"Your Excellency."
I clasped Baronet Versi's hand enthusiastically.
If the Frank nobles cooperated, this war was practically already won. We held each other's hands and exchanged gazes for a time. How much was sincere? How far were they prepared to go? — Each confirmed that with the other.
It wasn't merely an abstract exchange of sentiments. I checked Baronet Versi's Status Window. For a baronet with Affinity above 20, a brief psychological state was displayed. The baronet was undoubtedly speaking the truth.
I spoke.
"The Royalists and the Republicans must not be in opposition. 'We' must be one."
"There is a young illegitimate child of a collateral line. I plan to place that child on the throne, then form a council to handle policy. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager will serve as an advisor to the council."
A constitutional monarchy, then. Place a young king with weak legitimacy on the throne, and let the council seize sovereignty.
The Royalists would compromise on the aspect of maintaining the monarchy, the Republicans on the aspect of guaranteeing the council's supremacy. Empress Dowager Catherine de Medici, respected nationwide, would serve as mediator. A fairly plausible scenario.
"This isn't a plan that can be assured in a day or two. When did preparations begin?"
"Right after the defeat in the Frank Civil War. The Duke of Guise fell in battle, but his brothers survived."
"The Duke of Guise's brothers... the Grand Priest of Lorraine and the Duke of Mayenne."
I tilted my head.
When the civil war broke out in the Frank Empire, the Duke of Guise had served as Commander-in-Chief of the anti-Bretagne coalition, commonly known as the Holy Alliance Army. His momentum was formidable, and Henrietta was greatly wary of him. Even after the civil war ended, the House of Guise was subjected to thorough persecution.
The Grand Priest of Lorraine and the Duke of Mayenne — both were quietly assassinated. Who orchestrated the assassinations was never revealed, but it wasn't hard to guess. Yet Baronet Versi claimed they had orchestrated an elaborate plan. What was going on?
Baronet Versi lowered his gaze.
"...The Guise brothers had prepared for the possibility of defeat. They anticipated that if things continued as they were, the Frank nobles would wither away without ever getting to exert their strength. A handful of the great nobles made a pact. Rather than resist, they would disguise themselves as traitors to deceive Bretagne."
"As traitors...? Surely not?"
I opened my mouth in shock. Baronet Versi nodded gravely.
"The ones who denounced the Grand Priest of Lorraine and the Duke of Mayenne were none other than our own comrades."
"...That's astonishing."
The truth revealed by the baronet was shocking.
If the Frank nobles had done nothing, they would have gradually lost power under Henrietta's rule and destroyed themselves. But if they were to raise arms again, they had no confidence in defeating Henrietta. Only one option remained.
The nobles pretended to ingratiate themselves with Bretagne.
By betraying the Duke of Guise's brothers to Henrietta.
In other words, they had betrayed their strongest comrades. Henrietta willingly accepted these traitors — mere traitors from the Frank perspective. But the truth was different. The Grand Priest of Lorraine and the Duke of Mayenne had deliberately sacrificed themselves for their comrades...
Thanks to this, Queen Henrietta dismissed her suspicions. And the remaining comrades, bearing the stigma of treachery, had been waiting until now. Sharpening the blade of revenge...
Frank was never incompetent. They bowed before Henrietta's military might, but behind the scenes, they had been scheming all along.
If only Emperor Henri III had been even slightly more competent. With capable nobles supporting the emperor, they wouldn't have been swallowed helplessly by Bretagne.
Baronet Versi gulped down his wine.
"Whew. The Queen of Bretagne was no pushover. She did set aside her suspicions, but remained constantly vigilant. That's also why we sent out an army composed solely of Frank nobles this time."
"Tell me the extent of your forces."
"Twelve cities are cooperating with us."
Twelve cities.
Neither very few nor very many. If I cooperated here, seven free cities in northern Frank would join as well. In total, nineteen cities would be on our side.
Nineteen. That was ambiguous. Not enough to overturn the situation on their own. But more than sufficient to play the role of kingmaker...
"Your Excellency. For this operation, we must exercise the utmost caution."
I steeled myself and spoke.
"The Queen of Bretagne is powerful. Last time, we were convinced the Holy Alliance Army would prevail. Yet we were defeated. Right now, our forces are even weaker than before."
Even with the advantage in legitimacy and strategy, losing the battle rendered it all meaningless.
"We must not raise an army immediately. You must endure, just as you have been doing. We will defeat Queen Henrietta. After that, rise up!"
Baronet Versi's eyes went wide.
"You mean to defeat the queen on your own? That's dangerous!"
"Your Excellency. Victory and defeat are matters of military fortune — even if we join forces, there's no guarantee we'll win. We must always prepare for the worst-case scenario."
I looked at the baronet earnestly.
"We form an alliance. All well and good. But what if fate is against us and we lose? The Queen of Bretagne will crack down on Frank nobles even more ferociously."
"..."
"A massive purge will take place. The seeds of resistance that had just begun to sprout will be torn out by the roots. That day will be the moment Frank truly meets its end. Your Excellency! We must account for even the worst possible scenario."
Baronet Versi propped his chin in thought.
In truth, this wasn't a bad proposal for them. Rather, they would be delighted that we were shouldering the war in their place. Since we were taking on all the burden, Baronet Versi had no reason to refuse.
"...I'll be honest. The conditions are too favorable. Why would you offer a proposal that disadvantages you?"
"Your Excellency. Though I'm serving as vanguard commander due to circumstances, my essence is Frankish. I want to do whatever I can to prevent harm from befalling Frank."
I smiled bitterly.
"It's hard to expect that Rudolf von Habsburg's army will always have noble intentions. We've barely managed to drive out the Queen of Bretagne, only for the Habsburg Emperor to take her place... That possibility cannot be denied. Can it?"
"Hm."
Baronet Versi nodded reluctantly. He may not have been able to say it to my face, but he was surely worried about the same possibility.
"I told you we must prepare for the worst-case scenario. Here, 'worst-case' doesn't only refer to our defeat. Even if we win, we must worry about the possibility that the Habsburg Emperor will betray us. Your Excellency, for that contingency alone, Frank's army must conserve as much of its strength as possible."
"So you're saying we should stay out of the war..."
"Yes."
Baronet Versi was deeply moved. He sprang from his seat and embraced me. The voice of this stoic man astonishingly carried a tremor of emotion.
"You are the true patriot."
"...After losing the civil war, I've tried however I could to build up our forces."
I too murmured with a voice laced with emotion.
"Rudolf von Habsburg is a puppet of Demon Lord Barbatos. And Barbatos fears Demon Lord Agares above all else. I used their fear to barely manage to organize an army... Your Excellency. I'm sorry it took so long."
"Father Jean Vole..."
Baronet Versi finally shed tears.
Soon, a familiar sound effect rang out.
[Affinity with Baronet Versi increased by 11.]
[Affinity has reached 50. The other party now 'trusts' you.]
We embraced each other fervently once more. The friendship of men was expressed through embraces. We drank wine together until dawn, and as the morning sky brightened, Baronet Versi quietly slipped away from the crowd.
"Phew."
I slumped into my chair.
I had gained an unexpected windfall.
Baronet Versi would believe I spoke purely out of patriotism, but of course I didn't have even a shred of patriotism toward the Frank Empire. It was simply that the Demon Lord's army truly must not covet Frank.
"The plan is just barely on track."
With the occupation of central-northern Habsburg alone, the Demon Lord's army was already powerful enough. If they went on to conquer Frank as well, the balance between the Demonkin and the human race might collapse.
The Demon Lord's army exists when there is human resistance. If the human race were to be annihilated, the Demon Lord's army would plunge into a free-for-all warring period. As if I'd stand for that.
The Plains Faction, the Neutral Faction, the Mountain Faction. The current state — three factions coexisting side by side — was the most ideal. It was chaos, but chaos established in a way that favored me. The factions would occasionally compete, occasionally harmonize, and each time, I, Demon Lord Dantalion, would establish my authority as mediator...
Three days after Baronet Versi's departure, our vanguard and Frank's vanguard clashed once more.
It was a battle that had been carefully arranged in advance. Queen Henrietta still suspected the Frank nobles. We needed to show that they hadn't deliberately lost. For that purpose, Marshal Gaspard de Tavannes sacrificed himself.
"For Frank!"
This veteran, past sixty years of age, had served Frank faithfully his entire life. In his day, he had served as Knight Commander of the Frank Imperial Guard and had even become the Emperor's proxy general. He was, without question, a general who had lived the most honorable life a noble could.
Needless to say, Marshal de Tavannes was the number one dangerous figure on Henrietta's watch list. If a man of his stature died on the battlefield, Henrietta's suspicions would fade considerably. That was what we were counting on.
As previously agreed, the moment the battle began, Marshal de Tavannes charged forward. For a commander-in-chief to lead a charge from the front was madness. On our side, Daisy rushed out to meet him.
Marshal de Tavannes and Daisy. The most seasoned veteran and the youngest hero crossed paths in the center of the battlefield. Steel flashed. With a single stroke, Daisy pierced the marshal's chest.
"Retreat!"
"All forces, withdraw!"
Having lost their commander-in-chief so bleakly, the Frank army retreated immediately. A swift withdrawal. In truth, the damage was virtually nonexistent. The plan had been carried out without a hitch.
"..."
I gazed down at the old man's corpse. He was smiling broadly. His physique was so robust it was hard to believe he was past sixty. It looked as if he could stand up at any moment and swing his greatsword.
Daisy murmured beside me.
"He was smiling from the moment we faced each other."
"...I see."
"Yes, Father. It was the smile of a man who willingly accepted death."
That was why Daisy had not severed the old man's head. She had pierced his chest with a single strike so the body would remain intact. The girl had shown her opponent proper respect.
I asked calmly.
"Any last words?"
"'Thank you,' he whispered to me."
The old man had surely lived a life without regrets.
For the people, for the nation... and until the very last moment, he had even offered his own death to his people and country. He must have considered it the finest death possible. That was perhaps why he said thank you to us...
"Daisy. Remember this man's end well."
I closed the old man's eyes as I spoke.
"It is a death that those of us of our kind could never achieve. Burn it clearly into your memory."
"...Yes, Father."
Daisy and I gazed down at the old man's body for a long time.
A life was reaching its conclusion here. There was a peaceful, noble smile. Someday, at the final moment, the two of us would surely envy and jealousy this man's death...