SWNOVELXO Chapter 123
“Kael! Are you crazy?!”
Ugh! Help me! Aide, aide! What are you doing?!
Your direct superior is suffering like this, and you’re just standing there watching!
…Ah. Your Highness the Princess can’t help it? Okay, I admit. That’s true.
“Ah, Your Highness! Your Highness, please calm down!”
“Calm down? How can you say that?! Even if you went straight to Ross Tanika, why on earth did you go directly to DeGale, which is already occupied by Dedorant?! What if you got captured or something?!”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I brought poison just in case to prevent the leak of secrets—Kyah!”
“That’s not what I’m worried about right now!!”
Damn it. I messed up. I meant you don’t have to worry about information security.
It seems that ‘Ah, if caught, I’d rather die’ has been interpreted that way by the Princess.
Now I’m being outright smacked on the back.
I have a sense of noble pride, but in this situation, I can’t help it.
Honestly, even I thought, ‘Hmm. This seems a bit reckless’ when entering DeGale.
But it was necessary. A show of this scale is essential to ignite the flames properly.
Ross Tanika and DeGale. They must all bite Dedorant like crazy.
There’s absolutely no room for strengthening negotiations or surrender. It’s war until death.
Only then can our Empire sketch out a perfect future where it gains everything.
Of course, I pay my respects to the sacrifices of Ross Tanika and DeGale.
But I won’t let those feelings cloud my judgment about what lies ahead.
I am not an adult; I’m just a mere noble of the Empire.
My family, my lineage, and my Empire come first. So, order must be maintained—
“Ughh!”
With a jolt! It feels like my back is on fire, as if ignited.
Quickly turning around, I find the Princess glaring at me with a huff.
“Aren’t you going to respond? Never do something so dangerous again. Understand?”
“Uh—”
“Again!”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Your Highness the Princess. I won’t do it again.”
Anyway, I succeeded in igniting the flames. That’s enough.
From now on, even if someone else from the Empire goes, a decent reaction can still be expected.
As long as I don’t screw up in a big way, the favorable impression of those two should remain intact.
The first impression is crucial. If it’s bad, it doesn’t matter how well you do afterward.
Knowing that, I went out of my way to show up in person, as if my reputation is such a big deal.
Then it’s right to make use of it while my value is still high. It could wane with time.
“Phew. No matter how I look at it, you don’t seem to be reflecting. Should I trust this?”
“I truly apologize. I promise I won’t do it again.”
“Seriously… After doing all I had to do in the south, I was shocked to hear you weren’t around, Kael. I nearly asked if you were out of your mind when I heard you crossed over from Ross Tanika to DeGale.”
“Surely you didn’t really think that.”
“Are you crazy? If that happened, you’d ruin the wonderful atmosphere you had built. I barely held myself back.”
Truly, Your Highness. At least you know where to draw the line.
“But is the resistance forces of Ross Tanika and DeGale really that important?”
“Because we need to leave a nightmare behind.”
“A nightmare of Dedorant, I see.”
“Yes, indeed. But it’s not just that. It’s also for all those who will fight against the Empire in the future; it’s for the same nightmare.”
A nightmare that applies to everyone, huh? The Princess tilts her head in confusion.
She probably doesn’t grasp the grand picture envisioned by the Emperor or Crown Princess yet.
I understand, as it took me a moment to figure out their intentions and prepare as I am now.
“There will undoubtedly be those who want to oppose the Empire in the future. It may not be a year from now, but even ten or a hundred years later.”
“That might be true. Humans tend to forget even yesterday’s events and make foolish choices.”
“The goal is to firmly instill a nightmare in such individuals. They can oppose the Empire or go against that order. Whatever they choose is their freedom. However, if they make that choice, I forewarn them that there will be a sea of flames all around.”
Naturally, tearing flesh from the top is a delicious prospect.
But collaborating with the top to seize a weaker prey is also quite alluring.
Most importantly, I’ve seen too many instances of folks getting wrecked while messing with the top.
In that case, it might be better to safely target easier prey and gain it more securely.
As the Princess said, people tend to forget even the most recent events and make foolish choices.
Yet at the same time, they can cling to a single lesson so much it borders on obsession.
The world refers to that as a taboo or a taboo.
I, the Emperor, and the Crown Princess all desire for that to become a nightmare.
If you want to try something against our Empire, be prepared to be devoured by your neighbors.
It’s more beneficial for them to ally with the Empire to kill you than to seize the Empire itself.
Of course, for such a nightmare to persist, one prior condition is required.
That is, the Empire must continue to exist as an Empire.
If that condition is met, such occurrences will be exceedingly rare in the future.
“…Kael.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Do you still think you’re not my strategist?”
Hmm. If it were a short while ago, I would have instinctively answered ‘Yes.’
But now, I don’t… what should I say? I no longer feel that way.
It’s not because I’ve gained confidence in myself.
Rather, it’s because of the faith that those who believe in me have in me.
Thanks to those who fight hard, showing unwavering trust.
Now, declaring whether I’m a genius or a strategist holds no meaning.
“I’m merely doing my best for those who believe in me.”
“Right. The Kael I know has always been that kind of person.”
The Princess nodded as she moved closer.
Thinking she must have something to say, I quietly gazed at her—
“…Your Highness?”
“Shh.”
Suddenly, the Princess hugged me, causing me to let out an involuntary loud voice.
I nearly screamed, but I just managed to hold it back.
“It’s to comfort you. You must be quite burdened. It must be really tough. I’m concerned that you’re working so hard for others instead of yourself.”
“…”
“I think I understand a little now. Standing in front of them after being in the back, I realize how many lives hinge on their shoulders, how many families’ fates are at stake. The pressure from that? Oh my. It’s hard to even imagine.”
The Princess’s words are spot on. That’s what frightened me; that’s what burdened me.
I’m not a colossal figure. I worry that those who believe in me might get hurt.
Thus, I’ve probably kept denying it when they call me by lofty titles.
“Stay strong, Kael. I don’t know if I have the right to say this, but it’s all I can offer you. I’m sorry.”
“Not at all. Instead, it’s a huge comfort to me.”
“Even if it’s a platitude, I’m grateful you said that.”
A platitude. For a moment, I felt a surge of emotion from the Princess’s response.
Unknowingly, I adjusted my awkward standing posture.
“It’s not a platitude.”
Gingerly, I hugged the Princess. It still feels strange, careful, and a bit worrisome.
However, after having been through so much together, I thought this much should be alright.
Among all those who believe in me, I’m especially thankful to this person.
“I’m always grateful to Your Highness the Princess. If it weren’t for you, I might have struggled far more than I do now.”
“…I see.”
“So, thank you, Your Highness. Thank you for holding on to me so I don’t waver.”
Unfortunately, the battlefield is a place far removed from the warmth of family.
This person, who has taken care of me in place of my family, is naturally someone I can’t help but feel for.
Especially with the Emperor and Crown Princess continually fanning the flames.
After some time spent beside each other, we eventually drew apart a little later.
Looking at each other from a distance, a slightly awkward air circulated between us.
Yet somehow, amidst that awkwardness, laughter burst forth.
“Alright then, our strategist! What happens next?”
“I’ll continue to hunker down until winter ends. The resistance forces of Ross Tanika and DeGale will keep draining their blood, and Dedorant will gradually lose its composure in Setongrad. During this time, I’ll move the ghost legions in the southern region for a final trick. Meanwhile, the Atria front will enter a lull, causing great suspicion among them.”
Now that the enemies can’t show active movements in the central region and have settled down,
I will move the troops as secretly as possible based on the information I’ve built up all this time.
This is Dedorant’s land. Obviously, it’s far more favorable for them.
But our Empire hasn’t been idle, either. We’ve kept gathering geographical data.
As a result, we’ve secured flexibility that allows us to move almost on equal footing with them.
“I’m planning to call in my younger sister, who has been active in the north, along with Charlua. Additionally, I’ve extracted 7,000 elite troops from Nobogord to accompany them. They will play a crucial role in encircling the enemies significantly.”
Kael, the one-man legion, and Charlua, who has been performing quite well in the north.
With these two, I can confidently entrust the edge of our flank to secure a decisive blow.
“Kael can be explained away, but I suppose you’re placing great trust in Charlua as well?”
“She’s handled both the Atria forces and Dedorant forces well in the northern front. I think that makes her reliable enough….”
“Hm. I see.”
Something, something tells me. That telling is, to never ever let the words end here.
“Of course, it’s a bit much for me to place too much idolization on her. Since you know much more about me than Charlua, I trust you will assist me in that regard.”
“Indeed. I do know more about Kael than I do about Charlua.”
Just a moment ago, when I felt the chill creeping in, look at how quickly my mood lightened.
It’s absurd, yet at the same time, it’s quite adorable.
I shouldn’t be like this, but every time I see the Princess, smiles keep bubbling to the surface.