A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

66 – Memorial Service for the Beast (2)

People always compare and envy what they don’t have.

The poor envy the rich.

The weak envy the strong.

The people of a country with an incompetent king envy the competent king.

You can’t take extreme actions like changing the king or changing the country, but because of that, people will feel even more deprived.

“I can’t say you’re welcome, but would you please join us in silent prayer for one person at least at this moment?”

The author is the future of the empire.

“Miss Ariana. I truly regret what happened to General Hayreddin.”

The crown prince approaches the widow dressed in black.

“The empire failed to protect him. “I express my deepest regret.”

And in front of a mere woman from an enemy country, she bows her head and apologizes.

There is no buzz.

The situation is so shocking that no one can even speak –

“Huh… “

Even Carmen is laughing when she sees the crown prince like that.

‘We haven’t even started yet.’

The show is now just the eve.

“…That person saved my life.”

Ariana cried and opened her mouth.

“Although he was a man of the Empire, he jumped into the sea to save me even though the sea was infested with demonic beasts. Thanks to him, I can live now.”

The crown prince knows how to use people’s emotions.

“But he’s already dead, and I can’t even commemorate his death. “What should I do?”

“Young lady.”

And he doesn’t just speak carelessly and throw empty checks.

“We plan to erect a statue of General Hayreddin in Casablanca, at the end of the empire, overlooking Sirene.”

“Statue…?”

“Yes. Although he is dead, his will and spirit will continue on the border.”

He takes advantage of a person’s death and uses it as a tool for his own plans.

“Every year, we will hold a memorial service. Even if there is no ceremony, many people will come to General Hayreddin to pay their respects and leave flowers.”

“Ah, ah…”

“On the day the statue is erected, I would like to formally invite Lady Ariana.”

“Huh…!”

Ariana sits down on the floor.

“Huh, huh, huh… !”

Even if it is a place for peace negotiations, a count’s daughter cannot call the crown prince of an enemy country carelessly.

I can’t even thank you for inviting me.

“Lady Ariana. There is one thing I would like to ask you.”

There-

“Also, it cannot be said that the general lived his life frugally and had a lot of wealth, but the price of a person who devoted his whole life to the country cannot be wasted carelessly just because he died.”

Among the desires that humans have, the crown prince handles the need to satisfy deficiencies better than anyone else.

“The empire will directly lead the funeral, but the disposition of the legacy cannot be done carelessly. The general’s legacy will be entrusted to Lady Arianna.”

“What, what?!”

Someone is starting, as if screaming.

“W-what is that?!”

“…Are you the Count of Sirene?”

The crown prince, who was so surprised and recognized the identity of the middle-aged man at a glance, backed away, blocking Ariana, who was still unable to get up.

“It is certainly important to discuss public matters, but the question of General Hayreddin’s legacy is a private matter that rests solely with Ms. Arianna.”

“K, keuhm…!”

“We will discuss the details separately inside, but this banquet is not a memorial service, so I hope everyone enjoys the banquet.”

The crown prince walked directly to the frozen butler, then lifted the empty glass and poured wine himself.

“I wish we could talk for the sake of peace between the two countries…”

“Nice to meet you, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Habsburg von Tersian.”

Likewise, Queen Carmen stepped forward, holding an empty glass of wine.

“You…”

“First, a moment of silence for General Hayreddin.”

The timing is a little late, but if you don’t even do this, the flow of the conversation is taken away.

“And for the relationship between the two countries that will change in the future.”

Carmen slowly raised her glass, keeping quiet about what the relationship would be like.

“Please come inside.” There is a separate banquet hall.”

* * *

The Count’s castle drawing room, located slightly away from the central banquet hall.

“Let me formally introduce you. Carmen Morgania Nostrum. Queen of Nostrum.”

“It is an honor to meet Her Majesty the Queen.”

The crown prince sat on the sofa in a posture that showed no signs of tension.

“You have good walls, His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“After hearing the praise from Archduke Morgania, I don’t know what to do.”

The Grand Duke of Winchester, who was sitting next to Carmen – he didn’t even come to the banquet hall wearing a mask – spoke bluntly, but the Crown Prince still smiled and raised the white glass in front of him.

“It’s about believing.”

Horok.

“A noble and elegant kingdom.”

Without taking any action, the crown prince lifted the cup and drank the black tea inside.

“The belief that I will never do something so petty and base that only city officials think of.”

“…”

“Honestly, I’m not here because I trust myself.”

It’s a lie.

“I am here because I believe in General Hayreddin, who believes in the kingdom.”

Probably today-or rather, before the crown prince passes away, General Hayreddin will be sold from his hair his his to his organs his his.

“What if that belief is wrong?”

“There is no wrong answer to faith in peace, Archduke.”

“I didn’t know the crown prince would look at the world so brightly.”

“There are so many dark things in the world. Wouldn’t it be better to live with hopes and dreams rather than looking at them?”

It sometimes feels like people with flower gardens in their heads are laughing and advocating for peace.

“The empire does not want war, but wants exchange with the kingdom. We cannot live forever with blood on our hands and leave hatred to our descendants.”

“…”

“So, I have come in person. As the next emperor and the person responsible for the future of the empire. For the sake of harmony and peace between the two countries.”

It exists for the crown prince.

“First of all, we ask for your active cooperation in creating a memorial space in the empire and inviting the Lady of Sirene.”

The power and wealth to turn the flower garden in your head into an actual memorial space.

“As a message for the unity of the two countries, the Imperial First Fleet was disbanded.”

“!!!”

There is even madness and drive.

“It’s not that you will do it, it’s that you did it?”

Carmen frowned and asked nervously.

“Are you saying you’ve already done it? Not that you’re planning to do it?”

“Yes. That’s correct. If there is anyone who knows how to speak the imperial language, could you tell it to them?”

The crown prince looked around, then raised his head towards me standing behind Carmen and said.

“The Empire disbanded the First Fleet for the sake of harmony between the two countries.”

“…”

For a moment, a shiver ran down my spine.

I thought it was okay when I saw it from afar, and I thought it was okay when we were standing in the same space.

‘It immediately comes to mind when you speak the imperial language.’

The overlap between the Habsburg Emperor and not the Crown Prince really gave me goosebumps all over my body.

In the future, the emperor always spoke to me in the imperial language.

“Ah. About the imperial language-“

“I understand correctly, Your Royal Highness.”

The crown prince looked at me and his eyes began to sparkle.

“Huh, it’s the perfect imperial language. It’s also the institutional central language. Where did you study?”

“I studied the book. First, I will speak to Her Majesty the Queen.”

This is not a place for 1:1 conversation.

The interpreter may be arrogant and ask where to interrupt, but my role now is to convey the meaning accurately to Carmen.

“They say it has already been disbanded, queen.”

“…I know how the negotiations will go.”

“This is General Hayreddin’s will, so we must follow his wishes. The navy will become a maritime patrol, and warships will be dismantled and used as firewood for the poor.”

Everyone in the room could hardly control their expressions when they said they would do something so obvious.

Queen Carmen, the Grand Duke of Winchester, and Count Sirene sitting in the corner over there.

“And from now on, the proposal is to the kingdom.”

“If that is the proposal, it has already been reviewed.”

“Oh, can you tell me the results?”

“…Only to the Sirene territory, temporary visits by imperial citizens are permitted.”

At first glance, when you hear the word permission, it seems as if the initiative lies with the kingdom.

“Extraterritoriality will not be recognized. If imperialists who come to the kingdom commit sins, they will be judged according to the laws of the kingdom.”

“I will accept it.”

“…The kingdom’s judicial system is a summary judgment by the nobles of the territory. Do you know that it is significantly different from the empire?”

“Yes. I am well aware of this. Therefore, we plan to provide special training to merchants visiting the territory.”

Maybe we should educate them that way.

The kingdom’s judicial system is one where nobles are the judges, there are no lawyers, and there is no three-trial system, so summary execution is possible.

“However, I hope that there will be no cases where false accusations are made against innocent citizens of the kingdom.”

“That won’t happen…”

It cannot be said that it does not happen.

‘It was like that just by looking at the academy.’

During the academy days, how much trouble did the student council have to deal with the various crimes committed by international students from the empire?

Stealing, damaging, or causing violence.

‘In all likelihood, it was a self-made act by the kingdom’s citizens to punish the empire’s citizens.’

The people of the kingdom truly fundamentally accused the people of the empire who entered the kingdom.

It was the base and shady people of the kingdom who made the students studying abroad in the empire, who suffered damage through false accusations, stand at the forefront of the war to occupy the kingdom.

“In such cases, I wish there were at least some means of self-defense.”

“Specifically, what?”

“I hope that the case will be judged in the style of the kingdom, but that a professional defense attorney from the empire will be able to defend the case.”

“Lawyer…”

There is no job in the kingdom.

“Queen. It’s similar to a duel agent.”

I whispered softly to Carmen.

“Instead of rapier duels, these are people who persuade the judge and the accuser through language and logic. These are the people who try to reduce the sentence or accept an acquittal if the guilt is certain.”

“…Indeed.”

Carmen nodded heavily.

“Thank you, Nachasa.”

“Not much to say.”

“Then, the matter regarding the opening of the port…”

Some people may say that we don’t know too much, but this is something that can’t be helped.

‘What’s the point in talking about the magic train repairman to people who throw white handkerchiefs due to a battle between nobles?’

Governor Carmen, who understood all of the empire’s culture in one year after the fall of the kingdom, might not know it, but the current Queen Carmen is not yet ready to accept the empire’s culture.

‘The kingdom’s internal problems are too serious to worry about the empire.’

Even if you only look at the field of magic engineering, there are many differences between the two countries, which are about 30 years apart.

‘I can’t sleep if I have to study about the empire. Really.’

I’m already a sleep-deprived person just running the government, but am I getting more sleep than now?

‘Even if it doesn’t make you grow older, it can’t make you age faster.’

Age is age.

‘I can fill in what you lack regarding the empire.’

If you ask how I knew, you can say that I learned as much as I could while studying the imperial language.

If you ask ‘how’ further, just answer with silence.

Well, there are many people who move from kingdom to empire.

‘No one has crossed over from the empire to the kingdom.’

It’s not a problem to just gloss over the possibilities.

“Let’s organize it with… “

“I’m just glad to see you.”

While I was lost in thought for a moment, it seemed like the various stories about the opening of Sirene Port had come to an end.

“Since the kingdom is willing to work hard for peace, we should also show sincerity. If it is okay, would it be okay if we invest money in the Sirene territory?”

From noble mtl dot come

“To invest?”

Count Sirene, who had been lying still, suddenly straightens his back.

“Is the investment money perhaps in the name of inheritance… ?”

“No. It is an investment in the purest sense.”

“Ah… “

The Count seems happy and sad.

“Hehe.”

The crown prince was just smiling humanly, but I saw it.

‘You’re scratching the inside of your thumb again.’

Should I say it’s like a habit that even I don’t know about?

That’s exactly what they do when they think of the being in front of them as trash worse than humans, or as inferior beasts that only use human language.

‘The habit is still the same.’

Where did you feel disillusioned?

‘Taking money from an enemy country?’

About half of it would be disillusionment with the Count, who accepted the investment as good without knowing its true nature.

‘Are you drooling over the inheritance you plan to give to your daughter privately?’

I think the rest is contempt for the part where they regret not having General Hayreddin’s legacy.

‘No.’

They don’t realize their true intentions-

‘A sense of superiority over the fact that no one knows what’s inside them.’

In the end, there is also a bit of disregard for the lower class who do not know that all the investment is aimed at strengthening control over the Sirene territory within their own empire.

‘Your Majesty the Emperor, you must be young.’

He is the crown prince, but he already thinks of himself as the emperor.

“Actually, originally, I wanted to meet in the Gibraltar Gorge, not in this way.”

And at the sudden remark, everyone’s expressions hardened.

“G-Gibraltar…?!”

“Yes, Count Sirene.”

Especially the Count of Sirene.

“If the situation were to come up, I was even prepared to stand in front of the margrave wearing just a shirt. Haha.”

His expression His was like a person who was just trying to eat delicious food and was about to have it stolen right before his eyes

“Her Majesty Queen Carmen. I would like to make a bold proposal.”

The crown prince seriously corrected his posture

“For the sake of harmony between the kingdom and the empire, the empire disbanded its navy. I think the kingdom should also make a corresponding move.”

“What…?”

“First and foremost.”

After the emperor took over the kingdom, it was one of the first policies he implemented.

“What do you think about introducing an imperial unit of currency?”

Changing the units of the kingdom.

“The common currency used in the empire…’Tercian Thaler’. Well, if you want to change it to be easier to call in the kingdom…”

The crown prince smiled and took out a piece of paper from his arms.

“It is a branch currency, ‘Taler.'”

The emperor of continental unification, the Habsburg Emperor, once said that to me.

-Gray. Every time I saw the kingdom’s currency, I felt unbearable anger.

I will fix this shitty country starting from the most shitty part.

-Which country in the world sets the value of gold in this way? This is an insult to gold and gold coins.

I don’t know anything else, but I fully sympathize with this part.

‘This is right, the great emperor.’

This kingdom needs a revolution.