In a room of the palace of the Lamaronic Empire, three men looked up to the heavens.
"We have run out of arguments.
It was Madeline, the Prime Minister, who muttered to no one in particular. He sat up, shaking his huge body with great gravity.
There is no other way but my idea.
Madeline's eyes met those of Kalies, Marshal General of the Ramallon Imperial Guard, and Almond, Commander-in-Chief. Both of them were staring at Madeline with furrowed brows and stern expressions on their faces.
"The Imperial Kingdom will be divided in two," they said.
Caries opens her mouth as if squeezing it from the bottom of her stomach. Sweat glistens on his forehead.
"No, General. My guess is that it's the Imperial Army that will be split in two. From our point of view as officials, all that matters is that the country is well run. Rather, it is our concern that the country will not be able to operate, that the system that is working so well will fall apart.
"Ummm ......"
Caries crossed her arms and looked up to the heavens again. At that moment, Almond, who had been standing next to him, slowly opened his mouth.
"I agree with you, Prime Minister.
"Almond ......"
"It can't be helped. A true statesman should not be distracted by immediate gains and should not make mistakes in planning for the nation's next hundred years. Mr. Madorin is looking a hundred years into the future. Isn't that right?
Caries smiles as if she is biting a bitter bug.
"Will it rain blood on the Kingdom of Lamaron again?"
Caries muttered in a small voice with a regretful expression on her face.
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"What? The Madryn vizier?"
Matkal is the one with a surprised look on his face. A few moments ago, a messenger from the Kingdom of Ramallon came to me and said that the Prime Minister himself wished to see me.
That man comes all the way to the capital. ....... It is easy to imagine that something must have happened in Lamaron. He is a very busy man for such a big man. The country is owned by the prime minister. That man comes all the way here, giving up his duties....... When I ask the messenger why, he gives me only a cryptic answer. I looked into the messenger's past with my appraisal skill, but he himself was only told by the Prime Minister to make an appointment to meet me at any cost.
...... is definitely not a good story.
I called Matkal into my office as soon as the messenger left. And when I told her that the Prime Minister was coming, she showed a rare display of emotion.
"......What in the world is going on in the Kingdom?"
"Yeah, I don't know what's going on either. I've done some research, but there is no indication that we are being attacked by any country, nor is there any movement in the country that would suggest a rebellion. There doesn't seem to be any reason for the prime minister himself to come all the way here.
"I'm sure he's not just trying to curry favor."
"Yes. ....... Well, there's no point in us bothering each other face to face. Let's think about it after we hear what the Prime Minister has to say.
"Let's do that. I'd like to be there when you do. I have a bad feeling about this.
"...... got it."
With these words, Matkal left his office.
A few days later, Prime Minister Madrin arrived. And he brought Almond, the commander-in-chief, with him. I hide my surprise and address them both with an air of nonchalance.
"It's been a while. I didn't expect you to be with us, Mr. Almond. ......"
Almond smiles and slowly bows his head. He is usually dressed in military uniform, but on this day he is dressed like an aristocrat, matching his costume with the Prime Minister's. He is usually dressed in a military uniform, but on this day he is dressed like an aristocrat, matching his costume with the Prime Minister's. At first glance, he does not appear to be an aristocrat in any way. However, the atmosphere emanating from his body is not just ordinary, and the sense of discomfort is not quite right.
He glances at Matkal, who is standing next to him. She is as calm as ever.
Without even a word of greeting, Madeline, the Prime Minister, opens her mouth with a formal expression.
"I have come here to ask a favor of the King of Agartha.
"I'll be straight with you. I would like to have your son, Falco, in the Kingdom of Ramallon.
"What?"
"You are right to be surprised. And I am well aware that this is an unreasonable request. But the future of the empire is at stake. I know that you have many thoughts on the matter, but I would like to ask you to bend to my wishes.
I'm sorry, I don't see where this is going. Why do you want to talk about your son?
"Your Majesty's orders have already been ......"
Madeline quickly looked away from me. The Emperor of Lamaron has been under house arrest for quite some time. I had heard that even though he is under house arrest, he is free to buy whatever he likes and to live a comfortable life surrounded by the women he likes. I believe he was still young. In his fifties?
"I have shown him to doctors and sorcerers, but his heart is already so weak that he has little strength to move it on his own."
"Hah ......."
Almond explains calmly and calmly. At his words, Madeline looks at me again.
"As you can see, if His Majesty goes into hiding, there will be a problem with the succession.
"Well, how many children does the emperor have now?"
In terms of boys, we have two.
"I see. So it will be a bone fight between the two of them. ......"
I mean, both of you are anti-Agartha.
"Heh? Is that so?"
"To Matkal, you are his older brother. I am sure you are well acquainted with both of your characters. ......"
Madeline turns her gaze to Matkal. But she slowly shakes her head from side to side.
"I don't understand. I left the palace at a very young age and served in the military academy and eventually in the Imperial Guard."
"When Master Matkal came to the Imperial Army, one of his older brothers, Master Aukhan, was one of the military commanders. I am sure you are well acquainted with his personality. ......"
"Is that so, Mat? What kind of a person is this Orhan?"
"......In a word, I'm not cut out to be a soldier."
"Is that so?"
"He has a habit of taking in information that is good for him, but not listening to information that is bad for him."
"You're right. That's why Master Aukhan was transferred to the post of commander of the rear guard.
Almond opens his mouth without expression. Apparently, the current emperor candidate is not a very good man for Lamarron's army either.
"Master Orhan and his brother Clahara are both anti-Agartha. No matter how much the Prime Minister admonishes them, they will not change their minds. On the contrary, they are delusional enough to call for another invasion of Agartha. This is only because the two of you are always telling only what is pleasing to your ears.
"Then, why don't you take one of them out of the way and bring them up under the care of Prime Minister Madlin or Commander-in-Chief Almond?"
"I am ashamed to say that we have tried that many times. ......"
"I see. ....... But even so, wouldn't there be a strong domestic backlash if the late ...... Falco were adopted by the emperor? If it's not done well, I think it could turn into a civil war. ......"
"No . We have no intention of adopting Falco, Your Majesty."
"And what do you say?"
Prime Minister Madryn stepped forward to face me, his huge body swinging with great gravity.
"Master Falco is the grandson of His Majesty the Magnificent. He is the son of a noble prince who has the blood of His Majesty and the blood of the king of Agartha in his veins. What is there to stop him from taking the next throne of the kingdom?"
"Actually, apart from the succession issue, we have one more thing we want to do.
Behind the Prime Minister, Almond opened his mouth. His eyes grew sharper. .......