Chapter 378 - 263: The Eve of a Full-Scale Civil War (2)

Chapter 378: Chapter 263: The Eve of a Full-Scale Civil War (2)

In the letter Claude held, Ratifa’s handwriting was somewhat sloppy, evidence it had been written in a hurry.

She mentioned that if Henry was truly going to rebel, she would lead the nobles of the Northern Lands in an uprising to divert the Emperor’s attention and tie down the northern border garrisons.

At the end of the letter, Ratifa proposed a bold plan: the eastern half of the Northern Lands would be hers, and the eastern grasslands would go to Henry.

After their success, Henry was to send her one thousand Traveling Horses, two hundred head of cattle, six hundred sheep, four hundred pigs, and so on—essentially, a variety of provisions.

Ratifa certainly knew how to state her terms. While these items were precious in the Northern Lands, they were much cheaper in the grasslands. It was a hefty demand, but surprisingly modest under the circumstances.

After finishing the letter, the corners of Claude’s mouth curled into a knowing smile. He looked up, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "For Countess Ratifa to even conceive of this, and have the guts to act on it, she must have been planning to rebel for a long time. This woman... she’s truly extraordinary!"

Henry leaned back in his chair, his Two Hands crossed over his chest, and nodded slightly. "Yes, Ratifa has always been an ambitious woman. However, her proposal does have some merit.

If she can start an uprising in the Northern Lands and divert the Emperor’s attention, it would take a great deal of pressure off us. Besides, the nobles of the Northern Lands have long been dissatisfied with the capital, and Ratifa has enough influence to rally them."

Claude narrowed his eyes slightly and continued, "The nobles of the Northern Lands have long resented the capital’s neglect. In the west, maritime trade is booming, and the nobles there are rolling in it from port taxes and their cut of the sea trade.

The desert trade routes are a conduit of wealth connecting east and west, and the nobles along them live quite comfortably off protection money from caravans and profits from being trade hubs.

The Badan Mountain Region, though isolated, manages a stable existence through its mountain resources and self-sufficient lifestyle. And in the east, with its developed animal husbandry and agriculture, the nobles have amassed vast fortunes from lush pastures and fertile farmland."

He paused, his tone becoming a bit wry. "That leaves only the Northern Lands. Besides being an excellent source of soldiers, their only other major output is furs. And their quality as soldiers is merely a product of their harsh environment.

The winters in the Northern Lands are long and cold, the soil is poor, and crop yields are low. The nobles there are constantly pinching pennies.

All these years, the Emperor’s support for the Northern Lands has been negligible. On the contrary, he constantly demands soldiers from the north, sending them to fend off the Alien Races from beyond the border."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "It’s not their own hardship that stings, but seeing how well everyone else is doing. The gap between the nobles of the Northern Lands and those elsewhere is growing ever wider, and it’s a gap not just of wealth, but of status and power.

There’s a sense of rivalry among the nobility, too; their discontent has been brewing for a long time. Ratifa’s proposal strikes the very chord they’ve been waiting to hear.

Ratifa’s proposal gives them a perfect opportunity to vent their frustrations. And what’s more, her terms are quite reasonable.

The nobles of the Northern Lands have long been dissatisfied with the capital; they need a leader, one who can spearhead their resistance against the throne.

Ratifa has the charisma to rally them, and we have the strength. If we can join forces, we could truly unleash a storm."

Claude placed the letter on the desk, bracing himself with his Two Hands on its surface as he leaned forward slightly. "My lord, I believe Ratifa could be a powerful ally.

Her plan is risky, but if it succeeds, the benefits for us would be immense. The way she’s proposed dividing the territory is also very appealing."

Claude frowned slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, he added, "My lord, while Ratifa’s proposal sounds promising, we can’t trust her so easily. After all, you don’t know her very well...

The nobles of the Northern Lands may be dissatisfied with the capital, but they have their own interests and ambitions. We have no guarantee that they will remain on our side."

’What if the Emperor offers them more?’

A cold glint flashed in Henry’s eyes. "We can’t fully trust Ratifa, but we can’t let this opportunity slip by either. We will use her ambition and discontent, make her serve our purpose.

At the same time, you must make preparations. If the nobles of the Northern Lands betray me, we must be able to respond immediately."

Claude said slyly, "We can agree to her terms for now and have her start the uprising in the Northern Lands.

Then, we can adjust our own plans as the situation develops. If she can truly tie up the Emperor’s forces, it will be a massive help to us, without a doubt."

"Indeed. Regardless of the outcome, our gains will be substantial. This is a pleasant surprise, after all.

And with this cooperation, we can later make use of the Northern Lands’ soldiers and furs to further expand our power.

And Ratifa... she’ll get what she wants."

Claude nodded slightly, a determined glint in his eye. "My lord, I will have Jesmin keep a close watch on Ratifa’s movements."

The two exchanged a smile, a perfect understanding passing between them.

"Good. Do as you’ve suggested. Draft a reply that expresses our position.

At the same time, have Selas and Attendant Kurt select a small team to travel to the Northern Lands and meet with Ratifa. They’ll be there to secure our interests.

It’s about time that fellow Kurt got some experience outside the manor. All he does all day is build muscle on the training grounds. I’m afraid he’s going to forget how to talk."

Claude stood and bowed slightly. "As you command, my lord. I will arrange everything at once."

’Ratifa... that woman is always full of surprises.’

「Meanwhile, in the court of Lukaron」

The atmosphere was oppressive. The sounds of a heated argument between Duke Calvin and the Emperor periodically spilled out from the council hall, causing the guards to exchange uneasy glances.

The Emperor sat upon his high throne, his face grim, his eyes filled with unshakeable resolve. He slammed a hand down on the armrest and boomed, "Henry’s ambition is plain to see! His occupation of Odoche is just the beginning. If he isn’t stopped now, the entire empire will be thrown into turmoil!"

Duke Calvin stood below, his expression grave, his Two Hands clenched into tight fists.

Mobilizing for this conflict could very well shatter the empire. He forced himself to remain calm and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, while the boy Henry is ambitious, his position is not yet secure. If we dispatch troops now, not only will we drive him to desperate measures, but other nobles might be tempted to take advantage of the chaos.

The nobles of the Northern Lands are already resentful of the heartlands. If we make a rash move, they might seize the opportunity to rise up, plunging the empire into even greater chaos."

The Emperor sneered. "Are you making excuses for Henry? His actions are a blatant provocation against the empire! If we don’t punish him, other nobles will follow his example. What will become of the empire’s authority then?"

Duke Calvin shook his head and said urgently, "Your Majesty, I am not making excuses for Henry. I am thinking of the empire’s best interests. We can use other means to keep Henry in check, such as allying with other influential nobles or secretly backing factions that oppose him.

War is not the only solution. Once the fires of conflict are ignited..."

But the Emperor would not yield. "Other means? Do you really think the great nobles will truly heed our call?

This isn’t a few years ago, Uncle Calvin! They’ll just sit back and watch the tigers fight, waiting for us to cripple each other. Only force will make Henry understand the consequences of defying the empire!"

Duke Calvin sighed in resignation, still unwilling to abandon his final plea. "Your Majesty, the cost of war is too great. We cannot afford such a risk. I beg you to reconsider. Perhaps there is another way."

However, the Emperor waved his hand impatiently, signaling an end to the debate.

The atmosphere in the council hall grew even more tense. The tug-of-war between the two continued, but the shadow of war had already begun to creep across the empire.