I tamed my ex husbands mad dog

27-28

When Lord Luden declared a war of annexation with a commoner knight without any renown, all the people of the Empire laughed at the fact that she was crazy. When Nathantine was the first to join Luden, everyone pointed out that Nathantine was in the wrong camp. However, when the territory right below Luden–just as vast as Luden, but much wealthier–Delmaril, lost in the war of annexation, everyone felt that something was going wrong.
The emperor did not participate in the battle between the territories as long as the amount of tax that he could collect was guaranteed. Instead, the rules were to declare the war in the territory in advance. Thus, Luden obtained six estates before winter passed.
Advertisement

The other estates were overwhelmingly warmer than Luden, who faced the winter first. With the momentum, Wilhem relentlessly marched eastward. One thousand soldiers quickly became 1,500 and then 2,000. It was only a matter of moments before rumors spread that the Marquis of Glencia was behind this. It was only then that the famous territories expressed their disapproval.
But it was already too late.
In the east, Orient, and also Delmaril and Pala, all those who ruled as powerful lords in the area all knelt before Luden's Thunder. Luden's knight was first called Luden's mad dog, and then Luden's Thunder. The territories that generated the most tax revenue in the empire became Reinhardt's.
At that point, even the imperial family worried. Since the founding of the Empire, the only great lord of this size was Rembaud, who had vast the territories of the southern desert and jungle, and the Marquisate of Glencia. At least, since more than half of the territory in Rembaud was desert, people cannot live in it, so the only territory comparable to Luden was Glencia.
Advertisement

The emperor suffered from a headache. He swore that he had never thought that a woman who had once been his daughter-in-law and who was now the enemy that had crippled his son was capable of this.
Reinhardt in her days as Crown Princess was unremarkable. She was just an ordinary royal spouse. Except for worrying about not having an heir, she was utterly ordinary.
"If there was the Marquis of Linke... ... . No. If there was the Marquis of Linke, there would be no reason why Reinhardt Linke would be in Luden in the first place... ... ."
It had only been a day since the news that even the wealthy and powerful Orient had entered Luden's command was transmitted through the Crystal Gate. The emperor hurriedly gathered his retainers and discussed how to prepare, but none of them had a proper solution. Even the prince.
"Cancel the order to disband the enlisted men given to the Marquis of Glencia. And I'm going to have the marquis keep the Luden estate in check."
He was talking like this! The emperor barely held back the urge to throw something at Michel Alanquez. How could his son be so stupid?
"Half of Lord Luden's enlisted men are from the Marquis of Glencia. What do you mean?"
"... ... Aren't they the people who will run back and be loyal when the Margrave of Glencia calls? Even though... ... ."
A nearby vassal touched his forehead. The emperor was moved to tears as it seemed to represent his feelings.
"It means that it is more likely that the Marquis of Glencia and her bandit has colluded!"
"That's why I'm asking you to cancel the order to disband the enlisted. Then you can take the private soldiers away from her, and drive a wedge between the two... ... ."
Get him out. If it weren't the fact that that man was his son, the emperor would have said that. He writhed instead.
"You idiot! If we now cancel the dismissal of the privates allowed to the Marquis of Glencia, will it be Luden's privates who will disband? The marquis will recruit new soldiers and raise even more men!"
"... ... ah."
The emperor had never given Michel an overly generous evaluation. But he had never been so disappointed. The empire itself had always been peaceful. There were some disturbances on the border and there were pirates, but it never been enough to harm or weaken the empire's power.
The empire had never been through a major war. The Alanquez Empire, created by the first emperor Amaryllis Alanquez, was a country in which money circulated steadily under a moderately strict governance. The reason why they expanded their territory with Marquis Linke at the forefront was because they were equipped with overflowing wealth and a general capable of commanding the continent.
Even so, in order to maintain the common order, the monarch had to have more ability, intelligence, and learning than the common person. The emperor had that, and he thought his son, Michel, had too. Michel may be greedy, ill-mannered, and condescending, but that was something common to those who have been Crown Prince since birth.
But now, the emperor was being driven to insanity. His only son was a short-tempered imbecile.
And it was even more hateful that he caused a woman with such skill to be kicked out just to replace her with another woman to create such a situation.
No, it wouldn't have happened if Michel had been to the Sarawak uprising years ago in the first place!
His son was a cowardly imbecile who only saw what was in front of him.
When the emperor saw the crown prince sitting in front of him with a sullen expression, he was furious. How could he treat it as someone else's business? Michel might have been depressed since he injured his leg, and the emperor had received reports that he had an increase in occasional breakdowns. From then on, Michel heard only what he wanted to hear, concerned himself only with himself, unable to empathize when others were hurt, crying, or bleeding in front of him.
'But this is your country to rule, you imbecile!'
The emperor gently pressed the inside of his brow with his thumb. It had been painful since yesterday. That was then, from among the emperor's vassals, Count Murray cautiously opened his mouth.
"I heard that the Lord of Luden is winning consecutive battles in the annexation wars because she has an excellent knight. The knight is said to have been taught by the second son of the Ernst family."
"And?"
Count Murray flinched at the implied words, "Why bother repeating a familiar story so annoyingly?" Still, he answered with a stern tone.
"However, that knight is a person who is only temporarily a knight. It is said that he went to war as a hired knight for Baron Nathantine. He was originally a soldier, but was a deemed a knight to reduce the number of conscripts. So he is not an official knight."
"... ... So?"
"Even if someone other than a true knight pretends to be a knight and goes to war, he will not normally be charged with any crime. That's because he usually dies before he is charged. But it's still a crime. So, summon him here ."
The emperor closed his eyes angrily.
"Would he come here on the excuse that Lord Luden was wrong?"
"Your Majesty."
Count Murray shook his head.
"We all know how Lord Luden was driven out of the capital."
"And?"
"Lord Luden, no Reinhardt Delphina Linke, will surely come to the capital. The Linke family has now lost their wealth and their titles have been confiscated, so the family line has been eliminated. Their knights have been incorporated into the Imperial Army. No one could have imagined that the deposed Crown Princess, who was driven out to Luden in that state, would become a high lord."
The emperor knew at once what the count was talking about.
"So recall her on a condition of reinstatement of the Linke family?"
"We should offer that the knight will be also formally ordained without consequences. Please do not clarify beyond this. Instead, offer to return Marquis Linke's body, which was buried in a public cemetery outside the capital because his daughter had become a criminal. I heard that the knight is marching with the sword of Marquis Linke."
"... ... And?"
"Once you get your hands on them, do whatever you want."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction.
Calling in the former Crown Princess who was expelled a few years ago and appointing her as the high lord itself can be a sign of the luck for the former princess. Honor was the most important thing for a noblewoman. If she was interested in honor, he could persuade her to come under his control.
And if that knight would be a hindrance... ... .
"But Your Majesty."
At that time, it was the crown prince who intervened while shouting. Michel said, patting the table lightly with a sour face.
"But then, how will that affect my reputation?"
"... ... Reputation?"
"That's right. That woman is a sinner who dared to stab me... ... ."
"Crown Prince."
The emperor's anger rose to his throat.
'That one, that one is the son who will succeed me.'
Because the Empress was the woman who helped him rise to the throne, even if she killed his other children, or possibly his other women, there was nothing he could do about it. Even if she shed more blood doing so then when she had helped him ascended to the throne.
But he hated the empress now. He shouldn't have allowed her to do so from the start. If only there was at least one more son. However, neither the empress nor herself were able to have any more children as they grew older. So it was only Michel.
"There are many things in the empire that are more important than the reputation of the crown prince."
"... ... But–"
"Will the crown prince be proud of his honor even when the Marquis of Glencia and Lord Luden collude and bring more than 10,000 troops to the mainland?!"
Then Michel frowned and shut his mouth. Only his face was smothered, and every word he said aroused anger.
The emperor saw the servant waiting behind the table where the prince was sitting. Other servants could not enter the place where the council discussed national affairs. As a vassal of the emperor, the crown prince was not exempt from this regulation. But the prince's servants were always here. The reason was simple. The crown prince, who suffered only injury to one leg, had not been able to walk properly on his own feet since then.
Even if he couldn't use his right leg properly, he could use a cane. However, the crown prince was always carried by his servants and treated them like his own hands and feet. It was as if the emperor had expected too much from the man who acted as if he had one leg left.
'There is no way that the quiet Crown Princess would have stabbed him in the first place just because her father was dead.'
The emperor thought so without knowing the truth. Michel had been married to Marquis Linke's daughter for over five years. There must have been something that happened that he was unaware of during those five years. It was his son who must have done something grievous. The emperor was casually convinced that there must have been some other reason besides Michel's request for divorce and Marquis Linke's death.
The next morning, Count Murray passed through the Crystal Gate with a letter to the Lord of Luden. The contents included the proffered official promotion to high lord and the return of the body of the former Marquis Linke. Naturally, that indirectly suggested the possibility of the Linke family's restoration of authority.
Instead, the emperor demanded only one thing. Come to the capital, personally meet the emperor, bring the knight and have him officially appointed.
It was an offer Reinhardt could not refuse.
Episode 28
The crystal gate was nothing less than a symbol of the Alanquez Empire.
This crystal gate was installed at each key point of the Empire and was made of crystal from Alanquez, the island, and the resonance of the crystal itself took those who pass through the gate to where they desired to go.
Before the creation of the Alanquez Empire, it was this crystal that was used as currency on the continent. This is because, in addition to resonance, it possesses magical powers, at least slightly.
However, after Amaryllis Alanquez, who was said to have lived nine lives, founded the empire, an alternative currency, the Alanche, was created.
A country's currency was difficult to circulate without public trust. This was because, no matter how much money is circulated, if there was no place that guaranteed it, money becomes worthless. However, Amaryllis Alanquez managed to guarantee money through various institutional arrangements.
The decline of magic also played a part. No matter how much magic the crystal held, no one could use it, so the crystal gradually lost its value. Thus, about 170 years ago, the Alanche became the most representative currency of the empire.
Then what happened to the crystal used as currency?
Amaryllis Alanques bought all the crystals on the market. And the area where crystals were produced was established as a Crown institution. In addition to monetary stabilization, it had other purposes. She was also called the Last Wizard, and this crystal and her blood resonated with each other. This allowed members of the imperial family to pass through the crystal gate without any preparation.
At the numerous installations at key points of the empire, in addition to complex formulas, people could pass only if they had resonance crystals, but those who were of Alanquez' line did not need any formulas or modifications thanks to Amaryllis Alanquez.
Thus, the crystal became the symbol of Alanquez.
"It's the imperial supply."
Reinhardt looked down while holding the crystal that Count Murray's attendant had given her. The crystal, the size of an Alanche coin, the smallest of the Alanquez currencies, was transparent and had a metal chip embedded in the center. Pink skin was visible behind the crystal. After one use, the crystal resonated and shattered.
This was also the work of the first emperor. It made it impossible for anyone to use the Crystal Gate for rebellion. The crystals were circulated only to those who absolutely needed to use the crystal gates under the strict control of the imperial family. It may be seen as a strange form of egotism, but Reinhardt knew that was how those in power emphasize their privileges and strengthened their power.
Reinhardt had once felt that she had become a special person when she became the crown princess in her previous life and passed through the crystal gate holding this crystal. The fact that there was no crystal in the hand of the prince who escorted her while holding her hand made her feel even more special, or so she thought when she was young.
'What about this crystal?'
Reinhardt tightly gripped the crystal. Fingernails dug into palms. In front of her eyes, Count Murray was being fussy with the servants and knights.
"When passing through the Crystal Gate, no weapons are allowed. You! What is the pointy thing on your waist?"
The knights grumbled and put down their weapons. The attendant explained that what was worn around his waist was a tobacco pipe developed in the East, but Count Murray did not allow it. The attendant became weepy. Reinhardt sighed.
"Count Murray. These are my servants."
"But these are the rules for those who pass through the Crystal Gates."
"Count. I have passed through the Crystal Gates before. If you go through the crystal gate and through, you're not in a restricted zone either."
Count Murray put on a sullen expression. After passing through the crystal gate, what Reinhardt would encounter was not the emperor, but about twenty knights guarding the crystal gate. The crystal gate of the imperial capital was located at the foot of the mountain where the imperial castle was located, next to a small villa, and it was very difficult for even a large number of people to blindly push into the imperial castle surrounded by double and triple thickness walls from there.
"But... ... ."
"Count."
Reinhardt showed an expression of blatant indifference.
"I should follow the command of His Majesty the Supreme Emperor, but if the process of passing through the crystal gate is cumbersome, I would rather ride a horse to the capital."
Literally translated, it meant that the one who is at a disadvantage is the emperor, so don't be picky or rude. Earl Murray scratched his head and backed off. Only then did the knights and attendants who followed her breathe.
"But Sir Wilhelm's longsword is not acceptable."
Nonetheless, Count Murray eventually started picking a fight again. Wilhelm, the man who had been standing behind Reinhardt the whole time, raised his eyebrows. Count Murray flinched at Wilhelm's glare at him, then continued as if he mustered up courage.
"The Imperial Capital cannot be entered by anyone without a longsword permit who is wielding a sword longer than one lilith. The same goes for His Highness the crown prince. You should know."
A rasp.
"... ... Wilhelm."
Reinhardt called out Wilhelm's name. It was the sound of him drawing the sword. Wilhelm immediately released his sword and dropped it to the floor without any objection. There was a clang. Count Murray mustered even more courage.
"And the sword you are wearing behind it... ... ."
It was the sword of Marquis Linke. Wilhelm narrowed his eyes.
"No."
"No matter how you look at that sword, it's beyond 1 lilith... ... ."
"Count Murray."
Reinhardt called him again. Why again? Count Murray opened his eyes wide and looked at her. Reinhardt spoke again, as if preaching to an immature child.
"That sword was left behind by my deceased father."
"... ... ."
"If you know what the meaning of today's journey to the capital is, you won't be able to take that sword from my knight."
Count Murray had a sour expression on his face. Wilhelm kicked the sword forward expressionlessly.
"Thank you."
"I didn't say that it was allowed."
Reinhardt looked back, fiddling with the crystal in her hand. Five knights, two servants. And Mdm. Sarah and Marc.
"Ma'am. Please take good care of domain."
"... ... Yes."
The old lady replied with a complicated face. The last six months had been beyond disturbing for Mdm. Sarah. No one dislikes the growth of the territory they manage. However, the size of the manor, which had grown terribly in the past six months, was not a size that an ordinary person could handle.
Wilhelm fought battles of annexation without even stopping to rest.
With a thousand enlisted men, he won the first and second territorial battles, and made his name known in the third and fourth. The lords who did not surrender were beheaded, and the lords who surrendered came under the control of Mdm. Sarah.
Madame Sarah became the lord of Delmaril, instead of the lord of Delmaril, who had not surrendered. Was that all? Instead of Reinhardt going to the capital island, now the Luden Territory – yes. Now, Luden had become a name representing the territorial spirit, not the estate! It was true that it wasn't very long since it had became a powerful player.
So Madam Sarah suffered.
The industry, affairs, soldiers, and budget of the estate. Before she could figure out all of that, the lord actually left for the capital. But there was no one other than the madam who could run the household. Reinhardt smiled hard and took the old lady's hand.
"Why are you pulling such a long face? Without me, Madam should be thrilled."
"My mother couldn't sleep last night because she thought she would drown in work."
Sarah's third daughter, Marc, stepped out and responded. Reinhardt's eyes widened, and Madam Sarah was sullen.
"Hey!"
"Really. She even called my married sisters and asked if they could come help with the books."
"Ahahaha. Did they say yes?"
Reinhardt smiled. She took Mdm. Sarah's hand and said warmly.
"Ma'am. Sorry. It was not my intention to keep you from sleeping."
"No, my lady."
Sarah shook her head.
"It's much better for me to count how many orchards there are than to count the price of a sack of dried apples."
Delmaril was famous for its apple harvest. Reinhardt grinned.
"All right. I feel the same way. But it's too sudden. I fully understand, so I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
"... ... My lady."
Mdm. Sarah hardened her wrinkled, stern face, a rare sight.
Most recently, Mdm. Sarah's facial expressions were of surprise, bewilderment, or a frown, so Reinhardt naturally stiffened her body. But the words that came out of Sarah's mouth were unexpected.
"I remember five years ago, when the Lord just came to our estate."
"... ... ."
"I would not dare lie to say that I was happy with the lord at that time. Because the person who was the most precious member of the royal family was a liege who didn't even know how to treat me. But I have never once hated the lord."
"Madam, suddenly... ... ."
"The lord sometimes stared at her knees with eyes of blue fury. There were times."
Reinhardt almost touched her knee without realizing it. The wounds from the stabbing and imprisonment of Michel were now dark brown scars that adorned the side of her right knee. Sara said slowly, straight and hard.
"If that anger would dissipates, I'm fine with the fact that the lord spends a few years in the capital. So, as carefully as possible, finish everything you need to do and come back with glory."
"... ... Ma'am."
To be honest, she had never thought Mdm. Sarah would say something like this to her. Since she came to the Luden estate, the old lady had never shown her any favor. Moreover, the madam's words were even more impressive because Reinhardt had thought of herself as an idiot who had to be embraced by the Luden Territory.
"... ... Thank you."
So Reinhardt could only say that one phrase aloud. Marc smiled broadly. For a while, there was a lot of goodwill. Mdm. Sarah left soon after, and Marc remained. This was because she also decided to serve Reinhardt, who did not have a proper maid, as a maid and bodyguard. Marc, who was about to say goodbye to her mother again, opened her mouth as if thinking of something when she saw Wilhelm.
"Oh right. Come to think of it, are you still wearing it?"
"It?"
Reinhardt also had something to receive from Wilhelm. She looked down in the direction Marc was pointing. Marqius Linke's sword was worn by Wilhelm. A familiar dark blue jacquard cloth was tied to the handle.
'That's... ... .'
Reinhardt's stiff expression, recognizing it, softened a little without realizing it. But before Reinhardt could say anything, Wilhelm was faster. The man responded coldly to Marc.
"Don't worry about it, and take care of your mother. She's reeling over there."
"Oh!"
Marc then looked back in surprise. The old lady, who had been struggling to get up from dawn to prepare to see off the lord, was slowly sitting on a chair with her forehead on her knees. When Marc ran off, only Reinhardt and Wilhelm were left. Reinhardt looked up at her knight. A clear, questioning voice came out after a long time.
"Is that what I gave you?"