Episode 55: Dreams in games become reality

17. Level up again (2)

"I am reminded once again that it was truly a godsend to attract the Marquis Lawrence."

"That's too much praise."

I lightly shrugged my shoulders as I saw the crown prince giggling with such joy.

The more you look at him, the more he appears to be a light-hearted person who is unsuited to his position as crown prince.

So I think it's even more difficult to understand his true intentions.

"Hey, that's too much praise. This is an unexpected return. This further narrowed the gap with the Second Prince faction."

"If you don't mind, may I know the status of both sides' forces?"

In our Kingdom of Reinharts, there are a total of 31 high-ranking nobles, including 2 dukes, 6 marquis, 6 margraves, and 17 counts.

And below them, excluding nobles with the rank of monk, there are 41 viscounts and 75 barons with fiefdoms.

31 high-ranking nobles, 126 viscounts and barons with fiefdoms.

Who could attract more of them was the key to this battle for royal power.

It is known that the current power structure has gained a slight advantage as the 2nd Prince faction came out and took Arcia, but the exact situation is not known.

That's why I asked the crown prince.

"First of all, if you add Marquis Laurence and Count Klein to the 2 Princes faction, they have 4.50%, and we have 4.100%. "If we add two people to our side, the numbers are reversed."

It was more intense than I thought, and I was able to confirm that my and Arcia's value was also greater than I thought.

But wait a minute.

Why are the numbers strange?

4.5% vs. 4.1%?

It's not even 4.50% to 5.50%?

I had some doubts about calculating it by subtracting 1.40%, but I soon figured out what that meant.

"Does the blank number refer to His Majesty the King?"

"you're right."

An indecisive king.

That's how I thought of the current king.

Even though the root of anxiety could have been eradicated in time, wasn't the country's politics divided by neglecting it?

However, the forces supporting the king could not be ignored, because they were supported by the kingdom's greatest magic family, Duke Hines, the most important wizarding power in the Age of Magic.

Just as the crown prince's maternal family is the Marquess of Aragon and the second prince's maternal family is the Duke of Anaheim, naturally, the king also has a maternal family, which is his mother's family.

And that is the Heinz family.

The figure of 1.50% meant nobles who only supported the king and expressed neutrality, including the Duke of Haines.

"Doesn't that mean that no matter how much we fight and fight among ourselves, it is more advantageous for His Majesty the King to raise his hand?"

"Yes."

It would be great if the King sided with us.

However, if we side with the Second Prince faction, no matter what plot we plan, it will be useless.

"Don't worry though. "Your Majesty will either support me, her crown prince, or protect her neutrality."

"Is it because of tradition?"

"As a king, this is something that cannot be ignored. But other than that, I have about three chance tickets just in case."

It's a chance ticket.

I checked his condition with a magnifying glass.

There was no sign of lying anywhere.

Then you have to believe it.

"What I want is not a victory by a single shot. It's a complete victory. "Isn't civil war destroying the life of a country?"

That is certainly true.

If national power becomes unstable due to civil war, the enemy Croesen Empire may reveal its ambitions again.

"If the Marquis betrays the Second Prince at the right time, the situation will turn and great chaos will occur. Then we will take advantage of the confusion and bring down the second prince."

In addition, will they seek political stability by shredding the hostile forces that supported the second prince?

Surely that was the scenario drawn by the crown prince.

"understand."

He is definitely an unusual person.

In the end, everything has to be calculated.

"But thanks to Marquis Lawrence, things have become easier. "Do you want to give me a gift?"

"Please give the gift later. "I think it would be best to collect the points and give them one big item."

"haha! "Is that so?"

When he asked me about the status of his forces, he gave me an expression that asked if this was the answer I was hoping for, and I immediately nodded.

"Can I ask about your future plans?"

I answered Prince Michael's question slyly.

"I think I will be busy taking care of things I have been putting off until the 'time' that His Majesty the Crown Prince mentioned. "Management of the territory is a problem, but there are also many businesses."

No matter how much politics is a chaotic dog fight where people bite each other, a strategy based on betrayal cannot help but be heartbreaking in many ways.

That may be the mind of a typical person... … .

Unfortunately, I didn't feel any regrets about betraying the second prince.

The reason is that.

"When will the operation be carried out?"

"We still need time. "What's going on?"

"Prince 2 keeps being mean to our Arcia, so if we keep going like this, we might end up in an accident."

"yes?"

The second prince's interest in Arcia was excessive.

Not long ago, they even sent someone to Arsia's territory without my knowledge.

However, since Arcia and I were tied by soul, it was a trick that could never work, and the second prince, who was so angry, even sent me an official letter of protest.

"Did something like that happen?"

"Yes, our Arcia is very pretty and we are both Auror Masters, so it is understandable that she expressed interest, but she acted too carelessly. And then I wonder what I'm going to do when I turn around... … ."

"First of all, as a family, I would like to apologize on behalf of you. Ever since he became an Auror Master, he's been a little overconfident. "He has a tendency to think that no woman will fall for him if he seduces her."

Are you a kid?

It's really a nuisance.

He is a person whom I cannot give affection to at all.

Isn't his attitude too duplicitous to covet someone else's woman while pretending to be generous on the outside and caring for his subordinates?

'No matter how promiscuous the nobles' views on love are, this is not it.'

Arcia is good at cutting people down, but she is still a naive child who doesn't know many things.

If I keep approaching him with a light heart and making fun of him, I might end up blowing his head off before the time of the decisive battle.

This was unexpected even for the crown prince, no matter how good he was. He frowned and thought about something, but then he thought of a solution.

"How about we hold a ceremony instead?"

"You mean marriage?"

"Yes, considering political stability, I don't think there is any other way. "You two are engaged anyway."

Surely marriage would be best in this situation... … .

Since Arcia and I were only lovers on the surface and not really lovers, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

She can never betray me.

No, you cannot disobey my orders before then.

Obviously, if I make a decision, I will follow it without any complaints.

But just because she was created for me, does that mean I can freely use her to marry her?

Regardless of your feelings?

'I don't know.'

In the past, I would have wielded her without hesitation, but now that Arcia can express emotions like a human, I couldn't make that decision.

"I'll have to think about it."

How would Arsia react if she heard the crown prince's proposal?

You might react naively, asking, 'If you get married, will you be able to eat more delicious food?'

"Let's call it a day. Talk to Sir Klein. "Sometimes the straight method is the best way."

"haha."

Please note that Arcia is not here right now.

He was personally training to establish the discipline of the new knights belonging to his territory, the County of Klein.

The knights of the Count Klein family who did not participate in this territory war did not know much about their master, Arcia.

No matter how much he was an Auror Master, he looked like he was far from a swordsman and had a small physique, so he was easy to ignore.

So he instructed her to show off her dance skills in front of the knights.

The knights would be thrilled if they encountered the power of the Aura Master directly, so perhaps after today, the discipline of Count Klein's knights will be firmly established.

'Anyway, it's a wedding.'

I scratched my head and stood up.

And then headed to Glendale, Arcia's territory.

* * *

After a while, I arrived at the castle of the County of Klein and was left gaping at the unimaginable situation.

"What the hell is going on?"

Count Arsia Klein's permanent castle uses the town hall of Glendale, which was part of the King's Territory.

Among the king's territories, Glendale's city hall was famous for its extravagance, so even though it was a little small in size for an earl's castle, it did not feel inferior.

Anyway, this time, the permanent castle of Viscount Lawrence, Marquis Lawrence, and Count Klein were scheduled to be expanded or built to make it a magic fortress, so it was a temporary permanent castle that could only be used until then.

In any case, a scene outside of common sense unfolded in the dance hall of 'former Glendale City Hall' and 'current Count Klein Castle'.

"Adrian."

Arcia comes running to me when she spots me.

It's strangely cute, but... … .

Behind her was a terrifying, bloody battlefield.

"Oh, Arcia, what is that?"

It may be a metaphor, but it was truly a scene that could only be seen as a battlefield.

Knights were laid out like corpses in craters where the ground was hollow, and knights were draped like rags over the destroyed fences and rest tents.

It looks like no one has died, but wouldn't it be strange if someone died at any time?

"I gave them some education."

"Is the education that Arcia talks about true education?"

"It's sparring."

Only then did I realize that the word 'moderately' was missing from her hand.

Now that I think about it, I think I heard something similar happened in Viscount Lawrence.

I laughed and repaired the destroyed facility and healed the injured person with magic.

"Okay, thank you. "I survived thanks to His Excellency the Marquis."

"I came to see my father who passed away. If His Excellency the Marquis hadn't helped him, he might have taken his father's hand. Black!"

Thanks to this, the knights of the Count Klein family came to their senses and stood in rows, looking very disciplined, as if they were measuring with a ruler.

While I was cleaning up, I took out a table and chairs from the sub-space and set up a table of refreshments for Arcia. She, who was the main culprit of this situation, enjoyed the refreshments comfortably, probably because she was tired from the strenuous exercise.

Is it an illusion that he looks like the Joker?

No, looking at the frightened faces of the knights glancing at her, it seems she wasn't mistaken.

I smiled and spoke to the knights.

"I believe you will serve her well."

"yes! "I will be loyal!"

It feels like a few people will escape because the discipline is so tight.

Still, I think the survivors will take care of educating their juniors well.

I dismissed the stiff-armed knights, added a chair to the refreshment table, and sat down.

"How is your territory?"

"great. However, managing the territory does not seem easy with current knowledge."

"You don't have to worry about that. "We will entrust the management of both our territory and your territory to professional managers."

"Then I don't think there will be any problem. but… … ."

"But what?"

"The dedicated maid is noisy."

"haha."

I will take care of the major issues, such as the territory's operation plan and tax rates, but I plan to leave the detailed adjustments to professional administrators.

I told the Crown Prince that I would personally take care of the work, but I am in a position where I cannot just focus on running the territory until the situation within Chronicle Online is completely taken care of.

There will be no problem if the audit system is double- or triple-layered in connection with the intelligence department to prevent managers from having other thoughts.

As I looked at her, I remembered the conversation I had with the crown prince.

however.

"My lord! "My lord!"

The word 'marriage' that had been in my mind was forgotten as Catherine, who had become Arsia's dedicated maid, rushed towards me from afar.

Because Catherine's expression looked so urgent, as if something had happened.

"omg!? "Your Excellency the Marquis."

Catherine, who found me belatedly, covered her mouth, swallowing empty air.

I had to tilt my head at that.

"What, wasn't there something urgent?"

"Well, that is."

I guess she had already completely become Arcia's person, but between the two of us, she just rolled her eyes and couldn't easily answer my question.

"What?"

However, as the Marquis, she could not just ignore my question, so she answered with difficulty with an awkward expression.

"His Royal Highness the Second Prince has sent someone."

"Aren't you crazy?"

Without realizing it, I had committed the crime of insulting the royal family.