Prince Lyn stepped forward. All eyes were now focused on him. His face, however, did not even twitch. He still carried that unreadable expression — a perfectly blank face. No one could tell what he was thinking or feeling inside.
Lyn said, “Let me start from the beginning. Please listen till the end. It will take a while.”
He continued, “Every month I conduct a regular check with my spies about what is happening around Merwan. Since there is a vast amount of information, I do not personally review all of it. My spies usually help me process it. A few months ago, however, one of my top spies — the one who normally coordinates with me about important matters — had to go on leave. Naturally, this line of work is intricate. I cannot simply allow anyone to take over such a position, so I handled his responsibilities myself.
After a few days, I came across a letter from one of my spies in the Western Kingdom. He reported that everything seemed normal except for one thing — taxes had been increased around eight months ago, and despite the common people protesting, they were never reduced.
Now, I know taxes are a state-specific matter. Sometimes they are increased for various reasons. But something about it bothered me. So I asked our trade minister to bring me his records. I told him I merely wanted to review his work, but in truth I went straight to our trade records with the West — and what I saw shocked me.
The West had been purchasing double the amount of iron from us compared to before. When I compared earlier records, I realized they had been careful. They had increased their demand gradually over the months, and now it had reached twice the original amount. I checked our food trade records as well. It was the same — increased quantities of grain, pulses, and herbs were being purchased. It was easy to tell where the money from their increased taxes was going.
That was when I became alert. Why were they doing this? It was not as if the West had suffered a drought or famine that required them to stockpile food. I wrote back to my spies in the West, asking if any major construction projects were underway, but nothing was being built.
Then I asked my spies to report on the business of the swordsmiths — and they confirmed my suspicions. Their business had been booming. Around seven months ago, many swordsmiths were ordered by noble families to increase production. They were provided with raw materials and instructed to sell their weapons only to those noble families.
In fact, bows, arrows, shields, daggers, spikes — every common weapon you can think of — production had surged rapidly in the West. Combined with the fact that they were also buying extra food and preserving it, it was not difficult to reach a natural conclusion.”
Edric said, “You think they are preparing for a war.”
Lyn replied, “Exactly, Prince Edric. As expected from the crown prince.”
Edric continued, “However, it is well known that your military strength far exceeds that of the Western Kingdom. Then why not attack them directly, as Prince Willem suggested?”
Lyn answered, “You are right. Our strength is far superior. But that is not all. Recently, extremely rare and powerful magical beasts — even those that do not naturally belong to the Western Kingdom — have been spotted there. And there have been rumors.
A research facility in Nightsong has been operating without pause. It is said that those who enter are not allowed to leave, and on certain days, massive bursts of energy have been felt from the area. The laboratory is under such heavy secrecy that even in the emperor’s court, only a handful of ministers know about it.
The laboratory itself has existed for many years — it is not newly built — but with the recent shift in trade with the West and the heightened secrecy around this facility, my instinct tells me that the Western Kingdom has developed some form of magic powerful enough to give them equal footing in a war.
They are already six months ahead of us. Even if we have the numbers, there is no guarantee of victory. Just as the princess said during our first meeting, in war, only the victor matters, not the method. That is why we cannot recklessly send our army into this fight.”
Illaria said, “But why should the Southern Kingdom interfere? If a war truly happens, it is your war. What does it have to do with us?”
Lyn replied calmly, “Princess, who said it will be our war for sure?”
Illaria frowned. “The North and the West have been enemies for years. It is natural to assume they are preparing this against you.”
Lyn said, “Princess, you are correct. However, consider this for a moment. Suppose the West launches a war against the South instead. The Southern army fights them and even manages to defeat them, but since the West attacked with full preparation while you were caught off guard, it is obvious you would suffer heavy casualties.
Now imagine this — what if our Northern Kingdom then takes advantage of your weakened state and eliminates the exhausted Southern Army with our own forces?”
Prince Lyn was getting on Illaria’s nerves now. Everyone from her family had a cold look in their eyes. Edric and Robert drew out their swords. Even Illaria pulled out Eleos. Ryan remained calm however.
Illaria said, “Prince Lyn, watch your words.”
Lyn replied calmly, “I’m glad to see your reaction. You drew your swords the moment you heard about being eliminated. Now think from our perspective. If our Northern side goes to war, how can we sit calmly?
Your Southern law states that you do not interfere unless provoked, but how can we trust that? You are the Royal Family. You make the laws, and you are the ones who can change them. What assurance do we have that you will not take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and gain control over the three kingdoms?
Rather, I would say that if the situation reaches that point, you would be the ones taking advantage of us. Think about it. At present, the North and South have almost equal military strength. If the West is defeated, the Northern Royal Family will take over the Western Kingdom. If you then allow us time to recover after the war, within a few years our expanded army will be much larger than yours. What makes you think we will not take advantage of you then?
The rule of this world is simple — the stronger survive, and the weaker perish.”
Illaria considered his words. She hated admitting it, but what he said carried an uncomfortable truth. If a war truly broke out between the North and the West and the North emerged victorious, their strength would grow rapidly. She remembered reading in her family’s ancient texts that the previous Southern emperors, who ruled before a part of the Northern Kingdom had split off to form the Western Kingdom, had often died fighting these Northern men.
Despite the ridges separating North and South, both sides had once been locked in constant conflict. But after the Western Kingdom was born, the South had finally seen peace. The North and the West were now occupied with each other, and life in the South had been brighter since then.
Illaria said, “Prince Lyn, I understand what you are saying. Just as you said, if you conquer the West, we will never truly be at peace. And similarly, if the West attacks us and we take over their land, your Northern Kingdom will not rest easily either.”
Lyn replied, “You taking over the West would not be as troublesome as the West conquering the South. The Southern Kingdom promotes peace. Even if you expand, you would likely avoid future wars with us.
What worries me is the possibility of you being defeated. In that case, your soldiers would be forced to serve new rulers — the Western Royal Family. Even with a strong Northern army, it would be difficult for us to face a combined force.”
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Illaria frowned. “But I still don’t understand. How can you so easily conclude that they want to start a war? They haven’t made any move yet. Why is the North so eager to strike first?”
Elmar said gravely, “Princess, you are still young, so you do not understand. We live under constant danger. Do you wish to wait for the day when the West barges in and kills everyone you love?”
Illaria replied, “Northern Emperor, maybe I am not as far-sighted as you, but Prince Lyn still has not answered my original question. How can this be our war?
Why would the West attack the Southern Kingdom?
You and the West are enemies. We maintain a neutral relationship with them. Even if there is a possibility that they might attack us, why would they do so first? Wouldn’t it make more sense to remove their greatest enemy before anything else? And the magic you speak of is still only a hunch. Without it, the North is already powerful enough to win. So I still do not understand how this becomes our South’s war.”
Lyn said calmly, “Princess, they have a very good reason to attack the South before turning to the North.”
Edric asked, “And what reason is that, Prince Lyn?”
Lyn replied, “Forgive my rudeness, but conquering the Southern Kingdom is far easier than conquering the North.”
Illaria and Edric were both offended. This was the second time he had spoken without restraint. It sounded less like analysis and more like a blunt conclusion. The Southern Kingdom valued peace, but that did not mean they were weak.
Edric said sharply, “Prince Lyn, mind your words. Do not forget where you are standing. The South punishes those who speak ill of our state.”
Lyn bowed his head slightly. “As I said, forgive my rudeness. But someone must speak the truth. The West is sandwiched between two kingdoms whose strength exceeds its own. To make matters worse, one of those kingdoms is their sworn enemy. Our relationship with the West has been strained for decades. Both sides constantly watch each other’s movements. The West believes that if they give the Northern Kingdom even the slightest opportunity, we will seize it and eliminate them.
That is why the Western Kingdom has built an exceptional security system. Anyone from the North or South who settles in the West is given a permanent mark on their arm, signifying that they are not native. Even their children receive this mark.
Those who bear it cannot enter the palace, the army, or any government post. They may live normal lives, but they can never hope to come into contact with the Royal Family or the major generals and ministers. Even noble families are forbidden from hiring them.
This is also why I still do not know exactly what the West is planning. It is nearly impossible to fully infiltrate the Western Kingdom.”
On the other hand, the South side is very relaxed. Everyone is accepted in the South and treated with respect. You value talent and capability over place of origin. This promotes harmony, but at the cost of your kingdom’s security. It is very easy to keep track of happenings in the South.
In a war, the flow of information is just as important as numbers. If the enemy knows your weaknesses, they can exploit them and force you into a bad position. If a war were to break out, even if you trust the people around you, do not forget that anyone could be a spy.
You cannot win a war if your enemy is always one step ahead. That is why I believe they have a very good reason to attack you first. Amidst the sudden chaos of war, you will have no way to identify who the mole in your army is, and the West can easily take advantage of this.
This is not possible in our Northern Kingdom. Firstly, forget about infiltrating the palace, no one from the West is even allowed to settle in the North because of our strained relationship with them. Every Westerner must leave our land within three months of their visit. And even if someone does manage to sneak in somehow, I am responsible for eliminating all spies. No business in the North goes on without me knowing of it.
But still, Princess, you have a valid point. The North and the West have been enemies for years, so there is an equally strong chance that they will attack us first, even if their probability of victory against the North is lower than against the South. In my opinion, it is hard to say what they will value more — the probability of success or the defeat of their sworn enemy. But in any case, the outcome for our kingdoms will be disastrous if the West truly launches a war.
Edric said, “Prince Lyn, since you have thought so deeply about this, I want to ask — even if a war breaks out, how will the West actually win? They do not have that much military strength, and I do not believe such powerful magic exists today that can overturn such a huge difference in power. You said your kingdom also wants peace, just like our Southern Kingdom. So I think that once the West is defeated by either of our kingdoms, our main problem will be solved.”
Lyn replied, “Yes, if the West is defeated, our main problem will be solved. But what bothers me is whether the West will actually be defeated as easily as we think. Whatever they are planning, they must have already considered their disadvantaged position. The best option for them would have been to live quietly, yet they are clearly preparing for something. I believe they have some support.”
Illaria asked, “Support as in?”
Lyn said, “Maybe a noble family wants to betray us. Or perhaps some noble families who desire power for themselves have negotiated with the West. There are many possibilities. I have considered all of them, but none of them fits as clearly as I would like.”
Illaria suddenly felt she had found a flaw in his argument. Until now, everything he had said was backed either by logic or by evidence. For someone as thoughtful and calculating as Prince Lyn, it was impossible that he had not considered every angle. She had to test him.
Illaria said, “Prince Lyn, you believe that they have supporters you do not yet know of. What if that supporter is our Southern Royal Family?”
All eyes turned to her again. Edric, Robert, and Ryan stared at her, slowly absorbing her words. Prince Willem and Marcus also grew more alert, but Prince Lyn still held the same cold expression. He did not flinch, nor did he show even the slightest hint of surprise. He was far too difficult to read, but Illaria decided to push further.
Illaria continued, “What if we are the ones supporting them and planning against you? Haven’t you and your family then walked straight into your own deaths?” She drew out Eleos once again and pointed it toward Prince Lyn.
The tension in the room thickened.
Of course, she and her family knew they had nothing to do with the West. But the North had no way of confirming that. From the Northern perspective, if the supporter of the West could be a noble family or a group of families from either the North or the South, then why could the Southern Royal Family not be that secret supporter?
In fact, for the West to conquer the North, they would need a powerful ally, someone equal to the Northern Kingdom in strength — and the South was the only kingdom that fit that description. Prince Lyn should have arrived at this conclusion, and yet he claimed that none of the possibilities fit.
Lyn looked toward the Northern Emperor, as if silently asking for permission. The Emperor gave him a small nod.
Prince Lyn sighed and said, “Well, Princess, I do not think you will like what I am about to say. You should understand that by speaking this out loud, I am laying my own cards on the table as well, and placing myself at a disadvantage. So please, listen to me while keeping your sword sheathed.”
He had already seen through her bluff. From the look on his face, it felt as if he had been expecting her to raise this point. Illaria decided to hear him out and slowly sheathed her sword.
Lyn said, “Princess, everything that happens on this continent, I have a way of knowing. My spies are spread everywhere. And before you think of drawing your sword again, please understand that we have a far greater problem at hand right now.”
Prince Lyn took a deep breath and continued, “I have spies within the Southern royal court, and I have already seen your trading records with the West.”
Illaria was furious at that moment. Just how far did this man’s reach extend? Was there anything he did not know? Was he bluffing right now?
Lyn took out a scroll from his sleeve and said, “To make sure there is no doubt left in your mind about whether I am lying or not, here is a list of your trading accounts with the West over the last six months. After this meeting, you may go back and tally it if you wish.”
Illaria knew there was no need to check. If he was presenting it this confidently, then the numbers were surely correct. And this was Prince Lyn, a force to be reckoned with.
Lyn continued, “After checking your records, we found that the West has also started buying increased quantities of goods from the South — more steel, more grain, more medicine. This naturally leads to the conclusion that the West and the South are not planning together. And with the South’s policy of non-interference, there is even more reason to believe that the two of you are not acting in alliance.”
Willem frowned and said, “Lyn, but this is not concrete proof. It is entirely possible that the South has conspired with the West and is intentionally selling them extra goods so that the West can attack us, and when we are caught off guard, the South launches a massive attack on us. I am surprised you did not consider this.”
A faint smile appeared on Lyn’s face. He replied calmly, “You are right, elder brother. But not about me being wrong — about this possibility.”
Lyn continued, “Yes, trade records alone are not enough proof. For all we know, the South could indeed be selling these goods intentionally to the West. And that is exactly why, to find out the truth, I took a gamble.”
Edric asked, “A gamble?”
Lyn nodded. “Yes, a gamble, Crown Prince.”
He looked toward Illaria and said, “The marriage proposal to Princess Illaria — that was our gamble.”