Genius Prince’s National Revitalization from State Deficit ~ Right, Let Us Sell the Country - Volume 10 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - The Will to Retaliate

Several cloaked men moved down an empty alleyway. Delunio’s Prime Minister Mullein led the way. Each person’s face was tense, and even their gait held an ominous air.

The group’s destination was an utterly dilapidated house.

“Your Excellency, I sense someone inside,” a subordinate whispered from behind Mullein.

The prime minister quietly sniffed in amusement before opening the door.

“…Goodness. I must say I wasn’t at all expecting to hear from you,” he remarked.

A shadow stood alone in the musty building.

“What business might you have with me at this eleventh hour, Sir Sirgis?”

Sirgis, Delunio’s former prime minister and Natra’s current vassal, stood before the group.

“You’ve got to be kidding! A war with Soljest?!”

As soon as Sirgis heard Nanaki’s report, he forgot himself and shouted despite Falanya standing next to him.

“There must be some mistake!”

“I checked several sources. Each confirmed Delunio is raising an army against Soljest,” Nanaki answered matter-of-factly. “The number of guards stationed around this mansion has doubled as well. Likely, they’re meant to keep an eye on Falanya and are preparing to detain us if necessary. We could break through right now, but it’ll only get harder if they add any more security.”

“Ngh…”

Falanya could tell the situation had instantly turned on its head, but she kept calm. Or, to be more accurate, she took a deep breath to quell her growing anxiety. Falling to pieces and making a fuss wouldn’t help. Falanya was in Delunio on her brother’s behalf. A cool head was crucial, lest she embarrass herself.

“Sirgis, do you know what’s happening and why?”

Her even tone soothed Sirgis’s agitation a bit, and he collected himself.

“Yes… It’s likely, no, certainly, Delunio’s attempt to endorse Princess Tolcheila.”

“Endorse Princess Tolcheila?”

Sirgis nodded. “Prince Kabra took the throne by illegitimate means. He can claim that King Gruyere has fallen ill, but people will gossip regardless. It won’t be long until Soljest realizes it was actually a hostile takeover. The former king was popular among his subjects. When the truth comes to light…”

“They’ll inevitably revolt. And if Princess Tolcheila returns to Soljest as the rightful heir, she’ll be well received.”

“Yes. However, overwhelming support from the citizenry is no substitute for military aid. Without that, she can’t take the throne. I expect Prince Kabra will seek to eliminate Princess Tolcheila’s potential allies beforehand, but…”

“Delunio has already pledged its support… Yes, that does explain a lot.”

The way things were going, the chaos thus far restricted to Soljest would erupt into an international conflict.

Prince Kabra, the favorite of Soljest’s conservatives, or Princess Tolcheila, backed by Delunio’s army. Who would emerge victorious?

“…What does Delunio gain from working with Princess Tolcheila now?”

“That’s a private matter between the two, so I can offer only conjecture. However, the obvious answer is a defeated Soljest’s land, people, and resources. As for long-term ambitions, the aim is…the Soljest Kingdom itself.”

“What do you mean?”

“I speak of marriage. If Tolcheila ascends to the throne as Soljest’s queen and marries King Lawrence, their children will inherit both nations. It’s not far-fetched to posit that Soljest and Delunio may consolidate into one realm by the next generation.”

The Delunio Kingdom, whose days were said to be numbered, might become a world power. Of course, such a feat would take decades, but the possibility was concerning, even for Natra.

Still, though…

Falanya drifted into thought. She found no flaw in Sirgis’s assessment and agreed with it. Yet something felt off.

Princess Tolcheila definitely planned this.

Provoking and subsequently crushing the prince so she could take over sounded exactly like something the princess would do.

But would she deliberately use Delunio to that end…?

Falanya didn’t get along with Tolcheila but recognized the girl’s talent. And knowing Tolcheila’s abilities, Falanya couldn’t help but wonder if she wrested control of Soljest from the inside out instead of using Delunio.

Getting Delunio involved demanded skill, but it also meant splitting the substantial profits in the end. Someone like Princess Tolcheila would never agree to that…

“Your Highness, let us return to Natra.”

Sirgis’s voice pulled Falanya from contemplation.

“Huh? R-return home?”

“Yes. Your Highness will be in danger if the two nations clash. Moreover, Natra’s role in the alliance will become critical for both sides.”

“That’s… Ah!” Falanya gasped with realization. “Are you talking about which side Natra will take?”

Sirgis nodded. “Soljest and Delunio will soon face each other in battle. Two-thirds of our alliance are at odds. Both countries need the support of Natra, the remaining one-third.”

“And if I stay here, Wein won’t have a chance to ally with Soljest…because I’ll essentially be a hostage of Delunio.”

Falanya’s circumstances aside, she had no idea if Wein would choose Soljest. However, the main takeaway here was Natra’s ability to tip the scales.

“…I thought I could do more here, but it looks like it’s out of our hands.” Even if Falanya couldn’t help her brother, there was no reason to actively get in his way. She tucked away her disappointment. “Sirgis, prepare to return home.”

He bowed deeply and turned on his heel. However, just as he was about to leave the room…

“Sirgis.” Falanya’s tone suggested she sensed the trouble in the man’s heart. “As quickly as possible, okay?”

“…Understood.”

Sirgis left the room.

Forgive me, Princess Falanya.

Sirgis’s mind whirled as he reviewed their preparations for departure.

I should still be able to contact him with the code word. What in the world is Mullein planning? I need to know.

Sirgis buried his resolve deep within the recesses of his heart and slipped out of the building.

“As you know, I am a busy man,” Mullein said haughtily without bothering to take a seat. “Do make this quick.”

He didn’t show the slightest ounce of respect for his former superior but didn’t seem particularly upset either. That was true to his personality. At any rate, Sirgis had more pressing issues.

“…Why did you ally with Eastern Levetia?”

“That’s what you’re worried about? I assumed you would ask about the upcoming war.”

“There’s that, too. But tell me about the situation with Eastern Levetia first.”

“It was all for the money, of course,” Mullein answered with naked disinterest. “As it stands, Delunio needs every bit of help from Eastern Levetia. That’s how dire our circumstances have become.” He shot Sirgis a dirty look. “All because of your failure.”

“…!”

There was no denying Delunio’s fall started with Sirgis, and Mullein was cleaning up his mess. No amount of banishment or confession would erase the truth of his mismanagement.

“…I accept full responsibility for Delunio’s defeat against Prince Wein. Criticize and condemn me all you want. However, how will working with Eastern Levetia rectify that? What can Delunio possibly gain by leaving Levetia’s protection?!”

“You’re too sentimental, Sir Sirgis. What has Levetia ever done for us? The favorable policies you instated only made the Levetia officials arrogant,” Mullein spat.

“You’re a fool to think they’d save us in our hour of need. To Levetia, this country is a cowshed easily discarded at its earliest convenience. Haven’t you realized this yourself? For all you did for Levetia, it offered no aid when Prince Wein bested you. Far from it. You were scorned and exiled.

“That was an interpersonal conflict. Levetia itself is a pure religion. I have no doubt it serves as a compass for the people. I grant there are a few degenerates, but most people are pious believers who will rise up to save Delunio.”

“More sentimentality,” Mullein dismissed. “Your energy is better spent focusing on the triple alliance than some fantasy… But I suppose that ship has long sailed, hasn’t it?”

Sirgis gritted his teeth at Mullein’s lax treatment of this grave affair.

“…Do you mean to invade Soljest?”

“Yes. There’s no reason to let a perfect opportunity go to waste. We will support Princess Tolcheila and pilfer everything in sight.”

“Soljest has a Holy Elite! If you invade…”

“The prince overthrew that Holy Elite. I don’t see what there is to fear.”

Mullein raised a hand, and a few servants waiting silently nearby advanced on Sirgis. He stepped back nervously, but the house was narrow, affording him nowhere to go.

“Still, that isn’t to say I have no concerns at all. Especially where Natra is concerned.”

“Damn it, Mullein! You…!”

“Princess Falanya was kind enough to take in a poor soul like you. She won’t be going anywhere with you too battered to stand—Don’t kill him.”

The men accompanying Mullein nodded, and Sirgis was immediately struck by a flurry of blows.

“Gah!”

Heavy thuds echoed through the house, and it didn’t stop there. The burly soldiers mercilessly brutalized Sirgis.

“I was a bit excited when you first called me… This truly is a disappointment,” Mullein groused. He watched the blood fly from his former superior’s mouth and nose with every kick and punch. “Once, you took down political foes without remorse and hoarded everything for yourself like a common sewer rat. It had a profound effect on me. To think the same man who made Lawrence his obedient mouthpiece would speak against Eastern Levetia…”

Succumbing to the pain, Sirgis collapsed in a coughing fit. Mullein walked over and casually struck his head.

“Don’t make me laugh, scum. You think you can play the patriot now?”

“M-Mullein…”

“You know, I really owe you one. I intended to kill you here if you said anything funny…but it’s not even worth the effort!”

Mullein gave Sirgis a swift kick to the face. His victim yelped in anguish and curled up like a small animal.

The prime minister smiled and turned away. “I’m leaving. Thanks for wasting my time.” He left without looking back.

“Gwgh…”

Sirgis’s violent coughing filled the cramped house. Blood and tears blurred his vision, but he lacked the strength to wipe his eyes. His broken body spasmed with every breath.

Is this my penance…?

Sirgis failed to muster even the slightest outrage at Mullein, although he dearly wished he had. His furious mind burned, screaming that he deserved to rot here.

And that’s when he saw the god of death’s feet.

“…Sir Nanaki.”

There was no point asking the boy when he arrived. Nanaki silently stood there as if present all along.

“Are you here to kill me?” Sirgis asked between labored breaths.

It wouldn’t surprise him. After all, Sirgis secretly met with Delunio’s prime minister amid a crisis. Sparing him would be the stranger decision.

“I would have if you proved to be a traitor.” Nanaki’s voice was flat. He could have stabbed Sirgis with less effort than it took to snap a twig. “But tonight, I saw only an idiot.”

“‘An idiot,’ huh?”

“You knew it was dangerous to meet him alone yet did so anyway. And sure enough, you paid the price. Did you think you were some wise intellectual?”

“Heh, he-he… Yes, I suppose I did… H-ha-ha.”

Even Sirgis wasn’t sure why he did it. Meeting Mullein behind closed doors was never going to help anyone, but it was better than nothing. At any rate, this entire situation was a consequence of his actions. Sirgis had an obligation to settle things.

“…Sir Nanaki.” Sirgis smiled before flinching from agony. “Would you please kill me?”

“Why?” Nanaki shot back.

“To be honest… Cough… I might pass out from this conversation alone.”

Nanaki could tell Sirgis was right. The color rapidly drained from his face, and sweat poured down his forehead. The pain had to be unbearable.

“I have several broken bones, and as Mullein said, Princess Falanya will be stuck in Delunio if I’m unfit to travel. Regrettably, I don’t have the courage to end myself… So do it for me.”

“I can’t,” Nanaki replied immediately. “I kill traitors, not innocent allies. Not without Falanya’s permission, anyway. If you’re that serious…”

“What must I do?”

“Have Falanya fire you. Then I will.”

Sirgis was stunned but soon grinned.

“Yes, I see. In that case, I must ask Her High…”

Sirgis tried to stand, but the effort was in vain. His vision went dark.

Officials swarmed Mullein upon his return to the royal court.

“Prime Minister, we’ve been looking for you.”

“Where were you at a time like this?”

Mullein was effectively the ruler of Delunio, and he’d disappeared on the precipice of an incursion into a foreign nation. The officials’ concern was expected.

The prime minister understood this and kept his tone even. He waved off incoming questions with an air of annoyance.

“Don’t make such a fuss. It was just minor business. More importantly, how are our military preparations?”

“Everything is proceeding as planned. We’ll be ready within a few days.”

“This is a race against time. Tell the generals we’re departing at the first opportunity.”

“Understood. As for the postponed ceremony and guests…”

The upcoming war wouldn’t solve all of Delunio’s issues. As Mullein issued a string of commands to his officials, one brought news he couldn’t ignore.

“Your Excellency, Princess Tolcheila arrived a short while ago. She’s waiting for you in the drawing room.”

“Idiot. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Mullein hurried to meet her. Tolcheila was vital to the plan, so he didn’t dare slight her.

“Please forgive my tardiness, Princess Tolcheila.”

“Oh, Sir Mullein.” Tolcheila’s head shot up as the prime minister entered the room. “No, I’m sorry for imposing on you. However, my anxiety grows the longer I try to face this alone.”

“I understand the feeling.”

Princess Tolcheila’s legitimacy and Delunio’s military—Mullein proposed using both to reclaim the Soljest throne.

Tolcheila’s delegation fell into utter disarray upon hearing of the coup—an understandable reaction. Some believed it was safest to hurry home, while others thought it would be dangerous to return unprepared.

Mullein was quick to approach the group and offered Delunio’s army. The proposition must have appeared treacherous and enticing.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize how perilous it is to allow a foreign nation to interfere in your nation’s domestic affairs. Still, Tolcheila can’t take Soljest without a force of her own.

The Soljest delegation likely came to the same conclusion since the princess accepted Mullein’s proposition after a brief discussion.

“Fear not, Princess Tolcheila. Our soldiers are getting ready as we speak. I’m certain we shall overthrow that usurper, Kabra.”

“That is very reassuring.” Tolcheila smiled. “I was distraught when I learned of my brother’s actions, but this serendipitous visit to your country has proved to be a silver lining.”

“It’s only natural to aid one’s allies,” Mullein answered pleasantly. His thoughts, however, were anything but.

Hmph, this princess is quite the little charmer, but a child nonetheless. She might think our army is hers to play with, but I’m the one conducting the game.

Should Princess Tolcheila become queen with Mullein’s assistance, she’d have no choice but to listen to him. Soljest lost a reliable king and was on the brink of civil war. Tolcheila taking the throne wouldn’t solve the inevitable rough recovery. And during that difficult time, Delunio would be Soljest’s only option.

If I can bend Soljest to my will, I’ll effectively become the leader of two nations. Natra will no longer pose a threat. Watch closely, Sirgis. I will travel down the path to your former glory.

Secret ambition burned in Mullein’s heart while the girl across from him looked on in silence.

His earliest memories were of tilling the fields on an empty stomach.

Barren earth surrounded him. Chill air. Uncultured people.

Like most remote areas, his hometown was a poor village far from civilization. He had no fond memories of his parents. Each day he was hit, insulted, and put to work.

It was painful. However, what hurt most of all was the inability to comprehend what was painful, why, and how to escape it.

No one ever read to him. The rare life lesson came from watching his uneducated parents, but these were learned habits, not skills. How could any light reach his dark abyss of sorrow when his dirt-covered hands were perpetually empty?

Then one day, the Church and its priests came to the village.

He didn’t understand at first. These newcomers seemed like government officials yet didn’t put on airs. And unlike his parents, they didn’t beat or criticize him. They didn’t look down on him indifferently like the rest of the village. They were a new kind of human.

The boy’s wariness quickly vanished.

This was thanks to their elegance, charity, and most of all, their scriptures.

“The scriptures are a gift from God. The text teaches us how to live in righteousness.”

The boy didn’t understand the priest’s words at first, but emotions filled the cracks in his young heart at last.

To think something like this exists…

The scriptures taught him everything. The ways of heaven. The ways of earth. Humanity’s weakness, ugliness, and nobility. The truth behind his agony. Potential dangers and pitfalls and the proper way to handle them.

It was mind-blowing. The world turned on its head, or perhaps it finally came into view. All his life, the child was no different than a clump of earth. He woke up, worked the fields, and went to bed. The scriptures finally made him feel like his own person.

These feelings persisted no matter how much time passed. By the time he knew the scriptures by heart, he was overcome with duty.

I will spread this message.

There were undoubtedly many others in this country. Children who—like his younger self—didn’t know God’s Word and were ignorant of the concept of a nation. Children like cracked, arid earth.

He wanted to give them rain—a blessed shower of enlightenment from the scriptures.

Priesthood won’t be enough. I can’t serve only a single village.

His heart made a decision.

I’ll go to the capital and make a name for myself. I’ll become great, greater than anyone else, and plant churches everywhere.

He left the village soon after. The future promised countless changes, and the fire in his heart burned with the resolve to overcome anything…

Sirgis woke and realized he was in his private room of the Delunio mansion.

“Ngh…”

Pain racked his body. Unable to sit up, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Are you awake? How are you feeling?”

The question came from a lady-in-waiting. Sirgis slightly shifted his head.

“I’ll be fine… Is Princess Falanya still here?”

“Yes. She instructed me to inform her when you stirred, Sir Sirgis. I will send word shortly.”

The lady-in-waiting left to deliver the message, and Falanya appeared soon after.

“Are you awake, Sirgis?”

“…I’m sorry for burdening you.”

“Nanaki told me what happened. That was very reckless.”

“Indeed…”

Falanya took a chair next to Sirgis but said no more. She gazed at the wounded man and waited for the words locked in his heart to flow.

Eventually…

“I was born in a poor, remote village,” he began. “The land was barren and empty. I thought I was fated to toil in those fields and shrivel away…until I encountered Levetia.”

“…”

Falanya’s silence urged him on.

“I was uneducated, and the Teachings of Levetia became my cornerstone. I felt called to spread the message and aspired to rise in the world to meet that conviction.”

“You even became prime minister. That really is impressive.”

Falanya’s admiration was sincere, but Sirgis derided himself regardless.

“That success is precisely why I lost sight of my original aim. Bewitched by my own self-interests, I forgot Levetia’s instruction to remain noble and pure. I grew obsessed with defending and expanding my authority.”

Sirgis looked down at his hands. They felt much dirtier than the days when they were caked in soil.

“My policies only favored Levetia because I wished for the authority to match a Holy Elite. Unsurprisingly, this is why no one came to my aid when I was banished.”

“Did you resent Delunio?”

“Very much so,” he answered. “I was furious and schemed for revenge. However, after running to the East and reflecting upon my life, I grew homesick. When I finally returned to Delunio and realized the situation…I immediately wondered if there was anything I could do to help,” Sirgis concluded with a heavy sigh.

Falanya’s words came slowly. “Sirgis, be honest. Do you still feel anything for Natra?”

“I haven’t forgotten you are the one who took me in, Your Highness. I could never have returned here if I didn’t serve you. But to leave Delunio like this…”

Falanya gave a small, understanding nod.

Then…

“Ah…thank goodness,” she said with heartfelt relief. “I’ve worried this entire time that you might have room in your heart only for Delunio, but now our solution is simple.”

“Your Highness…?”

“I’ll turn things around. I doubt we have room to intervene here, but I think there’s one more bit of trouble. Let’s target that and work together.”

“Wh-why would you go that far…?”

“Because I need your strength,” Falanya declared. “I’m no match for my brother, so I require the support of my vassals. And if I intend to make a request of my best allies, powerless as I am, I have to do my best.”

Falanya didn’t care about the challenges ahead or the risk of failure. Bonding with her loyal vassals and marching forward together was the best reward she could offer.

“Promise me, Sirgis, that you’ll serve me for real when this is over.”

“…!”

Her eyes took his breath away. Their strength rivaled that of exceptional figures like Wein and Gruyere.

This girl is… If everything really does go well…

“I promise. I will devote the rest of my life to you, Princess Falanya.”