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I stayed in the territory for a full day just in case, but Mother thankfully didn’t break down in tears again.

Of course, she was still worried about her son going to war, but it seemed she had come to terms with the fact that she couldn’t stop me. She just encouraged me to be careful and return after achieving what I wanted.

“Make sure you come back before you leave for the North.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

The next morning, Mother came to the main gate of the mansion and held my hand, repeating the same request over and over again. She wouldn’t try to stop me anymore, but she wanted me to come to the territory before heading to the North.

“You did well.”

And the Patriarch, who had just returned from an all-night work session, patted my shoulder in encouragement. It was probably for soothing and persuading Mother.

“It was something I had to do.”

“Still, I appreciate it.”

With those words, the Patriarch said nothing more. I didn’t feel the need to continue the conversation, either. We had already shared our thoughts back at my mansion in the capital, and we would be heading North together once the war began. There was no point in holding up a man who had just spent the entire night working.

By the way, the Imperial Council was brutal. How bad did it have to be for him to finish his shift only after the sun had come up, even if it was overtime?

That’s my future.

It felt bitter. I’d have to become an Imperial Count someday, so I’d have to work in that brutal Imperial Council.

I could pass on the council member duties to Erich if I continued working as a high-ranking administrative civil servant like now, but didn’t that mean I could never retire?

Either way, it was a terrifying future.

***Before I knew it, the academy schedule was racing towards summer vacation. Maybe the upcoming vacation felt reassuring because I was about to leave for the North soon. At least I wouldn’t have to worry, ‘How are those useless kids doing?’ during the war.

Last year was terrible.

Last summer was when the club members didn’t return home but stayed in the empire as a group. Thankfully, that didn’t happen this year.

Damn, just thinking about how I was summoned by the Crown Prince and the ministers to get roasted because those kids said they were staying in the empire—

“I heard you’ll be leaving soon.”

“Yes. It’s for the empire, so I should gladly lend a hand.”

Villar’s timely interruption helped me regain my senses just as the trauma was about to surface.

It was amazing at this point. Just thinking about last year’s club members nearly made me lose composure in front of a guest. The ’77 Season’s club members were legendary for all the wrong reasons...

“I’ve never faced nomads myself, but even from the records, I know they’re ferocious and barbaric creatures.”

“That’s generally true. Any nomads who aren’t vicious get swallowed up by those who are, after all.”

As I composed myself and lightly countered Villar’s words with a joke, he also smiled faintly.

It had been a year and a half since I met this knight. At this point, we could exchange jokes without a second thought.

“Of course, they’re powerless before the empire’s might no matter how ferocious they are.”

“That’s only natural. How could barbarians go against the Mandate of Heaven?”

I almost laughed. It wasn’t something to say when they’d already gone against it big time five years ago and were doing it again just three years after the war ended.

But it couldn’t be helped. As the empire bustled with war preparations, the Imperial Academy became noisy too. And as the academy became noisy, the three countries naturally learned that the empire was preparing for war.

It wasn’t like the Emperor was preparing for war in secret, nor did the foreign forces have access to any real military intelligence, so there was no need to hide it.

However, Villar, who suddenly found himself directly observing another country’s war preparations, was in a somewhat awkward position. It was another country’s serious matter so he couldn’t exactly acknowledge it outright, but he also couldn’t pretend to be completely oblivious.

This greeting was the result. He gave me strange encouragement, saying that no one could go against the Mandate of Heaven when the empire was facing enemies who had gone against the Mandate of Heaven.

Spoken like a true knight.

A more seasoned politician or diplomat would’ve used this situation to probe for weaknesses or to find openings, to test the waters. But Villar simply offered well wishes for my safety and victory. That sincere action was only possible for a blunt knight.

So what else could I do but accept it? Even if the phrasing was a little awkward, this was just his way of showing support.

“...And even if they go against it, their end is obvious.”

As if realizing how strange his own words sounded, Villar quickly added.

“Haha, Sir Villar is right.”

I let out a light chuckle and let the conversation move on.

In the end, it was still a kind gesture.

***The organization of the expeditionary force proceeded without a hitch. There were no traitors to sabotage the effort like five years ago and the sense of crisis about the nomads was different compared to before, so it was natural.

Moreover, there was no resistance to the expedition itself since public opinion was led by the Imperial Counts.

“The 8th, 11th, and 12th Corps from the Western Forces have arrived in the Duchy of Havlem.”

“Make the 8th Corps Commander a Marshal, and have the 8th, 11th, and 12th Corps move according to the 8th Corps Commander’s orders.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Minister of War bowed as he accepted the decree and withdrew. The forces drawn from the Central Forces were set to move alongside the nobles’ private forces near the capital, meaning nearly all forces were now in position.

12 corps.

The expeditionary force consisted of no less than 12 corps, with a scale of about 150,000 troops. Even without including the nobles’ private armies, the standing army alone outnumbered the nomadic forces by more than two to one.

But we couldn’t let our guard down. This was an invasion, not a defensive war. To face the nomads on the plains, we needed at least three times their number, and this war wasn’t just about subjugation but about showing them the empire’s dignity and assimilating the nomads. The bigger the gap, the better.

At least this is on par with the last expedition.

According to the latest reports, the private armies with over 100,000 troops were moving towards the North or near the capital. Combined with the 150,000 troops of the Central Forces, over 250,000 troops were moving for the conquest of the North.

It wasn’t the best, but this was still a decent result.

The empire, which hadn’t fully erased the aftermath of the war and succession dispute, was moving a force of the same scale as before. This alone would put pressure on the nomads. After all, their numbers had dwindled, but the Empire’s remained unchanged.

If only we had 400,000 troops...

For a moment, that thought crossed my mind, but it was just wishful thinking. Unless it was a war with the Eastern Kingdoms, deploying 400,000 troops to the North would be an action where the disadvantages far outweighed the advantages.

The imperial army boasted 1 million troops, combining the Central Forces, which was the Emperor’s force, and the private armies, which were the territorial lords’ private forces.

Putting more than 40% of that imperial army tied up in the steppes? The wolves in the East wouldn’t miss that opportunity. We couldn’t lose the East just to gain barren wastelands.

So, I checked the documents again while erasing the useless fantasy from my mind.

Four marshals should be enough.

What was important now was selecting marshals to manage the private armies.

Fortunately, Count Tailglehen and the former Count Horfeld, who played active roles in the last Great Northern War, have joined this time too. With these two alone, there shouldn’t be a problem controlling the private armies.

For the other two, I should choose from the great lords of the West and North—

...No, I’ll let the Crown Prince handle this.

I should use this opportunity to extend the Crown Prince’s influence to the West and North, too. If he personally selected and appointed marshals from the major lords in those areas, they would also become part of his political faction.

I reached for the communication crystal on the table to entrust the marshal appointments to the Crown Prince, and to summon a subject to whom I needed to give separate orders.

***Not long after my communication crystal glowed purple, a teleportation mage appeared in front of my lodgings. This wasn’t just a summons from the Crown Prince—it was a direct order from the Emperor. There was no way anyone would dare to arrive late.

Moreover, everyone was currently organizing the Northern expeditionary force, and I was the appointed military inspector for it. Showing even a bit of sluggishness would be dangerous in many ways.

“Welcome. His Majesty is waiting.”

As I arrived at the imperial palace, the captain of the Imperial Knights quickly opened the door.

This was driving me crazy. A pass that skipped even minimal security checks? Just how serious was this conversation going to be?

Is he really going to give me a mission?

It was a fact known to me, the Emperor, and everyone that the Emperor expected me to play the role of a joker and not just an inspector. But with what was happening, I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe his paranoia had flared up again and he was really going to give me a mission.

That would be troublesome. The expeditionary force needed to be at peak readiness, and yet I would be poking around, disrupting operations under the pretext of ‘ensuring integrity.’ That level of trolling would be an art form.

No way.

I quickly shook off those anxious thoughts. Right, no matter how paranoid the Emperor was, it wouldn’t be an inspection order.

The Emperor, who had to deal with the 2nd Prince and House Asilon’s trolling, wouldn’t do the same thing, right?

...Right?

***Since the imperial palace was so vast, it took quite some time to get from the main gate to the Emperor’s office. Still, the Vice Captain of the Imperial Knights guarding the office entrance passed me through with minimal checks as soon as he confirmed my face. That was a relief.

But at the same time, my unease grew. I could understand why they had expedited my entry at the main gate—but even here, in front of the Emperor’s very chambers? Even though they did conduct a cursory scan, it was far from the level of inspection required for an audience with the Emperor himself.

What on earth is he trying to make me do?

A bead of cold sweat formed at the back of my neck.

Was he perhaps planning an operation to behead the Khan? To take the Khan’s head before the expeditionary force entered the North?

“Is the Executive Manager here?”

“Long live His Majesty. This humble servant, Carl Krasius, blessed by the Emperor’s grace, stands before the revered and magnificent Sun of the Empire.”

Of course, none of that mattered now. Besides, I’d already entered the office and greeted the Emperor.

“Come closer.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I carefully approached, bowing at the Emperor’s command.

“Your duties as an Executive Manager are far from light, so I will be brief. Look up.”

As I quickly raised my head, the Emperor held out something.

My body reacted before my mind could register what it was—I instinctively reached out and accepted it. Only a traitor would dare to keep the Emperor waiting.

A seal?

Belatedly checking the object, I saw a white seal.

But this seemed vaguely familiar. Had I seen this before?

“It’s the marquis’s seal that belonged to Asilon. You confiscated it, so it should be familiar.”

Ah.

I only remembered it after hearing that. I had taken this seal from the former Marquis of Asilon when I delivered the news of his demotion.

So this was originally white.

I was confused because it was red when I took it.