Golden Mage - Chapter 66
Volume 3, Episode 6
Then Duke Tengenvalley lowered his head and spoke.
“I apologize for the lengthy preamble, Your Majesty. I see this moment as an opportunity to make the power of the gods widely known. This time, I believe we must showcase the strength of our kingdom to the world.”
“Oh? So, you’re coming up with a way to do that now, Duke?”
King Redorf raised an intrigued eyebrow.
While supporting the struggle for the throne, Duke Tengenvalley was also one of the nobles who wished for the prosperity of the Tollian Kingdom. Though his motives were not entirely clear, it was evident that they aimed at the kingdom’s development. Hearing him speak, El felt a strong pull within him.
Did Duke Tengenvalley successfully spark the king’s curiosity? A smile formed at the corner of Duke Tengenvalley’s mouth. Indeed, by igniting the king’s curiosity, all the nobles were now wearing expressions filled with anticipation.
Duke Tengenvalley nodded confidently.
“Yes, Your Majesty. With the loyalists who are concerned about the kingdom and have been pondering day and night with the gods, we have come up with an idea.”
“Perhaps the Second Prince Faction’s nobles…?”
The words almost stuck in his throat, but King Redorf managed to ask, and Duke Tengenvalley responded by opening his mouth.
“Yes. There are various ways to make the kingdom’s strength known to other countries, but the most certain way is to impress our neighboring nations with our kingdom’s might. Therefore, I propose the subjugation of the Hessen Kingdom.”
“…!”
Upon Duke Tengenvalley’s words, everyone looked at him with astonishment.
Not just the local nobles and the First Prince Faction, even the Second Prince Faction nobles stared at him in shock. Only a few nobles next to Duke Tengenvalley remained composed.
The silence did not last long. King Redorf broke the silence with a surprised tone, questioning Duke Tengenvalley.
“Is this suggestion genuine, Duke?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. My words are genuine.”
Duke Tengenvalley nodded with unwavering resolve.
He had expected such a reaction. From now on, they would all rally behind his words. He gazed at King Redorf with a strange smile. Seeing the king’s bewildered expression amused him even more.
“Um!”
After a moment’s hesitation, Duke Tengenvalley opened his mouth again.
“I understand your surprise, Majesty. Suddenly proposing a war is not easy to accept. But there are valid reasons behind it.”
“Explain.”
“Yes. The Hessen Kingdom has been plundering our kingdom for about ten years. They dismissed it as the work of bandits, thus avoiding responsibility. However, not long ago, we received information that they disguised their soldiers as bandits and pillaged the food of our people. The evidence and circumstances are clear enough to justify their subjugation.”
The Hessen Kingdom consisted of about 80% mountainous terrain. Consequently, they suffered from food shortages and annually purchased large amounts of provisions from the Tollian Kingdom. Though not a significant nation in itself, the Hessen Kingdom was of vital importance to the Tollian Kingdom. If the Tollian Kingdom were to occupy the Hessen Kingdom, it would secure a stepping stone to expand into other territories.
Duke Tengenvalley continued his explanation.
“By subjugating the Hessen Kingdom, we can make our kingdom’s might known throughout the continent. We can also make neighboring nations recognize our kingdom’s strength. The surrounding kingdoms may not have been a concern for us, but they are all weaker than our kingdom. By demonstrating our undeniable superiority, they will be forced to submit and become vassals of our kingdom. This will result in our kingdom receiving substantial tribute each year, allowing us to gain a stronger foothold through this tribute.”
“But what does our kingdom gain from this, then?”
King Redorf questioned, and Duke Tengenvalley replied.
“To impress neighboring kingdoms with the power of our kingdom. Even if they were to form an alliance, they would still be unable to match our overwhelming strength. Thus, they would have to regard our kingdom as their suzerain to survive. This way, our kingdom will receive substantial tribute each year, and with that tribute, we can further strengthen our kingdom.”
“I’m not talking about that, Duke. Our kingdom already knows that we have the strength to overwhelm neighboring kingdoms. But can we afford to pull such power from our borders when we should be worrying about the monster invasion? Who can muster such a force?”
King Redorf acknowledged Duke Tengenvalley’s insight, but he found the proposal difficult to accept. The Tollian Kingdom’s power was indeed formidable. Even if all five surrounding kingdoms joined forces, they would still be no match for the Tollian Kingdom. However, the kingdom was tied to the Monster Land and unable to exert influence on its surroundings. Any misstep could upset the balance of power and lead to the downfall of the kingdom from both sides.
But now, Duke Tengenvalley was suggesting the subjugation of the Hessen Kingdom.
Even if the Hessen Kingdom was successfully conquered, there was no guarantee of peace afterward. The surrounding kingdoms would undoubtedly sense the danger and take action. Everyone looked to Duke Tengenvalley.
Especially, the eyes of the First Prince Faction nobles were not to be underestimated. They looked at each other like predators who had spotted their prey. One small mistake could turn into a deadly weapon that might come back to haunt them.
“Hooh!”
Observing the expressions of the First Prince Faction nobles, Duke Tengenvalley burst into an amused laugh. He had thoroughly enjoyed envisioning how their expressions would change because of his words.
“Hmm!”
Though King Redorf could not fathom Duke Tengenvalley’s inner thoughts, he found his proposal appealing. The conquest of the Hessen Kingdom would indeed amplify the influence of the Tollian Kingdom.
King Redorf’s gaze shifted to the First Prince Faction.
“I have no objections to Duke Tengenvalley’s proposal. If there are no dissenting opinions to appoint Prince Kran as the Commander-in-Chief, then I shall approve this matter.”
“Your Majesty, I must disagree with Duke Tengenvalley’s proposal.”
Finally, Marquis Terrendell, who had been silently observing until now, stood up.
All the First Prince Faction nobles looked at Marquis Terrendell with eager eyes. Marquis Terrendell was the most powerful force within the First Prince Faction, second only to Marquis Readmuff. He was a key figure in leading the First Prince Faction.
Marquis Terrendell glanced at Duke Tengenvalley and then slowly began speaking.
“I, too, believe that Duke Tengenvalley’s proposal is genuinely valid. With me and my brave soldiers defending against the monsters, now is indeed an opportune time to showcase the kingdom’s full strength.”
Pretending to sympathize with Duke Tengenvalley’s opinion, Marquis Terrendell was subtly boosting his own achievements. He continued his words.
“Unfortunately, our kingdom shares a border with the Monster Land. We managed to defend well last year, but we do not know what will happen this year.”
All the nobles of the First Prince Faction nodded in agreement.
Last year, the damages were minimal, but this year was uncertain.