NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45
Chapter 45: The King and the Crown Prince
“Hmm, it went well.”
On the night after the council meeting, King Alzeis solemnly addressed Crown Prince Ilzam, who had visited his private quarters.
“Yes, considering the information Lord Giorg brought, siding with the Gildolq Kingdom would have likely resulted in a painful backlash.”
King Alzeis nodded at Ilzam’s response. When no one else was around, Alzeis and Ilzam referred to Lord Giorg by his name rather than his title, Duke Zarfing. This was a testament to their trust in him.
“Indeed. The information Giorg brought about securing the highways and King Jilvol spreading rumors about our country was extremely beneficial.”
“Yes. Under normal circumstances, one would think to take advantage of the chaos in the Gildolq Kingdom to secure significant benefits. The territories of the Central Nobles are currently vacant, making them prime targets for foreign powers. By the way, Father…”
Ilzam responded and then posed a question to Alzeis.
“Hmm?”
“By entrusting Demitul to Giorg, are you suggesting you want to build a cooperative relationship with King Jilvol?”
“Why do you think that?”
Alzeis responded with a question, clearly enjoying Ilzam’s line of thought.
“Because you entrusted it to Giorg. Giorg has gathered not only information from our Galvate but also from neighboring countries. By analyzing this, the information he holds has become incredibly valuable to us. And for the Zabeil Kingdom, information about neighboring countries is something they desperately want… I thought you might be using that to build friendly relations with them.”
“Ilzam, you’ve grown capable.”
Ilzam smiled slightly at Alzeis’s praise. Being complimented by his respected father naturally made him feel good.
“As Ilzam said, my true intention is to build friendly relations with the Zabeil Kingdom. However, from Giorg’s information, I also know that King Jilvol has no intention of building friendly relations with anyone outside his circle.”
“The reason you judged Giorg capable of this is… because you see Giorg and Jilvol as similar, right?”
Alzeis smirked at Ilzam’s words, confirming his assessment.
“Hah… you’re sharp. I see Giorg and King Jilvol as similar. That assessment is likely correct. They show no mercy to their enemies, not an ounce of compassion. Just look at how they treated my father, stepmother, and the Central Nobles.”
“Yes, those two are definitely similar. But there’s one concern.”
“You mean mutual dislike among kin?”
“Yes. Similar people either get along well or clash terribly. It’s hard to predict how it will turn out.”
“But no matter how their relationship turns out, as long as they both value their allies, it won’t harm Galvate.”
“True. If friendship forms between them, it will benefit both countries. Even if it doesn’t, neither will let relations between the two nations deteriorate.”
“Indeed. Besides, Zabeil’s immediate concern is the invasion by the Flastarl Empire.”
Ilzam couldn’t help but nod at Alzeis’s words.
“But… why did King Jilvol send Demitul to us?”
“Hmm?”
“King Orutas II has three children. Sending one here to encourage interference… Naturally, the other two must have been sent elsewhere. One is likely in the Flastarl Empire. If we and the Flastarl Empire are pincered, I doubt they could handle it.”
“True… but King Jilvol did it anyway. He must have some countermeasure in place.”
“Stirring up anti-royal factions… perhaps?”
Alzeis nodded at Ilzam’s words.
“Exactly. But unless we interfere, they can’t make their move.”
“Yes, it would be foolish to discard our options here if we end up fighting them later.”
Ilzam’s words implied that if Jilvol mobilized the anti-royal factions within the country, King Alzeis would crush them completely. This would force them to prepare again in case relations between the two nations deteriorated further. Considering this, it seemed unlikely Jilvol would take such a step.
“Still, Ilzam… your acting was quite convincing.”
Alzeis smirked as he spoke. Ilzam, however, looked exasperated.
“Father, your solemn expression and tone when delivering the conclusion almost made me burst out laughing.”
“Hah, Giorg brought the matter to me the day before. I just decided to play along.”
“In any case, it will be up to Giorg now.”
“Poor Demitul. His only future is being used and discarded by either Giorg or King Jilvol.”
“Yes. We must ensure we properly repay the loyalty of our loyal subjects.”
“Exactly. A king’s primary duty is to reward the loyalty of his subjects. Conversely, those who cannot do so are unworthy of being kings.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Ilzam bowed quietly.
(But Giorg and King Jilvol… I wonder what will happen when they meet.)
Ilzam murmured this thought in his heart.
Click the heart to easily show your support. (Login required.)
Support
Login if you have an account.
Learn more about the reading experience available on Kakuyomu.