northern Alliance will fall.

In an era where prestige is more important than life, it is a plan that is never chosen.

“But if we send the plenipotentiary now, won’t it look like we’re giving in? Our prestige in the north will fall!”

“Calm down. I have absolutely no intention of asking the ambassador of the Northern Alliance to discuss the end of the war.”

“What are you thinking?”

“Since the war with Maxburg, I have recruited several former court aristocrats who are well versed in the imperial court culture. They have experienced the culture of the north, and are already preparing to showcase their own style of culture utilizing the color of the north. finished.”

Hearing this, Count Vladimir must have been so dumbfounded that he started laughing as soon as he heard my story.

“No, Your Excellency…? Thank you for giving me such a nice present…”

Count Vladimir spoke in a surprised tone, but his face was full of joy.

Surely, in front of the nobles of Romania, we are also dreaming of being able to confidently say that we are beings who know the dignity and culture.

However, the reality won’t be like that. The perception of the savage north, built up over hundreds of years, won’t break that easily.

With that thought in mind, I laughed out loud just like the Count did and then said,

“Because if one day we share Romania, we have to show them the dignity of a ruler.

“Thank you, thanks… We’ll be able to live a little bit better against the Romanians now.”

“You will be able to erase the prejudice that the north is a country on the outskirts where only villagers live.

Hearing what I said, the count looked at me with an ecstatic expression on his face.

“If that happens, Your Majesty’s trust in the Count will grow even stronger. Especially since he is the one whose greatest goal is to escape from the country of savages… The Count’s achievements will be highly appreciated.”

“It’s like a dream. Guk, no, His Majesty the Emperor will really like it.”

“Say a small thank you for giving me a beautiful daughter.”

“Is it possible?”

I said that, but in fact, it is for the sake of the emperor that I show that the villagers of the Northern Alliance are also living a cultural life in Romania.

It is to stir up luxury competition between the two countries.

Of course, it will always be Romania that has the upper hand in this race of luxury and culture…

The Romanian Empire will invest even if it takes a debt to occupy a cultural superiority that cannot be compared with the North, and the North will struggle to be recognized by them at least.

As the level of culture that each other pursues rises, the cost to enter will increase to an astronomical level.

In the meantime, the North will be able to adjust to some extent, but Romania has to show an overwhelming level. Probably, the cost to enter will be several times the cost of investing in culture in the north.

At the same time, the cost of entering the Cathedral of Saint Romania, where the pope, the head of all deus religions, lives, will increase significantly due to the pope and the cardinals saying they cannot lose to them.

Then… the empire, which is recognized for its legitimacy by supporting Saint Romania, will inevitably collect more taxes to pay for the exorbitantly increased construction costs as offerings.

Then there will be popular uprisings throughout the empire.

“Thank you very much for agreeing, Count.”

“No, Your Excellency. It is what both I and Your Majesty want that the Northern Region be recognized throughout Europe by sending an ambassador. Only the Romanians are divided.”

“By the way, may I ask you something now?”

“Tell me, Your Excellency.”

The two previous requests are actually just rice cakes to make the other person accept my real purpose.

Because the Earl and the Northern Alliance won’t suffer any damage, and there’s no reason to suffer.

Rather, if I move only the way I want, the other party will benefit anyway.

In particular, if a plenipotentiary is sent from the north to present a culture that has at least 0.01% of its originality in the style they have chosen, even if it is a little lame, they will no longer be called barbarians even if they are called northerners.

This alone is a huge change in status.

In that situation, I opened my mouth to use them to achieve my purpose.

“Count Vladimir, by any chance… don’t you want to make money? I’ll share some of my earnings.”