NOVEL WEB Chapter 43
Chapter 43: The Royal Council Meeting (Part 1)
About two weeks had passed since Giorg reported to King Alzeis and the meeting took place.
During this time, Demitul, the former Crown Prince of the now-defunct Gildolq Kingdom, sought asylum in the royal castle of the Galveit Kingdom, a neighboring nation.
King Alzeis warmly welcomed Demitul and his entourage, allowing them to reside in the royal castle for the time being.
However, King Alzeis refrained from making any promises of cooperation and instead decided to discuss the matter further.
The attendees of this royal council meeting included King Alzeis, Crown Prince Ilzam, Prime Minister Duke Fizir, Finance Minister Marquess Dival, Protector of the Realm Marquess Leparendas, and Giorg, making a total of six participants.
“Now, the reason I’ve gathered you all here today is none other than to discuss the treatment of Demitul, the former Crown Prince of the Gildolq Kingdom.”
With King Alzeis’ words, the royal council meeting began.
“Marquess Zafing, explain the information you’ve gathered.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Responding to King Alzeis’ command, Giorg stood up and bowed respectfully.
“First, please understand that the Gildolq Kingdom has already fallen.”
The attendees nodded at Giorg’s words. Given the current situation, it was a shared understanding that the Gildolq Kingdom had already met its end. The king and queen had been executed, and the former Crown Prince Demitul had fled into exile, which clearly indicated the kingdom’s collapse. Whether it could be rebuilt now depended on future developments.
“Secondly, please recognize that King Jilvol of the Zabeil Kingdom is an extremely dangerous man.”
“Hoh… So Marquess Zafing, you believe he’s dangerous? Do you have evidence to support this?”
Crown Prince Ilzam questioned Giorg, who nodded in response.
“Yes, Your Highness. As you’ve pointed out, there is evidence.”
“Very well, let’s hear it.”
“There are three reasons.”
The attendees nodded again. Stating that there were three reasons was a basic tactic to ensure everyone paid attention.
“The first reason is the strength of the Zabeil Military. They annihilated the Gildolq Kingdom in just six months. This is an abnormally fast pace. According to reports from my subordinates, their supply lines were never disrupted during this time. This indicates that they had meticulously planned and flawlessly executed their strategy.”
The attendees nodded once more, with Marquess Leparendas, the Protector of the Realm, nodding particularly emphatically. As the person responsible for military operations, Marquess Leparendas understood the importance of supply lines and the necessity of planning for their potential disruption. The fact that the Zabeil Kingdom’s supply lines remained intact for six months demonstrated their exceptional capabilities.
“Marquess Zafing, were there any signs that the Zabeil Kingdom’s supply lines might collapse afterward?”
Giorg paused for a moment to consider Marquess Leparendas’ question.
(The Zabeil Kingdom’s supply units were fast, and their provisions were abundant. They could likely sustain themselves for at least a year.)
“No, I believe their supplies will remain uninterrupted for at least a year.”
“I see… My apologies for interrupting. Everyone, please excuse me.”
“Not at all, Protector of the Realm. Your interest is understandable. I, too, recognize that the Zabeil Kingdom’s economic power is not to be underestimated… Even after destroying a kingdom, they still have reserves.”
At this point, Finance Minister Marquess Dival spoke up with a solemn expression. His tone carried clear caution.
No one in the room could fail to understand Marquess Dival’s concern. Zabeil, once a regional power, had used its military might to overthrow the Gildolq Kingdom, which had far more extensive territory, and still possessed the national strength to support such actions.
“The second reason is my judgment that they are seeking interference from other nations during this turmoil.”
Giorg’s next statement caused the attendees to look puzzled.
“What do you mean by seeking interference from other nations?”
Crown Prince Ilzam’s question clearly reflected the thoughts of everyone present.
“The Zabeil Kingdom has not taken control of the territories after expelling the former ruling central nobles.”
“We know that. They’re likely trying to gain support as protectors by restoring order after the chaos and social collapse caused by the new rulers, right? But if foreign nations interfere, that plan would fall apart.”
The attendees nodded in agreement with Crown Prince Ilzam’s opinion.
“I initially thought the same as Your Highness. However, after receiving further information, my perspective has changed.”
At this point, all eyes turned to Giorg. This was a moment that showcased the extent of Giorg’s information network.
By presenting this information, Giorg demonstrated his usefulness, knowing it would benefit both the Zafing Marquess House and his subordinates.
Of course, he had already reported this to King Alzeis beforehand. Giorg had a keen sense of balance in these matters.
“First, they have secured key points along the former kingdom’s highways. This means they can deploy troops anywhere in the former territories at any time, indicating their intent to control those lands. Additionally, among the masses of our Galveit Kingdom, there is growing discontent. People are asking why we haven’t sent troops to intervene, as they believe we could gain benefits by doing so.”
“What?”
“Not only Your Highness, but I’m sure everyone here is surprised. However, it’s unlikely that such calls for intervention would arise naturally.”
“So, you’re saying someone is inciting this?”
“Yes. It’s likely orchestrated by King Jilvol.”
“So, the former Crown Prince’s asylum is part of his plan?”
Giorg nodded in response to Crown Prince Ilzam’s words.
“The fact that the king and queen were executed, and only the Crown Prince successfully sought asylum here in Galveit, suggests that King Jilvol facilitated his escape.”
“So, King Jilvol is trying to provoke foreign intervention, eliminate it, and then establish himself as the protector?”
“Yes. The people of the former Gildolq Kingdom would find it easier to accept the Zabeil Kingdom, as they are fellow countrymen, rather than foreign nations. And if foreign powers do intervene, they will undoubtedly be labeled as villains.”
Giorg’s confident words left the attendees with puzzled expressions.
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