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Chapter 67. I Had No Choice But To Teach

Hmm... should I tell you? Keeping silent might only complicate things, and it's almost impossible to keep this hidden as it is.

"Frodil-sama, the Minister of the Interior, was an enemy."

"...Huh?"

Well, I was wondering where to start, but explaining everything in detail would be a hassle, so let's jump straight to the main point. Princess Elissa's blonde hair floated with magic, and her sharp green eyes glared at me, but I didn't care.

"The one trying to strengthen the nation from behind the scenes was Lord Frodil. He tried to negotiate with me earlier, but I declined. When I asked for the entire southern peninsula, he got angry."

"Whew..."

Yeah, she's really mad. That sigh was definitely her holding back the urge to yell.

"First, by the southern peninsula, do you mean the Aclaren Peninsula?"

"That's right."

"Are you an idiot? There's no way they'd give such a crucial area to a commoner. What would you even do with it?"

"Huh? Maybe I'd hold the nation's life in my hands... or something? I could raise the trading price since it would be my land, and they'd have to pay me to mine it."

"That's treason, both in what you're doing and saying."

Of course.

"So, Frodil-sama was an enemy, you asked for the Aclaren Peninsula, got refused, and thus decided not to ally with him?"

"Hmm..."

It feels a bit different. After all, Frodil-sama never intended to make me his ally. He probably planned to use me and then dispose of me. He only saw me as a beast without patriotism. And he must have known we could never coexist.

"Why did Frodil-sama come to see you?"

"Isn't it because he saw me as a threat?"

That's what I think. If he didn't think much of me, he wouldn't have bothered to meet me separately. If he just thought I was strong, he would've planned an assassination. But he saw me easily subdue his favorite woman and defeat the assassins he sent after Princess Elissa. He probably wanted to meet me once to tell me to back off.

"And... Frodil-sama and I can't walk the same path. We're almost completely opposite."

Because of that, there might be some similarities... though I don't want to admit it. Absolutely don't want to admit it.

"Wait a minute... So he met you just because he saw you as a threat? The Minister of the Interior for that reason alone..."

"It's a fact. We need to accept it and use it to our advantage."

If Frodil-sama moved solely for me. Then, it might mean he has most other matters settled. After meeting me, he must've realized he couldn't win me over and retreated easily.

This is just my theory, but it's not too far-fetched.

"He'll definitely make his move around the Founding Festival."

"...Why?"

"Because it's the perfect time when no one would suspect all the royals being in one place."

If he has everything else in place, there's no need to pit princes against each other. He can just eliminate all of them and gather the royals to avoid suspicion.

If one royal is assassinated, there'll be chaos, but if all die at once, it'll be easier to control.

"The Founding Festival has all the royals together, right?"

"Yes, it's mandatory."

Since it's a festival where magic knights demonstrate their skills before the royals, it's natural for them to gather. But there's one thing that bothers me.

"Attacking during the Founding Festival means facing all the magic knights head-on, right? Even for Frodil-sama, that's impossible."

"That's it."

During the Founding Festival, when half the citizens come to the capital, all magic knights gather. Many come just to see all the division commanders lined up.

As I told Princess Elissa before, fighting the magic knights head-on is foolish and suicidal. The Founding Festival not only has magic knights but also royal knights and mages. There's even a rumor about the hidden Royal Guard. What could he do against such forces?

"Frodil-sama has a crucial role in the Founding Festival, right?"

"The Chancellor's seat is vacant."

The Chancellor usually oversees the festival, but since he used the Chancellor as a pawn and removed him, he has that responsibility now.

"...But could Frodil-sama being in charge of the festival be an advantage?"

"Even with the 3rd Division always by his side?"

"Hmm."

I don't get it.

A man who rose from a commoner to a magic knight and then to Minister of the Interior with his skill and popularity. His political skills are said to be excellent, solving many domestic and international issues. I don't think he'd fall for something so trivial.

I never plan to lose in a direct fight, but when it comes to brains, it's different. I'm not arrogant enough to think I can outsmart him.

"The end... Do you know what it means?"

"...The end of something?"

I wasn't asking for the definition.