I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 242 Submission and the Knife

To prevent themselves from being assassinated, important figures are extremely wary of anyone and anything that comes near them. Before they make contact, they are always subjected to a rigorous inspection by professional guards, and Prince Chris is no exception.

This process is very tedious and meticulous, so it is also very time-consuming. It took more than ten minutes before the mailbox was handed to Chris.

Chris opened it and took out the five parchments stacked together inside, examining them one by one.

Out of courtesy, nobles' letters were not written in a straightforward and simple manner, but rather began with ornate language and obscure metaphors.

Chris patiently read through the lengthy greetings and seasonal descriptions on the first three pages, and finally saw the substantial content on the fourth page.

Well, even on the fourth page, which contained actual content, Count Dirac Sisso still wrote in a very cryptic way. Chris read it for a while and thought about it carefully before he realized what the count had written.

The count seems to have had some unpleasantness with the people of the Bohemian Empire.

Chris's fingers suddenly stopped on a certain passage of text, the edge of the parchment wrinkling slightly. He subconsciously looked up at Gibson.

The latter remained silent, standing still. When Chris looked at him, Gibson nodded and gave a complicated smile.

For most people, this action would likely be meaningless, but when Gibson did it, Chris understood from his actions and expression what the latter was trying to convey... the situation was more serious than the letter described.

Has Dirac fallen out with the Bohemian Empire and is about to engage in a bloody battle?
Or have they already started fighting?

Chris thought for a moment and figured that a fight must have broken out.

Chris had some understanding of what kind of person Count Dirac was. From his past, he could tell that Count Dirac was a very traditional and proud old nobleman.

Even though he himself didn't have much to eat or drink, he still left some food for Chris when Bolas left.

Although there may be other implications, the fact that he provided food instead of other frivolous things is enough to demonstrate Dirac's character.

Would an old nobleman like Gibson send Chris here unless it was absolutely necessary?

"What does Dirac want?"

Chris asked Gibson directly, and the latter took a deep breath and took half a step forward. His voice was very low, but every word was clear.

"Your Highness, the situation is as described in the letter. Our Earl has had a serious disagreement with certain people in the Bohemian Empire. Although cooperation between the two sides in the border region was not very close, a superficial peace was maintained. However..."

...This goes beyond the scope of the original agreement. The Earl believes there may be a larger conspiracy behind this.

Gibson paused, seemingly considering his words, before continuing.

“What worries us even more is that the Bohemian Empire has deployed a large number of troops to the border region. Its intentions are still unclear, but we are concerned that this may be the prelude to a military provocation... Therefore, I was sent to find your next instructions.”

Gibson's speech was long, convoluted, and flowery, but to put it simply, it meant that the Bohemians offered me a deal to sell out the country, which I refused. They wanted to attack me, but I felt I couldn't win. So, Your Highness, please help me out. I'll acknowledge you as my leader.

The reason Chris came to this conclusion lies in the word "instruction" that Gibson used.

This word is not one that can be used carelessly in daily life. It carries a strong connotation of obedience and authority, implying absolute compliance and unconditional execution.

In exchanges between nobles, this was almost tantamount to one party handing over a portion of its sovereignty to the other, allowing the other party supreme decision-making power in specific matters. Therefore, Gibson's words meant that the Earl hoped this was not merely a request for military assistance, but also a declaration of recognition and affiliation of power.

Chris's lips curled up slightly as he realized Count Dirac's intention to submit.

But does he need Dirac's submission?

This raises a question... What path will Chris's future regime take? Will it preserve the aristocratic class or eliminate it?

When Chris was still in Neyama, he learned of the revolution in Bagnia and had a certain degree of goodwill towards it. However, when he actually returned there, he was greatly disappointed.

Because the so-called revolution was just a charade concocted by the old aristocracy, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

If Chris wanted to start a revolution and establish a republic, he should be able to do so with the material support from the players and future generations.

But what are the costs of forcing this to happen when the public is not enlightened and the environment does not allow it?
Chris didn't know; he found it troublesome just thinking about it.

Forget it. God loves the world, but Chris is not a god. He doesn't want to do things that only great people and gods can do. So, after thinking about Earl Dirac's offer of allegiance, he decided that he could try to accept it.

If that doesn't work, they can back out or use policies similar to the "Decree of Reduction of Grace" to weaken Dirac's title and influence.

Moreover, even if he were to accept him, Chris could not possibly make Dirac a great nobleman with actual fiefdoms, as was the case in the old kingdom.

Noble titles and privileges can be given, but don't even think about territories. Bagnia's territory is limited, and any extra land that can't be used for farming will be left for the player to manage.

So, after a moment's thought, Chris said this to Gibson.

"You should have heard about my current situation on the way here. I have just defeated the Minesians, and my army is exhausted and unable to proceed to Hegland."

Upon hearing this, Gibson looked up at Chris with a hint of anxiety on his face. Before he could speak, Chris continued.

"However, I can provide Hygrand with a batch of supplies, a batch of weapons, equipment, rations, and clothing that I just seized from the Minisians, as well as a group of my most elite soldiers."

"The supplies will be ready to depart tomorrow. I will send you a quartermaster, and the soldiers... they will set off in three days, but they will have independent operational authority and will not obey the Earl's authority or orders."

Gibson was overjoyed. On his way there, he had heard the news that Prince Chris was fighting against the Minisian army. At that time, he was filled with despair, thinking that the task the Earl had given him was destined to be impossible to complete. But now, things had taken a turn for the better.

"Thank you very much, Your Highness..."

Chris looked at Gibson kneeling on one knee and nodded slightly. In fact, when he agreed, he also thought of another possibility... Count Dirac was preparing to play a trick on him to get something for nothing.

If this possibility becomes a reality, it means that all of Chris's efforts will be wasted.

However, Chris didn't care. Giving the Minesian trash to Count Dirac was itself a form of waste recycling. Besides, if the latter actually did such a thing, he would have a reason to get rid of him.

Overall, because of his ample strength, Chris didn't care about Dirac's little tricks; if he dared to cause trouble, Chris would dare to kill him.

If you can't solve the problem, then solve the person who caused it.

(End of this chapter)