Chapter 513


    Chapter 513: Southern Border Defense Army


    On the northern side of the Duchy of Albatro, near the southern border of the Empire, there was a fort built by the Empire. The fort, filled with tens of thousands of border defense soldiers, was so robust that it could not be overtaken by the Duchy of Albatro.


    "Fortmander, it''s here."


    The man in charge of this fort was General nert, themander of the border defense army. Over sixty years old and with over forty years of battle experience, he was one of the longest-serving members of the Imperial Army. nert enjoyed gazing out from the fort.


    "Oh, Prince Diethelm."


    "Stop with the ''Prince.'' I''m a Duke now."


    "Hahaha, to me, you''ll always be a prince."


    nert was once a general who had made a name for himself in the capital. He had gone to battle alongside the Emperor many times and had instructed Diethelm, Al''s uncle, in swordsmanship and military tactics when he was still a prince.


    "You haven''t changed, you know."


    "Have you changed, Your Imperial Highness?"


    "Somewhat. After realizing that I wasn''t suitable for the throne, I desperately pushed for my brother to take it. My brother offered me various positions, but I declined. I was fed up with power struggles."


    "Do you regret it?"


    "Yes, I do. If I had stayed in the Imperial Capital... I might have been able to make things a bit easier for my brother."


    Retired, Diethelm had been watching the changes in the Empire. The information flowing to him was disturbing. Still, capable people served his brother. He believed that if he acted, it would only cause unnecessary chaos. That, and the lifestyle of spending his days reading suited him. But...


    "My brother saw Wilhelm as everything. He was the son who he could entrust his ideals to. Losing that son, my brother couldn''t resist the Empire''s traditions. He made his beloved childrenpete, and the survivor would inherit the throne. Like every Emperor before him, he had no choice. I regret not having stayed in the Imperial Capital to support him at that time."


    "Power struggles are part of session disputes. It would have been difficult for you, the Emperor''s brother, to remain neutral. While there may have been parts you could have helped with, there were also parts where you would have been a burden to the Emperor. That''s how things are."


    There''s no such thing as all merit. Someone''s benefit is someone else''s loss. Someone''s justice is someone else''s evil. There are good things and bad things. nert, who had rushed through many battlefields, knew that. And so did Diethelm, who had won the session dispute.


    If you don''t want to get involved in troublesome matters, if you don''t want to be seen as an enemy by anyone, you have no choice but to live without getting involved in anything. He thought that was fine. Until now.


    "If I act, it will be to someone''s disadvantage. That''s why I didn''t act. But even if I know it will be to someone''s disadvantage... there''s someone I want to help."


    "Prince Arnold, isn''t it?"


    "He''s like me. Just as I tried to put my brother on the throne, he is trying to get Leonard on the throne. I want to help him. That''s what I thought."


    "So you came to me?"


    "Yes, I want you to put the southern border defense army on alert. Apply pressure on the ducal nobles near the border."


    "It sounds like a good n, but as the one entrusted with the Empire''s border, even if it''s an order from the Emperor''s brother, I can''t act unterally."


    "I will take all the responsibility. Just applying pressure will be a big help to Arnold."


    "Unless it''s a request from the Emperor or someone authorized by the Emperor, I can''t move the army. The border defense army, as the name implies, is a defensive force. We are here to prevent invasions. It''s uneptable for us to show signs of invasion without the Emperor''smand."


    "I understand that. But time is of the essence. The duchy is already in a state of civil war. It''s hard for Arnold to turn things around by himself."


    At Diethelm''s request, nert closed his eyes and thought. Diethelm was a smart man. And that man was making a request while saying he understood everything. It would be easy to refuse. After all, nert''s argument was correct. But what''s correct isn''t necessarily the best. nert understood that well too.


    Just then, the sound of a whistle signaling caution reached nert''s ears.


    "What''s going on!?"


    "A single horseman is approaching us! We can intercept at any time!"


    "Do not fire until you have permission! This is a strict order!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    nert conveyed this to the reporting soldier and squinted into the distance. Indeed, a single horseman was approaching the fortress. If they were from the Duchy, they should understand the meaning of approaching this fortress. There was no information about anyone entering from the Duchy to the Empire. This was an unexpected visitor.


    Climbing up the castle wall, the soldiers tensed their bowstrings. They were ready to shoot and kill at a singlemand. Tension ran through the ranks of the soldiers.


    Amidst this, the young boy on horseback raised his voice.


    "I bring a letter from Prince Arnold to the Imperial Prince! Please allow me to deliver it!"


    "Lower your bows! Open the gate!"


    By the time nert had issued these instructions, Diethelm was no longer present. He had run towards the gate. As he ordered the soldiers to remain vignt, nert also headed towards the gate.


    There, the boy who had been on horseback was drinking water eagerly. He must havee here almost without rest. His clothes were dirty, and the horse was exhausted.


    "Your Highness, what does the letter say?"


    "It''s a request from Arnold. He wants us to conduct military exercises in the name of both him and myself."


    "I see... so it''s a request from the ambassador..."


    In Diethelm''s hand was the emperor''s ring that Arnold had carried. It was a symbol of the ambassador. Even as an ambassador, he had no authority to move the border defense army. However, it could serve as an excuse.


    "Courier!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Tell the entire army! We are to conductrge-scale exercises immediately! As soon as preparations areplete, set up camp on the Duchy side!"


    "Understood!"


    Hearing nert''s instructions, Diethelm sighed in relief. If the Southern Border Defense Army started moving under the guise of exercises, the nobles of the Duchy would panic. The sight of the Empire''s military might as an actual threat would undoubtedly change their decisions.


    "You''re Raul, right?"


    "Y-Yes!"


    "You''ve done well to deliver the letter. But I need one more favor from you."


    "Anything, sir!"


    "I want you toe with me to your hometown."


    These words were unexpected for Raul.


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