“Interesting.”
It was an unexpected reaction. Calum looked incredulously at Claudius, scanning his expression. Surprisingly, Claudius was reading the report with a faint smile on his lips.
What part was he finding interesting? The fact that the Emperor’s Imperial Guards were swept away by a few mercenaries, or the mercenaries’ skills? Calum waited, his lips tightly sealed, for Claudius’ next words.
“The Ricass Mercenaries… I don’t believe we’ve ever contracted them.”
“No. They mainly contracted with small northern countries or handled minor tasks.”
“That can’t be. They must have undertaken off-record tasks.”
Such as assassinations or elimination of rivals. To perform those tasks, they couldn’t lack skills. Claudius’ mind raced. A handful of mercenaries had subdued twice their number of Imperial Guards. They were certainly not ordinary.
“What is your opinion, Imperial Guard Commander?”
“That is…”
“Speak frankly. I am aware that the Imperial Guards’ skills have rusted.”
“I am sorry, Your Majesty. It is shameful.”
“No. It’s my fault for not supporting the Imperial Guard Commander enough.”
Claudius’ sigh-laden tone made Calum lower his head. As the commander, he was given nominal authority, but he lacked real power. His low birth meant he had no backing from nobility or military academies, despite his significant achievements during the reign of the previous Emperor.
And Claudius couldn’t ignore the nobles’ opinions, as they supported his wars. If the nobles weakened, so would the Emperor’s position.
Caught in the invisible tug-of-war of power, Calum began to answer the question he had set aside.
“Their skills are not the bottom tier. They mainly operate in the north, so they haven’t contracted with the Empire…”
“Then they are familiar with the northern geography.”
Claudius’ hand dropped the file onto the desk with a thud. His interest had shifted from the Imperial Guards’ debacle to the mercenaries.
The north was still beyond Claudius’ reach – a vast plain beyond the rugged mountains, home to many tribes leading a nomadic life.
It was not just a vast and barren land; it was an unexplored territory, a hidden treasure.
‘If we can plant the Empire’s flag there…’
It was perfect. Seeing Claudius’ lips curl slightly, Calum looked at the dropped file with mixed feelings.
The Emperor was preparing for another war. He wouldn’t attack the north immediately but would probably start with nearby neutral small city-states.
The problem was the growing discontent among the regular soldiers, who fought and sacrificed while the Imperial Guards enjoyed all privileges.
Even the Imperial Guards who made it in were lazily managed, focusing only on nominally guarding the Emperor, making them complacent.
It was as if joining the Imperial Guards meant a successful life, with their arrogance seeping in like oil, filling their brains.
In the current situation, reorganization was a wiser and more appropriate choice than conquest. Everything needed restructuring, from the military academy to the Imperial Guards and the complacent attitude of the nobility.
But the Emperor had no interest in such matters. He seemed driven solely by a desire for war and conquest, as if these were the only things that could make his heart beat.
A relentless craving to take everything he desired flared in his red eyes.
The Emperor’s gaze tore through Calum’s conscience. After holding back what he felt he must say, Calum clenched his eyes shut and then reopened them.
“Your Majesty, I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“It concerns the Imperial Guard.”
As soon as Calum mentioned the Imperial Guard, Claudius’ eyebrows twitched. He sensed an unpleasant conversation, but Calum continued.
“The officers need mandatory training. If left as is, they will be a great disgrace to serving Your Majesty. Also, the criteria for selecting the Imperial Guard from the military academy should be reevaluated…”
“Let’s consider that later. Calum Bestern, it seems that’s not what you’re supposed to be saying.”
Calum’s fists clenched but soon relaxed. He had no choice but to bow again before the Emperor.
“…I apologize.”
“I like you, Calum. You’re quick-witted.”
Now, the Imperial Guard Commander’s task was clear. Calum knew what the Emperor was concerned about.
To cover up the scandal caused by the Imperial Guard, public attention had to be diverted elsewhere.
If news of the Emperor hiring the mercenary group spread, naturally, the focus would shift to these foreigners from the north.
Claudius stood up from his chair and approached Calum, placing a hand on his shoulder. The hand felt surprisingly heavy, as if bearing a great weight.
“I’ll notify a journalist from a newspaper with royal ties. We’ll release the story… let’s say, in a day.”
“Understood. And I’d like to meet these mercenaries. Where are they now?”
“…My ears are itching.”
“Why, Russ? Do you think they’re talking about us again?”
“Quite a lot…”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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