Hilbert finally returned to his office that day … or more accurately, the next day …
He was accompanied by one middle-aged male secretary. This secretary, who had also served the previous king, was chosen by Hilbert because of his neutrality toward politics, his honest attitude toward assisting the king, and his knowledge of the king’s duties.
“Let me get this straight, they are insisting, in other words, that you give them all the management rights to the Glacelum Mine?”
“Yes. Although the form of the demand differs from country to country.”
“I wonder which is better, the state-run mine or the cheap sale of the mine to the Federation.”
Hilbert interjected as if trying to get his own head straight. The secretary responded.
Diplomatic and trade negotiations with the four major powers were already underway.
After Hilbert had entertained the diplomats at the reception, he had held a meeting with the dignitaries to receive a report on the negotiations and to plan future strategies.
The four powers were naturally demanding the most valuable mining concessions.
The strategic importance of the Kingdom of Ciel-Terra was its mineral resources.
Orichalcum and Adamantite were certainly valuable, but not to the extent that the Four Powers would go to the trouble of acquiring them … especially the Empire of Khenis, the Holy Kingdom of Diletta, and the Republic of Faraiya, which are a bit geographically distant from each other, promising support for the royal brother.
The focus was on “Glacelum”, a rare metal used in the manufacture of certain magic items and in the circuitry of advanced golems.
The Federation of Gireshtal, which claimed to be a “bastion of humanity”, had a powerful golem army that was active in battles against monsters and demons, and also posed a potential threat to other human nations.
The Federation itself had abundant deposits of Glacelum, which were not only used for military purposes but also brought in large profits as exported goods, but about 20% of the Glacelum consumed in the Federation was purchased from the Kingdom of Ciel-Terra, which bordered the Federation (at a much lower price).
If they could get their hands on the Glacelum deposits in Ciel-Terra, could they at least imitate the Federation’s Golem Corps?
The great powers that stood shoulder to shoulder with the Federation had that dream.
Hence, they sought mineral resource concessions, especially Glacelum, in exchange for backing Hilbert.
“I think the best way to sell it to the four major powers at a high price is to make them think, ‘We have a way to reconcile with the Federation.'”
“Just the mere pretense of that would cause the country to explode.”
“I know.”
Hilbert swallowed a sigh.
The Federation had made Ciel-Taylor diplomatically and commercially dependent on it, limiting the sales of Glacelum to the Federation and buying it at a discount. There was no competition in the purchase price.
A change in dependence alone was meaningless. It would be great if they could raise the price on both sides.
However. The people who celebrated Hilbert now are rabidly anti-Federalists.
Even those who were originally slightly dissatisfied with him are now crying out for him to “cut off the heads of the Federalists.”
If he did not continue to live up to their expectations, their fervor might even turn against Hilbert. There was no way he was going to reconcile with the Federation.
“We have no choice but to let the four powers fight each other like children fighting over slices of meat. Let’s hope that makes things a little better. I’d give anything else to protect the independence of the Glacelum mine…”
It would still be difficult, Hilbert thought.
What else can they sell?
The only thing Ciel-Terra sold, besides mineral resources, were its specialty white roses, the snow roses (both ornamental and medicinal).
Hilbert couldn’t help but think that he was a little naive.
At best, he thought it was a question of the price at which he would sell the Glacelum, but the four major powers were determined to devour Ciel-Terra by putting down their roots inside the country.
Considering the national interest, he had no choice but to refuse the offer, but would it really be possible? They would not be able to overstep their debts to the four major powers.
“At the very least, we want to protect the revenue to the national treasury and the economic effects on the surrounding industries as much as possible. The only other thing we can do is to arrange a treaty so that they can’t cheat on their taxes.”
Hilbert’s expression was almost one of self-mockery.
From then on, foreign countries would hold the Glacelum ore.
It was not a question of excessive eventual revenues (rather, revenues would increase somewhat in the short term), but rather the weakening of the Kingdom Ciel-Terra’s ability to control Glacelum.
Hilbert had a grim premonition.
Looking next to him, he saw the secretary standing aside like a statue.
“Do you think I sold out my country?”
“That is not for me to judge.”
A comment leaked out unintentionally.
Hilbert almost laughed at the serious secretary’s answer.
This was not the kind of question a king would ask his secretary. He must have become weak-minded because of his fatigue.
“By the way, the Kingdom of Noacurio has offered to dispatch a security force.”
“Refuse. Once they are in the country, they will stay for a hundred years for whatever reason.”
Hilbert shook his head even before he saw the paper the secretary was about to give him.
Calling in more troops from Noacurio would be an effective threat to potential opposition, but it would also bring more troublesome problems with it.
“I doubt that the recent offer of technology for armory forging was included in the offer. I think Noacurio intends to make Ciel-Terra a fortress against the Federation. A detachment of soldiers armed with minerals extracted from Ciel-Terra could be used in a standoff with the Federation, and if anything goes wrong, they will trample over the fields of the White Rose.”
The secretary said nothing. He stood still, listening to Hilbert’s thoughts.
The land of Ciel-Terra, which was somewhat elongated in shape from east to west, was bordered by two of the five great powers, the Federation of Gireshtal in the west and the Kingdom of Noacurio in the southeastern end.
If the forces of the Kingdom of Noacurio were to enter the country now, there was a possibility that both countries would say, ‘All right, let’s just go ahead and do this.’
“We may need it sooner or later, but now is not the right time. If we provoke the Federation too much, there could be a ‘mayhem’. … Noacurio may rather want a fight. If Ciel-Teira becomes a battleground now, Khenis, Diletta, Faraiya, all would turn against the Federation.”
Ciel-Terra was a small to medium-sized country with only a few resources. Hilbert was well aware of that.
Not only in war, but if they were involved in a conflict between major powers, they would be ground up like wheat on a millstone.
If that happened, it would have been meaningless for him to become king even after the coup d’etat…
“What about the land reform?”
“Finish it as quickly as possible. This will not go well unless it is done with confidence while there is still enthusiasm in the country. We’ll make an announcement by the end of the month. We’ll crush any lingering doubts.”
“Ah, and the Marquis of Arawen has made a strong protest against making the families of lords to reside in the capital.”
“… I’m sure there will be some complaints.
The lords who manage their own territories also had at least one residence in the capital. Hilbert had issued a notice that the families of the lords were to live there for the time being.
The families of the lords are to be gathered in the capital and held hostage…
He was referring to a method that he had heard from a bard that was used by the king of the Far East, Tycoon.
Nominally, the royal court was supposed to provide subsidies to protect the families from domestic turmoil, but there was no one, friend or foe, who had the good sense to believe in such a pretense to protect the families.
“Do you want to run it to the newspapers about the protests from the Marquis? Behind the scenes.”
“They’re already making arrangements in that regard.”
“That’s great. It’s good that they’re working so quickly.”
‘If he has nothing to be ashamed of, he will have no problem giving up his wife and children.’ ‘The Marquis of Arawen who protested against this must be in rebellion against the royal court.’
It was easy to see how the citizens would react when they learned of this story.
It may be a crazy theory, but it could be accepted in the current Ciel-Terra. Even though the number of people who support Hilbert with great enthusiasm was indeed small, there was a lot of passive support, and there were people who kept their mouths shut for fear of Hilbert’s influence.
“We can do anything now. We just have to get a foothold, even if a little forcefully.”
“Ha. And as for the search for the Undead?”
At the secretary’s question, Hilbert’s body stopped moving for a moment, like a malfunctioning golem.
“… Continue to work on the temple.”
“We are still in a state of sabotage, Your Majesty.”
This time Hilbert sighed.
The Temple authorities at the top were all corrupt and wealthy, but the clergy and temple knights who worked on the ground were good and simple-minded people who cared about God’s love, justice, and salvation after death.
Even so, they had a distaste for the coup d’état, “an act of rebellion backed by military force”, and they detest Hilbert as if he were a serpent after the subsequent royal execution show and the ongoing violence in the country (although the regime was not involved, only the radicalized supporters of the current king were rampaging).
Even if the other party is an Undead, enemy of God, it seems that they are not inclined to do as they are ordered by the state.
“We have no choice but to send a couple of radicals from the … Order of the Knights of to take the lead. I don’t expect immediate results, but we can’t afford to be underestimated by the Temple. Let’s intimidate these cheeky little priests. When the notoriety of the man who brought them in spreads, we’ll punish them and cut them off.”
“As you wish.”
＊ ＊ ＊
Meanwhile.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”
Iris (René), who had been having nightmares, leaped to her feet in Earl Keely’s castle in the city of Eltaref. Immediately afterward, she ripped off the blanket that was hanging over her, looked under it, and despaired.
“I knew it …!!”
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