Chapter 100

100th Episode Commemoration! ... I wish I could say that, but it's just a regular one.

Sorry, *bows* (o_ _)ｏ))

Still, as a commemoration, I will update another episode at 8 AM today!

The Holy Orion Kingdom is a great nation that dominates the southeastern part of the central continent.

All citizens are humans, and they refer to non-human races such as beastmen, elves, and dwarves as sub-humans, considering them inferior and only allowing them to live as slaves. The nation is a human supremacist state.

Furthermore, it is a country that eliminates demons without question, treating them as pests.

The state religion is the well-known Orion Religion, which worships the Creator and the Seven Great Gods. In the Holy Orion Kingdom, all religions other than the Orion Religion are considered heresies, and it is said that all citizens are followers of the Orion Religion.

The Creator seems to mean the god of creation, but the image of the Creator differs from the god of creation I know. Statues of the Creator are said to depict a seductive, well-endowed woman.

The Seven Great Gods are the deities who govern the seven attributes of fire, water, wind, earth, light, darkness, and space-time. I believe that Merinade, who governs space-time among other things, is a goddess, but in the Orion Religion, the Great God of Space-Time is modeled after an old man.

Moreover, the religion seems to have a rather fraudulent doctrine, as it claims that there are only seven gods besides the Creator, and all others are false gods.

According to my research, there is no evidence that any real gods are involved in the Orion Religion.

Well... When I asked the god of creation, it turned out that the Orion Religion is a fraudulent religious organization, and not only the god of creation but also the benevolent gods are not involved.

I received the same answer from Merinade, so I can plan to eliminate it without any qualms.

Evil gods?

I don't know about evil gods because there is no information on them.

Moreover, I have heard from Merinade that powerful evil gods are not involved.

Even if evil gods were involved, they made the first move, so it is necessary to settle the matter.

The world of gods would be over if they were underestimated.

Just kidding.

However, religious wars never cease in any world.

It is fine to worship real gods within the bounds of common sense, but pseudo-religions that impersonate gods are extremely dangerous.

I would like to say that people should worship and praise me.

If the god of creation and Merinade could eliminate the Orion Religion, it would be great... but they are busy and it's troublesome, I guess.

The god of creation doesn't seem to work much...

My father received information that the Holy Orion Kingdom is preparing an expeditionary force centered around the Holy Cross Knights, and the prospect of war is becoming more likely.

Furthermore, I reported a bandit incident, which led to increased surveillance of Orion Religion followers, especially in the south, and stricter crackdowns on domestic troublemakers.

The problem here is the Principality of Verm.

I don't understand why the Principality of Verm is sending an envoy to the Holy Bandum Kingdom at this time.

I have been informed that a meeting with the Tanuki will take place soon, and I, as a count, have been ordered to attend.

I don't really want to go, but I have no choice.

The meeting between His Majesty and the envoy from the Principality of Verm is about to begin.

I am standing next to my father, waiting for the envoy to enter.

This meeting is just for the envoy to present a letter from the Duke of Verm to the Tanuki.

The actual negotiations will be conducted at a practical level, and His Majesty will respond to the envoy after several days or weeks.

During this time, the envoy will be accommodated in a guesthouse near the royal castle.

"I, Freles Delsi, represent the Principality of Verm and present myself to His Majesty. I am deeply honored to behold the august presence of His Majesty."

The envoy is the leader of the Principality of Verm's diplomatic mission and is making an exaggerated greeting with gestures, bowing deeply.

I don't like such pretentious nobles.

Well, my likes and dislikes don't matter.

"Indeed, you have come a long way."

It seems to be customary for His Majesty to speak little, and after the initial greeting, the prime minister, who stands several steps below His Majesty, responds.

The prime minister politely deflects the envoy's boasts.

I wish he would get to the point. How long will this boasting go on?

Time seems to drag on in this grand audience chamber.

By the time it finally ends, my SP (Spirit Points) is down to less than half.

"What was that envoy trying to say, in the end?"

"I don't know..."

"Was he just boasting?"

Gael, like me, couldn't understand the envoy's actions, but Karla dismisses it as noble boasting.

As knights, they both attended the audience as part of my family.

Later, it was decided that both the Holy Bandum Kingdom and the Principality of Verm would establish consulates and begin provisional trade.

The issue was where to set up the window for this trade.

Since the trade is to begin provisionally, it was agreed to have only one window to observe the situation.

However, the window city would bring many benefits, so there was a lot of contention over the rights.

Until now, only the eastern port city of Alsum had access to the sea, but the appearance of the Principality of Verm's envoy in Eastwood suggests that Eastwood is a candidate.

Eastwood was built on a lake with future trade in mind, but it doesn't need to be the window for trade with the Principality of Verm.

Therefore, I suggested Alsum, but my father argued that since the Principality of Verm's envoy first landed in Eastwood, Eastwood is the appropriate place for trade.

The Duke of Alsum, Lord Britton, argued for the city's track record as a port and refused to back down.

Since Lord Britton is a noble, my father is also unwilling to yield, and the trade with the Principality of Verm has become a domestic issue as well as an international one.

I wonder if the envoy from the Principality of Verm appeared in Eastwood to stir up trouble within the Holy Bandum Kingdom?

It might be an overreaction, but if there is such an intention, the Principality of Verm, and the Holy Orion Kingdom behind it, are quite cunning.

After the audience, my father and I will depart for our territory.

This is because my father, the governor of the south, needs to command from Brunhild due to the increasing activity of the Holy Orion Kingdom.

The trade window was decided to be Alsum, partly because I persuaded my father.

If my theory is correct, it would be bad for Eastwood to be the trade window with the Principality of Verm.

Therefore, we will focus on developing our territory and observe the external situation.

I am also going to my territory because I am a noble with a fief in the south.

If there is a war with the Holy Orion Kingdom, southern nobles have the duty to send troops, but I am exempt because I have just established my family.

New nobles who need to develop and cultivate their territories are generally exempt from sending troops for five years.

Nobles who send troops can send a representative instead of the head of the family going to the front line.

However, as the governor of the south, my father's representative must be a close relative to command the nobles and their representatives.

My grandfather and Uncle Federasio could serve as representatives, but it is more appropriate for my older brother Jimnis or me to represent my father, as they are his direct children.

Jimnis, being a member of the royal knights, cannot leave the capital.

Of course, Jimnis could resign from the knights and prepare to succeed the family under my father, but he has been ordered to protect the royal family.

Thus, I am the only choice to represent my father.

I cannot bring my sisters, Elizabeth and Krishnas, to represent my father, so I am the only choice.

By the way, Jimnis was appointed as a battalion commander this spring, so he cannot easily move.

Although the House of Brutois is exempt from sending troops, I, as the son of the Margrave of Brutois, am bound by noble customs to go to the front.

However, it would look bad if I went to the front without any troops from the House of Brutois, so I plan to take 100 elite soldiers led by Revis.

Before departure, I visit Lady Dorothy.

Since I will be officially away from the capital for several months, I want to see her.

"Please think of this as a substitute for me."

It sounds like a farewell, but I don't plan to die.

I give Lady Dorothy a brooch shaped like a rose.

"May you have a safe journey... I will pray to the god of magic."

"The war hasn't been decided yet."

Lady Dorothy looks at me with a complex expression.

As a royal, she can't tell me not to go to war, but as my fiancée, she doesn't want me to go.

Her expression reflects this inner conflict.

"I will come back."

I take Lady Dorothy's hand and look her in the eye.

I enjoy some time with her before returning to the mansion.

In front of the mansion, a line of people hoping to join my army is forming, and Gael is busy dealing with them.

It's premature, as the war hasn't been decided yet, but everyone is eager since I am leaving in two days.

My mother and Ignatius are also accompanying my father to Brunhild.

My father tried to persuade my mother to stay in the capital, but from my perspective, Brunhild has better security and is closer to my father, so it is actually safer.

My father is probably thinking about the possibility of defeat.

Well, we have new weapons, so we won't lose... probably.