READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 62
Episode 62: The Worst and the Worst (Part 2)
Giorg set off for Miressbelle, the royal capital of the Zabeil Kingdom. The group consisted of three carriages. The first carriage carried Giorg, the second carried Demitul and Azein, and the third was occupied by civil officials.
Of course, since they were passing through the former Central Nobles’ territory, where public safety had significantly declined, knights were assigned as escorts.
The journey to Miressbelle by carriage would take approximately two weeks.
“Still, Levard and his group are pretty unlucky, huh?”
Roy’s voice was filled with sympathy. Levard was one of Giorg’s subordinates and was riding in the same carriage as Demitul and Azein. Knowing Azein’s true identity, Demitul naturally harbored hostility toward him, and Azein was equally unfriendly toward Demitul. The atmosphere inside the carriage was undoubtedly terrible.
Being stuck in that dreadful atmosphere, Levard and his group were far from enjoying a comfortable journey.
However, since both Demitul and Azein played crucial roles in the upcoming negotiations, the escorts had to be extra cautious.
In that sense, the three selected individuals were trusted by Giorg. Levard and the others understood this, but spending two weeks with such unpleasant companions was still far from enjoyable.
Meanwhile, during the two-week journey, Giorg continued to receive reports from his subordinates.
Giorg’s carriage had been converted into a makeshift office, and he meticulously reviewed each piece of information, using it as a basis for his decisions.
Carriages are notoriously bumpy, and under normal circumstances, it would be impossible to work in such conditions. However, thanks to years of training, Giorg could manage his duties even with significant shaking.
“Hmm?”
“What is it, my lord?”
Aisha immediately responded to Giorg’s murmur. Currently, Giorg’s carriage carried four people besides himself: Roy, Aisha, Cain, and Ride, all assisting him with his work.
“The shaking has lessened.”
“Now that you mention it…”
“It seems we’ve entered the Zabeil Kingdom.”
At Giorg’s words, the other four exchanged glances and nodded. As Giorg had said, the Zabeil Kingdom had completely neglected the former Central Nobles’ territory, resulting in poorly maintained roads that caused severe shaking. However, this was not the case in the Zabeil Kingdom. King Jilvol had properly maintained the highways, making the carriage ride much more comfortable.
“It’s quite clear, isn’t it? If they maintain things this thoroughly, wouldn’t more people from the former Central Nobles’ territory want to migrate to Zabeil?”
Roy’s words earned a nod from Giorg.
“That number could be significant. Even though Sosua has ascended to the throne, it doesn’t bring stability. As long as Sosua and her faction remain hostile to Zabeil, they’ll have to focus on military efforts. Road maintenance will naturally take a backseat.”
Roy sighed at Giorg’s words.
“No matter how you look at it, they’re doomed, aren’t they?”
“Yes, exactly as Roy says. Sosua is undoubtedly doomed.”
“But wasn’t it you, Lord Giorg, who orchestrated this?”
“Don’t say such scandalous things. Wasn’t it Demitul who handed the throne to Sosua?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. At the very least, Demitul never intended that.”
Roy spoke with a look of disbelief, and Giorg smirked.
“As I said earlier, Demitul’s intentions are irrelevant. What matters is the fact that Sosua ascended to the throne based on Demitul’s decision.”
Hearing Giorg’s words, the four of them exchanged wry smiles. Knowing the inside story, they recognized Giorg’s words as pure sophistry.
“Hmm? This is…”
Ride muttered as he looked at a report.
“What is it?”
“Here, take a look.”
Ride handed the document to Giorg, who quickly scanned its contents.
“It seems the Flastarl Empire has begun its invasion.”
At Giorg’s words, the four nodded. The Flastarl Empire’s invasion had commenced as planned, aligning with Giorg’s strategy.
“So far, things are going according to plan.”
“But… my lord, you seem concerned about something?”
Cain’s words caused Giorg to frown.
“Yes, if King Jilvol personally takes the field, our negotiating counterpart might change.”
“Wouldn’t that make things easier for us?”
“Indeed, it might. But if he doesn’t, it would demonstrate the depth of talent within the Zabeil Kingdom.”
“That’s entirely possible. Hector Zabeil, the former frontier count, is still alive and well.”
“Yes, and King Jilvol has a younger brother, Yuan. According to reports, he’s quite capable as well.”
Giorg’s words made Cain pause and think.
“What is it?”
“I was wondering why you didn’t consider pitting Yuan against King Jilvol.”
Giorg gave a wry smile at Cain’s question.
“I did consider that, but ultimately, I abandoned the idea.”
“Why is that?”
“After analyzing all available information, it became clear that Yuan would never turn against Jilvol.”
“Is King Jilvol that fearsome?”
Giorg shook his head at Cain’s words.
“No, rather, Yuan deeply admires King Jilvol. He only ever speaks highly of his brother, even to his subordinates.”
“He doesn’t even feel inferior?”
“Not at all. In fact, he becomes more enraged than Jilvol himself at any insult directed at his brother.”
“That much, huh…”
Cain pondered Giorg’s words.
In noble society, siblings close in age are often each other’s closest rivals. If one doesn’t become the head of the family, they risk being treated as mere tools for life, so it’s not uncommon for them to scheme against each other.
“In any case, if King Jilvol doesn’t take the field against the Flastarl Empire’s invasion, we should assume he has some surefire strategy for victory.”
At Giorg’s words, the four exchanged glances. The Flastarl Empire’s invasion was larger in scale than previous ones. If King Jilvol had a guaranteed plan for victory, it was only natural to be concerned about what that plan might be.
“In any case, we’ll know the answer in three days.”
As Giorg spoke, the four nodded and resumed their work.
Three days later, upon arriving in Miressbelle, Giorg received a report: “The meeting will proceed as planned, with King Jilvol in attendance.”
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