Chapter 25: Countermeasures and Concerns

Countermeasures and Concerns

“As always, Sakuraile’s [Gift] is astonishing… I have never seen such a small timepiece.”

His Majesty the Emperor sighed in admiration, examining the wristwatch his brother had presented. In this world, a day is also twenty-four hours, and the concepts of A.M. and P.M. exist. Furthermore, a year has twelve months, and there are leap years.

“This can be used as a reward for the nobles.”

“Indeed. The value of such a small and precise clock is immeasurable. It will become a mark of honor among the nobility.”

Chancellor Ténor adjusted his spectacles while looking at the watch entrusted to him by Claude. To be honest, he desired this watch as well. The smallest existing clock in this world is about the size of an Earth-based grandfather clock. It is not something that can be easily carried. People know the time by the ringing of the clock tower bells and set their general schedules based on that. Since they cannot know precisely ‘how many minutes are left,’ appointments are often delayed. The meticulous Chancellor Ténor could not tolerate that. This watch would make planning schedules much easier.

“Your Imperial Highness, if you don’t mind, this watch…”

“Ah, I know. I shall concede it to you. I can buy another one tomorrow.”

Hearing Claude’s words, the smiling Chancellor bowed deeply.

“If this is to be used as a reward for the nobility, we would prefer to purchase it ourselves on behalf of the Royal Family… Is that possible?”

“Yes, of course. As long as I receive a commission.”

“You are quite shrewd… Well, since Sakuraile’s [Gift] is of that nature, you will need money.”

Sakuraile might someday summon a shop that sells incredibly valuable products. However, if there is no money, the opportunity would be lost. The Ducal Prince wanted to earn some liquid funds for his daughter while he could. He believed that the money earned through his daughter’s [Gift] should be used for her. He had already saved all the money earned so far for her and intended to use it to purchase products from the shops she summoned.

“So, have you learned anything about the recent attacker?”

“Nothing at all. However, I am concerned about how the attacker knew Elliott would be out on that day. Originally, Elliott had no plans to go out. It was I who ordered him to escort the two Princesses. Where did they obtain that information? This is still…”

“An inside collaborator?”

His Majesty the Emperor nodded. Someone knew that Elliott was going out into the city and informed the attacker of the opportunity. Loose lips sink ships. It was information that anyone working within the castle could have known, but if it flowed out in such a short time, it is safe to assume that someone definitely informed them.

“Is Marquess Ragtime still the prime suspect?”

“The possibility is high, but… what is his goal? Does he intend to replace Elliott and put his own son on the throne?”

“I doubt that. Even if Marquess Ragtime’s house has Imperial blood, that blood is quite thin. The right of succession to the throne is generally limited to the third degree of kinship. Unless they exterminate all of them… I still suspect it is a threat to get the mercenary corps approved.”

“About that mercenary corps. It seems Marquess Ragtime has already hired several mercenaries. He claims it is to exterminate the bandit groups that frequent his territory, on the surface.”

In the Sinfonia Empire, a ‘Knight’ is someone who holds a Knighthood (Kishishaku). Knighthood is a non-hereditary quasi-noble status, and one earns a salary by serving a noble or the state. Typically, the number of knights serving a noble is fixed by the noble’s title, and a noble cannot hire more knights than that. However, if there is a legitimate reason, one can temporarily gather militias or mercenaries by applying to the state. This is usually applied when there is a demon beast stampede, or a sudden invasion from a neighboring country. The proposal by Marquess Ragtime was to allow nobles to freely hire these temporary, paid mercenaries at their own discretion, without requiring the state’s permission. To put it simply, it’s like saying, ‘Besides the full-time employees, when things are busy, let the store managers hire part-time staff as they like without having to consult the president every time.’ Certainly, in the event of a sudden, unforeseen situation, the swiftness to gather troops without having to seek permission might be necessary. However, Marquess Ragtime’s proposal is prefaced with ‘limited to old nobles.’ The Marquess argues that if suspicious nobles hold military power indiscriminately, it could become the seed of a rebellion. Therefore, he says, that right should only be granted to a limited number of nobles who have served the Empire for a long time.

“Who is he to say that? What does he intend to do by gathering troops in a territory close to the Imperial Capital? To me, it looks like he is trying to seize the country.”

Marquess Ragtime’s territory is close to Symphonic, the Imperial Capital. Usually, to prepare for a potential rebellion, the territories near the Imperial Capital are held by nobles related to the Imperial Family. Claude’s territory, the Emperor’s brother, is also close to the Imperial Capital. However, several centuries have passed since the founding of the Empire, and many of the nobles who govern the area around the Imperial Capital have become these older nobles rather than those related to the current Imperial Family. That means the ‘Traditionalist Faction’ led by Marquess Ragtime is quite large… Of course, there are members of the Imperial Faction among the old nobles, but about sixty percent of the old nobles belong to the Traditionalist Faction. The old nobles make up about thirty percent of the total nobility, but if the Traditionalist Faction uses its wealth to hire mercenaries in its territories, they could amass an army sufficient to overrun the Imperial Capital. Of course, the Imperial Knights are stationed in the Imperial Capital, and I don’t think the capital would fall so easily, but they might have some trump cards. They cannot be underestimated.

“In any case, such a bill cannot be approved. If they lack manpower, we can dispatch forces from the Imperial Knight Order. We are not refusing to lend a hand.”

“But was the attack on Crown Prince Elliott really the work of the Traditionalist Faction? What about the possibility of an attack by the Empire aimed at causing chaos in our country?”

“The possibility is not zero, but… I find it rather clumsy. If it were the Empire’s doing, I think they would have used a more reliable method.”

Attacking with summoned beasts. It’s not a bad tactic, but both attacks occurred in crowded places. An assassin would aim for places with few people, where the chance of interference is low. Or they would carry it out under circumstances where they could guarantee the kill even if they were seen. According to reports, the summoned beasts that appeared at the Founding Festival were completely uncoordinated. The assassination attempt gives a strange, disjointed impression.

“Do you think he will be targeted again?”

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. I suggest His Highness Elliott refrain from going out for a while.”

The Chancellor answered His Majesty the Emperor’s question. Now that the target is known to be the Crown Prince, it is necessary to strengthen security even further.

“Hmm, I wanted Elliott to form a bond with both the Prélude and Minuet Princesses during this festival, but…”

“My Sakuraile is handling that well.”

“Mmm… I wonder about that too…”

The Emperor gave a strained look to his brother, who answered with a radiant smile. He understood that the girls were becoming friends, but he felt uneasy, as if Elliott was being pushed aside.

“We have a goodwill party on the final day of the Founding Festival. Perhaps they can deepen their relationship then?”

“Hmm… Well, if it doesn’t work out, we can always look for another fiancée. Sakuraile might even change her mind in a few years.”

“I wonder about that…”

After living together for several months, Claude was finally starting to understand his daughter’s personality. Her tendency to ‘fall in love with the idea of love’ or her longing for dreams, which is common in girls, is extremely weak. She is a realist, or perhaps severely detached. Perhaps because she was raised in the slums, such traits are noticeable. She is unlike a child. However, this does not mean she is callous or cruel. She treats the servants kindly and is considerate of their circumstances. As a father, he wished she were a little more selfish. Therefore, now that she has refused the engagement with Elliott, she is unlikely to reverse her decision unless something extraordinary happens. From his position as the Emperor’s brother, he would desire the engagement between Sakuraile and Elliott, but as a father, he feels it is too early to decide on her marriage partner. He felt bad for his brother, but Claude had no intention of actively pursuing the matter unless Sakuraile herself brought it up.

“In any case, we must strengthen security for the goodwill party. Not only for Elliott, but if anything were to happen to the two Princesses, the name of Sinfonia would be disgraced.”

“We are currently reviewing the security system, focusing on those with defensive-type [Gifts]. We are concerned that barriers alone may be insufficient.”

His Majesty the Emperor nodded deeply at the Chancellor’s words. Barriers that nullify [Gifts] have their limits, and if the ‘level’ that Sakuraile speaks of is sufficiently high, it is possible to break them. Furthermore, a [Gift] that invalidates barriers might exist. The consensus was to be extra cautious. The three men began to review the security system again, ensuring no oversights for the goodwill party scheduled in a few days.