In other words, Brando thinks this way.


    They are allies, not masters and vassals.


    Indeed, no matter how much land we own or how many men we have, there is no master-servant relationship between me and Brand Nahum. We are all independent lords.


    Then who do we obey? The king, of course. Now we are all standing in line under Hasse I.


    So Brand''s complaints are well-founded. Whether I am regent or not, there is no need to consider me lord. That would be hubris.


    Fleur''s concern is well understood.


    My "allies" here are nervous that I will act as their master.


    These men have all lived as independent lords. They have never clearly been under anyone.


    They may have surrendered in wars, they may have been forced into alliances with larger lords that were more like vassals, but formally they have lived proudly with only the king as their lord.


    But now that I have returned as regent, a title unprecedented in these lands, they are suspicious.


    They wonder if I will rule over them.


    You are right.


    I intend to control you and incorporate you into my military force. If I can''t do that, I won''t be able to fight the lords of the west from whom the former king fled.


    What will happen next is a clash between the East and the West of the kingdom. The western lords will surely use the former king as their banner and try to crush Hasse. This is the critical moment. The battle with the cathedral was a prelude.


    --I knew it! It''s exactly the same as what the Settsu and Harima people did.


    Oda Nobunaga experienced the same thing. This is what happens when you try to subdue people by force.


    --By the way, many of them rebelled against the High King. We had our hands full at times, but we crushed them one by one. In the first place, it is no use to keep alive those fools who don''t know the difference between what is right to fight and what is wrong to fight, isn''t it?


    I guess I''m getting a push back.


    Altia, I hate to break it to you, sister, but if Brando takes a bow, I''m going to kill your husband.


    Of course, if that doesn''t happen, it would be better, but looking into Brand''s eyes, it seems difficult to do so.


    "Brother-in-law, could you please give me an answer to my question?"


    Once again, Brand said in a stronger voice than before.


    Of course, we are willing to fight alongside your brother-in-law, but our land is not his land. I would like you to be sure of that.


    Those eyes belong to a young lord like me. They are the look of a man who wants to get out more and more, not just to protect his land.


    That''s why he won''t work for me.


    My father-in-law, Ailes Kartis, and his allies are looking at me uneasily.


    I guess they don''t want me working for someone else.


    I turn my palms toward the lords as if to defend myself. But I do not act as if I am in a panic. I am the regent. I am not like you.


    "Don''t worry. I will not covet your lands. Rather, it is the regent''s duty to protect your lands. We have only His Majesty as our master.


    Brand finally exhaled in relief at these words, but his eyes were still fixed cautiously on us.


    "In the future, we may be engaged in war in the name of Your Majesty. I would be grateful for your cooperation in that case."


    That settled the matter. But I was almost certain.


    We''re going to have to kill some of these guys sooner or later.


    We will have to destroy our former comrades in order to unify the country. Otherwise, we will never have the controlled power that rallied around the former king.


    Is your wife here this time?


    Yes. I was looking forward to meeting your brother. I thought he was showing you around the garden right now.


    Brand''s expression loosened up more than before.


    "Tell him I''d love to see him, too."


    ●


    Althea came to my room in the castle.


    The area is heavily guarded by trumpets, so even if the Nahum family secret service were here, they would not be able to get into my room.


    Althea''s hair had grown longer than when we had met before, and she looked more feminine.


    "She used to look like a little girl before she got married..."


    "I''m a woman in my prime. I already have a daughter.


    Giggling, Altia laughed. Brando is truly a lucky man to have Althea as his wife. I saw that much value in Brando as well. But perhaps a little too much value.


    For a while Altia and I reminisced. However, my memories of Althea and I were not of this place, but of the land of Navre, so I could not help but feel like a brother and sister in the land of our travels.


    "It feels strange. I can''t believe your brother is the regent. The whole country is bowing down to you.


    Althea is drinking tea and smiling deliciously.


    "Yes, we must bow down. More clearly."


    Then my expression hardens.


    "Altia, please get your husband to take me under his wing!"


    I said pleadingly to Altia.


    "I know Brando won''t enjoy working for me, but if you refuse to do so, I may have to kill him someday. If he refuses, I may have to kill him someday, and that would break your heart."


    It''s a dangerous game. It was more than possible that Altia would tell Brando about this and alert him.


    Still, I told her because I thought she would follow my lead - and she didn''t.


    I don''t want to betray my sister.


    I wanted to at least tell my blood sister how I really feel. From now on, I''m gonna have a hard time trusting anyone. I''ll be in that position.


    Althea was silent for a while and then nodded slowly.


    "My life would have ended much sooner if it had not been for you. That is why I want to follow your feelings.