Chapter 198 : Chapter 198

Chapter : 198

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍royal court, a place of flamboyance taken to its extreme.

Once, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it had been a symbol of overwhelming authority, but not today.

-Waaaaaah!

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was being thoroughly defiled by the mud-caked boots of the Duke of Bourgogne’s soldiers and mine as we forced our way into the capital.

-Kyaaah!

-Please, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍spare me!

In an instant, the court was thrown into pandemonium.

For two hundred years, the royal palace of the capital had never been invaded. Before raw violence, honor was a luxury.

Everyone struggled desperately, doing anything they could to survive.

-I know where the warehouse that holds the royal treasures is! Please spare me!

-I am the official who manages the royal property. This is….

Under ordinary circumstances, we would have snatched them up, eyes blazing, and interrogated them on the spot. But those who had entered the court—especially the Duke of Bourgogne and Count Blois—had no interest in that.

“Where is the King?”

“Y-yes?”

“The King! I heard the King is sick and in his sickroom. Where is he?”

“Th-that is….”

The attendant singled out by the threat stammered in shock. Their momentum was that ominous.

But if he wanted to live, he had to keep his wits. The attendant shouted harshly.

“H-His Majesty the King is in the Eastern White Palace.”

And then—

“That filthy, cowardly Count Richeléon abandoned His Majesty the King and fled! To the east—the Eastern White Palace, there!”

He even cursed the superior he had served until recently, just to win favor.

Other nobles might have frowned, but not Count Blois, whose greed came first.

“Oh? I like this fellow. Do you not?”

He was pleased.

In truth, the Duke of Bourgogne and I felt the same—though for slightly different reasons.

“Well, yes. Uncle. Heh heh.”

“He will play a major role when we accuse Chancellor Richeléon later.”

“You thought so as well? I agree. To denounce Richeléon so openly…. We ought to protect him.”

“That is right. I will instruct the knights to keep a special watch over him.”

As expected, the Duke of Bourgogne and I understood each other.

“Mm?”

The foolish Count Blois, greedy to the point of blindness, still did not seem to grasp it.

‘Well, we can attack Richeléon under this pretext.’

We had secured a clear advantage, but it was still true that we were slightly behind on justification. If we drove Chancellor Richeléon into the mud for good, it would be far easier to gain the nobles’ support afterward.

“Then let us move at once.”

“Yes. Now, guide us.”

“Pardon? Ah—yes! Understood. I will guide you immediately.”

It was time to go and meet him.

The lonely end of the man who had once dominated not only the kingdom, but the continent itself.

---

The White Palace on the eastern side of the court was bleak.

Once, it must have been filled with countless attendants and maids, but there were none left who would remain to the end for a king who lay sick and could not even care for himself.

The moment they heard the capital had fallen, they quickly stole gold and fled.

“Tsk, tsk….”

“Hoh….”

And so the Duke of Bourgogne and I clicked our tongues and sighed as we looked at the King of the Elang Kingdom lying alone in an empty room.

Look.

Even as his archenemy arrived, he did not react.

And look.

He lay in bed as pale as a corpse.

The Duke of Bourgogne approached the King with a hollow feeling.

“Is this the end…?”

His heart was tangled.

He had brought down his rival and come close to victory, so why did his emotions waver like this?

When he had been healthy, the king had seemed as though he could chew iron, his vigor overflowing. But before time, no man could resist.

Was that why people drowned themselves in faith?

The Duke of Bourgogne felt an emptiness in the center of his chest.

His own age was nearing fifty, and would soon pass sixty.

Strength was beginning to slip from his grasp, and the taut muscles of his youth were slowly withering away. Before long, he too would become like this….

“Truly! As you said, Richeléon abandoned the King! He even looks dead!”

Of course, the tactless Count Blois still spoke frivolously, bringing his hand up to the King’s nose.

But thanks to that, the Duke of Bourgogne’s brief reverie ended, and he returned to his usual self.

“He is still alive, Uncle.”

“Hm. Is that so?”

“Yes. In fact, he must remain alive.”

“Mm? Why?”

“…Because only then can we secure unquestionable justification, Uncle.”

Even though it must have been infuriating, the Duke of Bourgogne answered with as much patience as he could.

Watching him, I found myself quietly impressed.

‘Good lord…. This man really is something.’

A puppet royal—an ornamental figurehead to put forward.

That was Count Blois’s value. To finish this perfectly, the Duke of Bourgogne was swallowing his anger, forcing himself to behave with patience.

Still, if that simmering fury erupted, it would be a disaster.

I hurried to support the Duke of Bourgogne’s words. Only then did Count Blois clap as though he finally understood.

“Ahhh! I see, I see. I was too hasty! Ha ha ha. Forgive me.”

“Not at all. I understand. When ordinary people grow impatient, they all become like that.”

“Euh-heh-heh-heh. Indeed.”

To think he was smiling, not even realizing he was being insulted. I clicked my tongue inwardly.

“Now then, let us begin by putting this room in order. For the time being, the King’s breath must be kept going, must it not?”

“Yes. We must summon physicians and see to him. But how will we catch Richeléon?”

“I already told you earlier—I sent Lord Charles to the route leading south.”

“Oh! You truly are remarkable. To have arranged that in advance. Ha ha. My eldest will earn great merit! When he returns, I should praise him, should I not?”

Count Blois made a great fuss as he spoke, but the Duke of Bourgogne did not.

“Hm…. You did? Charles?”

“Yes. He handles cavalry extremely well. Why do you ask?”

“…If he lets him slip away, that will become Charles’s responsibility, will it not?”

He narrowed his eyes, testing me with suspicion.

“Ha ha. Surely that will not happen. And even if he slips away, is that not still acceptable? It is enough to prevent him from joining the Crown Prince’s army in the south.”

“Well, that is true…. Very well. If that is what you think, then so it is.”

Only then did the Duke of Bourgogne step back. I looked at him and wiped the cold sweat that had soaked my palm.

‘He really is sharp as a needle.’

The Duke of Bourgogne was not an easy opponent.

In many ways, I had a feeling this would be difficult.

---

To say one thing clearly first….

The Duke of Bourgogne’s suspicion was, in fact, exactly right.

“Your Excellency! The operation succeeded.”

“Oh? Did it?”

“Yes. Before Count Richeléon could be captured by Lord Charles, we used the troops we had prepared in secret to buy him time to flee. Fortunately, with the reinforcement forces of the western lords we contacted in advance, Count Richeléon escaped to the west.”

“Ha ha ha. Excellent work!”

I was sorry to Lord Charles, but I had planned for him to earn merit only up to that point.

It would not do for the Duke of Bourgogne to take everything—even the royal seal and the scepter that symbolized the crown.

If he did, the puppet king he held could gain too much Legitimacy, and I might find myself unable to check him.

To maintain balance, everyone needed at least one glaring flaw.

Only then would the nobles of the kingdom, chasing their own benefit, choose sides and cling to factions.

And if that happened?

‘It will become an age of contending warlords.’

Just as China was torn apart after Dong Zhuo’s chaos in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

A proper measure of disorder was the best soil for growing strength. During that turmoil, I would stabilize the territory I had seized and keep a balance among those who each claimed the throne.

‘Heh heh heh. Perfect.’

It seemed the Duke of Bourgogne had noticed, but what could I do?

Was this not how we kept each other in check—quietly, without saying it aloud? Even now, just look at how he kept Count Blois firmly in his grasp, refusing to yield him.

Still, there was no reason for us to split openly.

I simply needed to prepare a gift.

And I already knew what gift that would be.

“Summon Bishop Marco.”

“Pardon? Why Bishop Marco…?”

“I will send Bishop Marco to the Holy See as a special envoy. To ask them to… bless the ascension of our new king.”

“Ah…?!”

A coronation.

A coronation performed by an archbishop dispatched by the Holy See—an indispensable rite when taking the throne.

A gift like that might be enough for the Duke of Bourgogne to forgive a slight.

Perhaps…?

Surely he would not sharpen a blade against me to the very end.

Our interests aligned, after all. Ha ha…. Why does this feel ominous?

---

The Duke of Bourgogne’s residence.

Lord Charles, the eldest, bowed his head and spoke.

“I have disgraced myself, Father.”

At the very moment he was about to seize Chancellor Richeléon, a mysterious attack intervened, and he lost what he had nearly caught.

It was a dreadful affair.

Lord Charles expected thunderous fury from his father.

After all, he had ruined a grand design.

And yet—

“Hm. It can happen.”

“Yes. I am sorry. I will reflect—pardon?”

“I said it can happen, Charles.”

“Uh…. Yes.”

“You did well, rather. In any case, did you not prevent Count Richeléon from joining the Crown Prince?”

“A-ahaha. Yes, I did.”

He had expected scolding, but received praise instead.

It made him immensely happy, and a bloom of smiles spread across his face—

unaware of his father’s true thoughts.

‘Mm…. The eldest is too easily swayed, and the second is far too influenced by the Margrave.’

The Duke of Bourgogne sighed inwardly.

As he pursued a plan spanning a hundred years, a formidable enemy outside was coiled and watching for a chance to strike.

‘Soon I, too, will end my life in a bed, sick like the King.’

No matter how great a man was, before time he was nothing but a trivial creature.

Even if he fulfilled his house’s long-cherished wish, would his children truly be able to protect it?

The Margrave of Bellua had already grown so enormous that even the Duke could not easily settle matters with him, and his thoughts ran deep—

as though the Duke were looking at the Holy Empire’s Emperor in his youth.

‘If this continues, it will be dangerous. His skill at handling people is no laughing matter.’

Especially desire.

He knew exactly what people wanted. Even now, after stabbing him in the back, had he not produced the card of the Holy See’s authorization of the king and turned his heart?

If left alone with that sinister scheming, the kingdom—no, the continent itself—would be toyed with in the Margrave of Bellua’s hands.

‘This will not do. I have to find a way. A truly drastic way.’

So the Duke of Bourgogne’s eyes glinted as he thought.

Late at night.

A time when plots only deepened.