Chapter 315
EP.315
The Reich Empire delegation, including me, headed to Count Ticino’s castle for a month.
On the way there, I saw many things and felt impressed, but if I had to put it in one word, I could say it like this.
‘The most beautiful nature and the most miserable people.’
The entire country is surrounded by beautiful mountains covered in perpetual snow, and there is a river with clear water flowing between them, so I thought that I would definitely want to live here when I spend my later years.
The lives of the people living in this beautiful nature were truly miserable.
In front of the castle or village cathedral, people lined up to receive the porridge that was distributed only once a day, and if you went to a slightly remote place, there were many cases where corpses were left abandoned on the streets.
And as they recognized our delegation, young women kept approaching us, trying to make at least a little money by selling their bodies.
It seems that she was planning to support her family with the money she received from prostitution, but she was worried that there might be another spy pretending to be a poor woman and hiding there, so she kicked them all out.
Considering that many people are starving and that many young women are openly engaging in prostitution, which is considered a serious crime in this era… This
means that Switzerland is now in shambles beyond what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs investigated, and this is a great boon to me who wants to cause a civil war. all.
“Are you a delegation from the Reich Empire?”
When I turned to look in the direction of the sound, I saw a man dressed in fancy clothes who appeared to be Count Ticino, standing there with a fake smile on his face.
However, the corners of his mouth were trembling slightly, as if he could not suppress the resentment he felt towards me.
I wanted to tease them a little, but since I came as an official delegation and couldn’t behave like elementary school students, I had to be polite.
“Yes that’s right. Count. hello? “This is Marquis Peter von Jaeger, who has come with us on this mission.”
“Oh, I can’t believe the Marquis, who showed heroic action on Richen Hill, would come to such a remote place. “It is an honor that we, the Count of Ticino family, can be proud of for generations.”
“I am so glad that the Count welcomed me so kindly.”
As a diplomatic convention, when you meet someone who has fought fair and square at least once, it is polite to say that you admired the other person’s bravery in war.
There is an exception to this, and that is when one side defeats the other too miserably.
During my retreat from Richen Hill, I suffered only 2,000 casualties (8,000 to 100,000) and destroyed the enemy forces by nearly 5 times.
After winning so overwhelmingly, I thought, ‘Wow! The mercenaries of the Principality of Switzerland are very strong.’ Because saying this is just teasing.
“I would like to treat a banquet to the delegation that visited the Principality of Switzerland, especially the Canton of Ticino. Our chef miscalculated the time, so it will take some time until the dishes are ready. “Can you please understand?”
At those words, the faces of the other members of the delegation, including Viscount Hüsler, instantly crumpled.
It was a great diplomatic discourtesy to not be able to prepare the food on time even though we had sent a dispatch several hours in advance to inform them of the arrival of our delegation.
This is because it is an act of blatant disregard for the Reich Empire.
But now we have to regretfully ask them to cause a civil unrest, so we must understand and move on.
If a civil war breaks out later, you will have to pay thousands of times more for this, so you can ignore it for now.
“How long do you think it will take for the food to be served, Count?”
“Well it will probably take about two hours. “I am truly sorry.”
“No, sometimes things like this happen. “Then, if you don’t mind, how about we discuss diplomatic issues first until the meal is served and then enjoy the meal and banquet in peace?”
The Count nodded at my words.
“I’ll take you to a room inside. Please follow me.”
Following those words, I took a step forward and thought for a moment more about how to persuade that man.
As he sat down on the sofa in the room at the Count’s invitation, Count Ticino began to show an annoyed look, as if he had no intention of hiding his displeasure any longer.
It seemed like he was trying hard not to show it on his face, but if you listened closely, you could hear a small sound of teeth grinding together.
“So, what brings you here, Count? As the Count wanted, the ambassador of our principality also concluded five years of peace negotiations. “Is there still anything you would like from His Majesty the Duke of Switzerland?”
I wanted to say that it would be best if you at least rebelled, but when you move from dating to marriage, you start by holding hands.
If you get straight to the point of instigating a civil war, the plans you have prepared so far will quickly go to waste.
So I shook my head to show my sincerity that I didn’t have those feelings.
“I have come to establish a firmer alliance with the Principality of Switzerland. “I also came to express my condolences for the unfortunate death of Count Bern, who put me and your Majesty in a corner during the previous expedition to Switzerland.”
Chivalry is deeply rooted in the minds of nobles on the continent of Europa.
Therefore, even if the parents are enemies, it is polite to politely welcome them as guests when they come to pay their respects as a knight.
Maybe that’s why when I said this, the angry look on Count Ticino’s face suddenly subsided.
“Of course, in the Reich Empire’s view, there was no one as powerful and evil as him. According to the analysis of the Imperial General Staff under the premise that there was no 7th Guards Division that risked their lives like me and fought, there was a high probability that His Majesty, who was the Crown Prince at the time, would have been captured there. “Only now, looking back, can I look back and see that it was truly a fierce battle, but at the time, I despaired over and over again that I and His Highness the Crown Prince might just die.”
In front of the imperial soldiers, he only showed a bright and confident appearance, saying that he could do anything, but the reality was a little different.
I felt that my body was slowly breaking down because I was at the vanguard and fought from morning to evening every day.
I cried silently as I watched the soldiers who had trusted me and followed me die miserably, and my heart continued to shake with anxiety as to whether I would be able to return alive.
The Count’s anger seemed to have disappeared when I suddenly revealed my true feelings.
So I looked closely at the expression on his face and it seemed like he would listen to my story for now.
“From the perspective of the Principality of Switzerland, since I, who practically commanded the imperial army until the end, felt such a crisis, it was probably an opportunity to subjugate not only my subject, but also His Majesty. And to create this opportunity, Count Bern risked his life for three years while living in the empire and providing false information. I’m sure you must have felt anxious living every day, as if you were walking on a single tightrope. Even in such a situation, I highly value his persistence, bravery, and determination, risking his life to win victory over the empire, and I deeply want to emulate them.”
Everything I am saying right now is sincere, from first to last.
Although it is an enemy army, how great is it?
In order to inflict defeat on the Reich Empire for the sake of the victory of his country, Switzerland, the noble count acted as a traitor for three years, risking his life to deceive the Chief of Staff and the imperial family.
As the saying goes, sincerity communicates, Count Ticino spoke in a quite friendly manner, unlike when we first met.
“Since the Marquis said that, Vern must have let go of his resentment.”
When he said that, his voice expressed his gratitude towards me for expressing my condolences to Bern, but at the same time, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the lord who had purged his friend who had done nothing wrong.
If we push a little further here, it seems we can influence Count Ticino’s heart and induce a civil war.
Still, you have to tap on the stone bridge to cross it, so let’s check just one more time.
“But no matter how much I think about it, I cannot understand the behavior of His Royal Highness the Duke of Switzerland. “How can you purge a vassal who risked his life and went undercover for three years by holding him accountable for the expedition to Switzerland?”
It is normal for an ordinary subject to react like this immediately when he insults his lord.
‘No matter what, you are not saying too harshly! If you flutter your snout anymore and insult my lord, I will kill you!’
However, instead of getting angry at my words, the count just clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palms and bled. He didn’t refute.
No, he nodded as if he agreed.
When I saw that, I cheered in my heart.
Because at this point, it was almost like we were over it.
“Besides, this type of purge is difficult at first, but becomes really easy later. Don’t you know? The current Duchy of Switzerland will find it difficult to export mercenaries, making the national economy increasingly more difficult. “Next time, won’t you try to solve the country’s difficult situation by blaming another vassal like you did this time?”
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