"So that's how it went, huh?"
"Ooh! So what did you do?"
"What do you mean, what did I do? Of course..."
"Of course?"
"I ran! Damn it! How was I supposed to beat that guy? I would've just gotten my head smashed in."
"I thought you were going to say something else. Pfft! Have another drink!"
Alcohol can sometimes be the cause of foolish actions, dulling reason and causing trouble. But it can also be a magical tool that loosens up stiff and awkward atmospheres.
And right now, it was doing just that.
At the ongoing drinking party that lasted through the night, Elric was finally starting to get to know the members of the Star's Legion a bit better.
He learned that most of them carried various personal stories and harbored strong ambitions rooted in those experiences.
"Lord Duke, may I offer you a drink?"
Brian, swaying slightly from the alcohol but with a sharp look in his eyes, approached Elric. Seeing him, Elric nodded.
With a wide smile, Brian poured wine into the glass Elric held out.
"This is a wine made only in my homeland. The grapes are of such high quality, due to the intense sunshine, that the flavor is quite rich. I've kept it for special occasions, and since today is such a day, I thought I'd open it."
The wine flowed smoothly into the glass, and it's deep color was noticeable.
Elric lightly sniffed the wine before bringing the glass to his lips. His eyes widened in surprise. It was delicious.
"Hehe. Not bad, right?"
"I'm not much of a drinker, but this is excellent."
As Elric nodded approvingly, Prince Cromhel suddenly interjected. Being a heavy drinker, he was already licking his lips.
"Could I have a glass as well?"
"Y-Your Highness, how could I possibly…!"
"Hmph! I thought we were all friendly by now. Am I wrong?"
"N-No! I'll pour it right away!"
Though Brian, who had once worked in government, had always felt that the imperial family was distant and unreachable, Cromhel clearly didn't care for such formalities.
He truly lived up to his reputation as the most down-to-earth of the imperial princes, and Brian finally understood what that meant.
"Oh! This is really good. Are these grapes from Sanatigot?"
"Y-Yes, it is!"
"And it's from the 21st vintage. That year had little rain, causing a poor harvest for most crops, but I remember hearing that the grapes were particularly sweet. The taste is fantastic. Thank you."
Brian was awestruck, not only by Cromhel's ability to pinpoint his homeland just from tasting the wine but also by his knowledge of its vintage. He was completely taken aback by the prince's refinement and expertise.
Simply being thanked by the prince was enough to make him overjoyed, and he returned to his spot, seemingly eager to boast about the moment to his comrades.
Elric, watching Cromhel nodding in satisfaction, shook his head with a smirk.
"You con artist."
"Hmm? How can you say that about me? With all my vast knowledge…"
"You saw the label on the bottom of the bottle, didn't you?"
"Ahem! I have no idea what you're talking about."
"The label clearly said 'San.' Brian was too drunk to notice."
"Hoho. Let's just call it an effort to bond with the soldiers."
Though Elric gave Cromhel a look of mild exasperation, he couldn't help but chuckle in the end.
After all, Cromhel had successfully created an atmosphere that brought Elric closer to the members of the Star's Legion. Through this, Elric realized that he didn't need to rely on an air of mystery to connect with people.
He could now see what it meant to have the "capacity" to handle others.
'Is it because he was born a prince? He's incredibly skilled at managing people. Or maybe his capacity for leadership is just that great?'
Regardless, the fact remained that, even though they were around the same age, there was much Elric could learn from Cromhel.
"But, you know," Cromhel began, casually leaning away from the wooden pillar he had been resting against.
Though his tone was still calm, the atmosphere had shifted.
Sensing this, Elric kept his eyes on the lively members of the Star's Legion but sharpened his mind, fully aware now.
With a slight stir of mana, the drunkenness went away.
"What's your plan now? Need my help?"
Cromhel had switched from a glass of wine to a tankard of beer as he asked the question.
Even though he omitted the subject, Elric knew exactly what he was referring to.
From here on out, Zeraitz would continue to show hostility toward Elric, likely trying to send him to increasingly dangerous assignments.
And if Elric wanted, Cromhel was offering to step in and stop that from happening.
Cromhel had enough power to do so.
Though most of the nobility supported Zeraitz, Cromhel's faction was just as formidable.
If Cromhel personally intervened, even Zeraitz would be hard-pressed to take action against Elric.
However,
"No," Elric replied calmly, shaking his head.
"I don't want to be tied down to anything."
Accepting Cromhel's help would mean officially joining his faction.
By now, Zeraitz and many central nobles were likely aware of Elric's friendship with Cromhel, but being considered a mere ally of the fourth prince and becoming one of his vassals were two very different things.
And Elric had no desire to be fully bound to anyone.
He had already spent enough of his life tied down and had no interest in getting caught up in the imperial family's political struggles.
"You said we're friends, right? Friends should help each other as equals, not in a relationship of dependency."
Above all, Elric didn't want to lose Cromhel, a good friend, albeit a tricky one.
"As expected. I figured you'd say that."
Thankfully, Cromhel didn't seem bothered by Elric's refusal.
In fact, he looked rather amused.
Clap!
Cromhel set his nearly empty glass down on the ground and stood up.
"My brother is tenacious and ambitious. Though he's narrow-minded, that only makes him more determined to get what he wants and to cast aside whatever displeases him. And he's a master at spinning things in his favor."
Elric nodded.
Despite all the mockery directed at Zeraitz, the fact that he had managed to hold his position as Crown Prince, despite being born of a concubine, showed just how skillful he was.
"Things will only get more dangerous for you. I wish you luck. Of course, I'll help where I can."
"I'll do the same."
Cromhel extended his fist, and Elric bumped it with his own.
It was a gesture of solidarity and mutual support between friends.
Later that morning, an official order arrived from the main camp to Melvinger's camp.
An order to advance.
***
"Those bastards...! We haven't even had time to recover from the journey, and they pull this?!"
The next day, Herman summoned Elric and erupted in anger.
Even when he had been at odds with his younger brother Paul Weyl, Herman had maintained a calm demeanor. But now, the situation was that serious.
News had reached him that an order to advance had been issued to Melvinger.
The two forces were facing off just a few kilometers apart, and while tensions were rising, the war hadn't officially started yet.
The subjugation army wasn't fully assembled, and for some reason, Wynz family seemed to be deliberately stalling for time.
Because of this, Herman had been planning to use the downtime to whip the disorganized Star's Legion into a somewhat respectable fighting force.
But now, an order to march?
Considering the long distance they had already traveled, they needed at least ten days of rest.
To force the Star's Legion into the first battle was as good as telling them to march to their deaths.
Unless, of course…
'They plan to use us as bait…!'
The worst part was that no order had been issued to Herman to support them.
Instead, Zeraitz was scheduled to conduct a reconnaissance of the southern area of Wynz Territory, and Herman was to accompany him.
It was obvious they were trying to separate him from Elric.
So Herman had planned to gather Elric's thoughts and lodge a formal protest.
But then.
"No. I plan to follow the order."
"What? Have you lost your mind?"
Herman's eyes flashed dangerously, and Isabelle and Lasalle looked equally shocked.
However, Elric remained calm and nodded.
"The Crown Prince doesn't expect me to follow this order."
"Then…?"
"He's waiting for me to refuse. That way, he can pretend to rescind the order and issue a different one instead."
If Elric refused twice, it would carry significant political consequences for him.
Herman finally calmed down, his eyes growing cold as he processed the situation.
"So, he's trying to force you into a situation where you have no choice?"
"Exactly. I don't know exactly what his next move will be, but it will likely be an even more dangerous location. He may have already set up a trap."
"I understand that. But you still plan to accept this unreasonable order?"
"That would be the best way to exploit the Crown Prince's weaknesses."
"Hah!"
"By accepting the unreasonable order from the start, I can build an image of someone being sacrificed by the Crown Prince's reckless behavior. That will give me the upper hand later on."
Herman let out a small laugh. The fact that Elric had already thought this far ahead, considering even the future implications, was truly impressive.
But
Because of this, Herman felt his mind clear a little.
"And if I march into battle with the Star's Legion under the Melvinger banner and achieve a spectacular victory... what better way to promote ourselves?"
Herman couldn't help but grin.
"You're confident you can win, even with that ragtag bunch?"
"You seem to have forgotten—I'm one of only four dukes in the Empire."
That was it.
This was why Herman had liked Elric from the start.
Even when his confidence seemed baseless, there was a solid foundation beneath it. And he always backed up his words with action.
Both Isabelle and Lasalle seemed to relax a little as well. Herman leaned back in his chair and asked casually.
"Anything we can do to help?"
"Give me Isabelle."
"Huh! Are you proposing all of a sudden?"
Isabelle's face turned bright red, and she instinctively shouted, "Father!"
"That's not what I meant," Elric sighed.
"I know, I know. Just teasing. You need her tactical mind, don't you? And it'll also keep her out of the Crown Prince's sight."
Elric was likely to lead the charge in battle, and he would need a capable adjutant to manage the Star's Legion. Isabelle was the perfect person for the job.
Elric nodded, and Herman's grin widened.
"It looks like His Highness the Crown Prince will be taking another big hit today, on top of yesterday's. Two hits, in fact."
The Crown Prince's order for Herman to accompany him on reconnaissance had likely been a ploy to keep Isabelle close by, but neither Elric nor Herman intended to allow that. Isabelle seemed more than satisfied with the idea of joining Elric on the front lines.
"Brains alone won't be enough. You'll need some muscle, too. I'll send some mid-level officers and non-commissioned officers with you."
"Thank you."
Elric bowed his head slightly. There was no need to refuse such an offer of support.
"No need to thank me."
Herman waved it off.
"This is nothing compared to what you've done for my family. And if you aim to become the next Blue Lion, you mustn't allow defeat."
As he spoke, Herman's eyes gleamed fiercely, like those of a lion.
And Elric's eyes shone just as brightly in return.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]