Chapter 414: The Silver Cross


    Fourth Prince of the Adracia Empire, Traugott Lakes Adler, pleased to make your acquaintance. Id like to extend my wee to you, Your Highness Marianne. Our Empire wees you as our guest.


    While disying a graceful bow, Trau-niisan greeted Marianne.


    Since hes the kind of person that can aplish most things if he gets motivated, theres no surprise here. At least for me.


    The Imperial Knights including Elna all squint their eyes at this sudden transformation though.


    Thank you for weing me. I am the Princess of the Dominion, Marianne.


    You must be tired from your long journey. We have prepared a room for you. Please take your time and rest.


    I am fineif His Majesty the Emperor is not currently busy, Id like to request an audience first.


    I see. Then I will inform His Majesty so. This Traugott will be by your side during your stay in the Imperial Capital. If you encounter any problem at all, please feel free to call me. But first, please allow me to guide you to your room. After that, I will go inform His Majesty about the audience.


    Saying so, Trau-niisan smiles and guides Marianne to her room.


    That was perfect.


    Hey, Al. Did His Highness Traugott eat something strangetely?


    Hes still the Crown Princes younger brother you know? He can do that much no problem.


    But when he led the army in the west, he wasnt that good though?


    He is not the kind of person that can get motivated while leading an army after all.


    He is motivated right now?


    It seems so.


    Why so suddenly:


    To be direct, I think that it is in his nature to be kind to young girls.


    Kind..?


    Dont think too much about it.


    While we were having such a conversation, we parted ways from Trau-niisan and Marianne.


    We have our own destination.


    Now thenlets go get me a sermon.


    Muttering so, I headed to the Throne Room.


    Warden of the North, Seventh Prince, Arnold Lakes Adler has returned, Your Imperial Majesty.


    Umu.


    When I raised my face, I saw my fathers face for the first time after a long time.


    Did he lose a little weight?


    Is he eating properly? He properly kept saying that hes busy and skipped his meals again.


    What a difficult person.


    When I was thinking so, Father narrowed his eyes at me.


    You dont seem to reflect on your action huh?


    I am reflecting.


    At least make it believeab..


    Its true. But I do not regret it. I did what I thought was necessary for the Empire. However, I also think that it was a careless act as well. I am sorry. For making you worried.


    When I said that and bowed to Father, he stayed silent for a while.


    After a while, a long sigh echoed inside the Throne Room.


    .I was nning to give you a sermon once you came back.


    I am prepared for it.


    Seriously..I will let this go given your recent achievements. Your work on uniting the northern aristocrats, the military efforts you made, and how you stabilized the north were truly amazing. Im sorry for pushing the north and the matter of Lizelotte into your hand. I am d that you managed to solve them as expected of my son.


    Surprisingly, I was not angrily shouted at.


    Instead, I was showered with praises.


    After Father finished talking, the Prime Minister who was standing at his side approached me.


    In recognition of your achievements so far, I bestow Seventh Prince Arnold with the Imperial Silver Cross Medal. You have done well.


    The Imperial Silver Cross is one of the three medals.


    There are Bronze Cross, Silver Cross, and the Gold Cross.


    The Bronze Cross was given to Viscount Reba von Sitterheim as a tribute for thete Earl Sitterheim.


    It is something that you can not obtain unless you rue a certain amount of achievements in the Empire.


    That is how difficult it is to even obtain the lowest rank Bronze Cross while you are alive. The Silver Cross is even more difficult.


    As for how difficult it is, even Lize-aneue herself only obtained one when she was promoted to the rank of Marshal.


    Obviously, with her many previous achievements considered.


    That is too much for me. I can not ept.


    I know how you feel. The Brave also praised your work. Take it.


    Father muttered with a bitter smile.


    There, I finally realized his intention.


    I see. This is to direct the enemys attention from Leo to me huh.


    Receiving such a thing before Leo would have a negative effect on our faction. However, it is a brilliant move to make the enemy aware of me.


    The Prime Minister really doesnt pull any stops in making me a decoy huh.


    If that is the case..I dly ept.


    The medal will also raise your status. Your achievements so far should lessen the number of people who want toin about it.


    Forgive me, I dont understand what you want to say?


    I tried to avoid the subject.


    Of course, I understand what he is trying to do.


    The Brave himself also suggested that after all.


    I want to ally ourselves with the Dominion. Not just make them a puppet state.


    I think that would be wise.


    But I cant leave everything in Princess Mariannes hands. Thats why I am thinking of marrying her with one of the Imperial Princes. You are my first candidate, Arnold.


    I do not think that the people of the Dominion would ept me. After all, I was the one who ordered the invasion.


    To save them. You also showed them how you saved Princess Marianne. They should not object to this marriage.


    Good grief.


    So its a political talk after all, seriously.


    If you want to secure them as our ally, its best to have the king be someone trustworthy from the Imperial Family. This way, we can create blood ties as well.


    However, in the current Imperial Family, only a few can be trusted.


    It is inevitable that I would be the first candidate.


    .please give me some time to think.


    Dont take too long. The messenger has just arrived. It seems that Lizelotte has defeated most of the Dominion army. There are few resistances left to our invasion. Once we thoroughly suppressed them, Princess Marianne will be returned to her home country. You have until then.


    Yes.Father, no, Your Majesty. However, I do have a separate suggestion unrted to this matter.


    What is it?


    This is also a promise I made with the Brave.


    I should say it while we are talking about the Dominion.


    Once we take over the Dominion, I am thinking of reinvestigating the death of the Crown Prince.


    what could digging deeper benefit us now?


    We need the truth. There is no need to let the citizens know. I will conduct the investigation in secret.


    I will think about it.


    Saying so, Father stands up from the throne.


    After seeing him off, I also stood up.


    With this, I would immediately be regarded as the most dangerous person by the enemy.


    Well, its not a bad thing.


    The more conspicuous I am, the safer Leo bes.


    For that sake, I should agree to move to the Dominion but..I wonder what I should do.