ccnovels Chapter 527 - 526: A Deal
Chapter 527 - 526: A Deal
After the welcome banquet ended, Gawain did not immediately engage with Victoria or Veronica for further discussions. Instead, he let these guests rest at the "Autumn Palace" or follow the reception staff he arranged to tour some places. He provided the reason that he hoped the guests could thoroughly understand this land and have a good rest during these days to alleviate the fatigue accumulated from such a long journey — using this justifiable reason, he left the guests unattended for three days.
Victoria did not waste this three-day period; within these three days, she did everything possible to understand everything about the Cecil Clan, from people’s daily lifestyle to fragmentary intelligence on the Cecil’s Army, from market goods to surrounding natural productions — despite having limited channels she could access, she didn’t miss any opportunity that could help her understand this land.
Until the fourth day, she finally received news from Gawain.
In the study room of the feudal lord’s mansion, Victoria Wilder sat on an individual sofa provided for guests. She curiously examined this place where Gawain usually worked, her gaze scanning over the full bookshelves and decorative armor before settling on a giant map. The map hung on one side of the wall, between two bookshelves, depicting the entire lands of Anzu, even including parts of the Gondor wasteland and Typhon, the Sacred Dragon Kingdom, and the tribal country of Augari’s territory. It was the most exquisite and detailed map Victoria had ever seen in her life. Not only were all the mountains, rivers, and streams meticulously marked, but it also included numerous numbers describing distances...
It is not uncommon for a leader to hang a map in the study, but hanging such an accurate map was not easy. The duchess’s gaze fell near the center of the map and paused at a point in the eastern region of the Spirit Plain.
She saw a conspicuous red cross marked near the Gigantic Tree Path Entrance, with a line of notes next to it: Anzu 736, Day 43 of Harvest Month.
That was the date of the last large-scale battle before winter between the Eastern Territory Rebels and Anzu Kingdom’s military, precisely noting the time and location.
"Seem to be quite interested in my map? Young lady of the Wilder Clan?"
Gawain’s voice suddenly sounded from the side, jolting Victoria from her brief contemplation as she saw the founding king enter the room and sit on the other sofa beside her.
"Betty, prepare some snacks and send them to the study," after sitting down, Gawain waved to the little maid standing by the door and then turned to Victoria, "I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long — a newly-born duchy is always busy with affairs."
"Of course, I can imagine how busy you must be every day," Victoria slightly bowed to Gawain in salute, although both were Guardian Dukes, the vast difference in seniority made her have to constantly heed etiquette even in such informal occasions. Then she lifted her head again, looking at that giant map, "... You have a very talented cartographer, and you seem to also pay quite a lot of attention to the situation outside the southern borders?"
"The Cecil Clan hopes for peaceful days, but the outside world won’t be as peaceful as we wish — to live steadfastly, one must pay attention to the external situation," Gawain chuckled, "And aren’t you very concerned about the situation here as well?"
The movements of the envoy group in the city were naturally impossible to hide, and Victoria did not intend to conceal them at all. She merely nodded slightly, "This land is quite mysterious to us, and since autumn began, the entire southern borders have been akin to being hidden in mist to the royal capital, which, of course, arouses curiosity."
The little maid Betty brought in snacks and began pouring tea for the guests, and taking advantage of this opportunity, Victoria straightforwardly steered the topic towards her area of concern: "Duke Cecil, what is your view on Anzu’s internal conflict?"
Gawain maintained a smile, looking at Victoria, spoke unhurriedly: "I am very saddened to see the descendants of former comrades ending up in such a situation, but if you wish to ask whom I support in this internal conflict — then I can only say, I support no one."
This could be said to be the expected answer; Victoria’s expression remained unchanged, she continued to say: "The war wasn’t initiated by us, no one in the Silver Castle wishes for Anzu to be divided. We have always been passive since the Eastern Territory suddenly rebelled."
"Ah, ’he struck first’ — I hear Aunt Heidi say Rebecca often complained like this after getting into fights when she was younger," Gawain raised his hand, "You know, until before winter, Rebecca still often got reprimanded for causing trouble, so you should indeed be thankful, thankful Charlie, Snow, Anthony, and Evans didn’t come back with me, otherwise your concerns wouldn’t be just this internal conflict — young lady of the Wilder Clan, are you then going to explain to Snow Wielder that Anthony Loren and Charlie Moen’s children struck first?"
All explanations and negotiation scripts Victoria had prepared in advance failed.
She hadn’t communicated with someone who could be considered an elder for nearly twenty years; in this respect, her experience was even less than Rebecca, who got into trouble twice a month.
But fortunately, she was more intelligent than Rebecca, and after a brief moment of surprise, she quickly reorganized her words: "I understand, you and the kingdom’s founders built this country not for us to slaughter each other. This internal conflict must be distressing for you, but the situation has already developed to this point; wars can’t be stopped just because one desires it — we can’t hand over the country to a prince who murdered his father and usurped the throne and a Grand Duke who broke the oath, nor would the Eastern Territory easily compromise. So the internal conflict will continue, and Anzu’s strength will weaken throughout the war, while we all know — Typhon is right next to us, watching Anzu till its last drop of blood flows out."
Gawain looked into Victoria’s eyes: "Good, you can at least realize there’s a Typhon next door, so to quickly end this conflict — and end it in a way that meets your expectations, what plan have you devised?"
Victoria contemplated momentarily, then spoke the words Gawain anticipated: "The position of King cannot remain vacant."
Gawain adjusted his sitting position, leaned back against the couch: "Wales Moen?"
"... His Majesty Francis had once appointed Edmund as successor and swore before ancestors, but now this oath evidently has to be abandoned. Anzu needs a King, needs to reunify as a whole, His Highness Wales is the only candidate now," Victoria paused, she observed every subtle expression change on Gawain, continued slowly, "We hope to support Wales Moen as the new King, this is the joint wish of the Guardian Dukes of the northern parts of the Dark Mountain Range and West."
She watched Gawain’s expression intently, but Gawain’s expression showed no change, the founding king simply maintained that faint smile, listening like an outsider, and did not express any opinion until long after she finished speaking.
Gawain allowed the atmosphere to remain tense for a full two minutes before breaking the silence, "Victoria, is the Mithril Oath in Bitter Winter Castle still intact?"
The Duchess’s heart skipped a beat, although her expression remained as usual, the tension in her eyes did not escape Gawain’s notice.
Gawain felt no emotional ripples: As he had long predicted, as a founding hero surrounded by a halo, the Anzu aristocrats did not mind hanging him on the wall, writing him into the history books, carving him in stone, or even enshrining him on altars, but they absolutely minded this founding hero ascending the throne—
Because the hero on the wall, in the books, and on the stone could be fictional, but the one on the throne was real.
But he never expected that the urgent agreement from seven hundred years ago could be of any use, he just mentioned it, and then continued, "Do you think Wales would make a competent King?"
"He will," Victoria remained cautious, her mind still lingering on the contents of the Mithril Oath, "His Highness Wales may not be as prominent as Edmund, but he has inherited his father’s prudence and integrity. Only such a King can heal Anzu’s wounds after the civil war and swiftly restore the kingdom’s vitality—and after the trauma of war, the people will yearn for a gentle King, and they will support His Highness Wales."
"But that’s not enough to change the situation with the East—I’m aware of your thoughts, crowning a King to gain legitimacy, garner more aristocratic support, and encourage the people, it’s a good idea and probably somewhat effective, but don’t forget, the East also has a qualified crown prince, who for nearly twenty years has been the more deeply ingrained choice, even if you crown Wales in advance, the East can immediately establish a new monarch and revert the situation to its previous state."
"But if you also support His Highness Wales, then the new King’s legitimacy will greatly strengthen, more nobles and civilians will lean towards the royal family," Victoria couldn’t help but say, "Your stance is crucial..."
"You want me to openly support one of Charlie Moen’s heirs to kill another?" Gawain tapped the small table between the two sofas, "You should understand, it’s difficult for me to take a stand in this civil war lightly."
Victoria knew that Gawain was not unable to take a stand, he simply didn’t want to.
This founding Duke was a person where caution coexisted with radicalism, his current caution was because he fundamentally distrusted the Anzu Kingdom’s military—but he seemed to also distrust the Eastern Territory Rebels.
This was already the best scenario anticipated in the beginning.
"Then your meaning is..." The Duchess looked into Gawain’s eyes, probing.
"I do not oppose Wales’ coronation," Gawain said with calm composure, "but if you want me to acknowledge him as King, he must at least demonstrate his merits as a King."
At this point, he paused slightly.
"As for the Mithril oath in Bitter Winter Castle—young lady of the Wilder Clan, you can put it away without worry, I have no intention of using it."
It was not until this statement was made that Victoria Wilder truly breathed a sigh of relief.
Gawain Cecil did not explicitly support either the royal family or the East, but at least, he did not intend to be king.
This way, at least Anzu wouldn’t face another civil war.
After confirming Gawain’s stance, the Duchess’ heart settled, and according to the plan made before departure, she began to seek greater support from Gawain, "I appreciate your understanding—but if you could give greater support to the Anzu Kingdom’s military, then perhaps this civil war could end sooner. As you just said, simply crowning His Highness Wales won’t fundamentally change Anzu’s current situation, the bloody balance between the Anzu Kingdom’s military and the Eastern Territory Rebels... must be broken."
"I’ve already said, I merely ’do not oppose Wales’ coronation,’" Gawain interrupted Victoria, "I will not openly support any side in this civil war, and to be honest, the southern borders have just undergone a war, my army needs rest, my people need recuperation, we cannot afford more depletion."
This was a logical and well-founded reasoning, Victoria couldn’t think of a place to counter.
But after a moment of silence, Gawain suddenly spoke again, "Yet as Charlie’s friend, I can’t just watch his kingdom crumble like this."
Victoria’s eyes widened slightly, "You mean..."
"I am willing to provide assistance in other fields, aside from the military," Gawain said unhurriedly, "such as weapons and armor..."