Empire of Ice

by Hyougetsu

  “This is quite a cozy spot. The fire really warms you up.”

  “I have heard that southern Meraldia is quite warm, but autumns in Rolmund tend to be chilly. I hope you are finding this mansion to be warm and inviting, though.”

  There’s the indirect invitation again. “This mansion,” huh? They really want me, don’t they? Guess I’ll do the usual vague deflection.

  “Thank you very much. Speaking of fireplaces, my men had quite an enjoyable time repairing Princess Eleora’s. In fact, they’ve grown quite attached to her manor.”

  I refused Lord Doneiks’ invitation in as roundabout a manner as I could. He smiled to himself and nodded.

  “I see the men of Meraldia are loyal. Eleora must be happy to have you.” But then his smile suddenly vanished, and he added, “However, know that Rolmund can be a cold and unforgiving place. Be sure to stay warm at all times.”

  Is that supposed to be a threat? Even though our conversation was anything but pleasant, I found myself enjoying talking to Lord Doneiks. Now that I’d spent some more time with him, I realized this was neither magic, nor some vague “force of character.” He was simply a very skilled conversationalist. And he wasn’t anything like me, who just used a few amateur tricks to get by. Every word and mannerism was carefully chosen to draw the listener in and make them sympathize with the speaker. So this is the caliber of a true imperial politician.

  There were two things I wanted to ask Lord Doneiks. The first was what his stance was in regard to Meraldia. The second was whether he’d been behind the assassination attempt on Eleora or not. Guess I should start with the less serious one first.

  “By the way, Your Highness, what do you think of Meraldia?”

  Lord Doneiks smiled.

  “Would it be acceptable if I answered in my current capacity?”

  Uh, what’s that supposed to mean? Oh wait. You mean your current capacity as lord of North Rolmund. You’re trying to say you had nothing to do with the imperial palace’s decision to invade? Your ambition’s showing through, old man.

  “Of course, Your Highness.”

  “Then all I can say is I will follow any orders given to me by His Majesty. The right to decide Meraldian policy lies solely with him.”

  Figures. Lord Doneiks had no intention of informing me of his policy. Perhaps I should have asked in a more roundabout way. Still, even if he wasn’t willing to spell out his plans, he might be willing to answer specific questions.

  “Yet, Your Highness, I heard that you opposed the Meraldian campaign. May I ask why?”

  Lord Doneiks shook his head.

  “What good would it do you to know? The emperor is still alive, as is his successor, Prince Ashley. Is there any point in knowing what I think?”

  “Forgive me for my impudence, Your Highness, but this is my duty as a diplomat.”

  Sighing in resignation, Lord Doneiks finally started talking.

  “I opposed the invasion because I believed the rewards were not worth the risk, or the time investment. However, Eleora managed to succeed with just the troops she had on hand.”

  Yep, yep, she’s a really accomplished princess. Lord Doneiks picked up one of the shougo pieces sitting on his desk. It was made of crystal and was clearly expensive.

  “An army is at its strongest when it’s not in use. Once deployed, casualties start to mount, and your opponents learn what tricks you have up your sleeve. Furthermore, while in use for one campaign, an army cannot be used to do anything else. Which is why a leader must be extremely cautious when choosing whether or not to commit his forces to anything.”

  True, if you send all your forces to invade, you won’t have anything left to stop potential revolts. Eleora had only had her personal guard at her disposal for this mission, so everyone in Rolmund was impressed that she’d pulled it off. Especially since she’d done it on a shoestring budget with only a few dozen casualties. Lord Doneiks put the shougo piece back on the desk.

  “My hot-blooded sons wanted to see some action, so they supported His Majesty’s plan. And if we look at only the results, it would seem my sons were in the right. I suppose it’s true that age clouds your judgment.”

  Nah, you’re the one who was actually right. If you guys hadn’t tried to invade, I wouldn’t be here right now. However, it seemed there were some differences of opinion within the Doneiks household. I wanted to probe a little further, but time was limited so I decided to move on to the most important topic. Whether or not he was behind Eleora’s assassination attempt.

  I sucked in a deep breath and steeled my resolve. I then looked Lord Doneiks in the eyes and asked flatly, “By the way, Your Highness. Would you happen to know anything about Her Highness Eleora’s wet nurse?”

  Of course I knew he’d try to play dumb, but I had few ways to corner him. The simplest thing to do would be to lie and say that Eleora captured her wet nurse and tortured the truth out of her. It’d be obvious to me whether his denial was a lie, so all that remained would be finding evidence to fit the crime. Like an algebra equation where the solution is known, but the variable isn’t. I’d come fully prepared for this fight. Now let the hunt begin. However, contrary to my expectations, Lord Doneiks didn’t even try to deny the truth.

  “Thinking back on it now, I regret choosing such a method, Lord Veight.”

  You’re seriously just gonna admit that? Before I could recover from my surprise, Lord Doneiks came at me with a counterattack.

  “But I must admit, it baffles me why you find such a trivial event to be of such importance. Assassination attempts are hardly uncommon in Rolmund.”

  I mean... I guess that’s true. Chances were, it was this gentle-looking old man who’d done away with Viscount Schmenivsky too. If I wasn’t careful going forward, he might try to have me killed too. I smiled faintly. I’d upped my repertoire of evil smiles by using some of Eleora’s expressions as reference. If the conversation dragged on too long, Lord Doneiks would probably change the subject, so I needed to keep this brief.

  “It’s precisely because they’re such a common occurrence that I need to know more. So, tell me, why do you regret your decision?”

  It doesn’t matter how; I just need to keep him talking. Lord Doneiks leaned back in his chair and sighed.

  “It was never my intention to harm my cute niece. I simply wanted to destroy her trust in people, so that she wouldn’t try to build relationships and increase her influence.”

  Ah, I see now. So that’s what you were after. He’d intentionally picked Eleora’s wet nurse in order to make her mistrustful. He hadn’t actually expected the attempt to succeed.

  It didn’t seem like he was lying, but Lord Doneiks struck me as the kind of person who wouldn’t feel anything even when he was lying. And if he didn’t feel anything, his sweat wouldn’t smell any different. While rare, there were some people out there who could deceive a werewolf’s nose like this. That made him a tough person to negotiate with, but if I backed down here, I wouldn’t be able to get any info, so I kept pushing.

  “But things turned out exactly the way you hoped, so what is there to be dissatisfied about?”

  “Indeed, they did. The throne has historically been passed down through the male line, so I had hoped the princess would get married off to some duke to deepen alliances and find her own happiness there.”

  I wanted to object, but that was really how Rolmund nobles saw marriage. Now wasn’t the time to interrupt. Lord Doneiks picked the shougo piece back up again and added, “And yet, with her limited popularity and forces, Eleora managed to conquer Meraldia. Had I known she was so capable, I would have...”

  “Made sure to finish the job you started?”

  Lord Doneiks shook his head.

  “The opposite. Instead of alienating her with petty schemes, I would have brought her into my fold. I let a valuable asset escape my grasp.”

  This guy doesn’t feel the least bit guilty about what he’s done, huh? Despite his mild-mannered appearance,
Lord Doneiks was quite heartless. I kind of want to get back at him for Eleora now. Let’s see how you like this.

  “It’s not too late to make your peace with Princess Eleora. In fact, I could mediate for you if you so desire.”

  Of course, I didn’t think reconciliation was actually possible. And as expected, Lord Doneiks shook his head sadly.

  “Don’t tease a foolish old man so. It’s far too late. However, I did what I thought was best at the time. Despite my regrets, I doubt I would have acted differently.” Lord Doneiks got to his feet. “More importantly, Lord Veight, what is your reason for supporting Eleora?”

  “Naturally it’s for the sake of Meraldia.”

  He regarded me silently. I wasn’t lying. Back on Earth, there was a famous quote that went something like “diplomats are just patriotic swindlers.” That was certainly what I was, so I had no qualms about playing the villain. I smiled faintly and met Lord Doneiks’ gaze. After a few moments of heavy silence, he nodded.

  “I, too, pray for Meraldia’s prosperity.”

  Liar. Despite knowing the truth, I bowed respectfully anyway.

  “As Meraldia’s representative, I thank you for your kind words.”

  “Remember, our gates are always open to you, Lord Veight. I pray our goals align someday.”

  I appreciated the offer, but I knew Lord Doneiks would never become my puppet. We were almost out of time for our meeting. Officially, I’d just come here to give him my greetings. Besides, I was worried about what was going on back at the party. It was high time I left.

  “Thank you very much for inviting me today. If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to return to the party.”

  “It makes me glad to see you’re enjoying it.”

  “Good day, Your Highness.”

  As I walked to the door, I decided to take one last potshot at Lord Doneiks.

  “By the way, Your Highness.”

  “Yes?”

  “As you are the emperor’s younger brother, would it not be wise to keep guards of higher caliber around your person?”

  “What do you mean?”

  I walked over to the cupboard and rapped it with my knuckles.

  “The only one who managed to hide himself at all was this one. The other seven may as well have been standing in plain sight.”

  Lord Doneiks fell silent. He knitted his brows together, but then after a few seconds smiled.

  “In their defense, every one of my guards is a fierce warrior. However, it seems I would have nothing to fear if I had you to protect me.”

  Nice joke. Compared to the old Demon Lord or Master, I was just a weakling.

  “Hahaha, I doubt I would be of much use. Meraldia... no, this world is filled with people whose strength would beggar belief.”

  I glanced over at the fireplace. Since I’m already at it, I guess I’ll point that out too. Can’t get any ruder than I already have.

  “Also while your fireplace is indeed quite cozy, I recommend you make the floor around it a less cold and unforgiving place.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  For the briefest of moments, I saw unease flit across Lord Doneiks’ otherwise unreadable face. This was the first time I’d seen him visibly shaken. I’d noticed the floor was hollow the moment I’d stepped on it, so chances were there was a hidden pit underneath. While there was nothing that could be done to hide that fact, Lord Doneiks could have at least made sure it was level with the rest of the ground. Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter. In fact, it might be better if Lord Doneiks was this slipshod with everything he did.

  Anyway, I’d vented my frustration at how he’d treated Eleora, and it wouldn’t do to keep insulting him to his face like this. I bowed to Lord Doneiks and walked out of the room.

  “I’ll be returning to the party then.”

  “My apologies for calling you all the way out here. Be sure to enjoy yourself.”

  I hadn’t gotten much out of my meeting, but unfortunately, this was the extent of my negotiation ability. If I wanted to get any meaningful information, I’d need the help of Lord Kastoniev and Lekomya. Now then, time to go back and stuff my face full of meat.

  * * * *

  —Lord Doneiks’ Tactics—

  After that young foreigner leaves, I say, “At ease.”

  The cupboard opens, and Barnack steps out. The man known as the Sword Saint smiles ruefully and says, “It seems I’ve lost my edge, Lord.”

  “Not at all. That man is simply superhuman.”

  I know better than anyone how skilled Barnack is. He’s no mere sword master. He’s also an accomplished assassin skilled enough to slip past even a bloodhound. My other guards pile out of their hiding places, their lips contorted in fear. Their morale has taken a huge blow. This is quite the parting gift you’ve left me, Lord Veight. Beckoning my guards closer, I say, “That man is Meraldia’s fiercest general, the butcher of four hundred. I have no doubt the only reason Eleora was able to conquer Meraldia was because she had his assistance.”

  There’s no doubt that a man of his renown has enormous popularity in his homeland.

  “Proud disciples of Barnack, know that without you I would not be able to sleep soundly at night. I imagine the only people in Rolmund capable of fighting on even footing with Lord Veight are you seven and your master.”

  Sensing my intent, Barnack also addresses his men.

  “Each of you are skilled warriors that I handpicked. Furthermore, you’ve all completed your harsh training. Not only that, you have racked up numerous achievements. Be proud of your skills.”

  Being praised by both their lord and their instructor seems to have some effect, as they regain a measure of calm. Now’s the time to heap on more praise.

  “I am truly glad you didn’t shirk your duties even when faced with such a terrifying foe. Your work for the day is done, go enjoy the party, my valiant guards.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  They give me a salute and walk out of the room with confident smiles.

  After they leave it’s just me and Barnack in the room. I sit back down and relax.

  “Even my fiercest warriors cowered like children before Lord Veight. I’m beginning to think the rumors that he single-handedly slaughtered four hundred men aren’t exaggerations.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “Barnack, do you remember that one deer hunt we held in the dead of winter? Where we were discovered by assassins with hounds and chased around the forest?”

  My loyal retainer’s grim expression loosens into a smile.

  “Now that’s nostalgic, sir. The two of us had to slay twelve assassins all by ourselves.”

  “I killed two, and you cut down the rest. You fought your way through ten men all on your own.”

  “Now I’d likely struggle to kill eight. I’d need your help with the last four.”

  “Don’t ask so much of this old man.”

  Barnack and I share a chuckle. We’ve both gotten old. After a few seconds, I return to being serious and ask, “Do you think Lord Veight really is a werewolf, like Schmenivsky believed?”

  “That’s the only explanation that makes sense. No amount of training can give people that kind of speed and power.”

  Barnack answers immediately, but I’m not convinced. Shaking my head, I argue, “If we just considered his strength, I might agree. But if he truly is a werewolf, there’s something that doesn’t make sense.”

  “What do you mean, Lord?”

  “His political savvy, Sword Saint.”

  I pull a thick stack of documents out of my drawer. This is all the information my spies have gathered on Lord Veight.

  “While werewolves can disguise themselves as humans, at their core they’re still demons. They lack human negotiation skills. If he truly is a werewolf, then why is he so adept at diplomacy?”

  “Then what do you believe he is, Lord?”

  I hesitate for a moment, but in the end, I decide to trust my closest confidant with thi
s information.

  “I believe he might be a Hero.”

  Barnack looks taken aback, understandably so. Heroes were legendary beings who held power on par with that of the great Sonnenlicht himself. Even within the long history of Rolmund, the last time one had appeared was long before the founding of the empire. Though I have doubts about the theory myself, Lord Veight being a Hero would go a long way to explaining his abilities. I give Barnack a smile.

  “Of course, it’s only a possibility. But remember what happened in Draulight.”

  “Are you referring to the legendary slave swordsman who rallied the slaves to escape?”

  The sword style taught in Draulight is the Sashimael style, the same one that Barnack has mastered.

  “History has confirmed that he cut down the army of ten thousand the Rolmund senate sent after the escaped slaves. It wouldn’t be so far-fetched to believe a similar Hero has appeared in Meraldia.”

  “I suppose not.”

  One of the reports I received had mentioned that Lord Veight had defeated another Hero as well. Though I personally doubt it, it seems everyone in Meraldia believes the story.

  “Regardless of his true identity, it’s clear he’s attracted the attention of everyone in Rolmund. The castle is awash with stories about the young dueling master from Meraldia.”

  “Indeed. He has a charismatic pull which most find hard to resist.”

  “Not only did Eleora successfully complete her mission to conquer the south, but she also managed to bring such an exceptional man into her fold. Her fame has skyrocketed, and if it continues to do so, my position will grow tenuous.”

  “You mean to say...”

  I shake my head before Barnack can finish.

  “So long as Lord Veight is around, any assassination attempts will lead only to our ruin. We cannot lay a hand on her directly. I intend to make that clear to everyone in my camp.”

  “I think that’s wise. If I must meet him on the battlefield a second time, I have little confidence I will survive the encounter.”

  It’s rare to see Barnack of all people balk at anything. Never before has he shied away from danger, in spite of the countless hopeless situations he’s been put into.