The Republic's envoy's petty attacks were nothing more than a playful prelude.
I intended to place the Habsburg Empire on the international stage one step ahead of Paimon. The Empire would enter the world of international politics. That meant a direct collision with the Habsburg Republic, which had thus far claimed to be the "legitimate successor of Habsburg."
And so, the diplomatic battle that would define this winter began in earnest.
First, the Frank Empire.
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has ordered us to extend unlimited cooperation to your nation."
Of all the nations, Frank supported us most decisively.
I officially declared the massacre in southern Frank to be the work of rebel factions. Privately, however, I had sent a secret letter to the Count of Berchy, informing him that it was the doing of the Habsburg Republic. The Frank court wanted to hit back at the Republic if only out of spite.
Next—perhaps somewhat unexpectedly—the Kingdom of Bretagne.
"Her Majesty the Queen has already recognized His Imperial Majesty of Habsburg as the rightful sovereign."
This cooperation was contingent on the Treaty of Le Havre, concluded during the last war.
If Bretagne refused to recognize us as a sovereign nation, the treaty would be automatically nullified. That meant immediate war. With its main army all but annihilated, the Kingdom of Bretagne could no longer afford another conflict. Even if Queen Henrietta had been maintaining a personal alliance with Consul Elisabeth, she would have no choice when faced with a matter upon which the fate of her nation depended.
Our allies, then, were the Frank Empire and the Kingdom of Bretagne.
Of course, there were also forces that supported not us, but the Habsburg Republic.
"Frankly speaking, it is difficult for us to readily believe that your nation has no intention of waging war."
"Even now, the Demon Lord's armies are illegally occupying parts of our territory. Settling the territorial dispute must come first! We absolutely cannot offer unconditional goodwill."
These were the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Kingdom of Polithunia.
Sardinia lay directly south of the Republic. From their perspective, the Republic was a bulwark against the terrifying invasions of the Demon Lord's armies. Cooperating with the Republic was the natural choice.
The Kingdom of Polithunia, meanwhile, was in conflict with the Neutral Faction. The Neutral Faction, led by the Demon Lord Marbas, had already launched a solo invasion of Polithunia since the Crescent Alliance Army war. They had seized portions of its territory and achieved remarkable results. Perhaps because of this, Polithunia burned with a deep-seated hostility toward us.
All the remaining nations remained neutral.
Bernicia, Teuton, Kalmar, Anatolia, Castile, Moscow. Even Batavia.
Seven nations leisurely observed the situation, deliberating over which side to back. It must have been an enjoyable dilemma. Depending on whether our side or the Republic offered the sweeter proposal, all seven nations could shift their allegiances at any moment.
Current score: 2-2.
A fraternal clash between the Habsburg Empire and the Habsburg Republic. But in reality, things were a bit different.
This was a diplomatic war between myself, Dantalion, and Consul Elizabeth.
If this were an actual battle, I would retreat without hesitation. Elizabeth was a military genius. No matter how hard I tried, I could never beat her. But this wasn't a war of iron clashing against iron. It was a war without steel — a war of tongues.
Moreover, Elizabeth had a fatal weakness: she couldn't easily throw herself into the diplomatic fray. As the sovereign of a nation, her movements naturally came with restrictions.
I, on the other hand, was free to move as I pleased. I had handed over all territorial management to Lapis and Parsi, allowing me to devote myself entirely to diplomacy. That difference would decide the victor.
"Bribe every last one of them."
I launched a bribery offensive first and foremost.
Bribery was a classic tactic. That was precisely why it was proven effective. Having conquered Ivar Lodbrok, I now possessed the most formidable financial mobilization power across both the Demon Realm and the continent, bar none.
The assets Ivar held amounted to a staggering fifty million Libra gold coins. An intoxicatingly enormous sum, if there ever was one.
To put that wealth in perspective: the annual budget allocated to the Habsburg Empire's court was one and a half million Libra gold coins. Ivar alone could have funded the Empire's court for an astounding thirty-three years! By himself! And that was assuming his wealth sat idle for those thirty-three years without him lifting a finger.
The world's wealthiest blonde girl asked me:
"Your Excellency, how large a sum is required?"
"Enough to buy off every diplomatic delegation from each nation. Fifteen thousand gold coins should suffice."
This was still an era where markets had yet to fully develop. Fifteen thousand gold coins was a massive sum.
The immortal True Ancestor of Kun Kuska let out a faint, contemptuous laugh.
"How modest."
She extended an unsecured, interest-free loan of thirty thousand Libra on the spot — all in cash, meaning coins and gemstones. Thanks to that, my available funds had doubled from the original fifteen thousand.
An enormous wave of bribes was unleashed.
Ivar and I were seasoned veterans when it came to matters like this. When it came to money, simply handing it over in its gleaming form would rob it of its potency. Human beings were like machines — they always needed a little greasing.
"Summon the finest courtesans from the Demon Realm. Put in a request with the brothel guild."
"They say a human's lifelong wish is to bed succubi and elves into the ground, don't they? We'll let them savor that fantasy to the fullest."
The most renowned whores and gigolos of the Demon Realm were personally procured. These were people who commanded staggering sums just for a single night.
"Hire musicians, actors, and alchemists as well."
"We can contact the brothel guild and arrange for them together."
In matters of carnal culture, demonfolk were far more advanced than humans. A demon's life commonly spanned several centuries, and to soothe the tedium of such lengthy existence, all manner of fantastical pleasures had been devised.
For instance, actors performing risqué spectacles on stage while an orchestra played titillating music, and alchemists burned herbal concoctions with stimulant effects — and at the center of it all, one indulged in dense, heady congress. It could rightfully be called the comprehensive art of sex.
The diplomats were overwhelmed by the ecstatic spectacle they encountered for the first time in their lives.
"Th-this is…"
"I'd heard succubi were beautiful, but I never imagined anything like this!"
The envoys were utterly captivated by the Demon Realm's superior culture.
"In all my life, I've never tasted wine this sweet!"
"Court Count, what master craftsman brewed this nectar?"
The alcohol, too, was exclusively sourced from the Demon Realm. It was highly effective at evoking an exotic atmosphere. Fine liquor, newly tasted, was an excellent conversation piece in its own right.
One week.
For an entire week, I worked the diplomats over thoroughly. The envoys had become thoroughly pickled in pleasure. Needless to say, their money purses grew fat amidst the exchange of carnal delights and fine wine.
Of course, bribes alone could not achieve one's objective. As I had said, bribes were nothing more than greasing. The envoys were, after all, merely carrying out their lords' orders when it came to deciding diplomatic matters.
But their sovereigns had not come here in person.
The sovereigns would receive the envoys' reports and render judgment based on them. In other words, the envoys were the eyes of each nation's sovereign. They used magic observation stones to periodically report back on the situation.
So, then — how would the diplomats report to their superiors?
— At the very least, the Habsburg Empire shows no intention of reigniting the war.
— The Demon Lords clearly respect the Emperor's authority. While the Regent is somewhat reckless and unbridled, the real power of the court is surprisingly held by the Court Count, who exercises appropriate control over the Regent. It would be worth reconsidering the political situation within the imperial palace.
— The Court Count genuinely understands the traditions of the Empire and of humanity. He displays none of the prejudice one might expect — no inclination whatsoever to disregard or insult our Empire or our royal household. In this envoy's judgment, he sincerely desires a normal, cordial relationship with our nation.
Where something goes out, something comes back in.
The diplomats considered it only natural to return a "small token of goodwill" in exchange for the hospitality and pleasantries they had received. My tireless efforts to sway the envoys throughout the reception had also played a role in this.
The Habsburg Republic's delegation was horrified by the sheer scale of the bribery offensive.
The Republic scrambled to activate its own diplomatic channels, but unfortunately — setting aside competence — it simply could not compete on the level of funding. The fledgling Habsburg Republic was by no means a wealthy nation. If anything, it belonged on the poorer end of the spectrum.
The Republic did offer bribes of its own, but compared to ours, they were pathetically meager. The envoys who had already been given top-class Succubi as personal attendants were hardly going to be satisfied.
— During the commemorative ceremony, the Habsburg Republic's delegation made remarks that openly — half in public, no less — disregarded or insulted the Emperor's authority. All of these were uttered in official settings, and I must say, the impression of gross rudeness lingered.
— The attitude shown by the Imperial Court was truly commendable. Each time the Emperor heard remarks laced with hidden insults, he refrained from erupting in personal fury. Instead, he deftly redirected our attention elsewhere, handling the provocations with appropriate grace.
— The Emperor personally holds favorable impressions of the Republic's Consul and has stated as much openly. In contrast, the Republic's delegation is unfathomably rude, and their conduct in receiving our envoys falls far short of basic dignity.
In the end, the opening battle concluded in a perfect victory on our part.
The sovereigns' hearts had clearly been moved by their envoys' reports.
From the one-week mark onward, the envoys began negotiating with us far more proactively. Up until now, it had been an exchange of hollow platitudes and empty flattery — empty shells with nothing inside. From here on, however, the time for substantive, meaningful deals had arrived.
The first to come to the table was the Teuton Kingdom.
"Court Count, we believe that we have grown sufficiently familiar with one another."
"Of course, Ambassador."
"I shall be frank. My homeland is located closest to the Empire. We require an absolute guarantee that the Empire will, under no circumstances, encroach upon our borders."
The Teuton Kingdom was surrounded on all sides—the east bordered the Demon Lord's domain, the west the Batavia Republic, and the south the Habsburg Empire. They must have truly grasped what it meant to be besieged on all sides. That was why they were so sensitive about security.
I smiled.
"Ambassador. I am a Court Count, but I am also the King of the demons. Thanks to that, I do hold a small territory. Fortunately, that territory lies at the easternmost edge of the Teuton Kingdom."
"Yes. I've heard it's a territory composed of seven hills."
The ambassador nodded. I was secretly impressed. Even the other kingdoms were keeping tabs on information in their own way.
"My territory is in a peculiar location. Depending on the circumstances, one could argue it belongs to Habsburg—or argue it belongs to Teuton. It was originally a frontier settlement, so its official affiliation has yet to be determined."
"…Court Count. You don't mean—"
The Teuton Kingdom's ambassador's eyes went wide.
I nodded.
"Ambassador. I humbly petition His Majesty to grant my territory the status of a Teuton barony. That way, I would be a Court Count of Habsburg and simultaneously a Baron of Teuton."
"Can this be true!"
The ambassador shot to his feet. He seized both my hands in delight.
"If the Court Count cooperates with our nation, it would be like gaining a mighty army!"
"Ha ha, you flatter me. May I count on the ambassador's friendship?"
"Rest assured, Court Count. I stake my honor on it—this matter will absolutely be brought to fruition."
The very next day, the Teuton Kingdom's reply was delivered unofficially.
It was a document stating that, on the condition of assigning my territory to the Teuton Kingdom, they would recognize the Habsburg Empire as a sovereign nation and acknowledge Barbatos as the legitimate regent.
——The score was now 3 to 2.