Chapter 32

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: The Bait
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To think they could take half the profits from that vast territory. Especially the gains from Portmeier Harbor, a sum that would dwarf the annual income of a decent estate.

The moment profit-sharing was mentioned, the lords' eyes lit up. Some grumbled, questioning if dividing the profits wasn't biased.

However, Rutherford and Witten masked their excitement with impassive expressions, silently awaiting the king's words.

"Bring the map."

Lucy took a sip of her cold tea and gestured to an attendant with her eyes.

As if on cue, the attendant brought a map and spread it on the table. Seeing the detailed map of Duke Kill's territory, all the lords, without exception, gathered around it.

"Duke Kill managed his territory by dividing it into seven districts. I wish to divide the responsibilities accordingly. Lord Rutherford, Lord Witten. The two of you will come to an agreement and divide the districts here and now."

Rutherford, who had been staring at the map in an awkward posture, stepped forward first and tapped the north with his fan.

He wanted to point directly to the western coast, but he calculated it would be better for his image to save it for later. Witten also carefully pointed to the map with his finger, and so the districts were divided one by one.

After a battle of wits, only one place remained.

The western coastal district, where Portmeier Harbor was located. Amid the uncomfortable silence, it was Rutherford who spoke first.

"I will take this one. My own territory also borders the sea, so I am quite confident in managing a harbor."

Witten, who had been waiting for a chance to strike, quickly opened his mouth to rebuke him.

"Nonsense. Do you think Portmeier is the same as some rural port? This is a place where diplomacy must also be conducted, requiring a deep understanding of the other party's traditions and culture."

"When it comes to tradition and culture, is there a more suitable person than I? You seem to have forgotten that the Rutherford territory was the first to establish diplomatic ties with the cities of the Raphi. Moreover, whenever I host my salon, renowned intellectuals and artists from various nations gather to exchange culture. In matters of diplomacy, I may be better suited."

"To boast of diplomacy before me, a former ambassador—you are quite an amusing man, my lord."

Sharply honed sentences were aimed at each other. A tense silence, in which neither would yield an inch, fell over them.

It was Lucy's voice that broke the silence.

"Lord Rutherford, Lord Witten. Your remarks are out of line."

At the quiet command, the two men flinched and turned their heads.

Lucy, who had been looking down at the map with her arms crossed, glared at the two with sharp eyes.

"I called for a discussion, not an argument. Both of you, calm yourselves and be seated."

A solemn resonance, hard to believe from the voice of a young lady, spread across the table.

Rutherford and Witten glared at each other resentfully before silently taking their seats. Lucy, who had been quietly scanning the map, sighed, her half-closed eyes gazing into the air.

"Portmeier... A strategic point of incomparable importance. A place not to be interfered with rashly... Yes. My thinking was short-sighted."

Lucy rose from her seat and folded the map. Then, she slowly looked around at the lords and continued.

"I will reconsider this matter and we shall discuss it again later. This concludes today's meeting."

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

After leaving the conference room, Lucy headed straight for the royal palace.

More precisely, she was heading to a temple north of the palace to meet someone.

Lucy was silent for the entire ride. Walter, who had also attended the meeting, joined in the quiet, silently guiding his horse.

Had Whees been with them, he might have said something, but as the king's guard, he was monitoring the surroundings from the sky above.

"Your Majesty."

Walter slowed his reins and drew closer to Lucy. When Lucy looked up, he tilted his head with an uncertain expression.

"Regarding today's meeting... I felt something was a bit strange."

"What was?"

"Duke Kill's territory is immensely valuable in its own right. It would be logical to manage it as a royal domain. I cannot understand why you would choose to manage it through the lords."

"Ah. That's true. Entrusting it to the lords is, frankly, a loss."

"Then why..."

"Let's think about it."

Lucy loosened her grip on the reins and stroked her chin with one hand.

*How should I explain this?* After a brief hum, Lucy slowly laid out the thoughts she had organized in her head.

"The lords must be in a state of great confusion right now. The political landscape they knew has been completely overturned. Duke Kill, who they thought would hold a key position until his death, has fallen, and a new king has appeared."

"Yes."

"Will they follow me?"

Walter nodded without hesitation. At the expected reaction, Lucy let out a small laugh.

Walter always made judgments based on reason and logic, but when it came to matters involving Lucy, he tended to reveal a somewhat biased way of thinking.

Then again, soldiers live by the creed 'the sovereign is the law,' so it was perhaps natural for him to always think in a way that defended Lucy.

Lucy slowly shook her head, composing her smile.

"No. They probably see me as a fledgling. They'll be looking for an opportunity to control me."

"That's not true. Your Majesty is the one who brought down Duke Kill. You are the very person who caused his downfall. How could they dare?"

"I was the one who devised the plan, but only a few know that. The lords probably believe that you, Walter, were the one who brought down Duke Kill."

"..."

"When a great person is nearby, an ordinary person is inevitably overshadowed. It can't be helped."

Lucy had laid the plans, but it was Walter and his subordinate officers who had actually carried them out.

Furthermore, Walter himself had handled the aftermath, so it didn't take much thought to see how the situation would appear to outsiders.

Not having considered that his own prestige could be an obstacle, Walter bit his lip and fell silent. The one who had led them to victory was right before him, yet he was overcome with the shame and embarrassment of having stolen the credit, and his face turned bright red.

Lucy patted his back, offering a consolation that wasn't quite a consolation.

"It's fine. You don't need to worry. This was all part of my calculations."

"Are you saying you have something else in mind?"

Lucy nodded and continued, "Now for the important part."

"Let's get back to the main point and predict the lords' next move. They'll think of me as a child who knows nothing of politics. Oh, don't be offended. I'm intentionally leading them to think that. If I continue to act as if I'm naive to the ways of the world..."

"They will likely become careless in Your Majesty's presence. Some might even reveal their true intentions."

"Exactly!"

Lucy praised Walter, "Ooh, impressive." Walter's lips twitched, unsure whether he should laugh or not.

Lucy looked ahead with an amused expression.

"And what if I toss them some bait in the midst of it all? They'll probably forget all about saving face and become desperate to claim it for themselves. That's what I'm aiming for. The moment their true faces are revealed."

Walter, who had been tilting his head with a puzzled look, furrowed one of his brows.

"So you intend to set a trap for the lords using the duchy."

"Something like that."

"Is there someone else besides Duke Kill you intend to oust?"

Lucy quietly curled her lips, her expression serving as her answer.

Throughout her long life, Lucy had watched many people's lives unfold. In a life that repeated like a refrain, some people showed different sides of themselves each time, while others remained consistently the same.

The man before her was one of the latter.

In every life, Walter had protected Parnas until the very moment his life was extinguished. Duke Kill, too, had always been someone who worked alongside Walter as a key leader of Parnas.

But what about the other lords?

There were those who remained neutral or neglected the kingdom to protect their own territories. And then there was one who acted as a spy for the Empire, leaking internal secrets.

With a high-ranking noble committing such acts, there was no way to prevent the fall of Parnas.

The noble who acted as a spy...

*I need to see if that person intends to play the traitor once again.*

Organizing her thoughts, she dismounted from her horse. In response, Whees, who had been circling the sky, slowly descended toward them. Their destination, the temple of the nameless god, came into view.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Unlike its exterior, which was covered in ivy and exuded a gloomy atmosphere, the temple's interior was surprisingly clean and pleasant.

Monks in training approached quietly and bowed their heads. Lucy also bowed her neck, paying her respects to the apostles of the god.

"We greet Your Majesty!"

A man in a gray monastic robe pushed past the acolytes and rushed to bow before Lucy. The weariness of time was palpable on his deeply wrinkled face.

"My apologies. We have only just received word of your arrival. The 61st priest will guide you; please follow him."

A young monk appeared from behind the man and bowed deeply. He seemed to be the 61st priest the man had mentioned.

"I greet Your Majesty."

The monks who serve the nameless god sever all worldly ties and erase themselves.

Thus, they abandon their names upon entering the order. The monks, unless they are of high rank, are mostly referred to by number, a number that is returned upon death and reassigned to a new monk.

This young monk had probably received a number instead of a name in the same way.

The young monk who lifted his head looked at Walter with eyes full of curiosity. When Walter returned his gaze, the monk started in surprise and blushed.

"I have been told of your arrival. Please follow me."

The young monk rubbed his completely bald head, leading the group with an awkward expression.