The Second Subjugation Army had been decimated.
Unlike the report regarding the force Schuls had dispatched previously, this news was strictly concealed from the public. After all, this army had set out with a grand, triumphant parade. No one could bring themselves to admit that within a single day, nearly all six thousand men had been slaughtered.
Only a handful of nobles and castle staff knew the truth, and even they had been warned repeatedly not to speak of it.
But the phrase "this stays between us" was far too enticing. Little by little, the information began to leak. Of course, those aware of the situation never truly believed they could keep the army's destruction hidden forever.
Precisely because the news was spreading, those who had orchestrated the campaign needed to address the crisis.
"...So, Big Brother Cabajid. Is the purpose of this meeting ultimately to figure out how to deal with Mercurio?"
Schuls sat in his chair, questioning Cabajid while sipping the black tea placed on the table. He showed no fear of poison; the tea had been brewed by his own lieutenant, Amare, and he was equipped with an anti-poison magic item. A trace of toxin wouldn't affect him in the slightest.
"Indeed. That is the top priority... though one could say the purpose is also for us siblings to enjoy a quiet tea together," Cabajid replied.
He was the very picture of an elegant young noble, wearing a smile full of grace. Even though the army he had personally dispatched had been literally wiped out, he showed no sign of distress. Standing behind him, serving as both guard and adjutant, was the female knight Pelfeel.
"But if we are truly gathering as siblings, Schuls and I aren't enough," Frizion said with a gentle smile. "I believe the set is only complete when Mercurio and Vihera are here as well."
Behind Frizion stood Angela Luxinowa, the Captain of the White Rose Knight Order.
"...Big Sister Frizion. Mercurio and Vihera have raised a rebellion against the Empire. They are no longer permitted in our company," Cabajid said.
"Is that so? I feel there are many misunderstandings regarding that matter."
"Big Sister Frizion! He is the enemy!" Schuls shouted. "Stop being so soft-hearted! We need to focus on how to fix this situation right now!"
Schuls’s voice carried enough intensity to startle even a seasoned knight, but Frizion merely smiled.
"No, Schuls. As your older sister, I cannot condone brothers fighting one another."
"Big Sister Frizion!"
Schuls shouted again, but Frizion met his gaze with a serious, uncompromising look. Schuls eventually fell silent. Though he had grown bold enough to speak firmly to her now, he had originally been quite attached to his kind older sister. Frizion, in turn, had doted on him; one could say their hierarchy was ingrained in them almost by instinct.
However, Schuls was no longer a child. He was striving for the Emperor’s throne, and he absolutely could not allow Mercurio’s Rebel Army to continue their rampage. Especially not after the subjugation army he had helped organize—sent out with the calculated risk of defeat—had been crushed so effortlessly.
"Big Brother Cabajid, what do you think?"
Realizing he couldn't persuade Frizion on his own, Schuls turned his attention to Cabajid, who had been watching their exchange with amusement.
"Oh, me? Well, watching the two of you interact reminds me of how wonderful siblings can be."
"What!?" Schuls let out a cry of surprise.
He had assumed Cabajid would be just as intent on defeating Mercurio as he was. He never expected him to sound as if he were agreeing with Frizion. Frizion herself was equally startled, her expression quickly turning into a hopeful smile as she set down her teacup.
"My, my. Since it was you, Big Brother Cabajid, I thought you would say you’d never forgive Mercurio... Does this mean your stance on this matter is—"
Frizion moved to suggest an immediate reconciliation to end the fruitless war, but Cabajid slowly shook his head.
"It is certainly tragic for siblings to fight. However, Frizion, we are the imperial family of the Bestia Empire. Between personal sentiment and the interests of the state, it goes without saying which we must prioritize. For us to act solely on our own selfish whims would be nothing less than a betrayal of everyone living within this Empire."
It was a clear declaration: no matter his brotherly affection, he had no intention of halting the conflict with Mercurio.
"Big Brother Cabajid..."
Frizion understood her position, but she still couldn't abandon her hope for peace between her brothers.
The reason Big Brother Cabajid is so resolute is because his forces are still superior to Mercurio’s, Frizion thought.
The first and second subjugation armies had lost, and overwhelmingly so. However, Cabajid still had vast military resources at his disposal, as did the nobles in his faction. If anything, Schuls’s pure military strength might have actually improved now that many of his "dead weight" allies had been killed.
Of course, Schuls still had the burden of the nobles taken prisoner by the enemy. Being unable to act freely due to ransom negotiations was a sharp pain in his side. But that only applied to the Second Prince Faction as a whole. Schuls could still move the units directly under his command, as evidenced by the Cavalry Unit directly under Schuls that had participated in the last battle.
"Big Brother Cabajid. My army lost the first time, and yours lost this time," Schuls noted. "I don't think there's any point in us continuing to dispatch separate subjugation armies, do you?"
"Oh? Then what do you suggest? Shall we send Frizion out?" Cabajid asked, glancing toward her.
Frizion immediately shook her head. "As I said, I cannot agree to a battle where brothers shed each other's blood. Besides, I'm sure you both understand that my military strength is far smaller than either of yours."
This was a simple fact. Not just Cabajid, but Schuls too knew that Frizion’s personal and factional forces were no match for theirs.
"...I think that if you, me, and Big Sister Frizion combined our forces to form a unified subjugation army, we wouldn't lose so easily even against Mercurio and Vihera," Schuls suggested.
Frizion shook her head again. Schuls felt a flash of irritation at his sister's stubbornness, though he also realized he wanted to keep some strength in the Imperial Capital just in case.
"Certainly, if we combined our strength, we could rival Mercurio," Cabajid said. "Fortunately, we’ve even received offers of cooperation from those who were previously unaligned. But even so, how do we handle Crimson? That man can create massive flame tornadoes and manipulate them at will. As long as he is free to act, we are at a disadvantage."
Cabajid spoke as if they were overwhelmed, but the smile on his face suggested he was far from admitting defeat.
"Big Brother Cabajid?" Schuls asked suspiciously.
Frizion felt the same. Their total military strength shouldn't have been inferior, yet Cabajid spoke as if they were losing while looking perfectly composed.
"Well, I do have a means to oppose Crimson, though it isn't a certainty. It's only a possibility, so you shouldn't expect too much from it. More importantly, let’s return to the subjugation army. Am I right to assume Frizion won't be participating?"
"Big Brother Cabajid... is it truly necessary to fight Mercurio?" Frizion asked piteously.
If this were a private matter, Cabajid would have smiled and indulged Frizion’s whims. But when it came to the fate of the nation, he would not yield, no matter how soft his expression remained.
Rhodos... then, Cabajid thought. If he moves as we expect, then perhaps... And though it involves some luck, there are other moves to make.
Cabajid recalled the face of the individual who had recently joined his faction. He had received reports from his subordinates regarding the personality and abilities of Crimson. The man was described as being completely free—dangerously so. If he took a dislike to someone, he wouldn't hesitate to make enemies of nobles or major merchant companies. He had the strength to back up such arrogance, making him an interesting figure in Cabajid's eyes.
Ideally, I would want a man like Crimson to serve the Bestia Empire... but that would be difficult, he mused.
Barring extreme circumstances, a person like Crimson would never choose to serve a state.
And yet, someone with power rivaling an entire army is wandering around as a freelancer. Not as an S-Rank or A-Rank, but as a B-Rank. Do people understand how dangerous that is?
Precisely because of his low rank, there were always those who thought they could control him or force him to obey. Rei would never comply, and those who tried would likely be destroyed. Since those people would never admit their own fault, their resentment would then be directed at Rei. In the past, Daskar had acted as his protector, but now that Rei had publicly severed ties with him...
There are surely people in the Rebel Army thinking the same thing, Cabajid thought. Especially the ones who joined after the first victory; many of them are quite short-sighted.
Recalling the files on several such figures, Cabajid grew silent. Frizion, noticing his distraction, spoke up once more.
"Big Brother Cabajid, please answer me. Do you truly have to fight Mercurio?"
"Yes. As I said, this is an unavoidable war. ...Schuls, what kind of strength can you prepare on your end?"
"Big Brother Cabajid!"
Schuls and Frizion spoke in unison, but their voices carried opposite emotions: Schuls’s was full of joy, and Frizion’s full of sorrow. Frizion said nothing more; she realized that Cabajid would not take back his words.
Schuls glanced at his sister, who hung her head sadly, before answering.
"As you know, ransom negotiations for the captured nobles are ongoing. The nobles whose relatives were taken can't participate, but others are more than capable. ...Though, considering the risk of the captured families interfering, I’ll have to narrow the selection to those I can trust."
"I see. In that case, I want you to provide soldiers directly under your command and forces from nobles you can guarantee won't betray us. I'll handle the rest."
The First Prince Faction and Second Prince Faction would cooperate to dispatch a subjugation army. In structure, it would be similar to the previous force Rei had annihilated, but there was one massive difference: both Cabajid and Schuls were now seriously intent on crushing the rebellion, rather than simply testing the waters.
"...Big Brother Cabajid, Schuls..." Frizion whispered mournfully, steeled for what was to come.