The genius prince : vol 7 ch 17

As he was thinking about this, he saw the person he wanted to see.

"Your Excellency, were you here?"

There was an old man looking out through the battlement of the corridor. Like Glen, in military uniform, he has a dignified appearance that does not make you feel old.

The man's name is Lorencio. He has a high rank of count in the empire, and in the olden days Baldrosh sword master and now his aid, a heavyweight of the Baldrosh faction.

"Glenn?"

the other side of the room Lorencio glanced at Glenn and pointed a wrinkled hand in direction. 

"Glenn, do you know where this road goes?"

"Yes, I do. Yes, I think it leads to the Imperial capital Grantslar?"

It's a sudden question, but Glenn answers honestly.

The road connecting the capital and Narsila is usually crowded with people passing through, but now there was barely a sign of life. The people know that this land will soon become a battleground between the armies of Demetrio and Baldrosh.

"... I am one of the guards stationed here when His Majesty the Emperor is enthroned." Lorencio said sullenly, nostalgic about the past.

"The streets leading to the Imperial City were packed with people, and the excitement was so great that it was almost overwhelming. The stalls and simple lodgings were crowded with people. I bought a candy bar during a break. It probably doesn't taste like much now, but it felt quite vivid at that time. "

Then, he continued. "After the baptismal ceremony, when His Εmperor appeared at the gate with his attendants, it was as if the earth was broken by the cheers of the people. His Εmperor was radiant as he basked in the people's expectations and cheers.... "

"My father once told me a similar story. People were so moved to tears that even after the sun set. "

"“Yes… That’s why I’m so pained by our pathetic situation. Who thought his death would bring such tragedy? "

Glenn felt disappointed in Lorencio's eyes. The scenery of the former glory and now here lonely scenery. The difference between the once glorious landscape and the lonely one here today was a dry wind whipping through his heart.

But that is also a brief moment. Lorencio smiles with a self-deprecation.

"... Huh, I said something nonsense. Forgive Glen. It's just the ramblings of an old man. "

"No, it's not like this"

"It's good. What do you want from me ?"

Suddenly asked purpose looking for lorencio 

"yes? His Highness has requested a meeting to discuss the First Prince's military movements."

 "Okay, let's go right away." Lorencio walked out without hesitation, and Glenn followed suit.

When they appeared in the conference room, they were already surrounded by the leaders of the faction led by Baldrosh.

"I'm sorry. I'm late."

Baldrosh said "Sit down. We will begin the meeting immediately."

"yes.-- Glenn, you should stay and listen."

Glenn nodded and sat down beside him. There were several other young people attending the meeting, in addition to the heavyweights. They are the promising young people of the faction, in other words, the prospective candidates who will support Baldrosh in the future.

"What is the situation with the Dimetrio Army?" One of his subordinates answered Baldrosh's question.

"According to the men who have been infiltrated into the city, they are focusing on gathering troops without moving to the city of Verida.

The current number of troops is about 12,000. The maximum number will probably be around 20,000. "

"There are a lot. The faction's force should have dropped considerably these days.".

"It seems that they are using hostage-taking threats and financial conciliation to rake them together.I think they intend to make this battle a decisive one. "

"Even rats will bite when cornered, huh?"

The maximum of 20,000 is not a force to be underestimated, even though Bardrosh's side has a strong military force.

"But it's not trivial to collect and maintain 20,000 soldiers.there is another danger on the other side, Manfred's army. "

"If that is the case, there is a good chance that he will move before Manfred has gathered all of his troops. You must keep a close watch on them."

After Baldrosh said so, he frowned slightly. "Forgot that guy, what's going on with Prince Wayne?"

Wayne is the biggest concern at the moment for Baldrosh.

You can roughly imagine how a long-term dimetrio, good or bad, will come out.

Dimetrio, with whom he has known for better or worse, could roughly guess how he would come out. Wayne, however, was impossible to read.

The fact that he was following Demetrio was out of the realm of the imagination.

"There is no significant movement so far. It seems that Demetrio's camp is also at a loss as to how to deal with the prince."

"Hmm ... I understand. Keep an eye on the trends as much as possible."

"yes, sir!" Upon receiving the words, the subordinate man bowed his head deeply.

"How's the battlefield selection going?"

"yes. Please see this map." It is another subordinate who answers the question.

"We have searched all over the suburbs, but considering the strength of the two armies, we think we will clash on this plain, which is farther from Narsila. "

"So a battle on flat land?"

"Yes. Narsila is not built to be a defensive base. It is also a sacred place for the Empire, and if we use it as a battlefield, we will be the target of criticism from within the country. " The other members of his team nodded in agreement.

"Even though we are stationed in Narsila, we are receiving complaints like arrows from within and outside the city. Even the eccentric chancellor is said to be furious. "

"If we make a bad move, we may be regarded as a renegade army that tramples on our empire. No, the cunning Prince Manfred will certainly try to make it so. "

"Prince Dimetrio, who wants to hold the baptismal ceremony, does not want to set Narsila on fire. I am afraid that he will try to settle the matter in the field. "

 As his men argued, Baldrosh said.

"The people of Narsila, is it possible that they will interfere with us?"

"Perhaps not. They are not complaining about Prince Demetrio, but about the fact that we are interfering with the ritual, that is to say, they are complaining about the fact that the existence of this city is being devalued. "

For example, the Baldrosh camp isis predominantly military, and many take pride and respect in their military identity. Similarly, the inhabitants of Narsila are proud of the fact that they were born and raised in a spiritual place.

One of the leaders laughed and said, "I am not a military man, but I am a man of honor.

If that is the case, then why don't you let Prince Bardrosh perform the ceremony and there will be no more complaints?"

At that moment, the inside of the conference room became strange.

"It is ------ possible, but ...... ..."

A hesitant reply. The heavyweights, with the exception of Baldrosh, also looked somewhat annoyed. Then, as if to cut them off, Baldrosh said

"We are stationed here for the cause of stopping Demetrio, who has abandoned talks and is trying to ascend to the throne by force. We have agreed with Manfred on this issue. Refrain from thoughtless behavior. "

The assembled gasped at the grave words of their lord.

"I beg your pardon."

The heavyweight apologizes, but the air in the meeting room remained somber. Baldrosh sighed and said.

"... That's it for today. Everyone dismissed."

According to the Lord's command, those who were in the conference room rushed out of the room.

Glenn, who was silently watching the discussion, followed, but when he left, Baldrosch muttered.

Glenn, who had been silently watching the discussion, followed suit, but as he left, Baldrosh muttered. "It's more dangerous than this ... I have to hurry ..."

What was the Lord thinking when He uttered those words? Glenn thought about it for a while, but he never got an answer. Some time later, Dimetrio's army appeared on the outskirts of the city of Narsila. Dimetrio demanded that Baldrosh's army withdraw from Narsila.