Chapter 43: Things you can obtain in someone else’s territory (6)

When the king said this, Yurasia thought it was a bad idea to leave things as they were, and brought up a new proposal.

“Help me, and I promise you five times the tribute! Your Majesty, this is the limit of the Roserun.”

“Five times the tribute?”

The king showed some thought and then opened his mouth with a look that said he still didn’t like it.

“It’s not like we’re sending reinforcements to get more tribute. As Duke Ronen says, we can’t afford it.”

When the king refused again, Yurasia became desperate.

* * *

Roserun was a country with many problems. Immediately after the war started, all the nobles who were afraid of King Bridget invasion fled.

However, even under such circumstances, the country was not easily destroyed. This was because there was an existence that fought against Bridget to the end, an existence that had gained the support of the people since she was a child.

With her natural charm, she was always cheered when she gave speeches, her popularity grew day by day and she never disobeyed that trust. She stood on the front lines and fought to protect her country. In the end, she was the first to die in battle.

After her death, Roserun was destroyed in less than a week; it was solely due to her power that Roserun was able to hold on for several months. Her name was Yurasia Roserun and she was kneeling in front of me right now.

[Yurasia Roserun]

[Age: 20]

[Martial force: 87]

[Intelligence: 57]

[Command: 95]

She came here to ask for reinforcements purely out of a desire to protect her country and was unaware of the many political struggles in Lunan. If she had asked for reinforcements after getting the nobles on her side she wouldn’t have been turned down at once like this.

Looking at her abilities, it seemed that her high charm was reflected in her ability to make soldiers follow her lead. She also seemed to have a high mana affinity because of her high martial force. She was more of a warlord than a politician.

“What, you’ve been to King’s Landing, too?”

I’ve been in King’s Landing for several days now. The war between Roserun and Bridget is important for me as well. The attendants and maidservants I had bribed during my previous visit to the capital had informed me of the envoy’s visit and I had immediately come to seek an audience with the king.

Princess Yurasia was on her knees, biting her lip at the king’s rejection. Her nobility drifted from her long blonde hair, it’s like she had a charm that made everyone fall in love with her. Of course, she has nothing to do with me, my focus was on the reinforcements. Because Lunan should send reinforcements to Roserun!

“Your Majesty, I think we should send reinforcements. Please leave the command of reinforcements to me!”

When I suddenly asked for reinforcements in a situation where all the nobles were against it, Yurasia looked at me with a surprised look on her face. The king and the nobles showed the same reaction.

“What nonsense! Lunan doesn’t have the strength to send reinforcements now!”

Ronen hissed at me.

“Yes! Who will protect the country if you’re leaving?”

The king was indeed a coward but he was also very greedy.

“Even Narja can’t replace 70,000 men that fast; they will be quiet for a year or so. Duke Ronen isn’t that right? I heard you sent spies.

“Be that as it may, this is not a situation where we should be getting involved in another country’s war!”

When I asked, Ronen shook his head again; this is why Lunan is no good. To be honest, I don’t care what happens to Roserun. In fact, they will owe me a debt of gratitude for persuading the king to send reinforcements. It means that I might be able to make them my ally just by helping them.

However, Roserun is geographically adjacent to many countries. It’s not a good place. In this respect, Bridget was different. Formed by several islands in a row along the coast, it was a land that was quite suitable for secretly cultivating an army.

Roserun Yurasia, with her, I can lead Roserun troops. With those troops, we can stop Bridget, and with the troops from Lunan, I can even conquer Bridget!

The King of Bridget will personally lead his soldiers to attack Roserun. Bridget succeeds in destroying Roserun, but then it is attacked by Narja and destroyed. What if I can do what Narja has done?

There are many ways to bring down Bridget, if only I can kill their king, he’s not an S-class being like the king of Narja. I couldn’t let an opportunity like this pass me by. It was a chance to gain someone else’s land using someone else’s troops while preserving my own!

“Your Majesty, my goal is not Roserun. If you leave the reinforcements to me, I will stop Bridget from invading Roserun and then counterattack and destroy Bridget. Once Bridget is yours, you will have no need to worry about Narja. You will truly be the victor of this age!”

It was only natural that the greedy king would be intrigued by the idea of having Bridget; Roserun was a country that paid tribute anyway.

“I have a strategy. It’s the same one that allowed the Narja army to march quickly to our capital. If I can’t do what Narja strategist could, I won’t have the face to show. At that time, I will return to my territory and become an ordinary nobleman!”

When I said that much, the king gulped down his spit and hurriedly asked back.

“You’re going to conquer Bridget for Lunan? All that land?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As soon as I assured him, the king made eye contact with Ronen. He looked confused and Ronen didn’t know what to do.

“There has been little damage to the southern territories in the recent war. We sent our troops late and the war was already over by then. If you can only gather 50,000 troops from the southern territories, we will have enough troops to attack Bridget!”

It’s no wonder that as soon as Bridget is destroyed, it will become Lunan land. I don’t have the manpower to manage that land now. It’s not time for me to become independent yet. Of course, I’ll just leave it with them for a while after I occupy it.

As soon as Lunan royal capital will be occupied after the great conquest of Narja, I planned to absorb the land of Bridget that Lunan had been managing without shedding a single drop of blood.

It was a strategy that would allow me to target large areas without using any of my own troops. To do so, I must first destroy Bridget. I never know if I’ll succeed or fail! That’s why this world is so interesting.

The king looked at me and was tempted. My proposition was irresistible.

* * *

The king spoke with Ronen after everyone left.

“Is it true that there has been no movement in Narja?”

“Yes. If we gather only the southern troops we will be fine for a while. Erhin has said that he will settle the matter within six months, so his plan will work. I think we don’t need to worry. The northern territories are being rebuilt by Erhin and we are also sending spies to read the enemy’s movements.”

“I see.”

“Erhin can do it. In the last war, the enemy strategist who had targeted the royal city of Lunan left without being able to do anything about it. If we use that tactic on Bridget, who lost their king, it will be an easy win.  Of course, that’s only if he can kill the king of Bridget with Roserun, but I think it’s worth a try.”

“That’s right. It seems to be well worth a try.”

Ronen opened his mouth cautiously to the pleased king.

“But, Your Majesty, if we get Bridget, Erhin should be called back to King’s Landing immediately. We must not give him a share of the territory!”

“Of course, we just need Erhin to fulfill his role in fighting Narja. Then, you can kill him when there are no more enemies. We don’t need them unless they are affiliated with the Lunan royal family. That’s why I didn’t give him any rewards in the last war.”

Duke Ronen is a relative of the royal family of Lunan. He, too, had shown his desire to make the land he hadn’t even acquired into his own domain.