I decided to move my entire vassalage directly to Maust.


    The bureaucrats of the kingdom are formally the servants of the state, so they are not allowed to move around the capital, but many of them are my vassals as well, so I can keep up with their information even when I am away from the capital.


    Incidentally, a few days before I left King''s Landing, Hasse dismissed several of my close advisors. All of them were the ones who had warned me of the possibility of my betrayal.


    But my return to Maust will inevitably lead to a setback in the kingdom''s military power, and I have been forced to take responsibility for that, and I have lost my position.


    As far as I''m concerned, it''s no different than having fewer enemies, so it''s not a bad thing.


    It is true that the number of soldiers in King''s Landing became quite lonely after my army left. Not only in numbers, but since I am the only one who has been fighting for a long time, most of the generals who have been active in the war are also my vassals.


    With them gone, the only thing packed in King''s Landing is the king''s standing army. In time of war, I will recruit men from the surrounding lords, but in any case, there will be no fierce generals in such a place.


    "The air tastes better away from the capital.


    I made a slight remark to Laviala, who was riding next to me.


    "It''s not so much that I feel it, it''s that it tastes really good. I mean, the air in King''s Landing is dusty and terrible. Maust is nothing compared to the forests of Awayyu, though.


    "I see. From an elf''s point of view, it''s not that hard to understand ......."


    I may be asking the wrong person.


    "How do you think the kingdom will develop in the future?"


    Now Kerala, on the opposite side of Laviala, asked me.


    "Rather, what does Kerala think?　I want to hear your thoughts."


    Kerala gave a small bow,


    "It would be impossible for them not to conquer the West at all, so they will go out to war. I am not sure about the size of the force yet, but even if it is small, they will not want to admit defeat, so they will try to prepare a good number of men. ......"


    "I''m sure. So, for the time being, King''s Landing is quiet on the surface. The lords of the west will try to discern carefully how much of the former king''s ruling party is still in power."


    Now, formally, the Kingdom of Saawil has Hasse rightfully calling himself king. And the rebel army is supposed to be holding the western part of the kingdom.


    However, this is the viewpoint from the side of the capital, and the former king, Paphus VI, insists that he is the king and that he moved the capital to the west.


    I don''t know how he really feels, but if he didn''t say so, he would have no reason to have the surrounding lords raise an army to confront Hasse.


    So, there are two people claiming to be the king in the territory of the kingdom, to be precise.


    And the western lords have largely agreed to carry the former king. At least, they are not going to surrender to me.


    So it is a question of who will make the first move.


    In a word, the former king will not attack the capital unless he is sure of victory. The farther east, the more power Hasse will have, and the more supplies he will need.


    In return, the deeper the army from the capital goes, the easier it is for the lords in the west to intercept it from a geographical advantage.


    . The strategy of the other side would be to let the army in Hasse''s capital overstretch itself so that it would be unable to turn back, and then to exterminate it by surprise or other means.


    If Hasse''s army is destroyed in such a way, more and more lords will bow to the former king, and the balance of power will be redrawn.


    "The former king is not a man who is ready to take a big gamble. At the very least, he would have changed his plans since it was assumed that I would move my army in King''s Landing as well. The standoff will drag on for a while."


    "I''d like to do what I can in the meantime!"


    Laviala said cheerfully.


    "Let''s make sure we hold on to the reins of the lands we have not been able to control directly so far!　Then I wouldn''t be afraid of the current king or the former king!"


    "Of course, I will do what I have to do. That''s why I''m coming back. No, not just for that. ....... I want Rumi to have a good rest."


    Rumi is in a less bumpy carriage with his lady-in-waiting.


    He must have mixed feelings about going to Maust now. I am the only one who can ease them.


    When we get to Maust we will talk with Rumi.


    I don''t want to keep deceiving Rumi.


    But if Rumi says he''s going to divorce me or accuse me of treason, I''m going to...


    "Mr. Arsrod, in some cases I will take care of the work that Laviala doesn''t want me to do."


    With a serious face, Laviala said.


    "I haven''t come all this way just for the sake of being pretty. Few women have ever stood up to Mr. Arsrod..."


    "Raviara, you need say no more."


    I gave Raviara a stern look.


    "I''m sorry. ....... I overstepped my bounds. ......"


    "No, I know how Raviara feels. The High King is probably the most murderous man in the land."


    At the very least, if Rumi gets out of line or something, we''ll have to take appropriate measures.


    But it will be difficult to convince Rumi that he has no intention of usurping the state. Rumi can no longer ignore his fears.


    "The husband will take care of his wife. If not, then the husband is a coward and deserves to be disowned.


    This must have happened countless times over the past hundred years. I mean, many men and women have been through it. I''ll get over it.


    "Sir, please don''t weigh your great deeds with your love."


    Even Kerala nailed me.


    "It''s a world of falsehoods and falsehoods, so it''s better to be honest in times like these."