Chapter 91 The Strategists Of Grandchester - Side William -
After changing horses multiple times along the way, I finally arrived at the Grandchester estate in the capital, where Edward rushed down to the entrance hall.
"Father! There's been a riot near the hunting grounds!"
It seems the news of the riot had already reached us.
"Edward, the riot has been suppressed, but part of the hunting grounds was lost to a fire."
"What a disaster! With the hunting tournament approaching, what was Baron Walt thinking? That incompetent fool!"
Even as his son, Edward's narrow-mindedness remains unchanged. If he had even a fraction of Sara's wisdom, I wouldn't be worried about Grandchester's future.
"We should assign someone else to manage the hunting grounds. It's unreliable to leave it to a country bumpkin like Baron Walt, who doesn't know the ways of the capital."
"Be quiet."
"You're being too soft, Father! This is exactly when we need to take a firm stance..."
"Can't you hear me telling you to be quiet?!"
Ugh, I ended up yelling at him again. Maybe I'm just a bit tired. Well, at least Edward shut up, so that's good.
"It was an invasion by a foreign country disguised as rioters. We need to report it to His Majesty the King and hand over the captured invaders."
"I see, Father. But if we report that we caught the invaders and prevented harm, it'll be a great achievement for Grandchester."
"But we'll have to report the embezzlement incident as well."
"What are you saying? If we report that, we'll be held responsible!"
"Maybe so."
"If you understand that, then why are you saying such things!?"
Edward was getting worked up, spitting as he talked. Good grief, making a big scene like this in the entrance hall is unbefitting of a noble. Well, I was the one who yelled first, after all.
"Well, this isn't the place to discuss this. Let's take a break and freshen up from my journey. We can talk later."
With that, I handed my cloak to the butler and instructed him to bring me my writing tools to compose a secret letter to the royal family, then retired to my room.
After finishing my bath, I found a set of secret writing tools on my writing desk. There was no one in the room, and it was clear that everyone had been cleared out. Basically, secret documents are only acknowledged after everyone has been cleared out, and especially when it's addressed to the royal family, it's a matter of national importance. The steward must have strictly kept everyone away.
Edward probably resisted the clearance, but the steward didn't budge. When I retire as Marquis, I might retire myself too.
As planned, I wrote in the secret document: 'A governor, manipulated by a skilled operative, embezzled funds and made the documents unusable when they fled,' 'Taking advantage of this chaos, a group of mercenaries disguised as rioters invaded the territory, targeting wheat and other food supplies,' 'Both of these incidents were part of an enemy country's strategy to invade.'
I also wrote about Lady Rebecca's proposal: 'To lure out the enemy, we used fire magic to burn the hunting grounds, which might affect the upcoming hunting tournament,' 'We're willing to burn our precious land to show our loyalty to the country.'
The secret document was written on special paper made with magic, using special ink, and sealed with a unique wax that only allows authorized people to open it. If someone else tries to force it open, the text inside will disappear, and an invisible curse will be placed on their hand.
After finishing the document, I rang the bell on my desk to call the steward and instructed him to urgently deliver it to the palace. I also added a note at the end, requesting a meeting to discuss our next move, so I might receive a summons tonight.
Later, I called Edward to my office and explained the situation, starting from the embezzlement incident.
"Even so, wouldn't it be better to just cover up the incident, Father? What would other families think if they found out that Grandchester was infiltrated by another country?"
"Are you thinking that His Majesty is that incompetent? If it were just a case of embezzlement, that would be one thing, but he's not someone who wouldn't notice an invasion from another country. If we try to cover it up and make things worse, he'll have no choice but to strip us of our title and lands."
"But doesn't our reputation get completely ruined? And to think that the hunting tournament is just around the corner, and now there's a fire..."
I didn't exactly fail to understand what Edward was saying. But...
"What is a noble's honor, anyway? You didn't even ask about the harm to your people when you heard about the invasion from the enemy country. Is the only thing you need to do as the next lord to maintain your reputation?"
I said that, and I made Edward step down. At that moment, I realized that I wasn't seeking his opinion at all. Come to think of it, I didn't seek Robert's opinion either. But I did listen to Sara and Lady Rebecca's opinions...
When I think about it, Edward isn't incompetent at all. As the next head of the Marquis family, it's natural for him to prioritize his family's honor and have high pride. If Sara hadn't pointed out the possibility of a riot and embezzlement, I might not have noticed this invasion. Do I really have the right to blame Edward...?
It seems that the women of Grandchester are all strategists. Even Elizabeth, Edward's wife, is a strategist in her own way. I don't want to admit it, but my late wife was also a strategist. If she were still alive, I and my sons would probably be in a better situation...
And, unlike Sara, I'm not that clever, and unlike my wife, I'm not that thoughtful. Contrary to my expectations, I received an urgent summons from the palace in the middle of lunch.
"I thought it would be nighttime, but my foresight is really lacking..."
I couldn't help but laugh at myself.
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