Political chaos had shaken the empire ever since its founding.
But that was, in the end, confined to within the imperial palace.
Amid it all, the administrative apparatus did not collapse and carried out its duties.
Ridiculously enough, all of that was thanks to the late chancellor.
Though his personality had been rather eccentric, he had unquestionably known how to get work done.
There was a reason the Crown Prince had spared the chancellor’s house.
“Are you the inspector?”
“You must be the reinforcements. Welcome.”
The imperial army arrived in the north exactly at the time they had been notified.
Nor had they been dispatched in haste. Everyone in sight was regular army.
Among them, there were likely men who had once served under Sanghwang in the past.
They would be fairly old now, but battles were not fought with one man’s strength alone.
The experience they possessed could also be used as a sufficiently powerful weapon.
“You can hear the details from the northern administrators. What I have to relay is that the main barbarian force has arrived, and that there has yet to be a large-scale attack.”
“Is that so? Our side thought the north had fallen into a grave crisis again, so we increased our pace.”
“Fortunately, there was an incident that let us properly break the enemy’s momentum.”
The incident that shattered the barbarians’ morale. I didn’t bother explaining it with my own mouth.
Hearing it from a third party would have far greater impact than hearing it from the person involved.
Above all, as an inspector, I did not know the north’s detailed circumstances.
Especially this time, because of the barbarians, I had not even been able to properly inspect the north.
Fortunately, we had crushed their vanguard and demonstrated the new weapon called gunpowder.
All that remained was to carry this delightful news and hurry back to the imperial capital.
“As it happens, His Highness the Crown Prince personally issued an order. He said that as soon as the reinforcements arrived, the inspector was to conclude his mission and return.”
“I see.”
I had expected as much. The north would now enter full-fledged battle.
I had a share in the preliminary clash, but I had nothing to do with the fighting itself.
As for gunpowder, if the Armaments Directorate kept sending it, results would follow.
I was, in the end, the one who opened the way to a new kind of battle through a new weapon.
Pioneer. Foresight. Something along those lines would be enough.
“In addition, Hessen of the Armaments Directorate and Sedrun, who accompanied you as an escort, have also been ordered to return.”
“I can understand Hessen, but why Sedrun? If he joins the regular army here and fights properly, wouldn’t that be good for both sides?”
He had led a troop of mounted men who were not even regular army, but at best belonged to the volunteers.
Even so, Sedrun had flown about like a fish in water.
A man who knew exactly when to press forward and when to fall back.
When a commander who understood the field also knew how to fight well, it was practically cheating.
Sedrun specialized in that. He even knew the north like the back of his hand.
From the regular army’s perspective, Sedrun was a blade they absolutely had to use.
And yet the Crown Prince had deliberately ordered even Sedrun to return.
This part was difficult to understand. That was why I questioned it.
Was there some political reason behind it? Were there people jealous of Sedrun?
Even if there were, the Crown Prince would have cut them all off on his own, wouldn’t he?
Ah. Unless Sedrun had done something to get on the Crown Prince’s bad side?
‘Though the odds of that are almost nonexistent.’
If he were the sort to get on the Crown Prince’s bad side now, the Crown Prince would have cut him down long ago.
Above all, Sedrun had caused all sorts of trouble, great and small, since the Founding Festival.
And yet he was a man who had not only kept his life but even preserved his position.
The Founding Emperor. The current Emperor. And the Crown Prince as well. They were all letting him be.
It meant they recognized his ability. It meant he was indispensable.
Calling him back to the imperial capital likely meant a use for him had been decided.
*
“It feels as though we arrived only to turn back again almost immediately.”
“We spent those two months in the north truly busily, after all.”
Talking with Hessen as he packed made it hit me all at once.
As soon as we arrived in the north, we had been frantic with gunpowder and improvements to the hwacha.
We identified the barbarian vanguard and thoroughly prepared for the preliminary battle.
In the meantime, those two months had truly passed in the blink of an eye.
It was a pity that I had barely been able to inspect the north, but it was fine.
In exchange, I was taking away things of greater value. Especially a great deal of data.
“I cannot understand why they are ordering me to return.”
“There must be a reason. Perhaps they intend to grant you a new position, Sedrun.”
When I first heard that Sedrun was to return, there had been many things that did not sit right.
But as I thought it through again slowly from the beginning, I felt I could understand well enough.
The imperial army that had arrived as reinforcements was, in truth, a force strengthened for defensive purposes.
As I said, the land farther north beyond the northern border held no benefit whatsoever.
Even though the barbarians camped there and attacked the empire whenever they were bored,
the reason the empire only blocked them and did not tear out the root cause was precisely that.
‘From a national perspective, it just doesn’t pay.’
When a nation releases its power, there must be a reason worthy of it.
And the reason spoken of here naturally means profit in every form.
Cross the border and attack the barbarians. To stop looting and raids.
How much loss would the imperial army have to bear in the process?
Conversely, when the barbarians invade, send the army and stop them as best as possible.
The barbarians are fierce. How much damage must be endured in defense?
The north is a land without the slightest appeal. Taking it would only bring loss.
It would be an insult even to call it a white elephant. Maintaining it would also be difficult.
It would be hard to kill all the barbarians, and even if they were all killed, that would be a problem.
So in the end, the empire had concluded that defense was the best option.
The fact that the Founding Emperor smashed them to pieces back when he was a war hero was a miracle.
In truth, even that was something the Founding Emperor accomplished by being stubborn to the point of obstinacy.
Because of it, he drew Condor’s suspicion and was even driven to the verge of being eliminated.
In any case, that was how it was. The imperial army’s inclination from the very beginning was to hold a defensive position.
The army that came this time was no different. Conveniently, they also had the power of the newly developed gunpowder.
There, Sedrun was not greatly needed. He was an outstanding attacker.
And the Crown Prince had specifically named Sedrun and ordered him to return.
“Perhaps he intends to make use of the brief advantage that has arisen this time. Sedrun.”
“Surely you don’t mean to say he intends to attack beyond the northern border?”
“It’s possible.”
“That is absurd. It was something His Majesty the Retired Emperor only barely managed to carry out when he was still a war hero in the Condor era. After the founding of the empire, it was judged that attacking would cause too great a loss, and we devoted ourselves solely to defense.”
He knows it well. As expected of a man versed in military affairs.
He also understands the political burden to some extent.
It was only surprising that a man who knew that had caused such incidents.
“Sometimes, when something new appears, people’s minds change.”
“Surely not. Because of that thing called gunpowder?”
“If we keep using this, its effect will also wear off. Before that happens. While the barbarians are still frightened, calling it thunderbolts and the like. It seems he means to settle the matter.”
“…If what you say is true, Inspector, I would have no more wishes.”
It was probably true. Right now, the empire was quite literally controlling thunderbolts and flame.
Technology was something that, no matter how tightly it was guarded, would eventually spread in every direction.
Industrial spies hadn’t existed since long ago for no reason.
After some time, the barbarians might start shouting that gunpowder was great and set off explosions everywhere.
But this brief leading step was of the utmost importance.
Nor was the Crown Prince stupid enough not to make use of it.
A weapon of shock and terror. Where, then, would he project it?
As the first mover, how much sweet profit could he suck out of it?
Naturally, the east was excluded. Relations with the steppe tribes were decent.
According to the news that came in last time, the Urut tribe had sent an envoy.
They probably meant to further solidify their friendship with the empire.
Through that, they could show the surrounding tribes, I am different from you.
So there was no need to aim this gunpowder eastward and light the fuse.
As for the western kingdoms, well. Their relationship with the empire was extremely ambiguous.
They were not enemies, but it was also vague to call them friends.
However, one thing was certain: back when the Crown Prince was still the Fifth Prince,
they accepted his proposal and helped him raise his political standing.
Since the one leading the current political situation was the Crown Prince, for now he would wait and see.
Thanks to that deal, fortunately for the kingdoms, they were off the list.
‘The south has pirates, so he could project it there. But the Armaments Directorate must have told him long ago. The fatal weakness of this gunpowder, I mean.’
The moment it gets rained on, it’s over. This expensive powder turns to shit.
Even moisture is dangerous. The grains would clump together and become paste.
If the storage method were improved, using it would not be impossible.
But it was still in its earliest stage. There was no need to take on the risk.
In the end, there was one best choice. The north. The barbarians.
The land where the Founding Emperor’s fame had soared. The empire would subjugate it once more.
Even if they could not occupy it, they could certainly force the barbarians to their knees.
They would draw out decades of stability, just as the Founding Emperor had done.
If that happened, the Crown Prince’s start would be exceedingly smooth.
Even if problems arose elsewhere afterward, he would have the leeway to focus on them.
‘Though to know whether this is true or not, I’ll have to meet the Crown Prince in the end.’
On the road back to the imperial capital were me, Hessen, and Sedrun.
And now we even had a new companion named Polia.
…Even thinking about it now, the marriage proposal was far too bewildering.
How was I supposed to know that inviting her to my house would be a proposal?
Of all things, it was a man to a woman. Of all places, only in the north.
A guy who knew the steppe tribes well had made a mistake here.
But it couldn’t be helped. This was beyond anything I had expected.
I had merely reached out a hand so Polia could unfold her talent.
I never imagined she would know it was a proposal and still seize it at once.
I glanced sideways at Polia, who was full of anticipation about going to the imperial capital.
For now, she was an imperial citizen, so there was no serious disqualifying flaw.
She was the granddaughter of a local notable in the north, so strictly speaking, she was quasi-noble.
I could see no problematic points in terms of custom, either.
‘I don’t know why everything keeps getting tangled up in marriage.’
For now, let’s go to the imperial capital. Once we get there, an answer should come into view.
*
“Brother. By any chance, when you visited the Urut tribe, did you enter into a betrothal?”
“Your Highness?”
“A woman claiming to be your fiancée arrived together with the Urut tribe’s envoy.”
It was the imperial capital I had reached after two months. And from the very beginning, it was magnificent.