We had been on friendly enough terms that he had once argued to the grand duke that judicial authority should be actively delegated to me, but in court politics, yesterday’s friend can become today’s enemy at any moment.
And now the Judicial Department and my own faction had become enemies.
Still, that didn’t mean compromise was impossible.
"I don’t understand it. Weren’t you and the Military Department political enemies of the Reinfeldt family, Baron? Why shield Adelbert like this? Did the man offer the Finance Department up to you on a platter?"
"Our political enemy was Heinz von Reinfeldt. And he is dead."
"And Adelbert is not? That is pure sophistry!"
The Judicial Minister pushed back hard, but he would find it difficult to withstand a prince’s pressure. It was in his nature to avoid clashing with the Finance Department back when it was strong. Weak before the strong, strong before the weak.
Such is the true nature of a man who preaches law and justice.
Regrettably, the basic logic of medieval politics is survival of the fittest.
The Military Department and I were now a force so mighty that even the Judicial Department found us daunting. It amounted to strong-arming the Judicial Minister, but there was no helping it. I couldn’t let him devour court politics whole.
That said, pressing relentlessly is not always the answer either.
Just as there are hard-line and soft-line tactics, the stick and the carrot must be used together.
"If the Judicial Department steps back one pace, I’ll hand over some valuable information."
"...Is this information enough to make up for our losses?"
"You’ll be able to sell a favor to the Finance Department. On the surface, at least."
Hmm. With a short sigh, the Judicial Minister sank into thought. But in the end, there was only one option. Refusing would mean picking a fight with me, and if that happened, things would spiral entirely out of control.
"Granting you judicial authority in the first place, Baron. That was my losing move."
Back when I was merely the lord of a small village, it had been within acceptable bounds, but not even the Judicial Minister had foreseen that I would climb to the rank of prince in so short a time. In truth, no one had.
They don’t call me the duchy’s foremost success story for nothing. Because my rise was unprecedented in its speed, I had built up a power base the Judicial Minister couldn’t handle before he could so much as blink.
"Very well. I accept your proposal, Baron. I will stop attacking Adelbert, but the court clergy is beyond my control."
"We will bear that burden ourselves."
"So, what is this information you mean to give me?"
The strategy I’d drawn up was simple. Attack Viscount Neunil together with the Judicial Department. Grounds for a forcible arrest already existed, but if the Judicial Department joined in, it would become a different story entirely.
I explained the relationship between Mort and Viscount Neunil. Having never taken an interest in the full story of the affair, the Judicial Minister was left speechless by their scheming. No wonder Adelbert had been left utterly helpless.
"I will issue a wanted notice for Mort and an immediate arrest order for Viscount Neunil."
"Once you make the proclamation, Judicial Minister, the Gale Knights and the Capital Sentinel Command will move."
"Heh heh, a nightmare for those wretches, I’d say. I will make preparations at once."
Was he pleased at having more subjects to torture, or relieved to be in the same boat as me once again? Stepping out of the Judicial Department, I let out a breath, glad to have cleared at least one hurdle.
I had pressed him knowing his disposition, but human affairs don’t always unfold as expected. Fortunately, the negotiation with the Judicial Minister had ended smoothly, and now only the mobilization of troops remained.
"Once this case is settled, I’m not setting foot outside my domain for a good long while."
"I don’t want to leave either. It’s far too dangerous outside the domain."
I aired my grievances to Ted, Ferke, and Ivan, who had been waiting outside the Judicial Department’s offices. Ferke and Ivan could only smile awkwardly. I had left the handling of the captured bandits to Ferke.
The Judicial Department bureaucrats had dragged their feet pointlessly, only rushing to process everything once I paid my visit. Honestly, civil servants are slow as molasses in every era.
"They were rotten to the core. Every one of their leaders had a standing wanted notice, and we confirmed that two villages east of Breisburg had suffered heavy damage at their hands."
"Better to send men like that to the torture chamber than work them as serfs."
[Sheriff of Beren Quest I]
[Capture all 15 criminals]
[Criminals 11/15]
Hmm, come to think of it, there was a quest like this. I’d knocked out about three of them while arresting the Schwarz Wolf crew, and thanks to the eight leaders captured this time, the counter had jumped considerably.
"Sir Ferke, go to Beort and Anton and have the Gale Knights assembled in full, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. Ivan, relay deployment orders to Barosi and Herto as well."
At the deployment order, both Ferke’s and Ivan’s faces hardened with tension. I also notified the Capital Sentinel Command and arranged for them to move in coordination with the Gale Knights.
How would the Viscount Neunil family react? Would they resist, crying unjust treatment? Or would they comply? There was also the option of abandoning their estates and fleeing. I was terribly curious to find out.
"Halt! Come no closer!"
But on the way back to Rosengarden, someone approached us. Ted and the knights blocked the way with fierce warnings. Yet when I checked the man’s affiliation with the manager scouter, I was taken aback.
"Forgive my rudeness. I am but an errand runner."
He belonged to the Mainhof family.
And if it was the Mainhof family...
Guided by the errand runner, I set foot in a mansion I had never seen before.
Naturally, it was the Mainhof family’s mansion.
"It has been a long time, Sir Streit. No, Baron of Rosenheim."
"...Sir Vermeer. Where on earth have you been?"
"I have been keeping quiet. I caused trouble for Lord Franz, after all."
Leo von Vermeer. The man closest to Crown Prince Franz and his most loyal retainer. But that loyalty had gone too far, driving a wedge between him and the crown prince, and now he had become a son-in-law of the Mainhof family.
Vermeer’s appearance had changed a great deal.
He was as handsome as ever, but his features had grown sharper.
"If anyone else had summoned me, I would have been furious."
"My apologies. But I believe this will be good news for you, Baron."
Vermeer led me down to the cellar. Was he trying to lure me into a trap? Did he mean to eliminate me out of some fanatical loyalty, now that my power had grown strong enough to threaten the crown prince?
Fortunately, I found no murderous intent toward me in his mind.
He had clearly said it would be good news for me.
"Sir Vermeer, it certainly took you long enough to bring the Baron here."
"Lady Mühe? What are you doing here..."
"A pleasure, Sir Streit. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?"
The person in the cellar was Lady Mühe. She had once been Cavalry Commander Pensler’s lover, a woman famous as a husband-devouring black widow. She was also on intimate terms with Clara.
"Are you puzzled to find me here instead of my salon?"
"I’m just a little surprised. It never crossed my mind."
"Hoho, then I shall be renowned as the lady who startled the Gale Knight."
Lady Mühe was exactly as I remembered. Pensler used to rave about that voluptuous figure of hers. But why was she in a place like this? Not her own salon, but the cellar of the Mainhof mansion, of all places.
Mühe’s gaze drifted toward the bed.
Following it, I couldn’t help but be stunned.
"Bo-Bodo?"
There on the bed lay Bodo, fast asleep without a care, belly exposed. Plump as he was, he looked like he’d been eating well and living well. Why was Bodo, whom I’d believed kidnapped, here of all places?
If these people were behind Bodo’s kidnapping, they would never have kindly led me here. And sprawled out sleeping so peacefully, Bodo looked less like a captive than an honored guest.
"What on earth is going on here?"
"I rescued Bodo after he was kidnapped by the Viscount Neunil family."
"Lady Mühe, you did?"
"Sir Vermeer helped as well."
Should I call this a twist on top of a twist?
Whatever the reason, I was truly relieved that Bodo was safe.
"Thank you, Lady Mühe. And Sir Vermeer. I will repay this debt without fail."
"As expected, Sir Streit knows exactly what we want."
Lady Mühe and Vermeer had rescued Bodo to place me in their debt. Selling a favor to a prince is no small thing. There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, after all.
They and I were not close enough to do each other kindnesses out of pure goodwill.
The only people I extend goodwill to are my in-laws.
"Baron, Bodo is indeed Viscount Elsheimer’s illegitimate child."
"Do you have proof of that?"
"The family name Werner, and this leather pouch, are the proof."
"...The magnolia crest!"
A magnolia crest was engraved on the inside of the leather pouch. It was the very one in which Bodo’s mother had kept the 10 silver coins she had saved away for his sake.