Mynovel Chapter 175 : Chapter 175
Chapter 175 : Chapter 175
Chapter 175
The Tower Lord wasn't the only one who came to that conclusion.
“I must enter the palace right now.”
The Marquess, who had conversed with the Tower Lord, reached the same conclusion.
“What? Marquess, didn’t you say we should lay low until the situation is resolved?”
At the Secretary-general’s worried voice, the Marquess let out a small sigh.
“Yes, I did. For now, hurry to the Royal Palace. I’ll explain on the way.”
“Yes!”
After hurriedly sending a messenger to the Royal Palace, the Marquess, sitting in the carriage, spoke in a serious voice.
“It seems Moner intends to give up the defense.”
“What? Give up the defense?”
The protection of the kingdom and the defense of the forest are duties and symbols of honor that the Moner family has maintained for generations.
They have never failed in any situation, and it is the reason why the Moner family is called a family of heroes even after hundreds of years.
Isn't it the family that never gave up defense even when nobles openly mocked them as a family of watchdogs and the kingdom intentionally controlled their food supplies?
‘Simply calling them loyal subjects isn't enough to explain it.’
No matter how much they cry out for loyalty and honor, the relationship between a noble and the King is merely contractual.
In a noble’s mind, their own benefit always comes before the national interest.
In such a kingdom, the Moner family was the one who volunteered for endless sacrifice for the kingdom.
So, naturally, those who knew Moner’s history couldn't think or even imagine that Moner would give up the defense.
‘Even I thought they would insist on defense even if it meant the extinction of the Moner family.’
“Haa… Perhaps taking sacrifice for granted was the problem.”
The Secretary-general, realizing the meaning behind the Marquess’s words, asked in a serious voice.
“Do you mean they are really giving up the defense? Even if they give up the defense, getting swept up in the flames of war would be unavoidable.”
“Moner must be confident they can endure it.”
“Then we…….”
“Yes. We must find the reason before we arrive at the Royal Castle.”
In the carriage moving toward the Royal Castle, the discussion between the Marquess and the Secretary-general continued ceaselessly.
* * *
Two hours after arriving at the Royal Castle.
With a face distorted by anger, the Secretary-general spoke.
“Marquess, this is strange.”
“…….”
“Marquess!”
At the Secretary-general’s shout, the Marquess waved his hand and said.
“Didn’t I tell you? The situation is unusual, so we must lie flat.”
It was the law of the Royal Palace for the palace butler to come out and greet the Marquess before he arrived.
Even if there was busy work, they should have let the carriage in, apologized, and guided him to the guest room or VIP room.
That was the courtesy and respect due to a Marquess family with immense power.
‘One could simply think that way, but no. The Royal Family doesn't respect the Marquess family; they just gave appropriate fodder to the leader of the Royalist faction. That’s how politics and power work.’
Speaking conversely, making him wait for over two hours at the entrance of the Royal Palace without even allowing entry had a clear meaning.
“Secretary-general, watch closely. This is how the Royal Family repays generations of loyalty . Before the sun sets, every family in the kingdom will chatter about what happened today. That the Iron Tongue Dmitry has crumbled.”
“Marquess……!”
Seeing the Secretary-general trembling with anger, the Marquess smirked.
“What is so resentful? Moner has suffered the same, no, worse treatment than us for decades.”
The Secretary-general, lowering his head and swallowing something unknown whether it was anger or tears, raised his head and said.
“Let’s go back.”
The desperate anger and hostility in his eyes were directed at the Royal Family.
Perhaps it meant he didn't want to give any help to the Royal Family that treated them like this.
The Marquess, laughing slightly, continued.
“Unfortunately, we cannot do that. Why do you think that is?”
The Secretary-general, with his head bowed, spoke as if it were unfair.
“…Because we also need the Royal Family’s power.”
“Yes. Ultimately, that’s it. One might think we came to help the kingdom, but we also just came to ask for help in the end. If the Royal Family falls into danger, the subjects under them are bound to fall into danger too. We are just as selfish as those in that Royal Family.”
He told the Secretary-general that, but it wasn't true.
The Marquess family had started making all preparations ever since realizing something unusual was happening in Moner.
‘That must be one of the reasons that touched the King’s nerves.’
The Royal Family’s anger was expected.
The King personally stepped up to assure safety, but the Marquess family, called the leader of the Royalist faction, started gathering troops and supplies.
The King must have thought he didn't trust him.
‘If it were His Majesty, he would have been more wary of that distrust spreading than the fact that I didn't trust him.’
The current situation was a drastic measure taken by the King.
A drastic measure to show the Royal Family’s will that ‘If you don't follow my will, I won't leave even the Marquess family alone.’
Looking at the Royal Guard blocking the carriage, the Marquess sighed lightly and thought.
‘It will be more difficult than I thought.’
* * *
Entry to the palace was permitted around the time the sun was hiding itself.
“His Majesty has permitted entry.”
“Took long enough.”
“I apologize. His Majesty has been continuously attending to state affairs…….”
“It is fortunate that he needs this old body even now.”
When the Marquess, answering with a smirk, was moving following the butler, a roar burst out from the conference room.
“I’m telling you! The forces sent so far are enough!”
“What if it’s not! What will you do then? Do you not know that hundreds, thousands of lives depend on the Royal Family’s choice?!”
“If you are so worried, you support them yourself!”
“We already supported! Unlike you worms who call yourselves nobles but don't even take responsibility for that honor!”
“Did you just say everything you wanted to say?!”
“Why? Did I say anything wrong? I just called a worm a worm. Ah, were you that worm?”
“This fellow, really?!”
At the shouts ringing through the hallway, the Marquess burst into a hollow laugh and asked.
“Is this why entry was permitted?”
“Yes? That is…….”
Every noble in the kingdom received contact from the Magic Tower.
Even if they didn't grasp the severity of the situation, receiving a contact labeled [Request for Support] must have made their butts itch.
All the nobles with some power had gathered at the Royal Palace.
“That’s unfortunate. It seems His Majesty wanted me to return after getting the cold shoulder.”
Since all the loud-voiced nobles had gathered, there was no way the meeting would proceed properly.
Hastily supporting one side would be too big a political burden even for the King.
“Oh my, no. His Majesty said several times that he was sorry for making the Marquess wait because he was working hard on state affairs.”
‘If he were really sorry, he would have come out himself.’
It was an obvious lie with visible intentions, but the Marquess didn't add more words.
Scolding now would only cost the innocent servant his life for the crime of not delivering the King’s will properly.
“Let’s go in.”
Taking a deep breath, the Marquess entered the conference room.
* * *
“This fellow, really!”
“Huh? Will you hit me if you do well? I thought you only abandoned the duty of a noble, but did you abandon even human decency?”
While the tense battle of nerves between nobles continued, the Royal Guard’s shout was heard.
“Marquess Dmitry has arrived!”
The Marquess, entering with leisurely steps, greeted them with a smile.
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
“Ahem! Have you been well during this time?”
“Kuhum! It’s been a while.”
Nobles, unable to scream at the Marquess’s appearance, reluctantly greeted him with sullen faces.
Pretending not to know the situation just before, the Marquess spoke calmly.
“Everyone must have heard the news. Moner requested support through the Magic Tower.”
“What a pity! For a family of heroes to face a crisis, we must support immediately!”
“Spitting out words isn't everything! Do you know how many gold coins are needed to dispatch an army? The Royal Family has already sent sufficient support, so it won’t be too late to move after grasping the exact situation.”
“Do you not know that if we are even a moment late, the ones who suffer are the people?!”
“I’m telling you! Didn’t I say moving without delay is enough! Do you think the Royal Family’s elite soldiers are slow like your soldiers?”
The Marquess grasped the situation by listening to the two’s argument.
‘Split into two factions?’
Specifically, it seemed to be the ‘Prince’s faction’ that helped the Prince and the ‘King’s faction’.
‘The Prince’s faction has the justification of volunteering soldiers in the nation’s danger, and the King’s faction, on the contrary, seems worried about their honor being tarnished. Some of them seem uninterested in this situation.’
It doesn't matter if it ends in a one-sided victory, but if it turns into a war, words will eventually come out.
If rumors start spreading about ‘nobles who turned a blind eye to the Royal Family’s crisis,’ it will be irreversible, so they want to at least gain the excuse that ‘we only followed the Royal Family’s will!’
‘To send troops now, they would have to send double or triple the number of those sent before.’
They cry out for the people and the kingdom’s peace, but ultimately it was just politics.
‘Hah… To think there is no one who realizes the seriousness in the midst of this. Are these truly the nobles carrying the future of the kingdom?’
Just as he was thinking for a long while.
“Such insolence!”
“What’s insolent is your…….”
Before the nobles, reignited, could tarnish the honor of each other’s parents and grandmothers, the Marquess intervened.
“Now, now. I understand everyone is urgent, but please listen to this old body.”
“Ahem! Let’s listen to the Marquess first.”
“Kuhum! Let’s do that.”
Perhaps other nobles were also waiting for the Marquess’s opinion, as silence quickly settled on the conference hall where loud voices were exchanged.
“First, there is a need to re-examine the severity of the situation.”
After the Marquess’s explanation ended, the nobles unanimously looked for the King.
* * *
“Is this the best way?”
The King’s sharp gaze turned to the Marquess.
“Yes. Excluding the forces responsible for the defense of the Margrave and the border, all troops must be sent to Moner.”
“Marquess, an army isn't something that can be moved easily.”
To the question containing the blatant meaning to change his mind even now, the Marquess answered calmly.
“Moner might give up the defense.”
“…As expected.”
The King, wiping his face with his wrinkled hand, asked again.
“How serious is it?”
“Most of the population in Moner’s Front Hold and Central Hold has already moved to Lier. Also, Lier has received and stored an immense amount of supplies from the three Count families.”
“I heard the report that Moner is preparing for a siege. No matter if they are Orcs, if they realize a siege is disadvantageous, they might move elsewhere. With just a little maneuvering, Moner could directly lure them elsewhere.”
The King’s voice was still calm.
“At worst, wouldn't the Orcs trample the northern domains? We can just gather troops while they are running wild. Can't we hold Moner accountable after resolving the situation?”
Even by a conservative estimate, tens of thousands of people would die, but that wasn't important to the King.
If only he could use this as a pretext to exterminate the Moner family.
“It seems Moner was concerned about that. That is why they contacted through the Magic Tower, not the Royal Family.”
When the Marquess calmly explained the conversation with the Tower Lord, the King’s face contorted.
“Such… You mean the Tower Lord named Garme contacted directly?!”
“Yes. The Magic Tower does not bow to power. The fact that the Tower Lord contacted directly means a crisis has truly arrived in Moner.”
“If we don't move immediately, the Royal Family will take all the blame.”
“Yes. That seems to be the purpose.”
Ian had anticipated all situations and asked Garme.
The King, nodding with an unpleasant face, issued a dismissal to the Marquess.
“Understood. You may go back now.”
* * *
The King, who pondered for a long time after the Marquess left, opened his mouth.
“Wait. Isn't it fine as long as other regions excluding Moner are safe? The Marquess also said to support with all forces.”
The King, with a fishy smile, continued.
“Besides, there is no law that reinforcements must arrive on time. Moner’s contact could have been late, and it is natural for large-scale troops to take time to move.”
Move all troops to surround Moner and the three Count families.
And after dealing with the Orcs, if the remaining troops deal with the three Count families or Moner, Moner will be recorded as a tragic hero.
“No matter if it’s Moner, one cannot survive with the entire Royal Army as an enemy after waging a war with Orcs.”
Thus, a great army, excluding the Royal Army responsible for the border, moved towards Moner.
It was a speed slow enough to say walking would be faster, but the Royal Army had a justifiable reason.
‘We couldn't increase speed due to the joining of other noble families!’
Nobles who were sparing themselves at the King’s order had given up troops while biting the bullet, and they moved together with the Royal Army.
Thus, it was two days before the all-out war broke out that the Royal Army and the Southern Noble Alliance Army arrived at Obsol.