Sword Emperor, Becoming the Young Lady of a Viscount House

Chapter 64: The Calm Before the Storm (2)

“Your Excellency! It is the Marquis of Ardeltaine.”

A resolute voice was heard.

The Duke of Arvanceco, who had been handling simple tasks, raised his head and spoke.

“Let him in.”

-Creak.

“Excuse me.”

The Marquis of Ardeltaine removed his large coat and fedora, placing them neatly aside.

“What brings you here? …At such a late hour. Without notice.”

The Duke lifted his head. His clear eyes captured the Marquis.

The Marquis of Ardeltaine was a man both outwardly and inwardly strong.

Even within the Kingdom of Krapos, where tall stature was the norm, he stood out as exceptionally large.

Easily exceeding two meters in height, he had broad shoulders and a sturdy build.

However, his graying hair hinted at his considerable age.

“I came because I am frustrated. Frustrated.”

He loosened a few buttons on his shirt as if the heat was genuinely bothering him.

Roughly sitting on the sofa, he clasped his hands atop his knees.

“Your Excellency.”

The Marquis’s gaze carried the weight of a demand.

The Duke of Arvanceco sighed and rose from his chair in the office.

The Arvanceco and Ardeltaine families had a long-standing relationship.

The two families had always maintained good ties, and tracing the Marquis of Ardeltaine’s lineage would reveal that they had once been direct guardian knights of the Arvanceco family.

In other words, they shared a perpetual bond.

However, it was less of a rigid eternal bond and more akin to a close friendship due to the trust and affection built over time.

“You seem to have a lot of complaints again.”

“…You know, don’t you?”

The Marquis of Ardeltaine growled, his eyes asking what the Duke could possibly not understand.

“Why did you say that earlier?”

“…What are you referring to?”

“At the council meeting, you only said one thing. That one remark. What else could it mean?”

“……”

-“It is a war we must fight.”

The elders had all opposed the war.

They judged that victory was impossible without the strength of the Empire.

Under normal circumstances, there might have been a lengthy debate to somehow persuade the Crown Prince to reconsider.

Luel was brilliant, but his political influence was weak.

By emphasizing justification and honor, they might have turned his decision.

However.

By throwing his support behind the Crown Prince’s decision, the Duke of Arvanceco had tipped the scales.

“You know, don’t you? This is a war that will leave only wounds. Even if we win! The variables are beyond imagination!”

The Marquis of Ardeltaine had thought deeply.

The enemy had two Masters secured under their control.

On their side, they had no countermeasures for the control device and only one Master, Carde.

Victory seemed impossible.

Even if by some miraculous chance they won, problems would arise.

Could it truly remain a secret from the Empire that Central possessed a control device?

Even if it wasn’t immediately known, it would inevitably be revealed during the course of the war.

At that point, the Empire would strongly interrogate Krapos.

Why hadn’t they reported this earlier?

Could it be that they were betraying the Empire? Or, perhaps… were they colluding with the enemy?

The outcome would be one of two.

War with the Empire or offering enormous amounts of gold and silver to appease the enraged Emperor.

War with the Empire?

An absurd notion.

Without a doubt, Krapos would be obliterated in half a day.

The Four Knights of the Empire alone would be sufficient for annihilation.

This left them with no choice but to pay compensation.

But draining the national treasury after a war had just concluded?

It would be a death sentence.

And Carde had to know this fact.

He was called a wise man.

“Our family serves the royal family. That is all.”

Even so, Carde answered calmly.

The Marquis suppressed his anger and asked.

“…What matters most to you, Your Excellency? Krapos or the Krapos Royal Family?”

Without the slightest hesitation, the Duke of Arvanceco answered.

“The royal family.”

“…! Your Excellency!”

“The Arvanceco family follows. His Highness desires war. So, we follow.”

That was the Arvanceco rule.

Carde added quietly.

His attitude was resolute.

The Marquis trembled with frustration.

“Your Excellency! How could you say such a thing! Ultimately, the royal family exists because of Krapos!”

“Calm down.”

Carde gazed at the Marquis calmly.

“When someone of your size yells, it’s intimidating.”

“Your Excellency!”

As if signaling the end of the conversation, he rose without hesitation.

He strolled slowly toward the window to take in the scenery.

The Marquis of Ardeltaine, unable to speak for a moment, eventually spoke cautiously.

“…Are you aware that His Highness might suffer from obsessive tendencies?”

“……”

“He displays excessive hostility toward the Empire. He wasn’t like this when he was younger, but these days, merely mentioning the Empire sends him into fits. The kingdom that turns its back on the Empire faces only destruction. At this rate, Krapos will……”

Carde said nothing.

The Marquis patiently waited for a response.

After a brief silence, Carde spoke in a quiet voice.

“Perhaps we could win.”

“Why are you saying this too, Your Excellency? Enough. I was a fool to expect anything from you. It’s irritating.”

The Marquis stormed off, unable to hide his anger, heading for the door with heavy steps.

Just as he was about to turn the doorknob, Carde spoke.

“Bruce Ardeltaine.”

“Do you have something to say?”

Carde gazed endlessly out the window.

He recalled the words of his stubborn nephew from earlier.

-“The signs of war are ominous.”

With a faint smile, he chuckled.

An excuse like that was rather convincing.

It was quite good for the vocabulary of a sixteen-year-old.

“I did not support His Highness merely to follow him.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Because there is a high possibility of winning the war.

And regarding the Empire, there is a solution.”

“…!”

The Marquis’s eyes widened.

“So, you did have a plan.”

He approached Carde excitedly.

“What is it?”

-“Selling a god? Blasphemy!”

The line he had read earlier at the banquet crossed his mind.

Carde gave a faint smile.

“The signs of war are favorable.”

“What does that mean…!”

At that moment.

-Thud!

“…?”

“……”

“Pa, Papa.”

The door shattered, and Beatrice and Airy tumbled in.

“Ha ha. You mischievous little ones. Were you eavesdropping again?”

The Marquis, who had just been scolding Carde harshly, now spoke kindly to Airy and Beatrice.

In truth, it was difficult to be angry with those two.

“…I’m sorry.”

“By the way, is this child the daughter of the Cenci family?”

“Yes.”

Beatrice drank the cold tea she had been holding.

‘How embarrassing.’

It was her honest impression.

To get caught eavesdropping.

…And it was all Carde’s fault.

His voice was so soft that she had to bring her ear closer, which led to this situation.

“Be, Beatrice, are you okay?”

Airy looked at Beatrice with worried eyes.

Beatrice nodded in response.

“I’m not made of glass.”

When they tumbled earlier, Beatrice had ended up under Airy.

Fortunately, Airy was light, so Beatrice hadn’t been injured.

Then, Bruno, who had been quietly observing Beatrice, spoke up.

“Miss Cenci, I read your report.”

“…Yes.”

Beatrice, too embarrassed to even lift her head, suddenly seemed to remember something.

She straightened her posture and said boldly.

“If you’ve read it, you must know that I’m competent.”

It was a remarkable display of quick wit.

“……”

Her confident response created a brief moment of silence.

“Hahaha!”

Bruno Ardeltaine laughed loudly.

He seemed somewhat exhilarated.

Even grown men often shrank before him, but this tiny girl’s boldness delighted him.

“Yes, you’re right.

None of the elders predicted what you did.

You’re more capable than they are—no, more capable than me.”

Beatrice replied as if she had been waiting for this.

“Then please send me to the front lines immediately…”

“But what’s with that bandage?”

Beatrice subtly moved one hand behind her back and replied.

“It’s nothing.”

“…Doesn’t seem like nothing.”

“It’s nothing.”

“……”

Carde chuckled and said.

“I’ve never heard of shattered bones being nothing before.”

Bruno’s eyes widened.

“Shattered bones? What happened?”

“It’s the price of her remarkable performance in this recent incident.

She saved many lives, though unfortunately, it seems she couldn’t save her own wrist.”

“Ho, during a situation where the control device was active?”

“Yes! ‘Our’ Beatrice managed to take down as many as thirty!”

Airy boasted as if it were her own accomplishment.

“Thirty, you say? Ha, remarkable.”

Bruno’s eyes widened in genuine amazement.

‘It was 20.’

However, Beatrice didn’t bother correcting it.

Her principle was that achievements and reputations were better when exaggerated.

[Young Beatrice is truly shameless.]

Solid, as always, was quick to throw in his criticism.

At that moment, Beatrice briefly met Carde’s gaze.

For some reason, he gave a vague smile and turned his attention back to his tea.

“…?”

Beatrice found it odd but dismissed it as nothing.

“Well, now that you’ve heard it, you should understand.”

Bruno lowered his raised lips and asked seriously.

“What do you think about this war?”

Normally, he would never have asked their opinion.

What value could the words of children possibly hold?

But not now.

It was wartime.

No longer children, they were noble representatives of Krapos who had to participate in the war.

“Uh, …well, actually.”

Airy looked at Beatrice nervously.

Beatrice pondered.

‘The Empire. I didn’t anticipate such a variable.’

This wasn’t part of her plan.

The control device didn’t matter to her.

She even considered it an advantage.

From Beatrice’s perspective, armed with numerous modern strategies, it wasn’t a bad thing.

Besides, most people here relied on spirits and mana.

Having obtained such mediums, they neglected minor skills like swordsmanship in this era.

Beatrice, therefore, had no doubt. She wouldn’t lose.

By teaching her soldiers efficient swordsmanship and continuing natural training, she was confident of victory.

However.

A war that would bring trouble even in victory.

This was beyond her calculations.

‘…This is why higher status is necessary. Being merely a viscount’s daughter has its limits.’

Currently, she was in no position to obtain quality information.

What good were rumors about her skills?

A young age and pretty appearance.

In war, these were all disadvantageous factors.

No matter how she thought about it, there was only one method.

She had to prove her competence through the war.

If she could deliver definite results, she would gain the status and position to match.

The Crown Prince himself had promised as much.

Yet now, she was beginning to realize it was impossible.

Her wrist could be patched up for fighting, but…

‘That old man will never let me go.’

The Duke of Arvanceco, that old-fashioned man, seemed determined to confine her until her wrist healed.

‘…I’ll need to persuade someone more reasonable first.’

Proving her competence.

It was a difficult task.

But giving up without even trying was unthinkable.

“My knowledge is limited, so I might make an ill-considered statement. Is that alright?”

“Ha ha. Of course, you’re just a young lady.

Children your age would normally be enjoying tea at this time.

It’s commendable enough that you’re involved in the war.

Now, speak your thoughts freely.”

The information she had was only from what she had overheard briefly.

That background made various things come to mind.

In these situations, international politics were crucial.

A delicate balancing act was required.

However, Beatrice had no idea how many nations existed on this continent or what the balance of power was like.

So politics were out.

Anything uncertain or difficult for medieval people to grasp was also out.

That left one thing.

“Resources.”

“…Resources?”

“Yes. If we stockpile overwhelming resources, enough for the Empire to accept, we can resolve this.

Additionally, providing quality supplies to regular soldiers, ensuring they can fight effectively even with the control device activated, would increase our chances of victory.”

‘Do what can be done.’

If she couldn’t participate in the battlefield, she had to build trust through another route.

Beatrice was in a hurry to rise in the world.

For that, she needed to find something she could do in this situation.

Apart from her skill with the sword, there was one other thing she excelled at.

She intended to use it.

The justification was there.

“Hmm, that’s reasonable.

It’s not a bad strategy.

But Miss Cenci, Krapos recently went through a major civil war, and the treasury is empty.

It’s already risky enough with one war.

How could we possibly gather resources to satisfy the Empire?

We can’t even afford to arm our soldiers with proper weapons.”

If Krapos had abundant wealth, this wouldn’t even be an issue to worry about.

“…My family is closely tied to finance.

Moreover, I was educated in this field growing up.”

Bruno looked at Beatrice with a gaze of disbelief.

“Don’t tell me… You’re saying you’ll earn it yourself? The war funds and the resources to appease the Empire?”

-Nod.

Beatrice nodded emotionlessly.

Indeed.

Her talent outside of combat.

It was her modern knowledge.

Beatrice planned to use it to make money.

…Recovering her wrist would be a bonus.

“You probably won’t believe me. That’s natural.

But I’m not someone who enjoys making empty promises.

I’ll show you only through results.”

Beatrice hammered her point home.

“Just like the report I submitted a few weeks ago.”