BBYW Vol. 4 Chapter 9 (WN)
Chapter 9 – A Foreboding Response
While waiting for the return of the messenger sent to the royal palace, I was busy organizing our troops and securing the necessary supplies.
The next expedition would leave at the request of House Sphinx, thus weaponry and rations would have to be provided by them.
However, we could not depend completely on a clan on the brink of collapse due to the enemy’s invasion. The region we were heading to was largely unfamiliar to us, so over-preparation was practically a must.
To run out of supplies and be forced to raid an ally’s domain…was a worst case scenario I didn’t even want to consider.
Fortunately, the presence of a long-standing enemy such as the Baal Empire meant that House Maxwell always had a decent stock of military rations. As most of our army was mainly composed of people who were soldiers by profession, and the busy farming season was still away: it would not be difficult to send troops at this time.
The destination was the western province, which meant crossing to the other side of the Lamperouge Kingdom. We planned to send a relatively small battalion, composed mainly of cavalry. I was going to be in charge, while the old man remained in the province, as head of House Maxwell.
I organized the reinforcements, together with Ladd Efreeta and Salm Silfis, to make sure nothing was overlooked in the preparations for the upcoming conflict.
Eventually…a while after such preparations were completed, the messenger sent to the royal palace finally returned.
I received the document from the messenger — a piece of parchment impressed with the royal seal — scanned through it, and clicked my tongue.
“…the House Maxwell army shall not be allowed to set foot on the territory under direct control of the royal palace…?.”
The response we received made all our preparations pointless.
～
“And so…the expedition is canceled?”
“So they commanded. Infuriatingly so.”
I flung the royal missive on the table and tossed myself on the chair. Seeing me clearly bitter, Eliza, my personal maid, looked troubled.
She started preparing tea, but I motioned at her that it was not necessary and shoved my legs on top of the table.
I moved them on top of the other one, two, three times, making the table rattle at every turn; Eliza eventually couldn’t take it anymore, and talked to me in a soothing tone.
“Young master, you really should get over this.”
“I’m not angry. This much was expected.”
“You certainly look angry to me, though.”
In response to Eliza’s words, I just snorted.
From the royal palace’s standpoint, the relationship with House Maxwell was shaky at best, especially after the “accidents” related to Sullivan and my canceled engagement. They could not just let our troops go through their personal domain like that.
Indeed, their response was expected: as moronic as expected.
“Even so…aren’t they underestimating the situation?”
The messenger had returned two full weeks after we requested passage for our troops. Pretty leisurely, considering that the kingdom was presently invaded by foreign forces.
The exact number of “Terror Armies” crossing into Lamperouge was not known, but if House Sphinx fell their next target would definitely be the central nobles and the royal family.
Could they not understand that the existence of the kingdom itself was at stake?
(Well…I might be part of the reason, though…)
In situations such as the current one, the first ones to raise concerns within the royal palace were always the central nobles belonging to the “militaristic faction”.
They advocated for military expansion, to make the kingdom richer and stronger. The defeat of House Sphinx and breach of the border would only add fuel to their fire: it was the perfect opportunity for their claims to gain an audience.
Ever since a few years prior, however, the militaristic faction’s influence in the royal palace had reduced to a minimum. Much because of my contributions.
(After I whipped House Saverne, the militaristic faction’s authority dropped like a rock…the heir, Benamis Saverne, is even derided as a good-for-nothing sheep.)
“In any case…what are you going to do, young master?”
Eliza shook me out of my thoughts.
A close partner ever since my childhood, she walked behind me and tenderly caressed my shoulders.
“Right…”
I rubbed my chin, thought for a moment, then opened my mouth again.