Volume 12 Chapter 9 Kent’s Black Dragon Clan Comfort Party
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Aldo’s perspective
”I didn’t think you would come yourself, Prince Yaalan… No, I should now call you Your Highness Yaalan, succeeding your father.”
The visitor who appeared at the castle given by His Majesty Shifa in the Capital City was Yaalan, who had defeated the traitor Gwain.
According to the explanation from the messenger beforehand, he wished to let go of the rebellion against the True Demon Kingdom that his father and Gwain had committed and hoped to return to the True Demon Kingdom.
But I was confused, for I could not read Yaalan’s mind.
This was because, at this moment, I saw no benefit for the True Demon Dukedom to return to the True Demon Kingdom.
It seemed that the True Demon Dukedom, having control over the old Gwain territory and the northeast region, was growing stronger than the declining Kingdom.
”I wanted the Kingdom Chancellor to know my true feelings before meeting His Majesty.”
Yaalan bowed respectfully to me, but since he was the head of an independent nation, I decided to have him stop right away.
”Your Highness Yaalan… there’s no need for such formalities. Since this is an unofficial meeting, let’s talk openly. I truly dislike being too stiff.”
I offered a chair to Yaalan, and he dropped his stiff expression, changing his attitude and sitting down.
”That’s true. I also dislike being formal. I appreciate you saying that, Chancellor Aldo. It makes this secret visit to the Capital City worthwhile.”
Yaalan stopped wearing his kingly stiff face and smiled brightly.
But I couldn’t fully read what emotions were hidden behind that smile.
”Now, let me get to the point. Is it true what the messenger said? That your country wishes to return under the banner of the True Demon Kingdom?”
”That is correct. My true intention is indeed to return as an allied nation of the True Demon Dukedom. However, the condition for this return is that the territory we currently hold from the former Gwain region and the northeast must be recognized as the territory of the True Demon Dukedom, as a reward for defeating the traitor Gwain.”
Yaalan spoke clearly, without the roundabout way his father would have used.
”Are you asking us to give up our claim on those territories in the Kingdom? I don’t think we can abandon the northern lands that Gwain held. Can’t we just keep the northeast region?”
In response to Yaalan’s offer, I also suggested a compromise that could bring Dukedom back to the Kingdom.
”As expected, Chancellor Aldo is sharp. You make good judgments. But if our country returns to the Kingdom, the only enemy will be the Black Dragon Dukedom, which could reduce military forces a bit… Plus, I would appreciate it if you could consider that I already have a marriage alliance with your most important state, Margrave South District.”
Yaalan responded to my suggestion with a wry smile.
I had caught wind of his marriage alliance with Margrave South District too, but my research indicated that Kent was not very eager for that alliance.
So, Yaalan’s words were mistaken.
Also, I had received reports that many spies from the Dream Demon Clan started appearing in the Capital City a little before they finished off Gwain, so he was definitely up to something.
However, his proposal was quite appealing for the Kingdom.
The military reorganization led by the Lord Arbalest was underway, and though we were slimming down, military expenses still pressed heavily on the Kingdom’s treasury.
If we could get the old Gwain lands and the northeast territory to form an alliance with True Demon Dukedom, we could work on cutting military expenses even further and channel funds to revive the lands we recently reclaimed from the Kingdom Retro Brigade.
The treasury is under pressure, but thanks to His Majesty Shifa giving some of his own wealth, it is barely holding on.
But next year’s tax income for the Kingdom, which fell from being the ruler of the Demon Continent, looks very bad.
Sharp-eared big traders are moving their main shops to the rising Margrave South District.
To promote industry well, they need friendly relations with nearby places and to keep things peaceful.
”Your Highness Yaalan’s offer is really attractive, and I am grateful, but I just don’t trust you… The True Demon Dukedom is a rising power that crushed Lord Gwain. We shouldn’t join alliances with the fallen True Demon Kingdom, and I think it’s better to take the northeast freely, isn’t it?”
Yaalan’s eyes opened a little wider when I spoke.
”Chancellor Aldo, are you asking me to fight the Eastern Garuda Principality? If you make the East and Northeast even more chaotic with war after the Gertroud campaign, that land will be totally ruined. And honestly, I don’t like war in the first place.”
Yaalan said he didn’t like war, but when he was substituting for his sick father, he fought against Gwain’s nobles and led his army to victory in many battles, including the fortress city Kranstadt.
So, I think his true nature is someone who likes fighting or often seeks solutions through battle.
”I didn’t say that. It’s just that the offer seems too good to be true for our country, so I’m suspicious. My philosophy is that if something sounds too good, there’s usually a catch. To be blunt, I’m worried that Your Highness Yaalan might harm His Majesty Shifa and seize the Kingdom.”
I thought it was okay if the alliance fell apart, but I decided to share my true feelings to see Yaalan’s true intentions.
When Yaalan heard my words, he laughed loudly.
”Ha, ha, ha! This is funny. Does Chancellor Aldo believe I am aiming for the Demon Lord throne? In this world, the authority of the Demon Lord has faded, right? I think anyone strong enough can call themselves a Demon Lord. Before, there was only one Demon Lord, but soon there will be many standing side by side. And those who are weak will be eliminated, but is that not what Chancellor Aldo thinks?”
Yaalan looked at me with a fierce gaze.
When he stared at me, I felt like something unknown was hiding inside him.
…Is this man a madman?
Still, Kent seems easier to deal with…
”Does Prince Yaalan say that if one has strength, they can call themselves a Demon Lord?”
”That’s right. Originally, those without strength should never call themselves Demon Lords. Even the first Demon Lord of the True Demon Kingdom, Orphée Bleu, said so, right?”
It’s true that the current Demon Lord, Shifa Secundadi, became Demon Lord by winning the rigged Grand Eight Tournament.
Yaalan is correct, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that if I recognized Yaalan as a Demon Lord, the entire Demon Continent would be engulfed in war.
Now that Gwain is gone, the most dangerous being for the Kingdom might be this man… If that’s the case, watching him closely might be safer for the Kingdom than letting him run free…
I sensed that Yaalan was more dangerous than Fabulanova or Nokin.
”As Your Highness Yaalan has said, a Demon Lord must never stand beside another. That’s also the words of the first Demon Lord of the True Demon Kingdom, Demon Lord Orphée Bleu.”
”It’s true that’s what they say, but if I gain enough power, I will call myself a Demon Lord. If you want to stop me, you can challenge me to a fight.”
Yaalan, who said he hates fighting, was actually someone who enjoyed battle deep inside.
”Then, to prevent that, I accept the alliance with the True Demon Dukedom. I will tell Your Majesty Shifa about it, and I will ask for the alliance under the conditions you just proposed.”
I decided to take Yaalan in.
It might be risky to proceed without permission, but if I refuse the alliance and he turns his wrath towards us, the kingdom that’s still rebuilding could be wiped out, and Your Majesty might be killed.
It’s possible Yaalan himself was looking for this, asking for a secret meeting with only a few people.
Thinking that way, I also shuddered at his cunning plans.
”Huh, that’s helpful. He acted tough and said I should challenge him, but I’ve been fighting so much that my finances are in trouble. If we form an alliance, I can focus on managing my land. Your kingdom can also cut military costs, and both our nations will prosper.”
Yaalan calmly and expressionlessly celebrated the alliance being made.
I don’t completely trust what he says.
Because I believe he took the vast treasure, like Gwain’s legacy, by conquering the fortress city Clanshardt.
And I think the military campaign this time was profitable.
It’s obvious we’re at a disadvantage because our treasury is depleted if the fight continues.
Once we form an alliance, the surface-level fighting might calm down, but underground intelligence war will grow fierce.
We need to hurry and expand our spy network.
”If possible, I’d be grateful if Your Highness Yaalan can return as the Kingdom Duke. And I believe His Majesty Shifa would also be pleased.”
To keep an eye on him, I’ll float the idea of reinstating the Kingdom Duke position, which was abolished during the True Demon Dukedom’s independence.
”I don’t really need a title, but if they’re offering, I might as well take it. Excuse me for now, but I plan to pay my respects to Lord Shifa soon.”
Yaalan didn’t refuse the title.
He seemed fine with becoming a subject, but with a man like him, who knows when he’ll bare his fangs?
The effectiveness of this restraint is still a mystery.
”Understood. I’ll handle the arrangements for the formal visit.”
”Alright. I’ll leave it to Chancellor Aldo. Oh, I almost forgot, I brought a gift.”
Yaalan stood up and called over his attendant.
The man he summoned handed Yaalan a square wooden box.
”Pass this to Lord Shifa as a gift to celebrate our alliance.”
Yaalan opened the box and pulled out its contents.
Inside was the well-preserved severed head of Gwain.
For a moment, I caught my breath.
”This… His Majesty Shifa will be pleased… won’t he?”
Yaalan put the head back in the box and tossed it to me.
”With this, I take my leave.”
Yaalan left the room with his attendant.
The old man approached me and spoke up.
”Young master… inviting that man into the Kingdom is madness!”
The old man had stood silently in the background during the negotiations, but it seemed he felt a sense of danger from my unilateral attempt to form an alliance.
”But, old man, leaving him loose is even more dangerous… he’s the kind of man who could expand the wars on the Demon Continent… It’s safer to confine him to the old Gwain territory and the northeast.”
”That will only make him stronger. And if he gathers the dissatisfied elements within the Kingdom, there could be a second coup.”
Today, the old man was stubborn.
He wasn’t usually this persistent with his opinions towards me.
”Our job is to make sure they don’t wake up… Sorry, but please strengthen the hunt for spies in Capital City. If needed, team up with Kent to flush them out.”
”Young master… please do not rely too much on Lord Blackdagger… He is another type of Demon Lord candidate, different from Yaalan.”
My old man says Kent is dangerous, and using him is risky.
But I see that Kent’s true nature is just a lazy womanizer.
If I know that giving him women will keep him from power trips, then he’s easy to handle.
”Kent is my best friend, so he’s fine. Besides, he is also His Majesty’s brother-in-law. If we doubt him, we’ll just get crushed. We have to trust him completely.”
”I understand. If you say so, young master…”
The old man left the room, hiding his dissatisfaction.
Left alone, I leaned back in my chair, thinking about the future of Kingdom Administration.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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