NOVEL NEXT Chapter 217
“Sister, it seems like you’re also slowly getting ready for marriage.”
As I was gently stroking Bel’s pregnant belly, those words suddenly popped out.
I jolted in surprise and lifted my head, narrowly avoiding a collision with Bel.
“Your Highness?”
“Yes. By the looks of things circulating outside, it seems the outlines have already been laid out.”
“Hmm.”
“Kael, you know what this means, right?”
The Imperial Crown Princess, our sister-in-law, was still single, despite being destined to become an Empress someday.
Considering she’s in her late twenties, it has certainly been quite some time.
The Imperial Family must be in quite the predicament, as they need to secure a successor.
Of course, she didn’t just waste time for no reason.
In fact, it was quite unavoidable, given that the Empire had been embroiled in one war after another for these past few years.
Even Bel and I could only manage to hold our wedding after the war was over.
In such a case, especially for a crown princess, it would only be right to have a proper marriage, even if it is a bit late.
“So, have you figured out who the partner is?”
“I don’t know exactly. But if I were to guess, it’s probably going to be a noble from the South.”
So that’s how it is. Well, the South has certainly felt the most neglected lately.
The North has been thriving since Nobogord solidified its alliance with the Empire.
If you were to list where most development is happening now, you’d probably be pointing at the North.
Even without the Empire’s support, they would continue to rise steadily.
As for the East, my sister-in-law had previously worked to establish solid public sentiment in the three Eastern Kingdoms.
With her direct aid in providing monetary compensation and support after damage from heavy rains, the Eastern Empire citizens and nobles firmly support her, so there’s no issue there.
And the West can be broadly divided into two parts.
The existing Western Empire has seen victories and is recognized for that—so there’s no reason for the nobles there to feel unsatisfied.
Then there’s the new West. The previous Dedorant and Atria became problems when the Imperial Family grabbed hold of them.
As their conqueror, I am now a member of the Imperial Family, and I even recommended Paelus.
If they can just continue along those lines, it’s inevitable they’ll fully support my sister-in-law.
‘Honestly, the South isn’t a big problem. However, given that everyone is scrambling to secure their own interests, the South’s situation looks quite bleak.’
We’ve got to provide something for the residents of the South and the nobles rooted there.
You might wonder why that is, but it’s quite important.
The Empire is vast. With this vastness, hidden competition exists among the regions.
The conflicts among the legions arise exactly because they manage different territories.
If regional sentiments begin to flare up, it will lead to events far beyond what happened in our past.
“If we’re looking at the South…”
“I think it might be the household of Marquis Rael.”
“The one who played the role of the head among the southern nobles.”
I recall Marquis Rael, who despite being a neutral noble, warmly greeted Bel, who belongs to the pro-war faction.
He’s well-rated for bringing southern nobles together and setting a good example as a marquis of the Empire.
It’s said that his children have also turned out great, with no flaws, just like their father.
“Certainly, Your Highness has been a bit late in marriage. Originally, it should have happened much sooner.”
“Well, what can you do? The situation hasn’t been favorable, and my sister’s personality isn’t one to marry amid wars. Honestly, it’s just fortunate that she’s considering it now.”
“If the family of Marquis Rael is indeed the top contender, then it will be a blessing for the South.”
Where the future Emperor’s spouse comes from is also a significant matter.
While no one would dare tell the ruler of the Empire what to do, the implications cannot be denied.
So, the Imperial Family likely chose the South, one of the regions currently receiving the least attention from the Empire.
“In fact, we’ve had interactions with Marquis Rael in various aspects. Perhaps my sister and his children have unwittingly crossed paths on several occasions.”
“Huh? Doesn’t seem like Bel knows much about this.”
“Of course! You know how siblings tend to be uninformed about each other’s affairs, right?!”
That’s not the case for me. Scratching my head, Bel made a “Ah!” sound.
“Speaking of which, Kael got along very well with Kaya, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, since there’s a bit of an age gap, I spoiled her a lot, and it seems the love I gave became very precious to Kaya. Thanks to that, I’ve ended up with a younger sister who follows me well.”
And additionally, I would soon be the most devoted aunt when my niece or nephew arrives.
As I said this, I softly stroked Bel’s belly again.
“While I’m away, is there anything that might happen?”
“It’s only a week at most. The due date is still a long way off, so don’t worry. Plus, I’m not alone, with maidservants from the Imperial Family here, so what’s there to worry about?”
Starting tomorrow, I have a longer business trip scheduled. It’s a joint training program set to be held in the northern part of the Empire.
Based on the lessons learned from our war with Dedorant, we aim to strengthen our current alliance.
One method we’ve devised is to train together with the military of each allied nation that fought alongside us.
This way, we can emphasize that “we are allies,” which is a benefit in itself.
By revealing each other’s strategies, we can leverage the pressures and burdens of war, ultimately preventing conflict, resulting in two benefits.
Lastly, we can maintain the various know-how gained without losing them, resulting in three benefits.
Thus, it has been agreed upon by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of War to conduct these joint trainings periodically.
In late spring, we will go to Nobogord. In early autumn, we will go to the three Eastern Kingdoms. Lastly, just before winter, to the Southern Kingdoms.
This time, it’s Nobogord’s turn, and I have to head north.
“Kaya said she’d go along, right?”
“Yes. Though she’s pretending otherwise, she’s secretly quite excited.”
“It’s probably because she’ll get to meet those she fought alongside in the battlefield, right? After all, Kaya has fought alongside the northern legions, even against the Demon Tribe.”
As the Chief of Staff of the Empire, I, and Kaya, the Empire’s best swordsman and knight, were set to embark on the journey that would kick off the first joint training.
“Is there anything you need? Or maybe something you want to eat?”
“Hmm. Not sure. If something comes up, I’ll contact you through the communication channel, Kael.”
“Feel free to call me anytime. Even at dawn, I’ll answer right away.”
*
The first joint training observed directly by the Chief of Staff is set to take place in Nobogord, located in the north.
As Kael moves, naturally, his aide moves along with him.
In the process, the aide saw a figure who was referred to as the “Sword Demon” not too long ago.
“Brother!”
Despite being the Chief of Staff and the Empire’s only duke, it was clear that this woman was completely unconcerned about such titles.
Of course, even she, after saying that, seemed to think “Oops!” but when Kael waved it off, she came closer with a grin.
“Lucky me! We get to go together like this?!”
“It’s the perfect timing for the Nobogord army to be mobilized. And since Kaya, you have the most experience working with the Nobogord military, you received the order to participate.”
“You’ve never seen how I fight on the northern front, have you? Just you wait. I’ll show you how amazing a sister I am. And just how great an aunt I can be!”
“But don’t take it too seriously, okay? We need training similar to actual combat, but we can’t afford to have anyone get wounded or hurt.”
“I know!”
If you just look at it like this, it seems like a totally normal sibling conversation.
One being the Empire’s best strategist, and the other the Empire’s best knight.
Sometimes, the incongruity of their positions makes the aide wonder if they were really from the same family.
But that thought vanished as soon as they arrived at the site of the joint training. And it was all gone once training began.
“Umm. Legion Commander, it seems the speed of the soldiers setting up their camps is slower than expected. There’s no way they’re slacking off just because it’s a training exercise, right?”
“I told them not to neglect small-scale combat! Why do each of the units keep acting separately? Even though large-scale battles are the focus, don’t get too caught up in that!”
“Is this for real? If this were a real battle, how do you intend to secure and maintain supply lines? If you set up camp like this, it’s like shouting, ‘Come catch me!’ while covering yourself in honey!”
The reason people regard geniuses with awe, yet also find them daunting is simple.
Their standards seem excessively stringent and unrealistic from the perspective of ordinary individuals.
While they may feel it’s sufficient based on their views, to them, it certainly isn’t.
“I’m charging full speed ahead! There’s no issue after removing the blades! Surely the Empire’s cavalry wouldn’t hesitate to clash with the enemy, right? The Demon Tribe didn’t!”
“I’ll only deal with this. All the other knights should just arm themselves as usual. What? Worried? You’re worried about me? Ha! I swear before Kael, my brother, I can guarantee that none of you can even scratch me. So hurry up!”
The one at the pinnacle of strategy. The one at the peak of martial prowess.
How on earth are they siblings? How did they both emerge from the same family?
The aide felt an overwhelming gratitude for being from the Empire. Or perhaps, for the fact that those two were nobles of the Empire.