Chapter 466: Diplomacy Isn’t a Brawl

Why was I suddenly being summoned in the middle of the reception? The crown prince was surrounded by nobles offering their congratulations, and Lily was surrounded by noble ladies, putting on a refined act.

I wanted to watch that entertaining scene to the end, but I couldn’t ignore a summons from the grand duke, so in the end I followed the palace chamberlain. When I reached the grand duke’s office, I found some unexpected guests with him.

The Marquis Offenburg, the Count of Essenbach, and Duke Altringen.

So the highest-ranking gentlemen in Beren were all gathered here. The marquis and the count were glaring at each other, openly showing their irritation, since they were in the thick of a fight over Strasbourg.

Out of nowhere, though, the sparks had flown my way. An unaffiliated mercenary band had crossed the border to raid Vintenheim, where large-scale investment was underway.

That raid had given the Streit Gunners their debut.

We’d put it to good use as live-combat training.

When the marquis saw me walk into the office, his face soured instantly. So now just seeing my face was enough to annoy him? The feeling was mutual. The count, on the other hand, looked as pleased as if he’d run into an ally.

"Plunderer of Basel, come, take a seat."

The grand duke offered me a seat—specifically, the chair across from Duke Altringen. By the way, Plunderer of Basel? When did I get a nickname like that? Seeing my bewilderment, the grand duke said,

"You didn’t know? I hear that’s what they call you in the south."

"This is the first I’ve heard of it. It seems I’ve gained quite a bit of notoriety in the south without even knowing it."

"When rumors grow flesh and bone, they turn into a giant horned demon riding a dragon and breathing the flames of purgatory. That’s how they see you in the south, Baron."

Hmm, so I’d become a monster striking terror across the south. Once an exaggerated rumor starts spreading, it’s bound to warp until people take it as the truth. That’s just how rumors are. Trying to explain would be a waste of time.

"Your Highness, let’s get to the point already. Setting the Count of Essenbach aside, how exactly am I supposed to interpret your summoning the Baron of Rosenheim to such an important meeting?"

The Marquis Offenburg, who had been openly showing his displeasure, pressed the grand duke. The Count of Essenbach snorted and answered in the grand duke’s place. Sparks seemed to fly between the two princes’ eyes.

"Hmph, don’t tell me a noble of your stature, a marquis no less, is still sulking because the proxy wedding was taken from you?"

"The crown princess’s proxy wedding was a sacred duty of the Rudelich family. It was stolen by the baron, and you expect me to take it well?"

"I heard the crown princess chose the proxy groom herself, yet you’re taking it out on the wrong person. If anything, Marquis, I find your motives for allowing the crown princess to be entrusted to the Baron of Rosenheim more suspicious."

"That’s because the royal palace was extremely dangerous at the time!"

Hmm, so was I just supposed to sit here quietly like a bump on a log? The two longtime rivals looked ready to keep going at it, but the grand duke raised his hand and cut them off.

"Enough. Set your personal grudges aside for now."

"Understood, Your Highness. Marquis, let’s end our argument here."

"...Very well. There are more important matters to discuss, so I’ll let it go."

More important matters? The old feud between Essenbach and Offenburg had been pushed to the back burner. Judging by how heavy the air in the grand duke’s office felt, they must have been discussing something serious.

But why had they called me?

"Sorry to interrupt, but what exactly is going on?"

"Ah, my apologies. I called you here without even explaining things properly."

The grand duke offered me some wine.

Oh, for crying out loud. Boden wine again?

"I brought back so much Boden wine that there’s nothing for it but to keep pouring until it’s all gone."

"Your Highness, please don’t forget that Rosenheim wine is the finer wine."

"To wine lovers, both are fine wines."

I had no choice but to wet my throat with the wine.

The grand duke had offered it, so I couldn’t exactly refuse. I hated to admit it, but just as the grand duke said, Rosenheim wine and Boden wine each had their own character, so arguing over which was better seemed pointless.

"Baron of Rosenheim, I intend to entrust you with one more task."

"Is it separate from accompanying Duke Altringen?"

"Yes. We’ve been secretly pursuing a political marriage between Altringen and the Habsburgs. I originally intended to put Johannes in charge of it, but he recommended you. I hear you predicted it exactly?"

"W-well, that’s..."

Without thinking, I turned my gaze to Duke Altringen. The duke raised his full glass of wine toward me with a smirk. Hey, you son of a bitch! This was supposed to be your job, so why the hell did you go and recommend me without asking?!

Before I could even open my mouth, the marquis cut in.

"Your Highness, I object! The Baron of Rosenheim has been a prince for less than a year, and he lacks both the seasoning and the experience to be entrusted with such an important political marriage between our two countries."

The marquis harped on seasoning and experience, single-mindedly determined to keep this critical matter out of my hands no matter what. For once, I agreed with the marquis completely.

Damn it, I was already being dragged to Austria against my will, and now I was supposed to arrange a political marriage too? So inwardly, I was rooting hard for the marquis. He could never have imagined I was cheering him on.

The Count of Essenbach immediately fired back.

"The imperial capital of Vienna is crawling with the empire’s most distinguished nobles and renowned knights. The only man in Beren with the courage and nerve to boldly stand up to them is the Baron of Rosenheim. Marquis, have you forgotten that the Baron of Rosenheim smashed the Count of Basel?"

"Count, are you comparing diplomacy to some lowly brawl? I acknowledge the Baron of Rosenheim’s military achievements, but diplomacy is an entirely different matter. We can’t entrust the baron with a mission as important as forging a blood alliance!"

"Nonsense! You’re just afraid of the baron growing any more powerful, Marquis!"

The clash between the nearly sixty-year-old marquis and the nearly eighty-year-old count was fierce. I had no idea where they got all that energy, but they never seemed to tire of arguing. The count insisted strongly that I was the best man for the job.

I was stuck in an awkward position, unable to side with either of them. Damn it, all I’d done was predict there might be a political marriage between Evangeline and Maximilian, and now I was about to get roped into arranging it.

"Then who do you think is the right man, Marquis?"

"Viscount Rittensenegger, whom you know well, Your Highness. He has long served as a diplomat and has a track record of bringing about the alliance between Roden and Beren. He’s the right man."

"Wait, wasn’t Viscount Rittensenegger forced out after being implicated in the royal tax embezzlement scandal?"

"He was. He’s currently recuperating in my territory. He has repented deeply."

"Hah! You’re recommending a man who not only left in disgrace but also owes you a favor? And then I suppose you’ll claim the blood alliance between the Habsburgs and Altringen as Offenburg’s achievement."

The Count of Essenbach denounced the Marquis Offenburg, as if he couldn’t believe such a transparent ploy. But the marquis stressed the viscount’s achievement in forging the alliance between Roden and Beren, two nations that had been like oil and water.

That was certainly impressive.