The envoy dispatched by Grand Duke Handela was none other than the old acquaintance Count Churchwick. However, this time his face was rather pale and his expression quite dejected. Upon entering the great tent, he bowed respectfully to the
The Second Prince's face was ashen with rage, still seething over
With a careless wave of his hand, the Second Prince said impatiently, "Whatever your name is, just say what you have to say. What does that traitor Handela have you here to tell me?"
Count Churchwick's pale face instantly flushed crimson. The Second Prince's nonchalant attitude and highly discourteous words filled him with indignation. He straightened his posture and glared at the Second Prince. "Your Majesty, please respect the honor of a nobleman. I am Count Nottingham Churchwick, not 'whatever your name is'! Moreover, our Grand Duke is no traitor. He has never rebelled against the Empire!"
"Heh heh, traitors never admit to their own crimes. As for you — a count appointed by a traitor, calling you 'whatever your name is' is already quite courteous..." The Second Prince laughed rather than flew into a rage.
"Is that so? So Your Majesty considers his own ancestors to be traitors as well. In that case, I have nothing more to say. However, I do find it rather questionable what right a man who brands his own forebears as traitors has to claim the inheritance of the great Krisen Empire!" Count Churchwick retorted without backing down an inch.
"What did you say?" The Second Prince exploded with fury. What he cared about most was the legitimacy of his succession to the Krisen imperial line. Being so baselessly accused by Count Churchwick made him fly into a rage, and he wished nothing more than to draw his sword and cut down the envoy standing before him.
Churchwick merely let out a cold, composed sneer.
Grand Duke Fisablen had no choice but to step forward and smooth things over. "Your Majesty, please calm yourself. This envoy is the current head of the Nottingham family — a descendant of the Blood Knight Nottingham Jadwis. His title was granted by Krisen the Sixth, not appointed by Grand Duke Handela..."
The Second Prince froze, and it took him a good while to recover. He asked in surprise, "The Blood Knight Nottingham Jadwis? Then why is he with Grand Duke Handela?"
The Second Prince realized he had misspoken. He could declare Grand Duke Handela a traitor, but he could not accuse the Nottingham family of treachery as well — it would become a laughingstock if word got out. In the history of the Krisen Empire, Krisen the Sixth had been a rather mediocre emperor, reigning for only seventeen years. In that brief span, he had continued the policies of Krisen the Fifth and launched invasion after invasion against the Forde Commercial Alliance. Yet during his entire reign, he had personally led a military expedition against the Forde Commercial Alliance only once.
It was this one imperial campaign that cemented the Nottingham family's legendary reputation. Krisen the Sixth's expedition ended in one of the few catastrophic defeats in the history of the Krisen Empire's wars against the Forde Commercial Alliance. Not only was the grand army utterly routed, but Krisen the Sixth himself was surrounded on all sides. Fortunately, the various armed forces of the Commercial Alliance had not yet realized this — they intended to first finish off the enemies fleeing in disarray, then deal with the trapped remnants. Eat the meat before gnawing on the bones, as the saying goes.
It was at that moment that Baron Nottingham Jadwis, arriving a step too late, led his family's small force of just over thirteen hundred men onto the battlefield. But the outcome of the battle was already decided, and he could not turn the tide. All he could do was rally the fleeing soldiers and hold a defensive line. Near dusk, some of the nobles and ministers who had managed to escape finally gathered together, only to realize that they had lost Krisen the Sixth.
But these nobles and ministers had already been terrorized by the Alliance's forces. Having barely escaped with their lives, they were only interested in deflecting blame for abandoning the emperor — not one of them dared lead a detachment to search for and rescue him. Baron Nottingham Jadwis was furious when he saw this. He took his family's troops and rode straight back onto the battlefield to search for Krisen the Sixth.
No one knew how many fierce battles and bloody skirmishes Baron Nottingham Jadwis fought through. In the end, he was fortunate enough to rescue Krisen the Sixth, averting the tragedy of a Krisen emperor falling into enemy hands. But when he fought his way back out of the encirclement with the emperor, of the thirteen hundred-odd family soldiers who had set out, only thirteen riders remained at his side. And the baron himself was drenched head to toe in blood, collapsing unconscious — when they tended to him, they found he had a total of forty-six wounds, large and small, all over his body...
Looking at Baron Nottingham Jadwis, drenched in his own blood, and recalling how he had charged at the vanguard, carving a path and protecting him as they fought their way out of the encirclement, Krisen the Sixth was deeply moved. He called him his Blood Knight and elevated the Nottingham family's title from Baron to Count on the spot. It was this very defeat that forged the Nottingham family's incomparable reputation for loyalty and valor, making them a shining example among the nobility and knighthood.
The Second Prince had not caught the family name when Count Churchwick introduced himself, and so he had blundered into calling him a traitor-appointed Count. It was indeed a slap in his own face. Krisen the Sixth was, after all, his great-great-grandfather, and the Nottingham family's Count title had been personally bestowed by Krisen the Sixth — something every noble house in the entire empire knew full well.
"Your Majesty, the Nottingham family's territory is located in Westwood Province. During the imperial civil war, Westwood Province was entrusted by the late king to Grand Duke Handela, becoming part of the Handela family's domain. After the ceasefire agreement was signed, it fell under the jurisdiction of the Duchy of Handela. That is how the Nottingham family came to be vassal nobles under Grand Duke Handela," Grand Duke Fisablen explained.
Then, facing Count Churchwick, he performed a deep and solemn bow. "I am sorry, Count Nottingham Churchwick. I offer you my sincere apologies for my misspeak and rudeness. Please forgive my ignorance and offense."
Count Churchwick was visibly moved. He quickly reached out with a hand to gesture supportively. "Your Majesty, there is no need for such courtesy. It was I who failed to explain myself clearly when requesting an audience. The fault for your misunderstanding lies entirely with me. You do me too great an honor with such an apology."
The Second Prince smiled. "A mistake should be corrected once recognized. As long as Count Nottingham does not take offense, that is all that matters."
Count Churchwick waved his hands repeatedly. "Your Majesty, please, just call me by my name. Do not address me as Count Nottingham..."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Your Majesty, before my late father passed away, he entrusted me with the inheritance of the title and the territory. His final words were that the Nottingham family now belongs under the Duchy of Handela, and that until the empire is restored, we must no longer use the Nottingham name. We may only use our personal name together with the title. He said that Nottingham will forever belong to the Krisen Empire..."
After hearing Count Churchwick's account, the Second Prince was deeply moved. "The Nottingham family truly lives up to being a model among the empire's nobility—a symbol of loyalty and righteousness!"
Having finished his exclamation, he happened to glance toward Lorist, who curled his lips slightly...
"Come, please take a seat, Count Churchwick. Attendants, bring tea. Also, have the kitchen steward prepare a banquet—I wish to host the Count," the Second Prince instructed his guards.
Once both host and guest had taken their seats, the Second Prince asked with an amiable smile, "Count Churchwick, may I ask what matter brings you here today?"
Count Churchwick replied, "Your Majesty, the truth is that I have come here under orders from Grand Duke Handela to pay a formal visit. The primary purpose is to inquire—what conditions would Your Majesty require in order to agree to the four central Grand Dukes' request for peace and a ceasefire?"
The Second Prince shook his head. "Count Churchwick, I cannot forgive the rebellious actions of the four central Grand Dukes. I hold the Nottingham family's tradition of loyalty in the highest regard. If you wish to return to the Kingdom, you are more than welcome. However, I must ask that you not entangle yourself with those rebels."
"Your Majesty, you are mistaken. The four central Grand Dukes are not rebels, nor have they ever betrayed you," Count Churchwick argued.
"Never betrayed me? Heh. Back when I conquered the Redelis Kingdom, if the four central Grand Duchies had raised their banners in support, the Empire would have been unified long ago. But those four rebels refused to relinquish their ducal titles, clinging to their power. They refused to return and restore the Empire. Instead, they colluded with the Commercial Alliance and the rebel remnants of the Redelis Kingdom, raising armies against me. In the end, they caused my efforts to unify the Empire to fail, and I suffered defeat at the royal city of Fedeliga. I swear I will see those rebels punished for their crimes. No matter what, they cannot stop my determination to unify and restore the Empire." The Second Prince rose to his feet, his fury evident as he declared he would never forgive the four central Grand Dukes for their treason.
Count Churchwick applauded. "Your Majesty, I admire your efforts to restore and unify the Empire. All the nobles loyal to the Empire understand your resolve. But you are still wrong—the four central Grand Dukes have never betrayed you. They are not traitors to the Empire.
It is well known that the families of the four central Grand Dukes have been unwaveringly loyal since the days of the Empire. Whether it was suppressing rebels or dispatching forces against the Commercial Alliance, they always contributed troops and resources, never once letting the Empire down. On every battlefield where the Empire fought its enemies, the families of the four central Grand Dukes sacrificed many of their own.
When the civil war erupted and three princes contended for the throne, the four central Grand Dukes supported the Late King, believing him to be the legitimate heir of the Krisen royal bloodline. They firmly rejected the enticements of the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince, and dispatched their family forces to help the Late King put down the rebellion. As a result, they suffered brutal retaliation from the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince, and their territories suffered great devastation. It was precisely for this reason that the Late King entrusted the remaining four central provinces to the governance of the four Grand Dukes in recognition of their meritorious service. Your Majesty, you would not deny these facts, would you?
It was only with the tireless support of the four central Grand Dukes that the Late King's forces crushed the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince. Just as the rebellion was about to be quelled, Grand Duke Madras unexpectedly raised the banner of revolt, severing the corridor connecting the four central Grand Duchies to the Imperial Capital. This allowed the Empire's civil war to drag on. Meanwhile, the four central Grand Dukes, their troops exhausted from years of continuous warfare and their soldiers weary of fighting, had no choice but to band together for self-preservation, powerless to send forces to put down the revolt.
It was not until the Commercial Alliance sent mediators that a ceasefire agreement was signed and the civil war was brought to an end. The four central Grand Duchies were established at that time, with the Late King's approval. The four Grand Dukes assured the Late King that the moment the Andinak Kingdom had a chance to restore the Empire, they would raise their banners in response and return to the Empire's embrace. This earned them the enmity of the Eldest Prince. Shortly after the four central Grand Duchies were established, they were attacked by the Eldest Prince, and that war lasted three full years.
At that time, the Andinak Kingdom was in chaos following the Late King's assassination. It was not until Your Majesty seized power that the Kingdom's situation was finally stabilized. As Your Majesty mustered his forces, the four central Grand Dukes, despite their own impoverished and depleted resources, scraped together wealth and supplies from every last source to support Your Majesty upon receiving your call for aid. Your Majesty, is this not the truth?
When Your Majesty had grown strong enough to launch a surprise assault on the royal city of Fedeliga and crushed the Redelis Kingdom in a single stroke, the four central Grand Dukes and we nobles of the Grand Duchies were overjoyed, believing the restoration of the Empire was within reach. Yet when Your Majesty's forces arrived at the four central Grand Duchies, you suddenly imposed harsh demands—ordering the four Grand Dukes to relinquish their state titles and have their territories transferred or reduced, with the new assignments falling within the domain of Grand Duke Madras. On what grounds? Your Majesty, how could you issue such an order? What have the four central Grand Dukes done to wrong you or the Kingdom? What crime have they committed to warrant such treatment? Can the mere excuse of not having sent troops to aid you truly convince anyone?
When word spread, nearly all the nobles of the Grand Duchies were outraged. You didn't even bother to appear in person—instead, you had one of your knights deliver such an order to us. That is why the four central Grand Dukes raised their banners in resistance, and all the nobles of the Grand Duchies joined their ranks. Your Majesty, we are not traitors! We are merely defying an unjust command—something any noble with a conscience would do! The four central Grand Dukes are not traitors, and neither are we!"
The more Count Churchwick spoke, the more agitated he became. Lorist, standing to the side, broke into a smile. He had already heard this version of the story once before, but witnessing it delivered as a direct confrontation to the Second Prince was quite a rare sight. He believed the Second Prince was exactly the kind of person to have issued such an order. Back then, the man had led three hundred thousand troops in a surprise assault on the royal city of Fedeliga, swollen with pride and drunk on triumph, convinced he was invincible and that reunifying the Empire was well within his grasp. So it was hardly surprising that the Second Prince had imposed such terms on the four central Grand Duchies. If anything, it simply showed that victory had gone to his head.
The Second Prince's face darkened as he shot Lorist a glare, then turned to Count Churchwick with an awkward expression. "My apologies, Count. When I launched the surprise assault on Fedeliga, I caught a chill crossing the great snow mountains and was wounded as well. I was bedridden the entire time. I never issued any such unfair order. It is very likely that one of my knights misheard my intentions, leading to that misunderstanding..."
The Second Prince pinned all the past misconduct on the knights who had since died in battle. That said, he had genuinely been gravely ill at the time and had rarely appeared in public.
Count Churchwick had not expected such a response from the Second Prince. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he quickly recovered. "Your Majesty, if it was a misunderstanding, then can we not end the hostilities now? This war between the Kingdom and the four central Grand Duchies only drains the Empire's vitality. The four central Grand Dukes have never opposed returning to the Empire's embrace—they too wish to restore the great Krisen Empire."
The Second Prince deliberated for a moment, then sat back down. "Count, I imagine that when you set out, Grand Duke Handla must have mentioned their demands. Go ahead and tell me."
"Your Majesty, the four central Grand Dukes are willing to relinquish their Grand Duchy titles and return to your command. They are also prepared to offer a tribute of three million gold Forde. Their only request is to be allowed to remain in their traditional ancestral lands." Count Churchwick stated the four central Grand Dukes' minimum terms in clear and concise fashion.
Lorist caught Grand Duke Fisaburan's eye and gave a meaningful wink—the message being: see? The one million gold Forde they promised to send to the two of us is gone. Now it's all being offered to the Second Prince instead.
"Very well, Count. Why don't you rest here for a few days while I give this matter careful consideration," the Second Prince said to Count Churchwick in a courteous tone.
...