Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 143

143.

I left the Crown Prince’s palace early in the morning.

My destination was Duke James’ White family manor.

I hurried along the road with Gale, riding Wind, who had come up to the capital with me.

Normally, Gale, who valued etiquette, would have said something about visiting so early, but today he was silently accompanying me.

Thanks to sending a messenger in advance last night, and because things were so urgent, he seemed to understand my feelings.

“Gale.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I sighed and asked from atop Wind.

“What is Father thinking?”

Gale didn’t answer immediately. Even Gale thought that this decision of my father’s raised many questions.

Behind my father’s domineering personality was a thorough calculation. Could he have built such a great empire if he had relied solely on force in the process of conquering neighboring kingdoms one by one?

Gale also knew that his father was reasonable enough, so he couldn’t easily accept this decision.

“I’m not sure what His Majesty is thinking either. He’s not one to make reckless decisions, but the fact that he’s dividing the expeditionary force into two, and that he’s accepting Your Highness’s opinion while giving separate missions to the dukes… it’s all very unlike him.”

I nodded.

“That’s right. It’s not like Father to make such a decision. The reason I’m going to Duke James this morning is in the hope that I can get a glimpse of what Father is thinking.”

“Since he gave separate missions to the dukes, Duke James will surely tell Your Highness.”

Gale said with a firm expression.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that we’re already in this together. The marriage between the Young Lady and Your Highness hasn’t been confirmed, but their relationship has grown rapidly in a short period of time, so it’s unlikely that the proposal at the banquet will be withdrawn.”

The proposal to escort the Eastern Expedition, which was no different from a political marriage proposal at the banquet, and Olivia teaching me swordsmanship directly, all made it seem to others that Olivia and I were one and the same.

“Your Highness, we’re almost there.”

At the words of the approaching servant, I turned my gaze and saw the magnificent mansion of the White family.

There were no other mansions around, and only the White family’s mansion dominated the space. The mountain range behind the mansion seemed to embrace it.

We soon arrived at the main gate, and the gate opened automatically.

This meant they were already waiting for me. I got off Wind and handed him over to the White family’s servant.

The figures of Duke James and Olivia were visible.

They looked neat and tidy, as if they had been preparing since dawn to greet me in person.

“I apologize for coming so early in the morning, Duke.”

Duke James smiled brightly.

“Not at all. I had a feeling since the end of the Great War Council yesterday.”

From Duke James’s welcoming voice, I could clearly tell that he knew the purpose of my visit and that he would answer without difficulty.

I didn’t do anything as rash as getting straight to the point.

“Please come inside. I’ve prepared breakfast.”

I followed Duke James and Olivia. The main story could be told during the meal or after it was finished. On the way to the dining room, I looked around the mansion.

“The mansion is very large.”

Duke James’s mansion was as large and splendid as the Crown Prince’s palace. Thanks to the walls, which were several meters higher than other places, it couldn’t be seen from the outside.

“My wife liked to tend to it.”

I spoke in a subdued voice, feeling sorry for reminding Duke James of his longing.

“I see.”

“She left us when she gave birth to Olivia, but the children have kept her hobbies alive. Olivia’s two older sisters are both married, but they often visit and tend to the garden.”

In this era, women become members of their husband’s family the moment they get married, but Duke James’s daughters are different from ordinary women.

Their parents’ home is the White family, and there is no family in the empire that would dare to give them a hard time for visiting their parents’ home.

It’s not for nothing that they are called the Four Great Families.

We soon arrived at the dining room.

The dining room reflected Duke James’s personality. The dining room itself was splendid, but the menu was simple, as befitting breakfast.

“Please sit down, Your Highness.”

At Duke James’s invitation to take the seat of honor, I didn’t refuse.

I sat down, and Duke James, Gale, and Olivia took their seats in turn.

“I had a brief conversation with Gale on the way here.”

I brought up the topic casually.

“I don’t know what Father is thinking, so I’m worried about the future.”

Duke James replied gently.

“It was certainly an unlike decision for His Majesty.”

Duke James encouraged me to eat and continued calmly.

“I have been with His Majesty for a long time. His Majesty often makes decisions that ordinary people cannot understand. But as time passes, we realize how wise His Majesty’s decisions were and how meticulously planned they were.”

“Do you mean it’s the same this time?”

I couldn’t see any plan in my father’s decision this time. I felt it was an impulsive decision. I only felt the anger that the empire had been attacked, that his reputation had been tarnished, and that he wanted to remind everyone of his power in a short period of time.

Duke James was different.

“Yes. I think His Majesty’s decision this time is not much different from his previous decisions.”

Then I had to ask.

“What is the order that you Dukes received separately?”

* * *

“When Your Highness leaves for the Eastern Expedition, not only I, but also Duke Yan, Duke Beregon, and even Duke Austin will all go up to the north.”

“So, in the end, the army is divided into two…”

It’s difficult if there are multiple fronts. It requires more capabilities than maintaining a single front, and it soon leads to a burden on the people.

“No. Each elite knight order, and Duke Austin’s magic corps, I suppose. And only His Majesty and the Imperial Knights will participate.”

I lost my words. Without conscripting a single soldier, my father was going to lead the dukes and the best elites of the Four Guardian Families to the north.

Naturally, a question arose.

“Are you finally going to go up to the north and conquer the Pyreon Kingdom yourself?”

“Your Highness, His Majesty has withdrawn [retreated]. And for the first time since the founding of the empire, he has lost imperial territory. He needs to show who the ruler of this land is. How the empire became the largest country on the continent in just over a decade.”

Duke James took a sip of water and continued.

No one was interested in the food anymore.

Not only I and Gale, but even Olivia was focused on Duke James’s words.

“On the border of the Northern Kingdom Union, there are the families of three Sword Masters: Eric, Jane, and Gordon. They can be said to be the margraves [lords ruling border regions] of the Kingdom Union.”

“His Majesty is…”

“Yes. He has decided to destroy the three families before Your Highness returns from the Eastern Expedition.”

For a moment, I almost blurted out, ‘What a crazy person,’ but I barely managed to hold it in.

I realized it only after hearing Duke James’s words.

A heartless, cold-blooded man!

While receiving my father’s teachings and having conversations with him, I had temporarily forgotten.

In what form did the final boss, Ron Carl Leonhardt, build the empire, and in what form did he expand its territory!

My father hadn’t given in to my opinion.

Rather, while listening to my words, he was trying to inflict a definite punishment on the three Sword Masters who had offended the empire.

‘If they find out about this, the three Sword Masters will have no choice but to leave the battlefield.’

I tried to calm myself and said.

“Where exactly are the three families located?”

Duke James ordered a servant to bring a map.

The table was quickly cleared. We had eaten breakfast roughly, but no one complained.

The food was cleared away, and a map that filled the huge table was unfolded.

Duke James circled the Kaila region with a flag model and a fountain pen stained with red ink.

“This is Kaila. This is the capital of the Pyreon Kingdom. As you can see on the map, the distance is not far.”

The Pyreon Kingdom was located in the center of what is commonly called the eastern part of the continent.

“This entire area is called the east, but the empire’s influence is only this much.”

The empire’s influence, as marked by Duke James, was only a part of the entire east.

“There is a Kingdom Union to the north of the Pyreon Kingdom. Originally, there were more than ten small kingdoms, but they formed a union in response to the empire’s expansion, seeking survival.”

Duke James marked it with three flags and a fountain pen stained with blue ink, along with his words.

“Right here, on the border between the Kingdom Union and the empire, is where the three Sword Master families are based. It was famous as a land that produced prestigious families for generations, and it actually produced three Sword Masters in this era.”

The distance between the three families was not very far.

“If you look at it centered on the imperial capital, these three families are located in the northeast region. His Majesty only told us that he would go north with us… but perhaps his goal is these three families.”

“You mean he didn’t give exact orders?”

Duke James smiled faintly.

“I have served His Majesty for a long time.”

It was a smile full of confidence that his opinion would not be wrong.

I shuddered.

Duke James spoke again.

“It’s a strategy to bring in the three Sword Masters in the Pyreon Kingdom. It’s a strategy to get rid of the three Sword Masters who have been an eyesore and to maximize the empire’s influence in the east while conquering the Pyreon Kingdom.”

“It’s also a strategy to increase the Crown Prince’s influence in the Great War. After all, as a result, Father has bent his will to match my opinion.”

From the beginning, my father had no intention of dividing the army into two.

He didn’t demand the unreasonable act of facing three Sword Masters and one 8-circle mage alone.

‘Even though the elite of less than 500, including Father, are acting as bait, they feel stronger than the Eastern Expeditionary Army I lead. I have a long way to go.’

The elite led by my father is the best force in the empire.

“Your Highness, please focus on the Eastern Expedition. Even if news of His Majesty comes in, there is no guarantee that the three Sword Masters will return to their main family.”

I shook my head.

“The three Sword Masters will return. They risked war with the empire. You can see that just by helping the Pyreon Kingdom and recovering Kaila.”

Looking at the map, I felt that the Kingdom Union was trying to incorporate the Pyreon Kingdom under their influence.

If the Pyreon Kingdom joins the Kingdom Union, they will have a huge territory and influence reaching the northeast of the continent. It will not reach the empire, but it will have enough power to stand against the empire.

Moreover, the Pyreon Kingdom is a place with considerable value in itself.

It was thanks to the Pyreon granary, where half of the continent’s grain is harvested.

“If I may give you some advice, leave for the expedition sooner than planned. His Majesty will also be leaving soon.”

“The palace will be empty…”

If my father and I, and the four dukes, leave the palace at the same time, there will be no one to lead the Great War Council.

Ted has also decided to follow me, so will the Third Prince lead the Great War Council?

A sense of unease spread. There is just as much to do in the capital as there is on the battlefield.

In particular, it was a great burden for those going on an expedition to not have someone in the capital to direct supplies.

“His Majesty has called Marquis Thomas. He will arrive soon.”

“Marquis Thomas is a southern margrave, but he’s already arriving?”

There is a considerable distance between the southern end of the empire and the capital. It would take at least twenty days to get there on horseback.

Duke James nodded heavily.

“His Majesty has been planning this since returning from the expedition.”

Duke James added.

“As I said before, His Majesty’s choices often make people shudder.”