After that, I appointed Sivik as a viscount with five counties in the province of Shahra.


    "I thought this kind of place would be better than a less peaceful one, so I left it in your hands. I want you to settle it as well as Nevre.


    "Well, I thought there was no land in the province of Shahra where there are five counties left over."


    Indeed, if we add the five counties to the territory of Solstice Nistonia, which has its own navy, there is almost nothing left over.


    "Some of the lands of the subjected lords were transferred. They are only petty lords. It doesn''t matter. It would be easier for them to rebel against us.


    "I see, then I think it is right that I should go."


    "Yes, I suppose so. Let Kosivik take care of the base. I''m sure the little Sivik would like to get away from his noisy parents for a while.


    Kosivik is old enough, but he doesn''t feel like the patriarch of the family, since his father is doing well and hasn''t retired at all.


    "Maybe. I''ll keep an eye out for the remnants of Antoine who fled to Merja.


    Of course, that is one of the reasons for my selection.


    "It will be time to lay the groundwork for a while. I''m afraid to enter King''s Landing so quickly. To the people of King''s Landing, I''ll be nothing but a young upstart who doesn''t know what he''s talking about.


    I''m only a little over 20 years old.


    People get creeped out because they don''t know what I''m capable of.


    I don''t mind being creeped out, but I don''t want it to provoke rebellion.


    --You''re right. Kiso Yoshinaka, contrary to expectations, was not well received in the capital and was ruined. Think carefully when you go to Kyoto.


    You mentioned another name that I have never heard of, but there was a general in my world who felled the capital with a huge army, but was recaptured and destroyed in two months.


    If you don''t secure food, even if you invade with a large army and take the capital, you will have no choice but to loot the capital. You can''t rule if you make enemies of all the inhabitants.


    --That''s what I''m saying. You haven''t lived half the High King''s life! Take your time. The sooner you rush the sooner you''ll perish.


    It''s a strange thing for a High King to be so cautious... but a King or a Demon King would want to hold on to his power for a long time.


    The king or the king of demons would want to hold on to his power for a long time.


    Two of the petty lords to whom Sivik belonged before entering the province of Shala have died strange deaths.


    The only explanation is that the trumpet killed them.


    They holed up in their hometown and started a rebellion, so Sivik was sent to crush it. They have no interest in anything but defending their land for generations.


    Several times the Merjas attacked Sivik, but each time it was just a skirmish.


    Mistletoe told me about the next land to attack.


    Mistletoe at that time took the form of a warwolf dancer.


    I guess that means she was dressed in a way that would be appropriate in a castle. And if she was a dancer, it would not be unnatural for her to join a traveling troupe of entertainers and travel around the land.


    "You know that the Meruya family has a strong vassalage, don''t you?


    "Yes. They prefer to make decisions by council. They even have it written down in the law.


    They''re like a bunch of hexagonal-- what a bunch of hexagonal people.


    Oda Nobunaga seems to know what I''m talking about. There are lords everywhere who are controlled by their vassals.


    "The head of the Meruya family, Zyran Meruya, and his vassals are opposed to the Meruya family''s attempts to control the situation. Zyran apparently thinks he has no choice but to follow the marquis."


    Well, you don''t think you can beat me with only one province in your hands, do you?


    Tell him that we will not be sorry if he gives us the Antoine''s men.


    "Gyoi."


    "Oh, and don''t let the vassals find them, but tell them that they can find them too."


    "Gyoi."


    Then they''ll get into trouble, even if they don''t know the truth.


    If they get into trouble, it will be good for us.


    There are other ways to bring an enemy to his knees besides war.


    "Also, there is a man who broke into the Cathedral of Orsent in Josai Prefecture, and the high priest there said he would be willing to side with us.


    Josai Prefecture was practically controlled by the Cathedral of Orsent. The lords were individually distributed but had little power.


    "I see. Now we have to think about preparations for entering the capital. I''ll have to study for that.


    You cannot conduct politics if you know nothing about King''s Landing.


    "I don''t know anything about that, sir."


    Mistletoe bowed her head.


    "Fine. You''re in the right place. Kerala, please."


    For the next six months or so, I remained calm on the surface.


    But I wasn''t slacking off. I called on Kerala and went into great detail about the rituals and politics of King''s Landing, as well as the values of the people of King''s Landing.


    I am the crown prince Hasse, who calls himself king, but I am the one who runs the government.


    "How dare you be so eager to learn so much?"


    Kerala seemed surprised that I was even taking notes. She was surprised to see me taking notes, though she rarely showed it.


    "I don''t want people to think I''m a hick. First of all, I resent being made fun of by the powerless, and if my reputation is damaged, it could lead to the recall of Puffs VI, who had left."


    The number of powerful people who have ruled the capital in the past is quite large, but it is a different story when it comes to the ones who have held out for ten years.


    The reason for this is the lack of understanding of the capital.


    King''s Landing is different from any other cities. First of all, a city with a population of 30,000 or 40,000 is almost unheard of. It is also a place where other complex ties are concentrated.


    I understand. I will do my best to share my knowledge with you.


    Kerala is never a jerk. It''s true that the crown prince is a serious man, but that''s why I felt secure and trusted him.


    How a monarch uses his vassals is also a matter of skill.


    Now let me tell you about the commerce of King''s Landing.


    "Oh, no, no more studying tonight."


    I moved closer to Kerala and hugged her.


    I held her close and hugged her.


    The day after I held Kerala in my arms, I became a father of three. It was a girl, by the way.


    Fleur is a stout-hearted woman, and it showed in the birth of the baby, who, according to those who were present, hardly looked distressed.


    Then, during a private celebration, there was a movement.


    There was a civil war in the neighboring province of Meruya.


    Chance has come our way.