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Chapter 514
Chapter 514
Chapter 514: Count Pinto
Count Pinto.
He was one of the frontier nobles guarding the Empire's border. He was Raul's father and lived with the pride of a noble from the Duchy. Then, a message arrived at Count Pinto's residence.
"Master! A report has arrived that Raul is approaching with a duke of the Empire!"
"A duke of the Empire!? Why would Raul be with such a person!?"
"I don't know! The duke's name is said to be Duke Bergvain."
"Bergvain? I've never heard of him."
Among the dukes of the Empire, there were those who didn't hold significant territories. Relieved that he might just be a duke in name, Count Pinto exhaled. However, even if a duke in name only, he was still a duke of the Empire, a different rank from the counts of the Duchy.
"Prepare to welcome them. I wonder what they are coming for"
Most likely, it was about the power struggle in the Duchy. The Empire's Prince Arnold stood by the prince of the Duchy. Using Arnold's connections, Duke Bergvain was likely coming with Raul to ask for the assistance of the Pinto family. That's what Count Pinto concluded. This meant that Raul had also sided with the prince. But, this had nothing to do with the Pinto family.
"Even though I have no intention of getting involved in the central power struggle"
Pure-hearted Raul probably couldn't leave the prince to die. Count Pinto understood that feeling. However, aligning with the disadvantaged prince would mean a loss of future prospects. While contemplating how to persuade Raul back to neutrality, Count Pinto's body froze on the spot. Duke Bergvain. He felt like he had heard that name somewhere. Where was it? He couldn't remember. Therefore, Count Pinto asked his servant.
"What's the full name of the duke coming here?"
"The full name...? I believe... it's Diethelm von Bergvain."
For a moment, Count Pinto's consciousness almost slipped away. He managed to steady himself by placing a hand on a nearby desk. But his heart raced uncontrollably. He was out of breath, and dizziness overcame him. Such was the shock of the name.
"M-Master!? What's the matter!?"
"Why, why, why of all people him"
Count Pinto did not know Diethelm after he started calling himself Bergvain. He had retired and hadn't achieved anything significant. However, he knew well about Diethelm when he was known as Diethelm Lakes Adler. The brother who had supported the current Emperor. His name was certainly known to the nobles of the Duchy. Even though it was over twenty years ago.
"Is he... a big shot...?"
"He's the brother of the current Emperor... a duke in name only...? That can't be... he's one of the most influential dukes in the Empire..."
The current Emperor had prepared the position of Chancellor for his brother. Yet, he had refused and chosen to retire. Even so, the Emperor's trust in him remained strong, and he could wield influence if he returned to the public eye. He was such a man that it would not be surprising if he was appointed Chancellor right now. That was Diethelm. Such a person was coming with Raul. For what reason?
"W-Why is Raul with such a high-ranking person!?"
"I don't know! Prepare the welcome, anyway!"
As he said this, Count Pinto left the room and began to walk. The visitor was the Emperor's brother. Too high-profile to be moving via Prince Arnold's connections. He was a higher-ranking figure than Prince Arnold. He wouldn't cross the border just to ask for help in the Duchy's power struggle. He must be moving for something else, something much bigger.
"Could it be... the Empire intends to invade the Duchy...?"
Using an incursion to rescue their prince as a pretext.
It's a conceivable scenario.
Afterward, they would put the prince on the throne, making Albatro a vassal state.
There have been similar cases.
Vassal states.
Remove the worries of the south before the war with the kingdom.
What the Empire wants is naval power, so even if the interior of the principality is somewhat turbulent, it won't affect them.
The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't think otherwise.
"So they came to negotiate with me..."
The Pinto family is a large one on the frontier.
If they surrender to the Empire, the other houses will likely give up resistance.
The border nobles are responsible for defending the empire's borders.
If they surrender, there will be no one to block the imperial army to the capital.
The Empire, which wants to conserve its military strength before the war with the kingdom, sent the emperor's brother to urge surrender.
That was the conclusion of Count Pinto.
"If that's the case, I have my own ideas too...!"
"Nice to meet you for the first time, Count Pinto. I am Duke Dietrich von Bergwein."
"Nice to meet you too, Duke Bergwein. What brings you, the emperor's brother, to my home? Moreover, bringing my son as your guide?"
"There seems to be a misunderstanding, but your son is not a guide."
"Then is he a hostage!? Let me make it clear, if you came to negotiate, it's in vain! The Pinto family has been protecting this land for generations! Even if all the nobles bow to the Empire, we alone will not! If you say you're going to invade, we will take as many imperial soldiers with us as we can!"
He let it out.
That's what Count Pinto muttered in his heart.
He told it to the duke of the Empire, the emperor's brother no less.
Everyone would be scared if the emperor's brother came.
They must have thought he would easily capitulate.
But not everyone gives up their pride out of fear.
He showed the pride of the Pinto family.
Excited, Count Pinto was satisfied with his own actions.
However...
"Let me say it again. There seems to be a misunderstanding. If our Empire was to invade the Duchy, we wouldn't bother with negotiation. We would just engulf it with overwhelming numbers."
"So, what did you come for..."
"Let's clear up one misunderstanding at a time. First, your son Raul is not a guide. There are plenty of others who could have guided us. I brought Raul because Arnold, my nephew, had a high regard for him. Therefore, I brought him here as a substitute for Arnold. And, the reason I came to the Pinto family is because it's an important house in this border region and I thought if you're the father of the sincere Raul, aren't you trustworthy?"
His own son is a substitute for the imperial prince.
That prince valued his son, so he came to meet him.
Count Pinto was full of things he didn't understand.
His son, Raul, wasn't a son who would be praised by others.
But, he had always tried to raise him to be a straightforward person.
However, there was nothing else to praise him for.
"I don't get the point..."
"We came seeking help. The Imperial Army is currently operating in the form of exercises. This is something that Arnold and I arranged. It's to give a sense of crisis to the nobles of the Duchy's frontier. But, if the Duchy becomes a pro-kingdom entity, and something happens to Arnold, an invasion becomes realistic. We want to avoid that."
"Why are you telling me your plans?"
"Respectable people deserve honesty. I have no intention of deceiving you. I am, after all, the emperor's brother and a duke of the empire. There is a difference in status between us and the nobles of the duchy's frontier as much as there is between an adult and a child. Honestly, I thought you would be bowing your head. But, you truly are Raul's father. You're resolute. Your earlier defiance, albeit based on a misunderstanding, was impressive. Raul must have taken after you. I would like to ask for your help to save my nephew."
With that, Dietrich bowed his head respectfully.
Not able to keep up with the situation, Count Pinto looked at Raul, who was standing next to Dietrich.
Raul nodded once.
"Father, the Duke wishes you to rally the frontier nobles... And to side with the prince."
"He wants me, a frontier noble, to rally the frontier nobles...? And side with the prince?"
"The script goes like this: Raul makes a request, and you, his father, reluctantly accept it. You explain to the frontier nobles the precarious situation with the Imperial Army, and rally them. This is a battle to avoid sacrifices. It may be a selfish demand from the Empire... but I hope for your wise judgment."
"Well, it is indeed quite self-serving. Do they expect me to agree if they just lay it all out? What will they do if the prince's side loses? How will they take responsibility?"
"If they lose, the Empire will protect them. But they won't lose. I've unilaterally prepared a thousand Imperial Army warhorses. I want you to use them to march on the capital."
"A thousand Imperial warhorses!?"
Quality Imperial Army warhorses are very expensive.
A thousand of them.
That he could provide them at his discretion was unthinkable to Count Pinto.
Realizing once again that the person in front of him was of a different class, Count Pinto let out a deep breath.
"So, you're going to move someone else if I don't agree, aren't you?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, yes. But I prefer to trust important matters to someone I can trust. I can trust someone who shows their pride far more than someone who grovels. I hope you can grant this request."
"Fine. If we intervene in the central dispute, the frontier nobles will spill blood. But if the Imperial Army moves, only the frontier nobles will spill blood. That's better than the alternative."
"I appreciate it. We'll send in soldiers inconspicuously. I'll leave the command to Raul. Can you do it?"
"Yes, I can!"
"Due to my position, I cannot go with you. Please take care of my nephew."
Once again, Dietrich bowed his head respectfully.
Count Pinto also responded in kind.
"Let's agree to work together to minimize the sacrifices on both sides. But even if I rally the frontier nobles, we'll barely match them. Do you have any other plans?"
"I've done what I can do. It's up to Arnold to make the next move. This is just speculation, but... perhaps the army from the Rondine border will also rush over. If that happens, it'll be a crushing victory for the prince's side."
"Move the border army?"
"Rondine will move them. He is my brother's son. He should be able to pull it off."
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