The fact that war with the Solti Kingdom was inevitable was understood, but the Emperor personally leading the expedition was another story.

“What’s all this about?”

“Oh my, what a surprise!”

A hunched old man nearby approached the man’s back and mumbled while glancing at the parchment.

“Sorry if I startled you. But what’s the news?”

“I’ve seen it all, so I can offer you a discount.”

“How much are you selling it for?”

The man showed two fingers.

“No haggling.”

Thus, the news of the Emperor’s expedition spread throughout Basuker through its own means.

And soon, this news reached other countries.

“Things seem to be quite interesting.”

Empress Nelia of Paradia offered a grape to the Emperor’s mouth and said, “I knew it would be like this.” The Emperor chuckled while chewing the grape.

“Are you talking about Solti or Basuker?”

“Well, it’s not just the Solti king, but the arrogant Emperor of Basuker. He talked about a peace treaty, but in the end, it was just a bluff.”

The Emperor shook his head and downed his goblet in one go. The glass was quickly emptied.

The Empress quickly gestured to the attendant standing nearby, and the attendant filled the empty glass with wine.

“Is the next target after Solti, Venistan, or Ryna?”

While asking cautiously, the Empress fed a grape to the Emperor. The Emperor glanced at the Empress’s face and gracefully accepted the grape.

“Is the presumptuous Emperor of Basuker planning to attack after Solti?”

“Using the pretext of peace with hostages won’t last long, will it?”

Although it wasn’t an appropriate topic for conversation with the Empress, who was trying hard to gather information, the Emperor willingly spoke up.

“In fact, the crucial thing is not whether it’s Venistan or Ryna after Solti.”

“……?”

“The reason the Emperor of Basuker proposed a peace treaty in the first place was probably to subtly reveal that he could easily subjugate a small country without resorting to force. However, judging from the abrupt change in attitude as soon as a pretext for attack was given, his true nature is no different from a highwayman.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue.

“Are you suggesting that the final destination of the Emperor of Basuker is Paradia?”

The Empress asked anxiously.

“That may be, but don’t worry too much about that part. Basuker still hasn’t breached the western defense line of Paradia.”

“……”

“So, it’s not so much about whether he’ll occupy Solti and Ryna first and then advance into the southern and northern parts of Paradia?”

Understanding, the Empress nodded, but then raised a sudden question.

“But, Your Majesty, while Siren Marquis Yeongae is held hostage by Basuker, won’t it affect the feelings of Changbaek?”

The Empress asked with a worried expression.

“Oh, there won’t be such a thing. Siren Marquis and his son will never betray their master.”

“Why are you so confident?”

Rather than believing the Emperor’s words, the Empress asked with an interesting face.

“As you know, I’ve doubted and doubted them for a long time. There’s no one else to protect the western defense line except Changbaek, but… anyway. Now, Changbaek has a lot of infantry.”

The nobles of Paradia could afford to hire soldiers to protect their estates and territories. In case of emergency, they could fight for Paradia.

The equipment such as war horses, weapons, and armor used by knights, and the cost of training a proper knight were exorbitant.

So, the Emperor chose to borrow knights raised with funds from the nobles whenever needed, rather than maintaining a large military force at all times.

However, if the power became too strong, it was likely to change its mind. Therefore, the Emperor limited the number of soldiers that nobles could raise.

Although nobles were allowed to raise soldiers individually, when they grew too powerful, the Emperor dispersed them in a way to undermine them.

However, Siren Marquis was different.
Even now, the Siren Marquis family was the only one possessing a considerable number of soldiers that could threaten the Emperor. Initially, they thought they could simply contain Basuker, but since the current Emperor’s reign, Basuker’s influence itself has grown enormously. Soon, it swelled enough to engulf the Paradium Grand Empire.

The Emperor promptly supported the Siren Marquis family, and now, they had become a threatening presence to the Emperor. If the Siren Marquis had ambitious aspirations, the owner of the Paradium Throne might have changed long ago.

Nevertheless, they still remained loyal to the Emperor, despite spreading unfavorable rumors to tarnish their honor. The Emperor, unaware, was even moved by their unwavering loyalty.

“Do you trust them, Your Majesty?”

Empress Nelia’s words once again stirred the hidden anxiety within the Emperor.

The Emperor had occasionally speculated about the moment when the Siren Marquis and his son might target him. However, reducing the influence of the Siren Marquis family was no easy task. If he eliminated them, the Emperor of Basuker would surely have his sights on him next.