Chapter 150: Probing Battle (6)
Wednesday, April 6.
After finishing a light al, I headed toward the Director’s Office located in the main building.
Several official notices had been posted in the lobby.
The most eye-catching among them were the announcent regarding the resumption date for regular classes and the recruitnt notice for the Field Manual Revision Committee.
‘Classes resu next Tuesday, and committee applications stay open until the end of the month… huh.’
It would be nice if there were many volunteers, but expecting that would be difficult.
From my perspective, securing even five people within Karbenna would already count as a success.
In the end, what mattered was applying pressure on the military and securing justification.
The more people supported the revisions, the easier it would beco to sway public opinion and stir internal conflict.
‘Though there are hardly any people in the current Imperial military troubleso enough to beco a serious obstacle.’
Still, caution never hurt anyone.
Everything was changing far faster and more urgently than I had anticipated, so there was always the possibility that soone unexpected might raise objections.
After undergoing a body inspection from the guards, I entered the Director’s Office alone.
Tap, tap-tap.
Michelle was rhythmically tapping the desk with familiar motions while staring at the morning newspapers spread across it.
From the unusual look in her eyes, I instinctively understood.
Bernhardt had finally begun moving in earnest.
“…Has it started?”
“Seems like it.”
She tossed the newspaper she had been holding onto the desk and took a sip of coffee.
After quickly skimming through the articles, I smiled faintly.
“…They really picked every fight they possibly could. Interesting.”
Most of the claims would seem fairly plausible to the public, who knew none of the truth.
Especially impressive was the editorial speculating about the triangular relationship between myself, Michelle, and Edel.
Just a few months ago, the relationship between Karbenna and the Imperial Special Task Force had been utterly disastrous.
The biggest reason, of course, was that Michelle Bernhardt, Director of Karbenna, and Princess Edel Ribenia, the de facto leader of the Special Task Force, had been openly at odds with one another.
But now, the two factions maintained a relationship so close it would have been unimaginable in the past.
The Imperial Summit held not long ago, the subsequent Centre Agreent, and now even the Mallet Joint War.
During that entire process, the two leaders must have reached so kind of dramatic agreent.
A dangerously sweet agreent capable of instantly repairing their previously terrible relationship.
No one could deny that Colonel Eugene Carter had actively intervened in improving relations between those factions.
And if that dangerous agreent threatened the Empire’s existing system and plunged the entire nation into chaos—
Then wouldn’t we have no choice but to question the hidden intentions behind the rosy future they spoke of?
Though it was worded indirectly, that was essentially what the article claid.
Edel would seize Imperial authority through the Special Task Force.
Michelle would take over the position of Bernhardt Family Head in the process.
And I would diate between them, rebuild the family, and ultimately achieve a dramatic rise in status.
A rather bold conspiracy theory claiming that was our true intention.
‘The key point is that none of it is technically wrong.’
As I nodded with an amused expression, Michelle suddenly asked:
“But isn’t there literally no evidence for any of this?”
“There isn’t. None at all.”
That probably didn’t matter to them.
Because truth was never what mattered to the masses.
Whether conspiracy theory or not, once they judged sothing as a possible threat to themselves, they would try to drag it down without hesitation.
And the sa logic could just as easily be applied to Bernhardt.
“Michelle, do you know anyone in the newspaper industry?”
“…I know soone worth knowing.”
“Then pass this ssage along to them.”
I picked up one of the newspapers and grinned.
“Ask them this: between those who chose reform to survive, and those who pulled up the ladder behind them for imnse wealth… which side do you think has more dirt stuck to it?”
---
After discussing several more future plans with Michelle, I left the Director’s Office.
My next destination was the General Affairs Departnt.
‘There’s still unfinished business with that bastard too.’
Dale Wedeyer. The leading figure among the pro-Bernhardt faction and, at the sa ti, a gray opportunist involved with the Revolutionary Ribenia Resistance.
In any case, he had helped us achieve victory in the war at Mallet.
His contribution to the war itself hadn’t been especially large, but that didn’t an he had fought half-heartedly.
The opponent had been Dellowell. He wouldn’t have been able to slack off even if he wanted to. More importantly, he genuinely seed to desire our victory.
Whether his goal was a citizens’ revolution or rely replacing the ruling elites remained unclear.
Still, if he wanted us to succeed, then at least for this battle, we could stand on the sa side.
After arriving at the General Affairs Departnt and being guided by an employee, I entered the Director’s Office.
While stroking his neatly trimd beard, Dale verbally welcod my arrival.
“Welco, Carter.”
“Sorry for disturbing you so early in the morning, Director.”
“What are you talking about? Eight in the morning isn’t early. Sit.”
The mont I sat down, I imdiately got to the point.
“Did you read the morning papers?”
“…I did.”
Now that I looked, a stack of neatly folded newspapers had been piled beside the table.
“Bernhardt’s openly declared war through public opinion, yet the leader of the pro-Bernhardt faction seems awfully calm.”
“…And yet you, openly hostile toward Bernhardt, still ca to visit .”
“…….”
“Truthfully, you’ve known my position for quite a while now, haven’t you?”
“I know it well enough.”
Partly thanks to Eric, and partly because of the path you’ve taken all this ti.
But, I added—
Tilting my head sideways, I wore a worried expression.
“I still don’t know whether you intend to help us… or simply refuse to side with Bernhardt.”
“…Aren’t those the sa thing?”
“Co on now. A man as perceptive as you shouldn’t play dumb. If it’s the forr, you’d give us information. Information we can use. If it’s the latter, you’d rely stand aside and watch.”
At that, Dale laughed awkwardly.
“Haha… I really can’t beat you when it cos to this.”
If you insist on splitting things so clearly, fine.
“My position is closer to the latter, Carter.”
“You still intend to remain neutral even at a ti like this?”
“Is that not allowed? In negotiations, the disadvantaged side always approaches first. Just like you ca to .”
“You’re saying we’re the disadvantaged side? Is that your position?”
“Are you not?”
“…….”
“I know your recent accomplishnts have greatly improved your reputation. You’ve polished your image and dramatically increased your public recognition.”
But if you think that alone gives you enough strength to fight Bernhardt head-on, then you’re gravely mistaken, Carter.
“If you want information from , bring sothing worth trading for.”
Looking at Dale, who remained seated arrogantly with his arms crossed, I sighed with a face full of disbelief.
“…Hmm. I only ca to you first because you were closest. Seems there was so misunderstanding.”
“What?”
“If you intend to stay silent, fine. My second negotiation partner will be far easier to persuade. He probably has just as much information as you.”
“…There’s soone like that?”
“Yes.”
As I stood up, Dale hurriedly rose as well, waving his hand in disbelief.
“Wait, Carter! Who is it?”
“…Not soone you wouldn’t know. Weren’t you close friends once? Well, maybe not anymore.”
“Close friends… once?”
“Ah, was I mistaken? Then forget I said anything.”
Keeping a composed face, I turned and started walking away.
“Doesn’t it interest you how much information Bernhardt’s forr loyal hound might possess now that he has nothing left to lose?”
---
The disadvantaged side negotiates first.
That statent was partially true.
Dale likely believed that “disadvantaged side” referred to myself, Michelle, and Edel.
It was certainly true that we had weaknesses.
But in any negotiation, the most terrifying person was always soone with nothing left to lose.
In other words—
The more soone had to lose, the more likely they were to end up at a disadvantage.
The public opinion war I was about to wage would prove that perfectly.
“Now then… the bait’s been scattered well enough.”
All that remained now was to wait.
While I stirred chaos elsewhere, he would brood over it alone before eventually biting the bait.
Inside my private room.
While preparing to head out again, I poured mana into the Tebrel Orb Leah had given .
“Yes.”
I thought it would take at least five minutes, but surprisingly, a response ca in under thirty seconds.
“Please speak, Instructor.”
Staring at the Orb glowing bright green, I spoke a man’s na.
“I wish to et Jeff Hallenberg. Tell how.”
“You want to et… Jeff Hallenberg?”
“Yeah.”
“…What for?”
“To obtain information useful for shaking up Bernhardt, obviously.”
At that, a low murmur of contemplation ca from the other side.
After hesitating for nearly a minute, Leah finally spoke as though muttering to herself.
“He requested Imperial protection, so as long as both the approving authority and the person involved grant permission, arranging a eting is entirely possible…”
“…But?”
“The approving authority is my mistress, so that part’s easy. I’m just not sure whether the man himself would want to et you.”
“Tell him I possess a trump card capable of rebuilding Hallenberg. That’ll make him agree.”
“…Rebuild Hallenberg? How? No, before that—why?!”
Toward the suddenly heated Leah, I replied coldly.
“Stop focusing on individuals and look at the bigger picture, Leah Brontë. If Hallenberg completely collapses as things are now, who do you think benefits most?”
“That would be… Bernhardt….”
“Exactly. If the people who understand Hallenberg’s internal affairs best take advantage of the Family Head’s absence and successfully annex the territory, how much more influence do you think they’ll gain?”
“…….”
“We need Hallenberg functioning independently. That’s the only way Bernhardt won’t be able to touch it. For now, this is the best solution.”
Of course, that and Jeff Hallenberg’s punishnt were separate matters.
“Depending on how much information he hands over, the details of his punishnt will change.”
“…Fine. I’ll inform them. But I have a condition.”
“A condition?”
After calming her agitation and concern, Leah spoke.
“Allow and Lady Fransia to attend the eting as well.”
The condition she proposed struck directly at the blind spot I had overlooked while being too preoccupied with facing my rival head-on.
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