Chapter 103
“Do you mean to say the entire eastern border will be swept up in a sea of fire? What on earth do you mean by that?”
Her Majesty the Queen sent a frown his way.
It must have sounded utterly absurd to her.
But now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.
Lloyd boldly cast his line.
“It’s the truth, Your Majesty.”
“The truth?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Then let me ask you this. As far as I know, the east is currently at peace. No urgent reports have arrived, and there is no war. Yet you persist in warning of danger in the east—how should I take this?”
“Please consider it a warning of a calamity that is about to unfold.”
“A warning? A calamity about to unfold?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Her Majesty took the bait.
The hook pricked her palate.
Now it was time to reel her in.
“I, Lloyd Frontera, humbly report to Your Majesty that within one month, the entire Cremona Region in the east will be reduced to ashes. Homes will burn, the people will die bleeding mercilessly, and every field will be devastated.”
“The entire Cremona Region? Within a month?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lloyd bowed his head.
Of course, even he wasn’t sure if what he’d just said was true.
Perhaps it wouldn’t happen.
Maybe only the Frontera Estate would be struck by disaster, and the rest of Cremona would remain untouched.
But now was the time to exaggerate things as much as possible.
He needed to make it sound as grave as he could.
Only then could he get Her Majesty’s attention.
He needed to secure even the smallest amount of support.
Had his attempt worked?
“Hm. That’s unlikely.”
Her Majesty’s demeanor had grown much more serious.
She was no longer tilting her head or frowning.
Instead, she spoke with a straight face.
“Did you perhaps have a terrible dream? Ah, know that I do not mean this as an insult to you.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
“Very well. But why are you making such a preposterous claim?”
“I do not believe it is preposterous.”
“Why not? The east, the Cremona Region, is peaceful even today.”
“A month from now, that will not be the case.”
“Hm. A month from now, you say. Are you perhaps wary of the Sultanate across the eastern mountains and wastelands?”
The Sultanate?
Lloyd’s ears perked up.
Queen Alicia continued.
“Yes. Recently, the Sultanate has been conducting large-scale military exercises along its western border—the one facing us. I have kept an eye on it as well. However, there have been no signs of any threat to us thus far.”
“Could they perhaps be preparing for an invasion?”
“No.”
Her Majesty cut him off firmly.
She went on.
“Our intelligence says their military activity has remained within their own borders. It appears to be a routine large-scale exercise. Even if they were truly planning an invasion, our spies would first detect the movement and stockpiling of enormous supplies for a full-scale campaign. But we’ve seen no such signs. Furthermore—”
She looked down at Lloyd.
“There are two natural barriers between the Sultanate and our eastern border. You know them well, do you not? The vast wasteland teeming with giant monsters, and the towering, treacherous eastern mountains. For the Sultanate to attack us through the east would be impossible. If anything, it would be more likely through the north, where our borders meet directly.”
She spoke with quiet conviction.
And Queen Alicia thought to herself:
‘Lloyd Frontera, this time you’ve missed the mark.’
Lloyd simply bowed his head.
He offered no rebuttal or protest.
Even so, Queen Alicia looked on him fondly.
‘A mistake born of youthful zeal, no doubt.’
He had shown considerable wit and hidden abilities so far.
He was the most desirable talent at this moment.
But he was still young.
Full of spirit.
That vigor must have gotten the better of him.
He must have rushed here after overhearing some uncertain rumor and overinterpreting it.
‘Perhaps I should comfort him a little.’
It was a mistake born of loyalty, passion, and eagerness.
Times like this called for encouragement and support.
Rather than breaking his spirit, it was better to steer that passion in a better direction.
That was the true tolerance and leadership of a ruler.
“Lloyd Frontera, raise your head.”
Lloyd slowly lifted his head.
But there was something odd in his eyes.
His pupils trembled.
He was lost deep in thought, immersed in calculations.
In reality, Lloyd’s mind was racing.
Was he thinking up excuses to tell Her Majesty?
Or plotting a second attempt to persuade her?
No.
It was because of the information Her Majesty had just revealed.
He had already realized the cause of the coming disaster.
‘Damn. This is it.’
The Sultanate’s large-scale military exercises in the east.
A wasteland crawling with monsters.
As soon as he heard those two details, something from the novel Iron-Blooded Knight came to mind.
‘Monster domino. Initial strategy preservation doctrine.’
It was a new military doctrine the Sultanate would soon unveil.
When?
In two and a half years.
Where?
It would first be used to invade Magentano’s northern border.
But now the timeline had shifted.
The location had changed.
It was happening now.
Not in the north, but in the east.
‘Why? What are they planning?’
He wondered about the Sultanate’s intentions.
He had no idea why the timing and location had changed.
But he knew he had to inform Her Majesty at once.
“Your Majesty, I must speak again.”
“Hm. You mean you still will not yield?”
Her Majesty looked troubled.
As if to say, isn’t this discussion already over?
But it wasn’t.
It was only just beginning.
With that thought, Lloyd spoke.
“The large-scale military exercises in the Sultanate that Your Majesty mentioned just now—because of that, a bloodbath will sweep across our eastern Cremona Region.”
“…What?”
“It is the truth, Your Majesty.”
“Hm, the truth, you say. How can you be so certain? That the Sultanate’s exercises within their own borders could cause a bloodbath on our side of the wasteland, in the east—is such a thing possible? I do not understand.”
“It is understandable, Your Majesty. That is because this is a new and unfamiliar military doctrine and strategy.”
“Explain in detail.”
Her Majesty’s expression hardened.
Lloyd wet his lips.
“This is what one would call a butterfly effect.”
“Butterfly effect?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. It refers to the idea that when a butterfly flaps its wings here, a chain of cause and effect eventually creates a typhoon across the sea.”
“A curious idea. But you are saying that something like that could happen between the Sultanate and our eastern region?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. But instead of a typhoon, there will be a massive monster attack.”
“Monsters?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Explain.”
“As Your Majesty already knows, there are many monster colonies in the eastern wasteland, each occupying their own territory.”
“That’s true.”
“The Sultanate will use that to their advantage. They will agitate and subjugate the monster colonies near their border. They will pressure them to move west.”
“And then?”
“No matter how large and powerful a monster is, it cannot stand against the might of an army. In the end, they will move their territories. That is the start of the monster domino.”
“Domino?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The first monsters driven west will threaten the territory of other monsters to the west.”
“Like domino blocks falling and knocking over the next, the monsters forced to move will disrupt the territories of other monsters, triggering a chain reaction toward our west—this is what you mean?”
“That is correct, Your Majesty. The Sultanate will continue their military operations in the wasteland, persistently pressuring the monsters. The aftershocks will sweep across our eastern Cremona Region.”
Just like what happened in the late days of Rome on Earth.
The Germanic tribes, fleeing westward from the Huns.
The migration of those tribes devastated the Roman Empire’s borders.
A similar event would soon take place in the east here.
“Hm.”
Queen Alicia’s eyes grew thoughtful.
She asked,
“And what do they gain from this?”
“Initial force preservation.”
He answered without hesitation.
“While our borders are laid waste by the monster domino, they can preserve their full strength without fighting a single battle. They will also be able to test our response.”
“Test our response?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. If we fail to properly repel the horde of monsters driven toward us like dominoes, they will bare their fangs and attempt an invasion.”
“And if we do manage to stop the monsters?”
“Then they can simply withdraw their forces.”
“Hm… I see. We would have nothing to complain about, either. After all, at that point, they would not have actually invaded us.”
“That is exactly it, Your Majesty. Even if we called them out on it, they would merely express conventional regrets—or, more likely, they would protest, accusing us of interfering in their internal military affairs.”
“You mean they would cry interference and push back.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“……”
Alicia fell silent.
What Lloyd had just told her.
The more she thought it over, the more sense it made.
If the Sultanate truly had such a plan, the east could indeed take a heavy blow.
And so, she grew curious.
“But where did you get this information?”
Queen Alicia’s gaze grew severe.
“What you have just described is certainly plausible from a logical standpoint. That is why I am even more curious. How, exactly, did you come by information that not even our spies have managed to uncover?”
She truly wondered.
And a part of her grew suspicious.
Even if all his claims were true.
Not even the spies of the Magentano royal family had unearthed such intelligence.
Yet Lloyd Frontera had come to her and calmly presented it as fact.
It was only natural to be suspicious.
But Lloyd’s expression remained calm as he received her question.
No, he answered with an even more unreadable look.
“My friends in the eastern wasteland told me, Your Majesty.”
“Friends in the wasteland? Surely not…”
“Your guess is correct, Your Majesty.”
“The orcs. You mean the Steel Sand Tribe.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Of course, it was a blatant lie.
He had never heard any such thing from the Steel Sand Tribe.
But if he answered, ‘I know because I read it in the novel Iron-Blooded Knight,’ he’d be treated like a madman.
So he lied, even more calmly.
“As Your Majesty knows, our Frontera Estate and the Steel Sand Tribe have forged a blood pact, and have maintained close contact ever since. That exchange includes information about the other side of the wasteland, as well.”
“So, the orcs encountered the Sultanate’s new military doctrine and relayed it to you as their blood ally?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Then what grounds do you have to believe that this new strategy will be put into action within the month?”
“My intuition, Your Majesty.”
“Your intuition?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lloyd raised his head.
He looked Her Majesty straight in the eyes.
He filled his gaze with conviction.
“There was a recent attempt on Your Majesty’s life. The capital was thrown into temporary chaos, and some lords in the provinces must now harbor doubts about Your Majesty’s authority.”
“…So you believe the Sultanate will not miss this opportunity, this period of unrest?”
“That is exactly right, Your Majesty.”
Lloyd bowed his head deeply.
“They are our long-standing enemy. I am certain they have planted spies in our royal family as well. There is no way they are unaware of the recent trouble that has occurred.”
“Hm. So you’re asking me to trust your word?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“But all you have are suspicions, not evidence. Are you really asking me to mobilize troops for a response based solely on your conjecture?”
“You must trust me, Your Majesty.”
“And if I do? What will you do for me?”
“I will publicly announce that it was Your Majesty who foresaw and prepared for every threat that is about to come.”
“You would give me all the credit for this matter?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“And if the disaster you predict does not occur?”
“Then you may scold me as harshly as you wish.”
“Ha.”
Alicia let out a laugh as if she found it absurd.
But her eyes were not laughing.
She meticulously weighed the information Lloyd had provided, its credibility, and the gains and losses of heeding Lloyd’s warning.
Lloyd kept his head bowed and waited.
He had already cast out every last bit of bait.
It was a sweet offer, one that would be hard for Her Majesty to refuse.
‘If Her Majesty follows my advice, she has nothing to lose.’
The assassination attempt on the Queen.
This incident would give her the chance to steer the unstable political climate in a new direction. It would not only resolve confusion and unrest at once but also shift the attention of public opinion at home and abroad toward the east.
From Her Majesty’s perspective, it was an unbeatable hand.
‘And it’s something I desperately need too.’
He had to save his territory.
After the financial crisis, a physical crisis seemed to be looming.
He needed to protect his honey jar from that threat.
For that, Her Majesty’s support was essential.
He and Javier—
Rushing back to the barony alone, eyebrows flying, would never be as effective as returning with hundreds or even thousands of troops provided by Her Majesty.
That was why.
He hadn’t rushed back to the barony blindly.
Before doing anything else, he had come to see Her Majesty.
He boldly opened negotiations.
‘Come on, say yes. Your Majesty. Please!’
Lloyd waited for Her Majesty’s decision.
He bit his lips, wishing desperately.
Then, suddenly—
Ding-dong.
[Your wish has awakened a particular Praise you possess.]
[Praise, <The One Who Carries Magentano>, is beginning to exert powerful influence over Queen Alicia.]
