“Where is the Marquis of Montefeltro?”
Leo III called the Count of Gaeta without the title of “Margrave.” He was treated as an ordinary Count of the Palace.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Should you return to the territory soon?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will pay an audience and then depart for the territory. I will beat up those Gallicos and drive them out!”
He shook his fist in the air. It was a wise thing to say for a man who would have trembled and surrendered if he had actually returned. However, instead of being persuaded, Leo III narrowed his eyes and asked him.
“They say the Montpellier heavy cavalry is possible, is that possible?”
When the Count of Gaeta heard the name of the Montpellier Heavy Cavalry, he thought, “How can we win against them?” but he couldn’t show it to the King, so he answered bravely.
“The soldiers of Gaeta are those whose loyalty reaches the sky! With their love for their country and their mental strength, we will definitely defeat them!”
He also had a conscience, so he couldn’t easily say that the soldiers of Gaeta were well-trained and good soldiers.
At the same time, Ariadne, who was checking the quantity of grain in the house and the empty space in the warehouse at the Mansion de Mare, rubbed her eyes when she saw something shining. A fantastic halo of light, like the wings of a dragonfly, was hovering in the air, very small.
“This is indoors.”
Standing in the dark warehouse, she blinked again and asked Sancha, who was standing next to her.
“Sancha, can’t you see that?”
Sancha looked at the halo of light pointed by Ariadne’s fingertips. However, her gaze did not stop at any specific place but continued in that direction all the way to the edge of the warehouse.
“...I can’t see anything, my lady?”
But the halo danced and swirled through the air.
'Perhaps... this is...?'
As if Ariadne's thoughts were correct, the halo sparkled once more and settled on the tip of her right finger. It was in the exact opposite position to her left hand, which had a red aura.
'The golden rule!'
The ruling class of the Etruscan kingdom was not all incompetent. The Marquis of Montefeltro, who had set out with the thirty or so cavalry of San Carlo that the King had given them and the fifty or so knights of the family, and the Margrave of Gaeta, who had become like a subordinate to a superior, arrived at the Gaeta fiefdom, and they—mainly the Marquis of Montefeltro, and the Margrave of Gaeta, who had only stamped his seal—sent a letter of protest to the Montpellier heavy cavalry.
"We condemn the shameless invasion of the Gallico army, who crossed the border of the Etruscan kingdom, which had been on friendly terms for a long time, without even declaring war!"
Instead of scaling the walls, General Gallico sent a reply to the letter of protest:
"We have come only as envoys to protest, not to attack, so this does not constitute a violation of the border.
The one who should be angry is the Kingdom of Gallico! The Kingdom of Gallico denounces the death of the Princess whom they had raised with great care and sent off to a foreign country with a heavy heart, and takes this situation seriously, where their Princess was sacrificed due to the lack of internal discipline within the Etruscan royal family.
The Marquis of Pisano, who was currently lying sick in bed next to the Gaeta fief, was a very picky gentleman. If Leo III wanted to borrow his army even once, he had to pay an objectively reasonable price. In Leo III’s eyes, it was an extremely impudent rebellion by a subject.
The Counts of Marquez, who were now unable to remain in their fiefdoms and had been dragged up to the capital and forced to settle down as Counts palatial, had their own fiefdoms and private armies from their ancestors. He could not tell when they would show their teeth.
Leo III stopped Prince Alfonso from bowing and straightened his son.
“Alfonso. You must go to the Kingdom of Gallico.”
Leo III called out to the family that was negotiating a marriage with Count Gabriele Della Torre, one of Julia’s followers.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Although he was not a close associate of Leo III, the old Marquis of Montefeltro, who had a place in the Curia Regis due to his position and fame, immediately stood up and bowed to the King.
“Is the long journey okay?”
Leo III asked out of the blue. Even if it was not okay, the Marquis of Montefeltro had no choice. Leo III was not in a state to accept a ‘no’ as an answer.
“It is Your Majesty’s order, so how could I disobey it?”
The Marquis of Montefeltro bowed his head deeply and received the King’s order like a loyal subject, but the nobles present could not shake off their doubts about Leo III’s selection.
‘The old Marquis of Montefeltro? Not even his son? '
'If you assign the old Marquis of Montefeltro to the Margrave of Gaeta, is he an advisor? A master?'
The old Marquis of Montefeltro was a military expert who had been famous as a master of cavalry tactics in his youth. Furthermore, his title and age were much higher than the Margrave of Gaeta.
'Yes, yes. He will help the Margrave of Gaeta and give the Gallico gangsters who invaded the border a taste of hot water.'
'He will do his best to satisfy his sincerity.'
At that moment, the servant's call rang out from the entrance.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty's loyal subject, the Margrave of Gaeta, has arrived!"
As if the nobleman had a bad fate, the Margrave of Gaeta ran into the King's audience chamber in a panic at the King's call at that very moment.
"My lord, I have been summoned!"
He seemed anxious about what kind of warning he would receive.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Although he was not a close associate of Leo III, the old Marquis of Montefeltro, who had a place in the Curia Regis due to his position and fame, immediately stood up and bowed to the King.
“Is the long journey okay?”
Leo III asked out of the blue. Even if it was not okay, the Marquis of Montefeltro had no choice. Leo III was not in a state to accept a ‘no’ as an answer.
“It is Your Majesty’s order, so how could I disobey it?”
The Marquis of Montefeltro bowed his head deeply and received the King’s order like a loyal subject, but the nobles present could not shake off their doubts about Leo III’s selection.
‘The old Marquis of Montefeltro? Not even his son? '
'If you assign the old Marquis of Montefeltro to the Margrave of Gaeta, is he an advisor? A master?'
The old Marquis of Montefeltro was a military expert who had been famous as a master of cavalry tactics in his youth. Furthermore, his title and age were much higher than the Margrave of Gaeta.
'Yes, yes. He will help the Margrave of Gaeta and give the Gallico gangsters who invaded the border a taste of hot water.'
'He will do his best to satisfy his sincerity.'
At that moment, the servant's call rang out from the entrance.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty's loyal subject, the Margrave of Gaeta, has arrived!"
As if the nobleman had a bad fate, the Margrave of Gaeta ran into the King's audience chamber in a panic at the King's call at that very moment.
"My lord, I have been summoned!"
He seemed anxious about what kind of warning he would receive.
How did you manage the border so well that such scoundrels as the Gallicos came in!
If he had actually received the same unfair reprimand, the current Margrave of Gaeta would have had nothing to say.
However, Leo III was in a considerably better mood thanks to the obedient submission of the Marquis of Montefeltro.
“Oh, yes, Count Gaeta."
However, Leo III was in a considerably better mood thanks to the obedient submission of the Marquis of Montefeltro.
“Oh, yes, Count Gaeta."
Leo III called the Count of Gaeta without the title of “Margrave.” He was treated as an ordinary Count of the Palace.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Should you return to the territory soon?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will pay an audience and then depart for the territory. I will beat up those Gallicos and drive them out!”
He shook his fist in the air. It was a wise thing to say for a man who would have trembled and surrendered if he had actually returned. However, instead of being persuaded, Leo III narrowed his eyes and asked him.
“They say the Montpellier heavy cavalry is possible, is that possible?”
When the Count of Gaeta heard the name of the Montpellier Heavy Cavalry, he thought, “How can we win against them?” but he couldn’t show it to the King, so he answered bravely.
“The soldiers of Gaeta are those whose loyalty reaches the sky! With their love for their country and their mental strength, we will definitely defeat them!”
He also had a conscience, so he couldn’t easily say that the soldiers of Gaeta were well-trained and good soldiers.
Furthermore, Leo III was a person who extremely disliked the idea of a lord having a private army of elite soldiers. There was no need to scratch and nitpick.
“Aren’t you burdened?”
Leo III asked persistently with a searching look.
“I, I am worried that victory will be difficult because of my lack of intelligence, but I will do my best for the country! If I work hard, I can win!”
Leo III, who had pulled out the story he wanted to hear—his worry—from the Count of Gaeta, smiled with a long arc at the corner of his mouth.
“No, I’ll give you an assistant. How about the Marquis of Montefeltro?”
“Yes, yes?”
The Marquis of Gaeta, who had no idea what he was talking about, asked back bewildered. An assistant?
Leo III didn’t bother to give the Marquis of Gaeta any further explanation and immediately called the Marquis of Montefeltro.
“Marquis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“How can we overcome this situation where the Montpellier cavalry is currently encamped under the walls of Gaeta?”
Although it was a sudden question that had not been agreed upon beforehand, the Marquis of Montefeltro answered without wavering. He was indeed a veteran of reverse battles.
“Your Majesty. Even though the Montpellier heavy cavalry may have the strongest breakthrough power in the Central Continent, they only have 1,500 cavalry, and they crossed the border alone with the knights without any infantry.”
“What do you mean?”
“No cavalry in the world can take down the walls without the support of cannons, siege engines, and infantry.”
It was a welcome thing to hear from Leo III’s perspective.
“Is that so? Can I rest assured?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. From our point of view, the worst-case scenario would be for the Gallico side to use the cavalry as a mobile force to march into the Etruscan interior and trample the country, but the enemy force is too small for that. If the entire Montpellier heavy cavalry had come, it would be different, but if only 1,500 men march into the Etruscan interior, they would most likely be surrounded and annihilated.”
“Aren’t you burdened?”
Leo III asked persistently with a searching look.
“I, I am worried that victory will be difficult because of my lack of intelligence, but I will do my best for the country! If I work hard, I can win!”
Leo III, who had pulled out the story he wanted to hear—his worry—from the Count of Gaeta, smiled with a long arc at the corner of his mouth.
“No, I’ll give you an assistant. How about the Marquis of Montefeltro?”
“Yes, yes?”
The Marquis of Gaeta, who had no idea what he was talking about, asked back bewildered. An assistant?
Leo III didn’t bother to give the Marquis of Gaeta any further explanation and immediately called the Marquis of Montefeltro.
“Marquis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“How can we overcome this situation where the Montpellier cavalry is currently encamped under the walls of Gaeta?”
Although it was a sudden question that had not been agreed upon beforehand, the Marquis of Montefeltro answered without wavering. He was indeed a veteran of reverse battles.
“Your Majesty. Even though the Montpellier heavy cavalry may have the strongest breakthrough power in the Central Continent, they only have 1,500 cavalry, and they crossed the border alone with the knights without any infantry.”
“What do you mean?”
“No cavalry in the world can take down the walls without the support of cannons, siege engines, and infantry.”
It was a welcome thing to hear from Leo III’s perspective.
“Is that so? Can I rest assured?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. From our point of view, the worst-case scenario would be for the Gallico side to use the cavalry as a mobile force to march into the Etruscan interior and trample the country, but the enemy force is too small for that. If the entire Montpellier heavy cavalry had come, it would be different, but if only 1,500 men march into the Etruscan interior, they would most likely be surrounded and annihilated.”
Leo III’s expression grew brighter. The old Marquis of Montefeltro continued.
“They must have sent the knights down for the purpose of demonstration. They must have demands. I believe that negotiation is possible.”
Good, this is it. I am a shrewd monarch who is good at placing the right people in the right places.
Leo III, who was in a good mood, turned to the Margrave of Gaeta with a big smile on his face.
“You heard? Count Gaeta? You and the Marquis of Montefeltro, return to your territory together right away. Listen to his advice and expel those impudent Gallicos from my borders as soon as possible. Understood?”
With his eyes open and his nose cut off, the Margrave of Gaeta could only stare blankly at Leo III.
In this way, through Ariadne’s wit, the Margrave of Gaeta’s hands and feet were tied.
The courtiers of Curia Regis, who had withdrawn from Leo III’s presence, walked along the corridor, chatting among themselves. Among them, the Count of Marquez called the old Marquis of Montefeltro in a small voice.
“Old Marquis!”
“What is it, Anselmo?”
The old Marquis of Montefeltro, who had known the Count of Marquez since he was a child because their lands were adjacent to each other in the central region, smiled faintly and called the Count of Marquez’s name.
“You were hasty today!”
“What?”
“You shouldn’t have mentioned the strategic position of the Knights of Montpellier so quickly!”
The old Marquis of Montefeltro smiled brightly.
“Are you worried that His Majesty might have other ideas?”
“Of course!”
Count Marquez took a deep breath and continued.
“The old Marquis gave the impression that you were conducting a military analysis on your own today without His Majesty’s orders!”
He spoke in a low voice so that no one else could hear, emphasizing his strength.
“If I were someone else, I wouldn’t give him this advice, old Marquis! You should take care of yourself!”
“...Look, Anselmo.”
The old Marquis of Montefeltro wiped the smile off his face and looked at Count Marquez.
“An enemy has invaded the border, and analyzing their forces is a natural duty as a soldier. His Majesty the King will not look upon it negatively.”
“Old Marquis!”
Count Marquez, unable to bring himself to say out loud that ideals and reality are different, and that he doesn’t know Leo III, looked up at the old Marquis of Montefeltro with a confused expression.
“And you shouldn’t look upon it negatively either. If I have to serve the country, then it is His Majesty’s duty not to harbor indiscriminate suspicions about those who do their duty.”
“They must have sent the knights down for the purpose of demonstration. They must have demands. I believe that negotiation is possible.”
Good, this is it. I am a shrewd monarch who is good at placing the right people in the right places.
Leo III, who was in a good mood, turned to the Margrave of Gaeta with a big smile on his face.
“You heard? Count Gaeta? You and the Marquis of Montefeltro, return to your territory together right away. Listen to his advice and expel those impudent Gallicos from my borders as soon as possible. Understood?”
With his eyes open and his nose cut off, the Margrave of Gaeta could only stare blankly at Leo III.
In this way, through Ariadne’s wit, the Margrave of Gaeta’s hands and feet were tied.
***
The courtiers of Curia Regis, who had withdrawn from Leo III’s presence, walked along the corridor, chatting among themselves. Among them, the Count of Marquez called the old Marquis of Montefeltro in a small voice.
“Old Marquis!”
“What is it, Anselmo?”
The old Marquis of Montefeltro, who had known the Count of Marquez since he was a child because their lands were adjacent to each other in the central region, smiled faintly and called the Count of Marquez’s name.
“You were hasty today!”
“What?”
“You shouldn’t have mentioned the strategic position of the Knights of Montpellier so quickly!”
The old Marquis of Montefeltro smiled brightly.
“Are you worried that His Majesty might have other ideas?”
“Of course!”
Count Marquez took a deep breath and continued.
“The old Marquis gave the impression that you were conducting a military analysis on your own today without His Majesty’s orders!”
He spoke in a low voice so that no one else could hear, emphasizing his strength.
“If I were someone else, I wouldn’t give him this advice, old Marquis! You should take care of yourself!”
“...Look, Anselmo.”
The old Marquis of Montefeltro wiped the smile off his face and looked at Count Marquez.
“An enemy has invaded the border, and analyzing their forces is a natural duty as a soldier. His Majesty the King will not look upon it negatively.”
“Old Marquis!”
Count Marquez, unable to bring himself to say out loud that ideals and reality are different, and that he doesn’t know Leo III, looked up at the old Marquis of Montefeltro with a confused expression.
“And you shouldn’t look upon it negatively either. If I have to serve the country, then it is His Majesty’s duty not to harbor indiscriminate suspicions about those who do their duty.”
The old Marquis of Montefeltro strode briskly, leaving the frightened Count Marquez behind, without a care in the world, making a noise that could turn the earth upside down.
***
At the same time, Ariadne, who was checking the quantity of grain in the house and the empty space in the warehouse at the Mansion de Mare, rubbed her eyes when she saw something shining. A fantastic halo of light, like the wings of a dragonfly, was hovering in the air, very small.
“This is indoors.”
Standing in the dark warehouse, she blinked again and asked Sancha, who was standing next to her.
“Sancha, can’t you see that?”
Sancha looked at the halo of light pointed by Ariadne’s fingertips. However, her gaze did not stop at any specific place but continued in that direction all the way to the edge of the warehouse.
“...I can’t see anything, my lady?”
But the halo danced and swirled through the air.
'Perhaps... this is...?'
As if Ariadne's thoughts were correct, the halo sparkled once more and settled on the tip of her right finger. It was in the exact opposite position to her left hand, which had a red aura.
'The golden rule!'
***
The ruling class of the Etruscan kingdom was not all incompetent. The Marquis of Montefeltro, who had set out with the thirty or so cavalry of San Carlo that the King had given them and the fifty or so knights of the family, and the Margrave of Gaeta, who had become like a subordinate to a superior, arrived at the Gaeta fiefdom, and they—mainly the Marquis of Montefeltro, and the Margrave of Gaeta, who had only stamped his seal—sent a letter of protest to the Montpellier heavy cavalry.
"We condemn the shameless invasion of the Gallico army, who crossed the border of the Etruscan kingdom, which had been on friendly terms for a long time, without even declaring war!"
Instead of scaling the walls, General Gallico sent a reply to the letter of protest:
"We have come only as envoys to protest, not to attack, so this does not constitute a violation of the border.
The one who should be angry is the Kingdom of Gallico! The Kingdom of Gallico denounces the death of the Princess whom they had raised with great care and sent off to a foreign country with a heavy heart, and takes this situation seriously, where their Princess was sacrificed due to the lack of internal discipline within the Etruscan royal family.
The first to break the friendship was the Etruscan Kingdom, which failed to protect their Queen’s well-being because of a mere prostitute!"
The old Marquis of Montefeltro scoffed after receiving the letter.
“1,500 cavalrymen are just ‘envoys’! Even if the Emperor of the ancient Latin Empire came back alive, this kind of luxury would be impossible.”
“1,500 cavalrymen are just ‘envoys’! Even if the Emperor of the ancient Latin Empire came back alive, this kind of luxury would be impossible.”
He was mocking the Kingdom of Gallico’s blind response.
However, this was not the only letter sent by the Kingdom of Gallico. The short letter that arrived separately stated,
However, this was not the only letter sent by the Kingdom of Gallico. The short letter that arrived separately stated,
“Let the head of the Etruscan Kingdom and the envoy dispatched by the Kingdom of Gallico hold a meeting in secret from the outside world, while guaranteeing each other’s safety.”
The Marquis of Montefeltro was appointed as their representative. The Margrave of Gaeta, who feared that he might be dragged out and beheaded by the Gallicans who had violated the treaty, was grateful that this intruder had intervened in the matter for the first time since it had begun.
The old Marquis met the Gallico envoys in a tent pitched in the field the very next day, accompanied only by the knights of the family and the King's guard.
And the content of the meeting was exactly as the Marquis of Montefeltro had predicted before his departure.
The Marquis of Montefeltro wrote a report to Leo III.
"To His Majesty Leo III, Blazing Sun of the Etruscan Kingdom."
The content was concise compared to the flowery introduction.
"The Gallic Kingdom proposed conditions.
-Their argument was as follows: 'The marriage has been broken unpleasantly. If the Etruscan Kingdom wishes to maintain the friendly relations and goodwill it has enjoyed with the Gallic Kingdom, it must enter into a new marriage.'
-In the past, the Kingdom of Gallico sent the Grand Duchess of Lariesa to a distant foreign country out of faith in the Etruscan Kingdom, but due to the instability of the Etruscan Kingdom, the marriage between the Grand Duchess of Lariesa and Prince Alfonso was not realized and fell through.
- This was a serious breach of courtesy that dealt a fatal blow to the Grand Duchess’ reputation, and the Kingdom of Gallico hoped that the Etruscan Kingdom would take responsibility for the death of Marguerite de Briand and the sacrifice of Lariesa de Valoa and send Prince Alfonso to Montpellier to seriously sign the engagement."
In the end, the Marquis of Montefeltro added the content that the Gallico envoy had quietly hinted at.
“Your Majesty. However, the Gallico envoy conveyed my country’s position to me under the premise that it would not be known to the outside world. ‘A marriage can be broken if the conditions are not met, and there is no guarantee that it will be established just because negotiations have begun. I hope you will not feel too burdened.’
However, from Montpellier's current position, it is said that the Kingdom of Etruscan needs serious efforts to appease the commoners' sentiments due to the tragic death of Queen Marguerite, the beloved Princess of the Kingdom of Gallico, and the discontent of the faction of Prince Odes of Valoa, the father of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa. Palais de Montpellier thinks that His Highness Prince Alfonso's visit to the Palace of Gallico will be proof of such efforts.
The envoy also made one more proposal. If His Highness Prince Alfonso visits Montpellier in person and the national wedding is consummated, Palais de Montpellier is willing to provide a powder mixture as proof of the promotion of friendship between the two countries, regardless of the specific terms of the negotiations.
Montpellier said that they would wait for His Majesty the King's reply.
However, if it is generous for me to add one more word, the harvest season is approaching soon. If possible, we should drive out Gallico’s army from the plains of Gaeta before then so that there will be no disruption to the harvest this year.
I will await Your Majesty’s instructions there.”
Leo III’s eyes widened as he received the letter from the Marquis of Montefeltro, caught on to a corner of the parchment, and popped out.
“Gunpowder formula!”
If we just have this...! If we just have a central army armed with firearms, we can send the central army to the conflict zone without having to coax or appease the Marquis of Gaeta!
The Marquis of Montefeltro was appointed as their representative. The Margrave of Gaeta, who feared that he might be dragged out and beheaded by the Gallicans who had violated the treaty, was grateful that this intruder had intervened in the matter for the first time since it had begun.
The old Marquis met the Gallico envoys in a tent pitched in the field the very next day, accompanied only by the knights of the family and the King's guard.
And the content of the meeting was exactly as the Marquis of Montefeltro had predicted before his departure.
The Marquis of Montefeltro wrote a report to Leo III.
"To His Majesty Leo III, Blazing Sun of the Etruscan Kingdom."
The content was concise compared to the flowery introduction.
"The Gallic Kingdom proposed conditions.
-Their argument was as follows: 'The marriage has been broken unpleasantly. If the Etruscan Kingdom wishes to maintain the friendly relations and goodwill it has enjoyed with the Gallic Kingdom, it must enter into a new marriage.'
-In the past, the Kingdom of Gallico sent the Grand Duchess of Lariesa to a distant foreign country out of faith in the Etruscan Kingdom, but due to the instability of the Etruscan Kingdom, the marriage between the Grand Duchess of Lariesa and Prince Alfonso was not realized and fell through.
- This was a serious breach of courtesy that dealt a fatal blow to the Grand Duchess’ reputation, and the Kingdom of Gallico hoped that the Etruscan Kingdom would take responsibility for the death of Marguerite de Briand and the sacrifice of Lariesa de Valoa and send Prince Alfonso to Montpellier to seriously sign the engagement."
In the end, the Marquis of Montefeltro added the content that the Gallico envoy had quietly hinted at.
“Your Majesty. However, the Gallico envoy conveyed my country’s position to me under the premise that it would not be known to the outside world. ‘A marriage can be broken if the conditions are not met, and there is no guarantee that it will be established just because negotiations have begun. I hope you will not feel too burdened.’
However, from Montpellier's current position, it is said that the Kingdom of Etruscan needs serious efforts to appease the commoners' sentiments due to the tragic death of Queen Marguerite, the beloved Princess of the Kingdom of Gallico, and the discontent of the faction of Prince Odes of Valoa, the father of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa. Palais de Montpellier thinks that His Highness Prince Alfonso's visit to the Palace of Gallico will be proof of such efforts.
The envoy also made one more proposal. If His Highness Prince Alfonso visits Montpellier in person and the national wedding is consummated, Palais de Montpellier is willing to provide a powder mixture as proof of the promotion of friendship between the two countries, regardless of the specific terms of the negotiations.
Montpellier said that they would wait for His Majesty the King's reply.
However, if it is generous for me to add one more word, the harvest season is approaching soon. If possible, we should drive out Gallico’s army from the plains of Gaeta before then so that there will be no disruption to the harvest this year.
I will await Your Majesty’s instructions there.”
Leo III’s eyes widened as he received the letter from the Marquis of Montefeltro, caught on to a corner of the parchment, and popped out.
“Gunpowder formula!”
If we just have this...! If we just have a central army armed with firearms, we can send the central army to the conflict zone without having to coax or appease the Marquis of Gaeta!
The Marquis of Gaeta was a weak-willed and timid man who could be easily suppressed. Leo III could manipulate him to his liking by being docile. However, not all feudal nobles were like that.
The Marquis of Pisano, who was currently lying sick in bed next to the Gaeta fief, was a very picky gentleman. If Leo III wanted to borrow his army even once, he had to pay an objectively reasonable price. In Leo III’s eyes, it was an extremely impudent rebellion by a subject.
The Counts of Marquez, who were now unable to remain in their fiefdoms and had been dragged up to the capital and forced to settle down as Counts palatial, had their own fiefdoms and private armies from their ancestors. He could not tell when they would show their teeth.
The Marquis of Montefeltro, who had now left for Gaeta following Leo III’s orders, was suspicious because he was too upright and did not reduce his family’s private armies. The list of possible traitors was endless, including the Counts of Dellatorre, who were relaxed even in front of the King with their large northern fiefs as their background, and the Counts of Attendolo, who boasted about being military.
“Excuse me, bring Alfonso!”
“Yes, yes, Your Majesty!”
The servant who had been watching the King ran out like the wind. Leo III could not see anything at the moment.
“Prince Alfonso, here you go!”
The servant soon called Prince Alfonso, who was working on Queen Marguerite’s funeral downstairs. Prince Alfonso had been called up without even hearing the whole story.
“I see the sun of San Carlo...”
“Excuse me, bring Alfonso!”
“Yes, yes, Your Majesty!”
The servant who had been watching the King ran out like the wind. Leo III could not see anything at the moment.
“Prince Alfonso, here you go!”
The servant soon called Prince Alfonso, who was working on Queen Marguerite’s funeral downstairs. Prince Alfonso had been called up without even hearing the whole story.
“I see the sun of San Carlo...”
Leo III stopped Prince Alfonso from bowing and straightened his son.
“Alfonso. You must go to the Kingdom of Gallico.”
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