Chapter 99: The Judas Maneuver

I pressured them by stressing there was no time.

"The duchy forces withdrawing and determining achievement rankings have nothing to do with each other."

"I am the first achiever of this war. First, you must remember that Count Épinay’s [ransom] is entirely my [right]. Do you acknowledge this?"

It had been confirmed that I was the first achiever, and capturing Count Épinay was clearly my achievement. Valent reluctantly acknowledged it, and the other nobles agreed since it was fact. I undeniably held the justification, and they had attacked me to demand a share of those achievements.

"However, Count Épinay could only be captured because everyone here [cooperated]. So I was thinking of dividing half of Count Épinay’s [ransom] among you all, but you’ve shown nothing but continuous [conflict]. How can I [trust] you enough to leave this to you with confidence? You haven’t [cooperated] the way the legitimate [heir] of Euznirk has."

I struck with sound reasoning.

I was trying to concede and share with them, but when they were just fighting among themselves, how could I trust them with half of that massive ransom? I’d rather leave it to Fried, who had cooperated.

Then Baron Boeven, who’d been silent, spoke up.

I’d silenced Valent with sound reasoning precisely because I wanted Boeven to step forward.

"Sir Streit. Then will you guarantee appropriate treatment for nobles who cooperate?"

"I said from the beginning—I chose the [heir] because he [cooperated] that much, so I’m repaying him with [profit]. As the count said, it was a legitimate transaction."

"Hmm, then I’d like to make a legitimate transaction with you as well. Boeven, the last loyal family of Euz, will fully support the heir."

When Boeven suddenly switched sides, the most flustered were Valent and Hildrant. Boeven’s calculating (neutral) disposition was significant. I already knew this kind of disposition from experience. People with it were the type who could join hands with anyone if it meant grabbing a bigger share. Adelbert was a prime example.

"Baron Boeven! What the hell is this all of a sudden? Supporting the heir!"

"Whom I support is based on my own calculations. Since Sir Streit has decided to share profits with us through broad-minded judgment, fighting over distribution rights is a waste of time. So I’d rather leave it to the Euznirk family, who can mediate reliably."

Naturally, Valent was more heated than anyone and condemned Boeven. But Boeven didn’t bat an eye. Having already squabbled over the second achiever position, he felt no need to continue cooperating with Valent and Hildrant. As I’d suspected, these bastards hadn’t been on the same side from the start.

They were just a loose coalition that gathered and scattered based on profit.

F-Rank Negotiator (persuasiveness 20%) and the justification keywords had come together to sway Boeven. I’d finally succeeded in completely tearing those bastards apart. Fried was dumbfounded but humbly accepted Boeven’s support and promised that distribution would prioritize him.

"You traitor! You’re Judas!"

"Are you insulting me? And traitor? Since when were we on the same side?"

"Boeven! If you turn your back like this, do you think I’ll let it slide?"

"If you want to fight, I’ll take you on anytime. But don’t forget that the Euznirk family will be on my side. I know about your conflict with the heir, but how long do you plan to remain hostile toward him?"

Conflicts between vassals were frequent. Lords would typically mediate or sometimes profit by appropriately stoking the opposition. Given Count Euz’s disposition, he’d mediate vassal conflicts but wouldn’t intervene directly. However, if Fried used this as a pretext to intervene, it would be a completely different matter. That’s what ultimately shut Valent’s mouth.

And the effect appeared immediately. When Boeven switched sides, nobles from aligned factions successively came out in support of Fried. Moreover, even the cunning Hildrant, judging that the tide had turned, returned to Fried’s camp. The situation I’d wanted was now in place.

Once things settled down, Count Euz, who’d been waiting, finalized the matter.

"With the vassals’ support, I appoint Fried von Euznirk as mediator."

"Thank you. I promise fair distribution to everyone who supported me."

Seeing that, I felt relieved for the time being.

If power was reorganized around Fried, Valent wouldn’t act rashly. And Count Euz, who’d been watching with interest to the end, was smiling with satisfaction. Except for Valent and a handful of nobles, it was a negotiation satisfying to everyone.

Thank goodness I’d had the Diplomat Scouter.

It was unfortunate the negotiator rank hadn’t increased, though.

Regardless, it was clear the negotiator title and justification keywords created synergy. If they hadn’t, would Boeven have supported Fried so easily? Fried hadn’t gotten along well with any of his baron vassals, but to do politics, you need to know how to join hands with enemies.

"Not just fighting, but negotiating too—you’re truly impressive. Thanks, Sir Streit. My actively helping you wasn’t in vain. Michael’s advice that befriending you would pay off really saved me."

"You provided troops and supplies, so of course I have to repay what I received."

So Michael had given that advice too.

That’s why Fried had accepted my request despite never having met me.

Fried said this incident had taught him a great deal and criticized himself for still falling short. In noble society, there are no permanent enemies or allies. And nobles who can join hands with their enemies are those who can rise above. Fried must have learned that lesson as an heir.

Valent remained an adversary, but resolving the conflict was Euznirk’s responsibility.

"Sir Streit. Valent and I weren’t originally in conflict from the beginning."

"Conflicts can arise over profit."

"If it were about profit, there’d at least be room for compromise."

Fried’s expression was bitter.

Wait—he wasn’t about to tell me about being tangled in a love triangle, was he?

Wading into a complicated conflict that started from a love triangle isn’t wise. Either way, feelings will inevitably get hurt, and getting caught in the middle often leads to bloodshed.

Fortunately, Fried didn’t tell me more than that.

I also learned a great deal from this experience.

Learning really is important.

I realized that earning achievements is good, but you need to read the room carefully and throw out bait at the right moment. And status mattered. If my status had been at least at Michael’s level, those bastards wouldn’t have made such a fuss. Yeah, even if it’s an ugly path, advancement is the answer.

I handed Count Épinay and the prisoners over to Fried. I also passed along the responsibility of negotiating the ransom for the captured Burgundy knights. Since Euznirk had fought nearly 100 years of conflict with Épinay, ransom negotiations wouldn’t be easy. And on this point, the nobles agreed unanimously.

If they tenaciously drove up the ransom, the profit trickling down to them would naturally grow. They hadn’t captured just anyone—they’d captured Épinay’s ruler as a prisoner, so Euz was in an extremely advantageous position. Fried promised to send my share of the money without any shortfall. He even swore on it.

So I offered him some advice about the vassals’ dispositions.

Boeven was calculating, acting according to profit, and Hildrant was deceitful and cunning, so trusting him was dangerous. Valent was easier to read. With an ambitious disposition, he’d continue challenging for power. Hearing the advice, Fried sighed.

"While you, who only just arrived in Euz, saw through their dispositions, what have I been doing? I’ve been far too lacking in effort. That’s why the vassals looked down on me."

"Just realizing that is growth enough."

Fried made a new resolution.

After finishing negotiations with the Euz nobles, everything went smoothly.

The allied forces that had cleaned up the battlefield headed to Euz Castle together.

The Crown Prince led the procession at the front alongside Count Euz with the count’s forces, while my father-in-law and I led the duchy forces in the next formation. The count’s forces taking the lead was because this was Euz’s territory, and my father-in-law and Count Euz had agreed on the order. We were going to return home anyway.

I’d earned achievements as part of the duchy forces and raised our prestige.

My father-in-law had promised there’d be government rewards for that too.

"I’m looking forward to it—what kind of reward there’ll be."

Honestly, I had high expectations.

If they gave me territory, I’d probably dance.

"I’ll take responsibility and push to get as much as possible. I felt bad about not being able to help my son-in-law. Damn Euz bastards!"

"Father-in-law, your not stepping in out of consideration for my position actually helped."

If my father-in-law had grabbed the Euz nobles by the collar and made a scene, it would’ve been irreversible.

"But as a father-in-law, I can’t help but worry."

I seemed to have unintentionally created a sense of indebtedness in my father-in-law.

If he argued for the legitimacy of my reward at the Grand Council and actively worked to secure it, wouldn’t the result exceed expectations? Moreover, our duchy forces were a triumphant army that had defeated Burgundy. The War Minister family’s standing would temporarily rise as well.

"Long live Euznirk!"

"Long live the Duchy of Beren!"

Waaaah!

Since we’d won a great victory against Burgundy, everyone in the castle came out cheering. The people who’d always suffered under Burgundy’s threats were genuinely delighted, intoxicated by victory. Word that we’d captured Count Épinay must have already spread.

Flower petals fluttered, and young, beautiful maidens waved their hands, catching the soldiers’ eyes.

"Sir Wolfgang!"

I spotted my retainers among the crowd and waved.

Then the cheers grew even louder.

And that night,

Count Euz held a grand banquet celebrating the victory.

There, I was able to meet Count Euz’s daughter and Fried’s wife.