The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 101

Chapter 13: The Braggart’s Guarantee

Alfonso de Arianne Elden, 41 years old.

That is the formal title of the King of the Elden Kingdom.

The ’41’ appended signifies that he is the 41st king since the kingdom’s founding.

While the Joseon Dynasty had 27 monarchs in its 500-year history, this kingdom has 14 more. Considering its history spans over 800 years, it can be regarded as a relatively venerable kingdom for a frontier state located in the eastern part of the continent.

And the leader of this great nation wants to see me.

“This is perplexing.”

“In a way, it’s to be expected.”

“Why is that?”

“You’re too busy to notice, but your fame has been spreading quite a bit in the capital recently.”

“Does that mean they’re calling me the Demon Slayer over there too?”

“Demon Slayer, Castle Destroyer, Elf Massacre… you’ve gained quite a few amusing nicknames.”

Rumors travel fast for a reason.

It was surprising that news of my exploits had already reached the capital, even though the Elf War had only recently concluded.

“There’s another reason Alfonso wants to see you.”

“Is it okay to call the King by his name so casually?”

“It’s not like His Majesty is here. Besides, I used to hang out with his brother a lot back in the day.”

Marquis Lloyd was closer to His Majesty than I imagined.

Whether it’s Earth or here, connections are crucial.

“Anyway, His Majesty is currently very ill.”

“Oh dear. But is it alright for me to meet him?”

“That’s precisely why you need to meet him. His Majesty doesn’t have much time left.”

In effect, he’s terminally ill.

I offered my condolences.

“That’s unfortunate. The prince who will inherit the throne must be going through a lot.”

“There is no prince.”

For a moment, I thought I misheard.

“Pardon?”

“There’s no one to effectively rule the country. Currently, Alfonso only has Princess Rebecca.”

“Usually, there’s a son from a concubine, or an illegitimate child, or an extramarital child, isn’t there?”

“Ahem!”

I unintentionally dissed him.

But it’s true.

I’m standing right here as an illegitimate child.

“Let’s gloss over the minor details. So, what’s the main point? Are you saying a bloody battle for the throne is about to erupt?”

“No. According to the kingdom’s law, Princess Rebecca is the rightful heir in this situation.”

“Then that’s a clean resolution. We don’t have to worry about the succession issue.”

“Instead, the Princess’s husband will effectively rule the country. We can’t entrust the affairs of the nation to a woman.”

My ears must be playing tricks on me today.

Has my Druid passive skill malfunctioned?

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s as I said. How can a woman manage the important affairs of a nation?”

“What? What does gender have to do with politics?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

He looked at me like he couldn’t understand me.

It seems my father and I have very different values.

After further conversation, I realized.

The Elden Kingdom doesn’t view women doing national affairs negatively.

The concept simply doesn’t exist.

It was considered as impossible as a human walking from birth or an animal suddenly speaking human language.

“In the North, Karina is guarding Black Castle. Isn’t that a national affair?”

“Simply guarding with force is different from using one’s mind to handle administrative tasks. Protecting the home from monsters is a duty for both men and women.”

Karina can do all of that too, though.

Anyway, this isn’t an issue that can be resolved by persuading one marquis.

It seemed like we’d only draw parallel lines even if we debated all day, so I moved on and asked the most pressing question.

“Who is Princess Rebecca’s husband-to-be?”

“Undecided. But it will be decided soon.”

To summarize Marquis Lloyd’s explanation:

1. The husband-to-be is decided on the Princess’s seventeenth birthday.

2. To decide the husband-to-be, the royal family holds a grand birthday party along with a selection ceremony.

3. Among the candidates who apply for the selection ceremony, the candidate directly chosen by the Princess is appointed as the husband-to-be.

4. When the Princess ascends the throne, the husband-to-be effectively rules the country.

5. Afterward, the Princess, now Queen, steps back and focuses on producing a royal heir.

“I roughly understand how things work. So, am I supposed to attend the selection ceremony and become the Princess’s husband-to-be?”

“Don’t be absurd. The moment you become the husband-to-be, you have to stay in the royal palace for life unless something extraordinary happens. You, who must govern the Marquisate in the future, are disqualified from the start.”

“Then, am I really just going to meet the King and come back?”

“To state your exact mission, prevent Charlie Hilton, the eldest son of the Hilton family, from becoming the husband-to-be.”

This is getting complicated again.

The Hilton family is appearing here too.

“We discussed it earlier. We speculated that the reason the Hilton family suddenly raised a large army and threatened the territory was because of the upcoming husband-to-be selection ceremony. I believe this is the case, along with the alliance with the Elves.”

According to Marquis Lloyd, the Hilton family is currently focusing all its efforts on the husband-to-be selection ceremony.

They have already won over a significant number of the kingdom’s major nobles to their side.

“The position of husband-to-be is certainly desirable, but is it such an influential position that they’re making such a fuss? I know our kingdom is a feudal system, so the royal family’s power is relatively small compared to other countries.”

“That would normally be the case. But what if the Elden Kingdom is absorbed into the Calon Empire?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Since David Hilton inherited the title of Count, his consistent claim for over ten years has been the incorporation of the royal family into the Empire.”

To hand over a kingdom with 800 years of history to the Empire wholesale.

Isn’t this almost outright treason?

It was absurd, but as I continued to listen, there were plausible aspects.

Count Hilton’s justification for incorporating into the Empire was as follows:

Currently, the Elden Kingdom has excellent food production but is lagging behind in all other areas.

In fact, except for direct trade between the southern free city of Liang and the Imperial family, there are virtually no opportunities to encounter new things and cultures.

If the royal family is incorporated into the Empire at this point, they can first sell wheat, potatoes, beans, and barley to the Empire without tariffs and earn a decent income.

In addition, there was a demilitarized zone like the DMZ [Demilitarized Zone, a border area with restricted military presence] on the border between the Empire and the Kingdom, and the area was surprisingly large and even prime land.

They could cultivate this wasteland to increase food production and obtain ownership of nearby mines.

Moreover, if a direct trade route with the center of the Empire is established, not only official trade but also private trade will become active, and society, culture, economy, and religion can develop in various ways, so not doing it would be foolish.

“Those sound like very sweet terms.”

“That’s why many nobles are sympathetic to Count Hilton. We call them pro-Empire faction.”

“My father is naturally in the opposition, right?”

“That’s right. I’m in the anti-Empire faction.”

“There must be toxic clauses among those tempting conditions.”

“You’re as sharp as ever.”

I know because I learned a lot of history on Earth.

The relationship between countries cannot simply lean towards one side unilaterally benefiting.

There are things to gain and things to lose, and usually, smaller countries tend to lose more than larger countries.

“First of all, the Empire’s basic system is the same feudal system as ours, but the Imperial family’s influence is very strong. They even dispatch separate administrators.”

The word ‘administrator’ feels ominous.

In short, it’s interference in internal affairs.

If this happens, it may be good at first, but eventually, they will have to return all the benefits they gained.

For example, let’s assume the Empire raises the tax rate by 1% every year.

Initially, it’s not a significant amount.

But what will happen after many years?

After ten years, it’s 10%.

After a hundred years, it’s 100%.

They may raise it more drastically in the middle.

Like the price of snacks sold at the local supermarket, it only goes up and never down.

If this trend continues, the Elden Kingdom will benefit in the short term, but in the long term, the Calon Empire will benefit more, and the kingdom is likely to become a colony.

By that time, the kingdom’s army will be disbanded or controlled by the Empire, making resistance difficult.

Leaving aside the pride of 800 years of history, even the cost-benefit analysis is irrational, which is the argument of the anti-Empire faction.

As soon as I heard this, I immediately thought that Count Hilton was quite clever and a natural businessman.

If the Empire is incorporated into the kingdom, the initial benefits will all be taken by Count Hilton and his supporters, who have contributed the most to connecting the two.

But later, the powerless serfs and territory residents will be exploited and suffer from the Empire’s tyranny.

By that time, Count Hilton, who has only sucked the sweet nectar, will pretend not to know and ignore it.

In short, this is a scheme to sell the entire country and enrich only himself and a small number of supporters.

“Who do they think they’re fooling? Such obvious tricks.”

“Unfortunately, the number of pro-Empire nobles who sympathize with the Count is increasing day by day, and the number of anti-Empire nobles is decreasing, saying they are outdated.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Especially if Charlie Hilton becomes the husband-to-be in this husband-to-be selection ceremony and Alfonso passes away, the royal family will no longer have the power to resist.”

“His Majesty is worried about that part and wants to see me, the next successor of the anti-Empire faction.”

“That’s right.”

Marquis Lloyd, who sighed deeply, put his hands behind his back and gazed at the scenery beyond the window.

It was a beautiful day.

The warm sunlight pierced through the curtains and fell on the floor.

“The final selection is made by the Princess, but she can’t ignore the trend and select just anyone. So, take this opportunity to win over as many neutral nobles as possible and, if possible, even sway the pro-Empire nobles. I’m sorry to entrust you with such a heavy task.”

I’ve roughly grasped what’s going on.

It’s quite challenging.

It was different from the adversities I had overcome so far.

I had to use my head before, but most of the time, I could solve it by pushing through with overwhelming force when things got tough.

However, this time, such recklessness would be difficult, and there were many political factors to consider.

Anyway, I have to bring people over to my side, increase my supporters as much as possible, and then lead public opinion and fight back with my silver tongue.

I doubt whether the Heavenly Demon Swordsmanship or Druid skills I’ve learned so far will be useful in this area.

“Just trust me and leave it to me. As always, I’ll bring good news.”

Even though the future is uncertain, I boldly made a confident statement.

If I can’t solve this level of quest in a situation where I have to prevent the end of the continent, it’s already game over.

No matter how difficult the mission or how high the wall seems, it was my destiny to face it head-on and break it.

* * *

Southwestern Elden Kingdom.

Hilton County.

Countless towering spires that make your neck stiff just by looking at them.

The hundreds of expensive and flashy treasures scattered throughout the castle alone are enough to indirectly guess the power of the Count’s family.

Currently, a vulgar shout that doesn’t match the luxurious surroundings was erupting in the courtyard of the County.

“Kill him! Kill him!”

“Is the sword you’re holding just for decoration?”

“How frustrating. I feel like I want to jump in and do it myself.”

The crowd that had gathered in a circle was shouting, and inside, two men with only skin and bones were trembling, holding daggers in both hands.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

In the highest seat, a middle-aged woman in a luxurious dress was slowly waving a fan, urging the two men to fight to the death.

“I’m sorry! Countess! Please forgive me just once.”

“That’s right. We’re brothers. We can’t dare to stab our own brother. Please have mercy.”

That’s right.

The woman was Count Hilton’s wife.

She grumbled in a disgruntled voice when the bloody battle she wanted didn’t come out.

“How boring. Charlie, finish it.”

“Yes, Mother.”

That was the signal.

A young man sitting next to the Countess drew his sword and walked over.

Then, he cut down the two brothers with a single blow.

Swoosh!

“Cough!”

“Kuh-heok!!”

The blood flowing like a waterfall seeps into the lawn.

The slave-born brothers became cold corpses without even closing their eyes, as if they were so wronged.

Despite the ruthless sight, her face, accustomed to doing such things, did not show even a hint of guilt.

“Are there no decent slaves these days?”

“Hasn’t the supply of slaves from Liang been blocked? I heard that the supply of slaves has been completely cut off from the Full Moon Market as well.”

The Countess’s face twisted hideously when the word Liang came out.

“I think Liang is past its prime. I don’t know how they manage VIPs. Recently, some rude bumpkin was rude to me, and they didn’t even mediate.”

“Mother must have been very upset.”

“Anyway, I’m tracking down that unlucky man and the purple-haired woman. Just wait until their identities come out. I’ll make them kill each other like those slaves.”

Hilton’s wife gritted her teeth.

Charlie Hilton stopped such a mother.

A loud-voiced servant informs the two mothers of new news.

“Count Hilton is entering!!”

The owner of the vast County.

A powerful man who makes even flying birds fall.

One of the two horses leading the Elden Kingdom along with Gordon Lloyd.

Count David Hilton, whose martial power is also a top-class Sword Expert on the verge of mastering, slowly entered the inner castle.

At the appearance of the head of the family, Prince Charlie and Hilton’s wife were startled and got up from their seats.

“You’ve arrived?”

Hilton, who intentionally ignored his wife’s words, frowned at the two slaves who were brutally dead on the lawn and the servants of the inner castle who still had madness left.

“Are you still doing childish things with slaves?”

“That’s…”

“The husband-to-be selection ceremony is not far off. Refrain from anything that could be caught. After the selection ceremony is over, I’ll ignore how much you play with these toys.”

“I understand.”

“Go out. I have something to say to Charlie.”

Hilton’s wife, who quickly retreated.

When all the servants and maids disappeared, only Charlie and Hilton were left.

“You know your mission well, right?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t it be enough to be chosen by the Princess at the selection ceremony?”

“Yes. It’s easier than picking up a fork. More than half of the nobles have already decided to take our side, and the most important Duke Arnold has also sided with us.”
Hilton, who had a satisfied expression, suddenly frowned as if he had thought of something.

“I forgot to say this. There is someone to be careful of in this selection ceremony.”

“Who is it?”

“Hennon Lloyd. A presumptuous guy who received the title of Baron despite being an illegitimate child. I heard he’s coming up to the capital this time.”

“Are you talking about that commoner who recently had a grandiose false name of being a demon slayer or a castle destroyer?”

“That’s right.”

Charlie tilted his head.

“I don’t understand. Do we have to be wary of that illegitimate child?”

“The Elves were suppressed.”

A moment of silence descends.

The Count continued.

“Of course, I didn’t have high expectations for barbaric alien races. But he suppressed the rebellion earlier than I expected and tied the family together.”

‘I thought he would buy time at least until the selection ceremony…’ – Hilton muttered.

“Hennon seems to be quite outstanding compared to his dirty bloodline. It’s obvious that he’s coming up to the capital to influence the selection ceremony, so prepare for it.”

“Just leave it to me. He’s just a bastard anyway. I don’t believe the nonsense that he killed a demon or destroyed a castle in a day.”
Hilton raised the corners of his mouth at Charlie’s confident appearance.

“It’s unlikely, but if you have any difficulties, contact me. I have a secret weapon.”

“If Father says that much, it must be certain. I’ll trust you and go to the capital comfortably.”

“Hehehe… I’m looking forward to it. The moment you become the husband-to-be and the kingdom is incorporated into the Empire, the Hilton family will rise from an insignificant frontier noble to a great noble of the central Empire. Uahahahat!!!”

Hilton bursts into laughter.

Before I knew it, it was getting dark.

The bodies of the two slaves, carelessly discarded on the floor, were stiffening.