The Ruler of Conspiracy

by Kugane Maruyama

“I don’t think so.”

  His father’s shoulders slumped. That attitude made him irritated and anxious.

  Am I forgetting something? But he couldn’t think of anything.

  “Many young people died on the Katze Plain. All sorts of problems will crop up in the next few years, so we need to forge cooperative relations with neighboring nobles now. We’ll have to have one domain growing food, another weaving cloth, and so on. None of us has enough land to produce everything ourselves. Neither do we have money to spare. Now who would want to cooperate with a house that had dealings with the Nation of Darkness?”

  The thoughts that came to Phillip as he listened were enough to create a slick of sweat down his back. His father was right.

  “And you know, don’t you, that our domain doesn’t produce anything special that the other domains absolutely need? So even if we were left out of any cooperative alliance, it would be no skin off their backs.”

  Phillip frantically worked his brain. I’m smart. I can refute anything this old fool says.

  “That’s exactly why we should go with the Nation of Darkness.”

  His father gestured for him to continue.

  “If we align with them, we can get them to support us.”

  “…Then let me ask you this. If you were someone from the Nation of Darkness—no, say you were the king of some country, and a village from an enemy nation asked you to send them food, would you?”

  “Of course. I would definitely send it.”

  “Why?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? It proves that I’m a benevolent lord.”

  “And besides that?”

  “Nothing else in particular, I guess.”

  His father had his mouth slightly ajar. Was he impressed? But the reaction was a little strange if that was the case. But he did think that even the Nation of Darkness would want to be known as a benevolent nation. Especially since it was ruling the former Re-Estize Kingdom area of E-Rantel. He was sure the nation would want to put on a friendly face for them.

  “I see. Is that what you think? I would probably support them, too—in order to have something to attack that country over. I would wage a war to liberate the village suffering under kingdom rule.”

  “Ridiculous. That would just be letting your imagination get the better of you. Besides, that reasoning won’t fly anyhow.”

  “Oh, you don’t think so?”

  “In the first place, if what you said was true, wouldn’t that be even more reason to strengthen our ties with the Nation of Darkness?”

  “You—” His father looked frustrated. “Have you no pride as a noble of the kingdom?”

  “Sure I do. But not having that pride would still be better than being destroyed.”

  “This is the king who savaged your brother and many other kingdom subjects with that horrifying magic spell. The king those things reverently hold aloft…”

  “It’s war, Father. Does it really matter if you die by the sword or by magic?”

  “…Why do you have so much faith in the King of Darkness?”

  It wasn’t as if he had faith in him. It was true he felt an affinity. But more importantly, the king was a pawn for them to create value as well as for him to enrich his own position.

  A pawn! That’s right! To me, this king who everyone in the kingdom fears is a mere pawn!

  He envisioned himself playing a huge—nation-scale—board game and grew excited.

  Still, Father’s concerns are valid. But not terribly serious, considering how simply I refuted them… Still, perhaps I should tell Lady Albedo next time I see her…

  “You have nothing left to say. Did you thank the count at the party? For recognizing you as the next lord of the domain?”

  This was the thing that made the least sense to Phillip.

  Why should he have to bow his head to someone he’d never met just because the guy was the head of the faction?

  Choosing the next lord of the domain was within the realm of each domain’s autonomy. The count had nothing to do with it. If the man had recommended him over his two brothers to inherit the domain, he would of course have thanked him, but that wasn’t how it had happened. Phillip’s current position was entirely due to luck.

  In other words, there was no reason to lower his head.

  That was why he hadn’t paid his respects. But he figured his father would get upset again if he said that. This was a lie to protect his ailing old man.

  “Of course.”

  “I see. That’s good. Then things might still work out. We should be able to ask him for assistance if necessary.”

  Just as Phillip was feeling relieved, sensing the conversation might be over, the butler chimed in from behind.

  “I still have a question. The first issue you brought up, Master Phillip, hasn’t been resolved. You said you invited the representative from the Nation of Darkness to the ball we’re holding. What are your plans?”

  “Right, Phillip! What were you thinking? We don’t have anywhere to hold a ball!”

  Landholders from the country kept manors in the capital.

  They were for residing in while they visited the capital and were consequently on the small side.

  Of course, they weren’t small like a commoner’s hut. They used them only a few times a year, but in order to demonstrate their power as nobles, they needed a place large enough to accommodate the entourage accompanying them from their domain as well. Still, though the house was relatively big, it wasn’t built for holding balls.

  But that problem was already solved.

  “It’s all right. We can’t do it here, but I have a place we can borrow.”

  “Ooh, is it the count’s?” His father smiled faintly as he asked, but Phillip shook his head.

  “No. The house of an acquaintance I met in the capital. The lady of the house will let us borrow it. I saw her before I came back, and she said it would be no problem.”

  “For how much?”

  The butler’s question made him sigh in his head.

  That’s the first thing you ask?

  “For free.”

  “Free…? Really?”

  “Really.”

  Phillip remembered what the woman had told him: You seem to have a bright future, so I’ll invest in you if you like. You can just pay me back double later.

  “That sounds a little too convenient… Are you sure she’s not trying to swindle you?”

  That irritated Phillip, but he knew how much his father trusted the butler, so he couldn’t go flinging insults. “I made a debt, but I arranged to pay it back at the same time. It’s not a problem.”

  “…This means you have a venue, but what about the invitations? Are you going to ask the count to arrange them?”

  What are you talking about? Phillip groaned in his head. The whole point is to hold the ball to build up my name. Why should I have to give away the best job after doing all this prep work?

  Is this how a slave thinks? How sad… I don’t want to end up like that.

  “That’s okay. I asked the lady lending me the venue, and she’ll take care of it. Naturally, I’ll select the guests.”

  “…It’s rude to not include the count. It’s not too late to ask him for help. Do you even know nobles to invite for polite company in the first place?”

  “To an extent, but I also have a special guest planned. The lady mentioned him to me.”

  “Are you”—suspicion appeared in his father’s eyes—“sure you’re not being manipulated by this woman?”

  “Father! That’s awfully offensive no matter how you look at it! I planned this, and I’m carrying it out! It’s true that I’m getting some help. But it’s because she heard my idea and thought it had merit—she thought it would go well—and that’s why she’s funding it! Why are you being this way? I’m the next head of the domain, so shouldn’t you be supporting me one hundred percent?”

  It was true, too. She had said, “If you’ll let a few nobles I’m close with attend,
I’ll help you.” He asked for her assistance because she was clearly requesting benefits for herself as well. He wasn’t being manipulated at all.

  She was different from people like the count his father was bound to, who took all the profit for themselves.

  Phillip wanted to tell his father, You’re the one being manipulated.

  “…Sorry, but could you tell me her name?”

  Phillip contained his anger. He was talking to someone who still had a slave mentality. The right thing to do was generously forgive him.

  “Her name is Hilma Shugneus. Have you ever heard of her?”

  “No, have you?”

  The butler also shook his head. Phillip was satisfied to know of her before his father, who had lived in noble society a long time.

  “I’d like to ask her about involving the count. There could be trouble if we go to him over her head. Is there anything else, Father?”

  His father looked utterly exhausted and did not reply.

  Phillip still had some complaints, but his project was underway. All that was left was to invite Lady Albedo of the Nation of Darkness and come up with a plan to solidify his standing with her.

  4

  Before Phillip’s eyes was a splendid ballroom. It was no less grand than the royal ballroom—maybe it was even grander.

  He was bursting with the desire to brag to someone. It was true that he had left the decorating up to Hilma. But she had said to him, “Is a standard ballroom good enough, or would you like something unparalleled? If the latter, the debt will be sizable.” Phillip didn’t hesitate to choose the latter.

  In other words, Phillip had put himself in debt in order to arrange this space—that is, it was due to his efforts. And it was filled with nobles whom he had gathered.

  It was perfect. Which was why there was only one thing that bothered him.

  He had decided where to send invitations—though he’d borrowed some wisdom—and they were sealed with the crest of his house. And more than anything, everyone had come to meet the representative from the Nation of Darkness. Phillip was the one who had invited her.

  In other words, he was the host and organizer, so the attendees should have been thanking him with bowed heads. They should have expressed their gratitude for being invited and praised him for having the courage to invite the representative from the Nation of Darkness.

  But what actually happened?

  The first person everyone who showed up went to greet was Hilma. Then they finally came to him. And only after she mentioned him. How would things have gone if she hadn’t nudged them?

  He was heavily indebted to her, so he had to tolerate the fact that she stood out more than him, but he was nothing but offended by the other nobles. The nobles should have the common sense to know who to greet first.

  This is why you’re all so hopeless. Tch. I guess it was a mistake to take Hilma up on her proposal after all?

  The nobles he invited were all based on suggestions from Hilma. The ones he selected were people who either had become or were about to become domain heads as a result of the battle with the Nation of Darkness. In other words, they could be said to all be in the same position as him.

  The reason he had followed her advice was that he thought there would then be many people who could understand how he felt. He thought that a house where the lord wasn’t changing was much more likely to have a negative opinion of the Nation of Darkness.

  But…

  They’re all incompetent.

  The next guest to arrive right before his eyes also went straight to Hilma.

  How rude, thought Phillip.

  The idle idiots really were fools to the bone. That must be why they didn’t know who they were supposed to greet first. He didn’t know what else to think.

  …Well, but isn’t that a good thing? Isn’t the whole reason they’re afraid to take the initiative that they’re stupid? If another noble was smarter than me, I’d never get to be head of the new faction. Unfortunately, my house isn’t powerful yet, either.

  This was another chance. He would count their blunder of not greeting him first as a debt and get it paid back sometime in the future when he needed it.

  As Phillip was counting his eggs before they hatched, Hilma came over.

  She was all skin and bones.

  She looked sickly, she was so thin, like she must have been suffering a serious illness. If only she had a little meat on her bones, she would be beautiful, but that was already in the past.

  “Lord Phillip. It seems like everyone you invited has arrived.”

  “Oh?”

  In other words, everyone considered him number two.

  Phillip thought he was doing a fine job of concealing that his inferiority complex was triggered, but Hilma seemed to notice it anyway.

  “Hee-hee,” she laughed. “You seem dissatisfied.”

  “No, not at all.”

  Phillip smiled. He was a noble, after all. He felt he had a knack for making his opinion felt.

  “Please don’t lie like that, sir. As your assistant in this endeavor, I’m getting my sips of the sweet nectar, too. We mustn’t hide things from each other.”

  There was something humble and fawning about her words.

  This.

  Phillip’s heart fluttered.

  This was how common people were meant to interact with nobles.

  It hit him that he was sitting in the position he had aspired to for so long. He felt the displeasure he had been experiencing up until now fade away.

  “What is it, Lord Phillip?”

  “No…you’re right. I wasn’t mad, just a little anxious.”

  “Anxious how? Is something missing? If so, shall I get it ready before the representative arrives?”

  “It’s not that.” Phillip cleared his throat pompously as he answered. “The people here just don’t seem very high quality. Even if we form a faction with them, I wonder if we’ll be able to compete with the other factions.”

  “I see, so that’s what you’re worried about.” Hilma smiled.

  She was too skinny to arouse any desire in him, but her charms were still captivating enough that he felt his throat wanting to swallow hard.

  “But isn’t that precisely why you should be the one to lead them, Lord Phillip? Imagine your domain. Are the people who live there clever?”

  “No…”

  “Isn’t that exactly why someone wise needs to be at the top?”

  “Yes, I see. You’re right.”

  “I believe that you’ll be a good leader for the faction, Lord Phillip. And I’ll support you as much as I can.”

  “To get your sweet nectar?”

  “Of course. It will be profitable. I’m sure of that, hence my offer of assistance.” Hilma grinned.

  Phillip’s anger had completely vanished.

  What Hilma was saying was right.

  He was thankful he was lucky enough to have met her.

  Not only did she have all the things Phillip didn’t have in the capital—like financial power and connections—she was friendly with him like this; she made it so easy to understand the merits involved and told him exactly what compensation he needed to provide, allowing him to feel comfortable working with her.

  “If you stick with me, I’ll make you the wealthiest woman in existence.”

  It seemed like her eyes widened slightly. Then she smiled in satisfaction.

  “That makes me so happy. I’ve been thinking I’d like a necklace with a big jewel like the noblewomen wear. Work hard, Lord Phillip.”

  “Yes, leave it to me. By the way…there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

  “All right. Go ahead. What is it?”

  “…Why are you so thin? Is something wrong with you?”

  He needed her cooperation going forward or the plan wouldn’t work. If her sickness couldn’t be cured by a priest, he would have to find a replacement for her as soon as possible; or maybe she could recommend someone to succeed her.

/>   “No, there’s nothing wrong…”

  “I’ve heard the daughters of large families go on diets to lose weight. Is that it?”

  Hilma smiled. It was a smile he’d never seen before that made him indescribably anxious.

  “No. I just can’t eat solid food. Which means I can only have liquids, and I can’t have too much, so…that’s why. If I do get sick, I’ll have to get some treatment cast on me, so please don’t worry about that.”

  The atmosphere reverted abruptly to the way it had been a moment ago.

  “I won’t die without sucking up lots of sweet nectar from you.”

  “O-okay. I see. That’s fine, then. But you can’t eat solid food? How come?”

  He didn’t mean anything particular by the question, but the results of asking it were major. It was like all the emotion drained out of Hilma’s face.

  Phillip panicked at the change, which was even more dramatic than the previous one. “Wh-what the—what’s wrong?”

  “Ah, oh. Do excuse me. I was just remembering…” She held a hand over her mouth as she said it. She looked awfully pale.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I must have brought up bad memories…”

  What sort of trauma did one have to go through to end up incapable of eating solid foods? Now it seemed she was living a luxurious lifestyle, but perhaps there had been a period of her life where she was eating poorly? He wanted to ask, but it was clear to him that he couldn’t.

  “Lord Phillip, I think it’s about time to welcome the representative. If you escort her in, everyone’s eyes will be on you. That will convey more clearly than words who the host—who the most powerful person here—is.”

  “Ooh! You’re right.”

  At the royal cocktail party, she had appeared solo, so he figured that was normal, but apparently that wasn’t the case. He was embarrassed to not have known, so he pretended it had slipped his mind until now.

  “I’m sure everyone will be surprised. A bunch of people who failed to greet you will get anxious and panic.”

  Phillip felt a sadistic pleasure. There were nobles gathered here who had greater titles and more land than he did. What would the look on their faces be as they stood before him—the unnecessary burden of a child in the family…?

  “Right. I shouldn’t keep her waiting. Let’s call her.”