Episode 638 The Egoist (3)
Celia’s royal family was hit hard by the severance of business by the half-man merchant group.
The merchants, which had been running smoothly until yesterday, began to suffer one by one, and now, less than a day later, the number has decreased.
It seems that the majesty of the top of the continent is not disappearing anywhere.
I thought I would respond, but I didn’t know that I would open a strong attack to this extent.
The nobles of the kingdom sat around the round table, sobbing.
The marquis, who was sitting in the most prestigious seat, looked around the audience.
“I think everyone knows what happened to the kingdom.”
Calm but strong tone.
It was as if he was scolding the other nobles.
To that, Earl Sylder, who was normally against the saint’s establishment in the kingdom, replied in a crawling voice.
“Obviously, the upper half of the half man suddenly blocked the deal.”
The Marquis shook his head slowly.
“It’s not ‘suddenly’. It must be retaliation against us for not stopping the Leven Mercenary Corps from sending out.”
“that! How can you plan revenge even though you are not thankful for being granted the vast territory of the principality!”
“Seriously Count Sylder. To be honest, the territory is vast, but isn’t it a place made up of unexplored land? Furthermore, although it is said that it is a principality that has been granted independent rule by His Majesty the King, it is also true that we all pretended not to know.”
“Are you saying that we should just leave the current tyranny alone? Isn’t it too much to do with the upper management behind!”
Earl Sylder spoke passionately as if he had just seized a good opportunity.
“Are all the saints of the Holy Land at work? No matter how much Celia received help, isn’t there such a thing as a degree! The fact that such a strong stance of blocking trade is evidently an intention to reject diplomacy between kingdoms! Even so, do we really have to risk our lives on the saint!
The cry made the Marquis’s head ache.
‘He became the head of the household at a young age, and he is still swayed by his emotions.’
In his opinion, Earl Sylder’s eloquence was nothing more than an empty echo that was useless to anyone.
Diplomacy is real.
It won’t do you any good to think emotionally, and your relationship won’t get any better if it’s just about self-interest.
That’s how you have to be able to get on the line and quickly notice what the other person wants and be able to start negotiations.
However, if the target is a foreign country, the saint is an exception.
Even if only one magic tool he showed at the banquet comes in right away, Celia transforms into a continental superpower.
If he becomes his strength, he can avoid a fair amount of war, and if he shows off his friendship with Celia on the front line, other small kingdoms will take care of themselves.
It is said that the saint’s position cannot be ignored.
Even so, it was truly lamentable that the Count was still soaked in ambition and could not distinguish an inch in front of him.
The Marquis dissuaded Earl Shielder and said.
“It is not an easy decision to make. Now that the link between the kingdoms has been severed, other kingdoms see this as a good opportunity. If we make a mistake, we will be helping the growth of other countries while giving up only the principality.”
“Cilia is a great country. I am not weak enough to have to hide in the shadow of a saint.”
Tired of the endless objections, the Marquis finally touched his forehead.
“You fool. Even the Lessian Empire is showing off their friendship with the saint. If there are two things we are ahead of the Empire, the first is that we are actively conducting trade with the Halfman Merchant as an intermediary trading nation, and the second is that we have a friendship that goes beyond the Empire as the home country of the saint.”
Do you get a sore throat while talking?
The Marquis, who gulped the tea like drinking water, continued.
“But what about now? Contact with the Hafman Merchant has been cut off, and even the friendship that could be established under the name of hometown has faded. This means that the goodwill we were receiving for granted in many places, knowingly or unknowingly, is disappearing.”
“It is a shoot that should have been cut off at some point. This may be an opportunity for Celia to develop further.”
“You don’t even know one, but you’re trying to understand two. At the beginning of Celia’s growth, the Holy Son was always present. Connecting the Hafman Merchant and the Bone Kingdom, helping when it was damaged by a disaster, learning how to grow crops effectively, and even destroying the Devil’s Palace are all things the current saint did.”
The Marquis put an end there.
“Cilia isn’t as powerful as you thought. It was just the kingdom closest to the saint.”
Those words were not directed only at Count Silder.
He didn’t say anything and didn’t come out, but he was a doctor who showed himself to everyone who disapproved of the saint.
After talking that far, Earl Silder stopped talking.
Apparently, rather than being convinced, it seems that he just kept his mouth shut because he couldn’t argue with the Marquis’ opinion any longer.
before the atmosphere around them gets darker.
The Marquis wanted to move on to the main subject in a hurry.
“We need to come up with measures. It is true that the Bone Kingdom knew about the departure of the Leven mercenary corps but did not stop it.”
Originally, it was not such a big issue, but the attitude of the upper half of the top half was stronger than expected.
Is it a simsan to set an example?
It made my stomach ache just to see them cut off deals overnight and open deals with other countries as if to show off.
Viscount Gayman, who had an acquaintance with the saint, cautiously expressed his opinion.
“I’m sorry, but I think it would be better to apologize honestly. Even the Holy Son will turn a blind eye to one mistake.”
Marquis Hana shook her head again at those words.
The damage is too great to be called a mistake.
Although it was a duchy that was forcibly occupied by goblins, a battle with skilled mercenaries would have been fatal to them.
Besides, the relationship between the saint and the goblin seems to be good, so it’s literally like a fire has fallen in the foot.
In the view of the Marquis, this was not something that could be resolved by a sincere apology.
“Even if you apologize, shouldn’t you think of compensation? Of course, most of the responsibility will be borne by the Leven mercenaries, but we must keep that in mind as well.”
“It’s a reward…”
“But the war was caused by the Leven Mercenaries. Until we ask for compensation…”
When faced with a practical problem, the aristocrats shrank little by little.
“Didn’t we say that we also have some responsibility? It was they who started the war, but we obviously overlooked the news of the dispatch. It is not something that can be easily overlooked.”
“Kuhm.”
“Umm…”
There were saliva flowing here and there.
It is self-evident that any reward directed to a saint, not to anyone else, would not be small.
It would have reached a point where the royal family’s funds alone would be burdensome.
In that case, there was a possibility that he would have to raise funds from the nobles.
I don’t know if it’s someone else’s money, but I don’t want to spend my own money, so the nobles put their heads together.
It is unlikely that there will be even one sharp number.
They finally realized they had no choice but to apologize in accordance with Viscount Gayman’s opinion.
“If I can change my relationship with the saint, I can’t help it.”
“I agree too. The Messenger of God will surely be merciful.”
If you apologize with a small ‘compensation’, I will definitely accept it.
They still easily see the seriousness of the work.
I don’t even know what the guy who gave me rice cakes was thinking.
* * *
Ray searched all over the territory and found the guards.
More than half of them were already seriously injured.
So-young and Hong-yeong are the ones who are fine.
There are only two people.
Could it be because Hongyoung was fed the potion?
It seemed that he had recovered a lot, but in Soyoung’s case, it was not.
“…”
He kept his mouth shut and looked in despair, but he couldn’t forgive himself for leaving his comrades behind on the battlefield without asking why.
Soonbok, who guided Sandal safely to the principality, intervened without notice.
-This is a complete invoice.
Just like that.
Soyoung’s eyes were black and dead.
It seemed like I would become an idiot if I left it like this for a little while longer.
Ray tapped her helplessly on the shoulder.
“Soyoung.”
“….”
She, who would normally have immediately knelt down and replied, did not respond.
It’s like they’re dead.
“So-young…”
Hong-young looked at her sadly.
‘I do not have time. If we leave it as it is, the devils may run away.’
Even though the incense was buried, it could not fulfill its role if the distance was widened to a certain extent.
There was no time to hesitate now, when he had to earn a mountain and work hard on clearing the territory.
“Hongyoung. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. But…”
“There is something I need to do. Please.”
“…”
Hongyoung glanced at Soyoung.
Eyes still unresponsive.
There was no longer any vitality to be found in those two eyes full of disillusionment with oneself.
Hongyoung turned her head away and got down on one knee.
“Hongyoung takes orders.”
with horses.
Hongyoung’s new model disappears as if it melts into the surroundings.
‘It’s kind.’
Maybe it was to make room for Soyoung.
Ray also quietly left the room.
Talking about it any longer doesn’t make it any better.
In the end, So-young has no choice but to overcome the current problem on her own.
Hana Rei before closing the visit completely.
I stared at the uniform.
Not knowing why, Soonbok looked around and asked questions with eyes full of questions, but he didn’t hear an answer.
Only the gaze filled with unspoken pressure glared at Subok.
When the two left the room, Soonbok scratched his head and sighed.
How did he get to the point where he had to interfere with mere human emotions?
Somehow, the more I hang out with that guy who doesn’t seem like the owner, the more I feel like I’m not myself.
Soon-bok, who sighed a couple more times with his feet shaking, opened his mouth.
-Struggling to live is the same as any life. My mind is worn out just by running away once or twice. This is why they are weak beings.
“….”
– Well, there was a time like that for me too. Just stay there and listen.
Soonbok’s eyes began to sink unresponsively.
