Chapter 130

Turning Crisis into Opportunity

He had declared that they could do it.

But how?

Even as a 9th-Circle Archmage, Ferda was a complete novice when it came to governing a territory in wartime.

And when a novice faces an unfamiliar crisis, the answer is simple.

A manual.

There had to be established procedures for responding to emergencies like this.

Ferda turned to Isabella.

"First, we need to concentrate every available force in the Far East. What's the wartime protocol?"

"The manual calls for all troops to assemble at Count Consilus's territory. However, those procedures were established before your birth, Lord Regent, so we should consider whether they're still applicable."

Ferda pondered briefly before shaking his head.

"No."

"We'll follow the manual."

"Send every deployed soldier to Count Consilus's domain."

Count Consilus's castle had been designed from the beginning as a wartime fortress.

Everything there had been built around that strategy.

Trying to improvise now might only make things worse.

***

While Isabella was transmitting the necessary orders, someone arrived at the office.

Blue hair.

Blunt dragon horns.

Blue eyes.

It was Erika Iorga, the Tower Master.

"Lord Regent Ferda, I assume you've already grasped the situation?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll explain what's happening beyond what you already know."

She took a seat and was about to begin—

Knock. Knock.

Another visitor arrived.

Luri personally opened the door.

Standing outside was the Imperial Princess,

Olivia Arken.

"My greetings to Lord Regent and Lady Tower Master."

"If you don't mind... may I join this discussion?"

"This discussion?"

"I believe I may be of some assistance."

Olivia smiled gently.

The moment she entered, Erika also put on her own figurative mask.

"What an honor to meet the Empire's princess."

"You're every bit as beautiful as the rumors claim."

"Oh my, you're too kind."

"Compared to the great Water Sovereign, Lady Iorga, and her descendants, my beauty is little more than superficial."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"Princess, however, this matter concerns only those responsible for the Far Eastern territories."

"There are certain aspects that may be... uncomfortable for someone from the Empire."

It was a polite way of asking Olivia to leave.

But Olivia refused to back down.

"I, too, wish for the peace and prosperity of the Far East."

"Or is it because this matter involves the Empire that you'd rather exclude me?"

Neither woman yielded.

Faced with the stalemate, Erika sent Ferda a telepathic message.

—Lord Regent, it would be better if no one from the Empire were involved in this matter.

Her eyes asked whether she should force the princess out.

Ferda replied just as quietly.

—There's no need to worry.

—Why not?

—Because that woman is desperate to wipe out every last one of her own blood relatives.

—Her own... family?

Erika's eyes widened in shock before darting back toward Olivia.

Olivia noticed the glance immediately.

"I don't know what the two of you just discussed..."

"But I have a feeling Lord Regent said something rather impolite about me."

She covered her mouth as she laughed softly.

Yet despite the graceful smile...

A sinister killing intent seeped from her like invisible mist.

She looked like a ghost wearing a noblewoman's face.

Since Ferda himself seemed unconcerned, Erika chose not to press the issue.

"Very well."

"Given the current emergency, Princess Olivia may remain."

***

Erika dropped the pleasantries and began her report.

"The Empire is already aware of what's happening."

"This is, after all, an invasion of Imperial territory."

"Correct?"

"Yes."

"So we asked whether the Empire required our cooperation in exterminating the monsters."

Those words told Ferda something important.

Blancaros does not consider this a continental-level emergency.

The Blue-Eyes were descendants of the Guardian Dragon and therefore strictly adhered to the laws established by the Grand Council.

If they intervened recklessly, someone could accuse them of violating Imperial autonomy.

Once that happened, they would have no defense.

"The Empire's answer," Erika continued,

"was that the matter falls entirely within their autonomous jurisdiction."

"They claimed they could handle it themselves."

Someone unfamiliar with the situation might think that meant the crisis wasn't particularly severe.

But everyone in this room knew otherwise.

"I contacted the Empire myself."

"The Crown Prince answered."

"And what did he say?"

"Officially?"

"He told us to wait two months."

Erika stared in disbelief.

Even one week was already pushing the limit.

Two months was nothing short of criminal negligence.

"That certainly sounds like my delightfully underhanded brother."

"Trying to bring the Far East to heel during a crisis like this..."

Ferda narrowed his eyes.

"So you're saying they could mobilize much sooner than that?"

"Yes."

"Calling up the Imperial standing army and reserves takes only two days."

"Accounting for distributing supplies and marching speed, they could begin advancing within two weeks at the latest."

Erika blinked in surprise.

Despite speaking in the refined, gentle tone of a noble lady,

Olivia recited Imperial military logistics with the confidence of a seasoned commander.

Luri looked equally dumbfounded.

"They'd really do something like that..."

"At a time when every moment matters?"

Olivia answered calmly.

"Precisely because it's such a desperate situation."

"It gives them the perfect opportunity."

"They can claim that the desperate side should have humbled itself first."

"And later insist they did everything they possibly could."

"Besides..."

"The fall of the Far East isn't nearly as important to them as you might think."

Luri's anger boiled over.

For a moment, she seriously considered storming the Imperial Palace herself.

Ferda instead turned to Erika.

"As the Princeps's representative..."

"What if we formally request the Blue-Eyes' assistance?"

"Naturally."

"As allies, we will help."

Yet unlike her confident expression, the telepathic message she sent carried little optimism.

—Don't expect too much.

—Even our side doesn't have enough firepower.

—We can support the Imperial Army when it arrives...

—But we don't have the strength to resolve this crisis on our own.

The absence of the Iorga clan could never be allowed to become public knowledge.

For a moment, Ferda wanted to ask, You can't even do this much?

But he understood.

If someone told him Valdrova had fallen ill, he too would focus solely on that.

"I'll notify the dragons stationed throughout the region and see whether any of them can provide assistance to the Princeps's Dominion."

Just as Erika was about to send a telepathic message to the Blue-Eyes—

"No."

"This is something humans must resolve themselves."

The objection came from Olivia.

Erika instinctively smiled.

With the elegance of a refined noblewoman, she concealed her displeasure behind perfect manners.

"Princess, may I ask your reasoning?"

Olivia met her calmly.

"As you've said, this incident is occurring within Imperial territory."

"And it specifically concerns the Princeps's Dominion."

"That's correct."

"If the Princeps's Dominion resolves this crisis on its own before the Empire responds..."

"...then you'll have every right to protest the Empire's delayed response."

"And more importantly, you'll gain justification for exercising your autonomous authority."

"Autonomy..."

"It isn't merely a legal concept."

"It also extends to economic and military affairs."

"When the Empire later attempts to interfere with the Dominion's development or expansion, you can reject those attempts by citing this very crisis."

Looking directly at Ferda, Olivia continued,

"If that happens..."

"You'll even have grounds to claim ownership over magitech."

It wasn't only the Empire that could turn a crisis into an opportunity.

Ferda glanced toward Isabella.

She gave a slight nod.

Olivia's argument had merit.

"And if things truly become dangerous?"

Erika asked.

"Then we'll follow your recommendation."

"We may have no choice but to request the dragons' assistance."

"But at this stage..."

"Doing so would only hand the Empire an excuse to tighten its grip over the Princeps's Dominion."

"Even so, we don't have enough soldiers to deal with these monsters."

"Hestia's standing army alone isn't enough."

"You needn't worry about that."

Olivia smiled.

"Don't we already have a great many elite soldiers gathered here?"

The Beginning of Spring Festival had drawn countless noble youths to the Dominion.

To escort them safely, elite knights from noble houses across the region had accompanied them.

Nearly four thousand people had officially entered the territory.

Roughly three thousand of them were trained soldiers.

"I'll persuade them myself."

"Persuasion is one thing, Princess."

"But asking them to cooperate could easily be interpreted as inviting outside forces into the Dominion."

Olivia simply smiled.

"I wonder."

"They have nowhere to flee."

"They'll have no choice but to unite."

"And if we present this not as foreign intervention..."

"...but as an appeal to chivalry,"

"...and to the duty every noble owes to the continent of Cerdes,"

"...then refusing becomes nearly impossible."

She paused before adding with graceful confidence,

"And above all..."

"If the Princess of the Arken Empire calls for unity..."

"Who would dare refuse?"

At first glance, it sounded almost absurdly self-important.

Yet not a single person in the room dismissed it.

Olivia's greatest weapon was her beauty and charisma.

She could persuade both men and women alike.

Even Erika, who had only met her today, couldn't deny the overwhelming force of her presence.

"Princess."

"I owe you an apology."

"I judged you too hastily."

"You're far superior to either the Crown Prince or the Second Prince."

Olivia laughed softly.

"Oh my."

"Compared to those wretched excuses for human beings..."

"I certainly am."

"But deciding how to resolve this crisis is the Princeps's responsibility."

"And in the Princeps's absence..."

"...that authority belongs to the Regent."

Both women turned toward Ferda.

Ferda quietly considered the two opposing arguments.

Erika's judgment aligns with my own.

The safest course was to end this crisis as quickly as possible.

Even if it meant accepting political losses.

But Olivia isn't wrong either.

It was a gamble.

Yet if they succeeded...

The Princeps's Dominion could emerge stronger than ever.

Safety...

Or opportunity.

Standing at that crossroads,

Ferda made his decision.

"We'll resolve this within the Princeps's Dominion."

He sided with Olivia.

Erika's expression tightened for a brief moment before her polite smile returned.

"Wouldn't you reconsider?"

"I'm worried about relying solely on human strength against demons."

"But... you're right."

"If we yield here..."

"It'll become difficult to regain the initiative."

"...Hmm."

"Then let's discuss how we'll proceed using only the people who remain—"

Erika couldn't understand Ferda's decision.

It was only natural.

This was human politics.

She was a Dragonspawn.

Still, it had been Erika herself who entrusted the decision to him.

Pressing the issue further would only be unbecoming.

"Very well."

"If this is to be treated as a human affair..."

"...then the Blue-Eyes will withdraw from it."

She turned sharply and strode toward the door.

The weight in her footsteps betrayed her disappointment.

***

Just as Olivia was about to begin the strategy meeting—

Knock. Knock.

Luri opened the door.

The newcomer left everyone speechless.

It was Erika again.

And yet...

It wasn't.

The horns were gone.

So was the tail.

She wasn't dressed like a witch of House Iorga.

Instead, she wore the attire of an adventurer.

Everyone stared blankly.

Erika—or rather, the woman who looked exactly like her—walked inside with a slight pout before giving a casual nod.

"Pleased to meet you."

"...Excuse me?"

Olivia blinked in bewilderment.

They had met less than a minute ago.

How could she be introducing herself again?

"I'm Eri, Branch Master of the Far Eastern Adventurers' Guild."

"..."

"I wasn't scheduled to arrive until two days from now..."

"But circumstances changed."

"Given the emergency, I've come to support the Far East."

"...What exactly are you doing?"

Even Ferda couldn't tell whether she was joking.

"What do you mean?"

"You said this is a human matter."

"So dragons aren't allowed to participate."

"That's right."

"Then Erika, the Blue-Eyes' Tower Master, won't participate."

"But Eri, the Platinum-rank adventurer..."

"...can."

"Well... technically..."

"So I'm participating."

She declared proudly.

"As Eri, Platinum-rank Adventurer..."

"...and Branch Master of the Far Eastern Adventurers' Guild!"

Olivia slowly turned toward Ferda with a look that plainly asked,

What kind of ridiculous farce is this?

Without a word, Ferda shifted his gaze toward Isabella.

Isabella merely covered her face with one hand, as though she wanted no part in explaining it.