Chapter 86

2/6

As Bern left, Tanya returned to the room with Ryle and Dida.

Perfect timing.

"Sorry to ask you this right after you've returned... Tanya. I need the report on the domain's reserves immediately. And Ryle, Dida, I need the current numbers of the guard and the private army of the House of Armenia, as well as the number of personnel who can command them."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'll get right on it. But, Miss, is something wrong...?"

Tanya immediately bowed, and Ryle and Dida followed suit, but Ryle, perhaps questioning my instructions, asked.

Well, if you're suddenly told, you'd react that way.

"Just now, I received a report from Father through Bern. It said that a petition has been submitted to dissolve the army."

"Wh-what...?"

All three of them expressed their shock in different ways. It's not just because they are from the House of Armenia, but also because they are disciples of my grandfather, the general, and are worried about him.

"Fortunately, my grandfather and Father managed to stop it, but..."

With those words, all three of them let out a sigh of relief.

"The problem is the flow, the people who submitted the petition, and the content of the petition."

"What do you mean?"

"Let me preface this by saying that this is just my personal opinion. I might be wrong."

With my disclaimer, the three of them nodded.

"First, the flow. This matter started with a comment made by Yuri Neuer, the baroness."

"That woman?"

Without hiding it, Ryle spoke with displeasure. It's rare for him to show such emotion, let alone be in a bad mood.

"From Tanya's report, I believe, though I don't know how, that she is connected to the Kingdom of Twail."

At what level and through what process. Perhaps... she might be threatened, or used unconsciously, or even really be a vanguard for them.

These are not certain, and there is no concrete evidence that she is connected. However, I considered this matter based on the premise that I don't want these suspicions to be true.

"While my father, who is our last hope, is immobilized due to my mistake, a proposal to dissolve the army, which would be a dream come true for the Kingdom of Twail, has started to move. Looking back, the attack on me by the Daryl Church's Pope might have been orchestrated by Lady Yuri... or the person behind her, to immobilize my father."

That makes more sense. The Pope's strong push to expel me was likely because he was promised a substantial return from them.

My words made the three of them show their displeasure to the point where I could almost hear them hiss.

"So, the problem is... the people who agreed to submit the petition."

"Of course, the Second Prince's faction, right?"

Ryle gave the expected response.

"But, it's not just them. In fact, this time, voices of agreement also came from the neutral faction."

"From the neutral faction...?"

Ryle whispered in surprise. Next to him, Tanya and Dida also had stern expressions.

"But, what's in it for them?"

"I think it's to legally expand their military forces."

"What do you mean?"

"As you both know, we lords are supposed to maintain a minimum military force... the size is generally determined by the territory."

This is a remnant from the time when lords had more power.

There was considerable opposition to concentrating military forces, and as a result of aiming to organize them into a single "national army," we ended up in this halfway state.

"The lords check each other, and if any lord has an excessive military force, the kingdom will monitor them."

This is to prevent lords from rebelling.

"So, the proposal that came with the petition to dissolve the army is that after the dissolution, the soldiers will be distributed to the lords, who will bear the military expenses, and in case of an emergency, they will be handed over to the country. ...In other words, it's a return to the old days when lords had the most power. The fact that some of the neutral faction's nobles also desire this..."

"To ensure they have military forces in case of an emergency. ...In plain terms, they've given up on the kingdom?"

Dida continued the words I was about to say.

"That's right. Whether they want to actively rebel or retreat to their territories, I'm not sure."

"So, what? You want to confirm the military forces and engage in battle with such people? To become the shield and sword of the kingdom and fight together?"

"Of course not. It's for the sake of an emergency. In the current state of internal and external troubles, to protect the territory if necessary."

"Hmm... But, you know."

Dida's tone was as usual, casual, but also serious.

Perhaps because of this... or perhaps because he was shocked by the content of the petition just now, Ryle, who usually scolds Dida for his tone, was quiet.

"When the time comes, the one who gives orders to the soldiers belonging to the territory is the acting lord, which is you, right?"

"...Yes."

Probably, but.

Father will be fully engaged in central politics.

Even if I, who am in the position of acting lord, am not there, the decisions on such important matters would take time, but the capital would still give direct orders.

No matter how much experience Sebastian has in managing the territory, he doesn't have the authority to make such decisions.

However, if I, who have the same authority as a lord, am there, it's not necessary.

Moreover, if there are people who can be used for swift responses, wouldn't it be a waste not to use them?