Despite the clear provocation, Duke Ivanstein’s gentle smile didn’t waver. In fact, he seemed even more cheerful than when he was talking with the First Prince Rihast just moments ago.

“If you command, I shall do so.”

Rudrich’s face contorted at Duke Ivanstein’s attitude.

“Are you speaking knowing that I opposed this war, Duke?”

“Of course.”

If Duke Ivanstein weren’t in the capital now, the empire would fall into great chaos. The Duke’s presence, able to command large-scale armies while the throne was vacant, was that significant. It was suspicious that he acted so nonchalantly despite knowing this well.

Genoa Ivanstein. Who could know what was going on in the mind of that dangerous man who became Duke Ivanstein by killing his own father with the blind support of the late Emperor?

Rudrich finally let out a big sigh and revealed his thoughts first.

“I heard that the princess of Reibritton is now in Duke Ivanstein’s mansion. What do you intend to do with her, Duke?”

At Rudrich’s question, a chilling silence fell over the Emperor’s funeral. While Rudrich’s question was about the Reibritton princess, everyone knew that what this question really meant was whether to continue the war or not.

“Since the late Emperor who wanted the princess has passed away like that, shouldn’t we send her back to where she originally belonged?”

Rudrich was saying that now that the Emperor who wanted the princess, the shameful reason for the war, was dead, it was time to stop the war. An air much colder than during the Emperor’s funeral procession swirled inside the funeral hall.

“Ah, the pitifulness of the Reibritton princess is indeed heart-wrenching. Even though she’s a princess of an enemy country.”

Rihast stepped forward, overcoming his long-standing complex, with a smile blooming all over his face.

“But Rudrich, while it’s good to be generous to the princess, shouldn’t we first consider the blood and tears of our imperial army?”

“What do you mean, brother?”

“No matter how pitiful the princess is, we can’t let the blood of our imperial soldiers who died in Reibritton be in vain.”

At Rihast’s words, Rudrich’s face hardened terribly. His assertion that they couldn’t give up Reibritton ultimately meant continuing the war, didn’t it?

Some of the nobles listening to this conversation were subtly nodding in agreement with Rihast’s opinion. The enormous benefits that Reibritton would bring. It was too sweet a fruit to give up.

“From the beginning, Reibritton had no reason to be attacked. Aren’t you ashamed as a prince of the Raon Empire that upholds honor?”

“Then are you saying we should let the precious lives of the imperial soldiers who died be blown away into thin air?”

“I don’t want those precious lives to die anymore in dishonor.”

There were also nobles who nodded in agreement with Rudrich’s words. The dignity of the Raon Empire came from its honor. An empire respected by the entire continent. The status of the nobles was determined right there.

It was a war that started from a dishonorable cause from the beginning. This was precisely why only Duke Ivanstein went on the expedition in this war. Even having their names slightly associated with this dishonorable war was sufficiently shameful for the nobles.

It was something to decline even if they would remain as victors in history. It was right to stop here so that no one would sacrifice their lives in dishonor anymore.

“Tsk, the war has already started. Didn’t the late Emperor personally take the dishonor with him to the afterlife?”

“That’s why the late Emperor’s funeral ended up like this. Don’t you have any thoughts seeing the grand empire’s Emperor’s funeral being so miserable, brother?”

“Since when did you care so much about the late Emperor?”

“I’m not talking about caring for the late Emperor, but about how the honor of the imperial Emperor has been tarnished. Now the continent will no longer listen to or trust the words of the Raon Empire’s Emperor. Have you thought about how much this will lower Raon’s value, brother?”

“Are you saying I’m not thinking at all right now?”

The assertions of the two princes soon escalated into a small quarrel. As the argument heated up and the nobles began to frown slightly, Duke Ivanstein stepped between the two.

“I was planning to meet with both princes to ask for your opinions on this matter anyway.”

At Duke Ivanstein’s mediation, Rihast cleared his throat and reluctantly stepped back. Rudrich stood straight without stepping back at all, sending an intense gaze towards Rihast.

“I know well that both of you are deeply concerned for the empire. But we are in the middle of His Majesty’s funeral. I’ve prepared a separate place, so please continue your discussion there.”

“Indeed, you live up to being the most loyal hunting dog to the late Emperor, Duke Ivanstein.”

Rudrich said, not withdrawing his sharp gaze.

Rudrich was criticizing Duke Ivanstein’s attitude of casually taking honor without taking responsibility, and observing the situation with a relaxed attitude after taking a step back like that. In this war, only Duke Ivanstein avoided the dishonor that the nobles feared so much, solely because he was a hunting dog that couldn’t disobey the Emperor’s orders.

He believed that the Duke, more than anyone, should engrave that those who serve an unworthy monarch end up being treated only this much. But even in the face of such blatant insult, Duke Ivanstein smiled, his eyes crinkling as if he was rather pleased.

“Thank you.”

“……”

In the end, it was Rudrich who stepped back.

The nobles explicitly heard the positions of the two princes through the conversation at this place. Rihast’s stance was that they should continue the war and swallow Reibritton, while Rudrich’s stance was that they should correct the late Emperor’s wrong justification. This was an opposition that thoroughly represented the duality of the nobles.

“I’ll make sure to convey to the princess how much both of you are thinking about Reibritton. She will probably regain stability quickly.”

At Duke Ivanstein’s words, the two princes recalled the existence they had momentarily forgotten, as if cold water had been poured over them. Amelia Reibritton. The pitiful princess of a crumbling kingdom.

The first to react to that name was Rihast.

“I’d like to meet her once.”

Rudrich frowned as he watched Rihast’s eyes light up blatantly. But it was true that they needed to have a conversation with the princess at least once. The empire owed a debt to the princess. Rudrich sincerely thought so.

Rihast seemed to share the same thought as Rudrich on this point, as he continued speaking with a voice filled with genuine regret.

“Is it true, Duke, that the King locked the princess in the palace and ran away, after saying he couldn’t give up his beloved daughter and even going to war?”

“Yes, that’s correct. The princess testified herself. To buy even a little more time, they nailed the door shut and bound her limbs to confine her.”

“Huh.”

At Duke Ivanstein’s words, sighs of pity flowed from here and there. Of course, those sighs didn’t contain only sympathy, but since this was a place to discuss honor, the atmosphere was favorable towards the princess.

“The people of the Kingdom of Reibritton were no less pitiful than the princess. When they realized their monarch had abandoned them, their expressions were so dejected. I could hardly bring myself to swing my sword.”

At Duke Ivanstein’s calm words, Rudrich and some nobles who had been listening quietly clenched their fists.

It was a well-known fact that the imperial army, armed with siege weapons and artillery, had mercilessly destroyed half of the Reibritton capital in a single day. Everyone knew how much pretense was contained in those words of sympathy flowing from the Duke’s lips. But there was no one in this empire foolish enough to show it openly.

“How frightened the princess must have been. Duke Ivanstein should do his best to help her find stability. That is, if the Duke knows he can’t escape responsibility.”

Regardless, because of this war, Duke Ivanstein could now wield greater authority in the empire than even the princes. Even Rudrich could no longer mention any further criticism towards Duke Ivanstein after these words.

“Of course.”

Duke Ivanstein was smiling gently, his face showing no trace of displeasure.

Until the throne was decided, Rudrich and Rihast had to figure out Duke Ivanstein’s true intentions. Who exactly was filling the late Emperor’s vacant spot in that hunting dog’s mind right now?

“The princess strongly criticized the King. It seems there might be something more than just being confined and abandoned… Since the princess is afraid of me due to the shock of war, it would be good if both princes could take the opportunity to look after her well.”