Chapter 61

"My father, Basel Galst, is the general of the kingdom. He is both the sword and the shield of the royal family. Therefore, Father cannot turn against the royal family. He said he cannot side with Prince Raidor and betray Emperor Granado."

"…Well, that's to be expected. That man is just like that."

Raidor nodded. That was why Basel Galst was called the great general who protected the country.

"But, Father told me, 'From now on, serve Prince Raidor personally.'"

"General Galst said that?"

"Yes. The prince has saved the country. However, as the kingdom's general, he cannot turn against the king. Therefore, he wants me to serve in his place."

"……"

Raidor fell silent at the words that seemed to be painted with purity. General Basel Galst was one of the people who had exiled Raidor to the border, but seeing such integrity, he could not hold any resentment. Rather, as someone who also lived by fighting, he even felt a sense of respect.

"Besides… even without Father's order, I cannot accept Emperor Granado's plan to burn down the town to eliminate his political enemies. From now on, I intend to serve Prince Raidor and do my best."

"I see… I accept your loyalty. Then we need to think of a way to thwart Granado's plan."

Impressed by Daren's clear and pure nature, just like his father, Raidor began to discuss their future strategy. Granado's goal was to tarnish Raidor's reputation, and his method was to set fire to the town and make it look like Raidor's doing. How could they avoid this?

"The best way would be to make the enemy surrender without a fight. If there's no battle, they can't take advantage of it to set fire."

"Hmm… What about offering amnesty to the enemy lord to persuade him?"

"That's not something the prince can decide alone. Unconditionally forgiving a traitor to an enemy country is unprecedented and would only make them suspect that we're trying to deceive them."

"…"

Raidor fell silent at the flawless counterargument. The sound of hooves hitting the ground was the only thing heard as they led their squad down the road.

(Leaving Naimeria behind might have been a mistake… If she were here, she could have found and captured the hidden arsonist.)

Raidor's maid, Naimeria, was left in the capital to handle other tasks. As a witch, she could have found Granado's hidden subordinates in the town or even manipulated the weather to make it rain and prevent the fire from spreading.

(Should I go back to the capital and bring her here? No, bringing her here would disrupt our future plans. We can't rely solely on the witch's powers.)

"…I can freely decide the fate of the captives I took under the oath with Granado. What if I offer to spare their lives as a condition?"

"It's not a bad idea, but it's difficult."

Daren frowned as he answered.

"Indeed, that method could save their lives. However, it cannot protect their noble status or their lands. If someone is willing to lose their noble status, they would have already abandoned their lands and fled to the capital."

"Damn… I thought it was a good idea."

"Perhaps, if they are cornered to the point where that's their only option, they might accept the amnesty. However, if it comes to a battle, they will allow the arson. With only a thousand cavalry, it's not enough to be a deterrent. Perhaps it would be more reliable to pray for rain to fall when we reach enemy territory."

"…Relying on luck, huh? It makes me want to cry."

Raidor looked up at the sky and shook his head. The clear sky was completely cloudless today, and it was unrealistic to expect rain to fall conveniently for them.

"Well… perhaps the traitorous nobles might surrender easily. Let's hope for that."

Raidor pulled the reins and sped up his horse. The black horse neighed loudly, and its clear neigh echoed through the clear sky.