Continuing the march while shouldering our problems, we arrived at a trading town on the mountainside, a corner of the Fanaan Mountains. Beyond this point there were only scattered villages; if one headed straight for the destination, apparently not a single village was to be found. The surrounding villages crossed the mountains to haul cargo to this trading town, obtaining money to purchase daily necessities. At the same time, for those heading toward the villages, this was the last place where they could prepare their equipment.
“Everywhere you look are slopes, huh. Plus, there’re surprisingly many people. Getting into a brawl in a place like this, the Imperial Guards are surprisingly… oops, seems someone’s here.”
Yeah, not a ruse or anything. Someone really came.
This was the lodging prepared for my stay while making preparations to climb the mountain. Not an inn, but a rather splendid house belonging to some notable person requisitioned from the civilian populace; aside from tents, it was mostly like this. Gazing at the majestic mountain range visible from the window, and considering the effort it took just to reach the mountainside, I keenly felt that the road ahead was still long. In my previous life, this scenic beauty would probably have made for a nice tourist destination with mountain railways or the like.
“Your Highness, it seems that Locke bastard is making his move.”
“Thanks, Helkov. Shall we go, Ikt?”
I had already heard from the laborers that the Imperial Guards would stage a rebellion in this final town. With the army scattered throughout the town making preparations to enter the mountains, supervision couldn’t properly reach everywhere, and those who lacked fighting spirit couldn’t even properly arm themselves. It was certainly an opportune moment. At the same time, from here it was still a distance where one could turn back to the Imperial Capital. Though it would take time, before entering the mountainous region, they seemed to think they could still trumpet their justice and return in triumph.
*(Saying they don’t want to fight, then killing me and calling it a triumph—the very notion is strange. They probably just rushed ahead wanting only to justify themselves.)*
Was it overthinking to suspect the Duke’s hand in having me killed more quickly? Yet if so, there was a haphazard atmosphere of trying to involve even the laborers. Besides, a rebellion during a military campaign was severely punished regardless of the reason. Even if I was called a prince in name only, killing a prince was equivalent to the death penalty—utterly not worth it.
*(Worst case, to justify their actions, they might even harm His Majesty. I suppose I should consider that possibility.)*
*(I recommend the immediate execution of dangerous elements. I surmise that the moment they were made to leave the Imperial Capital, they were judged useless as Imperial Guards. The risks they pose likely exceed the problems involved in disposing of them.)*
*(That won’t do. In this situation where harassing personnel have been planted, what would be most disadvantageous to me is if the Dukes found a pretext to subjugate me. If I rely too heavily on military force, I should assume they will immediately move to crush me.)*
While conveying my thoughts, I had Sephi activate the optical camouflage. Ikt grasped my finger from his lowered hand and signaled the position. Together with Ikt, who could move the most silently, I headed to General Wageris. When we did, soldiers from headquarters had already moved to surround a building.
“It was quite an early move.”
“Tch, so you came. I wanted to start before you got here.”
“Then there would be no meaning in me coming as a representative of His Highness Asha. Moreover, you intended to cut down the upper echelons of the Imperial Guards while out of our sight, didn’t you?”
“If you can think like that, then why don’t you at least have the guts to settle things with the sword given by the Emperor? Look, we don’t need to keep in step. Palace security this, noble rank that. You disrupted military discipline during an active military operation. That alone is reason enough for punishment.”
General Wageris waved his hand at Ikt as if annoyed. On our side, it was insurance to prove that General Wageris wasn’t acting on his own authority, but he had refused such maneuvering from the start, saying he didn’t need tricks. If we were leaving it to him, General Wageris made the unreasonable demand that we hand over the entire way of doing things, the initiative included. To trumpet that this was the selfishness and arbitrary action of the Imperial Guards, we needed our steps coordinated. Even if we absolutely executed them here and tried to end it, it wouldn’t end. There was a possibility of facing an impeachment trial claiming that judgment was wrong. The Imperial Guards were caught between two chains of command, so the significance of us jointly thrusting the accusation of guilt at them should serve as self-preservation later, but…
“Oi! Do you bastards even know what you’re doing!?”
The General barged in through the front. Though they had resolved to rise up, it was before the time they had planned to move. In other words, they were still unarmed when they were discovered by the fully armed General Wageris and the headquarters’ elite. Like this, the Imperial Guards couldn’t resist either; the rebellion was doomed to fail and prevented before it could happen. If they looked out the window, they would see that the building was already surrounded.
“To think there’d be an idiot shouting about boldly killing a prince beside the toilets—are all you Imperial Guards a gathering of idiots, huh!?”
“What!? Do not mock our righteous undertaking!”
Provoked, the Imperial Guards affirmed their own plan. I had wondered what crime to make them confess to, thinking they might slip up if I pressed them, but that turned out to be unnecessary.
“Surely the General understands the root of all evil as well! Then let us join hands here and raise troops to brighten the Empire’s future! This is an act born of patriotic concern!”
“How could we not feel rage at the selfish, arrogant, conceited First Prince—no, this lowborn child unworthy even of the title of prince—toying with the army as though it were a plaything!”
That was terrible slander.
And Ikt’s silence was terrifying. He was staring at each and every Imperial Guard present as though committing their faces to memory. Even as he did so, words of slander against me continued, and they beseeched General Wageris to raise troops.
“Shut up! How dare you spew such things before me, the one who commands this army!?”
General Wageris thundered.
“How unsightly, cursing a single child endlessly to justify yourselves! People about to commit the gravest taboo, not merely ignoring military law—what the hell are you saying!? A rebellion is nothing but evil! Why would I condone military action without my permission!?”
General Wageris raised his voice like a roar and waved his hand.
“If you won’t surrender, I’ll break your arms and legs and disarm you anyway! The moment you planned this rebellion, you became scum lower than deserters!”
Simultaneously, the headquarters’ elites drew their swords and staves, closing the distance. They were already surrounded; the room was occupied and enemies had entered fighting range. By my and General Wageris’s instructions, the Imperial Guards who had been herded into this building could no longer escape.
“Ggh, if you sing of military law, we are not under the General’s banner! This is an overreach of authority! Release this unjust confinement at once—ogh!?”
An Imperial Guard, bound and pulled to the floor, screamed in futile struggle.
“Idiots. The moment you conspired to rebel within the military, I gained the authority to respond. Better yet, I’ve already obtained a verbal promise that ‘next time, ex-post-facto approval is fine.’ From the prince you bastards hate so much.”
Yeah, well, I think I made it conditional on not killing them, though.
Not that they didn’t try to strike first on their own.
“Weapons confiscated! If I hear you’ve done it again, your post will be the front lines! Until the escort carriage cages arrive from the Imperial Capital, be grateful for the mercy of the prince you hate so much!”
Though we were going to suppress an armed riot, most Imperial Guards were pampered young masters; if we killed them outright, their families wouldn’t stay silent for the sake of face. By stopping the rebellion before it happened and binding everyone to prevent it, we didn’t allow killings under the pretext of suppression. The Imperial Guard commanders were confined, reported as guilty to the Imperial Capital, and sent back as criminals. The thinking was that by taking this form, we would trumpet our legitimacy and stop my lack of popularity from affecting His Majesty. We were about to be rebelled against but stopped it, and properly judged and punished the crimes. Such procedures were necessary when anticipating interference from many quarters.
Honestly, I didn’t care about the Imperial Guards. I just didn’t want them becoming factors that dragged me down. That was all I wished for.
“Tyranny! Do you think this will be permitted!? What authority do you even have!?”
“I noticed and I stopped it! Aside from saying don’t kill them, I won’t let the First Prince interfere! If you absolutely want this withdrawn, first beg your commanding officer to negotiate with me!”
The Imperial Guards cried out at General Wageris, who spoke as if sneering.
“As if that’s even possible!?”
Because their commanding officer was me, after all.
And this gathering was of people who had tried to kill me.
Yeah, I couldn’t imagine what they’d say to plead for a reduced sentence.
“Because we were punished for trying to kill you, please negotiate with him to lighten our punishment beyond not executing us”?
“Your scheme was impossible from the start. What ‘root of all evil,’ toward just a child. Be grateful your necks are still attached simply because this ended as an attempted crime.”
General Wageris declared so to the Imperial Guards, then turned to Ikt.
“You too, put away that killing intent already. Your hair’s standing on end, dammit.”
Roughly scratching the back of his neck, General Wageris showed an appearance of thinking for a moment.
“If they still come at you after this, shut that prince up and this time you be the one to drop their heads and report after the fact. …Tch, what ‘patriotic concern.’ Peace without holding weapons is best, you bunch of fools.”
General Wageris said so and left the room. I tried to follow too, but Ikt didn’t move. Looking, I saw he was still meeting eyes with an Imperial Guard who wore a disgruntled face.
“I find myself somewhat hoping that there are those with such backbone.”
“Hie!?”
The Imperial Guard, locked on as prey, convulsed in his throat.
What did he think he was doing to a ceremonial guard officer?
When I tugged his finger, Ikt obediently followed General Wageris this time. Our destination was my lodging. Entering the room, General Wageris went to the reception room; I entered the reception room later, pretending to have been inside from the start. And I received the report that the matter was settled.
“It was resolved more easily than I thought. Thank you for your cooperation.”
“Keh, is that so. It’s because you think so convolutedly despite being a child.”
The disgruntled General Wageris looked at me as if glaring.
“I don’t like your methods. Don’t forget that.”
Saying only that, General Wageris left the reception room.
Regular update
Next time: The Danger of the Fanaan Mountains 1